Four Faves of the Week

1. Homemade Halloween Costumes. Like the good old school kind that you actually make for yourself or your children. I don’t mean like actually sewing them, just pulling things together from your house to make most of your costume. Sure more effort, but also so much more fun and funny. Julia and I were always the neighborhood kids in the homemade costumes. I chose to be things like David the Gnome, so cute and girly. Julia would be Dorothy or one year she was Lambchop.

2.  Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

I am obsessed with this band–they are feet tapping good. Perfect driving or weekend music. My favorite song, S.O.B., is one that I would have had to tell my parents that “I just liked the music and beat and was not even paying attention to the words”.. I tried this trick starting at age 12 with the Spice Girls ‘Wanna Be’ through high school rap songs. I feel sure it never actually worked, but it made me feel better. Look them up on Spotify or better yet download the record from iTunes. You will actually be able to listen to the entire album, not skipping a single song, unless you have children that can talk and are in the car..  Then just skip my favorite one and come back to it after you’ve dropped them off. Not to mention I love the squash blossom necklace on the cover of this album, I am ALWAYS on the search for a good, vintage version of this necklace.

  

3. Burnt

Previews and press for this Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller film have been everywhere, but it comes out tomorrow and we are SO excited. It hasn’t actually my gotten rave reviews, but a coming of age story filled with great actors and lots of cooking – count me in.

4.  The Hot Toddy 

It’s chilly enough for a nice warm drink, and one of my favorites is a classic Hot Toddy.  1 oz. bourbon, 1 Tbsp honey, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 hot water.  It just doesn’t get easier.  And hey, it apparently also cures the common cold, so you’re basically helping your immune system.  You’re welcome.

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Tuesday’s Table: Butternut Squash Soup

Oh chilly weather! You are just making me so happy.  Let the warm weather foods commence!  Butternut squash soup is one of my favorite things for this time of year.  Not only is it amazingly comforting, but it’s also incredibly healthy!  This version contains no added butter or cream, and trust me you won’t miss it.  Plus, it freezes perfectly, so feel free to make a giant batch and store it away for later in the season.

Butternut Squash Soup

-1 large butternut squash

-1 medium yellow onion, diced fine

-2 inches ginger, minced

-2 tsp olive oil

-6 c. chicken stock

-salt and pepper to taste

-cashew and green onions to garnish

Peel and roast the butternut squash until fork tender.  Often the peeling and cutting can seem almost impossible, so I like to pierce mine with a fork first and microwave it for about 3 minutes before peeling it, cutting it in half, and removing its seeds.  Then place it in a 400° oven for about 45 minutes.  Next chop it into chunks.

While the squash is cooking, dice the onions and ginger, and get them in a large pot with the olive oil.  Cook them over a low heat until the onions are translucent.  Then add the squash and the stock.  Let this simmer for about 45 minutes.  Then puree the soup with an immersion blender or in your regular blender, but if you are using your regular blender be very careful!  You don’t want your blender to explode on you while you’re blending a hot liquid, so proceed with caution.  I like to just blend a little at a time and hold the top of my blender down with a kitchen towel.

Return the soup to your pot and season it with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped

cashews and green onions.  Enjoy!

Easy, Healthy Snack – Homemade Apple Chips

I am currently doing a Whole 30/Paleo type of diet and felt like I was missing out on fun fall snacks: pumpkin treats, candy corn, etc. Then I remembered my childhood love of apple chips, and decided that was something that would be healthy and satisfy my sweet tooth without cheating. They were extremely easy and mostly hands off. The hardest parts are a little bit of patience and cutting the apples thin enough, but if you have a mandolin it is a piece of cake! If you like apples and want a healthy, sweet treat you will love this finished product! I am sure kids will love it too, but beware these babies go fast!

  

Homemade Apple Chips:

3-4 apples of your choosing (I used 1 large honeycrisp and 2 galas)

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

2 small packets of Stevia

1/8 tsp. Nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Wash and slice your apples VERY thinly. Using my mandolin, I put it on the 1/8th of an inch and slice away. Watch your fingers!! Mandolins are scary.

Place your apples on a cookie sheet with either a silpat or on aluminum foil to help with sticking

Sprinkle them on one side with combination of cinnamon, sugar* and nutmeg

Bake at 250 for 1 1/2 hours, flipping once (yes, this takes a bit but your home will smell excellent and they are worth it because everything else is so easy)

*If these are not “crisy” turn oven to 275 and bake for 5 extra minutes. Just be careful not to pay attention so you don’t burn them.

Take out and let cool and continue to crisp up for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!!

   

    
    
   

White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup – Tuesday’s Table

This is a recipe that came to be based on items I had in our fridge and pantry two years ago. Since then as soon as fall weather is upon us it is the first thing that Grant requests for dinner. It is just about as easy as they come and is hearty enough that it is a full meal… but Grant usually makes his mom’s cornbread recipe to accompany the soup – lucky me (unlucky waistline). This meal is easy to throw together, inexpensive and gluten free as long as you pay attention to the sausage and turnip greens.

Sub in black eyed peas and we call this our “New Year’s Soup.” It covers all of the bases for luck, health and prosperity… in one easy pot. Check!

  

White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup

Ingredients:  

1 pk Andouille/cajun sausage, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves/teaspoons garlic, minced
2 cans white beans (any type, I prefer Navy Beans because of their small size)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can turnip greens
1 bunch kale in inch pieces
6 cups chicken broth (I used 4 stock, 2 water)
Several dashes of Hot Pepper Vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to season

Directions:

Brown chopped sausage (try to drain most of the grease), add onions and garlic  to sausage to soften for 5-7 min
Add chicken broth, beans (rinsed), tomatoes with juice
Add turnip greens (mostly drained)
Add kale, black pepper, pepper vinegar.
Stir, cover, simmer

Simmer for at least 30-45 minutes, but will taste even better the next day.

Serve with hot pepper vinegar. Cornbread would be a treat too.

** You can make many variations to this recipe based on your preferences and things that you have at home. Use only kale (add some salt to recipe); use only turnip greens, add some shredded chicken, etc. I have done all of these things and it turns out well every single time**

   

    
   

Enjoy!!

Autumn Apple Oatmeal

Fall is already here and, love it or hate it, so are Uggs, pumpkin spice everything, and your neighbors’ Halloween decorations rearing their scary heads.  One thing I love any time of the year is the classic combo of fresh apples and spicy cinnamon, and this oatmeal definitely reminds me of the kind I had as a kid from the paper packets but with a much needed twist!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

-1/2 c. oatmeal

-1 c. water or milk of your choice

-1/4 of an apple finely chopped

-dash of salt

-dash of cinnamon

-1 teaspoon brown sugar

Add all of the ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and cook for about two minutes.  I like to top mine with toasted walnuts or pecans.  Of course, both the apples and the oatmeal can be made on the stove top, and sometimes I like to cook them separately and then spoon the apples over the top to make everything look a little nicer.  But on those busy mornings when the presentation of your breakfast is the last thing on your mind, this recipe can also be easily converted into the perfect overnight oats.  Enjoy!