Fall

pumpkinccmuffinsI love this time of year.  Temperatures are falling and the leaves are turning golden and orange.  It had been a tough year agriculture wise.  As harvest approaches next week, we are looking forward to making wine and enjoying the bounty of the season with so many of you who continue to make it all possible.

And who doesn't love the pumpkin recipes this time of year.  I know I do.  They are comforting to eat on these very cold days.

This one is particularly yummy and simple to make.  My husband and oldest son loved these.  Loved them.  Pumpkin and chocolate go remarkably well together.

Make these for your October and November get-togethers. They are a sure hit.

I love these baking cups, they are so much nicer and fancier looking than regular cupcake holders.  They are in the baking aisle at Walmart.

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raddichiorisotto.jpgWhen Brian and I took the boys to Italy, we wanted to eat lunch at a place near the Vatican that a lot of these Italian travelers recommended. It was a lunch we never forgot. We still talk about it and laugh. The place is Dino and Tony's and it is run by two brothers – Dino out front and Tony in the kitchen, neither of whom speak English.

When we arrived for lunch, we were not offered menus at all. Dino told us he was going to bring out special antipasti for us and then asked if we like pasta. Well, sure, we said. Before we knew what was happening, he disappeared into the kitchen and then brought out two pizzas, a platter of prosciutto and salami, a platter of grilled vegetables, a platter of potato croquettes, fried olives stuffed with meat and a bottle of Chianti. This was just the antipasti!

Then he delivered large bowls of radicchio risotto. "Where is the pasta?" I asked him. "After the risotto," he said. I knew we were in trouble. The risotto was so good, I couldn't believe it. Then the pasta came - Rigatoni Amatraciana. Delicious and perfectly cooked.

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Image The slight chill in the air, longer nights, and gray skies are all telltale signs that fall is finally here. As soon as the season turns, I put on my sweater and slippers, and gather my recipes for comfort food. Dishes that warm me up and make me feel right at home are on the menu now. One of my favorites around this time of year is a bowl of fluffy meatballs. Seared first and simmered in sauce, then served atop spaghetti, it's the classic Italian-American comfort dish. But there's always room for a twist on tradition.

This is my modern—but no less comforting—take on spaghetti and meatballs. My recipe removes almost all the carbohydrates by replacing the pasta with spaghetti squash. Simply roasting the winter squash results in tender flesh that can easily be removed with the help of a fork to form thin pasta-like strands. The slightly sweet flavor and tender bite of the squash "pasta" makes it a wonderful base for this chicken meatballs recipe. Plus you can have dinner ready in 45 minutes, the time it takes to roast the squash, make the meatballs, and the quick marinara sauce.

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Creamy-Red-Pepper-Coconut-soup-serve-with-crunchy-breadIt was one of those days, dreary and cold, and it was my turn to make lunch (I’ve told y’all how much I dislike making lunch). Mostly I was dreading it because I knew the fridge was devoid of leftovers I could just heat up and call good. 

I strolled into the kitchen and opened the vegetable drawer. There it was, two red bell peppers, celery that needed a purpose and half an onion from the last soup I had thrown together. Luckily, inspiration hit and within 30 minutes, this soup and lunch was served. It was delicious and is now in the fall/winter soup rotation over here.

The coconut adds the Asian flare I was looking for and the Thai-style sweet chili sauce balances it all out. This soup is so easy to make and the flavor is bold. You will love it.

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