The crust makes memorable this simple pie of tomatoes and cheese.

The surplus of cherry tomatoes has finally dwindled at our home to the last few treasures ripening inside. Thursday, we had a 65-degree day, and I let myself think perhaps my struggling cherry tomato plants might offer up something new. This morning? A frost, our first, way later than ever!

Armed with some lovely heirlooms from the farm stand, I decided that I needed to finally say farewell to summer, and that meant tomatoes and basil, with a little fresh mozzarella thrown in for good measure.

So, tomato pie it was –– a baked, one-crust pastry shell, filled with cheese and tomatoes, and warmed though until the cheese melts and the tomatoes soften. Simple, delicious, and always a hit.

I had an extra disc of the herbed pastry because I had just made a sweet pie, and I thought…

• 

• 

• 

Jarlsberg cheese is my new cheese obsession. I got a Costco size hunk of cheese from ya know, Costco and I had to find many of ways to use it. Now I’m not a cheese experts and there are a lot of different cheese, so I don’t keep up with cheese I have and haven’t tried. But using obvious visual signs I could tell this cheese was super creamy. So I did a couple recipes here and there and I just really wanted to make a homey comfort food extravaganza. I also use these couple trial months to see what I’ll be making for the holidays. Which ones stay and if I need to swap anything out. So the idea of adding a ton of this cheese into a mashed potatoes came to mind and I went for it. This recipe has a spot at the table for the holidays…

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We got a wild cold snap here in Texas with some rather unusual winds. Towards the end of the season when you’re saying goodbye to winter. Goodbye to cold nights, crisp air , comfort food and sweaters and a hello again and welcome to summer. Here welcomes heat, humidity and everyone’s favorite mosquitos.To me these kind of days like today, can be a perfect opportunity to get in some last minute comfort foods of the season. That I thought I would only be seeing again till next year.

Enter short ribs, I love short ribs but I actually love oxtails more. When I cant find oxtails my go to is always short ribs. They are similar in taste and texture to me and I already had them in the fridge. So its a win! Plus I had purple sweet potatoes I just got in from the store that I had…

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I love anything loaded baked potato inspired. Its simple, straightforward and easy. I was really in the mood for loaded potato soup but I really didn’t feel like dealing with a entire pot of soup. Especially since I’m expecting clam chowder in the next couple days. That’s just too much cream based soup for me. So to make this more of a meal I decided on gnocchi for a little more of a entrée feeling apposed to soup. Try it out and let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2lb Bacon
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2Tb butter
• 3Tb flour
• 3c Milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• 12oz Gnocchi
• 4 Green Onions, sliced
• 1/2c Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4c Sour Cream

DIRECTIONS

• RENDER BACON: Add chopped bacon to cold pan and heat slowly. Cook till bacon is crispy for about 10 minutes. Dispose of all but 1Tb of bacon fat from pan.

We got a lot of sweet potatoes during our last weeks of this year’s CSA. And a lot of apples. They’re such a perfect pairing and one that I’ve been playing with a lot this fall – this dish is one of my favorites.

Sweet potato and apple chunks doused in a syrupy honey-whisky-pecan glaze will be your new favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 1 cup flax meal
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup sugar substitute
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: walnuts

Cream Cheese ICING

• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup erythritol, powdered
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix in eggs, carrots, melted butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined. Spoon batter onto cookie sheet using a cookie scoop. Cookies will spread, so space cookies at least two inches apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check the cookies after 15 minutes by flipping one of them over with a metal spatula, they should…

Ingredients:

• 4 low-carb pitas (Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran, and Whole Wheat Pita Bread)
• 8 Nathan’s Beef Franks
• 1 lb Applewood Smoked Bacon, chopped and fried (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• Cheddar Cheese Fondue OR Easy Cheddar Cheese Sauce (Below)

Easy Cheddar Cheese Sauce

• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 4 TBSP cream cheese
• 2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
• 2 TBSP melted butter
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp worcester sauce
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

Place hotdogs to frying pan. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook hotdogs on medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if it cooks off before the time is up. Drain off remaining water, and add 2 tbsp butter. Fry hotdogs until golden brown. To make cheese sauce, microwave cream cheese, cheddar cheese, heavy whipping cream, and 2 TBSP butter…

Ingredients:

• 10 water chestnuts
• 20 toothpicks
• 10 slices of bacon
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TBSP sugar substitute

Instructions:

Cut chestnuts in half. Wrap a half piece of bacon around each chestnut half, and insert a tooth pick to hold the bacon in place. Place chestnuts in a baking pan. Make a marinade of soy sauce and sugar substitute and pour over chestnuts. Let chill for 4 hours, basting marinade over bacon again halfway through. Broil for 10 minutes, or bake at 375°F until bacon reaches desired crispness, draining off excess grease after 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 136
Total Fat 11.3
Total Carbohydrate 3.6g
Protein 10.2g
Disclaimer: Nutrition is approximate.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups of cooking oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3½ cups Granny Smith apples (approximately 3-4 apples), peeled and chopped
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• Caramel Glaze
  • ¾ cups butter (1½ sticks)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° In a large mixing bowl, add oil, sugar and eggs, mix until nice and creamy. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to large bowl. Mix well. Add vanilla, mix well. Stir in apples and pecans.

Pour into generously greased and floured tube pan (you can use two loaf pans in place of a tube pan). Bake at 325° for approximately 1 hour. Check using a tooth pick at about 50 minutes, and if it comes…

In pre-Hispanic times, the Mexica commemorated the dead during their summer months around July and August; the offerings included elements of Nature, such as fire, flowers, and part of the harvest, which in those regions of Central and Southern Mexico consisted of chili (today known around the world as: chiles, chilli, capsicum, paprika, peppers, guindilla, etc.) as well as corn, beans and squash (the well-known “three sisters” crops, all native to the Americas).  Mictēcacihuātl, also known as “The Lady of the Dead”, was the female deity of the Mexica pantheon dedicated to guard the bones of the deceased in the underworld; she was said to come to the dimension of the living during this time.  With the arrival of the Catholic church not long after the Spanish conquest,  the angst provoked by these ancient rituals was placated with great success – during the native population’s conversion process – when combined…

A simple and delicious way to enjoy buttercup winter squash – roasted in the oven and topped with some fun flavor combinations.

Fall/winter squash are some of my favorite vegetables to create with as the weather starts to cool down. There’s so many ways to prepare the squash and mix it in to a variety of dishes or even eat on its own. It’s crazy that Taproot Farm’s Summer CSA officially ended last week, and the winter season begins this week! I am so excited to craft up some more recipes with new seasonal vegetables and combinations to work with. This recipe is simple, yet a few fun and flavorful additions make it something unique and special. The focus of the recipe is roasted organic buttercup winter squash from Taproot Farm, enhanced by the flavors of fennel, feta, pumpkin seeds, bee pollen, and local vanilla maple syrup from Whiskey…

https://www.asaucykitchen.com/sweet-and-sour-chicken-paleo-low-fodmap/

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) arrowroot starch
• 1 large egg beaten
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or regular white sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Aminos, or gluten free soy sauce/tamari
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup (60 ml)chicken stock
• 1 red pepper cut into chunks
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 3 spring onions stalks, green part only for low fodmap

1. First prepare the sauce by adding the coconut sugar, vinegar, coconut aminos, chicken stock and ketchup to a medium sauce pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low heat and leave until later.
2. Add chicken pieces and beaten egg to a large ziplock bag. Seal and shake to coat chicken. Then add the arrowroot starch to the bag, shaking again to lightly coat all the chicken pieces.
3. Add coconut oil to a…

Prep: 20 minutes, Marinate: 8 hours, Slow cook: 8 hours (low)

• 12 bone-in chicken things (skinned)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds (crushed), cumin, and cardamon
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 14.5 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup dried apricots (quartered)
• 1 cup pitted whole dates (quartered)
• 3 Tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. In a small bowl whisk together oil, garlic, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cumin, cardamom, and cayenne pepper.
2. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Add oil mixture. Press air from bag; seal. Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
3. Place chicken in a 4- to 5-quartslow cooker. In a medium bowl combine broth, apricots, dates, ground almonds, turmeric, salt, pepper…

BACKGROUND

A vignarola, for those who may not know, is a vegetable stew that is all about Spring, late spring.  The word ‘vigna’ means vineyard and signals the bounty that the countryside can bring to the table during that time of year.   I wrote an in-depth post about it some time ago, when it was seasonally appropriate.  It is mostaly about ripe artichokes, fresh broad beans and peas etc. (https://frascaticookingthatsamore.wordpress.com/2016/04/14/vignarola-the-pilgrimage-of-posh/).

LAST NIGHT

Last night, as I composed a dish with some ingredients that happened to be sitting in the fridge, I became ‘high’ on my own steam … the delight of ending up with a recipe that was too good not to repeat!  The creativity of it all was an incredible boon.  And so I felt just like Little Jack Horner and said “What a good girl am I” for having come up with the idea.  The idea of an…

There’s a chance, albeit a brief, fleeting chance…that OKC gets its FIRST SNOW today!

We’ll get a trace amount. It probably won’t stick to the ground.

But I AM LIVING FOR IT.

I’ve been beaming ear-to-ear since Monday. The clouds haven’t stopped blanketing the sky since then, and it’s been cold, drizzly and dreary…but THIS is my kind of weather. I’m absolutely in love with this time of year, and the snow couldn’t have come any sooner…

…because on Saturday, we Christmas.

It’s an all-day Christmas decorating extravaganza! I’m ready for the lights to be twinkling on the tree, the pine-scented candles to be burnt, and all the joy and yuletide the season brings with it. My holiday baking will begin this weekend as well, and it’s going to be hard trying to top all the Christmas goodies I made last year (cookie sticks? Sugar cookie puppy chow

Our local theater sells reusable plastic popcorn buckets twice a year. For $30 you buy a bucket and get to use if for the next five-six months. Every time you go to a movie you can get it filled and refilled while you are there. But, the best part is you don’t even need to go so a movie to use the popcorn buckets so every once in a while as a treat we will take out buckets and go to the theater just to get popcorn to bring home for a special movie night treat.

But, that also has a down side in that movie popcorn is not really good for you and it can be not as special a treat as it once was. To avoid the trap we do not get the “butter” on the popcorn every time. You order it plain and then add your own…

On Monday, I announced to my family that I would be making chicken soup for dinner – except, when I got home from work, I realized I did not have the chicken broth in the cupboard as I imagined I did while on the commuter train. And since then, I’ve been too lazy to go to the supermarket and get the one important ingredient to make the soup I’d been craving for four days now. Yes, I do know I can make my own chicken broth simply by using the water the chicken was boiled in, which I do. But store bought chicken brought adds just the right zing or heartiness my taste buds crave.

So, to the supermarket after work it is and home to make this delicious version of chicken soup:

Walked out of the house this morning at 5:30, headed to my commuter train, and I actually shivered. It was breezy and cold. Did I mention just how much I love this time of year? Well, I do. So, while on the train, I normally go over my to-do list, which of course includes dinner for the family, and considering the cold, although it will hit up to the 70’s mid-day, I know by dinner time it will dip down–just in time for a bowl of soup and toasted second day old Italian bread. This recipe is the perfect combination of ingredients and so easy to make and can be made with a crockpot as suggested.

INGREDIENTS

Today’s Menu: Ancient Grain Mini Naan Bread Pizza – Turkey Pepperoni and Turkey Sausage

 

For Breakfast this morning I toasted a Thomas Light 100% Multi Grain English Muffin and topped it with Smucker’s Sugarless Blackberry Jam. Also had the morning cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Partly cloudy and 68 degrees on this Fall Day. After Lunch spent the afternoon raking leaves! Grabbed the rake, leaf blower, and the cart out of the shed There is a ton of leaves out there! I filled up 3 Hefty yard bags. I helped a neighbor get his yard raked and then the both of us did a neighbors yard that can’t rake his. He’s an older gentlemen and his wife is in ICU with a heart condition so we got his for him. Between the 3 yards we filled up 10 Hefty yard bags. And you won’t be able to tell…