Pumpkin Pie Soy Ice Cream

My son has really inspired me to cook new things because of his food allergies, but we are all reaping the benefits & enjoying new & delicious foods! Having an ice cream maker is great because you can literally concoct anything you want and turn it into ice cream. For this I used vanilla soy milk, french vanilla soy creamer, some pureed pumpkin & pumpkin pie spice. Voila! Its that simple! I topped mine with a pizzelle(a wonderful little italian cookie) and some baked pumpkin seeds(not pictured). This is a fantastic Fall treat & my son definitely approved!

Squash Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Growing up I remember my mom would make spaghetti squash & serve it as the "pasta" for spaghetti & meatballs. I loved it then & I love it now! Not to mention, its a great way to sneak your kids(& husbands) their vegetables. If you've never made a spaghetti squash you are missing out! They are so easy to cook & this meal here is something that Rachel Ray & Sandra Lee can appreciate, because its fast & it "semi- homemade". I always make my own sauce, usually with just some finely chopped garlic, onions, a couple cans of crushed tomatoes, & some herbs. To my sauce I added some frozen turkey meatballs(don't knock em until you've tried em). Now as for the squash, you I cut it in half & scooped out all the seeds. I then drizzled a little olive oil on the 2 halves & sprinkled a little salt & pepper on them. I put them in a dish  with a little water covering the bottom & cooked them in the microwave for about 15 minutes...THATS IT! Thats all you have to do to enjoy this beautiful little squash! Obviously it gets its name because of its spaghetti noodle like texture, which makes the fooling your family much easier.Healthy & fabulous!

Chicken Pot Perfect Pie!

Chicken pot pie is kind of that nostalgic comfort food that takes you back to when you were a kid. Pay attention though because pot pie can be very grown up! For mine I sauteed celery, onion, carrots, fennel, peas, edamame, & leeks in butter. Once soft I add salt, pepper, saffron, & a little flour(to thicken). After that cooks for a minute I added some dry white wine, chicken broth, cooked cubed chicken, & cooked cubed potatoes. I used a prepackaged pie crust(sure I could make my own, but seriously this was is much easier!) Crimp the edges together & make a few cuts on the top! This pot pie is hearty, delicious, quite simple, & a great comfort meal!  

Party Time!!

This past week my daughter turned 5(I still can't believe it)! Anyone who knows me knows I love to plan parties, events, dinner, etc. When we asked her what she wanted to eat at her party she quickly responded with "corn dogs". I wanted to cry! I wanted to tell her about how I could come up with a fabulous menu for her Barbie party, but as soon as I saw the joy & excitement in her eyes....as well as my husbands, I knew we were having corn dogs. I quickly decided we would do a corn dog/hot dog bar with all kinds of toppings. My daughter also told me she wanted "lots & lots of different chips" so I thought ok, we'll have a "chip bar" as well. So for her party menu we had 4 different kinds of chips, which included tortilla chips so we kinda had a nacho bar. We of course had the hot dogs & corn dogs, & for toppings we had ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, jalapenos, sour cream, chili, & cheese. So everyone could make a great hot dog of their choice as well as nachos! I must say it was a hit! The kids LOVED it & surprisingly the adults did too!

Now I'll be honest for her "cake" we did a cupcake cake for the store(fabulous idea) but to keep the kids entertained a bit I made star cookies on a stick & bought icing & silver & gold sprinkle so they could make their own "superstar" cookie. Again the kids loved it,although I'm pretty sure parents were cursing me for their children's sugar intake that day. Also, for entertainment I sent up a vanity table with mirrors, makeup, body glitter, perfume, & some accessories such as boas, glasses, hats, & jewelry. The party was a great success & most importantly, my daughter had a FABULOUS time!!

White Chicken Chili

The colder weather is on its way(hopefully) which means I have a great excuse to make the stews, soups, & chilis that I love! Tonight I made a white chicken chili. It was so easy & a great healthy alternative to traditional chili. For this chili I cheated a little & bought a white chicken chili seasoning packet. The directions on the back said to add cubed chicken, a can of beans & water......I don't think so!!!! I browned some ground chicken & added chopped onion & chopped cubanelle pepper. I then added some fresh garlic, cumin, & smoked paprika. I added chicken broth, a can of white northern beans, a can of garbanzo beans, & the seasoning packet & let it simmer for a couple hours. This chili was great! Healthy, filling, a little spicy, & delicious! I topped it off with a dollop(fun word) of sour cream. ENJOY!!

Marvelous Mush!

Mush really can me marvelous! Today I made apple mush aka applesauce. I peeled & cored a bag of granny smith & put them in a pan with a little water, a little agave nectar & some cinnamon & let it boil/simmer for about 45 minutes with a lid on it. When you take it off the heat you can literally stir it into a mush! This applesauce is simply healthy & delicious & the big & little people in my house enjoy it! Also, on my marvelous mush mission I made some baby food today. I wanted to share some of my(well my son's favorite concoctions) aside from the usual fruit & veggie puree. Veggie Stir fry(rice,broccoli,carrots, peas,ginger) Arroz con Leche(rice, formula, vanilla extract, agave nectar, cinnamon) Shepherds Pie(mashed potatoes, ground beef, peas, carrots, corn, & green beans) Orange Dreamsicle(oranges, vanilla extract, formula, & rice cereal, agave nectar) to name a few. Mush is fun!

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli

Not to toot my own horn, but this dish is up there with my top faves that I've created. Seeing as how it Fall now, I felt compelled to make this dish again as I have made it several times already. First I skinned & diced up a butternut squash(it's not that easy so be sure you have a good knife). I spread it out on a cookie sheet & sprayed it with evoo cooking spray & a little salt and pepper. I baked it at 375 for about 35-40 minutes(or until its soft) I put the squash in a food processor & added a little skim ricotta, a splash of cream, a few sage leaves, freshly grated nutmeg, & a little fresh grated parm. I then took won ton wrappers(a wonderful invention, right mom?!?!) I spooned a little mixture on a center of a wrapper & rubbed the outer edges with water & placed another wrapper on top & sealed it with a fork around the edges. Once finished I placed them in the freezer, because boiling them when they're frozen helps maintain these delicate deliciousness's shape. When my mom arrived for dinner I boiled them with some evoo in the water so they don't stick together. Also, I trick I've learned with boiling these it to boil them in small batches(4-5 at a time) I know, I know these things are already occupying enough of your time, but trust me they are SOOOOOO worth it!!(you can thank me later) For the "sauce" I browned a little butter(simmer it until it turns lightly brown & it has a COMPLETELY different flavor) once it was brown I added, a little honey, a little balsamic vinegar, & some chopped fresh sage. Drizzle a little of the brown butter sauce over the ravioli & VOILA! Best ravioli you've ever had!!

Chicken Enchiladas!

So many things inspire me when I'm cooking! It can be a recipe a read, & family member, an ingredient, a season, a mood, etc. The salsa I mentioned I got from my mom, this recipe my sister made & then my mom made & I changed it a bit! For this recipe I boiled a couple boneless skinless chicken breast. I chopped them up & added some of that AMAZING salsa! I also added a little cumin, fat free sour cream(sour cream makes everything better), & Monterey Jack cheese. I spooned the mixture onto tortillas & rolled them up & place them in a pan seam down. I sprinkled them with a little more cheese & baked them at 375 for about 25 minutes. Once I plated them I topped them with a bit more for the AMAZING salsa. Ole!

SALSA!!!

Salsa! One of the greatest concoctions to dip your chips in! This salsa my mom has made many times & I finally made it myself. Its so refreshing, & delicious I'm SURE that you'll be addicted too! For this salsa, I used a can of black beans, can of black eyed peas, can of corn(all can items drained), red onion, Italian dressing, fresh chopped cilantro(lots), & fresh diced tomatoes. Or I used a can of Rotel instead for a little heat. This salsa is so much better than any salsa you've ever bought or ordered. It's so delicious I used it for tonights dinner.....DOUBLE WHAMMY!! Stay tuned!