Pumpkin Waffles

Happy fall! Ok, ok, it's not quite fall yet, but I have already shifted over. My fall wreath is out, the scarecrow is in the front yard, and it's time to start cooking with PUMPKIN!! I love the flavor of pumpkin in all things, both sweet and savory. The health factor of pumpkin is just an added bonus.

My first foray into pumpkin this season was pumpkin waffles - something I have been itching to make since this time last year. They did NOT disappoint, especially when topped with a little maple syrup. Note, if you don't have all of the spices listed, a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half of pumpkin pie spice would be a good alternative. (Sorry, the picture is a bit blurry!)

Yields 4 Belgian waffles. Could also be used with a traditional waffle maker.


3/4-cup flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger (I used a little less than this - I think ginger can be overwhelming at times)
Tiny pinch of salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
7/8 cup milk (just eyeball it - a little less than a cup and you'll be fine. Remember, you can always add more but you can't really take it out once you've put it in.)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat waffle iron. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl.

In a second, medium-sized bowl, mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin, milk, and butter, beating well. Gently fold into flour mixture.

Divide into four even-sized portions (I used about 3/4 to 1 cup each), and cook according to your waffle iron's directions, typically around 4-5 minutes each.

Source: RecipeZaar

Pizza Sauce

Pizza sauce from a jar is just so easy. But, at the same time, it's just, well, there. So I decided that we had plenty of fresh herbs in the garden and crushed tomatoes in the cupboard, so it was time to try to make our own.

One small disclaimer: This is what my mom and I call a "Joann White Recipe." Joann White was my grandmother, and she often just grabbed whatever looked good from the cabinet and tossed it in. Never had a bad meal at her house, so I think that's a pretty good way of going about things! So, should you feel I'm missing anything, feel free to play Joann and toss it in for yourself!

1 can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. marjoram
2 gloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. onion flakes
2 tsp. sugar

Combine ingredients over medium-high heat and stir until flavors combine. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to use.

This is also fantastic frozen. I intend to make a few batches before the little guy comes to make pizza nights this winter much easier!

Lasagna

Some days, there's nothing more comforting than a big ol' pan of lasagna. This one was honestly the best I've ever made - has to be due to the amazing pasta sauce I used!

1 pot Joe's Amazing Pasta Sauce
1 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
15 oz. light ricotta cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper
12 no boil lasagna noodles (regular cooked noodles will work fine too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 1 cup mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses with egg and season with salt and pepper.

Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in sauce to cover bottom of pan. Top with four lasagna noodles. Cover with another layer of sauce, and add 1/3 of cheese mixture. Stir to combine with sauce. Top with another thin layer of sauce, then layer in 4 more noodles. Repeat until all noodles and cheese have been used, then finish with a final layer of sauce to cover. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove cover and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Joe's Amazing Pasta Sauce

When we first started co-kitchening, my husband Joe was never very happy on spaghetti nights. He ate it like the good soul he is, but I knew he wasn't a fan of tomato sauce from a jar. So one night midway through my first trimester, we decided to make pasta sauce from scratch. Lo and behold, my Italian husband can make an AMAZING from-scratch pasta sauce! Never again will I waver between Ragu and Prego - he's signed on for a kitchen job for life!!!
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 green pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1.5 tsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1.5 pounds ground beef
3 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/8 cup sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Saute herbs, vegetables, and garlic in EVOO over medium heat. Add meat and brown. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, an additional 10-15 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness.

Shrimp Enchiladas

When I was in college (WVU!!), there was this dive-y little Mexican place that had the most amazing chicken and cheese enchiladas. They had this fantastic, creamy, cheesy sauce that I have never again found anywhere. And ever since, most enchilada recipes I've tried have either been very heavy on the sour cream, or called for a red sauce. So I was thrilled to find this recipe.

My original source said to mix all of the cheese sauce into the shrimp mixture, but I chose instead to add only a little of the sauce and use the rest to top the enchiladas.

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup red pepper, diced

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1/2 cup onion

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 cup fat free half-and-half

2 tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 lb. salad shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup diced tomatoes with green chiles (or 1 small diced tomato)

6 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add flour, stirring to make a roux. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, cayenne powder, black pepper, and half-and-half; blend well. Lower heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir to blend. Set aside.

In a separate skillet, heat olive oil. Add peppers and onion and saute until crisp-tender. Add shrimp and saute until cooked through, then stir in tomatoes. Stir in 1/3 cup of the cheese sauce.

Spoon some of the shrimp mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up tightly and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour remaining cheese sauce on top. Bake for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 enchiladas.

Note: These are also fantastic with chicken!

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats, adapted from My Kitchen Cafe.

Penne with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

I admit it - I love the Cheesecake Factory. And while a lot of their food is good, I love their Fettuccine with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes - it's creamy and decadent. But I also know that it's not something that would be considered healthy. So I decided to make a version at home and lighten it up some. It turned out so well, this is definitely going in the regular rotation!
1 box penne pasta
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1.5 cups fat free half and half
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), diced
2 gloves of garlic
1 tsp. sun-dried tomato oil
3/4 Parmesan cheese, plus extra to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook penne until al dente and set aside.

Melt butter over medium-high heat. When melted, whisk in flour to make a roux. Stir in chicken broth and half and half. Add garlic, tomato oil, and salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Reduce heat to medium and let sauce thicken (2-3 minutes), being careful not to let sauce boil.

While sauce is thickening, dice sun-dried tomatoes. When sauce has thickened, add diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Toss with pasta and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings

PB&J Muffins

So my husband is not a PB&J fan. Something about food getting stuck to the roof of his mouth. So he's never really enjoyed PB&J - until now. These were just gooey enough to be fantastic! The only major modifications I made to this recipe was to use reduced-fat peanut butter and spreadable fruit rather than jam or jelly. Have to cut back somew

Sorry about the not-so-hot picture. I'm not sure why it's so dark.

Cooking spray
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup milk
12 tsp. blackberry spreadable fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan cups with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut peanut butter into flour mixture using a fork. It should be dry and crumbly.

In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk. Add to PB-flour mix, folding until moistened.

Place a spoonful of batter into muffin cup, filling approximately 1/4-1/3 of way. Top with teaspoon of spreadable fruit, followed by another spoonful of batter. Muffin cups should be about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Source: Recipezaar