Gnocci Soup

463.  Soup season is here and sitting down with a hot bowl of steaming soup, bread on the side with a chill in the air means autumn has arrived.

My daughter makes a version of this soup recipe which I have taken and switched up a bit.  Here is my recipe:

"Troppi cuochi guastano la cucina."

"Too many cooks spoil the broth."

~ Anonymous Italian Saying

Fried Apples

 461.  Apples are a must-have for me every day.  They are so versatile, good source of fiber and fructose and paired with cinnamon always makes them better.  The fried apple is a Southern food you can find in any southern and southern-themed restaurant on the menu. Even Dolly makes Fried Apples!

The beauty of Fried Apples is how they enhance any meal.  I make them to pair with french toast or pancakes at breakfast.  But, you can make them along with your dinner meal of chicken, pork or beef as a compliment.  Prepare them sweeter or make them tart to your liking.  Here is my version:

This is a simple addition and can elevate your meal.

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.”

~ Dolly Parton

Tri-Tip & Caramelized Onion Puff Pastry

460. For a quick, light meal, I needed to come up with something from the ingredients in my fridge.  There were hungry family hanging out and everyone needed a simple pick-me-up.  I had made a tri-tip roast the night before, which turned out delicious with plenty of left overs.  I also had puff pastry in the freezer, cheese and arugula...hmmmmm...what to make.

My daughters and I put our heads together and this is the recipe we developed.  It was so delightfully delicious!!

This Trip-Tip & Caramelized Onion Puff Pastry could be edited to items you might have or flavors you prefer, but I encourage you to follow this recipe to taste the amazing flavors melding together.

You could also cut the puff pastry into rounds or squares or place the small cut pieces into muffin cups and use the same process creating small bite-size appetizers.

• "One of the most impressive yet effortless appetizers you can create is a flat puff pastry tart. With minimal effort required, it’s a simple yet elegant solution for any gathering. All you need to do is chop some vegetables and you’ll be rewarded with a stunning centerpiece that will impress your guests."
  ~ Annonymous

Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies

259. It is PSL Season!  And any time of the year is the perfect time for a Snicker Doodle cookie.  But since it is that season of pumpkin spice everything, I took my cookies to a different flavor level.

This is a basic cookie with a superb flavor and they are fail-proof.

“The pumpkin is a uniquely American plant, widely regarded as one of the most magical plants in all the world."

~Seth Adam Smith

Zucchini Fritters

458.  With zucchini being so plentiful in the garden, a great alternative use is a savory fritter.  The recipe is delicious and I paired it with a garlic aioli.

I shredded 4 cups of zucchini and did not drain the liquid.  Added 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, salt and pepper and 1 cup of flour, 2 green onions chopped, a dash of cayenne pepper.

At this point, you can place on a baking sheet and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or deep fry in hot oil till crispy.  I baked the fritters and they were delicious.  

"The trouble is, you cannot grow just one zucchini.  Minutes after you plant a single seed, hundreds of zucchini will barge out of the ground and sprawl around the garden, menacing the other vegetables.  At night you will be able to hear the ground quake as more and more zucchinis erupt."

~Dave Barry

Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake Muffins

457.  Coffee cake is a classic pairing with coffee or tea for an afternoon teatime or dessert after a meal.  This Cinnamon Crunch Muffin recipe creates the perfect individual coffee cake bite but you could also make a coffee cake with this same recipe.

"Coffee and cake, the most perfect combination."

~ Anonymous

Beef Short Ribs

456. I think I've fallen in love with this recipe!!  If you have never tried beef short ribs or were afraid to, this is the best recipe to take your shot and be brave.

Can I say tender, falling off the bone, succulent, mouth-watering, home-cooked, heart-warming, feel like you were eating at a fine-dining restaurant...etc.  The flavors are similar to a beef stew but elevated.  This would be a beautiful meal for a special occasion or holiday main course.

The smell in the kitchen was divine!  And, the fact that you can walk away and accomplish other tasks makes this meal helpful for a busy holiday or special meal.  The meat will be fork tender and a steak knife is not needed.

"Today is a good day for a good day."

~Joanna Gaines

"Every hard thing we choose to do makes us braver for next time."

~Joanna Gaines

Family Circle's Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies

455.  A peanut butter cookie remains a favorite of mine for years.  I have since limited my intake of peanut butter because, I just feel better when I don't eat it every day.  I switched to pistachios and walnuts for my plant protein but they don't tick that box like peanut butter does for me.

When I was newly married, I would purchase the Family Circle Magazine for all the great recipes and articles.  That is where I first discovered this recipe and its one I return to each time I bake peanut butter cookies.  To me, it is the perfect cookie; soft in the center, crispy on the edges, and it melts in your mouth.

It is also one of the recipes that is taped to the inside of my kitchen cabinet door.  Not many recipes make it to the kitchen cabinet door but only the tried-and-true, go-to recipes that I love.  I learned this from my mom :).  It just works for me.

Here is my copy directly from the magazine:

I have adjusted the temperature to 370, don't "grease" the cookie sheet but use parchment paper, gently roll  pieces of dough into a ball but flatten slightly and then tap the top of the cookie in sugar.  I place my fork in water before pressing it on the top of each cookie before baking and, bake for 9 minutes.  I make my cookies larger and it yields about 18 cookies.  If you actually followed this recipe and made the tinier cookies at this high temp for 12 minutes, you would end up with over-baked cookies.  And, you wouldn't want to make this mistake.

After cookies come out of the oven I slide the parchment paper onto a cool surface carefully then place new parchment paper on the cookie sheet.   The cookies are very delicate right out of the oven and will break apart and crumble if you try to move them with a spatula.  And, letting them stand on the hot cookie sheet for 5 minutes just continues the baking process on the hot sheet pan.

Once the cookies cool, they are more sturdy and you can move them easily.

I have also added chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanuts, peanut chips in the past and they make the cookie more substantial.

This is a winner for sure.  

"I'm going to take this God-given gift of being funny, and I'm going to spread it out like peanut butter on everything I do."

~ Steve Harvey

Pan Seared Artichokes with Lemon Aioli

454.  It is artichoke season and I discovered a new way to prepare them.  Most people will say they do not like artichoke because of the difficulty in preparing them. "It's so much work", is what I usually hear but this does not deter me.  Recipes I have tried in the past suggest boiling and it seems all the flavor is drawn from the artichoke into the water.  Here is my process:

1. Cut the stem to 3" and snip the pointed edges of the leaves.  Cut the artichoke in half and scrap the hairy choke with a spoon being careful not to cut into the heart.

2.  Place cleaned artichoke in a bowl of cold water with lemon juice and salt to keep from oxidizing. 

3.  Fill a large skillet, that has a lid, with 1/2 cup of water and 3 Tablespoons of olive oil.  Remove the artichokes and pat dry on paper towels.  Season with salt, pepper, dash of cayenne, any garlic salt seasoning, or season all on both sides and place in the pan face up.  Drizzle olive oil over artichoke.  Place on the lid and turn on medium high heat to steam.

4.  The artichokes will steam until the water cooks out.  Once the water has evaporated, flip the artichokes over and drop the heat to low and return the lid.  Continue to sauté for another 30 or so minutes.

5.  Make the Lemon Aioli:  1 cup mayonnaise, juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon, 2 cloves garlic crushed, salt, pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil.  Blend all well and add more lemon or seasoning to taste.

6.  Plate the toasted artichokes and fill a small dipping bowl for each person.

This method is foolproof and works beautifully.  You can't stop eating these little beauties and the toasted edges add so much more than a limp, soggy, boiled version.

"The artichoke is an amazing food, it is actually not a vegetable, but a thistle. Artichokes are low in fat, high in fiber, and packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, and magnesium. They are one of the most antioxidant-rich of all the “vegetables”.⠀

~ Joanna Revers

Lamington

453. A Lamington is a simple yet complex sweet.  It is cake-candy-cookie-dessert and yet it is a pastry all wrapped up in one.  Simple is the size and a perfect size to lift and bite but, complex, because of the process necessary to create these little delicacies.

These sweet delights are an Australian treat although I have seen them in Italian bakeries for years.  You can find a recipe online very easily.  Laminations by Allrecipies

Although the recipe is time consuming, it is a labor of love.  Australians celebrate National Lamington Day each year on July 21st.  Good to know!

"There is nothing more than the lamination that you need in the afternoon to lighten up your mood."

"National Lamington Day messages are for all people in the world to enjoy a day from the bottom of their hearts. The original recipe called for the sponge cake to be dipped in chocolate and then rolled in desiccated coconut.  Today, there are many variations of the lamington, but the most popular version is still the original. So if you’re an Australian and looking for an excuse to enjoy a delicious lamington, head down to your local bakery on National Lamington Day – you won’t be disappointed. If you’re not an Australian but still want to try it, then you can search for the recipe online and make it by yourself."

Easter Bagel Buffet

452. This past Easter we decided to have a brunch "out of the box" instead of the ham and sides to compliment and went with a bagel bar instead.

My daughter made homemade bagels and we paired them with cream cheese, scallion/cheddar cream cheese, bacon, lox, capers, red onion slices and deviled eggs on the side.  Let me just say, it was epic and we were all moaning with each delicious bite!!!

We were very happy to edit our meals and decided it is a good idea from now on.

Hope your Easter was pleasant!

"In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend."

~ C.S. Lewis, "The Grand Miracle"

"We live and die.  Christ died and lives!"

~ John Stott