Garlic-Zucchini Pasta

As soon as I saw this recipe on My Wooden Spoon, I said "Mmmmmmmmm" out loud...I had made the Grilled Zucchini pasta previous and this was a good variation on that recipe! We had an appointment to go to this evening, so this made a very easy, quick and filling dinner before we had to run out the door. Warm and comforting on this chilly fall day, we both really enjoyed this dish!

Garlic-Zucchini Pasta
recipe courtesy of A Cowboy's Wife's lovely mother at the My Wooden Spoon blog

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large or 3 medium zucchini - *I used 2 medium size
  
• 1 head garlic - *I used about 8 cloves
  
• 1 lb angel hair pasta
• Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Shred zucchini and mince garlic. Prepare pasta as directed on box.

While cooking the pasta Sauté garlic in Olive Oil for a minute or two. Add the zucchini and sauté 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Add the cooked pasta and the shredded cheese and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. (we grate the cheese and use probably use about 1 cup or more) not packed)

Meet my little friend...

CHARLIE CHEESE...isn't he adorable? My parents brought us this little visitor from Whole Foods. He's too cute to eat!!...ok, maybe not. But I had to post a picture before this little guy got chopped up. :)

Mom's Beef Stew

Growing up, my mom would simmer this delicious Beef Stew on the stove top for hours during the day to serve as dinner...the smell would make everyone so hungry that we couldn't wait for dinner. This is my all-time favorite Beef Stew recipe and I can't imagine changing it any time soon...It's perfect for a fall day, extremely easy and though I'm changing it up a little by simmering it in my Crockpot, it still reminds me of the comforts of my parents home.

Mom would serve this with warm Italian bread and butter, however, I am making fresh Focaccia bread and that will be what I serve this evening.

Mom's Beef Stew
Recipe courtesy of my mother, Diane :)

Ingredients 1-2 lbs. stew meat (I got 1 lb. and cut it into smaller chunks)
3 cans of French Onion Soup (I used Campbells)
1 can of water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ground Sage
4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4-5 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2-1 onion, diced
2 Tbs. vegetable oil


Directions
In a large pot, brown your stew meat in the vegetable oil. Once browned, reduce heat to simmer and add French Onion soups, 1 soup can full of water, salt, pepper & Sage. Cover and simmer until beef is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours or so.

Add carrots, potatoes, and onion, cover again and simmer until the vegetables and meat are tender. Serve with bread to dunk. :)

*Now, for me, I browned my meat, which I always cut into smaller chunks, in the oil in a medium skillet. While that was browning, I added my soups, water and seasonings to my Crockpot and set it to high. Then I added the browned meat and covered to simmer...I'll put my veggies in around 1.5 hours before dinner so that they will be tender, but I don't like my carrots too soft, so I'll keep an eye on them!*

Easy as .......um.......stew! :)

Fabulous Focaccia

Since I had fairly good luck making the yeast dinner rolls the other day, I decided to go ahead and make another bread. This focaccia bread from Amber's Delectable Delights sounded perfect for me, since it was so easy and fast (for bread, that is!) I am also making beef stew for this glorious Fall day we are having, so this will make an excellent accompaniment to serve along side!!!

I've been making so many things from Amber's blog, I swear I am not related, I do not know her personally or getting any free stuff, but her site is so darn full of great things, I keep going back to it!!! :)

Blitz Bread: No-Fuss Focaccia
Source: King Arthur Flour via Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) warm water
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 teaspoons Pizza Dough Flavor, optional
1/4 cup (1 ounce) Vermont cheese powder, optional
Pizza Seasoning, optional

Directions
1) Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom. (*I used a Silpat on my baking sheet)
2) Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds. (*I used this opportunity to use my KA Stand Mixer once again)
3) Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, till it's become puffy.
4) While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
5) Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.
6) Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with pizza seasoning, and/or the dried herbs of your choice, if desired.
7) Bake the bread till it's golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
8) Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Creme Brulee

This is absolutely one of my favorite desserts...the creaminess of the custard, the crunch of the burnt sugar, deeee-lish. I discovered Ted Allen's recipe for Creme Brulee about 5 years ago and it has never once failed me...for those of you who are scared of making this decadent dessert, do not fret...if I can do it, so can you. I'm going to put step-by-step pictures for you! It is not difficult by any means and can be changed up very easily to suit your cravings. Another great thing about this is that it will keep in the fridge and tastes great chilled and then brulee'd just prior to serving, so you can make it a day or even two in advance if you wish!

Feel free to make your own and be sure to let me know how it turns out for you!!!

CREME BRULE WITH VANILLA AND THREE BERRIES

Recipe courtesy of Ted Allen, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Bravo TV

Nothing says family fun like a blowtorch, particularly the junior size, pistol-grip version used in the kitchen. And being a utility grip by trade, we figured Andrew could be trusted with a pocket flamethrower (plus, he's handy enough, we thought it might come in handy on his next plumbing project). So, when he needed a decadent dessert to impress his date, the classic Crème Brule (literally, French for "burnt cream") seemed like just the ticket - updated, just a bit, with the addition of fresh berries.

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise - you can substitute vanilla extract or whatever flavoring you wish
6 tablespoons raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry spreadable fruit or jam - *I use sometimes/sometimes omit 5 large egg yolks
12 teaspoons sugar (try brown sugar if you have it)
About 1 and 1/2 cups mixed fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries *I use sometimes/sometimes omit

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread a tablespoon of spreadable fruit in the bottom of each of six 3/4-cup ramekins, then press a mix of about six berries into the bottom of each ramekin (if necessary squash each berry a little so it doesn't protrude about the lip of the cup). *I omitted this part and made vanilla creme brulee* Place ramekins into two 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pans.

Mix cream and 1/2 cup sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds and pod to cream mixture. Heat to medium and stir until mix is simmering; cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove vanilla seedpod and discard.

Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl. Slowly add hot cream mixture to eggs, and divide evenly among the ramekins, covering the tops of the berries. Add enough hot water to the baking dish to come halfway up the side of the ramekins, then very carefully place the pans in the oven, without spilling water into the cremes or onto the floor. Bake about 40 minutes until the custard is set. Remove ramekins with a spatula and let them cool.

Now, the fun part: Sprinkle two teaspoons of sugar evenly across the surface of each creme; then, fire up the blowtorch and melt the sugar evenly until it browns, using a constant, circular motion. Garnish with a sprinkles of berries and serve.

Another casserole

Fall is here and it's time for some old fashioned comfort foods...soups, stews, casseroles. So the other day, I found this recipe from Amber at Amber's Delectable Delights and made it for dinner. It turned out delicious, however, I thought that some chopped raw broccoli and garlic would have cooked to be more tender in the oven, but they turned out semi-raw still....totally my fault. I should have steamed the broccoli and sauteed the garlic prior to adding. I will make this again, it was quick and easy and delicious....we had it that night and the next night we ate the leftovers.
Chicken Alfredo Bake

Ingredients
8 oz pasta, cooked and drained - *I used mini piccolini
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms *omitted because I didn't have mushrooms
1.5 cups chicken, cooked and shredded or diced
1 jar alfredo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbs. butter *omitted this

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter on top of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.