Pause

School has officially taken over my life!!

This project is on hold while I finish school!

Campfire Roasted Root Vegetables

Another camp fire thanksgiving special!

This one is easy, but I warn you, most of the ingredients were not measured, we made this at the campsite so it was very much thrown together.

Ingredients

• 8-10 brussell sprouts cut in half
• 1 baby turnip 
• 4 small-medium sized carrots. (we used the various colored ones we found at farm boy to add to the mix)
• 2 parsnips
• 4-5 whole shallots
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 bulb garlic, each clove cut in half's or quarters
• fresh rosemary to taste
• fresh thyme to taste
• fresh sage to taste
• fresh oregano to taste
• salt & pepper to taste
• drizzle of honey or maple syrup (about 2-3 Tbsp)
• sprinkle of brown sugar (about 2-3 Tbsp)
• a few knobs of butter

Chop up all of the vegetables into similarly sized chunks. Place in a roasting pan and toss in herbs, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Drizzle honey on top and sprinkle with brown sugar. top it all off with a few knobs of butter, and cover with foil.
Thrown it on the camp fire (or in the oven probably around 350-375F)
Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. remove the foil when they seem about 3/4 done. Cook until all of the vegetables are golden brown

And don't forget to enjoy a nice cold beer while they cook! We found this awesome pumpkin beer, and it was just so seasonal and wonderful we couldn't help but buy it.

Enjoy!

Snowy Mashed Potatoes

So what is the ONE thing that no thanksgiving dinner can go without?!
Mashed potatoes of course! I have the ultimate recipe!!

This is a family recipe that will always be a part of my thanksgiving dinner! Like I mentioned in my last post, Dan and I went camping for Thanksgiving and let me tell you, it was well worth the chilly nights snuggling with the dogs. If you have never done Thanksgiving by the camp fire, you are truly missing out.
I made these potatoes ahead of time and brought them with us to cook over the camp fire, the smokey taste that the camp fire added was wonderful. FYI they also freeze well.
Now like many family recipes... these mashed potatoes are far from healthy, but for a holiday meal, that doesn't matter.

Ingredients 

This makes a huge batch, but trust me, the left overs will be gone before you know it.

• 12 medium russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg separated
• 1-8oz package of cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 bulb roasted garlic
• a dash of paprika 

Boil potatoes until softened, then drain. Mash the potatoes.
Mix remaining ingredients together except egg, using only 1/4 cup of the butter. Add to the potatoes.
Add 1 slightly beaten egg yolk and mix thoroughly.
Beat egg white until stiff then fold into potatoes.
Place the potatoes into a well greased, 10 cup casserole dish. Sprinkle some paprika on top and cubes of the remaining 1/4 cup of butter.
Cover with foil (at this point it can be refrigerated, or frozen)
Bake for 30 min on 350F or until heated through.

 

Enjoy!

Roast Autumn Vegetable Soup

A little more fall cooking!! Dan and I went camping for thanksgiving, this soup was not only the perfect light lunch before a huge dinner, but also a great way to warm up in the cooler weather. I made this ahead, and brought it with us.

For some reason, food made or even reheated over the fire tastes so much better.

Be creative with this soup, use any autumn veggies you like!! Throw in some different kinds of squash, pumpkin, anything you like!

Ingredient

• 1 medium sized butternut squash
• 1/2 an acorn squash
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 bulb roasted garlic
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green part only thinly sliced
• 2-3 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup light cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• Sour cream, to serve
• Dried parsley, to serve
• ground nutmeg, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350F
Chop the squash and sweet potatoes into large chunks. Place the squash and sweet potato on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 35-40 min or untill softened and slightly browned around the edges.

Heat the 2 Tbps of olive oil in a large pot. Cook the onions and leaks and ground cumin for 2 min. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 min more, stir frequently. Add the roasted squash and sweet potato and the stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 min.

Add roasted garlic and puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Add cream and season with salt and pepper. Reheat gently on the stove without bringing it to a boil.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with parsley and nutmeg.
Don't skip out on the sour cream on top, it adds a lot to the flavor not to mention the presentation.

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Rigatoni

There is nothing quite as wonderful as fall cooking. I love everything about fall, the temperature, the weather, the leaves, the food... especially the food.
This is the first fall dish I have made this year, and is there a better ingredient to use then pumpkin?

This pasta was incredibly simple, and equally delicious.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 leeks, white part only, finely sliced
• 1 kg pumpkin, diced
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 500g rigatoni
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• parsley (optional)
• Parmesan cheese

Toast pine nuts in a toaster over for a few minutes. Make sure to keep a close eye on them as they will burn very quickly.
Heat the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the leek, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 min. Add the pumpkin and nutmeg, cover and cook for 8 min.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, and drain.
Add the cream and 1/4 cup of water to the pumpkin and bring to a boil. Cook while stirring occasionally for 8 min or until the pumpkin is tender. Mix the pasta and sauce together and toss in half of the pine nuts.
top with remaining pine nuts, some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Enjoy!!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Okay so Post #2 of cookies, so I am sure you can imagine what our kitchen looks like right now. Filled with dozens and dozens of cookies. Can you ever really have enough though?
These oatmeal cookies are incredible. There is something about warm soft and chewy homemade oatmeal cookies that store bought just can't beat.
This again is my moms recipe! She gets credit for a lot of my favorite recipes.
Try these cookies, you will be hooked.

Ingredients 

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup margarine or 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with 1tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups of oats (not quick oats)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F
Mix sugar, margarine, milk, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Form dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on an un-greased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 min (or until edges begin to brown)
Remove the cookies (still on the parchment paper) immediately from cookie sheet.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are one of those all time childhood favorites. This is my moms recipe for chocolate chip cookies, to date I have not found a better recipe.


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla (though I usually use 2)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F
With a hand mixer combine margarine, brown & white sugar, and vanilla till creamy. Add eggs, beat well. Combine flour, baking powder & soda, and salt, then add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a spoon drop batter onto an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 min or until sides are starting to brown a little bit.

Now poor yourself a giant glass of cold milk and enjoy