Pumpkin Nutella Swirled Cookies

September 25, 2014September 23, 2014 / Jodi / 6 Comments

Nothing says Fall like pumpkin.

At the first signs, I am perusing recipes and pins on Pinterest to find new and exciting pumpkin recipes.

I had a jar of Nutella that Nick wanted to try a while back that has just been sitting there begging to be used in some sweet form, so I decided on this recipe I found from Jenn @eatcakefordinner.

The guys loved them, and I had fun using my new micro-planer (from our Trip to the Strip) to add freshly ground nutmeg to these tasty little puffs of pumpkiny goodness. (what a difference fresh seasonings, herbs, and spices makes. Oh – if you could only scratch ‘n sniff this photo – which I DO NOT recommend!)

We might also be able to trick ourselves into thinking these are a little bit healthy……… pumpkin is a vegetable with loads of vitamins – and this recipes uses Greek yogurt too. Give them a try. They are a perfect Fall treat.

Pumpkin Nutella-Swirled Cookies
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 c. non-fat plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the yogurt, pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Drop spoonfuls of dough, about 1 1/2 – 2 Tablespoons each, onto a greased baking sheet. Flatten cookies a bit. They do not spread much while baking and they puff up quite a bit, so make sure to flatten them.

Top each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon or so of Nutella, spreading out and swirling slightly. Bake cookies for 12-15* minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 36-43* cookies.

*Jenn’s recipe said bake for 15 min, but I only needed 12 min in my convection oven. Also, Jenn said her recipe made 43 cookies, and I got 36.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Homemade Chicken Soup

September 24, 2014August 6, 2015 / Jodi / 14 Comments

What do you do when someone you love is sick or grieving?

I make homemade chicken noodle soup.

I had a sick son in the house this week. Does anything break a mama’s heart more than a sick “child?”

After every effort of soup and ginger ale, Aleve, and cold and sinus medicine, a trip to the doctor was in order for Nick.

It seems he has the flu. Already! First day of Fall and the flu is in our house!

And then there is a family I care deeply about that is suffering a loss….

When there is nothing else you can do…….

Cook…..

Feed….

Warm the heart and soul.

When I make homemade chicken noodle soup, it is nostalgic for me in so many ways.

Grandma made chicken soup almost every week.

I can still smell it as vividly in my memory as if I were there.

All I need do is close my eyes and inhale slowly, but deeply through my nose, my mind, my heart…

The distinct aromatic union of leafy celery tops, pungent chopped onions, sweet and nutty carrot slivers and juicy chicken creating a steamy aroma that oozes comfort, warm hugs, and healing goodness…

So when I make chicken soup, it is more than a recipe – more than a meal. For me, it is a labor of love, a reminder of my greatest role model, a tribute to simple, loving gestures, a way to share warmth, and give a hug in every spoonful.

And I want to share that love.

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Jodi’s Version of Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup

Place 1 3lb pkg frozen chicken breasts in a large stock pot filled with water to cover. (You can certainly use a whole chicken or bone-in chicken parts – like Grandma did. The skin and bones do add a lot of flavor. But then it is fussy to pick apart, and we like plump white meat best, so I find this much easier.)

Add:
3 Tbsp Chicken Base
1 stalk chopped celery tops with leaves
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 onion, quartered
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp celery seed
3 cloves finely chopped garlic

Simmer all for 3-4 hours.
Drain, and chop chicken and vegetables into broth.

In separate pot, boil 1 lb of your favorite noodles in salted water to al dente.
Drain and rinse.

Add noodles to broth and serve.

Wishing you good health and peace.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS – Had so much fun with A Tale of Two Condiments yesterday, so wanted to share a couple current photos of those cute little condiments. (Thanks for all the great comments and likes!)

Here is Handsome Mr. Ketchup on his wedding day last year with the love of his life and our darling daughter-in-law (who LOVES french fries!)

Here is Handsome Mr. Mustard and his beautiful and sweet girlfriend. (He is the one who had the flu 😦 )

And here is the contrary, but equally handsome Mr. Mayonnaise (having things other than mayonnaise at Mr. Ketchup’s wedding last year!)

My guys! ❤

A Tale of Two Condiments

September 23, 2014September 23, 2014 / Jodi / 22 Comments

#Writing101, Day Seven: Give and Take:

Today’s assignment is to focus our post on the contrast between two things. The twist? Write the post in the form of a dialogue.

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As I contemplated today’s assignment, I considered the first things that came to mind: men and women, my two boys, old and new, young and old, black and white… Then I noticed this all-time favorite photo from years ago staring at me from the corner table, and I knew exactly what I was going to write. Enjoy this little diversion from the “usual” at life in between.

Halloween 1991 – Jake just turned 4, Nick 19 months

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Long ago on a tabletop far, far away,

A battle began that continues today.

Who will win the ultimate Victory Cup?

Will it be Mustard? Or will it be Ketchup?

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“I am surely the King,” boasted Ketchup. “Kids love me best.”

“They pour me on hot dogs and french fries with zest.”

“You know my friend, Mustard, I’m their favorite request.”

“How silly you are,” replied Mustard unimpressed.

“Nary a pretzel – hard or soft – could exist without me,” he pressed.

“A bratwurst or corn dog would be so suppressed,”

“without the complex spiciness I so richly possess.”

Which one wins your vote? Which one wins the test?

In the greatest of battles and longest running contest?

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“If you were only allowed one,” I asked Marty. “Which would it be?”

“Mayonnaise – that is easy!”

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Men!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Dilly Beans & Spicy Pickled Peppers

September 21, 2014September 21, 2014 / Jodi / 13 Comments

I’m on a little bit of a canning kick…

Last weekend, I gathered all the banana peppers and jalapeno peppers I could harvest from my tiny little garden, sliced them up, and pickled them.

peppers

This weekend, I tried some Dilly Beans. (As I type, the jars are cooling and “popping.” Pure joy to anyone who has ever canned – right?)

If you are looking for something to do with all of those peppers or beans, here are a couple very easy recipes to try. How yummy they will taste in the middle of winter to remind us of summer!

Dilly Bean Recipe (compliments of “Oh Rob” & Joyce Brugnoli)

2 pounds of green beans
1/2 cup of canning or Kosher salt
2 1/2 cups of vinegar
2 1/2 cups of water
4 cloves of garlic divided
4 heads of dill divided

Trim the ends of green beans, Combine salt, vinegar, and water in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Pack beans lengthwise into hot jars. Add one clove of garlic and one head of dill to each pint. Ladle hot liquid over the beans. Add lids, and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Yields approximately 4 pints.

Banana Pepper Rings (as found on The Virtuous Wife’s Blog)

15-20 banana peppers
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 clove of garlic (per pint jar)
1 tsp canning/pickling or Kosher salt (per pint jar)
1 tsp vegetable oil (per pint jar)
3-4 pint jars and lids, sterilized and prepared for canning

Wash the peppers. Slice, remove seeds, discard stem ends. In each sterilized jar, add one garlic clove. Pack jars with pepper slices. In each jar of packed peppers, add 1 tsp canning/pickling salt and 1 tsp vegetable oil. In a sauce pan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and ground turmeric. Bring to a boil. Ladle hot pickling liquid into jars, leaving 1/2 inch head-space. Remove any air bubbles and add more liquid as needed. Apply lids and bands, screw down to fingertip tight. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Cool and store.

It is recommended to let both “cure” for approximately 2 weeks before eating. I’ll have to let you know how they turn out!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Going Ape over Cinnamon Monkey Bread

September 20, 2014September 20, 2014 / Jodi / 5 Comments

Cinnamon Bubble Bread…

Monkey Bread…

You say tomayto – I say tomahto.

An oldie, but goodie.

2 loaves thawed frozen bread dough broken into 24 pieces.
1 stick of melted butter.
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture (white and brown sugar and cinnamon)

Rolls pieces of dough in butter, then cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Drop into greased Bundt pan, and let rise until doubled.
Bake 30 min. at 350 degrees.

Go ape over this buttery, cinnamony, monkey bread yumminess!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

You Know You’re Getting Old When…………………… and Peach Cookie Cobbler

September 13, 2014September 12, 2014 / Jodi / 7 Comments

You know you are getting old when…………

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So I dialed the number I know by heart. It’s our Friday evening ritual.

The pleasant voice on the other end of the line asks, “Is this Mrs. M?”

“Why Yes,” I say, with a bit of a startle and a big grin – wondering whether to be flattered or concerned….

“Delivery to Blankety Blank Blank Road?”

“Yes!” I’m either more excited or more concerned….

And I go about ordering our usual Friday night pizza/salad delivery from our favorite Mars Pizza.

Yep – that’s our Friday night ritual.

And yep – that means we are getting old.

When Friday night is your earliest go to bed night, earliest get in your jammies and sit in front of the television and eat dinner night – you are getting O L D!

But I LOVE IT!

And what is even better?

When the delivery boy tells you they are extremely embarrassed about the condition of your grilled chicken salad and a credit is going on your tab for next time. SCORE!

And I thought the salad was just fine.

So anyway – since dinner is so much effort on Friday night, the least I can do is make a sweet treat for the Hubster. (Is Marty lucky or what?!?) 🙂

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My guys love peaches, but not when they get very ripe. I had a few “more ripe than they like” peaches that I thought I could do something with, and then I had this tube of refrigerator sugar cookie dough from who knows when in the fridge, so put that together…..

and I come up with Peach Cookie Cobbler!

So, since this was just a wing it recipe (I should have measured thinking I would blog the recipe!) – we’ll give a shot at remembering the ingredients.

But I do want to tell you, friends – Don’t be afraid to wing it! Just like cooking, baking does not have to be an exact science. Experiment. Improvise. Use what you have and what tastes good or “right” to you!

So I gathered the peaches.

After peeling and slicing them (and munching on one!) – I squeezed some fresh lemon juice over them, added some sugar and cinnamon and a bit of flour to thicken. (My guesstimate is about 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, and 1/4 cup flour to the 6 peaches)

I put this mixture in an 8 inch round baking stone.

Then I just pulled pieces of the cookie dough off and crumbled all over the top of the peaches.

I sprinkled a little more cinnamon sugar on top and baked at 350 for 30 minutes.

And Voila! A quick and easy peach cookie cobbler.

This would work wonderfully with apples too!

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Zesty Italian Roast Beef Sammies

September 8, 2014September 7, 2014 / Jodi / 5 Comments

Ooooo Laaaa Laaaa – I’ve got another delish sandwich to share.

I’ve been hearing about this roast beef that goes in the crock pot with a jar of pickled banana peppers (even from one of the guys I work with), so I was anxious to give it a try.

Pair this tender, shredded zesty Italian roast beef with a nice thick slab of mozzarella and a generous shmear of basil mayo on a toasted potato roll – and O. M. G! It had me at “Zesty!”

The recipes I found consisted of mainly three simple ingredients: roast beef, a package of Italian dressing mix, and a jar of banana peppers.

So I threw a 3 lb hunk of chuck roast in the crockpot (and – B T W – since when did chuck roast cost almost as much as filet mignon!?!??! – I guess the grocery industry realized what a tender, delicious roast this is if cooked properly. It used to be considered “scrap!”)

I dumped a 12 oz. jar of mild banana peppers on top.

And then – this is when I realized I did not have an envelope of Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix…..

But no problem – isn’t that what cooking is about – improvising, experimenting, making it your own?!… (not to mention the virtues of Googling!)

So I made my own Italian Dressing Mix with guidance from AllRecipes.com:

1 Tbsp Garlic Salt
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 tbsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Celery Salt
2 Tbsp Salt

I sprinkled about 6 oz. of this mix on top of the roast beef, and then added 1/4 cup of dried minced onions and about 1/4 cup of leftover sautéed fresh banana peppers from my garden that I had prepared for some grilled pizzas a few nights ago. So either way will work – the homemade one or the package of Good Seasons or some other Italian Dressing Mix.

I turned the crockpot on high for about 4-5 hours, and then went and watched the Steelers game (thankfully we squeaked out a victory against the Cleveland Browns – oh yep we did Bub! 🙂 ), had a G&T, chatted with Marty and “Oh Rob,” and then enjoyed a delish dinner of a Zesty Roast Beef Sandwiches, Fresh Corn on the Cob, and a Spinach & Arugula Salad with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts – and guess what kind of dressing??? Homemade Italian Dressing made by using 2 Tbsp. of my new seasoning mixed with 1/4 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup oil, and 2 Tbsp. water.

A great Sunday dinner – with a couple great guys.

And BTW – if you didn’t want to have sandwiches (or didn’t have buns or bread!), I’m betting this roast beef would be great served with creamy mashed potatoes or wide egg noodles too.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 7, 2014September 6, 2014 / Jodi / 1 Comment

I made some pretty yummy cookies for a picnic we went to yesterday.

These peanut butter and white chocolate chip cookies pretty much MELLLLLT in your mouth!

I was looking for something new and different and came across a similar recipe on one of my favorite baking blogs, Cookies and Cups. Shelly made me chuckle with her description of her “big-boned” version!

I didn’t want mine to be quite as “big-boned,” so I used another favorite blogger’s recipe (Sally’s Baking Addiction) for soft peanut-butter cookies.

Combining Shelly’s idea with a tweak or two to Sally’s recipe, I came up with a winning version (at least according to my guys – – – and there were none left at the picnic either!).

Here’s the recipe:

Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg
3 cups creamy peanut butter
4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
5 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 bags white chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together in mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Chill dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chilled dough from fridge and roll into balls. Then flatten slightly as these cookies will not spread very much.

Bake for 9 minutes until the tops begin to start cracking slightly. Do not over bake. Cookies may not look done, but they will firm up as they cool.

I got about 7 dozen from this recipe.

(And I was sure to set a few aside for a certain sweet someone whose favorite candy bar is White Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups that I think is going to LOVE these!) 🙂

Mikey is always such a big helper in the kitchen too! He always cleans the floor for me. All I need do is brush crumbs from the counter to the floor, and they magically disappear.

Choosy Dogs Choose Jif!

And since we polished off this jar of Jif, Mikey took care of cleaning it out for me before we put it in the recycle bin.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

The Best Sandwich I Ever Made!

September 6, 2014September 5, 2014 / Jodi / 8 Comments

…or maybe I was just really hungry….

… but O. M. G. – I made the BEST tomato sandwich for lunch yesterday!

This was after staring at the overflowing bowl of tomatoes I picked the day before that is sitting on the counter with the abundance that is finally coming out of my tiny, little neglected 😦 garden.

(I AM going to do better next year – – – she says every year!)

Oh why do they have to come all at once!?! Wouldn’t it be nice to have about five or six a week ripen throughout the whole year? But NOOOOO – – – we get 30 at once for a couple weeks – then NOTHING!

And homegrown ones are so much sweeter than what we can get around here in Western PA the rest of the year at our local grocery stores.

So I plopped a couple slices of honey whole wheat bread in the toaster, smeared some mayo on them, then sliced (now this is a WHOLE new experience for me!!) some

SMOKED BUFFALO MOZARELLA cheese

I bought last weekend at Penn Mac in the Strip District.

Oh people – let me tell you…. actually – I can’t describe how YUMMY it is!!!

My favorite before this was smoked gouda, but WOWZERS, did this make for a good tomato sammie!! (and I’m thinkin’ I must have a thing for smoked cheese…)

On top of the sliced cheese, I layered some fresh basil as if it were lettuce (oh how I love the anisey, licorice-like taste and smell of fresh basil!), then finally the tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and smooshed it down.

And seriously – I’m sorry I did not get a very good photo, but I did not have the patience to check it before diving into it, and then it was too late for any retakes. 😐

So I hope I described it well enough to get you to try. A simple, but oh so delish sandwich for a hot summer lunch or dinner or snack! Heck – – – I’d even eat this for breakfast!

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Holy Guacamole!

September 2, 2014September 1, 2014 / Jodi / 11 Comments

Our family LOVES Guacamole!

and it is so easy to whip up in just a few minutes if you have a couple of ripe avocados on hand.

Here is my super simple, but SUPER YUMMY recipe for Jodi’s Holy Guacamole!

INGREDIENTS:
4 ripe avocados
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 large sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste (1/2 – 1 tsp)

Cut the avocados in half, pit, and scoop out flesh by using a tablespoon. Place in bowl.

Then coarsely chunk/smash using a pastry blender until it looks like this – takes less than a minute when the avocados are ripe.

Squeeze the juice of the lime over avocados and mix well.

Add remaining chopped ingredients: garlic, onion, tomato, cilantro; and then salt to taste.

Easy Peasy! Serve with tortilla chips.

Jake and Colleen came over Sunday, and we ate it all! First some before dinner, then polished it off after dinner with a couple drinks and a game of Scrabble (Which PS I won the first game! Beat Jake by ONE Point! You cannot realize what a big deal this is – LOL! Jake takes his Scrabble very seriously. 🙂 So he won the second game. We will have to have a tiebreaker SOON – Game on Jake!)

Enjoy the Guac! It really is pretty killer!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

Food

Pumpkin Nutella Swirled Cookies

Homemade Chicken Soup

Jodi’s Version of Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup

A Tale of Two Condiments

#Writing101, Day Seven: Give and Take:

Dilly Beans & Spicy Pickled Peppers

Going Ape over Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Zesty Italian Roast Beef Sammies

Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Best Sandwich I Ever Made!

Holy Guacamole!

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Jodi’s Version of Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup

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#Writing101, Day Seven: Give and Take:

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Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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