Roasted Fall Veggies

Basket of Squash (photo is from my Click Art Gallery)

With all of the autumn cooking going on, anyone would be hard-pressed to choose just one favorite this time of the year. But we all do.

You might covet carmel apples or fresh apple cider donuts. Your mother might've made a roast beef stew that serves an annual reminder that colder weather is here to stay. Grandma may even make a sweet potato pie that out-does Bojangles every time (hard to do, I know).

I'm not sure if it I got from my mother's vegetarian genes or my husband's good cooking, but I fall in love with roasted fall veggies all over again, every year.

Roasted carrots, onions and parsnips may be my favorite combo, roasted with a little evoo, salt and pepper.

But, I still remember my first Thanksgiving with my husband and his family. We had roasted butternut squash. Sliced thin and roasted with a generous topping of butter and brown sugar, this side dish tastes like candy. And my picky kids go for it every time.

Now, I don't think I've ever had much leftover squash from the dinner table, but it can become a wonderful soup the next day. Just chill and puree the cooked squash. Reheat with some chicken stock and cream. Add a little more salt to balance the savory with the sweet and you've got yourself an entirely new meal the next night.

Voola!!

Cinnamon Chips and Apple Dip

As I just posted on my other blog, I've been on a blog-cation.

Last week I spent a couple days substitute teaching in the middle school special ed. room. I filled in for a teacher's assistant and I had the best time, ever.

Working with about five students that day, we learned about Johnny Appleseed and apples. As the teacher spoke to the students about a snack we would make that day, my ears naturally perked up.

Did someone say, snack? I wondered. My stomach growled a little.

We made apple dip and cinnamon flavored chips that day. As we all sat around the small table in the classroom enjoying a very easy and delicious recipe, I knew I had to make this for my family.

This weekend, I followed through on my own promises and made this for my kids. They weren't crazy about the apple dip, but gobbled up the cinnamon chips faster than you can say, "Johnny Appleseed."

Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon Chips
Soft Flour Tortilla Shells
1/4 - 1/2 stick of butter, melted
1/2 cup of cinnamon and sugar

Apple Dip
2-3 Golden Delicious Apples
1/2 cup of cinnamon and sugar
1/8 cup of lemon juice
2 tbsp. apricot preserves

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees


2. Cut tortilla shells into wedges (I use a pizza cutter)


3. Brush melted butter onto wedges


4. sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture onto wedges


5. Bake for 10 minutes and cool at least 5 minutes


6. Peel, core and dice apples


7. Mix with lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar and preserves


8. Dip chips into apple dip and enjoy!

Now tell me, what will you be making this fall? Applesauce? Carmel Apples? Hot Cider?

Lunchtime... again

Last week, I blogged about lunchtime. Over the last few school days, I've packed up my daughter's lunch (my other two children enjoy the hot lunch served at school) and sent my three kids onto those big yellow buses.

This is where MY lunchtime began. Not at 7:30 am, but last week.

We ate breakfast at the Hub in Rocky Mount the first day of school. Grits, eggs and sausage never tasted so good. They tasted like ... freedom. And there wasn't a single drop of whine.

Then, we began going to lunch. After reading Lindsey Nair's Fridge Magnet blog, I felt like trying something different. Something my kids weren't big fans of. I'm talking about a chinese buffet.

White rice, spring rolls, lo mein noodles and General Tsao's Chicken filled our plates and our stomachs. Still, no whine.

Only two days later, my husband and I tried the buffet at Chopsticks. We had always heard good things about it. Coconut fried shrimp, dumplings, and some of the best coconut macaroons around filled the very large buffet. At only $7.00 a person, it was a great deal ... and a great meal. Chopsticks also offers a Hibachi grill and sushi bar.

Yesterday, I went out to eat without my husband. Joining a few friends in Roanoke at Wasabi's, I began to wonder if I would ever enjoy an American-themed meal again. After all, who needs a cheeseburger, when you can enjoy a warm and filling, sweet potato tempura roll?

Trading off each other's plates I was glad to get away from my house, my town and even my husband for the afternoon. I especially enjoyed introducing different types of sushi to my friend Heather. Heather showed great bravery and sense of adventure and can no longer be called a sushi virgin. I'm so proud.

After our leisurely lunch, we wandered toward the newest addition to Roanoke's downtown Market street, Chocolate Paper. When I lived in Florida, we enjoyed a local chocolate shop, owned by Norman Love. Love makes some of the best chocolates in the nation.

Here's a picture my parents took of a box of Love's chocolates. As I found a glass case filled with exotic and beautiful chocolates, I almost jumped for joy in the middle of this shop.

A box of Norman Love Chocolates

After returning home, I tried a confection with a Chai Latte flavor. My knees buckled and I fell in love.

Lunchtime

Today, all three of my kids happily hopped (well, one drug his heels) onto the bus and went to that magical place called "school."

My oldest began middle school today and will pack her lunch, while my younger two love the hot lunch.

Last week, Lindsey Nair posted on her Fridge Magnet blog about packed lunches and a few moms threw their two-cents in.

I've decided we all need a little help or guidance, so I found this website with nutritious tips and safe food handling procedures. I may print this for my sixth-grader to read as she insists on packing her own lunch.

I've also found the Amazing Mom's website to be... well, amazing. Here is the page you want to check out. There are a few creative ideas to keep your kids healthy. My favorite has to be the Cookie Dipper.

Finally, I've stumbled upon something for those really, really adventurous kids and parents. They're called Bento Boxes and they make me wish I were back in school. Check these out here.

Pass the bacon and eggs...

This week, I am busy entertaining a few long lost friends. Or maybe I should say they're entertaining me. With another Chef in the house, I've enjoyed a big breakfast every morning.

Now, we haven't gotten very fancy.

Only bacon, eggs and pancakes have been served but you know what they say, beggars can't be choosers (I'm the beggar in this scenario).

Because I'm so busy enjoying a big plate of pancakes right now, I will turn my blog over to my Mom. She emailed me over the weekend with a yummy recipe for Captain Crunch French Toast. Here's what she said:

Good Morning!

Your father and I watched Diner, Drive-ins and Dives recently and saw a dish we just had to try-Captain Crunch French Toast. We used thick slices of hearty bread and after dipping them in the standard egg and milk custard, we dipped them in mashed up cereal and served them with fresh fruit. Dad cooked them over a low medium heat.On the TV show they also served them with whipped cream but we didn't have any. Delicious anyway!

Love, Mom

Here are the photos she sent:

Thanks so much Mom! We'll enjoy this tomorrow...

Homemade Pizza Recipe

After posting Dough and a Dream I realized, I shorted you guys.

I gave casual advice on how to make cinnamon pretzels and a recipe for a frozen bread dough coffee cake. I did NOT reveal my pizza recipe though. Sorry.

Below is my version of homemade pizza:

Homemade Pizza

Ingredients:
1 loaf frozen bread dough
olive oil
any blend of shredded pizza cheese (at least 3 to 4 cups)
red sauce (if it suits you)
any toppings you plan to use

Method:

1. Thaw and let rise frozen bread dough for at least 6 - 8 hours. Check out directions on the bag for shorter or longer methods in thawing and rising dough. Dough should be doubled in size.
2. When dough is ready, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Punch dough down (to release air) and divide into equal parts per person. If you are making 2 medium to large pizzas, divide in half. If you are making 3 or 4 pizzas (the max would be four) divide equally.
4. If you are making 3 or 4 pizzas, get out cake or pie tins to form individual pizzas in. This is what I would recommend doing for kids.
5. If you are making 1 very large or 2 large to medium pizzas, get out a pizza pan or cookie sheet to bake it in.
6. Stretching dough, (add flour to your hands and work surface) form a round pizza with your dough. Don't worry about a few holes. Small ones are okay.
7. With a fork, poke holes around the dough. This helps the dough stay flat as it bakes.
8. Top with a light brushing of olive oil.
9. Top with sauce and anything else you want.
10. Bake for about 12 minutes for a small pizza and 15 - 18 minutes for a larger pizza.
11. Pizza should be lightly browned and cheese should be melted. Slice and serve!

Make sure your hands and work surface are clean, clean, clean.

My kids love their own pizzas. They all have different ideas on what tastes good. This makes a family meal and the entire family happy.

Dough and a Dream

If you haven't figured it out already, my last "guess what" image was frozen bread dough. That night I was making mini pizzas for the kids. Tonight we made cinnamon pretzel sticks with frosting.

The kids LOVED getting there hands dirty

I had to remind them, "not too much cinnamon and sugar!"

Into the oven it went

We topped our messy treats with homemade confectioners sugar frosting.

They didn't look very pretty, but I heard a lot of satisfied munching goin' on at the table. Clearly, a success in the Hanek household!

As I surfed the internet in search of creative ways to use bread dough, I found more than I bargained for. I asked my friends and family what they did with their frozen bread. My favorite responses were from my mother and my friend Heather.

Mom reminded me of her calzone recipe. She simply makes a small pizza and fills it with cheese and veggies before folding in half.

Heather made me laugh with her childhood memories.

She said, "My aunt used to make bread dough for us to fish with instead of worms. Yep, it fell off pretty quickly, but with the rate with which we casted and reeled in and casted again, a worm wouldn’t have had much chance either."

Very funny Heather! I'm glad the fish ate well, anyway.

Below is one of the most creative recipes I found, involving frozen bread dough. Give it a try and let me know how you did!

Frozen Bread Dough Coffee Cake

from http://www.cooks.com/

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread dough
1/2 c. melted butter, cooled
1 c. brown sugar
1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding
2 tbsp milk
cinnamon

1. Allow bread to thaw.
2. Cut 1 loaf into about 12 slices and press into greased 9 x 13 pan, forming a solid bottom layer.
3. Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients, except the other loaf, in order listed.
4. Cut second loaf into 1 inch pieces to place on top.
5. Let rise until double (about 1 hour).
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 -35 minutes.
7. Frost with confectioner's sugar frosting or glaze.
8. Serves 20.