Apple Spice Cake Cookies

Autumn is in the air. The smell of apples and cinnamon are everywhere you go. This is my favorite time of year. My house gets filled with aromas of comfort and warmth from familiar foods. This recipe is one of my favorites. It’s so easy to make, even better to eat. 5 ingredients. That’s it, but the taste and textures are so flavorful, it brings all the comforts of holidays in one bite. 

This recipe has been a work in progress. My aunt started with the recipe, then my mom changed it a little bit, and now I have made it my own. Because there is no oil in the recipe, it is a much lower fat cookie, but believes me; you don’t miss it at all. These semi-homemade cookies are so easy to make and freeze perfectly for parties, packing in lunches, or even just to have on hand when you want a snack. 

This recipe makes about a dozen large cookies, but it is very easy to double or even triple depending on how many apples you have and cookies you would like to make.

Apple Spice Cake Cookies

1 box Spice Cake Mix (any brand)

1/2 cup applesauce (I used pear because I had a ton in the pantry)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 medium green apple diced

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a cookie sheet. Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Add in the applesauce, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together. Remember this is a cookie batter so it is not going to loosen up the way a cake mix will. Once it’s combined, fold in the apples. The dough is going to be very sticky, so using a spoon, scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Allow to cool completely and place in a freezer proof container or Ziploc bag. Be sure to date and label. They will stay in the freezer for 3 months.

Cabbage Soup

A lot of people see the word cabbage, and all they think is either stuffed cabbage or coleslaw. But cabbage is much more than that. Cabbage soup is a traditional jewish dish, almost as common as matzoh ball soup. This recipe is a spin on a traditional cabbage soup from my great aunt. This soup is just as comforting as a hearty chicken soup. Traditionally this dish has rice cooked in it, but rice generally does not freeze well, so I have omitted it. But by all means feel free to add it back in when you serve it. 

Cabbage Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1lb ground beef

1 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered cored, then sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper chopped

1 carrot peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

4 cups Chicken Stock (can substitute for vegetable or beef)

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups water

Juice and Zest of 1 lemon  

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. celery salt

2 large tomatoes, chopped

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil then add the ground beef. Cook until all of the beef is all brown, drain off most, but not all, of the fat. Add in the onions, pepper, celery, and carrots. Sautee about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add in the broth, wine, and water, lemon zest and juice and all the seasonings. Add in the tomatoes and the cabbage. The cabbage will look like it’s going to over flow the pot. It will wilt down, quickly, so don’t panic. Stir in the best you can and then cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, check the amount of liquid in the pot, if you think it needs more liquid; add either warm broth or water. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until you find the cabbage is cooked through. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely and then freeze. 

To freeze: Place in a freezer safe tupperware. Place plastic wrap over the top and then cover with a tight fitting lid. Freeze when it’s completely cooled.

To reheat: To microwave, remove the lid and plastic wrap and heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring half way through. To heat on the stovetop. Heat in the stock pot, add in 1/2 cup chicken broth and then add in the cabbage soup. Cook for 20 minutes. 

Freeze you fresh herbs for winter

I talk about my CSA all the time, I know. But it really is such a great way for me to get my vegetables; however I get so many, I need to find ways to keep them from going bad. Freezing them works, but you have to blanch them first or prep them in some way. Herbs, however you can’t blanch. I can’t tell you how much dill I must have wasted this year alone. 

In this weeks newsletter from the farm is my solution. Freeze Herbs in Ice Cube Trays. What? This is genius. Not just in paste form but freezing the herbs too. Way cool. I was so excited by this, and chives and basil are still growing strong because of the beautiful weather we're having. So here are two ways to freeze your favorite herbs for use in the winter.

Herbs that freeze well basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic chives, mint, parsley, tarragon, and thyme.  Think about how often you use each of the herbs you’re going to freeze, because it will be months before you can cut fresh herbs from the garden again. Freezing the fresh herbs does take a little bit of preps, but you’ll be rewarded the taste of fresh herbs throughout the winter months.

Freezing Fresh Herbs

Gather your herbs, chop finely and pack into ice cube trays. Add a spot of water to cover and put the trays into the freezer. Let set until completely frozen. Remove the individual herb paste cubes, and store in a Ziploc bag labeled and dated. Labeling is supper important here because all the herbs will look the same when they’re frozen. Herb cubes will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Fresh Herb Paste- From Suite101.com

Place the herbs in a colander and gentle rinse under running water. Remove the herbs from their stems. Discard the stems. Using a dry measuring cup, measure the amount of leaves you have to process. Put the leaves in a blender. For each cup of herbs measured, add 1/4 cup of water to the blender. Place the lid on the blender and puree into a fine paste. Fill an ice cube tray with the herb paste. Place the trays in the freezer and let set until completely frozen. Remove the individual herb paste cubes, and store in a Ziploc bag labeled and dated. Herb cubes will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

How to use: Simply place the desired number of herb cubes into the pan as the meal is being cooked. For example, use 1-2 cubes of basil can be added to a pan of tomato sauce.

Herb Butter-From Yumsugar.com

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp

1/2 cup fresh herbs, minced

Salt and pepper

Additional seasonings (optional) minced garlic, minced shallot, cayenne pepper, crumbled soft cheese, paprika, red pepper flakes finely grated hard cheese, minced anchovy, etc.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter with herbs. Stir well to fully incorporate. Season with salt, pepper and any additional herbs. Place the herb butter on a piece of wax paper and form a log shape about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log again in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to a month. This is awesome on steak, chicken, or to spice up steamed vegetables. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

Nothing is better than banana nut bread. Throw in chocolate chips and im in heaven. But when you buy it in the store, it’s never really banana-ie enough for me. If I’m eating banana bread, I want it to taste like bananas. This recipe is super moist and really tastes like banana bread. I double this recipe and stock my freezer so I can pull a piece right from the freezer.

Baked good in general freeze well. The key is proper packaging. If you don’t it can end up, soggy, or freezer burned. Make sure you squeeze out all of the air from the Ziploc bag before sealing. If you do this, you can store it in the freezer for 6 months.

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread 

1/2 c room temp butter

2 c sugar

2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c milk
3-5 over ripe bananas, mashed
3 c self-rising flour (can use all-purpose but if find self-rising better for my breads)
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt
1 c chopped walnuts

1 c chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease 2 loaf pans. If you’re making muffins, place liners in the muffin pan. In a Mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Next add in the eggs, vanilla, milk, and mashes bananas. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour, 1/3 at a time, into the wet mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into the loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

To freeze: Slice the bread before freezing and place in a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag. If you’re going to stack the bread in a container or bag, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper in between the layers to prevent the bread from sticking together.

When ready to eat remove from the freezer and place on a cooling rack to thaw. Do not thaw in the freezer bag because as the ice crystals melt it will make your bread soggy. Or if you want you can pull a piece right out from the freezer and place in the microwave or toaster oven and eat warm. 

Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Aright this is a two for one dish. I roast the butternut squash, take half for baby food, and use the rest to make this amazing soup. The squash freezer so well, and since its one of the foods my pediatrician recommended as the first food in the orange family, I need to make the most of this versatile vegetable.

 I roast 2- 3 large squash at a time. This makes enough for both dishes, but only dirties one pan, and the food processor once. The fewer dishes I have to do, the better. So puree all the squash in the food processor. Fill two ice cube trays and freeze. Leave the rest of the squash into the food processor and add the rest to make a rich and creamy soup. 

Baby food in mini muffin tins

To make the baby food

1 butternut squash, quartered and with seeds and membranes removed. 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash in a baking dish and put in the oven.  Roast for 40 minutes. It’s done when you can easily pierce it with a fork. Remove from oven and scoop out the flesh and the skin. Put in a food processor. Place in ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to use, remove ice cube from freezer, microwave for 30 seconds. Thin out with breast milk or formula. Don't add the formula or breast milk before freezing.

Two butternut squash soup

Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, quartered, and with seeds and membranes removed

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 large apple, seeds removed roughly chopped

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 c. warm chicken broth (can use vegetable)

Roasted squash

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash in a baking dish and put in the oven.  Roast for 40 minutes. It’s done when you can easily pierce it with a fork. While this is roasting, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions and apples. Cook until slightly golden brown. Add the curry powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the squash from oven and scoop out the flesh and the skin. Put in a food processor. Add the apple-onion mixture and the warmed chicken broth. Puree until smooth. If it’s too thick you can slowly drizzle in some more broth until you get the consistency you like. I enjoy mine a little on the thick side. 

Finished soup, garnished with cilantro

To Freeze: Place in a freezer safe container, place plastic wrap directly onto the soup, then put the lid on. This will prevent the lid from sticking.

To Reheat: 

Stovetop: Put into a sauce pan, add 1/4 c broth and place a tight fitting lid on the pot. Cook until warmed through. 

Microwave: Remove the plastic wrap and leave the lid slightly off to allow steam to escape. Place in the microwave for 3-5 minutes.

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Peppers

When looking at what recipes I have posted so far, I realized that my slow cooker bag recipes have been a culinary tour around the world. This amused me, so I decided to continue with a quick stop over in Italy with my Italian sausage and peppers.

Nothing beats Sausage and peppers right off the grill, but who wants to do that during the week, let alone during the winter. Slow cooking them allows you to enjoy the taste of sausage and peppers any day of the week with a third of the work. 

I find myself cooking this with chicken sausage for a few reasons. 1. It causes less gas 2. It is less fatty 3. You can get so many varieties of chicken sausage that I like experimenting with different flavors such as chicken and apples, chicken with fennel, hot chicken sausage, and so on. You most certainly can use this exact same recipe with pork sausage, especially since that is the Italian way to do.

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Peppers

2 lbs. sausage links

3 bell peppers (any color you like, even mix if you’re feeling a bit crazy) sliced

2 large onions sliced

2 large tomatoes chopped with juices

1/2 c dry red wine

1/2 c beef stock

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

Get a large Ziploc bag and write on it the following. Pour entire contents of bag into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve on rolls or with crusty bread to absorb the sauce. Pour into the bag wine, stock, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, basil, cayenne, salt and pepper. Seal the bag, double check the seal and then shake to make sure everything gets combined. It will take a few minutes to get the tomato paste incorporated. Once you’re satisfied, add in the bay leaves, sausage, peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Seal bag and lay flat to freeze. When you’re ready to eat it pull it out the night before to thaw, in the morning through them in the slow cooker, set and forget. 

Chicken and Spinach Soup

My freezer started to run low on food for my husband to take for lunch, so I had to come up with some new recipes to get him to continue to eat his vegetables. Sometimes, I look at what I have in the house, and make up a recipe from there, as was the case today. I got a fresh bunch of spinach in the share yesterday, and I never can use it fast enough. So I knew I had to use it today, or it would wilt. So I saw chicken thighs in the fridge and decided to throw them together to make a soup. It turned out awesome, so I had to share it right away. I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband and I have.

Chicken and Spinach Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 small onion chopped

1 lbs. chicken thighs cut roughly into 1 inch chunks

6 c chicken broth

1 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans

1 juice of lemon

1 bunch fresh spinach roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Sautee the onions and garlic until just slightly golden. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Once brown add the chicken broth and cannellini beans. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add in the spinach and lemon juice. The spinach may look like it’s over flowing the pot, but it won’t. It will wilt down fairly quickly. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally, but be gentle because you don’t want to break the beans up too much. Taste and add salt and pepper. You will need more than you think but start in small amounts and gradually add until you are satisfied. 

To Freeze: Allow to cool completely. Then portion into single serving freezer safe containers, leaving 3/4 inch space between the soup and the lid. 

To reheat: 

Stove top- Place the soup into a sauce pan. Put a cover on it and let it melt and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Microwave-remove from freezer, remove lid and microwave from 2-5 minutes depending on the size of your container and your microwave

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

I know what you’re thinking. How could I possibly know anything about authentic Jamaican food? I love Jamaican food, and asked a Jamaican friend of mine for a few of her recipes. It took a little arm twisting, but she finally gave in and shared a few with me, and I’m so glad she did. Two recipes in particular I have found lend themselves to slow cooker freezer bag meals.

Brown stew chicken is delicious and goes perfectly with rice on the side, or if you’re daring, rice and peas. Unfortunately rice does not freeze well at all. I almost never freeze it. There is always an exception, but I would never freeze it for a side dish in a meal like this. So when you make this either whip out your rice cooker and set rice to cook while you take a few minutes to unwind for the day, or I’ve even cheated and stopped by the Chinese restaurant on my way home and for $1.25 purchased a quart of white rice. And since they always have it hot and ready, there’s no wait. Whatever you put on the side will be fine.

When she gave me this recipe she actually told me to get a whole chicken at the butcher and ask him to cut it up into curry size. My butcher looked at me like I was crazy, but if yours knows what that means please do so. I substitute legs and thighs because those mixed packs often go on sale and are significantly cheaper than breasts, but it you want to use breast you can, just cut them in half width wise. 

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken.

1 lb. chicken legs and thighs

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, mined

2 stalks green onion, roughly chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. ketchup

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 cups chicken broth

Salt to taste

4 medium sized potatoes roughly chopped (add in on day of cooking)

Get a large freezer safe Ziploc bag and write on it. Pour all contents of the bag into your slow cooker. Add 4 medium sized potatoes roughly chopped. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours. Combine the soy sauce, garlic, onion, carrot, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, pepper, ketchup, sugar, and chicken broth in the Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and give a good shake to combine all the ingredients. Once they are well mixed add in the chicken. Lay flat to freeze. When ready to cook. Remove from the freezer the night before, place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. In the morning, pour into the crock pot, add the potatoes and cook on low for 8 hours. 

Mexican Style Slow Cooker Chicken

I love the slow cooker freezer bags. They are so easy to throw together as I unload the groceries, and I can make a couple of different bags at a time. The key is to freeze them flat. Once they are frozen you can stand them or stack them however fits best in your freezer. Over the next couple days I’m going to post a few different crock pot freezer meals. 

Mexican food is like an addiction to me, but not fast food Mexican. Real authentic Mexican flavor, but that can take hours to really develop. In comes the slow cooker to the rescue. By freezing the meal in its marinade, as it thaws overnight it really gets marinade, and then as you cook it the flavors develop further. Best part, it’s a set it and forget it meal. 

This chicken is great in tacos, enchilada, or quesadillas. You can even serve it as is with a side of rice. I use chicken thighs in this recipe, but you can substitute with breasts, or a mixture of legs and thighs. Breasts can dry out a little bit, but I pull them apart with two forks, and throw on some tortillas, add a little salsa verde, and they taste fabulous.

Mexican Style Slow Cooker Chicken

2 lbs. chicken thighs

1 c. Salsa Verde

1 c. Chicken stock

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 large tomato roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. adobo

1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder (can substitute cayenne pepper)

1 lime zested and juiced

Get a large Ziploc bag and write the following on it. Cook on low for 8 hours. Before serving add the lime juice and zest. Stir and serve. Place the chicken in the bag and add all of the ingredients, except the lime juice and zest. Lay it flat to freeze. 

When ready to use, take out the night before, place in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. In the morning, place in the crock pot and set to low for 8 hours. You may think it’s not enough liquid, but it is, as it cooks, the vegetables will release their juice, and the salsa verde will thin out. When you get home from work, dinner will be ready. 

Salsa Verde

I wanted to post this before tomatillos go completely out of season. I got this recipe from a friend of mine whose mom is from Mexico. It is simple, delicious, and way better than any salsa you get from a jar. I have made 3 batches this season, and hoping I can get one or two more batches out before the season is over.

This recipe freezes well. I freeze it in ice cube trays, and take out however many cubes I need at the time. I also can this recipe, for chips and salsa, whenever friends come over. I'll include canning instruction as well as the freezing instructions, so you can do which ever you prefer.

This recipe can easily be adjusted to however many tomatillos you have. The ratio my friend gave me is 6-8 tomatillos to 1 jalapeno for moderately spicy salsa. If you want it less spicy do 1 jalapeno to 12 tomatillos; more spicy 2 jalapeno to 6-8 tomatillos. It’s a very flexible recipe.

Salsa Verde

12-16 tomatillos

2 jalapenos with stem removed

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 small onion peeled and quartered

1 handful of cilantro leaves

Thoroughly wash the tomatillos; the sticky layer needs to be gentle scrubbed off. Then throw them in a saucepan with the jalapenos, garlic, and onion. Put enough water in to just cover the bottom of the pan (approximately 1/2 cup). This is only to prevent the tomatillos from sticking to the pan. Cook on low heat, until the tomatillos soften and start to turn a slightly darker green. This should only be about 5 minutes. If the water evaporates you can add a little more, but you don’t want to boil them so don’t add too much. Once the tomatillos are soft, pour all the vegetables into a blender add the cilantro, and blend. As always, be super careful when blending hot objects, you could also use your immersion blender if you have one. 

Now you could pour this right over enchiladas, or stuffed poblano peppers while it’s hot or you could can it. If you want to freeze it, allow the salsa to completely cool, and then pour into the ice cube tray. Once frozen remove and place in a labeled Ziploc bag. 

To can:

Boil water in a pot large enough to fit the mason jars and lids without over crowding. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and submerge the jars and lids so they can be sterilized, leave them in until your ready to use them. When ready to fill the jars, remove from the water and place on a cooling rack. Using a funnel, ladle the hot salsa into the hot jars. leave 1/2 inch head-space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim and sides of the jars. Place the lids on the center on the jar. Apply the band and adjust until the fit is finger tight. Place the filled jars into a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. remove jars and cool. You'll hear popping sounds as they cool and the lids vacuum seals. Check the lids for seal after 24 hours. The lids should not move up or down when you press the center. If any of the jars do not seal, place them in the fridge and use with in the week. If they did seal properly the can be stored for up to 1 year. 

Asian Braised Short Ribs

While one of my best friends was at the end of her pregnancy, she started putting meals together to cook in a slow cooker in her freezer. Basically, she takes all the ingredients, puts them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag, and freezes them. The night before she pulls it out and puts in the fridge to thaw. When she wakes up, she throws it all in the crock pot and sets to low. Presto. Dinner is served. I thought this was genius, and I started experimenting with some of these meals in a bag on my own.

I love short ribs, so when they go on sale, I buy the store out. Before I put them away, I mix up the ingredients and place them in different freezer bags. Not only does this marinate them as they thaw, but these Ziploc bags, store a lot better than a million little styrofoam trays.

This particular recipe is one I use for lettuce wraps. I pull the meat off the bone using to forks, so it becomes the consistency of pulled pork. Then I serve with bib lettuce leaves, shredded carrots, and shredded apple (my family doesn't like raw onion). But it’s also amazing served with rice, or even roasted potatoes. 

Asian Braised Short Ribs

5 lbs. Short ribs

1 1/2 cups Tamari (dark soy sauce) if you don’t have tamari use low sodium soy sauce

1 cup honey

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sweet wine (I use Riesling, but use what you have)

1 cup apple cider vinegar

3 cups beef broth (can use water if you don’t have)

1 inch chunk of fresh ginger roughly chopped

3 cloves of garlic smashed

1 small onion chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh ground pepper

1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

Get a gallon Zip lock bag and write the following on the bag. Remove from freezer night before cooking and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Pour entire contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Meat should be falling off the bone. Drizzle sesame oil into the pot and stir before serving. Place all the ingredients in a gallon Ziploc bag except the sesame oil. Lay completely flat to freeze. That’s it. When you’re in the mood, follow the cooking instructions you wrote on the bag. 

Caramel and Chocolate Covered Matzo

In honor of Rosh Hashanah, I've decided to post my families caramel and chocolate covered matzo. My aunt started making it a few years ago from a recipe she found online and my mom took it, mad some of her own tweaks, and now I have taken it and tweaked it a bit more. I'm not sure which website she originally got it from but it think the closest one is this one from www.zoebakes.com.

We serve this dessert right from the freezer. Its ok at room temperature, but it is fabulous right from the freezer. It tastes like chocolate brittle. Even though it’s more of a Passover dish, it’s awesome anytime of the year. I make it whenever I have an excuse, and it’s so cheap; there is no reason to ever buy chocolate covered matzo again.

Traditionally chocolate covered matzo is made with dark chocolate, but you can really use whatever you have on hand. I’ve even drizzled both white and milk chocolate on which is delicious.

Caramel and Chocolate Covered Matzo

4-8 unsalted matzo pieces (you’re going to break them anyway so they don’t need to be perfect)

2 sticks unsalted butter cut up into chunks

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

1/2 toasted pecans roughly chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get 2 cookie sheets and line with either parchment or foil. If you skip this step the caramel will harden the matzo right to your pan and it will be so hard to remove. Place your matzo on the pan. You can break them into pieces to make them fit snuggly next to each other. In a medium sauce pan, add the butter and sugar and cook until you have a caramel sauce. This can take from 2 to 5 min, but be careful not to burn the caramel. You have to whisk constantly to prevent this, and make the caramel smooth. If you don’t constantly stir you can end up with a grainy caramel. Once it’s done, drizzle onto the matzo pieces. I don't spread it because I like the random bites of caramel, but you can if you want every bite to have caramel. Through on the pecan pieces and place in the oven. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes to brown slightly. This can burn very quickly, so be nearby to keep an eye on it. When slightly golden brown remove from the oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips all over the matzo pieces, the heat of the matzo will melt the chocolate. Cover the matzo and chocolate with foil for 3 minutes. This will soften the chocolate chips so they spread easily with a butter knife or spatula. Allow to cool on the counter for 30 minutes. Then place the cookie sheets in the freezer for at least an hour. Remove from the freezer break apart into pieces. Then gather up the pieces and place in a Ziploc bag and place back into the freezer for storage. Take out a piece whenever you want a snack, or take it out 30 minutes before serving. 

Chocolate Pretzel Cookie Brownies

Try saying that 5 times fast. Yep, I've gone crazy and made a brownie-cookie bar that has everything in it but the kitchen sink. Pack full of flavors and texture, this recipe starts with all box mixes and goes crazy with add ins. be adventurous and try your own combinations.

I use which ever brownie mix I have a coupon for and/or is on sale. For the cookie dough, I prefer to use the mixes rather than the roll of premixes dough because it's much easier to add additional ingredients to it. 

This dish is the perfect make ahead dish for kids birthday parties. You can make them up to a month in advance. Freeze, and the night before the party take them out and serve. It’s much better than any brownie you can buy at your grocery store, and your kids will have fun helping you, then showing off to their friends what they made.

Chocolate Pretzel Cookie Brownie

1 box brownie batter (follow ingredients on the box)

1 chocolate chip cookie dough (follow the ingredients on the box + 1 tsp. vanilla)

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/2 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup mini pretzels

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly coat with butter. Take 1/2 cup of the walnuts, 1/2 cup marshmallows, 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and fold into the brownie mix. Fold remaining walnuts into the cookie dough. Scoop cookie dough and randomly place throughout the 13x9 pan. Pour brownie mixture into all the spaces between the cookie dough and spread with a spatula. Sprinkle the pretzels on top and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. I like mine a little gooey, so if you don't you can go up to 30 minutes. Check until the toothpick comes out clean. When you take out of the oven, immediately sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the hot brownies and cover with aluminum foil. The heat will melt them to the brownies.  Once cool cut and enjoy or follow the instructions to freeze.

To freeze: Once the brownies are completely cooled, cut them into desired portion amounts. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and then go over that with aluminum foil. Once they are frozen gather and place them all in a Ziploc bag that is labeled and dated.

To reheat: I love take one out of the freezer, remove the foil and plastic wrap, place in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 45 sec-1 minute. This gets it warm enough to put ice-cream on top of for a delicious brownie sundae. 

To serve at room temp: Remove from its wrapping and thaw on the counter. If you keep the wrapping on, the condensation from the freezer will collect on the brownie, and you will have mushy brownies. And that is not a tasty treat.

Roasted Marinara Sauce

The tomatoes in NJ are amazing right now. They are big and juicy and begging to be canned, jarred and frozen so they can be enjoyed though out the year. Every family has their own way to make tomato sauce, and I won’t claim that mine is the best. However, this is a little bit different than your grandma’s recipe.

Roasting the tomatoes makes them rich and full of flavor. This also breaks down the tomatoes using their own natural juices so you don’t need to add as much extra liquid. Because of less extra liquid, you get more tomato flavor in the sauce.

I typically freeze this in ice cube trays. Once they are fully frozen, I pop them out and put them in a plastic bag that is labeled and dated. When I need one or two cubes, I pop them in the microwave and serve. This recipe also lends itself to canning for those of you who enjoy canning.

 

Roasted Marinara Sauce

12 large tomatoes quartered

2 medium onions peeled and quartered

4 cloves crushed garlic

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Small handful of fresh basil

1 cup semi-sweet white wine

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large 13x9 pan place the tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently toss to coat. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Add the cup of white wine. Stir to get all the bits up off the bottom of the pan and cook for 15 minutes.You should be seeing the tomatoes break down and the onions starting to turn brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Pour the tomato mixture and all the juices into the blender. Add the handful of basil. Set blender to the puree setting and blend to desired consistency. Allow to cool completely and pour into ice cube trays or freezer safe containers to freeze.

Meaty Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

I’m a rice-aholic. Throw some cheese in there and I’m the happiest girl in the world. So I came up with these awesome stuffed peppers, filled to the brim with rice, meat and cheese. They are not only beautiful to look at, but quite satisfying to eat.

 

Some people cook their peppers, or blanch them, before freezing, and please feel free to do so. I don't bother with step and I’ve never been disappointed with the results. Some recipes also call for you to freeze them in the tomato sauce. I don't like this approach. I find that the peppers come out mushy and the tomato sauce becomes watery. Instead I individually wrap my peppers, and freeze my tomato sauce in ice cube trays. When I’m ready to make one, I grab a cube of tomato sauce and 1 stuffed pepper and cook.

 

This is such an easy dish to make and the amount can be altered to the amount you want to make quite easily. It pairs well with my fire roasted tomato sauce, which I’ll post later today.

 

Meaty Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 lbs. ground meat

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. dried basil (can use fresh if you have it)

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra to put on top

Salt and pepper to taste

4 large bell peppers

 

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Once heated, add the onions and cook until slightly brown. Add the ground meat and brown completely. Drain off excess fat. Put the meat onion mixture back in the skillet and add the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, cayenne, paprika, stir and cook for 1 minute. Shut off the heat and add the rice and cheese. Mix together set aside to slightly cool. Grab your bell peppers and cut in half, right through the stem so each pepper has a half of the stem (this is decorative, not a necessity. then using a spoon scoop out all the seeds and ribs. Rinse under warm water to make sure all the seeds are out. Now the fun part. I use my hands but you can use a large spoon, pack the rice mixture into each half of the pepper. I add a slice of mozzarella on top of each pepper, but you can use shredded, or none at all. Then individually wrap and freezer flat. Once they're all frozen, I place them all in a Ziploc bag. Label and date.

To reheat: I find it is best in the oven. Unwrap the amount you want to heat. Pour some tomato sauce on top and place in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to turn brown.

 

Hearty Black Bean Soup

I apologize for not posting yesterday. With the twins I have to post when I can and they didn't give me a chance yesterday. I have so many good recipes that I’m going to try and post at least one a day.

Today's recipe is an awesome soup that can easily be made year round, but because of all the beautiful peppers and tomatoes I’ve been getting in my share this week, I decided to make my Hearty Black Bean Soup. It’s a creamy soup, without any cream added and has lots of chunky vegetables. I enjoy it a bit on the spicy side, so if you don't like spice leave out the jalapeno and your soup will be fabulous. From April- November, I get my vegetables through my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), they are super sweet and speak for themselves, so I don't add a lot of spices so I can let them shine. in this recipe aside from the veggies I only use cumin salt and pepper, but if I make it in the winter and I don’t have any of the tomatoes I canned for the season left, I’ll add a teaspoon of taco seasoning to spice it up a bit.

This soup reheats really well in the microwave. My husband ate this for lunch yesterday and told me I had to post and share this recipe next, because it’s too good to keep to myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

I made a pretty big batch last time and didn’t take any pictures, so when I make it again in a few weeks I’ll post some. Sorry but it’s a pretty simple recipe, so you should be able to make it without them.

 

Hearty Black Bean Soup

1 29 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bell pepper any color cut roughly into 1 inch chunks

1 large tomato cut roughly into 1 inch chunks

1 small onion roughly chopped

3-4 cups of beef stock (can substitute for vegetable stock)

1 jalapeno finely diced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until just starting to turn golden. This may take up to 10 minutes, but usually takes about 5. Then add the beans, cumin, and jalapeno. Cook for one minute then add remaining ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes. Now comes the creamy part. Take 2 large ladle full of soup and place it in a blender. Blend carefully; you can get burned if you don’t have the lid on securely. Now add back into the soup and stir. Check for salt and pepper. If satisfied serve or allow to cool completely before freezing.

This reheats perfect in a microwave. Just be sure to either loosen or remove the lid so the steam doesn't blow your lid off and splatter soup all over your microwave.

 

*If you want it a little thicker you can add 1 tsp. of corn starch to 1 Tbsp. of cold water, stir together so there are no lumps and add to soup.

 

Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

Eggplant has been abundant this year and the tomatoes are fabulous, but there's only so much eggplant parmesan a girl can eat. This is a recipe I came up with last year, and my husband enjoyed it so I decided to do it again this year. It’s wonderful on top of pasta with a little cheese on top, or you can serve it cold like a roasted eggplant carbonata. You and even put it in omelets to spice up breakfast. I sometimes use jalapenos for a little bit of heat, but that’s completely optional. You also can see that I used orange peppers and heirloom tomatoes. I enjoy making my dishes colorful, and it’s what was in my share this week. Don’t feel obligated to use them. A green bell pepper and beefsteak tomato would be perfect.

 

Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

1 large eggplant cut into 1 in chucks

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 large bell pepper

1 medium onion

1 jalapeno (optional)

1 large tomato

Salt and Pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If your oven has different options, use the convection roast setting, if not no problem. Place all of the vegetables in a baking dish. As they cook the vegetables will shrink down so if your pan looks crowded going into the oven, don't worry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 1 hour, stirring at the 30 minute mark. Remove and allow to cool. That’s it. Its one of the simplest recipes that has a lot of flavor.

 

To freeze- Allow mixture to cool completely, place in either a freeze bag, and remember to squeeze all the air out, or a freezer proof containers. If using a container remember to leave 3/4 an inch of space and place a piece of plastic on the eggplant before putting the lid on.

 

To reheat-

Oven: Take out the night before to thaw. Transfer to an oven proof dish and cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. If you think is a little dry add a small can of tomato sauce, but you shouldn't have to.

Microwave: Remove lid and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes.

If serving cold: remove the night before to thaw, and serve.

 

Quick and Easy Ice Cream Sandwich

Since having my beautiful twins, it has been hard to get out and see my friends. Since I have always been a social person, I invite my friends over for a casual dinner at my house, potluck style. So everyone brings a part of the meal so that not one person gets overwhelmed with all the cooking.  One of my friends brought over these amazing chocolate chip cookies that were half dipped in chocolate. They were delicious. When everyone was leaving he told me to keep them, but there were almost a dozen left. I can’t be trusted with chocolate sitting there staring at me every day, so I decided to make ice cream sandwiches out of them.  It’s quick, easy, and no cooking involved. You can interchange any of the ingredients for what you have on hand. Use nuts or mini chocolate chips instead of sprinkles. Use double chocolate chip cookies. Whatever you have in the house. Use this as a pantry clean out dish.

 

Quick and Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches

12 chocolate chip cookies

1 gallon ice cream (I used vanilla because it’s what I had in the freezer)

½ cup rainbow sprinkles (optional)

 

Take one cookie and place 2 scoops of ice cream on the bottom, then place a second cookie on top of the ice cream, bottom down. Pour sprinkles on a small plate or bowl and roll sandwich in the sprinkles.  If you see any bare spot, fill in it in until you have as much, or little sprinkles and you like. Promptly wrap in foil and label. Repeat with remaining 10 cookies. When all are finished, place in the freezer, flat to freeze. Once frozen I place them all in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Whenever you’re in the mood, grab one out and enjoy.

Pumpkin apple pecan muffins

Fall is on its way, and apples are all around. I’ve been making every variety of applesauce for baby food, but I wanted something for me. I love apples all kinds. So when I received apples in my share this week I decided to make these muffins. They are super moist and delicious. They are not overly sweet but are almost like thanksgiving in muffin form. The pecans are a new addition this past time and I really enjoy the texture they bring to the muffin, but they are easily left out, or switched for nuts you have in your pantry.

 

Pumpkin Apple Pecan muffins

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

      1 1/2 cup self-rising flour (if unavailable substitute for all-purpose)
      2 cups sugar
      1/2 cup brown sugar
      1 tsp. baking soda
      1 tsp. ground cinnamon
      1/2 tsp. ground ginger
      1/2 tsp. allspice
      1/2 tsp. salt
      1/4 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
      2 eggs
      1 29 oz. canned pumpkin
      1/2 cup vegetable oil
      2-3 apples peeled and chopped
      1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flours, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk together to combine. In another bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil and whisk. Add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together until moistened. Fold in apples and nuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Move to cooling rack.

To Freeze- Cool Completely then place in a Ziploc bag and freeze flat, when frozen you may stack to store. If making in bread instead of muffins, slice bread before freezing. Then place in a Ziploc bag and freeze flat.

To reheat- simply take out the night before to thaw and enjoy. I put in the toaster oven and spread some honey butter on top.