Pumpkin Pie Boatmeal (Baked Oatmeal)

This recipe came from a blog that my friend Teresa recommended I check out. The blog is called Chocolate Covered Katie, and it has tons of healthy and delicious looking recipes. (Here is the link to the original recipe, because the author of the blog  has a special request that you link back to her page, which I totally understand.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/11/10/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal-for-one/)

Teresa tried one of the boatmeals and said it was the best oatmeal she's ever had! I thought this one sounded yummy, so here it is... 

1/2 cup oats

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 tsp nutmeg

sweetener, such as 1 1/2 to 2T maple syrup or 1 to 1 1/2 packs stevia

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup milk or creamer or water

1/8 tsp salt

Optional: 1 to 2T oil or favorite nut butter (if oil, scale the milk back a tiny bit)

Optional: raisins, walnuts, brown sugar for the top 

Preheat oven to 380 degrees. 

Combine raw oats, spices, pumpkin, and milk. 

Pour into a small baking pan, 1-cup ramekin, or mini-loaf pan.

Cook for 20 minutes, or more until it gets firm. 

Finally, set your oven to “high broil” for 3 more minutes, or until it reaches desired crispy-ness (or simply just bake longer, but broiling gives it a nice crust).

Roasted Sausage, Pumpkin, Apples and Onions with Maple and Beer Pan Gravy

This is a Rachael Ray recipe my friend Adrienne sent me. Not long after sending it to me, things worked in my favor and I ended up making a trip to see her. She made this for lunch and it was sooo good! Instead of pouring the gravy on the sausage and veggies, she made mashed potatoes and we poured it on there. Even better! Also, she gave us the option of eating the brats on buns, with cheese. Enjoy!

1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into large-bite pieces (She used butternut squash)

2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges with root ends attached

2 Gala or Braeburn apples, quartered, core trimmed away 

Squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, half a palmful (She didn't use this, and everything still came out tasting great)

8 links bratwurst or other sausage of choice (She used beer brats and before putting them in the oven, she seared them in a skillet with some butter, to give them color.)

EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for liberal drizzling

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup stout beer (She used Guinness Extra Stout)

1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock, whichever you prefer (She used chicken)

1/4 cup dark amber maple syrup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, onions and apples with lemon juice, salt, pepper, a little freshly grated nutmeg and the caraway seeds. 
Add sausages and dress everything with a layer of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons to coat. 
Arrange on large baking sheet and roast 30-40 minutes.

Heat butter in small pan over medium heat. 
Whisk in flour for 1 minute then add beer and whisk half a minute more. 
Whisk in stock, syrup and Worcestershire, add some coarse black pepper and let thicken a few minutes more to coat spoon.

Serve roasted sausages and squash doused with gravy.

Grape Dessert Salad

This recipe was sent to me by my friend Sue. Her husband's cousin made it for a picnic, and though she called it a salad, Sue and I both agree that it's more of a dessert. Enjoy! 

1 lb green grapes

1 lb red grapes
3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup powdered sugar

2 large Butterfinger candy bars, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

Wash and dry grapes

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix until smooth (This works much better if the cream cheese is room temp)

Mix grapes with cream cheese mixture and place in (11x7) glass dish
Combine brown sugar, pecans, and crushed candy bars. 

Sprinkle on top of salad and chill

It's best if it sits for a couple of hours

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but it's a Rachael Ray.  It got great reviews on the website. It sounds good, and cooks fairly quickly. However,  you could also throw the ingredients in the crock pot and let them cook on low for the day, so it's ready that evening. 

 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (If you're not into spicy food, just use 1 chile)

6 cups chicken broth 

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Juice of 2 limes 

Salt and pepper 

1 hass avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces 

Crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. 

Stir in the onion and garlic. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. 

Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. 

Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. 

Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. 

Season with salt and pepper

Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. 

Top with the tortilla chips.

Apple Pie Bites

Kelly sent me this recipe from another blog, Cookin' Up North. However, the original recipe is from Taste of Home. These are fairly easy to make and are the perfect size, so you can eat them without feeling too guilty! :) 

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 refrigerated pie crust (14.1 oz)

3 tbsp melted butter, divided (2 tbsp, then 1 tbsp)

2 medium tart apples, cut into 8 wedges

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and set aside 1 tbsp

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crust

Brush with 2 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture

Cut crust into sixteen 1 inch wide, 8 in long strips

Wrap one strip around each apple slice, placing the sugared side against the apple

Place apple bites on a parchment lined baking sheet

Brush tops with melted butter (the 1 tbsp) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture (also the 1 tbsp)

Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown

Serve warm. (These can also be served with ice cream! Yum!)

Funnel Cakes

This is a Paula Deen recipe that my friend Adrienne sent me. She made them and said they taste just like funnel cakes from the fair! To quote Adrienne, "Long live Paula!" 

2 cups milk

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter

Powdered sugar, for topping

Canola oil, for frying

In a deep skillet or stock pot, heat oil (This particular recipe didn't have the amount of oil listed, but I read one that said use 3 cups)

Combine milk, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients

Beat with a mixer until a smooth batter forms

Fold in melted butter

Pour batter into a funnel or squeeze bottle. Make sure to place your index finger over the hole, to prevent the batter from pouring out

Bring funnel or bottle over hot oil and release your finger to start a stream of batter. Move in a circular motion to create spiral shapes

Fry 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed

Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately

Steak Fajitas

This is another recipe from Kelly. The original came from Simply Recipes. It calls for cooking these on the stove, but the grill is also an option. (Kelly and her husband love them that way!) 

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb of flank steak, skirt steak or carne asada

1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the grain. Slice first in half, and then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.

2-3 bell peppers of various colors, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into strips

Salt

MARINADE

juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 fresh Jalapeño pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped (be careful not to touch your eyes or anywhere near your eyes after handling a Jalapeño pepper!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems

Mix all marinade ingredients, then coat the steak with it

Allow steak to either sit at room temp for an hour, or put in the fridge and allow to marinate longer

Before cooking steak, wipe off most of the marinade and sprinkle steak with salt

Cook steak on the stove (If you do it on the stove, first heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan before adding steak) or grill until medium rare to medium well. (About 10 min or so) Once cooked, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 min

Either in a pan or in an aluminum foil packet on the grill, cook veggies for 5-6 min (Again, if you're using the stove, just use the steak pan and add a little more oil)

Slice meat at an angle, against the grain, into thin slices

Serve meat and veggies with warm tortillas

Optionally, you can add lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole