Chocolate Chip Scones

For Christmas morning this year, I have decided that I would make breakfast scones for the family because we are having a super early dinner.  So here is how to make super easy and absolutely delightful Chocolate Chip Scones.  

Yummy Chocolate Chip Scones

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar (AKA Sugar in the Raw)

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Get out a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper (or for those of you that are super cool and have a silicone liner, you can use that - I'm hoping for Santa to bring me a couple!)  Then, sift your all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar and baking powder together.  Grab a hand grater and use the smallest one you can find to zest that orange.  Once you are done zesting it, use your fingers to mash it with your fingers in to the flour mixture.  Make sure that you spread out the pieces so its not clumpy anymore. 

Now for the fun part, I do not have a pastry blender, but that would be ideal.  So I use two butter knives. Cut up the butter into small pieces and drop them into the flour mixture. Use the butter knives to cut opposite ways. Keep repeating this motion until you have small beads of butter throughout your flour mixture.  If this doesn't work out well, feel free to use your hands. The majority of the time I have to because there will be some clumps left in there and we surely do not want that!

Now add in those mini chocolate chips! I know it will look like there is a lot, but don't worry-- they're mini and delicious! Sometimes I even add an extra handful for good measure!

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, heavy cream and extract until well mixed.  Then pour it slowly and continuously into the flour mixture while stirring the flour mixture.  You want to for a sticky dough here and it may even require you to use your hands to fold the dough together multiple times.  Now form in into a circle about 1 1/2 inch thick  on a floured surface. (These do not rise a whole lot, maybe to about 2 inches max.)  Cut the circle like you would a pizza into 8 pieces. Flour a pizza cutter or knife before cutting into it. This will help it not to stick.

Place the pieces on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Brush the tops of the scones with heavy creamy (or the remainder of the yolk and cream mixture if any has settled in the bowl.) Then sprinkle with the Turbinado Sugar. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 28 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Let cool and then enjoy!

Now go out there and start baking! These are probably one of the most delicious and yet easiest things I make! I am sure that any one can do it :) And as always, if you give it a try and have a question or comment -- Comment away! I promise to follow up!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Bacon Cheddar Dip

Tonight I was inspired to make a Bacon Cheddar gift for some of my guy friends that LOVE bacon.  So here is a quick and easy, stove-top recipe!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb of REAL bacon
• 1 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 slices of provolone cheese
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup of milk

Now, first things first- crisp up that bacon! Put it in the skillet and cook it up as usual. 

Let it cool and crumble it up.  In a small sauce pan, put all the ingredients. Cook on low heat until everything is melted and mix well.  Pour it into a serving dish and garnish with 2 slices of bacon.

Ta Da! Serve with tortilla chips and you are good to go!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Peppermint & Chocolate Rice Crispies

Today -  for the first time in weeks - I had the opportunity to experiment in the kitchen for a bit.  My sister wanted to make some Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats that she found online.  So I decided to make up my own rice crispy creation, just in time for the Holiday Season!

Peppermint & Chocolate Rice Crispies

This is what you'll need to whip up these easy Peppermint & Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats...

• 6 cups of Rice Crispy Cereal
• 10 oz of mini marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract
• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Now in a large sauce pan over low heat melt the butter and the marshmallows, stirring constantly. 
Be careful it doesn't burn!  
After they are melted down, mix in the peppermint extract.
Enjoy the wonderful smell of Christmas filling the room, I know I always do!
Then stir in the cereal and the semi-sweet chocolate chips.  It's OK if the chocolate melts a bit.  
Yumm!


Now line a 13 by 9 (or a 9 x 9 if you want them thick) with wax paper.  Then, GREASE IT! If you don't, you will have to pick off the wax paper from the bottom of the treats, no fun - but still delicious!  Pour the cereal mix in the pan.  To spread it out evenly, grease a spatula.  Top with holiday sprinkles!

Red, Green, and White Sprinkles

Let them cool, cut into squares, and enjoy this festive treat! They are super duper easy, so get out there and start cooking! When you try them, let me know how they turn out.  I love comments :)


Until we eat again,
Amateur Chef Cheryl

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe was discovered by my wonderful brother, however I have made quite a few adaptations.  Please note that this recipe is definitely not a healthy recipe at all. But as my wonderful great aunt says, "Everything in moderation." So, my suggestion is to make it, enjoy it, but don't make it often.  Also, this is easily freezable and reheated later.  So if your cooking for a small group, portion it off and freeze it for later! Yumm!  

This is what you have to look forward to!

Ok, so here is what you'll need...

• 1 pound box of elbow macaroni (I usually try for whole wheat pasta)
• 7 tablespoons of butter, plus some for greasing the pan.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 2 teaspoons of dry mustard (powder)
• 2 1/2 cups of half-and-half
• 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
• 8 oz pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

     Take the time before you start doing anything else to prep your materials! Chop that onion! Shred that chicken! Cube that cheese! If you don't, you'll be kicking yourself as things burn on your stove top.  Also, when cooking cheese its best not to continually adjust the temperature so that it cooks evenly - so cube it up! 

     Now toss a large pot of water on the stove on high.  Throw a dash or two of salt in the pot to bring the water temperate up.  Once it starts to boil toss in your elbow macaroni.  Cook them until they are al dente (still firm). Drain them and then set them aside.

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

This is before I added the hot sauce!

     So instead of sitting there and waiting for the water to boil and noodles to cook, lets get working on a couple other things.  In a large skillet over medium heat melt about 3 tablespoons of butter.  Mix in the onions and cook until they are softened. Then stir in the garlic and chicken.  Cook it down for about two more minutes. Then it's time to spice things up! Stir in 1/2 cup of hot sauce. Cook it down a bit more until it is slightly thickened.  Take this off of the heat and set it aside.

     Now for the cheesy masterpiece! In a saucepan over medium heat, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter.  Stir in the flour and mustard until it is smooth.  A wooden spoon is best for this because the heat is so direct you do not want any melting plastic or toxins.  Using a whisk, mix in the half-and-half and 1/4 cup of hot sauce.  Keep whisking away and let it thicken up. Now continue whisking and mix in the cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, and sour cream.  Whisk it until it is completely smooth. 

Mmmmm.... Cheesy!

     It's time to prepare the pan and assemble the best mac & cheese, EVER! Grease a 13 by 9 pan.  Pour half of the cooked macaroni in the pan, then put the entire chicken mixture on top, evenly spread. Now spread the rest of the macaroni on top. Now for the best part, pour that deliciously cheese mixture on top. 

      Last, you need to add the blue cheese and panko crumble on top! So put 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat it up until it melts.  Stir it into the blue cheese and breadcrumb mix.  If it looks a little dry, add more melted butter.  Once it is mixed well, spread it evenly on top of the beautiful macaroni and cheese!

     Pop it into the oven until its looks bubbly and delicious - about 30 or 40 minutes. NOTE - this could bubble over, so put a cookie sheet underneath to save you from cleaning your oven! And this is what it should look like right out of the oven -- DELICIOUS!

Yumm!

So get out there and begin cooking!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

A Berry Apple Pie

To celebrate my beautiful sister's 22nd birthday I decided to try a new type of pie: Berry Apple.  However, it was Saturday and I had plans in two hours and needed to go to the store, so needless to say, I didn't have the time to make my signature homemade crust. So Pillsbury's pre-made refrigerated pie crust to the rescue! I just want to say, always make your own -- it totally makes it more special and have that extra great taste, but if your short on time, Pillsbury is the way to go. Anyway, to the store I went! Thank goodness the berries looked wonderful for the end of October.  It made my day.

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

• 3 lbs of apples, preferably a mix of Empire, Gala, and McIntosh. 
• 1 cup of mixed berries, preferably strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• Coarse sugar

      First things first, get peeling and coring those apples! Then slice them down.  Mix them with the sugar and lemon juice.  Then put about 4 tablespoons of butter into a super large skillet and melt it over medium-high heat.  Add the apples and cook them down until tender, stirring often.  DO NOT OVER COOK THEM or it will be mushy! Stir in the flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt, and cook for about another minute or so.  Stir in the berries and let it cool.

     Roll out 1 disk of the dough into a 9-inch pie pan.  Add the berry-apple filling, putting more in the middle then towards the outside. This will give your pie a beautiful domed look! Cut up 2 tablespoons of butter and place it on top of the filling. 

    Now, for an amazing lattice top, use a pizza cutter to slice the second rolled out dough disk into about a 1/4 inch strips. Place all of the strips on the two sides of the rim, but do not fold it onto the pie.  This allows you to easily work your way through your lattice.  I wish that I would have taken a video so that you could more easily understand this, so I promise the next lattice top pie will be filmed and posted in that blog post.  Anyway, once you are finished weaving the pieces in and out, pinch around the edges and flute the edges so it has a pretty wave going on.

Before it hit the oven!

    It's almost ready for the oven, but first whip up that egg! Use a pastry brush to spread the beaten egg on top of the pie crust. Then sprinkle the top with the coarse sugar.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a baking sheet on the lowest rack.  Leave it in there without the pie for about a half hour.  I know that this seems absolutely ridiculous, however it makes sense. Think through this with me, you will be setting the pie on the pan, it will take the pan a while to heat, therefore the bottom of the pie will not cook if you skip this step.  So just trust me here and DO IT!  Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and put the pie into the oven.  Bake it until it is golden brown all over, which should be about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. If the edges start to get too dark, put foil around the outside.  So check the pie about 35 minutes into baking and put the foil on if necessary.  When it is finished, let it cool completely before serving.

From apples and berries to a beautiful pie!

     Needless to say, the pie was a big hit with the birthday girl and our friends. A couple people even went back for seconds.  So get out there and get baking!

The birthday girl with her homemade Berry Apple pie!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Cinnamon Apples a la Mode

When I made applesauce this past weekend, I set aside about a 2 dozen apples to make other things.  So last night I made a quick and easy apple dessert for some of my friends -- Cinnamon Apples a la Mode! Therefore my dear readers, I'll share with you the secrets of this super quick and yummy dessert!

Macintosh Apples!

Here's what you'll need.

• 4 medium/large apples - preferably Macintosh or Granny Smith (something slightly tart)
• 2 tablespoons or so of butter
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Ground Nutmeg

First things first.  Peel, core, and slice your apples.  This is the most time consuming part of the dessert making... and it doesn't even take that long! Then, in a skillet at low-medium heat to melt your butter and move it all around the pan.  Throw in your apples and saute them for about 7 or 8 minutes.  Flip them around as necessary!  Then add about 3 teaspoons of brown sugar (sometimes more is necessary!), a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and just a pinch of cloves.  Stir it gently and then continue to saute them for about 3 more minutes. When the apples are softened, sample them to make sure that you don't need more sugar or cinnamon! 

TIME TO SERVE!!! That's right folks, 10 minutes in the skillet and that is it! Put a scoop of Cinnamon Apples in bottom of your bowl. Add a heaping spoonful of Vanilla Ice Cream on top and garnish with Nutmeg.  The nutmeg is totally worth it! 

This is so good and so easy, you can whip it up in no time! So go ahead, give it a whirl! 

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Kraut and Kielbasa Pasta

Tonight, I was in a quite a rush to get dinner made because I have too much to get done tonight I couldn't waste too much time in the kitchen. So I scoured the freezer looking for what to make.  I pulled out Kielbasa and threw it into a pot of boiling water.  Noodles with Kielbasa in my family is a must, so I threw them in.  Then I thought, how can i jazz this up a bit?  Well, here it goes - 

A kraut cream sauce!

An Amateur Chef Cheryl Original!

Ingredients

• Rotini pasta
• 1 package of Kielbasa
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 3 to 4 oz of sauerkraut
•  1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced
• 1 tsp. garlic minced
• 4 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. milk

Directions

1. First, put on two pots of water for the kielbasa and the rotini pasta. Bring them both to a boil then add the kielbasa to one and the rotini to another.  
2. Now, in a separate pan, saute the peppers and garlic until the peppers are softened.  
3. Toss in the spinach and saute for about 1 minute. 
4. Add the mushroom soup and water, stir until well mixed.  Let simmer for about 3 - 5 minutes.
5. Add in the Kraut to taste by stirring it in.  If you add too much it may get very acidic, so taste as you go! (That's a key part of being a chef... just make sure you're always using a clean spoon!) 
6. If it looks too thick for your liking, add the hint of milk! 

And in less than 30 minutes I had a delightful meal! And to think, looking into the freeze blindly could bring such inspiration!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

After all, I bought 3 little pumpkins. So I decided to make some roasted pumpkin seeds.  This is nothing elaborate and my family does this every year when we carve pumpkins. So, first things first, remove the pumpkin brains out of the pumpkin.  Then separate the seeds from the rest of the pulp. Now, its roasting time! Spread some extra virgin olive oil on a cookie sheet and toss them on it. Roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes. 

Roasting the Seeds

Then take them out, throw them in extra virgin olive oil and season them.  You can season them however you'd like.  This time, I made 2 types -- Salted and Italian.  Salted - self explanatory, throw them back on the sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Italian - AWESOME! Throw them back on the cookie sheet and sprinkle them with two of the most italian seasonings ever. One - parmesan cheese, Two - dried oregano. Toss the cookie sheets back in the oven for about 20 more minutes.  Then... perfection!

Italian Pumpkin Seeds

Until we eat again,
Amateur Chef Cheryl

2 Bushels of Apples Later....

Four 1/2 Bushels - 3 types of apples

Yumm!

Well today my great aunt, "Auntie" and I made the journey to Soergel's in Wexford.  It was my first time there since I was a kid and I was amazed at how many items they sold and how many activities were going on! There are pumpkins galore and any vegetables you can think of.  


So, what to do when you buy two bushels of apples.... Make Homemade Applesauce!

Cooked with skin on!

She taught me our secret family recipe.  Here's a quick overview, but I will not divulge all the details!

Hand Sieve :) KEY TO SUCCESS!

1. You need to buy multiple types of apples -- some tart, some semi-tart, and one semi-sweet! 
2. You need to leave the skins on the apples while you cook them.
3. A hand sieve is the best way to puree!
4. Trust your taste buds, sugar and cinnamon to taste!
5. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LOTS OF TIME!!!!

Just so you know, two bushels of apples is a whole lot of apples and it makes quite a bit of applesauce.  As in, about 40 quarts of applesauce.  Good news, applesauce freezes well and we will have fresh, homemade applesauce all year!

So make sure to get out there and get fresh apples while you can and experiment away!!!

This is one of the two 21 quart pots!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Pumpkin Rolls

      This is the story of 3 little pumpkins and how they went from cute orange pumpkins to yummy Pumpkin Roulades, also known as Pumpkin Rolls!
       First things first, what type of pumpkin to buy.  I went to the Etna Farmers Market this past week and picked out a giant pumpkin.  It was huge -- probably 20 lbs or more.  I walked up to the man, paid for it, and then asked him if this was good for baking.  He looked at me and laughed and then politely pointed out the type I should buy... "baking pumpkins".  They are smaller than normal pumpkins.  He told me that there are other kinds that he didn't have that could also be used. The nice man then let me exchange the giant pumpkin for three little baking pumpkins.

My Three Little Pumpkins!

         Now I was always told that from pumpkin to pumpkin puree was a big hassle.  Well to me, it was just time consuming.  First, you have to cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.  Then place it in a shallow baking pan with 1/8 in of water in the bottom.  Put 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar in each half of the little pumpkin. Then you have to cover it with foil and bake it at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until tender.  Then remove it from the oven and let it cool for a bit.  Lastly, remove the skin and puree the inside until smooth. Perfecto!
Ingredients
Roll

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup of fresh pumpkin puree (see directions above)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the puree as directed above. (You can always use store bought canned pumpkin, but its not as fun! )
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes or until it doubles in volume.  Then, in a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, cinnamon, and flour.  
4. Fold the pumpkin into the egg-sugar mixture.  Then fold in the flour mixture and mix it until it is evenly blended. 
5. Pour this mixture into a greased and floured baking sheet. 
6. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove from oven, then let cool. **THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!!** If you don't let it cool completely, it is so hard to get out of the tray.  My first one didn't turn out very well because of this. The second one however, I let cool for about 20 minutes and it came out wonderfully!
7. In a new bowl, blend together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
8. Sprinkle the top of the cooled cake with sugar.  Then flip the cake over and spread the filling.  Roll the cake up into a cylinder. 
9. Refrigerate to set. Slice as desired to serve!

My Pumpkin Roll from Scratch!

       Needless to say, this is a very messy and time consuming recipe.  Also, it is very important to know that 1 little pumpkin yields about 7 cups of pumpkin.  I made all 3 pumpkins before I realized how much pumpkin I had.  Now I have a lot of pumpkin puree and I'm scouring the web for more ideas. Maybe a Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Cheesecake will be in the future. But that's another post for another day.

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Broccoli & Cheese Soup

For a while, I have been experimenting with different recipes for broccoli and cheese soup.  I was search for a hearty soup, perfect for a cold fall or winter day.  For the life of me, I couldn't figure out the secret. Well this month's Food Network magazine opened my eyes with its cover recipe, Broccoli-Cheddar Soup. Wanna know the secret ingredient? Potatoes!  Who would have guessed? (Well, certainly not me. Ha!) 


So I decided at 8 pm to start cooking, well chopping up all the ingredients for a batch of this fantastic sounding recipe.  

Cheryl Beasock Photography

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped --- I substituted more russet potatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups broccoli florets (I added about 3 cups because I like broccoli!)
• 1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/3 cups)
• Kosher Salt and Ground Pepper
• Croutons for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened (about 5 minutes). Then add the chicken broth, half-and-half, potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt and 1/3 tsp pepper.  Bring to a boil. 
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes).  While you are waiting, put the broccoli florets into a microwave-safe dish with 3 tablespoons water and some salt for seasoning.  Cover it with plastic wrap and microwave about 4 minutes. When finished, drain and set aside.
3. When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup and transfer the soup to a blender.  Puree until smooth. (Now, they made this sound a lot easier then it really is.  Be prepared for the puree to be super hot.) They recommend that you leave the filler cap off so that you let out steam (however this may mean that the hot liquid is going to spray out... just saying). Now return the soup to the pot and stir in the broccoli and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons, if desired. Serve!

Finished Product!

My adaptations made my soup look less "orange" than the image in the magazine, however if you think about that fact that I traded russet potatoes for sweet potatoes it makes sense.  Anyways, the soup is delicious and I have packaged up enough for about 13 lunches! YAY!!!

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Chicken Cacciatore

Today I had the joy of cooking with my dear friend, Eric.  He would tell you that I'm teaching him how to cook, however I think that he is helping me learn to better explain how I cook.  We made Chicken Cacciatore.  Here's the recipe so you can give it a go!


Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 package of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, halved then sliced into strips
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of freshly chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

     First things first, preheat your oven to 375 degrees! 

     Then, take your red bell pepper and place it whole over the open flame on your burner or grill.  You are roasting the pepper, so turn in around with tongs until its blackened all over. After it is completely blackened, remove from flame and place into a bowl.  Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it steam for about 15 minutes.  Then, peel the pepper and throw away the skin.  Then core the pepper and slice into small strips and set it aside.

     Now, in a pot without plastic handles or a dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add it to the oil over medium heat.  Cook the chicken until it is golden on both sides (3-4 minutes per side).  Then take the chicken out of the pot and set aside.

     Add 1 more teaspoon of oil to the pot and add mushrooms.  Cook the mushrooms for about 3 minutes or until soft.  Then go ahead and add your onions and garlic.  Cook that down until your onions become almost clear, about 3-5 more minutes.

     Then add 3 tablespoons of flour, stirring until it is well mixed.  Add the white wine.  Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, and roasted red peppers.  Let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

      Add the chicken back into the pot and transfer the pot into the oven.  Cook it at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.  

      Lastly, remove from the oven and stir in the vinegar and parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Then Serve.

Tonight we served the Chicken Cacciatore with Pasta, a salad, and Italian bread.  It turned out wonderfully! It is relatively simple to make (minus the roasting of the red pepper) and I think it is a great meal for any occasion! 

DELICIOUS!

So don't be scared! Give it a shot.  Post comments on any adaptions you have made, I'm interested :)

Until we eat again,

Amateur Chef Cheryl

Missing the Fresh Produce

This summer, I spent almost every Saturday at Janoski's with my Auntie.  She loves going there and is a wonderful cook! She grew up on a farm and knows so much about how to pick produce -- it amazes me.  The fresh selection of fruits and vegetables, especially at the peak of the season is incredible! They grow everything from apples and peaches to zucchini and peppers! At first, I kept it simple buying only items that I was familiar with such as tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and summer squash.  But after a while my curiosity of all the other produce grew.  I started buying things outside of my comfort zone -- eggplant, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and hot peppers.

I looked up recipes and got to work! I learn how to make multiple dishes for each item.  My favorites are eggplant parmesan, roasted butternut squash, and spaghetti squash with roasted red peppers and onions.  In the future, I'll do photo blogs of each of those with the recipes that I use.

After a few small trips I started to think to myself, other than canning, is there a way that I can save these fruits and veggies into the winter?

My first adventure was a peck of peaches.  For around $7.00 I got a lot of peaches!  I wish that I could remember off hand how many, but there was at least 30.  They were some of the sweetest peaches that I have ever tasted.  One of the items I made was a Peach Brandy Cobbler.  It was good, however the fresh peach brandy sauce was completely unnecessary and I did not like the consistency.  Therefore, I won't share the recipe -- BUT I do promise that next summer I will find a better cobbler recipe. :) 

Peach Brandy Cobbler

Now making a cobbler and keeping a few to eat fresh left me with a  lot extra.  I starting thinking about canning and discussed it with my Auntie.  In her wisdom, she looked at me and say "Why bother canning when you have a freezer?"  So I went on a mission! Core and slicing away! In about two hours I finished packaging individual servings of peaches and placing them in the freezer.  I found out the I love frozen peaches as a sweet snack instead of ice cream and I ended up buying another peck before summer ended. 

A peck of peaches

My next two adventures were a bushel of peppers (38 for about $9) and a basket of hot peppers (22 for $4)!  I made Rachel Ray's Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup with the adaptation of cutting the stock in half to make it more like a stew.  Then I went to town! Coring, chopping and slicing then par-freezing and packaging them up in different sizes for soup, sauce, stir-fry veggies and more!  I love being able to go in the freezer, take out some peppers and know that they do not have any preservatives and that they were frozen at the peak of their freshness! 

A basket of fresh hot peppers

I am hoping to get one or two more trips in before the season is finally over.  Most of the peppers have been picked, but there are plenty of apples, pumpkins, and squash in our future!


Until we eat again,
Amateur Chef Cheryl