Thai spice rub

Thai Spice Rub

This wet rub/marinade is wonderful for fish and chicken, or Pork!

1/2 t Black pepper

1/2 C Olive Oil

4 Red Thai Chilis, or Red Sorranos

1 Clove Garlic

1 t Sugar

1 T Tomato Paste

1 T Fish sauce or Oyster sauce

1 T Sesame oil

1/2 Large Shallot

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

2 T Soy Sauce

1 lime juiced

Blend in food processor or blender until smooth

Rub this fragrant marinade all over fish, chicken or pork. Let sit for 3-5 hours or over night. Grill!

Happy grilling! 

Pumpkin and Maple layer cake

Fall is great to find some amazing pie pumpkins!

Or simply use some Libbys!

This recipe came from a wonderful publication:

 Cooks Country!

1 1/4 C Brown Sugar

1/2 C Butter, melted and cooled

3 large Eggs

1 1/2 C Flour

2 t Pumpkin pie spice

1 t Baking powder

1 t Baking soda

1 t Salt

15 oz Pumpkin puree, Not pie filling!

1 1/2 C Heavy cream, chilled

1/4 C Maple syrup

1/4 C Pecans Toasted and chopped

For the cakes, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake on middle oven rack. Grease and line 4, 8 inch rounds, with parchment, then flour pans. Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, use a mixer to beat sugar, butter and eggs on medium high until pale and fluffy. Turn mixer to low and beat in pumpkin until mixed. Slowly add flour mixture and mix for 30 seconds. Spread 1/4 batter on bottom on each of the pans, bake about 12-14 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out clean. Invert on cooling rack and remove paper.

Whip cream and maple syrup, until peaks form. On a cake stand or plate, place one layer, spread 1/4 of the whipped cream mixture and 1/4 chopped pecans, (you can also use candied pecans, or spiced red chili candied pecans). Repeat layers. Finishing with pecans! Beautiful! Enjoy! Happy Cooking! Happy Fall! You can also bake 2 full pans of batter and slice in half, or if you only have 2 cake pans, just bake 2 at one time!

Green chile, potato, leek soup with bacon

Green chile, potato, leek soup with bacon

This is not low fat, nor vegan!

1/2 lb bacon chopped

3large leeks, cleaned and chopped, or 5 medium sized leeks

5 medium potatoes, cubed

1 clove garlic crushed

1/4 c butter plus 1/4 cup for roux 

1c half and half

Chicken stock, or 1/4 c better than bullion + water

Water, enough to bring the liquid more than half way up the pan

Shredded cheddar cheese for topping each bowl

1/2 c chopped green chile

1/4 c white wine

2t flour for roux

In a large stock pot, simmer bacon until browned. Remove bacon, and sautée leeks. Add potatoes, garlic, water, chicken stock, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are almost cooked through. Add green chili, white wine, bacon, butter, half and half. Simmer and stir until heated through. I thicken this with a little flour stirred into some extra melted butter to make a roux. Keep some extra milk or half and half on hand to thin if it becomes to thick. I also can use an immersion blender to thicken a small portion, keeping part of it chunky. Serve with great crusty French bread and white wine! Top with cheddar cheese and croutons. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin shake!

1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree

4 to 5 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/4 t cinnamon

real whipped cream sweetened with a little powdered sugar

nutmeg for topping

Combine all, except the whipped cream and nutmeg, in blender and zip until smooth and frothy. Adjust milk and frozen yogurt to your liking if it doesn’t seem thick/thin enough. Add malted milk powder if you want to make a malt, or a little protein powder to make it a power shake. Top with fresh, sweetened whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg. 

Old Fashioned Peanut butter cookies

My Dogs love it when I get out the peanut butter!!!

3 C Flour

1t baking powder

1t Salt

2 sticks butter

1 C Peanut butter

2t vanilla

2 large eggs

Heat oven to 350. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs, add one at a time, until well mixed and creamy. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoons, I like to use a small ice cream scoop. I use a fork to mash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until done throughout. Enjoy!

Happy Baking! Check out the great space saving mixing bowl below and the scoop for cookies!

Roasted vegetables Greek style!

This is a recipe I have been roasting for years. This time of year, during fall harvest,
You will have too much of a good thing like eggplant, squash, tomatoes, potatoes,
Onions, garlic, maybe even carrots!In addition you will need some Olive oil, salt and pepper, oregano and mint.
Also use 1 large can of tomatoes, chopped and layered on bottom of the pan.
This recipe is so easy, simply wash and cut vegetables into large chunks.
Drizzle with olive oil, toss with crushed garlic, salt and pepper, sprinkle with oregano and mint.Use any vegetables you can find.
I would use beets, but only golden or white.
Simply place in a greased roasting pan, cover with foil and roast for at least 20 min in 400 degree oven. Take off the foil and continue roasting for another 40 minutes!
Enjoy! And happy cooking! Serve with a great sourdough to soak up all the
Tasty juices!
 This is adapted from my kitchen and Giada Delourentis! Love her show,
Everyday Italian! 

Chocolate and pecan mini pies

This is a great fall recipe

 pecans are in season!

5 T Butter softened, plus 1 T melted butter

4 0z Cream cheese

1 C Flour

1 T Powered sugar

1/4 t salt

3/4 C Brown Sugar

1/3 C Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1 t vanilla 2/3 c chopped pecans

Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Blend in flour, just a little at a time, powered sugar and 1/8 t salt. Form into disk. Cover in plastic wrap and chill 3 hours, or day before. Heat oven to 325. Divide dough into 24 balls of even size. Press into 2 12 cup mini muffin tins, making a hole in center and pressing up over rim. Chill. Mix brown sugar, chocolate chips, egg, melted butter, vanilla, and remaining salt until mixed. Place some chopped pecans into the tins, top with mixture and more pecans. Bake 20 minutes. Let stand and run knife around edges to loosen. Remove and place on wire rack to cool.

112 Calories per Mini pie, 7g fat, 2.8 sat fat, 11.3 g carbs, 0.5g fiber,1.7g protein

Happy Cooking!