Butternut Squash Soup

It is my absolute favorite time of the year! The weather is finally starting to cool off a bit, pumpkins are all over the place, and it's almost boot season! Another great thing about fall? Squash is in season! I have been having so much fun experimenting with different squash recipes over the past few weeks, so look forward to some fun (light) ideas coming up!

First recipe on the list: Butternut Squash Soup! This is super light, gluten-free and delicious!!

Here's what you will need:

• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil 
• 5 cups Butternut Squash*, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
• 2 cups Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 potato)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
• 2 cups Leeks, chopped (about 2 leeks)
• 6 cups Fat-Free Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup Organic 1% Milk
• 2 Green Onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup Plain Pumpkin Seeds
• 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice**
• 1/4 tsp Chili Powder

 Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in squash, potatoes, salt and pepper, and saute for about 3 minutes. Add leek and saute for an additional minute. Stir in the broth, bring to a boil, and cover. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes on medium low heat, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork.

2. While that simmers, heat the 2 tsp oil and pumpkin seeds in a pan on medium high , and saute for about 4 minutes, until they are golden brown. Transfer the seeds to a bowl, and coat in the salt, chili powder and pie spice.  Set aside.

3. Once the veggie mixture is ready, reduce heat to low and puree the combination with a immersion blender until smooth.

4. Garnish the soup with the green onion and pumpkin seeds. This makes about 10 one-cup servings. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info per 1 cup Serving:

138 Cal | 18 Carbs | 6 g Fat | 5 g Protein

*I found that the best way to peel the squash was to cut it into smaller chunks and peel it with a small paring knife. I originally tried using my potato peeler, but it was a complete failure! Let me know if you know of any better ways!

**I found my pumpkin pie spice at Central Market in the bulk spice section.

P.S. - You know what is happening this weekend?? ROUND TOP!!!  I am soooo looking forward to checking into our favorite little B&B, digging through the fields at Warrenton and Texas Rose, and our traditional dinner at Royers! Look forward to a recap next week!

Pasta alla Carbonara

If you can believe it, the first time that I EVER had Pasta alla Carbonara was this past April. I really can't believe that it took me so long to try such a delicious dish, especially considering my incredible affections for carbs and bacon.

 My mom and I had just finished up our last full day in Rome, and wanted to grab some authentic Italian cuisine. The problem was, we had been walking through Rome all day, and were completely exhausted! All of the restaurants in the neighborhood of our hotel were pretty fancy (no jeans allowed), so we were left wandering the surrounding streets looking for the perfect little hole in the wall restaurant.

Thankfully, we finally found it.  It started out perfectly - the first course was a delicious (and healthy) artichoke salad, followed by a shared Pasta alla Carbonara. Then things took a turn during the third course...



This is what happens when you order off of a menu in a language you don't understand...



Foul fish aside, I have been thinking about that Carbonara ever since we left! I try to eat healthy as much as possible, so I had to wait for the perfect cheat day to try out this recipe...and it was totally worth the wait!

Here's what you will need:

• 5 strips of Bacon, cut into dime size pieces
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. minced Garlic
• 1 whole Large Egg
• 3/4 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan*
• 1/2 container (about 7 oz.) of Spaghetti 
• Salt, for boiling
• Pepper, for flavor

Directions:

 1. Bring enough water (with salt) to a boil in a large pot, and add pasta. Cook according to pasta directions.

2. While the pasta is boiling, add Olive Oil and uncooked bacon to a pan. Cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy. Reduce heat and add garlic. Cook for about 3 more minutes (you don't want the garlic to burn). It should look something like this:



Golden, greasy & delicious

4. While all of this is going on, scramble the egg in a bowl. Once it is well scrambled, add 1/2 cup of Parmesan and stir until well mixed. Set aside.

3. Drain the pasta and put it back on the pot. Add the bacon, oil and garlic mixture to the pasta while it's still hot. Toss until well-combined (it's best to use tongs).

 

 

4. Slowly add in the Parmesan mixture, tossing continually.

5. Serve however you like, garnishing with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Enjoy!



I dare you to try not going back for seconds ;)

*Go ahead a grate your own Parmesan for this recipe! It adds so much to the freshness and flavor...you won't regret the extra 3 minutes it took!

 

Nutrition Info:

355 Cal | 35 Carbs | 15 g Fat | 20 g Protein

Note: For this calculation, I assumed 4 servings and the use of Barilla Plus Thin Spaghetti.

P.S. - Who needs a vacuum when you have a Dolly?

 



 

Cauliflower - Spinach Rolls

Back again, as promised! Today's post is a recipe for a yummy alternative to your standard veggie side dish!

I know what you are probably thinking how gross Cauliflower is, but give this one a chance, and I bet you will change your mind! Yes, Cauliflower is the main ingredient, but the fresh Cilantro, Garlic, Green Onions and Red Pepper give it a great kick!

Cauliflower - Spinach Rolls

Here's what you will need:

• 1 large head of Cauliflower (about 6" in diameter)
• 1/2 cups Cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup Spinach, chopped
• 2 sprigs of Green Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of Garlic, chopped (about 2 tsp.)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup Quinoa, dry
• 1 Egg White
• 1/4 cup Grape Seed Oil
• Salt, for flavor



Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a glass cooking dish with non-stick spray.

2. Use a chopper or food processor to finely chop up the Cauliflower florets, set aside.

3. Combine Cilantro, Spinach, Green Onion, Garlic and Bell Pepper in a pan with half of the Grape Seed Oil (1/8 cup). Saute for about 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Cauliflower, Egg White, Salt, and the saute mixture (ditch the excess liquid) and mix well.

5. Using your hands, form the mixture into a roll about the size of the palm of your hand. Squeezing out any excess moisture will help it stick together. The more compact you can make these, the more likely they will stick (I had a little trouble with them crumbling at first). There should be enough to make about 10 rolls.

6. Roll the balls in the Quinoa, coating them. If they are too crumbly to roll in the Quinoa, use your hands to get them covered. WARNING: This will make a mess! I am still finding Quinoa in my kitchen!

7. Place them in the baking dish, and drizzle with the remaining Grape Seed Oil (1/8 cup) and cook for 30-40 minutes, until they start to brown on top. Let them cool for about 10 minutes to set, and enjoy!

Nutrition info per roll:

112 Calories | 12 Carbs | 6 g Fat | 4 g Protein

*The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of Grape Seed Oil, but feel free to use less to cut down on the calories! (Nutritional information assumes the full amount is used)

P.S. - Hope you enjoyed Shark Week as much as I did ;)

Mac N' Cheese Muffins

This one is perfect for you ladies on the go! It is easy to make, light and delicious...plus it is made in perfect serving sizes!

Mac N' Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

- 4 cups cooked pasta (about 2.5 cups dry)

- 3 strips bacon, crumbled

- 1 Tbsp flour

-1 Tbsp light butter

- 1 cup skim milk

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

- 1 egg

- 1 egg white

- 1 10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and drained)

- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Melt the butter in a pot, and mix in the flour until well combined. Slowly pour in the milk and garlic and heat until the liquid is just under a boil. Pour in the cheeses, and stir over med-low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat, and slowly pour in the eggs (they act as the binding agent).

Combine the pasta, bacon, sauce, spinach, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed together. Spoon the pasta into the muffin pan, and sprinkle a bit of cheese on top. Bake about 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Makes 12 servings.

140 calories | 16.11g carbs | 5.44g fat | 8.14g protein



I'm BAAAACCCCKKKK!

Well hello, hello! I am finally back and feeling like my life has (temporarily) settled down a bit!

First things first - the new job is going stupendously! I was not looking for a new job, and so the offer was quite a surprise! It is so rare and so amazing when God throws a wonderful blessing at you, that you didn't expect or even know you wanted. I am beyond grateful. And the job has led to some more exciting news...

Sometime in March, I am moving out of Uptown and into Addison Circle! I know - I always said that I would NEVER live in Addison. Funny how a year can make priorities change. Anyways, with the new move comes a new roommate! She is horribly lazy, refuses to clean up after herself, and hates baths...

But I mean, who can resist that face??

But let's get down to business. I know you need some good recipes for the winter...so here is one of my recent favorites:

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients:

- 4 cups peeled, chopped potatoes

- 4 cups chicken broth

- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese (I use the light version)
- Cheese and/or Bacon Bits for topping

Directions:
Combine the potatoes, broth, onion and seasonings in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let boil about 20-30 min, until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. CAREFULLY pour the mixture into a blender (I actually do a few smaller portions in my Bullet), and blend until smooth. Keep in mind that the steam from the soup will expand in the blender, so remove the lid slowly!
Return the mixture to the pot, add the cream cheese, and stir over med-low heat until the cream cheese has completely melted.
Serve with cheddar cheese and/or bacon bits and enjoy!! Makes about 4 servings.

And since I know we are all on our New Years kick, I've got the nutrition facts for ya! Keep in mind that I used the 1/3 less fat cream cheese.
Cal: 281 | Carbs: 30g | Fat: 12g | Protein: 8.75g

Fat Free Hummus

I have a confession to make...

A few weeks ago, while trapped at the lakehouse on a rainy morning, my ENTIRE family got sucked into one of those Magic Bullet Infomercials for about an hour.

Naturally, I went straight home and ordered my own. Yes, I purchased something because of the infomercial. I am that person.

I have been blending up a storm lately, and thought I would share one of my fav recipes with you...Fat Free Hummus! As promised a few weeks ago...

(Don't you love my classy presentation??)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 can Garbanzo Beans, drained
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp. Chicken Broth
• 2 tsp. Garlic, minced
• Paprika, to taste
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (or your own Bullet) until smooth and well blended. Adjust texture with the broth, and taste with the seasonings. Serve with veggies or pita chips.

Enjoy!!

Also thought you would enjoy this one of Mama D & I supporting OU while they beat TU this past weekend (on the one day of the year I actually support her team)! Testing out some of the new lakehouse furniture we got in Round Top (ain't it just so stinkin cute??)



Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Let the pumpkin recipes begin!

My sister is totally the baker of the family. Not only does she have that natural baker's skill, but she has one of those wonderful Kitchenaid stand mixers. I have neither.

However, this recipe was a winner. Just as the 7 other people in my office that devoured the whole thing in a day! So, without futher ado, Pumpkin Coffee Cake!



Ingredients:

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Pecans, crumbled

For the Cake:

• 1/2 cup Butter, softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 15-oz. can Pure Pumpkin
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/4 tsp. Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the sugars and cinnamon for the topping. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in the pecans, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and dry ingredients, and mix until well blended.

Spread the batter in a greased and floured 9x13 pan and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 40 minutes and enjoy!!

"Anything Goes" Orzo

Last night was one of those nights that I really had no idea what I wanted for dinner, so I just threw a bunch of stuff together to see what happened.

Turns out it was AWESOME!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Orzo pasta, uncooked
• 3 strips Bacon, cooked & crumbled
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded (my method below)
• 1/4 cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1-2 handfuls Baby Spinach
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and immediately return to the hot pot. Throw in the spinach, as much as you want, and stir it until it wilts down. This stuff seriously wilts down, so don't be afraid to use a couple handfuls. Don't believe me?

After the spinach is wilted a bit, add the EVOO, bacon, chicken, goat cheese, and salt/pepper. Adjust the ingredients to your liking. I paired it with a yummy Chardonnay, but a good Pinot Noir would be great too!

This makes about 2 servings, so just multiply everything if you need more!



For the Chicken:

Wash and butterfly the chicken breast (if you are planning on grilling the chicken, butterflying is not necessary).Butterflying the breast (cutting it in half, sandwhich-style) makes it much easier to cook it on the stovetop.  I rubbed a little EVOO, kosher salt, and my favorite seasonings onto both sides of the raw chicken, and sauteed in a bit of the bacon drippings until it was cooked through. You can also grill it (I just don't have a grill!). After it was done, I pulled apart the chicken with a fork, so it looked like this:

My fav chicken seasoning is actually from a 4-pack of bread dip seasonings I found at Central Market I LOVE the Tuscany Blend for chicken...

Enjoy!



Love Dip (tell me you love me)

Everyone LOVES Central Market's famous (or infamous) Love Dip.

It's pink, it's delicious, and it's horribly addictive!

Well, my friends, here is the recipe! Super easy to make, and goes well with veggies, chips, pita bread...you name it!

Ingredients:

• 1 12-oz container Whipped Cream Cheese
• 1 cup Vine Ripened Cluster Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Tomato Paste
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/8 tsp Fresh Tarragon, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Fresh Lemon Juice, to taste
• Cayenne Pepper, to taste
• White Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add cream cheese, chopped tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste and lemon juice to food processor, and process until smooth and creamy. Fold in remaining ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy!!

In other news, we are off to Round Top this weekend, so stay tuned for some junk updates next week!  

Ritz Chicken

As a child, I specifically remember eating certain recipes at one of my friend's houses. Luckily, her mom gave my mom said recipes, and we got to eat them in the Daniel household! Unluckily, they were lost in the mix years ago, and I have only had the memory of some of my favorite dishes for years now :(

Recently, a lovely thing called Pinterest has become a slight obsession of mine, and I was finally reunited with my favorite recipes!!

So, without further ado, I introduce you to Ritz Chicken.

This stuff is super easy to make,and is an instant crowd pleaser! Trust me...your hubby, boyfriend, friend, sibling, child (or whoever else you cook for) is going to love you for this one! (Not sure why, but the iPhone made this pic look dark in the center...I promise it wasn't though!!)

Ingredients:

- 1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (two halves - around a pound)

- 1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (I got the Healthy Request kind)

- 1 8 oz container of Sour Cream (I went with low-fat)

- 1 tube Ritz Crackers

- 1 stick Butter (I went with light) or Spray Butter

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven th 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Cook the chicken in a pan until edges are golden brown, and chicken is cooked through. Once chicken is cooked, remove from heat and tear into small pieces to give it the "pulled chicken" effect (you can also dice it into cubes, if you prefer).

In a mixing bowl, combine cooked chicken, sour cream and condensed soup. Mix until it is thoroughly combined, and spread in the baking dish.

Crush the Ritz crackers (easier to do this while they are still wrapped up), and sprinkle them over the top of the mixture. Melt the butter (or use spray butter), and sprinkle it over the crackers. Bake for 30 minutes and enjoy!

This one can be served over rice, or a la carte!

A Cookbook with a Cause!

Good morning dear friends! This morning, a post on my Google Reader (if you don't have one, get one) changed my plans for my blogpost today! Sooo be prepared for some "Pinspiration" tomorrow! On to the good stuff...

Head on over to Centsational Girl's blog today to check out this new cookbook that was just released:

This little dandy comes in PDF and hard copy, and costs only $10 (plus shipping if you buy the hard back book). All proceeds of this go straight to the Red Cross. Plus all of the recipes look DELICIOUS! 

I have already purchased TWO of them...no word yet on who the recipient of my extra copy will be...

The ordering process is a little tricky, but persevere my junkies, and you will be rewarded!

Enjoy!



Chicken, Feta & Basil Pita Pizza

I just realized that I have not given you guys a good recipe in a while! Considering how much I actually do cook for myself, this is kind of shocking.

But I have been traveling wayyy too much in the past few weeks, and I hadn't actually been to the grocery store in forever! 

This one is kind of an experiment I did last night based upon something I tried while I was in Nashville. This is basically a slightly healthier version of a build your own pizza, so all of the ingredient quantities are up to you! This is super easy, quick, and yummy! Definitely worth a try!

Ingredients:

- 2 Pieces of Whole Grain Pita Bread

- Organic Pizza Sauce

- 1/2 Chicken Breast, cubed

- Fresh Basil Leaves

- Feta Cheese, crumbled

- Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Saute the cubed chicken in a pan with some EVOO and salt/pepper until the chicken is golden brown.

Put all of the ingredients, in the order listed above, on the pita bread. The cheese goes on last, as it will act like a "glue" to keep everything else on there.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is crispy.



Enjoy!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Wow! What a great long weekend! Started off with a trip out to Canton for some quality junking (and yes, we did have corndogs at 9:45 am). Before we died of heat, we walked out with a few good items...

I got this nifty collector's shelf (above) for $15 - Planning on turning it into a jewelry display like this one (below) I found on Pinterest.

The rest of the trip was spent finding filler items for my shelf I found in Round Top this spring...

          

Still need a few items to make it look complete, but it's better than having an empty shelf on my wall!

And lastly...

Found this cute little gem (marked $10, but got it with a few of the bottles above for $15). After I clean it up, it will be a pretty place to put my perfume bottles!

And every July 4th is not complete without a trip to the lake!

Red, white & blue cakeballs  - duh! A little classier than the last batch I made ;)  Also made the Best Macaroni & Cheese EVER (Note that you should use a 16 oz package of pasta...also added some bacon to the recipe)...huge hit with my brother and his friends! 

Until next time my friends!

Bachelorette Party Extravaganza!

I was recently given the privilege of co-hosting a bachelorette party for one of my besties, Mimi!

We had a nice relaxing weekend out at Lake Travis with a great group of girls! Naturally, a good bachelorette party is not complete with some dirty desserts...

 

Delicious cakeballs - very easy to make and such a hit! Go to the Recipes tab for the instructions to make some!
Our decorations for the house were very simple and sexy...the stand-up napkins are my favorite!

And the party favors were a great touch!

Insulated mini-coolers filled with a cute sunscreen stick, custom koozie & bath salts! Shout out to Navy & Lavender and Swoozies for our cute and affordable gifts!

Overall, a great weekend of celebrating with friends!