Soup Week

howto-simplify.com

Fall is here.  Time to curl up with a bowl of steaming hot soup to warm your soul.  This week BD will be featuring all soup recipes!  Click here to see all of my soup recipes.


P.S.  I purchased an immersion blender in preparation for soup week. :)

Passion for Pumpkin

I'm craving pumpkin right now.  Like, I'll be thinking of pumpkin all day, craving.  Here's a list of 10 pumpkin recipes I'm dreaming about.

1.  Pumpkin Bread Pudding                               6.  Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2.  Pumpkin Scones                                              7.  Pumpkin Spice Cookies

3.  Pumpkin Cheesecake                                     8.  Pumpkin Waffles

4.  Susan's Pumpkin Bars                                     9.  Pumpkin Pancakes

5.  Pumpkin Soup with Ham and Sage           10.  Pumpkin Chili


What fall flavors are you longing for?

Eggs in a Cup

Eggs in a Cup
serves 1
adapted from cookincanuck.com

2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Water
2 Slices Deli Ham, Finely Chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Spray a 12 ounce microwave-safe mug with non-stick cooking spray.  Crack the eggs in the mug, add water and whisk with a fork to combine.  Stir in ham and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Place the mug in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute.  Stir egg mixture then microwave for an additional 60-90 seconds until egg is almost set.  Sprinkle cheese.

I love this recipe.  It's perfect for a quick breakfast or an easy lunch.  Use whatever deli meat you have handy and you could add a small handful of veggies for a switch up.  I made this for both lunch and dinner yesterday!

Chicken Souvlaki Pita with Tzatziki Sauce

Chicken Souvlaki Pita with Tzatziki Sauce
Serves 5
from Tasty Kitchen

1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
4 Teaspoons Cavendar's All Purpose Greek Seasoning
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
12 Ounces Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Whole Cucumber, Chopped
1/2 Whole Yellow Onion, Chopped
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Pitas

Place chicken in a gallon size zip-lock bag.  Add Greek seasoning and olive oil to bag and massage to coat chicken.  Refrigerate to let marinate for up to 12 hours.  Just before cooking the chicken, prepare the tzatziki sauce by combining yogurt, cucumber, onion and lemon in a medium size bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.  Grill chicken on a counter-top grill or on an outdoor grill for 3 minutes per side or until the juices run clear.  Let set for a minute then cut into strips.  Place grilled chicken strips and tzatziki in warmed pitas folded in half. Serve with roasted, seasoned potatoes.


This is a really fun recipe, definitely a break from the everyday!  So flavorful and easy!  This recipe along with the Cavendar's seasoning makes a cute little bridal shower gift.  

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet
serves 4
adapted from readyseteat.com

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cups Zucchini, Quartered Lengthwise, Sliced
1/2 Cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 15 oz. Can Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 14.5 oz. Can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, Undrained
2 Large Carrots, Grated
1 Cup Rice, Cooked
1/2 Cup Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
Chives or Scallions, Sliced, for Garnish

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini, bell pepper and chili powder cook for 5 minutes.  Add beans, tomatoes and carrots, cook till beans and tomatoes are heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add cooked rice, stir.  Sprinkle cheese on top and let melt.  Garnish and serve.

Have you heard of Pinterest?  I was obsessed with it for about a week.  I made a button board and for one whole day all I could think about was how cute buttons are and how I could use them for crafts.  And I'm not one bit crafty.  I also saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided that it was something I actually could make.  It reminded me of a Tex-Mex dish my mom use to make, except healthier.  I wish I had added a can of corn, because I love corn.  Next time I make this I will add corn.  

A Few Things Checked Off My Wish List...

M and I moved into our new townhouse almost a month ago.  It's a nice change from apartment living and it's nice to be in our own place after living in a hotel and with friends and family all summer!  With our new place came a few of the things that I've been waiting to check off my wish list!

1.  Dishwasher.  CHECK!  I'm happy, my empty sink is happy, my dishes are happy.  I don't know if I can ever go back to not having a dishwasher.

2.  Garbage Disposal.  CHECK!  So far so good.  Except I may have almost clogged it when I was dumping a failed batch of solidified Hollandaise sauce.  I guess I'll have to be more careful!

3.  Herb Garden.  Still no herb garden.  This one might have to wait till our next move because  our lawn is tiny and not really our's since we're renting. 

4.  Outdoor Grill.  No grill yet.  We almost bought one a few weeks ago when they were on clearance at Target.  But, like our lawn, our outdoor living space is tiny.  Additionally we're not looking forward to storing a grill during the winter and moving it whenever our next move may be.

5.  Patio. This one is a no check.   

6.  Deep Freezer.  No check.  My husband tells me we have no outlets in our garage.  I'm not sure I believe this... but even if we did I'm not sure we'd have room for a deep freezer.  This is another item that will have to wait till we get either a) a bigger garage or b) a basement.

Also, still not toaster oven, which is alright because I barely had room for all of our kitchen essentials as it is.

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo
serves 4
from A Taste of Home Cooking

Mayo:
1 Cup Mayo
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Rosemary Leaves
1 Clove Garlic, Minced

Burgers:
1 Pound Ground Chicken
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Sandwich Rolls or Burger Buns
1 Cup Spinach, Divided

For the mayo, mix together mayo, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl.  Set aside.

For the burgers, in a large bowl mix together chicken, salt, pepper, and half of the mayo mixture.  Using clean hands, combine the mixture and form into 4 patties.  Cook the patties in a pan over medium-high heat for 7 minutes per side.  To serve, spread mayo on both sides of the bun.  Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns and top with 1/4 cup of spinach and finish with the top half of the bun.

During the summer when I was a hotel wife, I came across this recipe and I knew that I wanted to make it as soon as I got my own kitchen.  Last night was the first opportunity to make dinner and I remembered I had this recipe saved and highlighted and underlined to make ASAP.  Let me tell you... so much deliciousness!  I did have a little trouble keeping them together in the pan, but if you leave them alone until they need to flip you can get a good sear and that should help keep them together.