Roasted Vegetables

This is a great roasted vegetable recipe. The great thing is that you can switch out any of these vegetables for vegetables you like. You could use red potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc. Of course you'll want to use longer cooking vegetables like root vegetables and squashes. Just make sure your mixture of vegetables equal 3 lbs. The seasoning is awesome. If you can find fresh thyme (which I can't seem to do) it would be even better, but the seasoning mixture, as is, is great too. My husband especially loved these veggies and wants me to make this recipe often.

Roasted Vegetables

1 lb cubed butternut squash
1 lb cubed sweet potatoes (about 1 large or 2 medium)
1 lb cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup frozen pearl/petite white onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together squash, potatoes, and onions. Add rosemary and thyme and toss. In a bowl whisk together oil and vinegar and pour this over the vegetables, tossing to coat. Pour vegetables into a roasting pan and smooth into 1 layer. Sprinkle with kosher salt and ground pepper. Roast at 475 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring 1 time during cooking. Season with salt and pepper again to taste before serving.

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Roast

This is a really easy and yummy way to dress up a pork loin roast. I think the key is roasting the roast until it is 145 degrees and then letting it rest under foil for 10 minutes. Then it stays nice and moist. I realized while cooking this roast that my thermometer is totally broken (I bought a new one today!) so I did overcook my pork, but honestly this roast would have been perfect if it was cooked to the right temp. At any rate, it was very tasty even though it was a bit overcooked. I served it with roasted vegetables and sauteed asparagus and it was a great fall dinner.

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Roast

1, 3 lb pork loin roast
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoon grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pat pork roast dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine rosemary, pepper, thyme, parmesan, garlic powder, basil, and salt. Rub the spice mixture onto all surfaces of the roast. Place the roast in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 375 for 1-1 1/2 hours, until an internal thermometer reaches 145 degrees. Remove roast from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Pan Gravy - You could make a wonderful pan gravy by taking all the drippings from the baking dish and pouring them into a saucepan. Add some broth (chicken or beef) and some cornstarch mixed with water and bring to a boil. Serve over the pork. I'm going to do this next time.

Halloween Bone Bread Sticks

I have seen this "recipe" (you can hardly call it that because it's so easy!) everywhere on the blogs lately. It is so fun. I got it out of the Family Fun Magazine and made them for my kids packed lunches on Halloween along with a container of "blood"(marinara sauce :)), a severed finger (cheese stick shaped like a finger with a food marker painted finger nail), ghost marshmallows, and green jello with candy eyes. For the bread sticks I used Pillsbury bread sticks dough because it was easiest, but you could also use your favorite homemade bread stick dough and follow the same directions.

Halloween Bone Bread Sticks

1 tube Pillsbury Bread Sticks dough
garlic bread seasoning,optional (I use Johnny's Garlic Bread seasoning)

Separate the dough into individual bread sticks. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use scissors or a knife to cut a 1 1/2 inch slit int he center of each end. Shape the resulting 4 flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone. Place the dough bones on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little garlic bread seasoning. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.

Mini Lemon and Raspberry Tarts

These little gems are one of the easiest dessert/finger food/appetizers ever. All you need is 4 ingredients and off you go - assembling is pretty much the only thing required. And they are yummy. Win win. I made these for a book club I hosted last week. I tried for English high tea sorts of foods since the book was set in England and talks about what they are having for tea constantly. So the spread included these mini tarts, cucumber sandwiches, and McVities Bites (aka Royal Groom's Cake Bites).

Mini Lemon and Raspberry Tarts

premade mini tart shells (I found them in my grocery store's baking isle)
lemon pie filling or lemon curd
raspberries
red currant jelly

Spoon some lemon pie filling into a gallon size ziplock and snip one corner so you can squeeze a dollop of lemon filling into each mini tart shell (this is the easiest way, but you could also spoon the lemon filling in). Place one raspberry in the middle of each tart. Heat about 1/2 cup of red currant jelly in a saucepan until melted. With a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, spoon a little melted red currant jelly over the raspberry in each tart - it makes it glisten and also adds more sweetness. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

Croque Monsieur Pockets

This great pocket sandwich recipe is from the latest Food Network magazine. Ham and cheese go perfectly together and ham and gruyere go especially perfect together. I used Pillsbury Simply French Bread Dough (to make this dinner super simple), but you could also use a batch of homemade French bread dough or pizza dough. I really loved these little sandwiches and so did my family. Gruyere can be pricey, so for a more economical version use Swiss in the place of gruyere.

Croque Monsieur Pockets

2 cups shredded gruyere cheese (8 oz)
9 oz deli ham (I used Oscar Meyer Black Forest Ham), chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tubes refrigerated French bread dough (Pillsbury Simply French Bread or Pillsbury Crusty French Bread)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 425. In a mixing bowl combine shredded cheese, chopped ham, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Set aside.

Remove French bread dough from 1 tube and cut into 4 equal portions. Roll out the dough portions into a thin rectangle. Place a heaping spoonful of the filling onto the middle of the rectangle. Fold the 2 shorter sides of the dough over the filling, stretching the dough to cover. Fold the 2 long sides of the dough to form a packet. Pinch the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining French bread dough.

Place pockets seam side down on non-stick sprayed, parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheets. Beat egg with water and brush egg wash onto the pockets. Bake until browned, about 15 minutes.

Raspberry Jello Salad

How do I describe this jello salad? It's yummy, tart, raspberry-y, and the applesauce gives it a great texture. It's a very soft set jello salad - the consistency is something like cranberry sauce - and with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip it is delicious. My kids all wanted seconds.

Raspberry Jello Salad

2 cups water
1, 6 oz package raspberry Jello
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
12 oz package frozen raspberries
whipped cream or Cool Whip

In a saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in jello, whisking for 2 minutes. Add applesauce and frozen raspberries and stir until combined. Pour into a 8.5"x11.5" baking dish. Refrigerate until set  (3-4 hours). Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

I'm going to make a confession. I am not a fan of no-bake cookies. I just don't like the grainy oatie texture. But. My kids love no-bake cookies so I make them every once in a while. As no-bakes go this recipe is pretty good. I like the subtle Nutella taste even if it has to go with all the grainy oatiness.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Add the sugar, cocoa, and milk and whisk. Bring to a boil, whisking, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, salt, Nutella, and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in oats. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto wax paper and allow to cool and set up. (You can refrigerate the cookies to speed up the setting-up process.)