Cinnamon Snaps

We were out of town visiting friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a relaxing and fun time spent with amazing people. During our visit, my friend Madison, my daughter Meg and I decided to bake some cookies. Madison helped gather up all the ingredients and patiently waited for me to take pictures of them. The girls then mixed all the ingredients, rolled the dough into balls and dipped them into raw sugar before baking them. They turned out perfectly cooked and extremely delicious. They were slightly crisp on the outside but really soft on the inside. They were a huge hit with everyone. Thanks for the great time baking Madison and Meg!

Cinnamon Snaps:

Adapted recipe and Photos by For the Love of Cooking, Madison and Meg

Original recipe from Taste of Home

• 3/4 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of molasses
• 2 1/4 cups of flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Raw sugar (not pictured)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a mixer until creamy; add the egg and molasses and mix well. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and gently mix together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixer until well combined.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and dip into the raw sugar; place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Thanksgiving Recipes

I won't be cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year, we were invited over to a dear friends home to celebrate with them. I thought I would post a few Thanksgiving recipe ideas for those who don't have their menu planned yet.

Creamy Clam Dip

Caramelized Onion Crostini

Caprese Skewers

Oyster Stew

Roasted Turkey with Thyme and Sage

Cranberry Jelly with Orange Zest

Stuffing with Mushrooms, Sausage and Bacon

Mom's Dinner Rolls

Vegetable Tian

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Baked Butternut Squash and Acorn Squash

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Open Faced Turkey Sandwich

One Eyed Jacks aka Eggs in a Basket

The first time I had this for breakfast was Christmas morning in 1996. I was living in Idaho with my two roommates, David W. and Dave M. We woke up in the morning, exchanged gifts then David W. made us this very delicious breakfast. Whenever I make this meal, I always think of that wonderful Christmas morning with two amazing guys. I have had a craving for this dish for awhile now so I finally made it. It's not only really quick and easy to make but kids think it's really cool.

One Eyed Jacks aka Eggs in a Basket:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 egg
• 1 piece of bread, with a hole cut out of the middle
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium low heat. Using a knife, cut a circle out of the center of the bread. Place the bread and cut out piece of bread in the skillet then cook on each side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Being careful not to break the yolk, crack the egg and pour into the hole of the bread. Cook for 1-2 minutes then flip and cook for an additional 45-60 seconds. Remove from the skillet and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Italian Wedding Soup

I had a wonderful time in Boise with my sisters and girlfriends. We ate at all of my favorite restaurants and my sister had her co-worker make her AMAZING chile rellanos for us again. They are pure heaven! We watched a couple of really good movies, relaxed and hung out with my nephews and brother in law. It was a nice weekend away with some of my favorite people. It was great to get home to see my husband and children, it's amazing how much I missed my family in such a short time away.

It was snowing when I left Boise this morning and rainy and cold in Portland so I decided to make a big pot of comforting soup. I've seen Italian wedding soup in cookbooks for years but have never tried making it before. I didn't really follow any recipe, I just made it up as I went. I am sure it isn't authentic Italian Wedding Soup but it was delicious to us! We all really loved the little meatballs and big chunks of carrot. I used beef for the meatballs because that's what my husband wanted but you could also use ground turkey or chicken. I topped the soup with Asiago cheese and fresh parsley. My kids gobbled it up and my daughter asked if she could have the leftovers in her thermos for school tomorrow. I served this soup with freshly baked crusty bread for dipping.

Italian Wedding Soup:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Meatballs:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 tsp sweet yellow onion, diced finely
• 2 tbsp Asiago cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup garlic and herb bread crumbs
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients gently with your fingers until well mixed. Roll into very small meatballs.

Place the meatballs on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper or tin foil coated with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until done through. Don't overcook! Remove from oven and set aside.

Soup:

• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 - 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules or chicken base (not pictured)
• 9-10 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of stars pasta
• 10 oz baby spinach
• Asiago cheese, grated for topping
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes; add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the basil, oregano, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, chicken bouillon granules or chicken base and chicken stock. Simmer for 45 minutes over low heat. Turn the heat up to medium high then add the stars and meatballs; cook for an additional 10 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed. Add the spinach, mix thoroughly and serve. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Did you know...

Boise in the Fall - Image found here

...I have the best big sister a girl could ask for? My oldest sister surprised me with tickets to Boise for the weekend. I plan to hang out with my sisters and friends, play with my nephews, watch chick flicks, eat at my favorite restaurants and relax. It's going to be great! See you next week.

Mediterranean Salad

I saw this recipe in a Sunset magazine a few months ago and thought it looked delicious. I had all the ingredients on hand so I decided to make it for lunch. I adapted it a bit by adding red onion, grape tomatoes, and low fat feta cheese. It was a quick and simple recipe that was hearty and tasty. My son loved it too (except the red onions). Simple ingredients make the best recipes.

Mediterranean Salad:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original Recipe from Sunset Magazine, August 2009

• 1/4 cup of cooked orzo
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• 1 handful of grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 7-8 kalamata olives, halved
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• 1 tbsp low fat feta cheese
• 1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Cook orzo per instructions; drain and set aside. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts (dry - no oil) for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, tomatoes, pine nuts, olives, basil, feta cheese, orzo, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss until evenly coated and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Berry Banana Bread

I had two very ripe bananas to use up and some frozen fruit in the freezer so I decided to bake a loaf of berry banana bread. I was lucky enough to be sent a couple more bottles of Xagave and decided to use it instead of sugar. The bread took awhile to cook but it turned out moist, delicious, and jam packed with berries. The kids and my husband really loved this bread - they gobbled it up.

Berry Banana Bread:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by X-agave cookbook

• 2/3 cup Xagave
• 2 very ripe, mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blackberries
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

Using a mixer, combine the Xagave, bananas, butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate bowl, carefully mix the baking soda, salt and whole wheat flour together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add most of the frozen berries and mix quickly and carefully. Pour the batter into the prepared pan then top with the remaining berries and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve plain or slathered in butter. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Chutney Panini

How can something so simple and easy to make taste so AMAZING? I made a four ingredient sandwich for my son and I to share and we both thought it was delicious. My son told me it was awesome and ate every last bite of his half. I have to say, I am pretty proud of my little foodie...not many 4 year old kids would eat this sandwich and love it. I never add butter or oil to the bread because I don't like my sandwiches greasy. Cooking them "dry" makes them turn out extra crispy and so tasty.

Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Chutney Sandwich:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 2 slices of bread
• 3 slices of turkey
• Brie (I used double creme but triple would be great too)
• Cranberry chutney

Heat the panini maker. Spread the chutney on both pieces of bread. Layer it with turkey then add brie.

Place the sandwich on the panini grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. If you don't have a panini grill, use a skillet over medium heat and cook on both sides until crisp and golden brown.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

No Bake Chocolate, Oatmeal and Coconut Cookies

We had friends coming over for dinner and I wanted to make a quick and easy dessert. I've been wanting to try no bake cookies for a long time but I was worried that my cookies may not set because I live in a humid climate...I was right. Unfortunately, I made them on a pretty rainy and humid day so they just wouldn't harden. I placed them in the refrigerator and it helped. We ate them quickly before they melted in our hands and we all loved them, especially the kids. My friend Molly said they reminded her of an almond joy without almonds. They literally took just a few minutes to make and tasted fantastic. I recommend making these cookies when it's not humid or rainy.

No Bake Chocolate, Oatmeal and Coconut Cookies:
Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups of quick cooking oats
• 3/4 cup of coconut

Bring the milk, butter, sugar and cocoa powder to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, oatmeal and coconut; mix thoroughly.

Drop spoonfuls onto a silpat mat or wax paper and wait until dry. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips and Walnuts

When I saw the pumpkin muffins on Two Peas and Their Pod, I knew I would make them immediately. I've been craving pumpkin lately and thought the muffins looked really delicious. My son and I had a great time making them together. They smelled so delicious while baking and we couldn't wait to try them. My daughter was thrilled to see these muffins waiting for her when she got home from school. They were a HUGE hit with both kids - double thumbs up. They asked if they could have them for breakfast the next day. Thanks Maria!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips and Walnuts:

Adapted recipe and photos from For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe from Maria at Two Peas and Their Pod

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup cinnamon chips
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add the white and brown sugar as well as the cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice. Mix thoroughly.

Combine the flours with the salt and baking soda, stir well. Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Add the cinnamon chips and walnut pieces. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool muffins on a rack. Slather with butter and serve. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

We were having steak for dinner and I thought some creamy potatoes would be a delicious side dish. I found this recipe on The Food Network for Scalloped Potatoes. I adapted it to work with what ingredients I had on hand. This dish was simple to make and so delicious. I loved the sharp flavor of the Asiago cheese with the soft potatoes and creamy caramelized onions. It paired beautifully with the steak and house salad. My husband and I loved these potatoes but my children requested that I make mashed potatoes and gravy next time.

Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by The Food Network

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 russett potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet coated with olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the minced garlic and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Layer the dish with a portion of the potatoes then cover the potatoes with half of the caramelized onions then sprinkle with some cheese. Repeat a second layer and finish with a final layer of potatoes.

Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Pour the milk mixture over the potatoes, season the top with freshly grated nutmeg, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the last of the cheese. Cover and place in the oven.

Bake until the potatoes are tender and the casserole is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Remove the cover and place under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Serve warm. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Vegetable Soup with Cheese Tortellini

I made some really delicious homemade chicken stock recently and decided to use it as a base for a vegetable soup. We have all been getting over terrible colds in my house so I thought a soup packed full of veggies is just what we needed. I decided it would be extra tasty with some cheese tortellini thrown in as well. It was a delicious and comforting soup that we all enjoyed. My daughter ate every single bite and my son ate all but the zucchini - not bad. I had the leftovers for lunch the next day and topped it with some feta cheese... it was even more delicious than the night before.

Vegetable Soup with Cheese Tortellini:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1-2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp of oregano
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 small zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 small yellow squash, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1/2 lb cheese tortellini
• 3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
• Asiago cheese, shredded

Place the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery then cook 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the seasonings and garlic then stir constantly for 60 seconds before adding the tomatoes and broth or stock. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high, then add the tortellini, zucchini and squash. Taste and re-season if needed. Cook for 10 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked through. Stir in spinach and simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted and all vegetables are tender, about 1 minute longer. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Asiago cheese. Enjoy.

Note: If not serving immediately, add the spinach just before serving to retain the bright color and prevent overcooking.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net