Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie

Ingredients

7 cups sliced peeled tart apples

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

4-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

TOPPING:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cold butter

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping, room temperature

Directions

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and vanilla. Combine the pecans, sugars, cinnamon and cornstarch; add to apple mixture and toss to coat. Pour into pastry shell.

In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is browned. Immediately drizzle with caramel topping. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts: 1 piece equals 334 calories, 15 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 13 mg cholesterol, 159 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Whole Wheat Eggplant Rolls Recipe

Whole Wheat Eggplant Rolls

Dough:

- 3 C. whole wheat flour, plus more (as necessary) for handling dough

- 2 ¼ tsp. quick rise or rapid rise yeast

- 1 ¼ C. warm water

- 2 tsp. kosher salt

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing

Filling:

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more if necessary

- 1 medium eggplant, diced (about 4 cups)

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

- ¼ C. water

- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (I like this one from Trader Joe’s)

- 1/8 – ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (depending on your spice preference)

- 1 tsp. freshly chopped oregano

- salt and pepper to taste

Assembly:

- whole wheat flour for rolling, as necessary

- 3 Tbsp. grated romano cheese

- 1/3 C. crumbled feta cheese

- 1 egg

- splash of water

Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of the flour, 1 ¼ tsp. of the yeast, and all of the water.  Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes pass and the mixture begins to show some air bubbles, mix in the remainder of the flour, yeast, as well as salt and olive oil until combined (use your hands if necessary).  Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Transfer to a lightly greased bowl.  Let sit covered for 60 minutes, until doubled in size.

Make the filling: While the dough is rising, make the filling.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add oil and onions and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add a drizzle more olive oil to the pan if necessary, then add eggplant, salt and pepper.  Cook for 8-12 minutes until tender.  Reduce the heat to low.  Add tomato paste and water, stir until smooth.  Cook for a minute, then add in balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes.  Continue to cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until all of the water is evaporated and the eggplant is coated in sauce.  Remove from the heat and stir in oregano.  Set aside and let cool.

To assemble: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a heavy-bottomed baking pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.  Turn your attention back to the dough.  Punch down the dough, knead a few times.  Flour the dough, the work surface, and your hands.  Roll out the dough into a 15×10 inch rectangle.  Sprinkle the dough with the romano cheese.  Top with eggplant mixture, being sure to spread out to an even layer.  Sprinkle on feta cheese, again being sure to distribute evenly.  From the wider side of the rectangle, begin to roll the dough tightly into a pinwheel, being sure to keep the filling in its place as you roll.  Once the dough is completely rolled, set it seam-side down and slice into 8 even pieces.  Carefully transfer each piece to the prepared sheet pan.  Make an egg wash by beating together the egg and the splash of water.  Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crusty.  Once done, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tortellini in Mushroom Sauce

Using frozen tortellini makes this a quick meal option!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (1/3 of a 16-ounce bag) frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps halved and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 cup water
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook tortellini according to package instructions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add tortellini, Parmesan, butter, and parsley. Toss to coat; serve.

Note:

If you find fresh tortellini, you can use that instead of frozen; cook in a pot of boiling salted water until the pasta floats to the top, about 3 minutes. The mushroom sauce can also be tossed with plain pasta, such as fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti. Cook 2 ounces of pasta, and add 2 more tablespoons of Parmesan.

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

I love football season. Being a foodie, my favorite thing about football season besides the game, is the food. Who woulda' guessed? It's a time for hearty, satisfying eats. It's a time when we unavoidably gain a few extra pounds to stay warm in winter. At my home, we are big football fans. And even bigger tailgating fans. My hubby reunites with his buddies from college and reminisces over beers.  Myself & Ellie (my daughter) serve up tempting tailgating dishes to family & friends...and hot chocolate, too! This Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

always goes too fast. It's definitely a sports fan crowd-pleaser! Incredibly easy dip to make.

Ingredients

• 1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon chili sauce (optional)
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded

Directions

Mix everything and pour it into a baking dish.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese cheese has melted and turned golden brown on top, about 20-30 minutes.

Reuben Sandwiches

Alright, everyone, tonight was Reuben Night at my house!  The recipe below is one I adapted from AllRecipes.com.  It’s still tasty using the pre-made Thousand Island Dressing, but I prefer to use my own sauce mixture.  The sauce is quick & easy to prepare:

Take ½ cup ketchup, 1 cup mayo, ¼ cup relish, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and combine them in a small bowl.  And there ya’ have it!  Use this in place of where Thousand Island dressing is called for, if you prefer. 

Also, instead of using rye bread, which is ordinarily used for Reubens, I used peasant bread. I’ve done these with the rye before, but wanted to try it with another kind of bread.  I really enjoyed this version, maybe even more so than with the rye.   If you plan on using peasant bread, make sure to choose a loaf large in size because well-made versions are made with a lot of ingredients, which is also the reason this type of bread is more appealing to your taste buds. 

Eat this slowly and savor every bite!

Photo: Allrecipes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

8 slices rye bread

8 slices deli sliced corned beef

8 slices Swiss cheese

1 cup sauerkraut, drained

1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing

 Directions

Preheat a large skillet or griddle on medium heat.

Lightly butter one side of bread slices. Spread non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing. On 4 bread slices, layer 1 slice Swiss cheese, 2 slices corned beef, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and second slice of Swiss cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides out.

Grill sandwiches until both sides are golden brown, about 15 minutes per side. Serve hot.

Bacon Buns

Here it is--the last recipe of Bacon Week here at Yum In My Tum.  Add these bacon & onion filled rolls to your next supper!  My brother, who's a bacon-lover, couldn't get enough of these.  He requests them often when he comes to dinner at my house.  Thank you Taste of Home.

Photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 10 bacon strips, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 package (16 ounces) hot roll mix
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
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• Directions
• In a skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp and onion is tender; drain on paper towels.
• Prepare roll mix according to package directions. Turn the dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
• Divide dough into 18 pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 5-in. circle. Top each with 1 tablespoon of bacon filling. Fold dough around filling, shaping each piece into a small loaf; pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down on greased baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray. Let rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.
• Brush egg over buns. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

This take on bacon-wrapped chicken is so juicy!  It's simple to prepare and it's kid approved by my daughter, Ellie! Recipe courtesy of my mom. 

Photo from KitchenScrapbook.com

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 carton (8 oz) whipped cream cheese with onions & chives

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, cubed

salt to taste

6 bacon strips

Directions:

Flatten the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness.  Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each.  Dot with the butter & sprinkle with salt; roll up.  Wrap each with a bacon strip.  Place, seam-side down, in a greased 13 in. x 9in. x 2in. baking pan.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

The Ingredient of the Week poll has now ended. Tomorrow begins a whole week of BACON recipes!

Vote for next week's featured

ingredient in the new poll.

Creamy Slow Cooker Seafood Chowder

You'll have to try this one for yourself! It's very rich and fills ya' up quick, but man, is it good! My mom makes this every year for our town's annual Clam Bake.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 quart (4 cups) half & half

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) whole white potatoes, drained and cubed

2 cans (10.75 oz. each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 bag (16 oz.) frozen shredded has brown potatoes

1 medium onion, minced

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 cans (about 6 oz. each) minced clams

2 cans (about 4 oz. each) tiny shrimp, drained & rinsed

Directions:

1. Combine half & half, canned potatoes, mushroom soup, frozen hash brown potatoes, onion, butter, salt & pepper in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Mix well.

2. Add clams and shrimp; stir gently.

3. Cover; cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.

I want to hear what people think of this. To me, the frozen hash browns give this chowder a nice texture and consistency. Everyone at the Clam Bake loves it!

The Ingredient of the Week poll is now open!
On November 6, I will feature an entire week
of the most popular choice!

Chilly Day Chili

Bet you can't eat just one bowl of this flavorsome sausage and ground beef chili!  This is the amazing chili recipe (courtesy of my mom) I was talking about in the last post.  Scoop into parboiled bell peppers for Chili Stuffed Peppers like Ellie and I enjoyed a few nights ago. Yum!




Ingredients:
1 lb Italian sweet or hot sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz  each) diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans chili beans (16 oz each)
1 can beef broth (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
shredded cheese (optional)


Directions:
Cook sausage and ground beef until no longer pink.  Drain and place in slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.  Serve.  Top with shredded cheese, if desired.  Enjoy!

The Beginning

Hello & welcome everyone!  I'm Emma.  I've been passionate about cooking since as long as I can remember.  Constantly experimenting with new recipes, I figured I'd start a blog to share my (and my daughter Ellie's) favorite dishes with you!  Here you'll find delicious, mouth-watering cuisine to make and share with your own family!  Every recipe posted is tried and true to ensure your cooking experience is a productive one. Join Ellie & I on our kitchen encounters!