Seriously, sometimes Fall food is so much better than Summer food, or Spring food for that matter. Probably because of the fact that on a chilly Fall day, there's nothing better than warm cup of something and a hot meal to come home too. Fall food does it's job - it warms you up! This past week I did something I've never done before: I meal-planned. Hence, with it being Fall and all, I'd like to share with you some of the goodies I whipped up in my own kitchen.
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| Elsa's Cider Beef with Cheddar Smashed Potatoes |
- Elsa's Cider Beef with Cheddar Smashed Potatoes - This recipe, which I got from my mom, was featured on the Rachael Ray Show (so it's online). Apparently, it is one of her mother's recipes. It's the epitome of a comfort food, and the flavor is outstanding. Apple cider and sharp cheddar cheese - great combination! This definitely got a "two-thumbs-up" from Seth, so I know I'll be making it again! (note: In the photo, the potatoes are yellow not due to butter, but due to using yellow cheddar cheese instead of white cheddar cheese.)
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| Southwest Chicken Soup |
- Southwest Chicken Soup - This recipe is great because you literally dump everything into your crockpot (which you can do the night before, and pull it out of the fridge in the morning), and when you get home from work you have a hot meal all ready to go! And you can adjust the spicy factor however you want with the salsa and Rotel. Thank you Emily for this recipe!
1 lg. can fat free refried beans
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn
1 lg. can chicken breast
1 can fat free chicken broth
1 sm. jar salsa, however hot you prefer
1 can Rotel tomatoes with or without chilies
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and heat through for several hours. Top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and/or crunched up tortilla chips and you're all set!
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| Holiday Babka & Banana Bread |
- Holiday Babka (Mother's Polish Bread) - My dad recently had surgery, and since Seth and I are on such a tight budget, I was trying to think of something I could make for him instead of purchase. My grandma (my dad's mom), who was 100% Polish, was an excellent baker and cook. Oftentimes, she would bake wonderful loaves of Polish sweet bread and bring them over to our house when my dad was a single parent and we were living in Cleveland. My dad told us that one time, my grandma brought over her bread after my sisters and I were already in bed, so he stayed up and ate AN ENTIRE LOAF with the help of a large glass of chocolate milk. Obviously he loved this bread, so I thought I'd give baking it myself a shot, even though I don't have my grandma's recipe - she never wrote anything down. I found this recipe here (note: I made it without raisins.). It didn't rise properly, so it was definitely denser than it should have been, but it was good nonetheless. Especially toasted.
- Banana Bread - I made the banana bread as a back-up to the Babka, in case it didn't turn out. This recipe is quick and easy, and a great way to utilize bananas that have gotten a little too brown for your liking. While I make this banana bread all year long, it tastes especially good paired with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate on those cold Fall mornings. You can also add miniature chocolate chips (and they need to be miniature, or they'll sink) to this recipe, and have more of a dessert-type bread.
3 ripe bananas
1 c. sugar
1 egg (I substitute 1/4 c. egg product or egg whites)
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased bread pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour.
ENJOY!!!
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