Creamy Mushroom Pasta

I've been dreaming of Fall and cooler weather, instead Florida is currently very wet and muggy. At least with food I can create whatever season I want, so here it so being warm and full :)

Ingredients:

1 package of sliced portabella mushrooms
1 medium sweet onion diced
1 tbsp of roasted garlic
3/4 cup of regular cream
1/3 cup of chicken broth, reduced sodium
2-3 cups of spinach
1/2 cup of your favorite alfredo sauce (I used Classico's Mushroom Alfredo)
Pasta of choice
1-2 tbsp of flour
Olive Oil (or Grapeseed Oil, see below)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Being by sautéing onions, mushrooms, and garlic in oil until onions are softened and mushrooms are browning.

I choose to sauté with grapeseed oil because it has a higher smoke point and doesn't break down the fats in the oil when cooking at high temperatures... read more here: The Health Benefits of Cooking with Grapeseed Oil

Next add chicken broth, cream, and alfredo. Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add flour to thicken as needed, allow to simmer while your pasta is cooked al dente. 

When pasta is ready get another pan and toss in desired amount of pasta and sauce together for your meal. Then add in desired amount of spinach, a few handfuls should be about right. This is the best trick to get your pasta to really come together. Cook sauce and pasta together for a few minutes over medium heat.

Transfer to a bowl or plate, sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

We have our very first guest blogger! My soon-to-be-married and very-great--friend Ashley Hare!

Check out her delicious muffins below :)

Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffins

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen- They were originally Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes, but I didn’t have a mini muffin pan, so I made them regular muffins. Also, the donut holes are rolled completely in the cinnamon sugar mixture, but I just dipped the tops of the muffins in it. It’s best to dip the muffins in the coating the same day you’re going to eat them because the muffin can make it a little soggy after a day or so.

Ingredients

For Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk

For Coating
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup muffin tin with baking spray or butter generously.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves).

In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined- don’t over mix! !

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For larger muffins, baking time may need to be increased. Mine took about 15 minutes.

While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.

 Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin top in melted butter, then dip in cinnamon sugar to coat the muffin top. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

This recipe was adapted from Mangio da Sola

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese 
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat. Remove the onions (you can actually leave the onions in there) and add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.
Add the onions back in, along with the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.
Season the soup with the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom. Stir in the cheeses (and you can play around with the amounts; use however much or little you like) and let simmer for 10 minutes longer before serving.

Roasted Tomato Soup

So, it has been awhile since I have posted anything and I am sorry, with having a new job and juggling school, Easton, and house work it has been a little overwhelming. I am finally getting on a schedule though so recipes should be coming more frequently now.

This recipe was adapted from Sprouted Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb. Ripe Tomatoes (about 4 Large Tomatoes)
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley
1 1/2 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Organic Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half, optional
Fresh Oregano + Basil for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350′. Cut the tomatoes and the half of an onion into wedges. Use your finger to push out some of the seedy parts of the tomatoes, but this is not a huge deal, just get out the big seedy parts, a bit intact is fine. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the chopped parsley and gently toss it with your hands. Tuck the garlic cloves somewhere in a tomato, so they don’t burn. Roast on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and reduced to about half their size. Remove and cool slightly.
2. Warm the broth and stir in the tomato paste to dissolve. Add the all of the ingredients from the roasting pan into the broth and let it gently simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the bowl, or with a food processor or blender. The soup should be smooth, with some texture. If you don’t like any texture at all, you could run it through a fine mesh sieve. Return it back to the pot, and add the cream to taste, if using. Taste for salt and pepper.
3. Serve with some toasted bread, or broil a few slices with a piece of mozzarella on top. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and oregano.