Best Pumpkin Pie

Dr. Sweetpea absolutely LOVES pumpkin pie! So instead of buying one from the grocery store, I decided to make one from scratch for him. Not only was it super quick and easy to make at home, this pie was soooooo goooood. Dr. Sweetpea kept letting out moans while eating the pie because it's that good. Definitely a keeper recipe in our household.

Pumpkin Pie

(Source: Paula Deen)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed (I used one 15 oz can Libby’s pumpkin)

1 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon**

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional**

1 piece pre-made pie dough

Whipped cream, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

**Instead of a mixture of spices, I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice**

Chili's Steak Fajitas

One of my favorite things to eat when I was a college kid was Chili's Steak Fajitas. I've been searching high and low for their steak fajita marinade because I wanted to recreate them at home. Then I came across this recipe from LA Times Culinary SOS. I just absolutely love how they are able to get restaurant recipes. I was a little hesitant at first because of the amount of soy sauce, but I can assure you that this recipe is spot on. Dr. Sweetpea and I devoured our dinner and I was instantly brought back to my younger days of eating these fajitas at the restaurant. I served the fajitas with a side of delicious Mexican Rice. 

Chili's Bar and Grill Steak Fajitas

(Source: LA Times Culinary SOS)

3 cups soy sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce)

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 quart water

Combine soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger and water in bowl. Place in jar with tight-fitting lid and use as needed to marinate steaks, chops or poultry for grilling or making fajitas.

1 (2-pound) flank, skirt or sirloin steak

Chili's Steak Marinade (recipe above)

1 red bell pepper, cut in thin strips

1 green bell pepper, cut in thin strips

1 onion, thinly sliced

Cilantro sprigs, optional

Hot cooked rice, optional

Tortillas, optional

Place steak in 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade as needed to cover steak. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours or overnight. Drain meat and slice into thin strips. Heat skillet and add drained meat, red and green bell peppers, onion and enough marinade (1 to 2 tablespoons) to keep mixture from sticking to skillet. Stir-fry just until meat is done as desired. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice, if desired, or place about 1/2 cup mixture in center of 1 tortilla. Add any favorite salsa or toppings.

Mexican Rice

(Source: All Recipes)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked long grain rice (I used Basmati Rice)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.

Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Dutch Apple Pie

Dr. Sweetpea has been craving Dutch Apple Pie for the last couple of days, so I decided to make one for him from scratch at home. It's a little time consuming to make the pie crust, filling, and the crumble, but it's SOOOOOOOOO worth it! The crust was super flaky, filling was flavorful, and the topping added the perfect added texture. Dr. Sweetpea raved about how good the pie was fresh out of the oven and it was even better the next day.

Dutch Apple Pie

(Source: Betty Crocker)

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

8 cups sliced cored peeled apples

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

Heat oven to 400°F. On surface sprinkled with flour, using floured rolling pin, roll pastry dough into circle 2 inches larger than 9-inch pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.

In large bowl, toss Filling ingredients. Pour into pie plate, mounding apples toward center.

In medium bowl, use pastry blender or fingers to mix butter, 1 cup flour and the brown sugar until a crumb forms. Sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until pie crust and crumb topping are deep golden brown and filling begins to bubble. Transfer to cooling rack to cool.

Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon and Scallions

It's been chilly here so I made a big batch of corn chowder to warm us up. Dr. Sweetpea is a huge fan of hearty soups and loves corn, so this really hit the spot for him. We both devoured the soup in three days. This is one of the best homemade soups we had in a while and it's absolutely perfect for a cool fall evening.

Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon and Scallions

(Source: New England Soup Factory Cookbook)

1 pound uncooked bacon, diced

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 medium red bliss potatoes, diced into 3/4 inch cubes

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons group coriander (I omitted)

2 cans (each 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

2 cans (each 16 ounces) creamed corn

1 pound (16 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups heavy cream (I used 1 cup instead and thought it was perfect)

4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly group black pepper to taste

2 bunches scallions, sliced

Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the drippings and saute for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock, cayenne pepper, and coriander. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes. Add the whole kernel corn, creamed corn, cheese, and cream. Simmer an additional 7 minutes. Season with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in the scallions and crispy bacon pieces. 

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it comes to regular old Chocolate Chip Cookies, we love them thick and chewy. I've tried several recipes in the past but these are by far the best I've tried. They stay nice and chewy for several days after the cookies are baked and are packed with chocolate chips. I brought them in to work and they were a massive hit. Dr. Sweetpea has raved about how these are the best chocolate chip cookies that he has tried in years.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Source: Cooks Country)

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 2/3 ounces) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 10 minutes before serving.

Skillet Pastitsio

Who doesn't love an easy meal that can come together super quickly during the week? I saw this Skillet Pastitsio recipe in my America's Test Kitchen cookbook and since both Dr. Sweetpea and I love Pastitsio, I decided to give it a try. Admittedly, it wasn't what we're used to eating, but it definitely hit the spot with the flavor profile. Dr. Sweetpea was very hesitant about this meal when I first told him we're having Skillet Pastitsio for dinner. However, after one bite, he was a huge fan of this easy meal. I will definitely be keeping this in our regular rotation :o)

Skillet Pastitsio

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1 pound ground lamb (I used ground beef)

1 medium minced onion

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

Salt

8 ounces (about 2 cups) elbow macaroni (see note)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese (1 cup)

Ground black pepper

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Cook the lamb in a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink and the fat has rendered, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a strainer set over a medium bowl and let drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the reserved tablespoon fat to the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, 1/2 cup of the cream, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add the pasta and drained lamb. Increase the heat to high and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 9 to 12 minutes. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup cream and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet and continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute (I think I’m going to omit the extra cream/cornstarch mixture next time. I think this made it a little too rich for our tastes). Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup of the Pecorino and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino over the top and bake until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Turkey Lasagna

If you know me, then you'll know that I absolutely love Disney World. Additionally, I also love that they share all their recipes to the public. So when I came across their Turkey Lasagna recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. Dr. Sweetpea loved loved LOVED the Turkey Bolognese which is part of the lasagna. I think I'll just serve the Bolognese on top of some Penne for him next time. Anyhow, when the lasagna is assembled using the Turkey Bolognese, Garlic Alfredo, and Ricotta, the end result is just phenomenal. It was a HUGE hit with Dr. Sweetpea and had three servings worth for dinner. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture for this recipe.

Turkey Lasagna

(Source: Disney Parks Website)

Turkey Bolognese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup diced onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Alfredo Sauce

1 1/2 quarts half and half

6 cloves garlic, minced

12 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ricotta Filling

1 (32-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

3 eggs

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lasagna

1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella, divided

1 cup shredded Parmesan, divided

For Turkey Bolognese:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onion, and garlic and sauté, breaking up turkey, until turkey is cooked through. Drain any grease from pan and add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Use water to rinse tomato can and add to pan, stirring well. Add sugar, oregano, basil and crushed red pepper, stirring well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes, covered, stirring often.

For Alfredo sauce:

Combine half and half and garlic in a large saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil.

Dissolve cornstarch in water; whisk cornstarch mixture into boiling half-and-half, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer mixture 3 minutes, whisking frequently. Stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

For Ricotta filling:

Combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

To Assemble Lasagna:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Ladle half of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass-baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna sheets. (Pasta will expand to cover filling.) Ladle half of turkey Bolognese on top. Top with 3 lasagna sheets. Gently spread half of ricotta filling over lasagna sheets and top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Top with 3 lasagna sheets.

Top with remaining Bolognese and 3 more lasagna sheets. Spread with remaining ricotta mixture and top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Top with 3 lasagna sheets, remaining Alfredo sauce, and shredded Parmesan. Wrap pan tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more. Let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Panna Cotta with Chocolate Sauce

I bought Vanilla beans from Costco a few days ago and wanted to try something simple. I did a little searching online when I came across the Panna Cotta recipe by Giada De Laurentiis. Another reason why I was so attracted to this recipe was because the ingredient list wasn't very long. When I made this, I didn't know what to expect because I've never had Panna Cotta before. Needless to say, I was blown away by this simple dessert. So creamy and has a rich vanilla flavor to it. Dr. Sweetpea kept saying this was absolutely delicious. I think this is his new favorite creamy dessert right now :o) I served ours with Chocolate sauce, but you definitely don't need to.

Panna Cotta with Chocolate Sauce

(Source: Giada De Laurentiis and America's Test Kitchen)

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped (my addition)

Pinch salt

2 cups assorted fresh berries

Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour into 6 wine glasses so that they are 1/2 full. (I poured ours into ramekins.) Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve. (I drizzled chocolate sauce on ours instead.) (***Note: a film develops on top of the Panna Cotta while it chills in the fridge. Prevent this by placing a thin layer saran wrap on top of the Panna Cotta, and remove before serving.***)

Chocolate Sauce

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I’m using Semi Sweet Chocolate next time)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring cream, butter, corn syrup, and confectioners’ sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and vanilla until sauce is smooth. Serve warm. These sauces can be refrigerated for at least a week. If the sauce is best served at room temperature, let it warm up on the counter. If the sauce is best served warm, pour it into a medium saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until warm and smooth. To reheat a sauce in the microwave, pour it into a microwave-safe bowl and heat, uncovered, for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat in 15- to 20-second increments until the sauce is warm and smooth. (***Perfect to use on top of ice cream too.***) 

Apple Streusel Tart with Honey Crust

Since Fall has officially arrived, I thought it would be great to bake a dessert with some apples that are in season. Someone recommended this recipe to me a few days ago, and I decided to give it a try. It's very similar to a Dutch Apple pie but the crust is much thicker. Dr. Sweetpea absolutely loved this tart after having a couple of bites. In fact, Dr. Sweetpea polished off the entire tart within a few days. Definitely a keeper in our household.

Apple Streusel Tart with Honey Crust

(Source: Epicurious)

Crust:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup honey

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon ice water

Streusel:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Filling:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups (packed) grated Gala, Jonagold, or Winesap apples (about 4)

For crust:

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk honey, yolks, and 1 tablespoon ice water in bowl. Add honey mixture to flour mixture; using on/off turns, process until clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Fold overhang in; press to form double layer. Cover and chill 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

For streusel:

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until pea-size clumps form. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

For filling:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add grated apples; stir to coat. Transfer to crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle streusel over. Bake until streusel is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour. Cool. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)