Beverages

Pumpkin Spice Latte

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Autumn

A – Absolutely Wonderful
U – Under Glorious Blue Skies
T – Temperatures dropping
U –  Unusually Brilliant Orange, Red and Brown Colours Abound
M – Misty Mornings
N – Noshing on Everything Pumpkin and Spice

I have long loved Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks but am not a fan of the tummy ache that accompanies them. So sorry, I just can’t stomach Soy Milk anymore.  I was pleased to have this Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe come through my Facebook feed. I did change it up a lil bit: subbed in Almond Milk for the Milk, Xylitol for the Sugar and my own Spice Mixture for the Pumpkin Spice.  Lucky for me I am often making Pumpkin this or Pumpkin that at this time of the year so I always have a bit of Pumpkin Puree hanging out in the fridge.

pumpkin spice latte
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 cups Almond Milk (milk of your choice, really)
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree (or Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup <—don’t even know what that is)
1 – 2 Tablespoons Xylitol or Sweetener of your Choice
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice, plus more to garnish
1/4 cup Espresso or 1/2 cup Strong Brewed Coffee

Whipped Cream, to garnish

In a saucepan whisk together almond milk, pumpkin and sugar; cook on medium heat , stirring, until steaming.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice.
Transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds, until foamy.
-If you don’t have a blender you can: use a Stick Blender or
– Whisk the mixture with a wire whisk until foamy
Pour into 2 coffee mugs.
Add espresso on top.
Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Serves: 2

Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Tablespoons Cinnamon
3 teaspoons Nutmeg
4 teaspoons Ginger
3 teaspoons Allspice
Combine all ingredients together.
Store is small, airtight jar.

Poultry

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

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So many recipes, so few dinners a week to prepare and worse than that, so few people to prepare for. Honestly, I could handle cooking dinner twice a day with two separate groups to feed, because no one should be allowed to eat as much as I can cook.

This Cashew Chicken is oh, so good. So many flavours blending together so perfectly. And so easy to make.

2 lbs Chicken Breasts or Thighs, skinless
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 Pepper
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh Ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/2 cup Cashews

Combine flour and pepper.
Coat chicken in flour mixture.
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown chicken, about 2 minutes on each side.
Place chicken in slow cooker.
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and chili flakes; pour over chicken.
Cook on LOW for 3 – 4 hours.
Add cashews and stir.
Serve over Rice.

Serves 4-6

About, Indian Cuisine, Vegetarian

Curried Vegetables

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I make pretty good Dal, a good Red Curry that I sometimes do Vegetarian, sometimes with Chicken or Shrimp, killer Naan, decent Gobi Aluu but was lacking in the Curried Veg department; even my husband’s Granny made better curried veg than me…well, no more! I found this super Quick Curried Vegetables recipe at Vegetarian Times.  Of course I tweaked it according to what I had on hand and I am sure I will tweak it every time I make it…

curried vegetables
Curried Vegetables

2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
1 (400ml) can Coconut Milk
1 cup Water
1 McCormick Vegetable Stock Cube, crushed
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
3 Tablespoons Curry Powder
1 lb Red Skinned Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1″ cubes <- I used mini white/red potatoes I had on hand
1 small Cauliflower, cut into small flowerets
2 heads Broccoli, cut into small flowerets
1/2 cup frozen Peas
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 – 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add coconut milk, water and vegetable stock cube; whisk in tomato paste and curry powder.
Bring to a boil; add potatoes, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes until potatoes are stiff firm but almost done.
Stir in cauliflower, broccoli; cover and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat; stir in frozen peas, cilantro and lime juice.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serve with Basmati Brown Rice.

Serves: 6 – 8

 

Desserts

Apple Pie Enchiladas

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Oh my!! This recipe for Apple Pie Enchiladas came through my Facebook page the other day and I declared then and there that I would make these ASAP! Alright, it has been a few days since I saw the post but so many other yummy recipes came through the feed that it was hard to choose when to make what….and, well, Mains come before Dessert, right? Even though my belief is, “Life is Short, Eat Dessert First!”

Apple Pie Enchilada
Apple Pie Enchilada

 

1 21 (oz) can Apple Pie Filling or Home made Applesauce
6 (8 inch) Flour Tortillas

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice
or 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each ground Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger

Lightly spray an 9″x13″ casserole dish with vegetable oil spray.

Spoon about 1/4 cup apple pie filling evenly down the centre of each tortilla.
Roll up, tucking in edges, Burrito-style, and place seam side down in prepared baking dish.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and water.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and apple pie spice.
Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand for 45 minutes; this is an important step, don’t rush it.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 6

Like I said, this recipe came through my Facebook page but what an Apple Pie Enchilada recipe is doing on what appears to be a weight watchers page is beyond me?

Vegetarian

Vegetarian Meatball Stroganoff

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Cooler temps prevail and there is need to cook warmer meals. Being a Vegetarian is so easy in the Summer months…you can get by on just salad but with Fall on our doorstep, it is time to step up with fully cooked meals that will satisfy both the Vegetarian and non-Vegetarian.

I have been making Stroganoff for as long as I can remember using Ground Beef, Yves Just Like Ground Round, Meatballs and now I have discovered Yves Veggie Meatballs!  Meat-eaters got nothing on me now! Though I am sure they would beg to differ….Whip up this Meatless version of Meatball Stroganoff and see what you think.

vegetarian Meatball stroganoff
Vegetarian Meatball Stroganoff

1 pkg Yves Veggie Meatballs
1 medium Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube, crushed
Freshly ground Pepper
15 Mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 1/2 oz can) Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery soup, undiluted
1/2 cup Water
1 cup Sour Cream or Plain Balkan Style Yogurt

300 grams Hot cooked pasta as per directions on package – Fettucine or Egg Noodles

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, sauté onion for about 3 minutes.
Add chopped garlic and continue sautéing for another few minutes.
Add flour, stirring constantly, and cook for a minute.
Stir in soup and water and bring to a boil, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low and stir in crushed stock cube, sliced mushrooms and Veggie meatballs; cook until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.
While pasta is cooking, stir sour cream into Stroganoff to heat through.
Serve over hot pasta and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Serves 6 – 8

 

 

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.