For this recipe, I highly recommend an immersion blender.  I use this one (click here).  After you get the veggies (and apple) all nice and roasty, you are going to put them in a pot.  Add your stock, cream and aromatics and simmer.  Your butternut squash soup is on its way.

Then remove from the heat and blend away!  This butternut squash soup is super easy to whip up and can be made ahead of time.

Now, my favorite part about this butternut squash soup is how I am going to serve it.  What goes on top? There are so many options, and usually it just depends on the mood I am in and who is eating it.  Rule of thumb: crispy ham is always good on top.  I usually go for crispy pancetta or prosciutto.  But you can play around with this.  If you are going for a more vegetarian route, I always love some thinly sliced scallions or chives (see pic below).

Another good way to go is topping it with some homemade garlic rubbed croutons. Mmmmmm….carbs.  And while this could be a meal in itself, I would love to have a warm bowl of this before I eat turkey on Thanksgiving day.   Gobble, gobble.

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The best thing about this recipe is that it includes all fresh ingredients.  This is definitely a figure friendly (vegan and gluten free) dish.  I like to serve it alongside grilled sausage (not vegan).  The flavors of the eggplant really complement the sausage.

Now, something you will need (unless you have amazing and precise knife skills) is a mandoline.  I use the OXO Good Grips mandoline slicer, which you can buy here.  I set it between 1/4 and 3/8 of an inch.  Use the protective shield so you don’t slice your hand.  Trust me on this.  I’ve learned the hard way. It makes perfect slices everytime.  My mandoline is one of my most favorite kitchen gadgets.  I definitely got my money’s worth on this one.

Also, you will need a large ziplock bag to put the eggplant in.  You neatly place the eggplant in the bag and then put the marinade (olive oil, garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper) on top.

Finally, drizzle the eggplant with some delicious balsamic vinegar or homemade pesto. Pair with a crisp white wine.

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Make Sunday Lasagna as a special treat for family and friends.

Now, here is always a question; bechamel, or ricotta? I like both.  In my recipe for white lasagna, I use bechamel.  But for this recipe, I am going with ricotta.  That is what my grandfather used. And PopPop would never steer me in the wrong direction.  This is not to say that I would not use bechamel for a lasagna with red sauce.  In fact, I am working on a variation of this recipe that uses bechamel instead of ricotta.  I will keep you posted on that.
So, before I get into the recipe, there are a few items that I want to show you. First, I use Cento Passata for the base of the meat sauce.  Basically, this is pureed tomatoes.  If you cannot find this passata (or any other), then pureed tomatoes would be fine too.  Oh, and for the record, I am not in any way being compensated by Cento, or any other company’s products that I recommend in this post.  These are the products that I have been using for a long time.  I usually find this at a specialty food store, or you can order it from the link above.

Second, I use Amore Tomato Paste.  I like this because It is in a tube.  So when I only need a couple of tablespoons at a time, I can put the cap on it and put it back in the refrigerator.  This I usually find right in my local supermarket.

Also, I make my own lasagna noodles.  Of course, you can use the ones from the box (no shame at all, making pasta takes time), but if you have the extra time, I urge you to make them.  It takes time, but is not that difficult and is totally worth it.  You will need a pasta maker.  I have the KPasta Roller & Cutter attachment set that conveniently attaches to my KitchenAid stand mixer.

Make sure that you give yourself about three hours to make this.  I recommend simmering the sauce for at least two.  Start that first, and then work on the making the homemade pasta.  Don’t try to rush this.  It takes time.  This can be frozen for up to 4 weeks too.  Assemble the lasagna, (don’t bake) and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then ton foil.  When you want to eat it, allow a few hours for it to defrost.  And then bake according to the directions (remove the plastic wrap, obvs).

Very important, don’t forget the vino rosso.  I prefer a nice Chianti, or a delicious Tuscan blend would be nice.  I hope you and your family love this.

Mangia!

Michelle

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Buffalo Chicken Stromboli is a fast and easy appetizer that is perfect for game day.

The best part about this recipe, is that it is fast and easy to make.  Follow the simple directions below and you will have this baby out of the oven and on the table in no time.

Step 1: Shred the chicken and add the hot sauce and cream cheese.

Step 2: Spread the chicken mixture on to rolled out pizza dough.

Step 3: Sprinkle on the toppins’!

Chopped scallions and celery

Crumbled Gorgonzola and Monterey Jack cheese.

Step 4: Roll into a log, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.

Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

And that is it my friends.  All you have to do now, is slice it, and grab your favorite cerveza.  If you feel the need for that creamy, blue cheesy heaven, then by all means, dunk this baby into some blue cheese dressing. I am guilty. There isn’t anything wrong with some extra blue cheese dressing for dipping.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Mangia!

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Stuffed sweet potato casseroles can be made ahead of time to make Thanksgiving entertaining easier.

Stuffed sweet potato casseroles can be made in 6 easy steps.  If you choose to make them ahead of time, stop at step 5, wrap with foil and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.

Step 1: Cook the Sweet Potatoes

Clean the sweet potatoes and poke them with a fork all around. Wrap in paper towel and cook in the microwave for 5-7 minutes (7 minutes for much larger sweet potatoes).  I cooked the ones in the picture below for 7 minutes.  Then bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for 30 minutes.  Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack.  When they are done, allow them to cool a bit and slice them in half (see picture below).

Step 2: Hollow out the sweet potatoes

Take a spoon and scoop out the sweet potatoes, leaving enough in along the skins so that they don’t completely flop in (see pic below).  Put the insides of the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl.

Step 3: Add filling ingredients and mix

Add the filling ingredients from the recipe and mix using a hand mixer for 2 minutes.  The mixture will become light and kinda fluffy and you should be able to smell the sugary sweetness…yum!  Things are starting to come together now

Step 4: Stuff the potato skins with the filling

Use a large spoon and stuff the sweet potatoes evenly.  Nothing fancy to it.  Just a plain old spoon, not need for pastry bags and fancy piping equipment (ok, so I tried to be fancy and used piping equipment, but the mixture is not firm enough and doesn’t hold any shape…plus, you are going to put the pecan crumble and marshmallow topping on top so it won’t matter anyway).

Step 5: Top with the pecan and marshmallow crumble

Mix all of the topping ingredients (follow directions).  Evenly top the stuffed sweet potatoes.  Add marshmallows to fill in any empty spots.  If you are making these ahead of time, stop here.  Place them in a baking dish and wrap in tin foil.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.

Step 6: Bake

Line up the sweet potato casseroles in a large baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the marshmallow and pecan crumble topping is lightly browned.

Voila! Sweet potato casseroles are ready to accompany your Thanksgiving turkey.  But don’t think that you can only serve these with turkey.  They would also be delicious alongside a hearty cut of steak or a juicy roast beef and gravy.  Enjoy these babies and let me know how they turn out.  Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Brownie bombs have only a few simple ingredients.

These brownie balls make the best addition to your holiday cookie platter.  Make them for your kid’s teachers, co-workers, or anyone that loves chocolate (which is everyone).  They will become an instant hit (as will you).  Big shout out to my friend Allison at Mother, Teacher, Dreamer for featuring these bad boys in one of her latest posts. Hop on over and check out her post on Tips to Get Through the Holidays.  She has amazing tips for making the holiday season less stressful.  As a personal friend of mine, she always has the most amazing strategies for simplifying things and taking out the stress factor.

I digress, back to Brownie Bombs.  Think of this as just a base recipe.  You can use whatever toppings you want.  You can put Christmas themed sprinkles on top, a white chocolate coating instead of the dark chocolate that you see in the picture, add chopped nuts or even put something in the center.  A small piece of caramel or an almond would be delicious.

Ok, so lets get down to business.  How do you make brownie bombs? I will show you how in 5 simple steps. Hang on folks.

Step 1: Make the brownies.

For all of my brownie recipes, I always use Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix.  Make the brownies according to the directions on the box.  I use the “cake like” option, which calls for three eggs instead of two.  Pour the prepared batter into a 9×9 greased brownie pan. I grease my pans with butter.  Because butter makes it better y’all.  Bake according to the directions on the box.

Step 2: Break up the brownies

Use a fork and break up the brownies (see pic below).

Step 3: Add chocolate frosting

Add the chocolate frosting to the crushed brownies and mix until combined.  I use Duncan Hines Whipped Chocolate Frosting.

Step 4: Form into balls and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Dip in melted chocolate and decorate!

Melt the chocolate wafers in a small microwave safe bowl.  Drop the balls in (one at a time) and use a fork to toss them around until coated.  Carefully lift with the fork, and tap the fork against the bowl to let any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.  Place on a wax paper or parchment paper lined baking sheet. For the chocolate, I use Ghirardelli Chocolate Melting Wafers.

The moment that you bite into one, you will fall in love.  This small little chocolate treasure will sweep you off of your feet.  It is delicious, moist and addicting! #nailedit

Brownie bombs (a/k/a brownie balls) are easy, and fool proof! Just follow the directions below.  There is nothing to it.  This will gain you instant rock star status.  Best baker ever. Best gift ever. It is all you my love. Now go and make those brownie bombs.

Let me know if you variation on this! Drop me a comment below on how they came out and what you did to make them even more delicious!

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I love me some buffalo chicken. Honestly, it is one of my favorite foods.  I love the spicy chicken dipped in the cool and tangy blue cheese.  It is simply perfection.  Not great first date food, because who wants orange fingers from the buffalo sauce, not to mention, it will definitely get all over your face.  It cannot be avoided.  But not these babies.  Buffalo chicken wontons are delicious buffalo chicken stuffed in a wonton and deep fried.  No risk of getting buffalo sauce on your face, clothes, or fingers.  Another good reason to make these, is you can use a store bought rotisserie chicken to cut out some cook and prep time.  An even better, this recipe only has 5 ingredients (including the blue cheese dipping sauce).  Thats right, five.

Buffalo Chicken Wontons can be made with only 5 ingredients

Step 1: Shred the Chicken

Remove the breast portions from the chicken.  Remove the skin.  Take two forks and shred the chicken in a medium bowl.

Step 2: Add the mascarpone and hot sauce, and combine.

Step 3: Line the edge of the wonton wrappers with water.  Add one teaspoon chicken mixture and fold over.  Press the edges to seal.

Step 4: Fry in vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mmmmmm…buffalo chicken wontons.  Come to mama! Warning…these are super addicting.  Eat with caution.  They will certainly contribute to those love handles, that I have a love/hate relationship with.  These are best served warm from the hot oil.  And DO NOT forget the blue cheese dipping sauce.  I buy Marzetti ultimate blue cheese.  You can buy it in the produce section in the supermarket.  The wonton wrappers will also be in this area, so keep an eye out for them.  If you cannot find the wonton wrappers, buy the egg roll wrappers and cut them into four squares.

Enjoy these bad boys! They are worth the calories, I promise  And if you are looking for another delicious appetizer using wonton wrappers, check out my recipe for spinach and artichoke wontons.

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Seafood Lasagna Rollups are decadent enough for a holiday meal.

For this recipe, I use shrimp, scallops and succulent lobster tail.  I scored some frozen lobster tail that was on sale at the supermarket.  Cha-ching! Of course, you can swap something out for other types of shellfish.  You could switch the scallops for luscious lump crab meat, if that tickles your fancy.  It is up to you. Even tender calamari would be delicious.

Now, like I said, this recipe requires some steps, but I promise you it is well worth the extra effort.  I recommend making one thing at a time.  Don’t rush it, and don’t try to make more than one thing at a time. I will break it down for you in a few steps below.  Of course, you need to read the recipe for the specifics.

Step 1: Start cooking the lasagna noodles.  This is the only thing that can be going on in the background while you start the other steps, as it will take some time for the water to boil.  And then once you drop the lasagna noodles, you just have to wait for them to cook.

Step 2: Cook the Seafood.  Of course, you can buy the seafood precooked, and then coat it with the garlic and parsley mixture.  Also, the seafood can be made up to two days before and stored in an airtight container.  After the seafood is cooked, set aside.

Step 3:  Make the bechamel sauce.

Step 4: Prepare the rollups (see picture below).

Step 5: Line the lasagna dish with bechamel sauce, and layer the rollups.

Step 6: Cover the rollups with the rest of the bechamel sauce.

Step 7: Top with mozzarella cheese and cubed butter.

Step 8: Bake according to the recipe.  Allow to cool for 20 minutes before digging in!

If you want to prepare this a day ahead, stop short of baking it in the oven.  Prepare up to step 7 and then wrap it in foil and put in the fridge.  You can bake it before you want to serve it.

I enjoyed this baby with a cold glass of chardonnay.  It helped to round out the perfect meal.  I hope that you love this as much as my family and I did.  My plan is to make this for Christmas Eve, alongside a filet mignon.  I like to call it indulgent, cheesy surf and turf.

Mangia!

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Meal prep on Sunday and have apple and chicken salad all week long!

This salad can easily be made and prepped ahead of time.  Follow these five simple steps below.

STEP 1: Make the candied pecans

While the thought of making candied pecans may feel a bit intimidating, they are in fact, pretty easy to make.  Hence the name, 5 minute candied pecans.  Click here for the recipe.  They only require 4 ingredients, and literally only take 5 minutes to make.  You can make them ahead and keep them in a container in the fridge.  They taste great on salads, topped on ice cream, or just on their own as a quick snack.

STEP 2: Grill the Chicken

I like to buy a family pack of chicken breasts, grill them up, and then have them all week.  I like to make lunch bowls with chicken, quinoa and roasted veggies, and of course you can put chicken on salad, like this one.  Season them simply and throw them on the grill.  I store grilled chicken in large plastic storage bags.

STEP 3: Slice the Apples

Use a sharp knife and thinly slice the apples, avoiding the core. Try to slice the apples so they are about a quarter inch thick.

STEP 4: Assemble the Salad

Place the washed and dried baby spinach on the bottom of a bowl or plate.  Layer the grilled chicken, sliced apples, crumbled gorgonzola cheese and candied pecans on top of the spinach.

STEP 5: Make the Maple Dijon Dressing

In a bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil and dijon mustard.  Sprinkle in some salt and pepper.  Whisk all ingredients until they are combined and the dressing thickens a bit. Pour over the salad and mix everything together.

This salad makes a perfect lunch.  Pack the salad in a tupperware.  Put the dressing in a smaller tupperware and mix once you are ready to eat.  Alternately, you can pack the salad in a mason jar.  Put the dressing in the bottom and the rest of the salad ingredients on top.  When it is time to eat, shake the mason jar and pour the salad into a bowl.

Enjoy!

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The Pumpkin Spice Latte Martini is a perfect cocktail for a crisp fall day.

I played around with a few versions of this recipe before settling on the final version.  Actually, I would like to thank my Chelsea peeps for being willing participants in a taste testing.  Thanks, guys.  Your help is greatly appreciated, wink wink.  Anyhow, now that the recipe is taste tested and final, I can help you to make this beauty in 3 simples steps.

STEP 1: Rim the glass with the sugar and pumpkin spice mixture.

STEP 2: Add all drink ingredients in a shaker with some ice.  Shake vigorously for one minute.  Pour drink into your martini glass.

STEP 3: Garnish your drink with a cinnamon stick (optional) and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice (optional). You could garnish with ground cinnamon instead, if that is your fancy.

And finally, enjoy.

Now, speaking of pumpkins, you have to check out this adorable book, all about pumpkins! I bought it for my children and they LOVE it!  It is super adorbs and perfect for the fall season.

PS – for another amazing fall drink, check out my recipe for an Apple Pie Martini! Yummo!

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