Cream of Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Rainy and blustery...not ideal for Halloween night but perfect for a robust bowl of soup! 

Ingredients:
4 roasted red peppers (homemade are easy or store bought)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium potato, diced
1 carrot, unpeeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup evaporated milk plus more to drizzle when served
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp smoked paprika

Easy roasted red peppers:
Take whole peppers and broil 3 minutes per side until blackened. When all sides are blackened put them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. After about 10 minutes peel, seed, core and collect juices.

Heat the coconut oil and butter in a large pot. Add the onion, potatoes and carrot and cook 3 - 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste and broth and return the peppers with their juices to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Purée everything in a food processor then add the evaporated milk, red wine vinegar and smoked paprika.

Heat through and serve with a swirl of evaporated milk.

Makes 6-8 servings

Adapted from: avocadopesto.com/vegan-roasted-red-pepper-soup

Strawberry and Apple Cast Iron Skillet Pie

We loved that last recipe, Cast Iron Pan Apple Pie, so much that we couldn't wait to try another! This one was pretty awesome too! And the best part about these pies is that there is little to no leakage because the side of the crust holds everything in.

Ingredients:

Sliced apples and halved strawberries totalling 5 cups (I used 4 small apples and almost a whole pint of strawberries)
5 tbsps sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch 
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/4 cup butter
Short crust pastry rolled to 12" circle
Egg wash
Sugar to sprinkle
8-9" cast iron pan

Roll out the pastry dough to 12" and lay in the skillet leaving the excess to hang over the sides.

Cut the apples and strawberries and toss with the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Gently place in the pan.

Dot with blobs of butter then fold up the sides towards the middle of the pie. 

Beat an egg with a little water and brush over the crust and sprinkle with some sugar.

Bake at 400F for 35-45 minutes.

Warning:  These pies can become habit-forming!

Cast Iron Pan Apple Pie

Because a cast iron pan conducts heat much better than a thin pie plate the bottom of this rustic pie bakes up with a perfectly browned bottom crust. Something I usually have a problem with. Not anymore 😊

Ingredients:
4 or 5 apples, chopped or sliced
5 tbsps sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes
2 tbsps melted butter (or egg wash, see Note at end of recipe)
Homemade or store-bought pie crust
8-9" cast iron pan

Roll out the pie dough to a 12" circle and lay in the pan with the excess hanging over the edge.

Toss the apples with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make sure you have enough apples to pile high in the pan then top them with cubes of butter.

Fold the sides of the dough up towards the middle of the pie overlapping every so often. Brush with melted butter. You can sprinkle a little sugar on the top if you like. I used a pretty pink sugar!

Bake at 400 F for 35-45 minutes. I would have like it a little more golden...maybe an egg wash next time instead of melted butter. But otherwise this pie was awesome!

NOTE:  I have since made another pan pie, this Strawberry and Apple Cast Iron Skillet Pie, and have decided an egg wash on the crust is far superior to brushing with melted butter.
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2019/10/strawberry-and-apple-cast-iron-skillet.html

Apple Walnut Cake Mix Muffins

When you really want a homebaked muffin but really don't feel like going to all that trouble.

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix
1 large apple, unpeeled and shredded
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

So...get your box grater out and shred the apple. Then mix it with the dry cake mix.

Add the walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can add more spice if you like..... say allspice or ginger?

Add the water, vegetable oil and eggs and mix just until combined.

Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Homemade muffins in a flash!

Makes 15 

Honeyed Carrots

These carrots are a simple side dish naturally sweetened with honey. They can be prepared ahead of time and served with just about any main.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 lbs carrots, cut thick on the diagonal
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
fresh thyme

Melt the butter and honey together, then toss in the carrots, salt and pepper.

Spread out on a lined baking sheet and place in a 425 F oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and return for another 10-15 minutes. You can then broil for 3-4 minutes if want them a little more browned.

Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve.

(Or refrigerate a couple of days and when ready to serve just pop in a warm oven for a few minutes or microwave)

Serves 10

Rustic Burlap Table Runner

No sewing involved!!  Now that I've got your attention, check out how easy it is to make this table runner. This one was made for Christmas but you could choose any colour scheme you like.

Pick up some burlap at your local garden center, the one used to cover shrubs in cold weather. No need to buy it at the fabric store...way more expensive!

First iron the fabric.
Next, pull out one string where you want to cut the burlap.
This helps keep it from unraveling.

Now you can cut through where the string had been.
And remove more strings from the ends if you want a fringe.

Weave some coloured ribbon through at measured intervals and...

you've got your burlap runner. I tied little brass bells on each corner of mine.

Just change up the ribbon colour for different holidays or events. Super easy!!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

If you're like me and can't stand making pastry then this Pumpkin "Pie" Cake is for you! All the flavour of pumpkin pie without the frustration of making pie crust! 

Ingredients:
For filling:
4 cups pumpkin purée
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice

For cake:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2  1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp salt
1  1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsps vanilla
1 cup milk

Whisk together the pumpkin purée, 3 eggs, sugar and evaporated milk. Add the spices and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.

In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugar together . Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the milk. Combine and continue adding thirds until everything is incorporated.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13 X 9" baking dish. Smooth out leaving a raised edge around.

Pour about 1/3 of the filling over the center of the cake trying to leave some cake batter exposed on the sides.

Pour the remaining 2/3 of the filling into a greased 8" round baking dish.

Bake both the 13 X 9" and the 8" in a 350 F oven for 70-75 minutes or until the centers don't jiggle. Don't over cook. A knife placed in the center of the 8" round should come out clean.

Serve a piece of warm cake topped with a dollop of whipped cream (or Cool Whip) and a scoop of pumpkin pie filling. 

Any leftovers should be refrigerated. Warm cake servings in the microwave and scoop the pie filling chilled or at room temperature. 

Makes a good 10-12 servings.

(And no fuss no muss over pastry that just won't cooperate!)

Pumpkin Cashew Soup

Perfect for a chilly weeknight dinner or on your Thanksgiving table! And it just happens to be vegan.

Ingredients:
6 cups pumpkin purée
6-8 garlic cloves, roasted
2 onions, sliced
2 carrots, unpeeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced (leaves too!)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup raw cashews
2 tbsps coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste (I used a good 2 tsps of salt)
2/3 cups canned coconut milk
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

So, about the pumpkin... don't use pumpkin pie filling! You can buy canned pumpkin purée or make your own.

Here's the link for the easy how-to...
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/10/pumpkin-puree.html

Now for the roasted garlic. You could roast a head in the oven with your pumpkin (375F for 45 mins) or simply microwave it. Just slice the top off a head of garlic, place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1  1/2 tbsps of water to the bowl and cover with a saucer. Microwave on low 3 minutes. Check for softness and return for additional minutes until soft. You could broil the top if you want a golden roasted garlic but not necessary.

Toss the cashews into a frying pan and heat a few minutes just to lightly toast, then remove from heat. Reserve a few to be used for garnish later.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot and sauté the onions, carrots and celery until the onions are soft. Add the cashews and pumpkin purée. Squeeze out the roasted garlic from their skins and add them too.

Pour in the broth, bring to a boil then reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Add the salt and pepper, coconut milk, cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika. 

Blend in batches in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve warm topped with a little coconut and the reserved toasted cashews.

Serves 8-10

Adapted from: https://www.blondelish.com/wprm_print/10078

Sweet Pepper Bangers and Mash

This favourite British pub comfort food gets a makeover!

Usually served with an onion gravy, this recipe simply kicks it up a bit!

Ingredients:
5 bangers (pork sausages)
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 onion, sliced
2 sweet peppers, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup broth

Start by cooking the sausages in a large skillet, then remove them to a plate. Add the onions, peppers, celery and garlic to the same skillet. Cook 2 or 3 minutes.

Next, add the tomato paste, smoked paprika and broth. Place the sausages back in the pan, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Prepare some mashed potatoes and serve on top with all the juices.