Pasta with Cauliflower, Bacon, and Bread Crumbs for Two
It’s 19 degrees outside right now with snow covering everything, but inside it’s toasty warm and smells like bacon and herbs. Smelling fresh herbs in the winter makes me happy! Smelling bacon ALWAYS makes me happy! 
Easy weeknight meals also makes me happy but I also don’t want to sacrifice flavor for ease. This recipe delivers on both. Pasta, nutty cauliflower, meaty bacon and crispy bread crumbs are a wonderful combination and the flavors are so well balanced. The lemon juice at the end really helps to brighten it all up. Browning cauliflower in a skillet develops its flavors and cooks off some of the water to keep it from becoming mushy.
Cooking the pasta in a small amount of water skips the draining step and makes a creamy sauce as the pasta cooks. Topping the pasta with bacon-flavored bread crumbs adds texture and another layer of flavor.
Farmhouse Vegetable Soup
As I was peeling potatoes for this soup I thought of my Grandmother peeling a potato. She could peel an entire skin of a potato in one long, curling peel! I’ve tried, I just can’t do it! That got me to thinking about my parents house where she lived and where my parents still live. Tom and I just spent a wonderful Christmas there with my family and I loved it!
The house…it’s a large old frame house with huge old oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. You have to drive down a winding dirt road canopied with those old oaks to get to the house. My children call it “The Farmhouse”. We have had a lot of fun there, and the house has seen many seasons. My family likes to laugh and we have had plenty of silly times! They have had large vegetable gardens, roosters, chickens, (did you know that chickens will peck your toenails if you have a bright polish on them?!) geese, and lots of cats have come and gone. It is in the country in the middle of Florida and the acreage it sits on is lush and green and pretty wild. Some of the elephant ears are so large you could set up camp under them! The mosquitoes will carry you off in the summer but still, I love it! Sitting on the steps on the front porch sipping my coffee first thing in the morning surrounded by all those old oak trees is about my most favorite thing to do. The birds are happily singing, the tree frogs are chirping and we even saw a fox run across the yard on this last trip!
Inside, there are old hardwood floors, scuffed and scratched from lives lived on them and really just perfect like that. All of the windows are old double hung windows with sash pulleys to raise and lower them. The windows in the front of the house are said to be salvaged from some old governor’s mansion and they are unique and so pretty. A cozy fireplace graces the living room which is an unusual thing to have in Florida but it gets chilly once in a while in the winter and gets put to good use then.
I love the reflection of the oak trees in the glass.
I mentioned cats and funny times, well one memory comes to mind. We had an old cat named Pixie, who died peacefully in her sleep one night and my oldest son Donnie, who was about 8 or 9 at the time, decided that he wanted to be in charge of the burial so he set off with a shovel and thought a nice place would be right under one of the lovely old oaks. Well, if you have ever tried to dig a hole under an oak tree you know that the roots and the ground around it are pretty unyielding! He was gone for quite a while before he came back in and asked us to come on out and pay our last respects. Well, I guess he got pretty tired trying to dig through all those roots and only dug a small hole. When we went out to have a look, all four of poor Pixie’s paws were sticking up out of the ground like some kind of kitty paw plant sprouting through the dirt! I know it sounds awful but it was the funniest thing! I tried not to laugh but you just couldn’t help it! (my Dad re-buried Pixie later so don’t worry )
The house has hosted weddings, parties and holidays and ALWAYS centers around good ole’ southern food! Which brings me back to this Farmhouse Vegetable Soup that is simmering on the stove. It’s full of all kinds of good things that comfort and nourish the body and soul. It reminds me of home and my Grandmother and what on earth more could you ever want from a humble bowl of soup?
On to the recipe! I found this recipe on Cook’s Illustrated who I trust since they test their recipes so thoroughly but this one missed the mark for me. It was just too bland and watered down for me so I adapted it by substituting chicken broth for the water and leaving out the soy sauce which was just weird to me in this soup. I loved that they used humble ingredients though like turnips and cabbage along-side fancier ingredients like white wine and porcini mushrooms (I used morel because that’s all I could find) but honestly you can really play with this recipe and make it your own.
Substitute whatever you have on hand. I’ve used onions instead of leeks. I’ve left out the wine and replaced it with chicken broth. I’ve left off the powdered mushrooms altogether and honestly didn’t miss it much. You can sub all of the broth for vegetable broth if you like. My favorite way to eat it is with crumbled bacon on top!
Cranberry Cherry Ribbon Cookies
You need to try these fun to make cookies! I got this recipe from a book I bought several years ago called The All American Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett. This book has been one of my favorites and I have a TON of cookbooks! Her recipes are all perfect, you seriously can’t go wrong whatever you choose to bake from it and her photos are gorgeous, but what I love the most is the history of each recipe and where it comes from. She also has the most entertaining excerpts from very old cookbooks when they were using wood burning stoves to get their baking done! For instance some of the kitchen wisdom that comes from Estelle Woods Wilcox from the book Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, 1880 is this; “Many test their ovens in this way: if the hand can be held in the oven from twenty to thirty-five seconds (while counting twenty or thirty-five), it is a ‘quick’ oven, from thirty-five to forty-five seconds is ‘moderate,’ and for forty-five to sixty seconds is ‘slow.’ ” Can you imagine cooking like that?! I LOVE little glimpses into the past like this though!
This recipe involves placing alternating layers of cranberry-cherry filling and vanilla dough in a loaf pan and freezing the stack until firm. The frozen loaf is cut crosswise into three long blocks, which are than cut lengthwise into pretty red and white striped ribbons and then baked.
These cookies have a great chewy-crispy texture and an exceptional fruit flavor and keep very well. The tart-sweet flavors are perfect together!
Fruitcake Cookies
I first made these cookies for my Dad’s 80th birthday celebration. We did a 1930’s theme and I wanted to make a few things that people were eating in the ’30’s and fruitcake was on the list. Since we were having a lot of people over I decided that fruitcake cookies would go further and be easier to serve.
I’ll be honest, I don’t like fruitcake. Not even a little bit. I was hesitant to even bake these but I figured someone might like them…well…that someone turned out to be me! I LOVE these cookies! You seriously cannot eat just one! They are very different than my last recipe that I posted, the ooey-gooey Mississippi Mud Brownies, in that they are a more refined cookie…if a cookie can be refined. They are seriously these elegant little lightly sweetened and spiced cookies perfectly studded with fruit, nuts, and a hint of sherry and are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
The really do feel like Christmas on a plate! I seriously challenge you. If you don’t like fruitcake, try these, see what you think. I bet you can’t just eat one!
Here are a few pics from that party I thought I’d share just for fun! I <3 my Dad!
Top left to right- Dad, Yes, I have a big mouth, 1930’s candy, the cigarette candy was a big hit! Bottom left to right-Guests with 1930’s clothing, kids loved the homemade photobooth, my pretty Mom
Pasta with Bacon, Butternut Squash and Sage for Two
Butternut squash and sage are two ingredients that say winter to me and I love them both, but together they are a marriage made in heaven! Add bacon and you’ve got a happy little family of yummy flavors!
Cooking the sage in the rendered bacon fat makes the perfect herb infused oil for sauteing the squash.
There are a few tricks to coaxing the most flavor out of butternut squash and one is caramelizing it. It helps to dry out some of the wateriness of the squash and brings out some of its inherent sweetness, adding butter and sugar help to bring out the sweet nutty notes of the squash even more.
The scallions add some brightness to the dish and the nutmeg adds just the right spice or earthiness to the dish. Adding parmesan and a little lemon juice at the end along with toasted almonds for some textural crunch really brings the whole dish together!
Apple Crumble with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce
So, desserts have always been my thing and everyone is asking…”Where are your desserts?!” Scaling down desserts for two isn’t the easiest thing in the world but this one was super easy! So here it is, my first dessert on the blog and I promise many more to come!
Now I know that they say that an apple a day will keep the doctor away but what about an apple crumble?! I kind of doubt it, but this recipe is still great because of it’s perfect little sweet portion control size! You only get one and it really is just the right amount! Everything in moderation, right?
I love everything apple. Apple pie a la mode is one of my favorite desserts but most of the time I don’t want to fuss with making a crust for apple pie. That’s why I love apple crumble! I have had some crumbles that ended up with a soggy topping and flavorless filling until I tried this recipe with a simple way to make crisp, crunchy crumble and an apple filling that tastes like apple!
Another thing I love is caramel. Caramel and apples just go together! I decided that I wanted to have that caramel flavor with my crumble so I made a quick no-stir Salted Butter Caramel Sauce to drizzle over the top! Yeah, I don’t know when to stop. As if that wasn’t enough, I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Maybe that’s gilding the lily but so what, I like my lilies gilded!
The trick to keeping your crumble crisp is to bake it for 20 minutes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet before adding it to the apple filling. This step insures perfect crumble every time!
Easy Beef Stew for Two
It’s cold out today! When it’s cold out I immediately think of warm, comforting food and this super easy full-bodied stew is perfect for cold days! This red wine-braised beef stew is the ultimate one-pot meal, loaded with tender potatoes and carrots. Don’t forget a loaf of crusty French bread for sopping up the rich sauce.
Many stew recipes call for cooking the meat and vegetables at the same time, leaving the vegetables overcooked and mushy. Instead, first braise the meat with onions in red wine and beef broth until a rich sauce develops. Then, after about an hour, add carrots, and potatoes. By the time the vegetables are cooked, the beef will be tender, then just stir in some peas if you like, for a little freshness and color. I sprinkle a little fresh parsley in at the end. You can also spoon the stew over buttered egg noodles. YUMMY!
Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Pancakes for Two
Pancakes are my favorite thing to eat for breakfast! Eating them just makes me happy! I am always adding things in to take advantage of seasonal produce. Somehow I feel better about the indulgence if there is fruit inside of them! I am on a pumpkin kick, but aren’t nearly all of us when fall rolls around? These cure my pumpkin and sweet craving all at once! The smell of the warm spices and the sweet butter and maple syrup all mingling together…yeah it’s divine! They only take a few minutes to put together, so get the coffee going and then get started on these and I promise you’ll be so glad you did!
The first thing I do is preheat the oven to 200 degrees. I can only fit 3 pancakes at a time in my skillet so you’ll want to put your first batch in the oven to stay warm. This recipe makes 6 pancakes if you use a 1/3 cup measuring cup for each pancake. Mix all of your dry ingredients together well in a medium bowl. Next, you’ll whisk all your wet ingredients together. Gently add your wet ingredients to your dry just until combined. It’s okay if you still see a few flour spots here and there. Now the hard part, let this batter rest for 10 minutes! Sometimes I fail at this but I noticed that my first batch aren’t nearly as fluffy as the second batch which sat out the full 10 minutes so go check your email or wash up the dishes you just messed up or set the table. I like to spray my 1/3 cup measuring cup with a little cooking spray before I scoop out the batter. The batter slips out of the measuring cup so much easier if you do this. I cook them on medium-low for 4 minutes and then flip and cook for 3 minutes or until they get a little brown around the edges. Serve these with a little powdered sugar sprinkled on top and of course, butter and syrup! If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice I have a recipe on how to make it yourself here. –> Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Cook-Off Chili
I have been making this chili for awhile now and like I said in my post Cook-Off Chili for Two, everyone always asks for the recipe, my family especially! I get called or emailed several times when fall kicks in with family asking for the recipe when I’ve given it to them a dozen times! They are always just tossing the email that had the recipe or lost the paper they wrote it down on so when I said I was starting a food blog, the first thing they all said was, PLEASE put that chili recipe up so I can just go to your site and get it whenever I want! Hahaha! That makes me laugh! So…here it is! I think I might actually miss getting those email requests and phone calls now!
This recipe serves 6-8, but you can easily double it if you’re hosting a party and need to feed a crowd, just use a big pot! Chili is such an effortless way to entertain. Put everything out and let everyone help themselves and put whatever they want on top. Some topping options are shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped onion, chopped jalapeno, sliced ripe olives. Serve it with tortilla chips or even rice or elbow macaroni noodles!
Cook-Off Chili for Two
When it’s cold out I start thinking about this chili! There is nothing better to warm you up and make you feel all cozy and comforted like a hot bowl of chili with melted cheddar cheese on top! We add sour cream to cool it down a little from the jalapeno kick. Everytime I make this for anyone they always ask for the recipe. I have a family member who made this recipe and won the chili cook-off at his church! I usually make the full recipe because there is always someone besides my husband and I that want some, but for the purposes of cooking for two I’m cutting the recipe in half so it’s more appropriate for just two people. If you want a lot of leftovers or you’re having company then head over to my entertaining page for the full recipe there, Cook-Off Chili.
This recipe comes together so quickly and doesn’t take long to cook at all. I’d say it takes me close to an hour from start to finish. I like prepping my veggies ahead of time and storing them in a ziploc bag so that I can just grab them out of the fridge when it’s time to cook!
Just start browning your ground beef and add 1/2 tsp of chili powder and 1/4 tsp of cumin in a Dutch oven. While the meat is browning I chop all my veggies if I haven’t done it ahead of time. Drain the meat and set it aside for now. You’ll take the same Dutch oven you browned your beef in and add 1 Tbsp of oil, I use canola oil. Toss in your chopped vegetables and saute until tender (about 10 minutes). Add your ground beef to the vegetables along with the tomato sauce, chili beans, water, tomato paste, salsa and 2 Tbsp chili powder. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Next, you add the kidney beans, beer, but only half a bottle, just drink the rest while you’re cooking, that’s the perk of cooking chili! ripe olives and 1/4 tsp cumin, stir it well but be gentle with the beans and just simmer them gently or they’ll disentegrate. Simmer for another 15 minutes, uncovered this time, or until you’re ready to eat.
When I was adapting this recipe for two I could have done away with the kidney beans because you have chili beans in the chili already but I like the firmer texture of the kidney beans so I kept them in. I serve this with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and tortilla chips! This will seriously rock your socks off! Just remember to put them back on or your feet will get cold! 
