Apple Cider Floats

I need a tasty fall drink for my luncheon, and this was PERFECTION!!!  Why have I never thought of making these before?!  SO YUMMY!!!  Boys are going to be PUMPED to have these :)

Ingredients:

Apple Cider

Ice cream (can also use dairy free ice cream)

Caramel ice cream topping (can use dairy free caramel sauce)

Cinnamon

In a glass add two scoops of ice cream. Then drizzle a spoonful of caramel ice cream topping on top of the ice cream. Also add a pinch of cinnamon on top.

Pour in the apple cider until the ice cream is covered. Then add another scoop of ice cream on top. Drizzle another spoonful of caramel on top and add another pinch of cinnamon on top of that.

Serve cold with a spoon or straw.

Pumpkin pie bites

I'm not a huge of sweets or pie...or pumpkin for that matter but these were really good hahaha

 Ingredients:
Pumpkin pie
Whipped cream
Cinnamon

I cut out little bite size "cupcakes" from the pumpkin pie -- topped with whipped cream - and put a dash of cinnamon on top.  DELICIOUS!!

Roasted Grape Salad

 Roasted grapes - yes please!!!  I wasn't sure this was going to be good but it was SO yummy!!!  It went great with chicken salad sandwiches for my luncheon with friends today :)  Can't wait to have it again -- great fall salad!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted grapes (see below)
• 1 package Spring Mix salad greens
• Prosciutto or bacon
• Goat cheese, crumbled
• Pistachios, lightly toasted
• Vinaigrette recipe (see below)

Place a bed of greens on serving platter. Add pieces of prosciutto and top with grapes, cheese, and pistachios.

Lightly dress salad with vinaigrette when ready to serve and save remaining dressing for later use.

Vinaigrette dressing:

• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt & pepper to taste

Whisk or shake together vigorously, all ingredients. Let stand for 30 minutes so flavors can combine. Whisk or shake again just before serving. Store in refrigerator.

To roast grapes:

• Clusters of grapes
• Fresh rosemary, removed from stem
• Olive oil (rosemary infused olive oil is great for this)
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut large red seedless grapes in half lengthwise and spread over a parchment-lined sheet pan.

Lightly drizzle with olive oil, or Rosemary infused olive oil. Sprinkle fresh rosemary over grapes; sprinkle salt and pepper and toss with hands to coat grapes.

Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until grapes begin to burst and create a syrup in pan. Should still be slightly firm when pierced with a fork.

Remove and let cool.

Honey Chicken Salad Cups

I had some friends over for Friendsgiving today and wanted to do a fun and new fall menu -- this was delicious and a twist on your typical chicken salad!!!  I put them on croissants, but this would be a great appetizer idea too!! So yummy!!!

Celebrations at Home - Yield: 30 appetizers or 6 croissant sandwiches

Ingredients

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 celery ribs)

1/2 cup dried cranberries or Craisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

3/4 cup mayonnaise

5 Tablespoons honey

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 Packages frozen Filo Shells or pastry shells

Combine chicken, celery, cranberries and pecans together in a medium size bowl.

Whisk or mix the mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper together in a smaller bowl, then pour over chicken mixture and combine well.

Cover and chill for 2 or more hours. 

Follow the package directions to heat phyllo shells just to crisp up. About 5 minutes.

When ready to serve, fill shells with chicken salad. 

Toast Bar Party!!!

 My co-worker had me over this summer and did a toast bar that was so delicious, I had to try it!!!  This was SO great and you can't go wrong with toppings for everyone!!!

See -- the boys loved it :)

Ingredients:

French bread, toasted

Flank Steak (good recipe here) -- cut into thin bite size pieces

mushrooms, cooked

Tomatoes, cooked

Lettuce

Pickled red onion slices

Goat cheese crumbles

Avocado Salsa

Bacon

Pickled Red Onions

 I needed some pickled onions for our TOAST party!!  These were so yummy!!!!

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:
Water
Sugar
White Wine Vinegar
Red onions, sliced

Place onion slices in a canning jar.

Use a ratio of 2:1:1—2 parts water, 1 part sugar, and 1 part vinegar. Adjust the amount of pickling liquid to match the size of the batch of pickled onions you want to make. If you are unfamiliar with ratios, 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup vinegar in a 16-ounce canning jar is a good place to start. How many onions you use will depend on their size.

Combine the water, sugar, and vinegar into a saucepot and bring to a simmer. Once all of the sugar has dissolved into the liquid, pour the hot pickling liquid over the red onions to submerge them and seal the jar.

Let cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.

Chicken Pot Pie

 Ok if you know me, you know I'm a fan of good old Banquet pot pies -- BUT my friend gave me this recipe and I had to try it.  It was easy and tasted AMAZING (and healthier than Banquet!!)!!!  We've all been eating it for leftovers all week too and it's a HUGE family hit!!!

Ingredients

Chicken Breast

• 3 pounds chicken breast (rotisserie chicken works great too!)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Pot Pie

• pie crust (Either 4 store bought- 2 tops and 2 bottoms, or make your own)
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/2 an onion chopped
• 2/3 cup flour
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables thawed and patted dry
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• pinch of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg beaten

Instructions

• To prepare chicken breast: Season chicken breasts with basil, salt, and black pepper. Place in a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow to cool. Chop when cool enough to handle. Set aside.
• Prepare pie crust if you are making your own. Then cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9"x13" baking dish and set aside.
• Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they are translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking about 2 more minutes to reheat the mixture.
• Slowly add in chicken broth, about ¼ cup at a time, constantly stirring. Slowly adding it will ensure there are no lumps.
• Add milk and stir. Continue cooking on medium heat, uncovered until sauce thickens. You should be stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't burn at the bottom.
• When sauce is thickened to the consistency of a medium-thick gravy, add chicken, mixed vegetables, basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir. Then remove from heat and set aside.
• Roll out half the pie crust on a lightly floured surface, and lay it in a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Pour in sauce mixture. Roll out the other half of the pie crust and lay it on top.
• Trim off the excess pie dough. Press the top and bottom pie crust together (I use a fork for this part). Cut slits in the top to let heat and steam escape.
• With a pastry brush, brush beaten egg over top of pot pie.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Then cover and return to oven to cook for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until both crusts are golden and cooked through.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit to firm for about 15-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Rolling Out Pie Crust Tutorial – If rolling out your own homemade pie crust makes you nervous, stop right now! This easy step-by-step tutorial will tell you exactly what to do for a perfect pie crust!
• Do you have to make your own pie crust? No, but I do recommend it. It really makes the dish. If you choose to use store-bought, make sure it's thawed if frozen.
• To make sure your gravy isn't lumpy, add chicken broth to the mixture very slowly, only ¼ cup at a time. The mixture will get thicker at first, like dough. Keep adding and stirring and it will thin back out.
• How do you make sure your bottom crust doesn't get soggy? Make sure gravy thickens, and that the pot pie is cooked long enough for both crusts to be cooked through.
• To make ahead, prepare the filling and pie crust separately. Cover each and place in the refrigerator. Then when ready to use, simply follow the directions for assembly and baking.
• To freeze: Follow recipe instructions, except for egg-washing and baking. Cover and place in the freezer for up to 3 months (or 6 months in a deep freezer). When ready to use, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then follow the recipe instructions for the egg and baking. It will likely need a little extra bake time since you'll be starting with a cold dish.
• Storage: Freshly baked, chicken pot pie will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Cover with aluminum foil or store in a resealable container.
• Reheating instructions: To reheat individual slices, simply place on a microwave-safe place and pop in the microwave for about 1 minute (Could be longer depending on your wattage. We love pot pie even more the second night!). To reheat an entire pie, reheat in 375° oven, covered with foil. Uncover for the last few minutes to crisp crust.

Chicken Enchiladas

This was super yummy!!!  Evan wasn't a fan but he actually ate it hahaha  Different twist on enchiladas and not too hard to make!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup  chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 garlic cloves, minced

10oz bottle salsa verde

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1/3 cup of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas

cooking spray

1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

4 lime wedges

cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°

Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. Reserve remaining salsa mixture.

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium skillet. Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla to pan; cook 10 seconds or until moist, turning once. Remove tortilla; drain on paper towels. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, broth, and chicken mixture.

Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Curried Wild Rice

Well this was ok -- hahaha.  Our fam is not a fan of the curry flavor but we gave it the good old college try.  If you like curry, then you'll love this!!  Very healthy and a great fall side!!!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups wild rice
1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup red onion, small dice
½ cup green onion, chop
2½ cups apple, cut into small pieces
½ cup celery, small dice

1/4 cup bell peppers, dice
½ cup cashews, roughly chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon curry powder
¼ t salt

 

Dressing

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons plain goat yogurt

2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1 t dijon mustard
1 t curry powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t salt

1/4 t tumeric

1/4 c olive oil

pinch of white pepper
freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Prepare rice according to package instructions.

In a large pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add red onion and saute about 5 minutes. Add apple, celery and peppers and continue to cook over medium heat another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 teaspoon curry powder, cranberries, green onions and cashews and continue to saute until ingredients are well-mixed and softened, about another 5 minutes. Add salt and remove from heat.

Prepare dressing. In a medium bowl, combine all dressing ingredients

In a large bowl, combine rice and apple mixture. Toss with dressing and add freshly ground pepper to taste