Onion Soup Au Gratin

This is my all time comfort food. Especially on a cold day. Perfect paired with a light main dish or a stand alone light meal. It is filling and very flavourful. 

It may seem like this is a difficult soup to pull off, but it can be very simple. There are a few more traditional ways to make this soup but this one is super simple. 

You want your onions to look like this

Place bread on soup then cover with grated cheese

 Onion Soup Au Gratin

5 onions, sliced semi thin
3 cups of beef stock
1/4 tsp dried basil

1 bay leaf

pepper, to taste
enough crusty bread to cover the top of two bowls
about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, more or less

1. Bring the beef stock to a boil. Add onions, basil, bay leaf and pepper.
2. Simmer until onions are soft.
3. Ladle into onion soup bowls. Add bread to the top then cover with cheese. Sprinkle with a bit extra basil.
4. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden.
*Be careful the handles are very hot!

Hope you try this out and love it!

By Mommy Melissa

Last Halloween

Since last year was Amelia's first and Logan's second Halloween, we only went to the shopping mall where they hand out candies at the shops to the children. Along with my nieces, Annabelle and Madison, as well as my nephew Jaxson, we had a good time. Our children were too young for candy, so mommy and daddy got to eat it!

Here are the children all decked out in their Halloween attire!

By Mommy Melissa

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Here at home we like to eat spaghetti squash quite often. It took me awhile for James to talk me into trying it for the first time. How can a squash taste like pasta? Surprisingly, it does! Here are a few ways to cook it. I usually do mine in the microwave but I've done it in the oven as well. 

Microwave 
Pierce the squash all over then nuke it for around 10-15 minutes. 
Then leave it in the microwave for another 5. 
Take it out the cut it in half, width wise, not top to bottom you will get longer strands this way.
Scrape out the seeds and guts. 
Use a fork to scrape all the "noodles" out. 
Serve with sauce or what ever you like.

Oven  
Preheat to 375f. 
Cut squash in half. I cut it length wise as it sits in a pan better this way. 
Scrape out the seeds and guts.
Lay cut side down on bake dish.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. 
Let it rest about 5 minutes then scrape the strings out with a fork. 
Serve with what ever you like.

By Mommy Melissa

Baked Acorn Squash

This is a perfect time of year for squash recipes. They are in season now and sold at low prices at the supermarket. This recipe uses an acorn squash, also known as a pepper squash. When you are handling squash and root vegetables, just remember to be careful! Pumpkins and butternut squash are on the list of top vegetables people cut themselves while trying to prepare them. Since acorn squash are in that same family, just take precaution. To see the complete list, click here.

This is a wonderful sweet and savory side dish perfect served with a roast pork and a spinach salad. 

Here is what you do.

1 acorn squash
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp butter (I didn't use it)


Preheat oven to 375.
Cut squash in half and remove the seeds and guts.  Fibrous strands and seeds if you want to get technical!
Place cut side down on baking dish.Bake for 40-45 minutes.Flip over and add brown sugar and butter (if using).Place under broiler until sugar is caramelized, around 5 minutes. Serve it like that or scoop out. *If you don't use the butter, there is less than 2 grams of fat in half the entire squash.

Since its the time of the squash, which ones do you like to cook with?

By Mommy Melissa

Pinterest Challenge - Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

After going apple picking a few weeks back, I am still looking for ideas to use my never ending crisper drawer full of apples. Since baking is quite stressful with the kids pulling at me, breaking things, spilling things, fighting, etc. I loved the idea of just throwing everything into a crock-pot and letting that do the work for me! I substituted pumpkin pie spice for the nutmeg in hopes that it would give it more of a fall taste.
After about an hour of it cooking, my home smelled wonderful! Like fresh apple pies had been baking in my house all day!

Here is how it is done. 

(full recipe at bottom)

You prepare a flour/oat mixture as well as an apple/sugar mix.

Apples go in, then flour mix, then butter on top.

Bake for 3-4 hours on high.

There are a few things that I would change the next time I make this. One being to not use my little slow cooker. The crisp part on top ended up being too thick. Using the larger slow cooker would thin it out, giving it a better crisp. The other would be to lower the cooking time to about 2-3 hours. Other than those minor things, it tasted wonderful! This was a Pin Win! 

Here is the full recipe (or click here to go to the original pin)

6 cups of apples. Peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbs cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg (I used pumpkin pie spice)

1 1/4 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnut pieces (I had none)

1 stick of butter, sliced.

1. Grease your slow cooker.

2. Mix apples with sugar and spices. Put into crock pot.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, oats brown sugar and nuts if you are using them. Pour onto apples.

4. Place the slices of butter on top of the flour and oat mixture.

5. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Remove lid for the last 15-20 minutes to let the top crisp.

What is your best fall recipe to use apples in? We would love to hear. 

By Mommy Melissa 

Candy Corn Quesadillas

I saw this idea on Pinterest HERE when I was trying to look for a fun Halloween themed dinner. These turned out great and they were delicious!

What you will need:
1 rotisserie chicken, cut up
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
1 jar (15-1/2 ounces) salsa con queso dip, warmed
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
2-2/3 cups crushed nacho-flavored tortilla chips
1/2 cup sour cream

1, In a pot, combine the first five ingredients; heat through, stirring occasionally. Brush butter over one side of each tortilla. 

2. Place one tortilla in a large skillet, buttered side down. Spread with 1 cup chicken mixture; top with another tortilla, buttered side up. Cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Turn quesadilla.

3. Spread 1/2 cup queso dip over quesadilla; carefully sprinkle cheese along outer edge. Cook, covered, 1-2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

4. Remove to a cutting board. Sprinkle crushed chips over queso dip. Cut quesadilla into six wedges. Place a small dollop of sour cream at the point of each wedge. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Yield: 2 dozen.

YUM!

What are some of your favourite Halloween dinner ideas?

Candy Corn Cupcakes

This recipe idea came from Pinterest of course. But it's so easy to do. You can either use a store bought cake mix or homemade... whichever you choose just make sure it's white cake mix!

What you will need:
- White cake batter (store bought or homemade)
- orange and yellow food colouring



Make the batter from the directions on the box, once done separate into 2 bowls, add orange food colouring to one and bright yellow to the other. Now you want to make sure your colors stand out so make sure there nice and bright- may need a couple extra drops of colouring!

Line your cupcake tins with cupcake liners, then first add a scoop of the yellow batter, then plop the orange on top of it, fill about half way or 3/4. then bake with the directions on the box, once you take a bite it will look just like a candy corn! Be sure to use white icing to complete the look :)

Definitely a crowd pleaser, perfect for Halloween!!!