Eating Better - The Green Goddess Known as Kale

Because I vowed to eat better this year, I will occasionally be sharing healthy recipes that we have enjoyed and added to our recipe repertoire. I've mentioned before that I like to plan out our meals for the week (if possible) before going to the grocery store. Some healthier dishes call for unique ingredients or vegetables I might not normally pick up, so I keep this in mind and try to work those same ingredients into other meals for the week so that we aren't wasting food.

While my career goal is optometry, my undergraduate degree was in Nutrition Science. I'd like to dig up some "old" knowledge with you to share why these recipes are good for us. Why I'm choosing these ingredients over others. And really, it isn't "old" knowledge at all. Since what you eat affects your whole body, and the eyes are attached to that body, many of these nutritional concepts arise frequently in my current studies. Plus, nutrition is something we all learn about at some point and do every day, but we often forget about the concepts and get overwhelmed by the information that is dealt to us by different dieting books. So, I will try to stick to the basics here.

This first recipe is very simple and nutritious with only a few ingredients. I love recipes that take a single ingredient and make it shine. This makes eating healthy enjoyable, and these are the types of recipes I look for. I want to make food that tastes delicious and I want to highlight and enjoy the nutrient rich foods I'm after.

This Pecan Kale Salad was introduced to us by a friend. Since then, we have made a large bowl for ourselves and I see many more in our future.

To view or print the recipe click HERE.

The lemon vinaigrette is a burst of delicious flavor, and it balances the bitterness kale can sometimes bring.  I highly suggest making this from scratch instead of a bottled version. (Remember, I'm shooting for more clean, fresh eating than processed.)  To make the vinaigrette quickly and easily, add the ingredients to a jar or seal-tight container and shake.
Kale leaves are fairly thick and stiff, so a tip to help with that (which sounds a little weird, I know) is to massage the kale to break up some of its fibers. I did this by rubbing the chopped pieces together as I added them to the bowl. Then after I added the vinaigrette, I gave the leaves a a rough stir with a fork, pressing the leaves against the side of the bowl. This allows you to enjoy the salad immediately without waiting for it to sit for 30-60 minutes, and is very quick to do.


Why this salad over basic green lettuce? Kale is frequently called a "super food." This simply means that it is packed with vitamins and antioxidants; therefore, a very nutrient-dense food. Or in other words, you get a lot of bang for your buck with foods like these. With a quick Google search I came up with this side-by-side comparison (note, my lettuce never looks this appealing, and my kale looked a lot better than that measly bunch):

The first thing you may notice is that kale has more calories than green lettuce. Let's pause right there and realize that this is good, and this lends to why we are choosing kale instead of green lettuce. It has calories because it has what we want and need to feed our bodies - protein, carbohydrates, and even a tiny bit of fat.
Let's take an educational detour for a moment, and one you may already know about to lay a basis for other recipes I may share in the future:  Your body needs nutrients to survive and thrive. Nutrients that it can't make on it's own, and we need to take in through our food - these are called essential nutrients. Essential to take in because we can't make them ourselves. There are 6 essential nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. I keep using the terms "nutrient-dense" or "nutrient-rich" because these are foods that give us the most essential nutrients. Calories are used as a measure of the energy of a food. In our example here, the more calories, the more energy and nutrients this item of food is providing us. As I mentioned before, I'm not interested in starving my body and taking calories away. Nor do I even consider counting calories for my personal diet. (If you're on a serious weight loss mission, you are probably looking to limit calories and counting them, and are likely already doing so.) When calories become an issue is when we are eating foods that have a lot of calories in the wrong places. Let's look at a nice cheesy slice of pizza:

Notice this is data for one slice of this pizza, whatever kind of pizza it might be. Let's take into account that I'm likely going to eat not one, but two slices. I will be getting 20 grams of total fat, which includes nearly 50% of my daily intake of saturated fat (the worst kind of fat) in one sitting. I'm also getting half my allotment of daily sodium. Some carbs, some protein. And not very many vitamins at all. Am I telling you not to eat pizza? No, that's your call. I'm just pointing out that when I do eat pizza, I know this is why it is not the best food choice I could have made for the day. Am I telling you to eat a big bowl full of kale instead of 2 slices of pizza? Nope. My goal here is to find foods and recipes that offer more nutrients than other products I could consume. So for lunch, instead of two slices of pizza, I may have a chicken breast with a side of kale salad and enjoy it just as much.

Let's get back to the kale. Other things kale has to offer include: beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, which are all antioxidants that have beneficial effects on our bodies. When our bodies break down food, the reactions that occur let off chemicals called free radicals. (Free radicals are also taken in from our environment and on food sources themselves.) Free radicals can be damaging to cells and our genetic material (DNA), because they are little scavengers looking for electrons to steal from these other molecules. Antioxidants work by "oxidizing," meaning they are willing to give up an electron to these nasty free radicals, which helps protect healthy cells from their damage. (If you dig a little deeper, you will find that free radicals are one of many factors that can lead to cancer.) Vitamins C, A, and E also have antioxidant properties. Since breaking down food causes free radicals to form, foods that are high in antioxidants are great because they work to fix the problem they have caused. Beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin happen to all be antioxidants that are good for protecting your eyes as well!
Kale also offers more fiber than green lettuce. Why fiber? I'm so glad you asked. :)  What do we all know about fiber? "It keeps you regular."  But that's not all fiber does! Fiber helps regulate your body's use of sugar and also helps manage your sense of feeling hungry.

So next time you're at the grocery store, give kale a try. Make this salad, or throw it in your normal salad, or even a soup. Then be proud of yourself for picking this powerful ingredient!

High Five for Friday

Two Friday posts in a row! You guys are so lucky. ;)

1. Last weekend we celebrated our friend Mike's (aka Brother's) birthday! A group of his friends surprised him at one of his favorite restaurants where we ate, laughed, and even played Mike Trivia. Embarrassing senior photos also made an appearance. Then, we went home to Luverne just long enough to visit our parents and go to our dentist appointments. (You know us, living on the wild side!) It was so nice to be home, even for just a little while. I love that we are from the same town and can have our parents all together for dinner while we are there.

2. Monday and Tuesday I was off of school for "fall break." When it's only two days, I'm not sure you can call that a break...more of an extended weekend. When it's not enough time for professors to refrain from giving you assignments, it's not a true break. Monday was spent in the dentist office, and Tuesday I finally got my hair trimmed. No drastic photo to share; and I'm keeping the bangs for a while! Mostly because I really have liked them, and secondly because it's likely to be the most awkward hair grow-out of my life and I'm not looking forward to figuring out how to transition that.

3. Jesse finished his second class of his MBA program this past week! Taking one at a time has seemed to be just the right pace. He's in no hurry to complete it (he will finish when I graduate), and this way he is not overwhelmed after work on a regular basis.

4.  Be babysat our favorite toddler this week. She's getting bigger and smarter by the day. Much of our night was spent rolling around in the floor to her direction to "exsh-cise" after seeing Jesse's weights. She continued on, doing yoga poses, then rode on Jesse's back while he did push ups, then she just climbed and jumped all over him, repeatedly yelling "more!"

5.  I made two new meals and one repeat this week that we really enjoyed. I think I enjoy cooking more in the fall/winter months than laboring over a hot stove/oven in the hotter summer season. Plus, soups are easy and delicious and warm the soul. From left to right we have: a butternut squash, lentil, barley, kale soup I threw together (recipe HERE), Pioneer Woman's Spinach Artichoke Pasta, and spaghetti squash with these very flavorful chicken meatballs which are super fast to make. The last dish also taught me that if you forget to buy the spaghetti sauce, one 8 oz can of tomato sauce and one Roma tomato blended in the food processor with a few shakes of herbs for a few seconds can make do! Also I would like to rave (again) that our Aldi grocery store had these squash for 99 cents a piece (not a pound)! Take that, Publix,

Proper Southern Lady

I've grown up in the South my entire life and say things like "fixin' to" and "used-ta could." In addition to that, I've also grown up watching my grandmothers and my mom cook delicious entrees and side dishes that are considered Southern classics. I wish I could go back in time and work in the kitchen with my grandmothers. I'm sure I could have learned a lot from them both. Thankfully, my mom picked up on many of her mother's techniques and continues her cooking traditions. I've been thinking up a list of classic Southern cuisine that I think I should conquer (eventually) - a list of things that any proper Southern lady should know how to make.

1. Buttermilk biscuits - a Southern breakfast staple. Golden tops with a flaky center. Topped with syrup and butter, and often served with salmon patties. I've made these HERE, but could try again and make them a little bigger.

2. Fried okra - the best way to eat okra. Don't confuse this with the fried okra you can get from the frozen foods aisle, or what many restaurants serve (which is probably from the frozen foods aisle). Homemade fried okra should have a thin, crispy coating - dusted in flour and seasonings, not a full, thick batter.

3. Pound Cake - the iconic dessert to bring to any gathering. I've already made my Memaw's recipe HERE.

4. Stewed squash - yellow squash only, preferably from your garden or local farmer's market. Next to fried squash it's my second favorite way to eat yellow squash. And it's the healthier version... and probably the healthiest thing on this list.

5. Fried cornbread - can be served with anything, especially if there are peas on the table.

6. Dressing - made from cornbread and a good chicken stock. To be served at each holiday occasion, whether Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter. And not to be confused with "stuffing."

7. Salmon patties - it would probably sound better to call them "salmon cakes," like crab cakes, but that's not what they are known as. Serve with #1, because they are also best with syrup. Cane syrup - preferably Daddy Buck's, but if that's not available, Yellow Label will do.

8. Jelly/Preserves - also often served with #1. This will take a while to cross off my list, I'm sure, as it's the most challenging and requires some knowledge of canning, which a true Southern lady knows how to do as well.  Fig preserves were always in my Memaw and mom's cabinet, and rightfully so, they are delicious. And if you have the problem of having too many figs, then preserve them, because they are like gold (in my opinion). Delicious!

9. Peach Cobbler - thanks to my mom, I have this one down pat already, but I will revisit it and share the recipe with you. Mmmm....cobbler...

10. Chicken and Dumplin's - a comfort food classic. Best made from scratch, although you can buy frozen dumplin' strips. Read strips, not balls of dough, and definitely not made from canned biscuits (bleck!).

I'll refer back to this post as I make my way through the bold items on this list.  Did I forget any of your favorite Southern dishes?

From Our Kitchen - Sweet Potato & Quinoa Soup

A little while back I posted this recipe on quinoa stuffed bell peppers. The stuffing was great, but the peppers were kind of a flop.  That was the first time I tried quinoa, and I cooked way too much for my recipe, so I had all of this quinoa leftover. I tasted it to see if I could just serve it up as a side, like rice, but it wasn't very flavorful.  In my opinion, it's definitely an ingredient I enjoy, but it needs to be dressed up a little bit.

So I turned to my old ways, and used to to create a spin on one of my favorite soups. (I didn't realize it had been 2 years since posting that recipe. The photos show our old stove in Auburn... so reminiscent!) Sorry, back to the point: quick and simple! All you need is 1-2 diced sweet potatoes,

a can of black beans (drained and rinsed),

cooked quinoa (a cup or so),

shredded chicken (mine was from leftover rotisserie chicken; 1-2 cups),

chicken stock (one carton), and the most important ingredient to make this soup a hit: cilantro! Roughly chop a small handful and through it in right at the end. I promise you won't feel like you are eating salsa. Cilantro is a frequent ingredient in Thai and Indian soups, and it brings a great refreshing flavor to the dish.  You can also season this soup however you'd like with salt and pepper, thyme, or other herbs.

A few tips:  I made this a second time with low-sodium chicken stock and it just wasn't the same. I'm usually all for healthier options, but if you're making a soup that is heavily based on it's broth, the broth itself needs to have good flavor, and unfortunately for our palettes, that means salt.
Also, I finally tried preserving my cilantro by placing it in a cup of water in the fridge with a damp paper towel over top. This made the cilantro last SO much longer! Definitely do this to extend the life of this fresh herb so you can use it in other dishes without rushing.

Click HERE if you'd like a printable recipe version.

From Our Kitchen - Breakfast Quiche

This week I made a quiche for Jesse and I to eat for breakfast. I've been inspired for months (maybe longer) to try to make quiche. My mother-in-law has made it a couple of different times while we've been home. Then my friend Kelsey served up a variety of quiche for Community Group one night. I've even marked Pioneer Woman's Cowgirl Quiche in my cookbook I received at Christmas. But it was during our "snowpocalypse" that I got the final nudge to boost the inspiration. My friend Rachel whipped up a quiche to serve us for breakfast with just the few ingredients she had on hand. I told her I love quiche but have never tried to make one. To which she said, "It's so easy!"  So I put her words to the test on Sunday night and tried to use up some ingredients hanging out in our fridge.

I used the Pioneer Woman's cookbook as a guide, but I didn't really follow the recipe. I wanted to throw in the ingredients and see what came out. Rachel was right, it's SO easy! I chose to add red bell pepper, onion, spinach, and bacon.

I didn't want to have big chunks of onion, even diced, so I used my food processor. (A secret from my mother-in-law because Jesse doesn't like bites of onion in dishes... it only took me 2+ years of marriage to try this and make his dish more pleasing...) It took about 3 seconds and I had very finely diced onions, and no watering/burning eyes. This was a life-changing moment. I will be doing this forever more. I've always thought it was unnecessary to dirty up the food processor just to chop an onion. I was wrong. Totally worth it.  Then I did it to my red pepper, and smiled again with satisfaction.

For my quiche: it all started with bacon. Everything's better with bacon.

All I did was whisk some eggs (I did 6), added some heavy cream I had on hand (milk would obviously work and be a healthier option).  Then I added in the bacon, onion, red pepper, spinach, salt, and pepper. I used a pre-made pie crust to make it quicker.

I mixed all the ingredients together in one bowl.

Then poured into the pie crust.

I covered it with foil and baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Then I removed the foil and cooked for another 15. It should just barely be "jiggly," so pop it back in covered if it's not ready.

I will say that all the spinach floated to the top, and the bacon to the bottom. I'm not sure how to fix the bacon, but next time I might saute the spinach before adding it into the quiche mixture.  But the flavor on this thing was excellent! Even if you don't like onions, by chopping them so finely in a food processor or blender (or by hand!) you couldn't pick out an actual onion flavor, but it added so much depth to this simple meal.

We both ate a slice each morning throughout the week. I loved having a warm and delicious breakfast without any work in the morning!  Let me know if you decide to make one too!

From Our Kitchen - Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I've been trying to knock out some of the recipes I've saved onto Pinterest recently.  I have an ever-growing list of things I want to try.  Some of them are more involved and time-consuming than others, but I rounded up a few that looked like quick and delicious weeknight meals.  This was the first I tried, and while we didn't love it, I'm still sharing it anyway.

I am more of a pepper-and-onions kind of person than Jesse, so when I saw this recipe I didn't think he would go for it.  I knew eating the whole pepper along with the filling would mean consuming a large amount of pepper in each bite, which I thought I would like. I was wrong. It was too over-whelmingly peppery that I didn't even finish my first one. I ate only half the pepper, and dumped the filling out of a second to even things out. My sweet husband, who doesn't care for peppers, finished the whole thing. Bless him.

So why would I even share this?
1) The filling is so yummy I ate it alone for lunch the next day. It's packed with flavor and texture!  I packed up our leftover that day by dumping out the filling for the remaining peppers and dicing up only one pepper to add into the mix. So, with all that said, I would make this recipe again but as a side dish this way.  So, if you are a pepper person try this as is; if not, make only the filling and add in one diced pepper. The pepper does bring in good flavor that blends with the others.

2) This recipe calls for quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) - which I have never cooked, nor eaten before this. But it's been all the rage in food-land for a while now, and I've been interested in trying it. I like that this recipe was packed with a variety of other flavors, in case I wasn't too fond of quinoa. Why quinoa and what is it? It cooks like a grain, like rice, but it's technically a seed. Many recipes use it as a healthier alternative for rice because it has nearly double the protein content and a lot more fiber, while remaining lower in carbs. (Quinoa is higher in fat, but it's of the unsaturated variety which is "good" fat that can help lower cholesterol.) Quinoa is a little pricey, but it's nutrition benefits make it worth it in my opinion, especially to sub for rice every once in a while.

Let's cook!

First, you will need 3 cups of cooked quinoa. If you were as unfamiliar as I was, read how to cook quinoa HERE. Sources I read varied, but I can attest that it more than doubles when cooked. I cooked 1.5 cups hoping for an even 3, but wound up with at least 5 cups of cooked. Cook up however much decides to cook, then scoop 3 cups into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Once you have your quinoa, take six bell peppers (whichever colors you prefer; I think the red and orange are a little sweeter and work well for this recipe).  Cut off their tops and spoon out their seeds. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and sit them inside.

Into your mixing bowl with the quinoa, add your green chilies, whole kernel corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Now give that all a toss to distribute everything evenly.

Scoop the filling into each of your peppers, then top with a little shredded cheese. Bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese has melted on top (about 30 minutes).

If you are making this as a side dish without filling the peppers, either chop up one raw pepper and through it in, as is. Or saute them before adding in, if you prefer.
(Original recipe found HERE @ damndelicious.net)

I used my leftover quinoa in a soup a few days later, and it was delicious! Maybe I will share that soon, too.

From Our Kitchen - Sour Cream Pound Cake

My entire life I can remember my mom making pound cake. Her mom made pound cake; she makes pound cake. It is one of her go-to desserts to bring to family get-togethers or church events. Pound cake is pretty much a staple at any Southern dessert table, and my mom's doesn't let anyone down. Just one piece is often not enough.  Don't worry about needing ice cream, or strawberries, or anything else to go with this cake. It's perfect just the way it is. (That is most likely due to the quantity of butter and sugar... but we won't think about that too hard.)  My mom gave be a beautiful bundt pan for Christmas, and I figured it would be appropriate to break it in with her best recipe! Plus, a good Southern woman should know how to make one, after all.

Click HERE for the printable recipe.

First, you will want to preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Low and slow for this deliciously moist cake. Also, grease and flour your bundt pan. I used a generic version of Baker's Joy, which is an oil spray that has flour in it. I chose this method because my pan it nonstick; it might be best to actually grease and flour other pans to be safe and avoid any sticking.

Separate your eggs, and set each aside.  (I put my whites into my stand mixer's bowl, because those will be used first.)

Sift your flour and baking soda together in a bowl, and set aside as well.

Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat (with the whisk attachment) until stiff peaks form, then set these aside.  I was so excited about this part, because I have never down this before. (I still would like to conquer making and baking a meringue.)

(Check out this adorable apron, handmade by my wonderful mother-in-law! Her stitching is perfect!)

Next, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until well blended.

Then add one egg yolk at a time, mixing well after each. You will see the mixture begin to turn it's classic bright yellow.

After your egg yolks have all been added and mixed, your will have a nice, thick batter.

Next, fold your egg whites into the mixture.  This part made me a little nervous. I didn't want to undo all the fluffing I did to my egg whites.  To do this, add 1/4 to 1/3 of the whites to the batter, cut down the middle of the bowl with your spatula, scraping underneath the whites, scoop through the batter, up the side of the bowl, and dump batter up and over the whites in the center of the bowl. Turn the bowl and continue until the whites somewhat incorporated. Add another portion of the whites and continue folding; repeat until all are incorporated.
(Apparently I was so concerned about this step I didn't stop to take a picture.)

Now you are ready to fill your pan and bake. The batter is still fairly thick, so I evened out the top with my spatula.

Now you wait. With grand anticipation. Because sweet, buttery glory is on its way.
After and hour and a half, check with a toothpick to see if it's cooked through. Let it cool ~30 minutes in the pan, then flip and remove it. Cool the cake on a rack.  Try to resist the urge to eat it while it's still burning hot.
Now, the very best part is the crumbly top that crackles as the cake rises while it cooks. If you are planning to put this on a cake stand, I suggest you leave this part and do not cut it off to make it perfectly even, as you might layer cakes. Unless you want to keep the best part for yourself. In that case I wouldn't judge you too much.  ;)

And there you have it! Mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!

From Our Kitchen - Apple Pie, Y'all!

Remember all those apples from this day?  What I forgot to tell you then was that we picked a total of 75 apples! Then we divided that up between the 3 couples.  So what did I do with 25 apples?  Made apple pie!.... twice.  Once was for the Pumpkin Carving party.  Then I was begged into making another to share with my friend Erika.  (How dare she!)  But that meant Jesse and I got to eat a couple more slices two.

Here's what I did. And I promise it was delicious.  Some said it was the best apple pie of their life.  Now, it could have been due to the fresh-from-the-farm apples, but I'll take the flattery. ;)

But first, let's have a chat about apple pie.  It's quite an important topic, or at least has been in our relationship. Apple pie is Jesse's favorite dessert. But not just any ole apple pie. Not one from the deli of the grocery store. And definitely not those in the little sleeves from McDonald's (do they still have those?!). It takes a homemade, made-from-scratch apple pie to please this man. I learned this early on in our relationship and slaved away over a few of them while trying to woo him.  My step-dad thought I was going to lose fingers over sliced apples once.
After preparing my very first pie, and bringing it to him with a huge smile on my face, I'm sure he said it was delicious, but he had to tell me that the next time I made one I should slice the apples really thin, just like.... his mom does it!  Ladies, when your mother-in-law is a good cook, you gotta step up your game!  Lesson learned: always consult the mama.  So I did, and she told me about this thing known as a mandolin slicer.  It really does make all the difference for the pie. Thinly sliced apples lay flatter against each other and make it easier to cut with your fork and eat. It also lets you pack in lots of apples, and we like more apples and less "sauce". And now you know our secret!

This is not Marilyn's actual recipe, but for this pie I combined a crust and filling recipe, mostly adapted for my pantry.  There is also method to this madness, which I learn the first go-round.
Click HERE for the recipe I used (and to print it).

Anything that begins with two sticks of butter is likely to be tasty, so go ahead and cube those two sticks, then put it back into the refrigerator. (This was the moment that my beloved camera died a sad and sudden death. I think I had a couple of pictures of...butter... but I've been too lazy to get them off the card. I grabbed my phone to take the rest of the pictures, so excuse the quality. These events will not effect the taste of your pie.)

Measure out your flour, sugar, and salt for your pie crust.  This time I made a revelation: I threw all of this into my stand mixer, turned it on "stir," and added the butter several pieces at a time. Just like when you use a pastry blender (which I don't have, which is why I was improvising) you want the dough to go from powdery to tiny, little pea-sized clumps. Once the butter is all cut into the flour mixture, add a couple of tablespoons of ice water, one at a time until the dough starts to stick together.  Be careful not to over-do it here, especially with the mixer which works fast. The less you mix it, the flakier your crust will be. Once it just begins to hold, stop mixing, and dump it onto your work surface. (I like using this silicone mat. It's like a Silpat, but from Aldi. Aka - cheaper. You're supposed to be able to bake on them, but that seems a little weird to me. Moving on...)

Divide your dough into two, and pat into rounds. Wrap them in plastic-wrap and pop them in the fridge to keep chilled.

Now work on your apples. Use a mandolin slicer, or just a knife and more patience than I have, and cut up your apples. It will probably take about 8 mid to large-sized apples to fill out your pie.  I didn't have any lemon juice to toss mine with, so I tried to work extra fast. This is also the time you add all of your sugar and spices to the apples, tossing to coat each slice.  Some recipes call for letting the apples sit in this sugar mixture for some time to let more juices flow. I prefer to keep on going without this step, mostly because by this point I can't wait to get the thing into the oven, because the sooner it's in, the sooner it's out and I can eat a slice. Plus it turns out just right with plenty of juice/moisture.

Next up, roll out your bottom crust. You may need to let it sit out a bit to warm up if you've made it ahead of time and it's really cold.  I like to smush the edges to keep the shape round as I roll, like this:

Once you've roll to size, flour the top surface and roll it up on your rolling pin (dusting the bottom of the crust with flour as you pull it off the counter).  Then drape it into your pie dish.

Dump in your apples. Smile because you're almost done, and this is going to be amazing.

Roll out your top crust, and roll it up onto your rolling pin, like before.

Top your pie with crust, and trim any excessive edges.  Leave about an inch all the way around so you can tuck the top crust under the bottom crust, and pinch them together. Make the edge as pretty as you want. I used a fork to press and seal all the way around.  At this point I realized that I did not add the additional tabs of butter on top of the apples that was in the recipe I was following.  After a slight moment of panic I decided that the two stick of butter in the crust would suffice, and it was true! No butter was missed, and we saved a few calories, right?

Brush the top with egg wash, cut a few small slits, sprinkle with a little sugar, and pop it in the oven.

And there you have it!  Glorious apple pie. Deliciousness that taste like Fall.  And your house smells all cinnamony (unless your pie dripped into the bottom of the stove and burned.... yep. Prevent that by putting an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet on the rack below - next time, next time). And enjoy! With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course. Can't forget that!

What's your favorite pie to make?  Or your favorite pie to eat during the Fall?

From Our Kitchen - Red Wine Steak & Mushrooms

It's been a little while since I've tried a new recipe or meal. I've been in a cooking slump, mostly due to the lack of time to spend in the kitchen. We really wish we had a grill, especially during the summer months. I've thought about getting some kind of indoor grill-like cooking surface. We found this pan at TJMaxx, and put it to use that same night:

It's a cast iron pan with an enamel coating on the outside. It is VERY heavy, and has this extra piece to press down on top of foods (not sure how useful that will be). 

We picked up some beef at Publix. Now, I'm not a huge beef fan. It can be fatty, which to me is gross. And then there are cuts that can't be cooked quickly or they will wind up tough. So, I have a hard time picking out a piece of beef, and I'm not going to by an expensive cut of sirloin (or whatever) to cook in the pan - it just ain't right. This piece of flat iron steak seemed marbled enough to stay tender and thin enough to cook evenly and through in the pan.

Here's the line up of seasonings we used. The herbs on the right were Herbs de'Provence, or some kind of blend of Italian herbs. It would have been best to marinate so that the steak could absorb more of the flavor, but this was dinner on the fly.

I soaked each side in wine and soy sauce, then shook the Lawry's and herbs on top and rubbed them in, then threw it in the pan.

After several minutes I flipped it over, and was a little excited to see those "grill lines." Now, of course it doesn't give the same flavor as a real, outdoor charcoal grill, but it is a step up from a flat pan which just lets the meat steam in its own juices. I also added some mushrooms to the pan, with a little butter and wine.

This is where things got weird. I stood in front of the rice aisle trying to find a mix, like rice pilaf or something. I saw this quinoa and brown rice mix, but did not realize it was pre-cooked until I was trying to determine how long to cook it, and the package said to rip open the top and a tablespoon of water and microwave for 90 seconds. WHAT?! So I took the suggestion in fine print and warmed it up in a skillet. It was a little disturbing to think that this rice had been cooked who knows how long ago, packaged, and sat on a shelf. I like the combination of quinoa and brown rice, but I won't be buying this again. I'd rather cook my own.

Tada! A quick and yummy meal for dinner! The steak was tender, and had good flavor (which could have been better by marinating). I would probably try cooking this cut of meat again- maybe with different seasoning, like a lime marinade (to replicate my favorite Urban Cookhouse dish...hmmm).

What are your favorite cuts of steak/beef to cook indoors?