Apple Cranberry Hand Pies

   Last week I was watching "The Chew," one of my new favorite day time talk shows that discusses recipes and cooking. Daphne Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter) is one of the hosts and she was talking about her Apple Cranberry Hand Pies, http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Thanksgiving-Apple-Cranberry-Hand-Pies-Daphne-Oz. I thought that these sounded so good and I remembered that I had a few apples (that I have been meaning to eat) still left in my kitchen. As she was going through the ingredients list, I realized that I had all of them and soon after the show I started getting to work!

   I like how the dough recipe was made up of whole wheat flour. You can always use pre-made dough, but this one was so simple that I suggest making it homemade. Just give yourself some time since it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. You can make the dough ahead of time (yes!) and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two days. I didn't have the ingredients for the yogurt dipping sauce, so I skipped making that part and they were really good without it. Let me know if you decide to make the dip and how it turned out!

   I ate one of the hand pies pretty much right out of the oven and then another one later at room temperature. I preferred it at room temperature. I think you were able to taste the apples and cranberries more when they weren't so hot. These didn't last long in my house.....I think I let my husband have some :) 

   The perfect breakfast snack or after dinner treat. Enjoy!

Apple Cranberry Hand Pies

One good, messy Sandwich!

   I really enjoy a good sandwich and I think the messier the better! Some of my favorite restaurant sandwiches are the avocado BLT  from Brassiere V in Madison and the croque monsieur from Cafe Lulu in Milwaukee. They are both so good and I highly recommend them if you are ever in the mood for a good sandwich!

   Unfortunately, I have yet to make a REALLY good sandwich at home like they do in the restaurants. I have come to the realization that they are just better out and I am ok with that! I do have a recipe though for a good sandwich that I enjoyed. It's not comparable to Brassiere V's avocado BLT, but still a recipe worth your time :)

   A super simple recipe....you make a vinegar based sauce (yum) and use rotisserie chicken....very convenient. Perfect for football Sunday and very messy, so keep napkins handy. Enjoy!

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pulled-chicken-sandwiches.

Pulled Chicken Sandwich

First meal in our new home!

  Justin and I love pasta and garlic bread, so it just made sense for that to be our first meal in our new home! I made pasta carbonara, http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pasta-carbonara-170893, and garlic knots, http://picturetherecipe.com/index.php/recipes/garlic-parmesan-knots/. A great way to break in my new kitchen and celebrate our new home. The only thing missing was some wine (and maybe a vegetable, oops!) Enjoy!!

Pasta Carbonara

Garlic Knots

My Go-To Lunch: Shrimp Pasta

   I love eating shrimp AND it is fat free!! Justin doesn't like eating shrimp (weird, I know), so I eat it a lot for lunch. One of my go to lunch ideas is shrimp pasta. I don't even know if you can call this a recipe since you basically just throw a few of ingredients together and it is VERY easy.

  Some tips to think about while making this dish...  

• I like to buy frozen shrimp (but fresh is even better) so I can buy it in bulk. Defrost it by putting it in a strainer/colander and run cold water on it for a little while.
• Grey shrimp is raw and pink shrimp is cooked.
• You can make extra, put it in separate containers, and reheat for the week. 

   I actually bought cooked shrimp, so when making my lunch I really was just reheating the shrimp and not cooking it, so it doesn't take too long. Overcooked shrimp can taste chewy and tough.

   While defrosting the shrimp, I put olive oil in a pan with some crushed garlic until the garlic is a little more golden in color. Garlic can burn easily, so make sure you watch it and have the heat only on medium. I also add crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick. Then add the shrimp to heat it up for about a minute. That is it! I put the shrimp and oil over cooked pasta, add a little more olive oil, salt, and pepper. YUM! Now I want to make this for lunch today :) Enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta

Roasted Tomato Caprese Panzanella Salad...I could eat this every day!

   Tomorrow is Election day!! I am not looking forward to the long lines and thinking about making dinner afterwards doesn't seem that appealing either! With keeping this in mind, I looked back at some of my past recipes that I have made and came across this one...http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/06/roasted-tomato-caprese-panzanella/. One of the best recipes yet! Who doesn't love caprese salads? Tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella cheese, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The combination of those ingredients are delightful!

   This roasted tomato caprese panzanella is a twist on the traditional caprese salad. Roasting the tomatoes makes them so juicy and delicious. Adding the toasted bread gives it a little crunch. And if you haven't tried balsamic glaze (a thicker version of balsamic vinegar) now is the time! Typically caprese salads are a summer dish, but I think tomatoes are still good this time of year. I also forgot to buy the basil, so I skipped that ingredient, and it was just as good.

   I could probably eat this salad every day! Enjoy!!

Roasted Tomato Caprese Panzanella Salad

Warm & Comforting Chicken Pot Pie

   We all know that the temperature outside is getting colder and when this starts to happen I like to enjoy a warm and delicious plate of some comfort food. Nothing says comfort food to me more  than Chicken Pot Pie....YUM!! I have found the most amazing chicken pot pie recipe....http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/08/chicken-pot-pie-with-roasted-vegetables.html. You roast the chicken and vegetables first, make a cream sauce, and top it with puff pastry. If you have not tried puff pastry yet, you are missing out....SO good!! Make sure you buy chicken with the skin and bone on, it keeps the chicken moist. Instead of frozen peas, I used frozen cut green beans. Any frozen vegetable that is smaller in size would work. I made this in on big baking dish instead of individual cups....no need for that extra work!

   I love this recipe and so does the hubby....he always eats thirds!! Please make this recipe....it wont disappoint :) Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Fall Baking

   I spent the last few days doing some "fall baking." Fall baking to me is recipes that include ingredients like pumpkin, cinnamon, brown butter, etc. So that is exactly what I did! If you need to make anything that would be fall related, any of these recipes would work...

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies - http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies/. Instead of using white chocolate and dried cherries, I just used semi sweet chocolate chips. Pumpkin and chocolate work really well together! These cookies turned out really soft and moist.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - http://tiptopshape2.blogspot.com/2012/04/brown-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chunk.html. Browning the butter ahead of time really gives these cookies a nutty flavor. I think these cookies sound fancy, but they are so easy to make!

Pumpkin Bread - http://www.alexandracooks.com/2011/10/13/pumpkin-bread/. There are a ton of pumpkin bread recipes out there and this one was delicious. I also made cream cheese frosting, but it isn't a must! This is how I make cream cheese frosting...

• Take a brick of softened cream cheese and a half of stick of softened butter, blend well with an electric mixer.
• Then add and mix 1 cup of powdered sugar.
• You can also add maple syrup or maple extract for that "fall" taste.
• Double the recipe if you need to!

Enjoy!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Handy Kitchen Tips

I have been slacking a little bit on cooking this week, so I thought I would at least share with all of you some cooking tips that I have found to be very helpful.

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is by roasting them. They are so delicious! I really like roasting carrots and red potatoes. I usually drizzle olive oil and sea salt over the vegetables before roasting and place them on a baking sheet. Here is a really good vegetable roasting guide... http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/cooking-tips/oven-roasted-vegetables.

Another way that I prefer to cook vegetables is by steaming them. It is also a good way to keep all of the nutrients in the vegetables. Green beans are the best when steamed! I have this vegetable steamer, http://www.crateandbarrel.com/essentials-stainless-steel-vegetable-steamer/s560785. It works great! After steaming the vegetables, drizzle them with olive oil and sea salt. Here is the vegetable steamer guide that I like to use...http://www.kidspot.com.au/meal-planning/Tools-Veggie-cooking-guide+6774+753+article.htm.

One more guide that I like to use is this one, which helps you with knowing what foods you can freeze, http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2011/02/10/freezable-foods/. Freezing cheese has saved me so much money!!

I hope these resources come in handy, I know they have for me!

The Best Pumpkin Cupcakes

   Thanks to Pinterest, I have been introduced to the wonderful cooking website, Smitten Kitchen. So far, I have loved every recipe that I have made from that site. My latest Smitten Kitchen recipe was for Pumpkin Cupcakes....the best pumpkin cupcakes ever! They were so delicious and so moist...just perfect! AND they were topped with maple cream cheese frosting. Doesn't get much better than that .Here is the recipe ...http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/pumpkin-cupcakes/. I know you will love these too!

Autumn Chopped Salad

  When I am eating a salad, I don't normally say things like "That is so good, I want more!" But I actually found a salad recipe where that saying came out of my mouth (and several others.) Not only was the salad overall very tasty, I also got to use the apples that I bought at the farmer's market and someone asked me for the recipe because she enjoyed it so much too!
   Here is the recipe...http://iowagirleats.com/2012/09/24/autumn-chopped-salad/. I made this for a group of people, so I doubled the recipe. I also skipped on the peanuts, but think that maybe walnuts would have been a better option if I were to use nuts. The dried cranberries I used came straight from my freezer. I had them leftover from a cookie recipe, so if you have any left over from this salad, stick them in your freezer to use at a later time. Also, who knew you could make crispy bacon in the microwave? I didn't, but I am glad I know now! Make sure you do rotate the bacon and flip it over, just like the recipe suggests.
   Enjoy! A fall recipe must :)

Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Oil

  I don't think recipes get any easier, but still super tasty, than the one I am going to share with you today. Here it is.....http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spaghettini-with-mushrooms-garlic-and-oil. This is the type of recipe I like to make when I know Justin wont be around....I finally get to make something with mushrooms!
   I halved the recipe so I could have it again for lunch the next day, but I could have eaten all of it for dinner. The mushrooms were salty (yum!) and the red pepper flakes gave it just a little bit of a kick. This recipe is perfect for meatless Monday or the night you don't have much time. Enjoy!!

   

Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes

   Happy October! As we all know, fall is in the air, which in my mind means pumpkins! To start the new season off right I made Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes. This is the type of recipe that makes your kitchen smell like cinnamon, who doesn't love that?

   You make these in a mini muffin tin, but you could always make them bigger and use a regular muffin tin. Don't skimp on the butter and sugar on the outside of the muffins, it's one of the best parts. Here is the recipe I followed......http://www.feastie.com/blog/donut-holes-part-deux-pumpkin. There was also a recipe for Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes, which sounds delicious too. Here it is...http://www.feastie.com/blog/baked-apple-cider-donut-holes.

   Enjoy! They only lasted a day and a half in my household :) 

Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes

French Bread Pizzas

   We all love pizza right? I know I do! Sometimes we don't have time (or want) to make pizza dough, so I like going the route of using french bread. French bread pizzas are so easy and give pizza that crispy crust. Here is the recipe that I used with a few tweaks.....http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/11/homemade-french-bread-pizzas/

   After baking the french bread for the first time I did these steps....

• I put crushed garlic and olive oil in a bowl and brushed that on the pizza.
• Next I added the pizza sauce, I really like Muir Glen Organic....you wont need to whole can.
• Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Bake & Broil in the oven like the recipe suggested.  

  Good news is that I have left over french bread (I bought a two pack), sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Even better news is that I can put all of these ingredients in the freezer and save for another time. I never knew you could freeze cheese until I read about it on Pinterest. Now I do it all of the time, just make sure it is shredded! You do not need to defrost any of these ingredients, except of the sauce. Also, when buying produce a lot of time you can buy them in bulk. I was able to pick out 5 mushrooms for myself (Justin wont eat them) for only 90 cents!

   A great game day meal, I am making it again tonight!

Mushroom & Pepperoni Pizza

The Pancake Cafe

I heard many good things about the Pancake Cafe in Fitchburg. When my friend Morgan came to visit me, I figured we should go there for breakfast and see if it lived up to its rave reviews. Lets just say there wasn't a drop of food left on our plates and that we were very satisfied! Not only did we enjoy it there, but so does Madison Magazine, since they were voted "Best in Madison" from 2003-2011. Every year since they opened!

They have the usual breakfast type of food choices there, but we figured that since their name was Pancake Cafe, pancakes were the way to go! We got a half order each....3 pancakes instead of 5. Five pancakes would have been a lot, but we probably could have done it :) I ordered their chocolate chip pancakes and Morgan order bacon pancakes. Bacon pancakes....genius right? How perfect to add thick cut bacon to the batter! We highly recommend both.

I look forward to going back and trying other menu items like Pumpkin Pancakes or Apple Pancakes....their new specialty, pancakes topped with fresh apples and cinnamon glaze.

They also have gluten free pancake options and it is very kid friendly!

Bacon Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

   While zucchini is still available at the grocery store, I highly recommend making Fried Zucchini Spaghetti. Yes the zucchini is fried, but not unhealthy deep fried....just enough to make the zucchini crispy. I halved the recipe, but by the end of dinner I wish I hadn't because Justin and I wanted more! Here is the recipe, http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fried-zucchini-spaghetti. I actually skipped the basil and lemon. They weren't missed at all. Enjoy!

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti with berries and green beans for sides

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

I definitely consider myself a chocolate lover, but during my pregnancy not only do I still love chocolate, but now also any sort of salted caramel treat! I recently cooked dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, which I recommend doing if you ever get a chance, and we made Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats. Since I didn't get to try one there (torture), I figured I "needed" to make them at home. YUM is all I have to say!

I consider this recipe just an updated twist on the already delicious rice krispie treat. Brown butter is really just browning of butter in a pan making it more caramelized and nutty...don't leave it unattended since it can burn easily. You also add sea salt (I added just a little bit more than the recipe suggested), which made my craving of sweet and salty satisfied!

Enjoy, they wont last long! Here is the recipe, http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/salted-brown-butter-crispy-treats/

Browned Butter & Marshmallows

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Quick & Easy Salmon Dinner

I try to eat salmon once a week and I found a perfect recipe that it SO simple and perfect for a busy week day dinner. I like wild Alaskan salmon and I buy it right down the street at our local seafood store, the Seafood Center.

The recipe I used was adapted from http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/05/broiled-salmon-with-rosemary-6-pts.html.

Changes I made to the recipe:
I halved the recipe and got two 6 ounce pieces of salmon with the skin removed. Instead of using cooking spray, I just added some olive oil to the mixture & I used dried rosemary instead of fresh. It turned out really tasty and I felt good about having such a healthy dinner. I paired the salmon with pearled couscous and steamed green beans with olive oil, sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.

Try it tonight!

Salmon, Green Beans, & Couscous

My Birthday Dinner

I, like I think most people, prefer not to make dinner for my birthday, so I decided to go to Graze. It is located downtown right across from the Capitol. At Graze they have great comfort food made from local fresh ingredients....nothing unnatural here! 

We started out with a soft pretzel covered in sea salt with house mustards & Widmer's cheese spread (I could have eaten the cheese spread just by itself!) & a fresh artisan bread basket with homemade butters. I then figured some vegetables would be good, so I ordered the mixed greens salad with champagne vinaigrette and SarVecchio cheese (a WI cheese of course.)

For our meals, we both got the mac and cheese with Hook’s 10-year cheddar & herbed breadcrumbs. Justin added pork to his. Hook's cheddar is one of my favorite cheeses so it was a given that I needed to eat this mac and cheese for dinner!

We then ordered the dark chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting and caramel sauce for dessert. Thanks to my "overload of carbs" meal, I was too full to eat the cake, so we had to eat it later at home. Nothing wrong with that! 

One of the best birthday dinners yet!

Bread Basket & Pretzel

Our Mac and Cheeses

Two of My Favorite Places to Eat

I have to admit, Justin and I eat out way more than we should! We have a lot of favorite restaurants and here are two that we visited this past weekend...

Francesca’s al Lago

An Italian restaurant located in downtown Madison right near the Capitol. Their menu changes about every three weeks, but your favorite dish always seems to return. Who doesn't love a large bowl of pasta? I know I do! The only thing I missed, was a glass of wine :)

I had Spaghetti al Funghetto, which was pasta with porcini and wild mushrooms, mascarpone cheese, white truffle oil, oregano, and brandy sauce. It was amazing!!

Justin had Gnoochi all Bavosa. Homemade potato flour dumplings with a tomato basil sauce, melted mozzarella, olive oil, and parmesan cheese.

Perks: Kid friendly (on Sundays they eat free) & you will ALWAYS have leftovers!

Spaghetti al Funghetto

 

Gnocchi alla Bavosa

Maxie's Southern Comfort

Southern comfort food of all kinds. Located in Milwaukee right off the freeway before Miller Park. Think fried green tomatoes, slow cooked barbeque, homemade corn bread with orange honey butter...YUM!

Perks: Same as Francesca’s....kid friendly and leftovers are always there. Also, everyday from 4-6 they have half-priced fresh shucked oysters & clams, half-priced peel-n-eat shrimp, and fried green tomatoes!

We both devoured sandwiches. I had a vinegar based pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw. I hardly ever get pork, I am more of a chicken girl, but this sandwich was an exception! Justin had a grilled chicken sandwich smothered with their homemade bbq sauce. Messy sandwiches are always the best and these sure were messy! 

Smoothie for One

   I love this mixed berry smoothie! I found this recipe a couple of years ago in a fitness magazine and it is by far my favorite smoothie to make at home. I am not the biggest fan of yogurt based smoothies, so I think that's why I enjoy this one so much. It is also super healthy....I hope you enjoy it too! 

1 cup of frozen mixed berries

1 cup of Pomegranate juice (POM juice is my choice)

1/2 orange

1/2 banana

Mix all in your blender and drink! 

Tip: I like to freeze the orange and banana, but you don't have to. It helps make the smoothie colder, but my blender has to work "extra hard" when they are frozen. If you don't have the best blender, I recommend not freezing the orange and banana ahead of time. 

Smoothie Before

Smoothie After

                                                                  

Welcome

   Hello! My name is Jaime and welcome to my blog, www.fullofgarlic.blogspot.com. I am new to the blog world and I am hoping that it will encourage you to enjoy cooking at home! I also want you to enjoy reading about my favorite restaurants in the Madison & Milwaukee area. 

   I have been married for just a little over a year now, so most of my cooking is for just one or two. I am also 28 weeks pregnant and in the process of building a house! I am currently living in a small apartment, which means a small kitchen. But even in small spaces, good food can be made. I am by no means a "chef," but someone obsessed with finding new recipes on Pinterest and Food & Wine magazine. So between prenatal yoga and counter top appointments, I hope to inspire you to enjoy food as much as I do!