It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The Holidays are my favorite time of year, solely for the sparkling decorative lights, and the food. Every year Trader Joe's comes out with a slew of Holiday goodies. Pumpkin butter, which you guys already know I love, cookies, egg nog, breads. Ah! the flavors. My favorite thing they offer, by far, are the Candy Cane Joe Joe's.
Joe Joe's are TJ's version of Oreo cookies. Not organic, or particularly healthy, per se, but they are made of all natural ingredients with no preservatives or artificial flavors. And man are they delectable. The regular vanilla ones have vanilla cream with real bean specks! The middle is so creamy and the wafers are right on par with traditional Oreo's. These are the only ones that I have ever found that rival the original, and may even surpass them due to the natural aspect.
Beginning in November they release the Candy Cane Joe Joe's. These are like the original, but mixed into the creme are bits of real candy canes. They are chocolaty, minty, and refreshing. I love to crumble them on top of vanilla ice cream, or in yogurt if I want to save some calories. I suggest you go buy a box, or two. You're going to love them.

Here's another blog I found that has a recipe to make your own. I'm definitely going to try this one! http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2009/03/02/say-it-aint-so-joes/

Burgers, Shakes, Cider & Doughnuts

Last week my friend Keren and I went to my favorite burger spot, The Shake Shack (http://shakeshacknyc.com). It's a cute stand in Madison Square Park on 23rd street in Manhattan. Right by the landmark Flatiron Building. It's a beautiful park, with seasonal art installments and performances. I like going to the Shake Shack in the winter, because the line is never as long. And they have heaters out so that you don't get too cold while you're waiting for them to freshly cook your burger and fries. And yes you have to get both.
My favorite is the Shack Burger that is topped with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and there shack sauce (which I think is thousand island). The burger is always perfectly cooked, and the tender bun is toasted. The burger is the perfect size, and the fries are crinkle-cut and crispy. Another great thing is that the shack is powered by wind energy, and relatively inexpensive. The Shack Burger with fries is $7.50.
They also have a vegetarian option, a Portabello mushroom , stuffed with munster and cheddar cheeses and fried. It's incredible. And if you're feeling particularly gluttonous, you can get that on top of a burger. That's called the shack stack.
They offer hotdogs also, and have a rotating daily frozen custard menu. Some of the flavors this month are Pumpkin, poached Pear, and Apple Cider.
Oh! And this time of year they are offering hot chocolate with fresh marshmallow, and hot apple cider with doughnut holes from my FAVORITE doughnut place, The Doughnut Plant (http://doughnutplant.com) and I'm from North Carolina, the land of Krispy Kreme. And keren and I shared a Pumpkin-Pie-Oh-My! (custard blended with Pumpkin Pie and topped with whipped cream). Now I didn't say this was a healthy lunch place, but man is it delicious.
Next time there's a somewhat warm, sunny winter day, take a trip to the shake shack. I promise you won't be disappointed.

With these you'll always be invited back

So I know that Thanksgiving was last week, but I'm still going to list these recipes, because they can easily be carried over to Christmas.
I didn't prepare the Turkey this year, so I opted to take a few side dishes to my friend Chris's. As always, I went to the Green Market to find something to prepare. I knew that I wanted to make an apple pie, cornbread and cranberry sauce, but my vegetable remained to be determined. I work right by the market now, which is fantastic because I can stop by as they're packing up and get even better deals. I picked up a bag of Broccoli for $2.00 and decided that I would make a Broccoli casserole. I also bought some fresh cranberries, coarse corn meal, and a 3 lb bag of apples for $1.00, also one bunch of Rosemary. All of my fresh ingredients for less than ten bucks! You really can't beat that.
I have some Gruyere in the fridge, and pick up a block of cheddar, bread crumbs, and some button mushrooms.

For the Broccoli casserole: I start by blanching the broccoli. Then I chop one medium yellow onion and saute it in 2 T of butter until translucent. I add the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook over medium-low heat until they soften and start to brown. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the onion and mushrooms are caramelized and golden. Turn heat up to med high and add 2T butter. Add 2 T flour and stir continuously until it has been entirely combined with the butter. Add one cup of milk and whisk until smooth. Turn heat back down to low and add a little fresh ground nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. When sauce has thickened, add 2T cream cheese and stir until combined. Add the broccoli and about 3/4 to 1 cup mixture of the Gruyere and Cheddar. Stir mixture together until the cheese has melted and all broccoli is coated. Pour into a greased ceramic pan and top with more cheese and some breadcrumbs. Sprinkle a little Parmesan on there if you have it too, or those crunchy onions if you like them. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min, until bubbly and golden. If you're taking them to someone's house, prepare it up the the last step and wrap with tin foil, so you can bake it when you get there.


For the Cranberry Sauce: Put 1lb fresh cranberries (rinsed) into a small saucepan, and pour 2/3 cup orange juice and 1/3 cup cherry juice over them. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the cranberries have popped open. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and one small grated apple and stir. Remove from heat and add the zest of half of a lemon. Leave at room temperature to cool.

For the Cornbread: Combine 1 and 1/2 cup coarse ground cornmeal with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar, 3 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt . In a smaller bowl, combine 1 egg with 1/4 cup oil (I like grape seed or coconut) and whisk together, then add 1 cup whole milk or half & half , 2 T orange marmalade, and 2 T melted butter. Pour wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add one cup frozen sweet corn and stir. Pour mixture into a greased and pre-heated iron skillet. Sprinkle with sea salt and chopped Rosemary and bake at 400 until golden.I love to top the fresh cranberry sauce onto the warm cornbread. The tart flavor of the cranberry nicely compliments the fresh, piny taste of the rosemary. And the broccoli casserole takes broccoli wih cheese sauce to a whole other level. It is unreal. And you can substitute cauliflower, green beans, greens, even pearl onions. Whatever you have or love. I basically just created a home-made cream of mushroom base. These are three staple recipes that are so quick and easy you can whip them up that morning. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Countdown

It's Monday of Thanksgiving week, so it's time to plan the menu and go shopping. I'm going to give you a shopping list of my Thanksgiving musts, and then follow up with some recipes over the next couple of days. Today is the day to get your Turkey, especially if it's frozen. Here is a sample menu of things that I have at my house.

Brined, Roasted Turkey with root vegetables
Brussells Sprouts with Panchetta and shaved Parmesan
Fresh Cranberry/Apple sauce
Caremelized Leek Stuffing
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Sweet Potato Casserole
Rosemary Cornbread
Apple Pie with Ginger crust

You will need:
a Turkey (1 1/2 pounds per person)
coarse sea salt
brown sugar
unsalted butter
1 qt. half and half
1 dozen eggs
stone ground cornmeal
Parmesan cheese
pancetta
brussells sprouts
regular and sweet potatoes (about 3 pound of each)
other veggies to roast around the bird (broccoli, carrots, turnips, etc)
stuffing mix
garlic
onions
flour
walnuts or pecans
fresh rosemary, sage, thyme
fresh cranberries
a 3 lb bag of apples
candied ginger
lemons and an orange

Check back tomorrow for some recipes from the above menu, and good luck with the crowds!

Beefy, Beany, Barley Stew

I know i haven't posted in a week....But that doesn't mean that i haven't been cooking. I wanted to use the left over stock that i had from the French Onion soup I made. I also realized that I haven't put many recipes up that contain any meat, so I decided to make beef stew. It's a staple from my childhood, and a great dish to have this time of year. It's really great to clean out your fridge with a stew, so you don't have to stick with the exact recipe. Use what you have, and what you like. You can also use this as a guide for a day after after Thanksgiving meal. My secret ingredient is cherry juice, which really gives this dish some interesting depth and flavor. And along with some red kale, it gives it a very nice color. While my stew is cooking I'm going to watch The Proposal, and have a cup of delicious tea from Trader Joe's. My friend Michael gave me this beautiful vintage teapot.

Below I'm going to list what I put into my soup, and feel free to use anything else you'd prefer. Just make sure you don't over cook the Beef before you add the stock, or it will be tough.

Beef Stew: *Beef stew meat *any color onion (i had a red one) *carrots *fennel *potatoes
*kale (or any other green) *dried mushrooms (oyster or shitake) *1/2 bag of 17 Bean and Barley mix (TJ's) soaked overnight *garlic *beef stock *chicken stock *cherry juice *wine *thyme *sage *salt *pepper *water *and of course, butter

Start with a pot on med-high heat, I used a dutch oven, and toss in a half T of butter. Toss in the onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and fennel and cook for about 3 min. Add another half T of butter and toss in the shrooms, carrots, and potatoes. cook for another few minutes. Add some more butter and toss in the beef. Saute until lightly brown. De-glaze the pan with some wine, whatever you like. Then add the kale, stock and juice. You'll want to use about a cup and a half of juice in all. Add the bean mix, and bring the pot to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to Med-low and add herbs, a couple T of each if fresh. Then cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Adding water if the stew starts getting to thick.

Now it is a stew , so it should be pretty chunky. And be careful! This smells so good that you're going to want to try it immediately, and I blistered my mouth in a really hot potato. Try this recipe as a guide for any kind of stew you'd like to make. Like I said, use your leftover Turkey, and root veggies for a quick and easy way to use some of your Thanksgiving leftovers. Enjoy!

Bacon and Fennel Bread pudding

I have to be honest. I 've never made bread pudding before. But I have the leftover bread from the soup, and I can't think of much else to do with it. I was recently filming in Brooklyn, and I came across Bakeri (http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/08/lunch-for-one-bakeri-williamsburg-nyc.html). They had savory bread puddings that looked incredible. I'm going to attempt something like theirs.
I went to the market, but it's an extremely windy day, and it was slim pickin's. I wanted to get some leeks, since I used fennel recently. But there were none to be found. So fennel it is! I have some delicious apple-wood smoked bacon, the left over Gruyere, and some goat cheese...
Cut the bacon into squares and saute. When halfway finished, add 1/2 head of roughly chopped Fennel and continue to cook until bacon is crisp, and Fennel is tender.
Slice the bread into inch cubes and toss it into a greased baking dish. Add Fennel and bacon. Toss gently with a spoon. Grate the cheese. Take 2 medium eggs, 1/4 c half & half, 1/4 c milk, salt, pepper, and toss in some Herbs de Provence (1t or so), whisk it all together. Toss in the cheese and crumbled goat cheese. Pour over bread mixture. Toss gently with a spoon to evenly coat the bread. Let stand for 15 min. Bake at 350 for about 30-45 min, covered for the first half.
I've altered the recipe for a couple mistakes I made, but all-in-all the flavor is incredible. Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Before we begin, I want you to get where I am. Today is my day off, a luxury here in New York. Anywhere really. So, go to Pandora.com. Type Etta James into the search bar, take a deep breath, and read along...
You'll come to learn that I love to make things as seasonally as possible. I think that if you live in a climate with seasonal changes, your diet should reflect things that are freshest locally so that you're getting all of the nutrients you need. Eating locally can also help people who have allergies, try using local honey. That said, it's not like onions are necessarily seasonal. However, I do think that French Onion Soup is. Rich comforting foods are vital to keep our spirits up when it starts getting cold outside. And onions are loaded with antioxidants and can help lower blood pressure.They have also been used for many years to fight colds and coughs.
I found my 1 pound bag of assorted pearl onions at Trader Joe's. There are also many different kinds of onions in the market right now, I've just always been drawn to pearl onions and thought this would be a nice way to use them. I looked up many recipes online and combined a few to create this soup. I also use some other seasonal ingredients, apple cider and fresh thyme (from my herb garden). Caramelizing the onions in the oven gives you free time to clean the house or do the laundry. I did both. It's a little time intensive, but this French onion soup stands up to the best I've had at Irish pubs around the city. There are three things that if I see on a menu, I order: macaroni and cheese, chicken pot pie, and french onion soup. If they have all three, then I pick 2 and come back later for the third. They're three staple recipes, the ultimate comfort foods, I'm always looking to improve mine.
I bought a 1 quart oven proof casserole (http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=550&f=34276) at Crate and Barrel that's perfect for this recipe. It only serves about 2 people. I try never to make more than I'll eat. You could easily double this recipe, and split it into smaller soup bowls. Just make sure you use an oven proof dish! This soup is so rich and sweet, with bitter, creamy cheese on top of crusty butter-coated bread. Do your self a favor and make this right away.
Pour a glass of wine, light a candle, and relax. Sing along, this music will transport you to a younger time. As will this dish. Enjoy.

French Onion Soup:
1 lb peeled pearl onions* 2 cups beef stock 1/2 c chicken stock 1/2 c white/red wine
1/2 c apple cider 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 3 cloves garlic (smashed) salt & pepper 1t flour
1 1/2 T butter (cut into cubes) 3/4 inch sliced baguette shredded Gruyere and Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Peel onions by boiling them for 90 sec and plunging them into an ice bath, then cutting of the ends and squeezing out the onion. trim ends if necessary and place into oven proof casserole with 1T butter and garlic. Cover and roast for about 45 min. Stir. Roast another 15-30 min until very golden and caramelized. While the onions are roasting combine the stocks with the cider and place over med-low heat.
When the onions are ready, toss in the flour and cook for a minute or so. De-glaze the pan with the wine, and stir until the bits on the side and bottom are incorporated. Pour in the stock and the thyme. Cook for another 45 min to an hour. On the stove top, place the remaining butter in a pan and brown the slices of bread until crisp and golden. Shred cheese.
Remove thyme from the soup and stir in salt and pepper to taste. Top with bread and cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Let cool at least 10 min before eating or you won't be able to taste the second bite. Or serving.

Cookies!

I've been baking cookies since I learned to turn on the oven. Years ago I would try and win over my brother's cool, older friends by making them treats after school. While they were engaging in some "extracurricular activities". It drove him crazy, but I know he loved the snacks all the same. I still bake for my family when given the chance. I came up with this delicious cookie recipe a couple years back, and my step father referred to them as a "Devastator". I figured that was approval enough.
The secret is to use sweetened-condensed milk or half and half. Also, I love to use vanilla bean when available, especially if I'm giving these as a gift. You really can taste the difference. Today I put a sprinkle of Pumkin pie spice in them to add a seasonal touch. You'll see me use this basic recipe all throughout the holidays. Put anything you like in them.

Jessie's Cookie Dough:

*2 sticks Butter (softened) *2 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour *1/2 tsp sea salt *3/4 c cane
sugar *1/4 c dark brown sugar *1/2 c lt. brown sugar *1 1/2 t vanilla (or 1/2 scraped bean)
* 2 T sweetened condensed milk or half & half *2 eggs *1 tsp baking powder *1 bag chips

Cream butter and sugar together for 3-4 minutes until really light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix eggs and SCM together in a bowl and add slowly while mixing. Stir until completely incorporated. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry mixture 1/4 at a time until well combined. Try not to over mix or the dough will be tough. Add chips, nuts, dried fruit, peppermint bark, etc...you can also substitute other extracts like peppermint, or almond. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. You'll never go simply Toll-house again.

This one's for Kate

As I've said so far, I'm a hairstylist and I'm always talking food with my clients. Tossing around recipes and ideas. Yesterday I was working on a cute little blonde New York fashionista and I brought up the blog. The discussion turned to Brussels Sprouts because I had them to cook. I told her my standard recipe, which is to saute them with pancetta in a skillet, top them with shaved parmesan and roast them at 450. Simple and delicious.
However, my client is a vegetarian. She asked if I had ever had the sprouts at Alta in the Village (www.altaresteraunt.com) I haven't. So she told me about the way they cook their sprouts. More sweet than savory. She said that she thought there was apple, maybe honey? balsamic? She wasn't sure of much other than the fact that they are plate-licking good. She told me I had to go there to figure it out. I thought I'd try to figure it out first, and then see how close I am.
So today I felt up to the challenge, and I 've got to say if theirs are better than these, I may need to kiss the chefs feet. Try them out for yourself, and let me know what you think.
Brussels Sprouts are rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and fiber. They are also thought to help fight certain types of cancer, and prevent birth defects.

Sweet and Spiced Brussels Sprouts:
*about 1 pound Sprouts (cut in half) *1/2 small yellow onion (chopped) *3 small apples (firm) *1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar *2 1/2 T butter *splash of white wine
*1/4 c Honey *1 whole allspice * 1 Cardamom pod *6 white peppercorns *1/4 tsp cinnamon *1/4 c Walnuts pieces

Start by preheating the oven to 450, because we're still going to roast these things. Reduce the balsamic over medium heat in an oven proof pan. When it has become thick and reduces by half, add the onion and 1T butter. Now, while the onion is cooking (we want it to caramelize in the reduction) you can slice and peel the apples. Cut them however you like, I sliced and cut into thirds. also this is where you can grind the spices in a grinder, or I use a mortar and pestle. When the onion has absorbed the color of the vinegar, add another 1T butter and the sprouts, spices, and apples. Stir. Try and get everything evenly coated. Turn up the heat to med-high. When the pan starts to look a little dry throw a splash (no more than 1/3 cup) of wine in there. Don't drink? Use juice or cider. Cover and reduce to med-low. Cook until the sprouts brighten a bit (about 3-5 min). Uncover the pan and let the moisture out. When the pan is mostly dry, add the honey and walnuts and remaining 1/2 T of butter. Stir again until evenly coated, then toss into the oven. You'll only want to roast them for about 10-15 min, just long enough to crisp up.

When I checked the website after the fact it listed creme fraiche in the dish. That would make it even more spectacularly amazing. I thought about putting cream cheese on mine, but wanted to try them plain first. Everything about this dish is perfect. It's great for the season, the spices make you feel warm and cozy. The honey, butter and balsamic make a gooey sauce surrounding delicate caramelized Brussels Sprouts. The melting apples, and the buttery crunch of the Walnuts.

You're house will smell amazing and you will burn your mouth due to impatience, but you will never say you don't like Brussels Sprouts again! I promise.

A Quick and Easy Dinner for 1

It's been a long day. It began as I left the house at 8:30 this morning, headed to Union Square to dress as an elf and dance for about 3 hours as a promotion (elfyourself.com), and then headed to work for a busy day of clients...It wasn't until hearing my last client tear into her Luna Bar that I realized, I hadn't eaten anything but some pretzels and half of a granola bar all day! And of course coffee, I love coffee.
Seeing as I didn't leave work until 9:15 and had yet to come home to my hungry (for food and attention) dog. I really could not contemplate making a huge dinner. I headed to the kitchen for some inspiration, and food to hold the dog over.
I spot some baby Roma tomatoes that are almost always present in my house, and I remembered the baby Fennel that I bought the other day. Score! I decide to slice the tomatoes and fennel (removing stems) in half, drizzle with olive oil (about a tablespoon), sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 400 for about 30 minutes. This is something I can have working as I take my pup out for a quick walk...As the veggies are roasting, boil some water and toss in some pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, drain and put back into the pot with a little butter. When the tomatoes and fennel have roasted to a nice caramel color, remove them from the oven and toss into the pot. Stir. Plate. Crumble goat cheese on top. Eat and Enjoy!
This is one of the best quick dishes I've made in a while. Roasting the tomatoes and fennel really brings out an entirely different flavor, they both become so sweet and tender. The fennel won't be licorice tasting at all. And the goat cheese offers a nice tang and texture. I buy the blocks so I can make the crumbles the size I like. Goat cheese packed in olive oil will keep at room temp for 6 months, and I 'll have plenty of uses for you by then.

A day out of touch.

I have the worst habit of losing my cell phone. Three years, three phones, and counting...Saturday night was Halloween, also the night that I lost the third phone. Not the biggest deal, I was planning on getting a new phone anyway, I just hate losing my numbers. Though I guess sometimes it's good to clean out the address book, I also have a habit of drunk texting.
So the next day I head out to the Verizon store, to get my new phone, with my little pup Jon. It's a cloudy day, but warm, and the trees are so yellow. There are leaves everywhere. There's a street fair going on right out in front of the store, and I'm hungry so the sight makes me happy. We walk into the store and immediately back out, after the guy informs me that they don't allow dogs in the store. I thought about arguing for about 30 seconds and then I realized, I have the opportunity to be completely out of contact for the entire day! No one can reach me, and I can do whatever I want.
I got a hot, grilled, ear of corn from the fair. It was delicious.
After that, Jon and I walked to see some friends at the salon so that I could grab my shears. Also, I wanted to put the word out on my phone, and recap some of the blurry parts of the night. Champagne on a mostly empty stomach:) They had all gotten Chinese food for lunch, and I decided that I wanted some too.
I walked home down 6th Ave and stopped at my favorite Lo Mein place, Sammy's Noodle Shop. The noodles here are unlike any I've ever seen. They are plump and chewy, extremely saucy, and full of flavor. I ordered the veggie lo mein, and waited outside with my pup. I wanted to get the deep fried corn cakes too, but this lo mein box is bottomless, and I did just have the grilled corn. I walked back home to the East Village and sat on my couch eating lo mein and watching, Parks and Recreation.
Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of a time when we didn't have the option of checking our phones for messages every 10 minutes. A time that isn't so far behind us. What I realized about having my phone off for the day is, that sometimes you won't miss a thing.

It's Pumpkin Time!

Seeing as it's Halloween, and my last day of work at my current salon, I want to make eveyone something special. I see nothing more fitting to use than the most seasonal of ingredients, Pumpkin. These orange globes are themselves low-calorie, low-fat food, high in potassium, fiber, and vitamins A and C.
I'm baking everyone one of their favorite Jessie treats, chocolate chip pumpkin muffins with cream cheese center. Yes, they are as good as they sound!
Now, you can use the recipe, minus the chips and cheese for a pumpkin loaf . And you can use any size muffin cups. Being petite, i like mini ones...it also ups your cheese/muffin ratio.
I'm also going to make a treat for my dog using the same can of pumpkin as the muffins. Pumpkin can be used as a substitution for your dog's canned dog food, if you're trying to take off some extra pounds.
I'm also going to throw some of the salon's favorite meatballs, the easiest and most crowd pleasing holiday finger food, in the Crock pot. All you have to do for these is:
* buy 3-4 frozen bags of meatballs ( i like Trader Joe's turkey and mini party varieties)
*2 bottles of whatever your choice barbecue sauce is
* a jar of blackberry jelly
* and some spicy chili sauce (Thai variety)
*put meatballs, BBQ sauce, 1/2 the jar of jelly, and 1/2 the bottle chili sauce in the Crock pot and cook over high heat for 1 1/2 hours then turn down to low for another hour or so. The longer they cook, the better they'll taste. It's as simple as that.
*reserve the leftover sauce for more meatballs, or to use for BBQ chicken or beef.

These Pumpkin Muffins are a staple Holiday recipe for me. I came up with the recipe when inspired by the seasonal Pumpkin muffins and Pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks.I love to bake them with friends and some home made Chai tea and a good movie. I use Coconut oil for it's health benefits, such as strengthening the immune system, which is important this time of year. And it and the flax oil are good for the heart, by helping maintain good cholesterol levels. if you don't have those oils, you can use 1/3 cup vegetable oil.

Pumpkin Muffins:
2 cups Flour 1 1/4 cup Sugar 1 cup Pumpkin 2 Eggs 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice 1/2 Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/4 cup Coconut Oil 2 Tbsp Flax Oil 2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 c Pumpkin Butter 1 cup chocolate chips
4 oz cream cheese or Tofutti 1 1/2 T Honey

Preheat the oven to 350. Start by combining all of your dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix The eggs and oil together in a separate bowl then add pumpkin. Mix the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, folding until just incorporated. Remember, when making muffins the batter is always thick and clumpy. Fold in Chocolate chips and Pumpkin butter.
In a small bowl combine the cream cheese and honey along with a sprinkle of Cinnamon.
Line muffin tins with baking cups or just spray the pans with oil. Using a ice cream or cookie scoop, fill the cups to the top with batter. Using a small spoon, scoop spoonfuls of the cheese mixture into the center of the muffins, using another spoon to scrape it into the muffin. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown on the top. Enjoy!

Here's some of the crew I worked with at Chris Chase, on Halloween. I'm Peggy Bundy....

On to the dog treats! I started making these a number of months ago because I have a photographer friend who loves his dog more than anything, and his dog has arthritis in his hips. As a thank you for some really beautiful portraits my friend took of me, I wanted to do something for him. Knowing there really isn't anything I could have bought this guy, I made his dog some treats. I put Glucosamine in those to help relieve his pain. And both of our dogs loved them!
These treats take a bit of work, but they are loaded with whole grain, lean protein, fiber, vitamins, and healthy oils for your dogs skin, coat, and digestive tract. And they're 100% human friendly, no by-products here. The original recipe calls for peanut butter. Today, like I said, I'll be using Pumpkin instead. The rest of the recipe is exactly the same.

1/2 c ground Millet 1/2 c ground Barley 1/2 c Cornmeal 1 c Wheat Flour 1/3 c Pumpkin (peanut butter) 2 Tbs Olive oil 2 Tbs Coconut oil 1 Egg 1/2 cup Chicken stock sprinkle of Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. You will have to start by grinding the Millet and Barley in a coffee grinder, unless you can find them pre-ground, which I've never seen. Measure the grains after they have been ground.
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine oils and pumpkin in a bowl and stir. Mix with dry ingredients, followed by the egg. Gradually add stock until the mixture holds together.
Roll out onto a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with any shaped cutter that's bite sized, and bake for 15-20 min.
Try these with any number of substitutions...spinach, carrots, etc. I hope you all will enjoy these easy recipes and use them this Holiday season.