Tomato minestrone soup with garlic bread croutons

It's finally starting to feel like Fall outside, and that means soup weather! We made Rachael Ray's tomato minestrone with garlic bread croutons this weekend, and loved it. Robert was a little tentative about minestrone - it just didn't sound like his style - but he was pleasantly surprised and changed his tune. I think he was afraid it would taste like vegetable soup with pasta thrown in, but the pancetta, crushed tomatoes, and delicious garlic bread croutons added layers of flavor that he approved of!

Pimiento cheese

Robert has developed cravings for pimiento cheese because he loves the one served at The Capital Hotel Bar. We're having a lazy weekend at home, and thought it was a great opportunity to make a batch for sandwiches and snacks. This version has toasted pecans, which gives it a little twist!

Banana bread cobbler

We made banana bread cobbler a few weeks ago at the lake, and it was a big hit! This was Robert's perfect dessert because he isn't as much of a chocolate fan as the rest of us. It's easy to make, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it extra-special!

Chicken tamale casserole

Last week we tried chicken tamale casserole from Cooking Light - it was simple, hearty, and yummy! I used 1 large egg instead of egg substitute, and habanero shredded cheese for extra heat.

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread

I can't believe my favorite recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread hasn't made an appearance on the blog until now. My friend Kady brought a loaf of this to the office when I worked in DC, and I've been hooked ever since. I don't even want to know how many loaves of this I've made since then - it might embarrass me. Try it, you'll love it!

1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first five ingredients and mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Mix together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

(I usually cover mine with foil for the last 10 minutes or so, to make sure the edges don't get too dark while the middle finishes baking).

Spicy orange beef

Dinner last night was spicy orange beef from Cooking Light. This recipe is so simple (other than the first batch of rice we ruined, but enough about that). It is spicy and delicious!

(We were out of sesame oil so I used olive oil. And minced fresh garlic (2 cloves) instead of bottled. Other than, we followed the recipe.)

Crispy ravioli with roasted tomatoes

Dinner last night was crispy ravioli with roasted tomatoes from Cooking Light. This meal is ready in mere minutes - you use refrigerated ravioli (I used four-cheese), bread it in panko and parmesan, then pan-fry it for just a minute on each side. The tomatoes are quick cooking also, so this entire dish can be prepared in 10-12 minutes! Simple, fast, and delicious - that's a great combo.

Chocolate peanut butter bars

Jennifer from Robert's office made these chocolate peanut butter bars this week, and Robert promptly forwarded me the recipe with a request to make a batch as well. I saw the words peanut butter and chocolate, and got right to work! These were DELICIOUS. I mean, you put peanut butter, chocolate, graham crackers, and two sticks of butter in a 9x13 surface area, and you know it's going to taste great!