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!

Chocolate pecan cobbler

I made Paula Deen's chocolate pecan cobbler for a game night recently and it was a big hit! I mean, who could resist all that chocolate?? I served mine with vanilla ice cream AND the homemade caramel whipped cream, which was FANTASTIC. We had some whipped cream left over, so Robert and I enjoyed it on our morning coffee for a few days... lucky us! (Sorry my picture looks like chocolate soup, but trust me- this stuff is yummy).

Cheesy chicken enchiladas

Dinner tonight were cheesy chicken enchiladas from Cooking Light magazine. I thought it might need a little extra spice, so I seasoned my chicken with chili powder and cumin before cooking, and I used habenero pepper cheese instead of cheddar. These were great! (Note from Robert: he thinks this recipe would work well with shrimp, too).

Steak sandwich

Oh, I almost forgot to post this recipe. It's a steak sandwich with provolone cheese sauce from Rachael Ray. Similar to a Philly cheesesteak, which is one of my favorites. This was one of the few success stories in the past few weeks!

Mexican meatloaf and poblano potato salad

I have been on an un-intended hiatus from the food blog lately. The last 4 or 5 recipes I've tried were deemed mediocre, therefore not blog-worthy. Combine that with a busy last few weeks of summer, and it feels like an eternity since I've talked food! But, as Robert said tonight after we licked our dinner plates... I'm back! I found my swagger again in the kitchen tonight, thanks to Marcela from Mexican Made Easy and her Mexican meatloaf and poblano potato salad. These recipes are spicy and delicious! I'm not sure I'd call these easy recipes, due to the amount of ingredients and the steps required- and the number of dirty pots and pans we had to clean. But who said great food was going to be easy?? Lots of excellent, smoky flavors in these with poblano peppers, serrano chiles, and even a bit of chipotle. Looking forward to having leftovers this weekend!