Spicy Pork, Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

I woke up yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving, to the quiet, rhythmic tapping of rain on the roof and windows. I could hear the drips on the backdoor threshold and I stayed in bed, listening and enjoying the sounds. I love rain. Unfortunately, it doesn't rain much in California and when it does, two things are certain. One, no one knows how to drive in the rain here; two, the local news stations will over-report a light drizzle as Storm Watch 2013. It's a breaking news story when we have actual weather in Southern California. Anyway, confronted with the reality of rain and not wanting to drive with all those crazies, we changed our plans to visit my husband's family and stayed home instead. 
I was happy because there's something about a rainy day that makes me want to stay home and make a big pot of soup and luckily that's exactly what I did. I enlisted my two boys to help with preparation. Gotta keep the kiddos busy when they are "rained in". They were a great help. I let them peel garlic and cut up red bell peppers and carrots. They had a lot of fun too. My oldest, who has stated on many occasions that he wants to be a Marine Biologist, has now changed his future profession to chef. :) 
Like most of the soups I make, they're a little bit of this and that. Basically, I use whatever I have on hand at the time and this one is no different. I had some leftovers of my Crockpot Pork Verde in the freezer and decided to put it to good use. I also like to use spaghetti sauce in my soups, it makes for a great base that you can doctor up. For this soup, I used a jar of Classico Spicy Red Pepper Sauce. It's the main soup flavor and the spicy ingredient in this soup. Add some chicken stock, vegetables, lentils and Pork Verde and you get this delicious Spicy Pork, Red Pepper and Lentil Soup. Enjoy!

Spicy Pork, Red Pepper and Lentil Soup 
Serves 8


1 small onion, diced (~1/2 cup)
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup red bell peppers,chopped
2 T olive oil
1 cup white wine 
3/4 cup green lentils
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 jar Classico Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
4 cups chicken broth
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1/2 t smoked paprika
salt and pepper (to taste)
1-2 cups leftover Pork Verde, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
cilantro, garnish

In a dutch oven, add olive oil, onions, carrots and red bell peppers and saute until onions are translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add white wine, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, spices and lentils, cover and simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes to cook lentils. Add chopped pork and heat for additional 10-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in frozen peas and serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

I also made some Cheese Pita Bread to have along side this soup. Lightly brush pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle with Queso Fresco, heat in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Cut into wedges.

For another recipe using leftover Pork Verde, try Pork Verde and Hominy Stew.

Fall Decorating

It's no secret that I love fall and I love to decorate my home using my rather large collection of ceramic pumpkins. Well, they're mostly ceramic but some are also glass, plastic, and even Styrofoam. You might recognize a lot of them from the Halloween Decorating and Entertaining Ideas blog from last month. Anyway, throw in a bunch of real pumpkins and you're ready to celebrate the season. Here's a small tour of the fall decorations I put up around my home.

This year, I decorated the porch with the dried corn stalks from my summer garden, added a bunch of bright pumpkins (including Punky, the singular pumpkin produced out of my garden), some Indian corn, and a welcome sign. Simple but festive. The dried leaves on the porch in the picture below, are the leaves my boys collected while on a bike ride around the neighborhood. The title picture above, shows what they looked like when they were first collected. A few short days later, the vibrant leaves lost their brilliance and faded to brown. It's amazing to me how the photo reflects only a moment in time and it reminds me to always be thankful and live in the moment. I put them out on the porch next to the pumpkins, to let them transform before our eyes and let the wind scatter them about.

Our house is west facing. I took this shot as the sun was setting and I love all the pronounced shadows and the glowing light produced when shooting at this time of day or evening rather. The sunset seems to blend all the yellows and oranges into a golden spotlight which is reminiscent of summertime.

Here's a fall wreath I made last year. I got all the "ingredients" on sale from Joann's and I think it turned out just beautiful. Every time I look at it, I see something different and I love that. I love all the different greens, oranges, whites, browns and the purple. I was surprised that I liked the purple in this arrangement. I wasn't so sure it would work in this wreath, but gladly it's that one unexpected thing, I like the most. 

Note:The base of this wreath was an old grapevine wreath which was re-purposed into this one. New items used were: a fall leaves garland as the base on the grapevine wreath. Then I added the following items around the fall leaves: Lotus flower pods, some fall picks with pine cones leaves and brown spear flowers , green acorn picks, a bag of small foam gourds in greens and white, purple flowers, white berries and a few extra leaves. One trick is, to disassemble some of the ready made picks so you can spread out some of the components. Keep layering the components until it looks symmetrical but not too much so. And you're done! :)
 

When you come in my front door and look toward the hallway that leads to the kitchen this is what you'll see. (sunflowers and pumpkins-below) I took a bunch of shots of this on two different days and I decided on these rather dark shots. They are much darker than I'd usually select but I like them anyway. I took these particular shots on a rainy day in the late afternoon. The picture is a bit dark but I love how the candles play with the darkness and highlight the warm orange of the pumpkins. This picture feels like fall to me, where fall days are short, dark and hinting at winter's arrival and yet quietly illuminating a brilliant show of color that reflects the warmth of summer's departure. Simply beautiful!

This shot below is all together, not a good shot, but there is something I like about the dark shadows and obscured line of vision. I only included it because I like it. I lack all Photoshop skills...I don't know how to use it at all. If I did, I might have been able to make this shot great. But no matter. (New To do list item for 2014: Learn Photoshop!)

The Dining Room...

The picture above and below are of my buffet in my dining room. I love to use these glittery pumpkins along with the rustic and metallic pumpkins all in muted earth tones. They also say fall to me, just in a more sophisticated way than the typical orange pumpkins.I love the glow of the candles as it bounces off the metallic pumpkins. 

With all the glittery bowl fillers everywhere now in the stores, I couldn't resist filling a vase with them to add a touch of glitter. This vase is also in my dining room, on a side cabinet. Subtle and festive. 

My kitchen gets a little attention as well. Even though I don't host Thanksgiving at my house each year, I still love to decorate as though I'm entertaining every night. Here is a picture of the nook in my kitchen that I use to display some of my serving pieces. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Tortilla Dressing

With only a few days before Thanksgiving, I'm now undecided about what side dish I'm going to bring to my brother's house for Thanksgiving. My brother and sister-in-law host Thanksgiving each year so up until this afternoon, I was all set to make this delicious Tortilla Dressing. I made it today as a trial run to the big day and also so I could take photos of it for the blog. After a conversation with my mom, (granted, I already knew she was bringing mashed potatoes and stuffing) but I belatedly realized that two stuffing/dressings may not be such a great idea. Especially since my mom makes great stuffing. :)
Sooo...It turns out I'm not going to make this for my family this Thanksgiving but I can still blog this delicious and decidedly different Thanksgiving dressing. I love the Latin spices and chilies in this dish and of course all the corn elements. It's perfect with the fried corn tortillas, the sweet corn bread from the stuffing mix and then of course the sweet white corn kernels. Top it with some turkey gravy or even some salsa and you have a whole new Latin inspired Thanksgiving dressing. Imagine this along side a fried turkey? Yum!! 

...As for the side dish I'm supposed to bring to my brother's house, well I'm leaning towards a green bean casserole or a vegetable gratin. Just in case you were worried. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

**Also, this would be a great main dish, a Chicken Tortilla Casserole by adding shredded chicken and cheese. See below for a great main dish variation. 

Tortilla Dressing 
(adapted recipe from Taste of Home Magazine-Thanksgiving Recipes 2011)
Serves 8

9 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
canola oil for frying
5 flour tortillas, cut into thin strips
1 cup crushed corn bread stuffing mix
1 cup white or yellow corn
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, chopped (I used my orange and yellow peppers)
1/4 cup yellow onion, small dice
1-4oz. can of diced green chilies
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 T chili powder
1 t coriander
1 t cumin
1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 t dry sage
1/4 t salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cup chicken broth 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large skillet, fry corn tortillas in oil in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour tortillas, about 2/3 of the fried corn tortillas, stuffing mix, corn, roasted peppers, onions, green chilies, cilantro, chili powder, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, sage, and salt and stir until well combined. Add beaten egg and chicken broth and mix well.  

Transfer to a greased baking dish (~13-in. x 9-in.). Sprinkle top with remaining fried corn tortillas.  Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes. 

** Chicken Tortilla Casserole- a Main Dish Option: Make as directed above, but add 2 cups of shredded chicken and an additional 1/2 cup of corn. Top with Pepper Jack Cheese and bake as directed. Garnish with additional fried corn strips, avocado, salsa and/or sour cream. Serve along side a big green salad. :)

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Thanksgiving is around the corner and if you are anything like me this month, I am so totally unprepared for Thanksgiving. Time is of the essence as the last last few days tick away. I muddle through each busy day, seemingly accomplishing many tasks of this or that and realize at the end of the day, nothing on my 'to do' list can be crossed off. I'm drowning in too many things to do. I have spread myself too thin and over-committed myself. This realization has left me anxious with a cluttered house, mounds of laundry, filthy bathrooms (Can anyone say gas station Men's room? Yuck!) and a much needed trip to the grocery store. 
If this rings true? This recipe is for you. Here is a quick and easy, delicious dessert for your family gathering. Move aside pumpkin pie, here's a great substitute without the long baking time. These pumpkin pie cupcakes, taste like pumpkin pie and even have the texture of pumpkin pie but in bite-size cupcake form. Only 20 minutes of cooking time, 20 minutes of cool down and then 30 minutes in the refrigerator and voila! 
Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes (recipe from Pinterest)

1-15oz can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup flour
2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with silicone liners. If you don't have silicone liners, you can use regular cupcake liners but spray them with cooking spray before filling with cupcake batter. Silicone works best for easy removal of the cupcakes.

In a large bowl, whisk together, pumpkin, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Next add flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture and mix until incorporated.

Fill each cupcake liner about 1/3 full. 
Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. 

Remove cupcakes from the pan and place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. 


Remove from cupcake liners and then top with whipped cream and serve.
 

Quinoa with Balsamic Mushrooms, Onions and Pine Nuts

This is one of those dishes I made one day on the fly with what I had on hand and it turned out super delicious. I love quinoa, it is one of my new favorite foods, but for what ever reason I don't make it that often. Maybe it's because my kids are becoming quite picky and I try not to introduce too many of my creations to them too often. I still make spaghetti, chicken, meatloaf and tacos and all the kid-friendly meals each week to ensure they are fed and all. But sometimes, I want to eat what I like and I make it for all of us and that includes the kids. (All I ask is that they try it before they judge it. Is that too much to ask?) I made this dish one afternoon while they were at school and when I brought them home, my oldest son said as we walked through the door, "I want to eat whatever that smell is." I was so happy he liked the smell of it, but I knew...once he got a look at the mushrooms and all that brown stuff my child would not be eating any of this great smelling and tasting side dish. As expected, he was horrified that this brown, mushroom-laden dish could possibly smell so good, he snubbed it and unhappily walked away. I tried to get him to taste it, but it was no use. In this case, the book cover was not helping with the great story inside. sigh* So back to the drawing board with my kiddos, but for those brave adults who want a super flavorful side dish, this is your dish. The earthiness of the mushrooms and thyme, coupled with the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar, quinoa and the onions make for a perfect fall side. I even topped my salad with it the next day and it was delicious. Enjoy!

Quinoa with Balsamic Mushrooms, Onions and Pine Nuts
Serves 6

1 cup dry Quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 t. dried thyme
2 packages baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped (~1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 T olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
fresh thyme leaves, garnish

Place quinoa, chicken broth and dried thyme in a medium saucepan, cover and cook according to package directions. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare your vegetables. In a large saute pan on medium high heat, add onion, mushrooms, garlic, and olive oil and lightly saute the vegetables for about 2 minutes. 

   

After the two minutes, add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and continue to saute the mushrooms and onions until they are soft and all the moisture released from the mushrooms has evaporated about 5-8 minutes longer.

Add the pine nuts to the pan and then transfer the mushrooms mixture into the prepared quinoa and mix until, evenly combined. Top with fresh thyme and additional pine nuts. Serve.

Thanksgiving Lasagna

I was inspired to make this comforting, delicious lasagna from the blog The Cozy Apron. I pinned a beautiful photo of her Autumn Lasagna from Pinterest and anxiously read her recipe to see if I could make it without having to go to the store. It seemed straight forward enough but as it turned out, I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised a bit on her delicious sauce and I added some sage infused ricotta too. The pumpkin and roasted garlic sauce is so delicious and it makes the dish decidedly more Thanksgiving-ish than a traditional Italian Lasagna with a tomato sauce would. Combine this decadent and flavorful sauce with sage-seasoned ground turkey, spinach, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and it's a feast for the taste-buds. Serve it as a new fun side dish on Thanksgiving or as a weeknight meal. I made the sauce a day ahead, only because I ran out of daylight to take photos of my progress, so I refrigerated it and resumed the next day. Letting the sauce sit overnight just enhanced the flavors as they melded together, but it' not necessary to make it a day ahead.
 
I also discovered that you should not use the no boil, oven-ready lasagna noodles, trust me! My poor husband and I spent a whole week eating my first attempt at this lasagna, although it had incredible flavor, it also had very chewy undercooked lasagna noodles. My second attempt, (pictured above) had perfectly cooked noodles with incredible flavors layered between them.  

Thanksgiving Lasagna (adapted recipe from The Cozy Apron)

Serves 10

Pumpkin and Roasted Garlic Sauce

2 garlic heads, roasted
olive oil
1 17oz pumpkin puree
1 t Italian seasoning
3 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Filling
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T fresh sage, chopped

1 small container ricotta cheese
1 egg
3-4 fresh sage leaves,chopped

12 lasagna noodles,
4 cups baby spinach, or 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Sauce Preparation:
I made this sauce a day ahead which allowed the flavors to blend well since the flavors are subtle but amazingly complex. 
Cut the tops of garlic heads and drizzle with a little olive oil. In a 350 degree oven, roast the garlic for 30-35 minutes until soft. Remove form oven and let cool, until easy to handle. (~20 minutes)
Squeeze garlic heads removing the roasted cloves and place garlic cloves in a food processor. Add pureed pumpkin and process on medium until garlic is pureed and incorporated. Transfer the pureed pumpkin and garlic to a medium saucepan. Add Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, chicken stock, half and half, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese and heat on low, gently heating the sauce. Use a whisk to gently stir the sauce as the cheeses melt. Take your time on this step so you don't heat it too quickly and scorch the cream components in the sauce. I heated mine for about 30 minutes to fully melt the cheeses and thicken the sauce. If you are preparing this a day ahead, let the sauce cool completely, cover and then refrigerate overnight. When ready to assemble lasagna, reheat the sauce slowly to bring it up to temperature, stirring often. 

Brown ground turkey in a large skillet and add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic. Add fresh sage and set aside.

Boil Lasagna Noodles according to package directions. Set aside.

In a small bowl add ricotta and egg and mix well. Add fresh sage and mix until incorporated. Set aside.

Grate cheeses and mix together in a large bowl and set aside.

Rinse and spin fresh spinach or thaw and squeeze out the water from frozen spinach and set aside.
Now, you are ready to assemble your Thanksgiving Lasagna.


Assembly of first layer:

Add 2 cups of sauce to the bottom of 12x9x3 baking dish.

Layer 4 Lasagna Noodles length-wise on top of sauce. Sauce will seep and coat the tops of the noodles to so there is no need for additional sauce for this first layer..

Add approx. 1/2 of the ricotta cheese to noodles.

Add approximately 1/2 of the seasoned turkey meat and approximately 1/2 of the spinach.

Top first layer with approximately 1/3 of the cheese mixture.

2nd layer
Layer 4 Lasagna noodles over the last cheese layer.
Add 1 cup of sauce.
Spoon remaining ricotta cheese.
Top with the other 1/2 of seasoned turkey meat and remaining spinach.
Add another 1/3 of the cheese mixture.

Final layer
Add the last 4 lasagna noodles.
Add 2 cups of sauce and top with remaining cheese mixture.
Sprinkle top with a little Italian seasoning.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. 

Note: You will have left-over sauce, so don't throw it away, freeze it. Place in a Ziploc bag, remove any air and freeze for use with another Lasagna or to top Ravioli or your favorite pasta. Enjoy!