Author Archives: emilybrandsma

Pumpkin Soup

Posted in Eating Healthy, Holidays, Soups, Vegetarian Modifications by

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Pumpkin soup is one of my favorite meals this time of year. To me it feels like I’m getting away with something, almost like I’m eating pumpkin pie in liquid form – just without the sugar. (Incidentally, I made a pumpkin pie one Thanksgiving and forgot to add the sugar. I have yet to live it down.) Now, like pumpkin pie, this soup is bursting with warm autumn flavors like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, but unlike pumpkin pie, it’s incredibly healthy. So this Halloween why not put your conscience to rest, fill up on this festive soup, and leave the candy bowl to the trick-or-treaters. (Oh, who am I kidding, go ahead and stuff your face – it’s Halloween!) Continue reading →

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Buffalo Chicken Wings

Posted in Main Dishes, Parties! by

I’m sure many of you already know (or can at least deduce from the name) that these red-hot chicken wings originated in the great state of New York, city of Buffalo (my dad’s hometown). When my husband and I first married, we took a trip back east to spend Thanksgiving with my dad’s family. My husband, being a connoisseur of bar food, was determined to order Buffalo chicken wings in Buffalo, so my dad took us to one of his favorite local joints. We grabbed a pitcher of Genesee from the bar, and when the waiter came to take our order, my husband asked for a dozen wings. He, like me, can tolerate some pretty spicy food, but since we were in the birthplace of the hot wing, he decided to play it safe and order the medium spiciness. The waiter nodded for a second, then said in his thick New York accent, “I can tell you’re not from around here, so I’m gonna bring you a plate of mild wings, and if they’re not hot enough, just send them back and I’ll getcha the spicier ones.” Looking slightly offended, my husband agreed. Continue reading →

Gingersnaps (Two Ways)

Posted in Cookies & Desserts, Holidays, Vegetarian by

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Well hello, stranger, long time no see! It’s been a couple weeks since I posted anything to my blog and I have a good excuse for that (or lots of little excuses that add up to one good excuse). What started out as me taking a single week off to battle the plague which brought my entire family to its knees (seriously, even the cat was sick), Continue reading →

Caramelized Onion and Gruyère Flatbread

Posted in Breads and Breakfasts, Main Dishes, Vegetarian by

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Some weeks I head to the grocery store with a solid plan of what I want to make. I have a detailed list and a mission. I walk in, get what I need, and leave. And then there are those weeks when I have no idea what I want, and I cross through the sliding glass doors feeling completely purposeless. I spend more time than I’d like aimlessly meander through the aisles looking for inspiration, hoping that something spectacular will jump out and grab me. Last week was just such a week. Continue reading →

Artichoke Stuffed Chicken

Posted in Main Dishes by

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What do you call a chicken that crossed the road?

Poultry in motion.

Ahhahhaa! (Just so you know, I can hear you all groaning right now.) Okay, I apologize for the dumb joke, but it’s Monday and I have writer’s block. I’ve been sitting here for what feels like an eternity trying to figure out what I wanted to tell you about this chicken recipe and I just keep coming back to this joke. So that’s my excuse.

Alright, enough of that nonsense, here’s what I really want to tell you about this chicken: it’s delicious! And although it looks fancy, it’s much easier to make than it would appear. Continue reading →

Smokey Corn Chowder

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian Modifications by

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Happy autumn, everyone! In celebration of this change in seasons, I felt it appropriate to post a soup recipe (remember when I used to do that all the time?). Well, now that the temperatures are steadily dropping, it seems only fitting that I should get back to making more of the food that I love soooo much I named an entire blog after. But rather than jumping in feet first with a hearty stew, I thought it best to tiptoe into fall with a light and flavorful chowder. Seasoned with warming spices like smoked paprika and chilies, this soup is the perfect way to take the edge off of a brisk day, AND it has the added bonus of using up all that leftover summer corn that’s taking up valuable pumpkin space at the supermarket. So come on everyone, let’s get our autumn on! Continue reading →

Pumpkin Roll

Posted in Cookies & Desserts, Holidays, Vegetarian by

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Well it looks like Texas finally got the message that autumn is coming. For the past couple days we’ve been enjoying foggy, rainy weather, and temperatures in the mid-80’s (believe me, that’s chilly for this area). All it took was this slight change in climate for the mound of pumpkins sitting outside our grocery store to stop looking ridiculous and out of place, and start looking appealing. A few days ago I dug out all of my pumpkin recipes and tried to figure out what I wanted to make first, and that’s when I found my mom’s Pumpkin Roll recipe. Now, this isn’t actually her recipe, but it’s one that she’s been making since I was a toddler and can be traced back only as far as her friend Roxie. My mom’s copy is handwritten on a yellowing index card that has orange flowers and brown mushrooms decorating the corners (it was the 70’s afterall). Most likely the original recipe came from Betty Crocker or Good Housekeeping, but she made it often and it always marked the beginning of fall for my sister and me, so in my mind it will always be my mom’s pumpkin roll…and now it can be yours, too. Continue reading →

Five Cheese Macaroni

Posted in Main Dishes, Vegetarian by

Okay class, pull out your pencils and write down this date: September 23rd. That, my friends, is the official start of autumn (or the Autumnal Equinox, if you want to be specific). What does this mean? Well, it means that we have T-minus 6 days to start dusting off our casserole dishes and crockpots, and rummage through our cookbooks to find our favorite comfort food recipes. Yep, it’s the dawn of sweater season once again, which give us permission to start eating hearty pastas, starchy potatoes, and meats smothered in gravy. And what better way to kick off this fatty food frenzy than with a good, old fashioned mac & cheese. But please, I beg you, put down the blue box with the atomic orange powder, in fact, just throw it away. You don’t want that. Trust me, you want this; this macaroni with not one, not two, but five cheeses. FIVE. Um, preach! Continue reading →

Peanut Butter Mini-Pies

Posted in Cookies & Desserts, Vegetarian by

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I’ve already mentioned my weakness for peanut butter and chocolate, right? Yes, I remember now, I confessed that little sin in another post. Well, guess what, folks? My mad craving recently struck again, and I was forced (forced I tell you!) to create something rich, creamy, and delicious to stave it off. And since pie season is rapidly approaching, I chose to channel my gluttony into little, bitty pies rather than dumping them all into my ice cream maker like last time — and ohmygoodness was it heavenly! Served straight out of the ice box, it’s still considered a “cool treat,” but one that is substantial enough to stand up to the heavier autumn meals that we’re starting to make. So come on, everybody, let’s make today Friday Pie-Day! Continue reading →

Golden Applesauce

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Sauces, Vegetarian by

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Okay, for those of you good sports playing along with yesterday’s trivia quiz, the answer to the question, what do we always serve with pork chops, is applesauce, of course! As Bobby Brady said in a terrible Humphrey Bogart impression, “We’re having pork choooops and applesaaaauce, that’s swell.” Just so you know, in my entire experience as a home cook, I don’t think I’ve ever once made pork chops without applesauce; that’s how much of an impact this wacky Brady Bunch quote made on my young, impressionable mind. But this isn’t your typical flavorless, out-of-the-jar applesauce, this version is the real deal! Sweetened with golden raisins and honey, and spiked with cinnamon and ginger, this tart little number (and I’m not referring to myself here), will make you reconsider every other applesauce you’ve ever eaten. Cross my heart. Continue reading →