Zucchini Fries with Caramelized Onion Dip

Made these zucchini fries tonight for a side dish to go with burgers.  I found the recipe on Pinterest from the website King Arthur Flour.  I didn't make a full batch as it was just Kevin and I but the recipe was easy to half.  We loved these and will making these again soon!

Ingredients:

Dip:
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mustard (I used  1/2 Tbsp Dijon)
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste (use very little)
 * In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté onions on medium until onions are soft and carmelized.  Be patient, this will take between 15-20 minutes as you want the onions to be caramelized and brown in color.  Remove from heat and put onions into a mini food processor.  Add  in the cider vinegar, honey and mustard and process until smooth. Let cool before you add the mayonnaise.  Then  fold in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon into container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

 Zucchini Sticks:
3 medium zucchini, washed, ends cut off and cut each into 16 pieces
salt
1 cup panko
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (I use the grated can Parmesan)
(original recipe calls for 1 Tablespoons pizza seasoning but I didn't use as the caramelized dip has so much flavor the Parmesan crust is perfect with out the extra seasoning)
Olive Oil cooking spray
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
 Directions:
* Place zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Drain for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help release the liquid in the zucchini and help to crisp up when baked.
* Pat dry with paper towels (this will remove excess salt).
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
* Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil (or parchment paper), spray with olive oil spray.
* Combine panko and parmesan in small bowl.
* Dip the zucchini in egg, and then toss in the panko mixture.  So that the dry ingredients don't get soggy make sure you do one zucchini stick at a time.  Takes time but this way the panko doesn't get soggy with egg.  Line the zucchini on the baking sheet.
* Bake 12 minutes and turn zucchini over.  Bake another 10-15 minutes or until golden/medium brown.
* Serve with a side of carmelized onion dip

Source: Inspired by King Arthur Flour

Chuck Roast Chili

I found this recipe in the "Morton's The Cookbook".   I like that this recipe has tender chunks of beef instead of ground beef.  The texture and beefy flavor make this a keeper!

This recipe calls for 2 cups of chopped onions so I love to use my onion chopper.  The onions are chopped in a snap!

 My other shortcut is chopping the 9 cloves of garlic, I use my mini food processor.

Cutting the chuck roast takes time but it's worth it.

Serves 10 (Makes a ton, but recipe can easily be halved)

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions

3 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 9 cloves)

3 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed some of the fat and silver skin, cut into bite-size pieces (this takes time but so worth it!  Don't worry about some fat just cut off large pieces of fat) (get a large enough roast so that when it's trimmed of it's fat you'll still have around 3 lbs)

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 

2 -14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice (I used petite diced)

2 - 16-ounce cans spicy chili beans if you don't want it too spicy use mild or medium chili beans)

1 cups water
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

1 Tablespoons beef base (bases are available in supermarkets in the soup aisle)

1 bay leaves 

Salt (1/2 tsp)
Garnish:
shredded cheese
chopped onion
sour Cream

1.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.
2.  Add the beef, raise the heat to medium-high, and stir for about 5 minutes as it begins to lose its pink color.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to let the flavors develop.
3.  Add the tomatoes and their juice, beans and their juice, water, tomato sauce, and beef base.  Stir to mix well and then add the bay leaves.  Stir gently.
4.  Reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer gently for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender.  Stir frequently so the chili does not stick to the bottom of the pot.  Adjust the heat up or down to maintain a slow simmer.
5.  Thin the chili with water, if necessary, and add salt to taste.   Remove the bay leaves and serve.  Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onion,  and sour cream.
6.  The chili can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month.  Reheat it gently, stirring frequently.

 With the leftovers, we added some extra cheese on top and had chili nachos (sour cream and guacamole on the side).  Let's just say, not one spoonful went to waste, it's that good.

Edwards Apple Orchard (Poplar Grove, IL)

It's that time of year again, time to go to Edwards Apple Orchard  (Poplar Grove, IL).  This place is what an orchard should be.  I've been going to Edwards annually since my kids were little and  I look forward to going every year.  My kids are grown now but if you have young kids Edwards has a lot to offer,  pony rides, a farm animal petting zoo,  playground, and even a farm museum.  Even though my kids are grown I still love going with friends.  My favorite is the barn with the gift shop.  There are many goodies for purchase.  Some of my favorites are apple butter, pumpkin butter, corn salsa, salad dressings and I always purchase a bag of apples.

I look forward to these apple spiced doughnuts and hot cider!  The doughnuts are warm and flavorful and along with the cider, I'm in apple heaven!

These are what apples are suppose to taste like.

 Here is one recipe that I make (several times!) when it's apple season.  It's so yummy!  

Apple Caramel Dip

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caramel sauce (I used Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 cup Heath English Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
apples, sliced

1. Beat the cream cheese with brown sugar until smooth. Spread onto a small to medium serving dish (with sides). I used a 3 cup Pyrex glass dish.

2. Heat the caramel slightly (about 10 second in microwave) to make spreadable. Spread on top of cream cheese.

3. Sprinkle the nuts and toffee bits all over the top. Serve with sliced apples for dipping.

I found this recipe on Janetishungry.blogspot.com but I made a few changes.

Fiesta Chowder

I love Fall!  The cooler weather makes me want to spend time in my kitchen and what better to make than my favorite soup.   All the Mexican flavors I love in a bowl.  The recipe comes from the "Southern Living,  Our Readers Top Rated Recipes" cookbook.  The list of ingredients is long, but it comes together very quickly.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 package (1.4 ounce) fajita seasoning mix, divided
3-4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (15 1/4 ounce) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounce) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
1 can (4.5 ounce) chopped green chiles
3 cups water  (I used chicken broth for more flavor)
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice (I only use 1/2 cup)
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can sliced black olives (optional) (I added)
1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed nacho cheese soup
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a large Dutch oven sauté onion 5 minutes until soft, add garlic and sauté 1 minute more.  Add chicken and cook, stirring often, 4 minutes or until browned. Stir in flour and fajita seasoning and cook 2 minutes.  Add corn, beans, tomatoes, chiles, broth, rice, and black olives.

Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove lid, and stir in nacho cheese soup, chopped cilantro, and lime juice.  Use chicken broth or water if chowder becomes too thick.   Serves 8