Apple Pie Belgian Waffles

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all enjoying a peaceful morning preparing for the big meal. I was fortunate enough to not have to wake up at dawn to get a turkey in the oven. The turkey is my momma's job, and she does it well. I am in charge of veggies as per usual, and narrowed my sides down to a shaved brussels sprout salad with a lemon dressing and smokey bacon. I'll also be making a savory corn pudding with sage and garlic and the classic green bean casserole, I'll be sure to share the recipes with you soon.

I am so thankful for my family, especially my niece and nephew, Grace and McCoy. They are two of the cutest kids around. I recently had a sleepover with them while my sister and brother-in-law had a night to themselves. We had a great time playing, watching movies and snuggling on the couch.

McCoy is a rough and tumble little guy. I chased him all over the house after his bath, while he streaked around like and exibitionist and caught him with a towel to dry him off. Look at that mischievous grin. :)

I think there's hope to tame this wild child and teach him how to cook as he gets older. He's fascinated when I'm in the kitchen and loves to help me any way he can. This face is him begging to be let up on the counter to "help". So cute!

The next morning I made them these delicious Apple Pie Waffles. They are a variation of the classic Nordicware Belgian Waffle recipe that my Mom has been making all of us ever since she bought their stovetop waffle iron. Believe me, these waffles are a game changer. You will never want to eat a frozen waffle again! They taste like a deconstructed, warm apple pie oozing with cinnamon and spice goodness. Try them out for the perfect start to your Thanksgiving celebration, or this weekend, as a breakfast made to share with the ones you love.

This recipe is unique, as it includes yeast. The yeast and the whipped egg whites are an extra step that make all the difference. They make the waffle batter rise into the fluffiest and most flavorful waffles you've ever tasted.

Apple Pie Belgian Waffles

Ingredients:

1 pkg dry yeast
2 cups warm milk 4 egg, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T apple pie spice
1 T sugar
1/2 C butter, melted

Directions:

Stir yeast into milk until dissolved.

Beat egg yolks, add yeast mixture, along with vanilla.

Stir together flour, salt, sugar and apple pie spice. Add dry ingredients to the yeast mixture. Stir in melted butter until well combined.

Beat the egg whites until stiff; carefully fold into the batter.

Let the mixture stand in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

Cook as directed on your waffle maker.

Apple Pie Compote Syrup

6 baking apples of various varieties
4 Tbs. butter
1/2 C cool water
2 tsp. constarch
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tbs apple pie spice
1 cup of pure maple syrup

Clean, core and cut the apples into bite size cubes. Leave the skin on for color.

Melt the butter in a large skillet (cast iron if you have it), add the apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, stirring often.

Dissolve cornstarch in the cool water, stir well and pour into the skillet. Add the brown sugar and apple pie spice. Stir well, bringing to a boil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, stir in maple syrup and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Autumn Harvest Soup

The countdown to Thanksgiving is on! We are just days away from stuffing our faces and eating our daily allotment of calories in one meal, and I can't wait! :) But before the caloric, cholesterol inducing meal begins, why not start out with a healthy and hearty soup that has all of the flavors of fall blended in?

The recipe I created for Autumn Harvest Soup came from a lot of time spent in the kitchen developing flavors, while trying to keep the soup as nutritionally sound as possible. I know we don't usually care about nutrition on T-day, but this soup is delicious enough to be a staple meal and get you through the next few cold months, right into Spring. 

I had fun playing with a few varieties of squash to mix up the traditional variety of butternut squash soup and create something unique to bring to the table. If you were like me, looking at the beautiful display of squash varieties at the grocery store and not knowing the first thing about how to use them in a recipe, this soup is your answer.

From left to right:Acorn, Carnival and Butternut varieties of squash.

For a small appetizer, serve the soup in a 2 oz. shot glass with a breadstick standing out like a straw. Garnish with a few curried pumpkin seeds and a sprinkling of bacon crumbles.

Autumn Harvest Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 20 oz package precut)

2 Acorn squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (I used Carnival and regular varieties)

1 med sweet onion, sliced into ¼” chunks

3 T. olive oil

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (plain, not spiced)

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup apple cider

1 cup applesauce

1 cup of 2% milk or almond milk(vegan)

2 T honey

2 T. curry powder

1 T  pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ginger powder

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Pumpkin seeds and cashews for garnish (see below)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper for seeds

Fresh chives, cream and/or croutons for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 445°F. Toss squash and onion with olive oil and 1 T. of curry powder.

2. Roast on a foil covered cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender. Let cool 5 minutes.

3. Puree the roasted squash and onion in the blender until smooth with one cup of the apple cider. This may take two batches to complete. Do not overfill the blender.

4.  Combine the blender puree, pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, applesauce, honey and all of the spices and seasonings in a large stockpot over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Whisk for one minute to combine while the soup begins to heat. Stir in milk.

5. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust any seasonings as necessary, depending on the sweetness of the squash, you may have to adjust seasonings slightly. Serve with roasted curried cashews and pumpkin seeds, chives and a splash of cream, or the garnish of your choice.

Curried Cashews & Pumpkin Seeds:

After you have moved the cooled squash to the blender after roasting, reuse the cookie sheet to roast the pumpkin seeds and cashews.

Lightly spray the nuts and seeds with oil. Sprinkle curry powder and cayenne pepper over the top. Toss to coat and shake flat and even. Roast for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned and remove to cool.

Parmesan Twists

Puff pastry is my favorite baking secret weapon. I keep a box in my freezer at all times for appetizer or dessert emergencies. This recipe is the best for a quick and easy savory treat. The ingredients are staples most of you will already have on hand and the presentation is fun and playful.

Whenever I go to the mall, I always have to stop by the Nordstrom E-bar for a coffee and a parmesan twist. The twists sit and stare at you while your coffee is being made, begging to be eaten. I cave just about every time and end up buying one, they're just too delicious! 

When I made a batch of tomato soup for dinner the other night (recipe coming), I really wanted some bread to dip in it. I started looking around the kitchen for some starchy goodness, but alas, none was to be found. That was until I opened the freezer and saw a box of puff pastry peeking through beneath the frozen pot stickers and my Nordstrom treat burst into my mind. I mulled it over in my head, thinking of the best way to get the most cheesy goodness into each bite and decided that there needed to be a middle layer of cheese, with more cheese on the outside and voilà! This recipe was born.

The twists made my soup even more delicious. I'll be using these as a Thanksgiving appetizer next week as well to go along with my Autumn Harvest Soup before the big meal. Mmmm I can't wait!

Parmesan Twists

Ingredients

1 egg

1 cup Italian cheese blend

1/2 cup grated parmesan 

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 box of puff pastry, thawed

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and 1 Tbs. of water; set egg wash aside. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and mist with cooking spray.

2.    In a mini prep bowl, combine parmesan, garlic powder, mustard powder, garlic salt, and cayenne; set aside.

3.    Open the *defrosted parchment, separate the two layers and set one aside. Carefully unfold and roll out one sheet of dough at a time to expand and stretch into a rectangle, about 16X12. Brush the inside of both halves with egg wash. Sprinkle one egg-washed half with the Italian cheese blend and lightly dust with half of the spice blend. Sandwich halves together, egg-washed sides facing in; press lightly to adhere. Run a rolling pin over dough to seal.

4.    With short side facing you, cut dough crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips (approx. 24). Place strips, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets; twist the dough several times to create a spiral, press down and flatten the ends to adhere them to the sheet. This prevents the strips for untwisting while baking.

5.    Brush the strips with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining spice blend and grated parmesan.

6.    Bake until the cheese straws are puffed and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow cooling for 5 minutes before carefully removing from the sheet with a spatula.

*If you've forgotten to pull your puff pastry from the freezer and need to defrost it quickly, I have a tip to help. Remove the dough from the packaging, place a slightly damp paper towel over the top and place in the microwave. Microwave the pastry for 30 second increments, checking after each to see how pliable the dough is. This usually works after two increments and the dough will be defrosted, yet still cold and slightly stiff in the middle. Do not overcook as the dough will stick together. Leave the dough out on the counter while you prep the slice blend to allow it to finish defrosting. I've tried this several times and have has great success on each occasion.

Spiced Apple Cider & Ciderball Cocktails

As much as I do love pumpkin being in everything. Even my dish soap, (kidding) I need a break from pumpkin spiced latte's and wanted to remind everyone that it's apple season too. And just as cinnamon rocked pumpkins world, it did the same for apples first. Apple cider tastes like the holidays in a glass. It's warms your soul and makes for a great conversation starter as everyone gathers together to enjoy a soothing cup of warm cider. The added benefit of this recipe is that your house will smell amazing as it heats. I could barely resist letting it cool before diving in. It's easy, quick and worth the extra effort of making it yourself.



 Spiced Apple Cider

1 89oz. jug of Litehouse Honey Crisp Apple Cider
2 T. cinnamon
1 tsp.nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
12 whole cloves
4-6 mandarin Cuties cut into halves
3 baking variety apples sliced into 1/4" slices
6 cinnamon sticks

Pour the apple juice into s large stock pot. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks. Stir to blend. Add the orange and apple slices, bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes longer. Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed. You may filter through a sieve at this point to remove particles and make for a clear, amber colored liquid. I personally prefer the sediment as it is just part of the apple and spices. It's the same concept of leaving pulp in your orange juice. I don't mind a little pulp in mine.



To take your delicious cider to the next level, I highly recommend adding some Fireball whiskey. With a motto of  "Tastes like heaven, burns like hell", you know you want to try some and that it's going to be sinfully good.With a flavor that tastes like liquid Red Hots candy, Fireball is more popular than ever, especially with the cold weather. What better way to keep warm, than sharing a bottle of Fireball with your friends?

And speaking of friends and Fireball, have you seen the Wedding Fireball Whiskey Cam video yet? Whoever came up with the idea to strap a GoPro onto a bottle of Fireball and record their family and friends is a genius! What a creative idea and a great way to get the party started!



Whip up a batch of Ciderball Cocktails for your friends this winter. Keep them warm and get the laughter flowing. Maybe even pull out a GoPro and make things interesting. :)


Ciderball Cocktail

Spiced Apple Cider
whip cream
caramel syrup
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky

Mix 1 part Fireball to 2 parts cider. Top with whip cream and drizzle with caramel syrup.

John Pettit's Blue Ribbon Pickles

I absolutely love pickles. The salty crunch you get from biting into a fermented cucumber spear is so satisfying. Dill pickles are so tasty in fact, that the flavor has been duplicated into chips, sunflower seeds and even vodka. As weird as dill pickle flavored vodka sounds, it does make a rather great marinade for chicken and works fabulously in a bloody mary.

Today is National Pickle Day, I wanted to use this foodie day to share a story about my best friend Sarah's dad, John Pettit. John or Mr. Pettit as I called him, passed away unexpectedly on New Year's Eve this year, which also happened to be his 30th wedding anniversary to the love of his life, Jeanie. John left us too soon. None of us were ready to have such a wonderful man take off on a new adventure. 

John & Jeanie at Sarah's wedding. Such proud parents.

Everyone who met John, instantly felt like his best friend. He just had that way with people. In high school, the minute I walked in their front door, I was greeted with a boisterous "Hey, Ames!" followed promptly by the biggest of bear hugs. You felt loved by John. He genuinely cared about everyone he came in contact with. There are too many stories to share and I'm afraid I'll end up with a book if I start, but I want to share a few memories I have and some of my favorite stories I've been told.



The first day I met Mr. Pettit was on a sunny Spring day, while heading to Sarah's house so she could run in for a quick outfit change out of her cheer uniform. After we had done our typical teenage ritual of asphyxiating ourselves with hairspray and perfume, we ran down her back steps to the barn behind their house that also served as a shop for John. He was a wood carver by trade, using a chainsaw and dremel tool to sculpt the most beautiful artwork (mostly animals) out of giant logs of wood. The first vision I saw of who I would later be introduced to as Mr. Pettit. was of a man without a shirt and a live chainsaw in the other. He was tearing apart a log like Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it was quite the sight to behold! As I took in the situation, I saw a shape of what I think was a bear emerging from the log as he worked. Once he noticed us, he put down the chainsaw and gave me an introduction and a firm handshake. Little did I know that I'd just met the man who would make such a big impression on my life. 

We enjoyed many great chats about life and how school was going after that, as well as my growing passion for food. John loved to cook and to this day, I have not been able to duplicate his BBQ'd chicken with the best smoky and tangy sauce around. He was the grill master, which came in handy as he also was an avid outdoorsman and hunter with quite a few prized hunting trophies mounted around their house. I also learned about John's sport when coming home late one night with Sarah and running smack into the face of a huge Indian wrapped in an elk skin that had glass eyes too realistic for words. I screamed bloody murder until I realized he was very dead and very frozen. I'm pretty sure this screaming lead to us getting a lecture as we both knew our curfew to be home was 11:30 on. the. dOt.  (Sorry Sarah, as least we were loved) This is how life in the Pettit household worked. I knew John cared about my well being as much as his daughters. he put gas in my car if I needed it, always had something for me to eat and tried to talk some sense into me about boys, even though I didn't always listen. I had many great nights spent watching a movie, hanging out in the hot tub gazebo out back, 4 wheeling around the neighborhood or sitting outside by a warm fire.

Now we get to the story of the pickles. In true John nature, one afternoon he decided that he'd like to can some cucumbers and make pickles. Well any old recipe wouldn't do. So what does John do? he goes to the grocery store, finds the cutest group of old ladies he can find and he asks them about pickles. He flirted with those sweet old ladies until they gave him their Blue Ribbon Special Recipe. He then promised to keep it a secret, and I tell you it was!

Sarah and I showing off our Blue Ribbon Specials. This was the first time either of us have ever made pickles, we nailed it!

This recipe was very coveted by john and he'd me madder than hell to know that I've shared it, above all things... on the internet! :) Actually I think he's rather happy today that Sarah and I got to make his pickles together and play with his Baby Lauren. I'll be teaching her, and her mother a thing or two about cooking and I'm still determined to figure out that BBQ chicken!

What better way to share it, than in his own words? John was notorious for leaving love notes, recipes and just pain old advice on any paper he could find. The pickle recipe was written on both sides of an envelope and I scanned it in to share with all of you:

After fermenting for two weeks, they are ready to eat.

This recipe is very easy, but if you have any questions, ask me in the comment section below. I'd be happy to help!

Here are a few of my favorite photos of John and his family:

Look at this proud papa. This is one of my favorite pictures, you can see the love he has for his baby girl in his eyes.

Sarah & Trevor's wedding at La Caille

Jeanie, John, Sarah, Baby Lauren and Sarah's niece Bailey. John called her Bugwug, they had an extra special bond.

Sarah and her cute husband Trevor with their baby daughter Lauren. I'm proud to be her Auntie Amelia and love her to pieces!

You can read more about John's life here. He was an amazing man and touched a lot of people. I'm grateful to have had the pleasure of knowing him, He is missed deeply by all and we will continue to think of him whenever we hear a Beatles song, spend time in nature, through random acts of kindness and of course, eating pickles. 

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup for the Soul

Today is Chicken Soup for the Soul Day. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading one of the many Chicken Soup for the Soul books that were created by inspirational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, I highly recommend you pick up a copy. Spend the day in front of a warm fire or sunny window and whip up a pot of this delicious Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and dive in.

These books are close to my heart because they were given to me by my mother to read as a teeneger. She was sweet enough to hand it over as "just a suggestion" to her wild child as a way of finding my center and bringing some inspiration and culture to my world. A world that was full of loud music and Johnny Depp wall collages. That part hasn't changed, but it's now called iTunes and Pinterest boards. Digital rebellion and refusal to ever let the wild child die is how I think of it now. I still like my music loud, but I balance it out with yoga, meditation and well, blogging to all of you (thank you for reading, friends! xoxo). Now back to chicken soup and the soul...

Some of my favorite quotes from Jack:

“Most everything that you want is just outside your comfort zone.” 
― Jack Canfield

“There are essentially two things that will make you wise -- the books you read and the people you meet.” 
― Jack Canfield

“Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” 
― Jack Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul

There is a Chicken Soup book for just about everyone. They are a nice little pick me up and I found reading them, especially as such an impressionable age, made me feel more normal as I related to the stories I read. The struggle is real for all of us. Sometimes it's nice to have that reassurance or a reminder to keep your head up on a bad day. I don't know the author, and couldn't find the source, but I love this quote when I'm feeling stressed or down:




So in honour of this soulful day, I decided the most fitting chicken soup recipe to share would be my chicken & wild rice. Like most of the recipes I post, I've made this one healthier by eliminating the need for cream. It's absolutely delicious with a velvety mouth feel, and as a bonus, good for you too! Try it out, read some happy thoughts and leave me your favorite quotes in the comments below. 

Peace, love and light,

Amelia 

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup for the Soul

Ingredients:

2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded.
32 oz. organic free range chicken broth
1 cup of Lundberg wild blend rice
3 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cube of butter
1/2 cup of flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of carrot, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 cup of frozen peas, rinsed
1 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1 Add rice and chicken broth to a medium pan, on medium heat, with the lid on, until rice is cooked. About 45 minutes.

2 While the rice is cooking, sauté the olive oil, garlic, onion, carrot and celery in a stock pot over medium heat, until the onions are translucent. Remove the veggies and set aside for later.
3 Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the flour, whisking to make a roux. Cook until light blonde. Add the milk and continue whisking until milk thickens. Add the rice and stock mixture, veggies and shredded chicken. Stir together and simmer for ten minutes, to thicken and marry all of the flavors together. Add thyme, salt and pepper and frozen peas. Stir until peas are melted. Serve and enjoy!

If the soup isn't to your desired creaminess, you may add another splash of milk. The reason I suggest cooking the rice in the stock, is to use the rice as a thickening agent and eliminate the need for cream. This saves quite a bit of calories and makes for a hearty, creamy base without sacrificing flavor.