Meaty Main Course: Pork Chops with Apple, Onion & Sage

Getting creative with dinner can be a challenging and worthwhile puzzle. What haven't I tried before? What will everyone else like? Will it cost a fortune? Will it take forever to make? These are all the important questions that can really make or break a new recipe, especially if you have dietary restrictions that must be incorporated into the menu.

Delivering something that fits every criteria and is still delicious is quite an accomplishment! But we're not afraid to brag about this new and surprising winner, courtesy of McCormic Recipe Inspirations. It's a tangy, meaty main course that masters that perfect balance of sweet and savory. All in all this recipe takes roughly forty five minutes from the first chop to loading up the plates, and the end results are high-quality and nutritious at only 371 calories per serving. Check out the recipe below...

Apple, Onion, and Sage Pork Chops

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

•     1 1/2 teaspoons sage
•     1 teaspoon minced garlic
•     1 teaspoon thyme leaves
•     1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
•     1/2 teaspoon paprika
•     1 tablespoon flour
•     1 teaspoon salt
•     4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 pounds)
•     2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
•     2 red apples, thinly sliced
•     1/2 cup apple juice or orange juice
•     1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

1. Mix flour, all of the spices and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour.
2. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples; cook and stir 2 minutes.
3. Stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until desired doneness.

Creative Seasonal Dish: Turkey and Pumpkin Chili

Whether you've got Thanksgiving leftovers or you're just hankering for the flavors of the season, this creative chili recipe is just what the doctor ordered. A perfect blend of turkey and pumpkin along with a few other traditional chili ingredients (black beans, diced tomatoes, onion & pepper), it's the perfect way to spice up an ordinary dish. 

Best of all, you can indulge in this protein-rich chili without overstuffing on calories. Keep reading for this amazing recipe...

Turkey and Pumpkin Chili Recipe

(makes 10 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (red or yellow would be ideal)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cubed avocado and thinly sliced green onions, optional for garnish 

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers to the skillet, cooking and stirring them until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
2. Transfer to a five-quart slow cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook, covered, on low for four to five hours. If you’d like, top your bowl of chili with freshly cubed avocado and sliced green onions. 
3. Enjoy!

Creative Dessert Recipe: Beet-Red Velvet Cupcakes

The other day we sampled a red velvet cupcake at a local bakery. Though we've eaten more than our share of red velvet desserts over the years, there was something that set this particular cupcake apart. Its deep red/purple hue looked somehow more natural than the run-of-the-mill artificial "red velvet" shades typical of lesser quality cupcakes. It was incredibly moist and denser than an ordinary cupcake. It contained just the right dosage of sweetness. 

After talking with the owners of the place, we discovered the cupcakes were made with beets! That's right-- none of that mysterious, artificial food coloring we're so used to. While beets prepared in a more traditional manner aren't normally our cup of tea, we were happy to discover that their usual intense flavor is masked in this recipe. What you're left with are all-natural red cupcakes with a texture and flavor that tops their artificial counterparts. We just had to recreate this recipe at home. 

Next time your sweet tooth calls, try this natural spin on an old cupcake favorite!

Beet-Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup beet puree 
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process, or dark cocoa powder)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:1. To make beet puree: boil or roast beets until tender and puree with an immersion blender or food processor until completely smooth.  

2. Miix beet puree, vinegar, and lemon juice, followed by the rest of the ingredients, starting with wet ingredients before dry. Mix until batter is smooth. 

 

3. Bake for 18 minutes at 350 F.

 

 

4. To make cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. 

 

5. Once cupcakes are baked, allow to cool and then top with cream cheese frosting. 

 

6. Enjoy!

Frozen Treat Recipe: Strawberry, Buttermilk & Honey Ice Cream

Ice cream in the summertime. Is there really anything better? Well, making your own steps things up a notch.

This delicious little recipe calls for a mild, raw honey, rather than the heaps of sugar that you'll normally find in processed stuff. It's so refreshing to know exactly what ingredients go into your ice cream-- because you made it from scratch! The flavor is delicate and fresh, with a subtle sweetness to it. Rounding up these few simple ingredients is a cinch, and you don't even need an ice cream maker! Read on for this fantastic recipe...

Strawberry, Buttermilk and Raw Honey Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk1 cup heavy cream5 egg yolks1/4 cup + 1 tbsp raw honey1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled1 tsp lemon juice
Optional: extra strawberries, halved, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the buttermilk and cream in a heavy based saucepan to just below the boil. Beat the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk the warm cream mixture into the yolks.

 

2. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until the custard thickens (about 10 minutes), stirring regularly. Leave to cool, then stir in the honey.

 

3. In a food processor or blender, blend the strawberries, lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of honey until smooth. Lightly fold into the custard mixture.

 

4. Pour the ice cream into a tin or tub and freeze the for about 90 minutes, then remove from the freezer and beat well. Freeze for at least another 3 hours before serving. 

Snack Recipe: Smoky Chipotle Peanut Brittle

Want to spice up traditional peanut brittle? This fusion of chipotle chili powder and roasted peanuts is perfectly complemented by an ultra-crunchy texture.

The smoky flavor of the peppers really adds a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of this brittle. Crunchy snacks are the best snacks and this one is no exception!  Click below for this great recipe...

Chipotle Peanut Brittle

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups dry, roasted peanuts
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

Directions

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and coat the paper with vegetable oi or cooking spray.
2. Mix together the sugar and chipotle powder, then place the sugar mixture in a heavy bottomed saucepan, and shake it back and forth so the sugar flattens out. Add the corn syrup and water, but don't stir.
3. Place the pan on the stovetop over medium heat and cook until the sugar takes on an almost clear, golden brown amber color (15-20 minutes) and reaches 300F (if you don't have a thermometer, that's fine, just base it on time and color. There's a lot of wiggle room).
4. Once the mixture reaches 300F, add the butter, baking soda, and peanuts, and stir it all together.
5. Pour the mixture onto the greased baking sheet and spread it with a spatula to your desired thinness.
6. Let the brittle cool completely, then break it to pieces.
7. Make sure you store the brittle in an airtight container to prevent it from getting sticky as it absorbs the moisture from the air.
8. Enjoy!

Creative Grill Recipe: Flank Steak with a Balsamic Glaze and Orange Gremolata

If you're eager to set your grill up and get cooking, why not do it in style? Spruce up that steak with some grilled red onions and a balsamic glaze. Top all of that off with some zesty orange gremolata, and you have a meal worth bragging about.

The flank steak practically speaks for itself and only really required a quick sprinkle with salt and pepper before grilling. For our balsamic glaze, we combined vinegar and shallots and let the mixture simmer until reduced into a nice, thick sauce. Our gremolata is made with grated orange rind instead of the standard lemon to change the flavors up and make this an almost irresistible garnish when combined with the glaze. In the end, the flavors combined into  a perfect dinner we fell in love with. Keep reading below for this great steak recipe...

Grilled Flank Steak with Orange Gremolata

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1lb flank steak, trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium red onion cut into 8 wedges
• cooking spray
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Prepare the grill.
2. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Place the steak and onion wedges on a grill coated with cooking spray. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until you've reached the desired doneness. Remove the steak and the onions from the grill and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into slices.
3. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, rosemary, brown sugar, and shallots in a small saucepan. Stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
4. To make the gremolata, combine the fresh parsley, orange rind, and 2 cloves minced garlic.
5. Drizzle the steaks with the balsamic glaze, then sprinkle with the gremolata. Serve with sweet potatoes.
6. Enjoy!

Perfectly Sweet and Crunchy Peanut Brittle

Brittle is a type of caramelized, candied confection that has roots all over the world. Greece, France, India and the Middle East all have their own variations; some using peanuts and some using other ingredients, like pistachios or sesame seeds. Try it first with peanuts, but switch it up next time and try something different. Peanut brittle is a great recipe to have on hand because it’s comforting, delicious and everyone will be very impressed that you made it from scratch. Huzzah!

Classic Peanut Brittle

Ingredients 

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  * Helpful Gadgets: Candy thermometer

Directions 

1. Grease a large baking sheet. Put your baking soda, vanilla extract and butter into three separate bowls and place by work area.
2. In a large saucepan (2-4 quarts) over medium heat, combine the water, corn syrup, salt and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is completely clear, then add the peanuts and stir to incorporate fully. Make sure to have a candy thermometer in place to gauge temperature.
3. Stir frequently until the temperature reaches 300º F (150º C; cracking stage). Remove from heat and quickly mix in the butter, baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will begin to bubble and foam up.
4. Immediately pour onto baking sheet. Using two forks or wearing gloves, pull the mixture into a large rectangle. Try to pull it as thinly as possible.
5. Let cool, then break into pieces.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Tangy Tacos: Fish with Mango Salsa

Fresh fish and fresh produce are the perfect ingredients for a fresh twist on tacos. Whether you want to sauté them, grill them, or bake them, fish tacos are going to be a hit at the dinner table.

We’ve included some tips on cooking the fish in three different ways, all of which are sure to yield delicious results. You could also add other traditional taco toppings to the mix – like diced tomatoes (or pico de gallo), sliced avocado (or guacamole), or shredded lettuce or cabbage.

There are tons of ways to make this recipe your own, so give it a try!

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

(makes 8 tacos)

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 pound tilapia fillets or mahi mahi
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2/3 cup finely chopped peeled ripe mango (ripe mangos are slightly soft when you squeeze them)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions: 

1. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, paprika, and black pepper with a fork so they are well mixed. Then add the garlic and rub the mixture over the fish.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the fish to the pan. Cook the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until done (it should start to easily flake). You could also grill the fish for 3 minutes on each side on medium-high heat, or bake the fish for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove from heat once cooked, but keep warm.
3. Combine the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice to make the mango salsa.
4. Heat the tortillas (in the microwave or briefly in the oven) and flake the fish with a fork into smaller pieces. Make your fish tacos by putting the fish into the tortilla and topping it with mango salsa and a sprinkle of the crumbled queso fresco.
5. Enjoy!

Cornbread With a Kick: Jalapeño Muffins

Looking to spice up the usual cornbread recipe? Add some jalapeño for a kick and some cheddar for flavor that you’ll love.

These muffins are absolutely perfect as a side – pair them with chili, fried chicken, and all your summer barbecue favorites. Or, just enjoy them as a snack – they are definitely good enough to eat that way! 

This recipe only makes 12, but we’d suggest doubling it for a bigger crowd – these muffins will definitely get eaten quickly!

Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins

(makes 12 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, melted
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or honey)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh or thawed corn kernels (optional) 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Get a medium-size bowl and combine the butter, sugar, and agave nectar, then whisk the eggs and buttermilk in. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then put a tablespoon of lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill it the rest of the way to the one-cup mark with milk. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, and you’ll have buttermilk.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda together. Then add this mixture to the medium bowl of butter and sugar and agave, being careful not to over-mix. Stop mixing once you don’t see the flour anymore, and then fold in the jalapeño, corn, and cheese.
4. Grease a muffin tin and then add the batter to each of the 12 cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way. If there is leftover batter, spread it among all the cups – just make sure they are only almost filled to the top.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, testing the center of the muffin with a toothpick. If the toothpick does not come out clean, put the muffins back in the oven for about five minutes.
6. Enjoy!

Condiment Recipe: Ginger Pear Jam

We've posted a few delicious recipes here that pair wonderfully with a jam, but we've been pretty light on the actual jam recipes! It's about time we fixed that. Today, we're sharing a jam recipe that is light, delicious, and pretty simple.

To make a basic fruit jam, all you need is to find the right ratio of fruit to sugar. We wanted to go a little further, however, and create a jam with a little more complex flavor. We also wanted to create a recipe that was decidedly jam-like without using pectin. To get the desired consistency, we had to simmer the ingredients with a few cups of sugar until a syrup forms. To maintain the lightness of the jam, we included some lime zest and lemon juice along with fresh, grated ginger. Adding in some vanilla and cinnamon grounded this recipe to really make it stand out. We used a canner to make this jam last in the jars, but if you don't have one it's okay. Read the directions on canning without one here. Just make sure everything is hot from the jars to the preserves. Keep reading below for our pear jam recipe...

Ginger Pear Jam

(makes 48 servings)

Ingredients

• 5 1/2lbs pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• grated zest from 6 tangerines
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a Dutch oven. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir more frequently as the mixture thickens.
2. Just before the mixture is finished thickening, sterilize jars and lids in boiling water. Remove the jam from heat and skim off any foam. Carefully ladle into the hot jars, leaving about 1/4" room from the top. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. If you don't have a canner, make sure the lids are on tight, turn the jars upside down, and allow to cool. The lids should form a vacuum seal. If they don't, you need to eat the jam ASAP. If they do, the jam can last.

Spanish Tapa Recipe: Fried Eggplant with Honey

If you find yourself in southern Spain with a tapas menu in front of you, you're practically obligated to order a portion of berenjas fritas con miel de caña. This is the specialty in Andalusia, a region that encompasses the cities of Sevilla, Malaga and Granada, and is known for its Moroccan influence in the kitchen. It's a real taste-bud pleaser, a lip-smacking blend of sweet sugar cane honey (miel de caña)  and crispy fried eggplant. 

You can dress up ordinary eggplant with this Spanish-inspired recipe that's easy to re-create at home. The trickiest part is tracking down miel de caña, which isn't always readily available outside Spain. If you can't get your hands on it, substitute your favorite honey or molasses. Either one complements the eggplant perfectly, and makes for a fantastic vegetarian appetizer or side dish. 

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 2-3 oz "miel de cana" (honey or molasses)

Directions: 

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown. 

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy! 

Tangy Guacamole Recipe: Sweet Mango Guacamole

Guacamole is always delicious, but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up. This is a great choice for summer months when mangoes are fresh, ripe and ready to be taken advantage of—and it’s crazy how this simple addition transforms regular guacamole! We also love how easy it is to customize, depending on the crowd. Hanging out with a group of people who love some extra heat? Feel free to add some diced Serrano or jalapeño pepper. Don’t like cilantro? No problem. Go ahead and make it exactly how you like it. (And don’t worry, if you eat it out of the bowl, on the couch by yourself, we won’t tell!)

Tangy Mango Guacamole 

Ingredients

(Serves 4-6)

• 4 ripe avocados
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt, to taste
• cilantro, to taste

 Directions

1. In a large bowl, use a fork to mash the avocados. You can decide how chunky you like it.
2. Dice and add in the tomato, onion, mango and garlic.
3. Add in the juice of one lime, then season with your preferred amount of salt and cilantro.
4. Mix well and serve immediately.

Thai-Inspired Recipe: Winged Bean Salad

We sometimes find salads good, but not really good enough for a whole lunch and we’re happy to say that this Winged Bean Salad is not one of those. It’s not too spicy, because there’s the creamy coconut milk to counteract the chilies, and the beans add the necessary and refreshing crunch. Whether or not you even like salads, this one is great because of all the different flavors that come together without overpowering one another. This tasty salad might warrant a visit to your closest Asian market, but that’s fine because it’s delicious and worth it!

Thai Winged Bean Salad

(Serves 4) 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups winged beans, about 2/3 lb.
• 1 cup minced pork, about 1/2 lb.
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp, chopped
• 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2-3 medium, dried chilies, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• Canola or vegetable oil, frying

Directions

1. Rinse your winged beans and chop off both ends. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set a pot of water to boil.
2. While waiting, heat enough oil in a medium frying pan to cover the shallots and stir often until they’re golden, but not too brown. Remove shallots. Add dried shrimp to the pan and fry them until crispy. Remove and set aside.
3. Then add garlic and chilies and brown them.
4. Once cool, pound half of your shallots, garlic and chilies into a semi-smooth paste.
5. When your water is salted and boiling, blanch your winged beans for 20-30 seconds. Remove them and place them immediately in ice water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the water.
6. Add your finely-minced pork to the water and cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. In a saucepan, boil the coconut milk, take off heat and add sugar, chili/shallot paste, lime juice, fish sauce and peanuts. Mix well.
8. Add dressing to winged beans and minced pork, toss and serve. Garnish with crispy dried shrimp and shallots.

Creative Dessert Recipe: Golden Coconut Pumpkin Cake

It’s possible that people have been on the pumpkin/coconut bandwagon for a while now, but it’s a new one for us. That being said, it’s a fantastic combination that we should have been whipping up ages ago! The pumpkin lends sweetness to this cake without being overpowering and the addition of sweetened and unsweetened coconut makes this duo a winning pair. Whether or not you’ve dipped your toes in the (coconut) water, this is certainly a recipe you’ll want to try!

Coconut Pumpkin Cake

(Yields 1 cake)

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup coconut oil (or oil or butter)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

Topping:

• 6-8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk

Directions

1. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan (a rectangular baking dish is also fine) and preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugars, coconut oil and eggs together.
3. Mix in all other “Cake” ingredients and beat until well combined.
4. Pour into baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake should be springy to the touch.
5. While the cake is baking, mix all “Topping” ingredients in a small bowl.
6. When cake is just about finished, remove from oven and evenly pour on the topping. Then place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the topping is bubble and golden.
7. Remove and enjoy.

Sweet & Spicy Soup Recipe: Crunchy Bacon Chili Corn Chowder

If you like corn or corn chowder, this Bacon Chili Corn Chowder should absolutely be the next dish you make. Corn chowder in general is a great base, so it’s like the stars all align when you add bacon and hot chilies. And don’t worry if you don’t like anything too spicy; it’s easy to adjust the heat by not adding all the green chilies or Chipotle peppers.  This soup has everything: creaminess, sweetness, spice and crunch…we’re over the moon about it!

Bacon Chili Corn Chowder

Serves 8

 Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 large yellow onions, diced

1/2 cup scallions, chopped

2-3 tablespoons butter

6 ears corn, shucked, shaved off the cob (5 cups)

1-3 whole Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, diced

1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies

32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons Masa

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook your bacon pieces over medium heat. Once the bacon fat begins to render, add in the diced onion. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. (Optional: remove some of bacon and save for garnish.)
2. After the onions start to soften, add butter to the pot, let melt and then add corn. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add both chilies and stir, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, then pour in cream.
5. In a small container, combine Masa (or cornmeal) with a little bit of water and mix together, then pour into the soup. Allow to cook and thicken for around 15 minutes. (If you want it to be thicker, add more Masa or cornmeal with water. Then let simmer for another 10-15.)

Seasonal Snack Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Fries

A favorite snack updated with a bit of seasonal flavor, these pumpkin fries are a tasty twist on ordinary fries. We love recipes that add in pumpkin where we least expect it; we'd heard of sweet potato fries, but pumpkin fries? Somehow it had never occurred to us to give this try!

It doesn't get much more simple than this recipe-- we're talking just a handful of ingredients and prep time around 15 minutes. Top these babies with crumbled blue cheese, maple balsamic, or whatever else you fancy. If you're a purist, they're plain delicious all by themselves. However you enjoy them, we promise you this: you'll be hooked!

Roasted Pumpkin Fries

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Optional: crumbled blue cheese, maple balsamic, or other topping of your choice

 Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Slice pumpkin in half, then remove seeds. Peel off pumpkin skin using a potato peeler. 

3. Cut pumpkin into 1/4-1/2 inch strips.

4. Mix together olive oil and seasonings in a bowl. Dip pumpkin strips in the bowl so they're coated in the mixture. 

5. Place fries on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

6. Roast fries for 15 minutes or until tender. Raise temperature to 400 F and broil the fries for another 3 minutes until they're nice and crispy.

7. Top fries with crumbled blue cheese, drizzled balsamic, or another topping of your choice. Enjoy!

Easy Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Chip-Studded Zucchini Bread

This is such an easy dessert bread to make it’s insane—and we get not one, but two treats! It might just be us, but we feel really accomplished when we whip up this recipe—it might be knowing what we have to look forward to that gets us going, or the fact that, regardless of whatever else happened in the day, we still made something delicious…either way, it's great.

We love mixing things up a little and surprising our eaters with the zucchini and chocolate chip combo, but you could basically throw anything into this bread and it would taste amazing: apples, pumpkin, banana and chocolate chips…it’s impossible to go wrong! 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Yields 2 loaves

 Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º and grease two loaf pans. (Or line with parchment paper.)
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, sour cream, oil, sugar and vanilla extract for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Batter will be thick.
4. 1/3 cup at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
5. Gently fold the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter. Mix until just incorporated.
6. Pour batter equally into both loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before removing to wire cooling rack.