Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween friends! I hope you have a deliciously ghoulish day and enjoy a sugar rush at some point! We did some trick or treating over the weekend with friends and on Friday, Joel and I hosted a little Halloween Potluck. Here are some pictures from the tasty event... and recipes will be featured all this week!

Joel was pretty excited about having his friends come over and dressing up as my little [lopsided] giraffe...

Fellow moms helped fill up the table with quite a feast! Here we are digging in on all the wonderful potluck offerings...

Jess brought in this amazing Pumpkin & Ricotta Stuffed Shells that were so, so good. (I sneaked in a bite of the filling!)...

I made this Vegetarian Chili chockful of 3 kinds of beans and chopped fresh vegetables, which was perfect to serve the kids...

My friend Kelly brought this wonderful basket of freshly baked breads to serve along side the chili...

My friend Rachel bought this great Peanut & Cucumber Sauté which was served with steamed rice. It was a delicious blend of flavors and I can't wait to make it myself soon!...

My friend Sara brought this yummy Curried Cauliflower, compliments of her husband. I've never enjoyed cauliflower so much until this dish!...

For desserts, my friend Regina brought this adorable Pumpkin Cakes. Such a festive treat and delicious too from all the compliments!... (sadly I couldn't give this a taste)...

A new friend, Loren, brought in this awesome {Gluten Free} Blueberry Cheesecake Cups. I had more than I really care to admit because they were so, so good!...

And some kiddie cuteness to share... The little guys enjoyed some tummy time at the party...

Here's little Andrew growing up so fast and anxious to get behind the wheel...

Here's Andrew showing off his super cool skeleton outfit with mom, Rachel...

The lovely little ladies, Brynn and Clara, are having a blast in the cop car...

And here's Brynn taking a ride on the horsey while Clara grabs a bite...

Speaking of horses, here's Cowboy Jack anxious to get his treats and smiling at something funny...

 

Mason's going to have a hard time being scary since he's the cutest monster ever!

And here's Amira as the most precious flower you'd ever want to pick!...

The kids had a great time as usual and it's always so much fun to watch them play...

And after the party, I knew it was a success since my little giraffe was pooped and ready for a nap!...

Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: Starbucks Fall Flavors

Happy Sunday! It's a fun one planned for us as we're enjoying the Halloween festivities later today. My son Joel is looking forward to dressing up in his fuzzy giraffe costume and trick or treating. We've tried to get him to say 'trick or treat,' but he'd rather say "yummy yummy!" instead. We'll see how things go today and hopefully he'll keep his costume on. We had a trial run on Friday at a kiddie Halloween party we hosted and he did fine with the costume for most of the day. Do you have any Halloween plans this weekend? Last week, my friends at Ulysses Press sponsored the giveaway with a generous offering of one of their tasty cookbooks, Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day. A lucky reader will receive a copy of this delicious cookbook, filled with pizza and flatbread recipes that can be made in minutes! A special thanks to St. Martin’s Press for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Artisan Pizza & Flatbread Cookbook
Winner: Comment #24!

I'm definitely a coffee person. I love starting my day with a hot cup during breakfast. I also enjoy it as a mid-afternoon pick me up. And to wind down after a long day, a cup of decaf coffee soothes me before bed. Despite drinking coffee throughout the day, it's always better when I pair my cup o' joe with something to eat. Sometimes it's sweet, other times it's savory. It really depends on my mood and time of day. Now that it's fall, I've been enjoying my coffee with both sweet and savory dishes including...

Smoked Salmon Frittata

French Apple Pie

Regardless of what I enjoy my coffee with, for me it's especially important that it's good coffee. A favorite coffee at our house is Starbucks. I think it's great they have their coffees available to make at home and they're also readily accessible at major grocery stores.

They are currently highlighting some of their popular coffees for the season and it's a delicious way to usher in the fall...

French Roast: Intensity, passion – what else could this coffee be, but French? Our deepest, darkest roast, with a smoky, extra bold flavor. Tasting Notes: Intense & Smoky

Italian Roast: Imagine a ride on your scooter and lose yourself in the winding, romantic streets of Rome. A sturdy dark roast with caramel notes perfect for any fall day – at home or abroad. Tasting Notes: Roasty & Sweet

House Blend: Enjoy the distinct flavor of our signature roast wherever your fall day takes you. Well balanced and always lively, like a breath of fresh autumn air. Tasting Notes: Lively & Balanced

Breakfast Blend: Clean, light-bodied and sparkling, Breakfast Blend might just make a morning person out of you. If you’re already a morning person you’ll love waking up to this special roast. Tasting Notes: Crisp & Tangy

Thanks to my friends at Starbucks, they will be sponsoring this week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. A lucky reader will receive a wonderful Starbucks coffee package that includes 1 pound of coffee in each of the above blends, along with 2 packages of Starbucks VIA instant coffee flavors. Will you be that lucky reader that will be ushering in the fall with Starbucks coffee?! Read on for more details...

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when a winner is announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

What do you enjoy eating with your coffee? Something sweet? Savory?

Deadline: Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 12 midnight CST.

One winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Sunday, November 6, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!

Kitchen Playdate: Doughnut Party!

I absolutely love being in the kitchen... but even more than that, I love being in the kitchen with my son. He's now at an age where he refers to the kitchen as the 'yummy' place, often pointing to the kitchen and saying 'yummy yummy, Mommy!' He's not quite helping me out much in the kitchen, but thankfully Joel has a crew of friends that can give him a hand every now and then. In fact, Joel and I recently hosted a Doughnut Party with his friends one morning and it was a blast. If there's any way to start the day, it's with doughnuts and smiling kids...

Baked Buttermilk Donuts

Article first published as Baked Buttermilk Donuts on Blogcritics.

It's time to make the doughnuts! One thing I love about being a mom is posting play dates for my son.  But often times, play dates are mainly for the kids and us mothers are left trying to just make sure they are safe and having fun. Being the foodie that I am, I usually host weekly play dates... only my play dates are focused on food that the children and mothers can both enjoy! One of the kitchen play dates that I recently hosted centered around doughnuts! I made a variety of doughnuts including these Baked Buttermilk Doughnuts that the kids and moms had fun glazing, topping, and decorating!  Have you had a doughnut today?...

Warm Lentil & Pasta Soup with Pancetta

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Article first published as Warm Lentil & Pasta Soup with Pancetta on Blogcritics.

Soup's on! With the dreary cold weather, nothing is more comforting that a warm bowl of soup. I've had dry lentils sitting in my pantry for far too long and today was the perfect day to use them in soup. Lentils are seasoned with the savory saltiness of bacon and pancetta while pasta adds texture and bite in this hearty Warm Lentil & Pasta Soup with Pancetta. It will keep you nice and cozy on those cold fall and winter nights...

Apple Cider Glazed Pot Roast

Article first published as Apple Cider Glazed Pot Roast on Blogcritics.

The best part of fall is being able to taste the seasonal flavors in one dish. For me, I love this time of year when apples are in it's prime picking season, apple cider is readily available and butternut squash is part of my grocery list. Together, apples and butternut squash make a delicious backdrop to slow braised pot roast. To tie everything together, a blend of apple cider, ginger and brown sugar make a lovely glaze to finish the dish. This Apple Cider Glazed Pot Roast will have you taste the best of fall and the best part is it takes little effort to get it on the table!

Smoked Salmon Frittata

Article first published as Smoked Salmon Frittata on Blogcritics.

Brunch. Chicago is definitely a city that loves brunching. In fact, my family looks forward to brunch every weekend. Recently, we had friends over for brunch and I served this Smoked Salmon Frittata. Using smoked salmon I brought home from my trip to Alaska last month, this dish was the star of the meal. Studded with creamy goat cheese, fresh dill, scallions and chunks of smoked salmon, this frittata is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch and/or dinner!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

It's soup season and I'm always looking for new recipes to try. This week, I made this delicious Chicken Enchilada Soup and it's everything I love about chicken enchiladas all in a bowl.  Boneless, skinless chicken breast slowly simmers in a soup of enchilada sauce, chicken broth and milk. Joining in the mix are kidney beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, onions and bell pepper. This is a hearty soup of a Mexican favorite dish!

Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: Artisan Pizza and Flatbread Cookbook!

Happy Sunday! I'm running behind today which is why I'm actually posting this on Monday versus Sunday. I've been out of town to spend time with family the entire weekend and much to my surprise, I had no internet connection! Thankfully I'm back in the city and back on the grid. Last week, my friends at Ulysses Press sponsored the giveaway with a generous offering of one of their tasty cookbooks, Ice Cream Happy Hour. A lucky reader will receive a copy of this delicious cookbook, filled with frozen treat recipes inspired by favorite cocktails and drinks. A special thanks to Ulysses Press for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Boozy Ice Cream
Winner: Comment #5!

It seems like a distant memory when I was so intimated working with yeast. It was the one ingredient that really made me avoid any recipe involving it! But after some coaxing from friends, I tackled that fear and finally got over it. Even today, I wonder why I let that cooking fear take over me. However, these days, yeast is a common staple in my kitchen pantry. I've loved baking with it since I realized it wasn't as hard or complicated as I once thought. But when I recently found out I had a gluten intolerance/sensitivity, I immediately thought my bread baking days were over. I couldn't have been more wrong! 

One of my favorite bread baking cookbooks was the Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day. I loved how I could create a dough and allow it to sit in the fridge until I was ready to bake. Now the same authors have come out with a new book dedicated to pizzas and flatbreads... and it even includes gluten free recipes!

In Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day (Thomas Dunne Books - ISBN 0-312-64994-0) Jeff and Zoë will show readers how to use their innovative techniques for lightning-fast breads to make pizzas, flatbreads, and sweet and savory tarts from stored, no-knead dough. The authors also include soups, salads and spreads that turn flatbread or pizza into a complete meal.

With ingredients that include grains and toppings from around the world, as well as healthy alternatives, Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day will give readers the tools to make their all-time favorite meals in minutes.

Includes 100 recipes for:
• Classic Pizza Margherita with mozzarella, tomato, and basil
• Sicilian thick-crust pizza
• Chicago-style deep-dish pizza
• Mexican corn flatbread with tomatillo and chilies
• Gorgonzola and pear tart
• Breakfast pizza with prosciutto, parmigiano and egg
• Pocket pizzas for parties and school lunches
• Dessert tarts from sweet doughs

For all of those who would like a quick and easy method of making artisan pizza, this book is a must have.

Thanks to my friends at St. Martin’s Press, they will be sponsoring this week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. A lucky reader will receive a brand new copy of the Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook. Will you be that lucky reader that will be creating some delicious pizza and flatbread in a few minutes flat?! Read on for more details...

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when a winner is announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

How do you like topping your pizza/flatbread?

Deadline: Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 12 midnight CST.

One winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Sunday, October 30, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!

Cilantro Pork Tamales

I have found a new favorite ingredient - masa harina! Masa harina is a common flour made out of corn and is used to make quite a few Mexican specialities such as tortillas, tamales, arepas, etc. I've been playing around in the kitchen with masa harina for more gluten free dishes and it's been such a delicious adventure. Stay tuned for more recipes calling for masa harina in the near future! The most recent dish I made using masa harina includes these Cilantro Pork Tamales. Slow braised pork is cooked with a cilantro and tomato salsa before using as a flavorful tamale filling...

Pesto Baked Salmon

Article first published as Pesto Baked Salmon on Blogcritics.

Sometimes when a recipe is so simple and easy, I question whether it's even worthy of sharing. Take for example this Pesto Baked Salmon. Two ingredients - pesto and salmon - are brought together, baked and voila... time for dinner! I figured I should share this because sometimes a 2 ingredient recipe is just the thing I need to get something on the table. Besides, pesto and salmon is a classic pairing for a great dinner...

Pork in Sherry Mushroom Sauce

Article first published as Pork in Sherry Mushroom Sauce on Blogcritics.

Sometimes the unexpected is better than what's expected. For the most part, I like to have a well-stocked pantry. Just when I thought I had everything I need and began on a recipe, I quickly discovered that I was out of the key ingredient. What to do?! Well, the only thing to do is to adjust and make some substitutions. In this case, I wanted to originally make a Pork Marsala dish but didn't have an Marsala wine. The next best thing was to use Sherry so that's when this dish for Pork in Sherry Mushroom Sauce was born. Who knew this simple substitution would come out better than I expected?! Sautéed pork is tossed in a simple sauce of garlic, caramelized mushrooms, and sherry...

Huli Huli Chicken

Article first published as Huli Huli Chicken on Blogcritics.

If there is anywhere in the world I would love to live the rest of my life, it would be Hawaii. It's been years since I've last been and I know someday I will be back... for good. Someday. Until then, I can only dream about the days I eat common dishes found in Hawaii. One such dish is this Huli Huli Chicken. This recipe involves braising chicken in a sweet sauce before broiling or even grilling. The best part of this chicken dish is definitely the sauce. It's sweet, salty with a subtle tartness....

Alfredo Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna

Article first published as Alfredo Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna on Blogcritics.

It's that time of year where I'm all about comfort food and one of my favorites is a serving of lasagna. There are so many variations on lasagna and the most recent one I made is this Alfredo Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna. A spinach artichoke mixture is mixed with creamy alfredo sauce and layered with shredded chicken, mozzarella cheese and noodles. Seriously, what's not to love about that combination?!

Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: Boozy Ice Cream

Happy Sunday! Looks like our stint of gorgeous warm and sunny autumn weather has ended this week so I'm adjusting to the cool and cloudy days. This weekend has been quite an experience as I spent a whole day at a couple local farms learning more about the farm to table process for beef and dairy. I'll be sharing my highly educational experience soon! How has your weekend been? Last week, my friends at Tiny Prints sponsored the giveaway with a generous offering for holiday cards and invitations. A lucky reader will receive 50 holiday cards or holiday invitations of their choice! A special thanks to Tiny Prints for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Tiny Prints

Winner: Comment #15!

I don't know about you, but as we approach Halloween, my mind starts to skip over the ghoulish treats and focus in on holiday fare. Of course, there's the traditional appetizers main courses, side dishes and even salads... but what about drinks?! Better yet, drinks made into desserts?! Well, this year I'm not putting away my ice cream maker just yet. It's going to get some use because I've gotten a chance to play with some delicious ice cream flavors inspired by favorite cocktails, drinks and fun libations. Thanks to my friends and Ulysses Press, I received a copy of the new cookbook, Ice Cream Happy Hour. It's a delicious book full of frozen treats inspired by all sorts of alcoholic drinks. That said, this is not your mama's typical ice cream!

The holiday entertainment season is upon us, which means lots of excuses for drinking and desserts. What better way to impress your guests at the end of a dinner party or holiday festivity than with boozy ice cream?!

“Ice Cream Happy Hour” is the first book of its kind, with 50-plus ice cream recipes based on your favorite classic shots, cocktails and blended beverages – Coffee with Kahlúa, Chocolate Martini, and Strawberry Daiquiri. These 21-and-over homemade frozen delights not only taste amazing, they also serve up a surprising kick – there’s a shot of alcohol in each cup!

Thanks to my friends at Ulysses Press, they will be sponsoring this week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. A lucky reader will receive a brand new copy of the Ice Cream Happy Hour ice cream cookbook. Will you be that lucky reader that will be serving up some delicious boozy ice cream delights to family and friends this season?! Read on for more details...

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when a winner is announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

What's your favorite cocktail or boozy drink?

Deadline: Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 12 midnight CST.

One winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Sunday, October 23, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!