Red Pepper, Four Cheese Spinach Dip

Today's Little Rant About Shopping Local:

I love to support our local markets as best as I can.  Today proved a point as to why I love shopping at Turners Farm Market off of hwy #2.  Not only are their veggies fresh you can guarantee they aren't bad and as I found out today....crawling with earthworms.   That is right readers, today I made a quick stop at Ingersoll's Independent Store to pick up the cheese ingredients  (Parmesan and Romano) and while I was there decided to grab a bunch of green onion. HUGE HUGE HUGE MISTAKE!  Why you may ask?  I got home only to find  my bunch of onions were infested with big slimy gross earthworms! Immediately I went back to the store to return them. The Customer Service Rep didn't even seem concerned as she threw them in the trash bin and handed me my .79.  DISGUSTING!   I made the trip out to Turners, yes just to get onions....and vowed I will never ever get my vegetables at Independent EVER AGAIN!

 So now to the good stuff:


Halloween is approaching quickly, and my husband and I were invited to a Scary - Movie - thon!  I am defiantly a little Suzy Homemaker when it comes to get together's!  I love trying new finger food appetizers and mini desserts!  Today, I desperately had a craving for Kelsey's Spinach dip and I found this super awesome recipe on Google! And trust me, it tastes exactly like the real thing!


8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon very finely chopped red bell pepper
1 green onion (scallion) white and green finely chopped
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup grated medium Cheddar cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix first 4 ingredients with hand or stand mixer on medium until softened and well mixed.

Add next two ingredients and mix on med-low until just incorporated.

Add spinach and mix on low until just incorporated.

Transfer mixture to a small ovenproof dish and sprinkling cayenne on top to taste. Top with cheddar. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until bubbling around the edges.

Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 - 7 minutes before serving. Serve with fried or baked pita wedges and tortilla chips (nachos).

Chicken Breast, Sausage Fennel Casserole

 Today felt like a pasta sort of day!  While Hurricane Sandy blows into Ontario, my kitchen was smelling delicious of fresh chopped peppers, garlic and cooked chicken and sausage!  This pasta is best served with a side salad and fresh bagette.  Oh, and don't forget the red wine! Yum!

8 sausage links cut into bite size pieces

3 boneless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

1 bag of pasta penne

1 fennel head

1 tablespoon of fennel seed

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1 medium onion chopped

1 green, yellow, and red pepper shopped

2 large can spaghetti sauce

Olive oil

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 

Cut Chicken and Sausage into bite size pieces, and cook.

While cooking, boil penne until cooked. Set aside one cup pasta water.

Trim fennel head, and slice bulb length wise into strips

Stir fry garlic onions, fennel, fennel seeds  for two min in olive oil

Put all ingredients together and add spagetti sauce and mix thoroughly.

Place in casserole dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in oven for one hour or until cheese is melted.

 * Did you like this recipe?  Feel free to leave a comment! *

Country Harvest Beef Stew

Welcome to Crock Pot Tuesday!

Today, I had my dad over for lunch.  We enjoyed this very flavourful stew  that was super easy to make!  Served with fresh warm biscuits and a cup of warm apple cider, this dish is sure to warm everyone's heart on a dreary day!  Enjoy!


1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 1/2 pounds beef for stew
1 quart (32 ounces) canned or stewed tomatoes undrained
6 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 stalks of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all purpose flour (optional)
1/2 cup warm water (optional)

1.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium - low heat.  Brown stew meat on all sides. Drain excess fat

2. Place browned meat and remaining ingredients except flour and water in crock-pot slow cooker.  Mix well. Cover; cook on HIGH 6 to 7 hours

3. Before serving, thicken gravy if desired.  Combine flour and warm water in small bowl. Stirring well until all lumps are gone.  Add mixture to liquid in Crock Pot.  Cook 10-20 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.

**Did you like this recipe?  why not leave us a comment?!**

Apple Crumble Loaf

Fall is here!! And what wonderful way to start off this season with a whole APPLE series!!

Last week I started my apple-thon!!  5 pies, 5 crisps, and 60 jars of pie filling later I was left with a dozen apples from the bushel I purchased at our local market (Turners Farm Market).  What on earth was I going to do with 12 apples that I hadn't done already?  At this time, I was out of jars, flour and energy!!

I searched through some old dusty worn out cookbooks and found this awesome crumble loaf cake!!

 Crumble:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Apples:

• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch peices
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2tsp granulated sugar 

Cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking poder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350F. coat a 9 x 5 x 3 in loaf pan with non stick spray
2. Make the crumble:  Put all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a fork until crumbly
3. Toss the apples with 1/2 cinnamon and tsp granulated sugar
4. Make the cake: combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir together
5. Add eggs in a medium bowl and whisk together.  Whisk in butter and milk. Add to flour mixture and fold just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spoon half into prepared pan. Spread to cover bottom.
6.  Sprinkle with half of the apples then top with half of the crumble.  Add remaining batter on top of the crumble, spread to cover.  Sprinkle remaining apples and then the remaining crumble.
7. Bake for one hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the sides; invert cake onto rack to turn cake out and then revert right side up.  Let cool completely.  Store tightly covered up to 1 day at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge.