Garlic Knots

My husband and I have a great tradition we call "wine and cheese night".  Every now and then we forgo the usual weekend restaurant trip to stay at home, pop open a bottle of wine, try a new kind of cheese, munch on olives, and break a nice loaf of bread.  We had a wine and cheese night last Friday.  Usually we pick out a loaf of bread from the store, but this particular day I decided I was going to make my own.  I am getting so brave!  

I searched high and low for the perfect bread to make.  It had to be something flavorful, but something that complemented the cheese we were having.  I settled on these Garlic Knots.  While it's not a loaf of bread, I figured it would do the trick. And indeed, it did.

Chocolate Reese's Pieces Cookies

I did a bad, bad thing.  I don't buy shoes just because I see them in the store and want them.  I don't stop and get a cappuccino whenever the mood hits me.  I am not an impulse shopper.  Except for food.  For some reason,  I can't help myself.  If I find a good deal when I'm in the grocery store,  I pull the trigger.  So when I went to the store on November 1st and saw the Halloween candy on sale, I bought a few bags.  I don't even eat candy most of the time.  

 One of the candies I bought was Reese's Pieces.  My husband loves chocolate and peanut butter, and I thought he would have them eaten after day one.  But he was oddly abstaining.  Although he was resisting the candy, I know he can't resist cookies.  So I decided to make some cookies with my purchase.  I considered peanut butter cookies with the candy in it, but thought it would be too peanut buttery.  Chocolate cookies seemed like a better balance.

What a good call.  These were amazing!  Soft, chewy, moist, chocolate and peanut butter goodness.  Maybe they were too good.  I am totally addicted!  Make at your own risk!

Makeover Monday: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

I have quite an arsenal of pancake recipes.  Of all my weekend breakfasts I make, pancakes have to be my favorite.  I have been making pancakes on weekend mornings for as long as I can remember.  And of all my pancake recipes, pumpkin pancakes are my favorite.  I love that fall allows me an excuse to make as much pancake stuff as I can!

I am always trying to make my weekend meals live up to my weekday standards.  This Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancake recipe wasn't too bad to start out with, but I found a few ways to improve it.  I used 100% whole wheat flour (24 extra grams of fiber), Splenda brown sugar substitute (70 fewer calories), flax instead of an egg (35 fewer calories), and applesauce instead of oil (105 fewer calories).

My main experimentation in this recipe was using the ground flax seed instead of an egg.  Eggs are slowly shedding the villain role they previously held for their high cholesterol content.  I didn't lose the egg in this recipe because I think I need fewer eggs so much as I think I need more omega-3 fatty acids, which flax seed is an excellent source of.  I eat ground flax seed most mornings either in Bran Flakes or a bowl of oatmeal, and I have noticed the box says you can substitute 1 tablespoon flax plus 3 tablespoons water for one egg.  I hadn't tried it yet, but I thought this recipe would be a good tester.   

It turned out great.  These pancakes are moist, thick, and perfectly pumpkin-y.  Not only is the pumpkin tasty, but it is an awesome source of Vitamin A.  I topped these with margarine and light pancake syrup to complete a breakfast that tastes like an indulgence, but really isn't!

Easy Rosemary Bean Soup

Winter weather has officially struck a large part of the country, and I am not pleased.  I hate cold weather.  However, I must say there are a few bonuses to its arrival.  One is soup. There is nothing cozier than putting on your favorite old sweater and fuzzy slippers, and savoring a nice hot bowl of soup.  Especially one that smells this good.  Thank you rosemary!

There are three things I love about this Easy Rosemary Bean Soup.  

1: It is fast!  Unlike many soups or stews that require hours of simmering, this soup is basically ready when you are.  

2: It is healthy!  It is about time I put a healthy recipe on here.  I have been slacking off lately!  This recipe is just beans and veggies.  That means lots of fiber, and not many calories.  And if you've been eating all the desserts I've been posting (which I have!), or sneaking pieces of leftover Halloween candy (which I have!) you could probably use a light meal by now!

3:  It is delicious!  The flavors of the sauteed onions and garlic, the rosemary, and the stewed tomatoes come together to make a soup that will make your taste buds very happy with you.  Trust me, they will think you spent hours.

Make it Yourself Margaritas

This post is dedicated to my mom.  I am like my father in almost all ways possible.  But in my love for margaritas, I am like my mother.  Nothing brings us together quite like a glass (or two!) of sweet, tangy, salty goodness!  

Typically I just buy a margarita mix.  It is easy and always satisfies.  Last weekend for college football Saturday, my game day theme was Mexican.  I made homemade guacamole (coming soon!) and I thought some homemade margaritas would complement the chips and dip nicely.  I searched around for a good margarita recipe and settled on this one.  Jackpot!