Roasted Beet Stacks - October Secret Recipe Club #Recipe

It has been a long and crazy week. I am almost embarrassed to admit that cooking has not been at the top of my priority list. No, too many projects, appointments, events and deadlines to meet. Add to that all the recent computer/internet issues and I am wiped out.

Please no complicated recipes to follow or new techniques to master. I am spent.

So when it came to my Secret Recipe Club Post this month, I needed something fast, but delicious. I had the pleasure to be assigned to Why I Am Not Skinny for October. As her tagline states, she is a South African living abroad in Brussels and she enjoys sampling as well as writing about the food she eats. Her blog has recipes and a lot of restaurant and event food posts as well.

And if I ever find myself in her corner of the world, I am definitely looking her up for a great restaurant recommendation!  You will be drooling over the places and food she posts.

She does have a recipe section with some delicious offerings to look through. These Beetroot and Cream Cheese Towers stood out to me because it was simple and would utilize the seasonal produce we have right now on the farm. Yep, beets.

Not wanting to stray from her already amazing dessert, I did have to switch up the toasted nuts. I went with toasted and salted hazelnuts (filberts) since they are locally available and pine nuts are something I don't often purchase for the cost.

I surprised my husband with these for lunch. I say surprised because he knew how busy I was and wasn't expecting a treat like this. I couldn't help myself though, they were so easy to make and really were a great start to lunch together.

It all starts with some simple roasting. I like to gently scrub any loose dirt off my beets (remember, they came straight out of the ground) then toss them in olive oil and a pinch of salt before covering in foil and roasting for about an hour.

You will know they are done when they are fork tender and the outer peel just rubs right off with a paper towel.

Then slice and top with cream cheese, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with roasted chopped nuts. I chose hazelnuts, but the original recipe called for pine nuts. Your choice.

Roasted Beet Stacks
original recipe from Why I am Not Skinny

You Will Need:

• 4 medium beets
• cream cheese, softened
• diced chives *optional
• olive oil
• toasted and salted, hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Start by roasting your beets. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Give them a quick scrub, if needed, then pat dry, coat in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and put inside a foil pouch. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour. The beets should be fork tender when done. Let cool enough so you can take off the outer peel. I like to rub mine with a paper towel.

Slice beets into 2 to 3 sliced and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together the softened cream cheese and chives, if desired. Place the cream cheese into kitchen wrap and shape to be the same width as the beets. Layer the beets with slices of cream cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Leek and Zucchini Potato Gratin

I grew up eating potatoes au gratin and scalloped potatoes. Yum! Of course they were made from a box, in a microwave with dehydrated potato slices that would rival my dog's raw hide chew toys. Now, as an adult with my own kitchen, I'm not willing to go boxed so au gratin potatoes haven't made an appearance on my family's table.

Every so often though I have dreams of the cheesy potato goodness. A potato lover's mac 'n cheese, that processed cheese powder sauce both makes me nostalgic and gives me the shudders.

After making egg cups earlier this week I was left with some extra leek and zucchini filling. It was far too good to toss, so I decided it would pair nicely with the russet potatoes I had on hand. After scanning the fridge I realized I had cream and sharp cheddar cheese.

Could I go there? Would homemade gratin be nearly as good as the memories from my childhood?

Well, I was willing to give it a shot.

First start with some potatoes. I think this dish really needs a good mandolin slicer to achieve uniform and thin slices. I love how russets cook up, but I didn't want them to all fall apart so I added in some red potatoes. I know Yukon Golds would be ideal, but I was working with what was already in my kitchen.

I grabbed a baking dish, buttered the bottom and then began layering the luscious slices of potato. I overlapped them just a little, and tried to keep the dish nice and tight.

Then I went a tiny bit crazy. Instead of just the usual potato, cream and cheese version, right in the middle I spread the remaining leek and zucchini filling I had sauteed for another recipe. The filling was already seasoned, but since potatoes really need salt, I also salted the layers as I built my dish up. A little cheese goes a long way, but don't forget to add it along the way. I ended up with 3 layers of cheese between the spud slices.

Then pour on the milk, or in my case a little cream. Yeah, you don't have to go that rich, but I had a bit to use up in my fridge. Just pour on to come up flush with the top layer of spuds. Then top with a bit more cheese and bake and bubble away.

The leeks and zucchini really add a nice dimension of flavor to this simple gratin. This was the perfect side to accompany a smoked chicken breast an a generous green salad. Don't expect this dish to last long. It is spoon-licking good!

Leek and Zucchini Potato Gratin

You Will Need:

• 2 medium russet potatoes, sliced
• 2 medium red potatoes
• 1 c. sauteed leek and zucchini
• 1 c. sharp cheddar cheese
• approx. 1 c. milk or cream
• 2 Tbsp. butter + more to grease the dish
• salt and pepper to taste

Grease a 9"x12" baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Saute sliced leeks and grated zucchini in olive oil till tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

With a mandolin, slice potatoes to 1/8". Pour a little cream in the bottom of your dish and begin going around the dish layering the slices. They should overlap slightly. After 2 layers of potato, salt and pepper and then top with 1/3 of the cheese. Then repeat.

On the second layer add the sauteed leek and zucchini topping. Finish with another 2 layers of potato and the remainder of the cheese. Then pour on about a cup of cream till it comes up to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes. Divide the butter to dot the top of the gratin.

Bake for about an hour, until the mixture is bubbly and the top cheese is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Tillamook Yogurt, Kid Approved! Lowfat and Light #Review (#sponsored)

*Disclaimer - I was sent a sample of Tillamook yogurt and promotional items to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received.. All opinions are my own and based on my own experiences.

Yogurt is a staple in our home. For breakfast, lunch or a quick snack I seem to eat some everyday. My kids enjoy having a little with fruit and mixed into their smoothies. Of course, we are picky about the yogurt we buy. I try to stay away from long ingredient lists and high fructose corn syrup, but I don't want to sacrifice texture and flavor either.

I do enjoy making my own, but there isn't the same convenience when my life gets really busy. I still regularly buy containers of yogurt for smoothies or healthy snacks. It always seems like a better choice for my family than chips or processed treats.

I jumped at the chance to try the lowfat and light Tillamook Yogurts with my kids because I am proud of the company that originated in my home state of Oregon. We usually don't buy light or lowfat yogurt, but I wanted to see if we noticed a difference.

Yes, I should, but I have never liked the flavor of lower fat yogurt. It tasted more artificial to me. Tillamook boast no artificial flavors or colors and that makes this Mom happy.

I was sent lowfat Marionberry and Raspberry, along with light Oregon Strawberry and Vanilla Bean.

I tried the Oregon Strawberry light yogurt first. Now, since we grow strawberries on the farm, I am pretty partial to the flavor of our local berries. They have a unique flavor and are smaller compared to the widely found Californian strawberries. The Tillamook yogurt was thick, creamy and the strawberry flavor was spot on! Sweet and full of flavor, I thought this might be my favorite out the sampling. My son also tried it and announced it was his favorite flavor.

I gave the raspberry yogurt to my husband since he is the big raspberry fan in our family. He approved and didn't share any with the rest of us.

I think the lid on the packaging sums up why I love this brand. Oh, and don't forget they are farmer owned! As a farming family we have to support our fellow farms.

My daughter chose the Marionberry yogurt. I grabbed a spoonful and we both enjoyed this flavor as well. I like that the Tillamook yogurts aren't overly sweet and really let the flavors of the fruit shine through. She is a cane berry fan just like me.

As for the vanilla bean? We stirred that into some fresh fruit and made a nice little side salad perfect for a warm Summer evening. It has a beautifully light flavor that paired well with our berries, grapes and citrus mixture.

I was pleased with the Tillamook Lowfat and Light flavors that I received and my kids licked their spoons and bowls. They were not light on taste and I couldn't see a difference between them and their full fat counterparts. I am excited to see what other flavors are waiting for us in the grocery store.

Connect with Tillamook on their website, Facebook or Twitter.

Have you given Tillamook yogurt a try? Simply good and delicious, it is a high quality product I can proudly give my family. Be sure to look for it in your local stores.

Retro Recipe Time! From Scratch Banana Pudding Parfaits

Food, for me, is more than just a recipe or list of ingredients. Food is a story, a memory or an emotion ... sometimes all three wrapped into an aroma or first bite.

Pudding is like that for me.

Pudding is my childhood and simple, sweet goodness. Though I never saw my parents make pudding from scratch, I wanted to tap into something older than myself. I do remember banana pudding parfaits with vanilla wafer cookies being offered for dessert, and I remember loving every bite. If not wolfing it down.

Growing up with all the Bill Cosby pudding commercials and busy working parents, it never dawned on me that you could make all this with just a few simple ingredients at home.

Since I am more of a "from scratch" kinda gal now, I wanted to do it all. Not just the pudding, which is simple enough with good fresh eggs and milk, but the cookies too. Both came with a shorter list of ingredients than their boxed counterparts and both were even better than I remember as a child.

Then I saw a discussion on Facebook whether people preferred one photo of the finished recipe or a whole collection of the process on blog posts. I was surprised to see that the consensus was for just one measly photo. I think that glosses over the best part of any story and jumps straight to the resolution. What is the fun in that?

I mean, isn't the journey part of this food's story?

Call me crazy, but I find simple beauty in each photo and step of a recipe. My favorite blogs make food look glamorous. Yes, even simple flour can look inviting. It is so simple. A building block of many great recipes, but awful to eat just on it's own.

My mixer, or my cooking partner in crime, really does most of the hard work for any good recipe I make. I just think it's beautiful. My Mom never had a stand mixer. I don't even think she has one to this day. She had a trusty old set of hand beaters. Everything else was made with elbow grease and a wooden spoon.

So, my pudding may be a throw-back to earlier times, housewives and aprons, but my tools are all modern. Still they are beautiful to me.

Either way, the food is it's own story, it's own star. I am creating new memories with my children who will grow up having fresh vanilla wafers from the oven and pudding still warm from the stove top. I hope a bite of pudding will take them back to cooking days like this.

If you haven't tried making your own pudding it is a real treat. It is lush and velvety as well as thick and rich. A custard ready for any natural flavoring you can think of. It begins with simple eggs, sugar, cornstarch and milk.

It does require a little patient love to stir as it thickens. Leave it too long and it can scorch on the bottom, or bits of egg can cook before the mixture heats through.

But, don't be intimidated! There is not much a good sieve can't help catch and the reward is amazing.

Butter gives it a nice gloss and velvety texture. I know, not a health food... but, desserts should be enjoyed and savored.

I added both vanilla and natural banana flavor to mine. Paired with real banana slices, it was over the moon!

Cover the top with parchment or wrap to keep it from forming a thick skin on the top as it cools in the refrigerator. Then eat by the spoonful or create your own delicious parfaits. I enjoyed scooping it up on the end of one of my vanilla wafer cookies. It didn't last long in our house.

So, that was my journey. That was a well spent afternoon and a delicious dessert that I will remember until the next time I get the itch for a good pudding. For me it was worth the effort and I am sure my family would agree with me.

And now my question is, did you enjoy this adventure? Do you really think it could have all been summed up with the top photo? Can a whole story be found within just a summary?

Retro Banana Pudding & Vanilla Wafer Cookies
inspired by Alton Brown from Good Eats

Vanilla Wafer Cookies
You Will Need:

• 7 oz. of AP flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 3/2 oz. of sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 Tbsp. whole milk

 Position the oven racks to the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Then add the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl. On low, add the extracts and milk till well mixed. Then chill the dough for 15 minutes for easy scooping.

Scoop a teaspoon of dough onto 2 parchment lined cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a glass. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time. They should get a nice golden brown. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet before removing. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

Banana Pudding
You Will Need:

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 c. whole milk
• 3 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, cut into cubes and chilled till ready to use
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. natural banana flavoring

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in the eggs to combine and then add the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till the mixture begins to thicken and bubble. It will take about 10 minutes. Take care not to scorch the bottom, turn the heat down if it starts to cook too quickly. When thick, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Then stir in the extracts. If you are worried about small lumps of cooked egg, you can pass it through a fine sieve. Cover the pudding with wrap or parchment, carefully making sure the cover touches the entire top surface of the warm pudding. This will keep a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before building your parfait.

To build the parfait, slice a fresh banana and layer with cookies, pudding and banana slices as desired. Top with fresh whipped cream. My kids would suggest a few multi-colored sprinkles on top as well.

Enjoy!

Creamy Baked Hominy Recipe - Our Winter Comfort Food

Tonight we fired up the wood stove. To me the Winter chill brings on my love of slippers, big sweaters and comfort foods. One of our creamy, cheesy favorites is a great alternative to the usual Mac n' Cheese. Yes, I love homemade macaroni and cheese, but I dislike all the work involved in a good beschemel and all the cheese needed to dress up my elbow pasta.

This dish is a favorite of my husband's and I got the recipe from my Mother-in-Law. I added in the chicken stock for a creamier finished product, but the best part of this recipe is how simple and quick it goes together.

Date Night - Courtesy of #JuneDairyMovies and Safeway

As a follow up for my previous post, June Dairy Month at Safeway, I wanted to give you an update on our FREE movie tickets (#JuneDairyMovies). It has been a delicious and dairy filled month. We have made many dishes with our dairy purchases. Did you catch the recipes I posted?

The New York Cheesecake with Blueberry Cranberry Sauce?

...or the Green Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas?

Earlier this month we spent $40 during a trip to Safeway buying participating marked dairy products. Just look for signs and tags for June Dairy Month.

I loved that so many of our family favorites were part of the promotion. We stocked up and earned our two free tickets. The Catalina coupon machine will spit out a voucher like this one:

Redeeming the voucher is so easy. It only took a few minutes for mine.

There is a website listed on the voucher. Once there I just needed to select my store, Safeway.

I put in my information and selected my theater preference, then was prompted to print out my certificate for two movie admissions (up to $26 dollar value).

Now, you can use your ticket certificate on Ice Age: Continental Drift, or any other movie you want to see (the certificate expires August 31st). I am saving our certificate for a Mother/Son date to see Ice Age 4. My 4-year old is thrilled to watch it with me and I can't wait to take him next month. I think spending one-on-one time with each of my children is important.

There is still time for you to earn your tickets in this great month-long promotion. Remember, you don't have to spend the entire $40 at one visit, like I did, you can add to your total all month. There are so many great movies in the theater this Summer, so what are you waiting for?

For more great dairy recipe ideas check out Easy Home Meals and the Easy Home Meals Facebook page.

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Safeway #CBias #SocialFabric. All opinions are my own.