Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween! It is a crisp, cool and sunny day and seems like perfect weather for Trick or Treating. I enjoy spoiling the little goblins that come to my door, and have a huge bucket of candy ready. This year, I also picked up little mini bags of microwave popcorn and tiny little containers of Playdoh. Usually, I pass out Halloween pencils, but didn't find any that I really liked for this year.

With our front yard projects still majorly under construction, it seemed fitting to do a graveyard with tombstones and skeletons in the bare dirt. But, as usual, our winds are preventing this. I still have my fun ghosts on the front porch, though. I even plopped my creepy dancing skeleton beside the piano again. The kids all love the way I dress up my spooky old house for Halloween.

My biggest concern about the night will be the pups. Hubby has to be away, and I will be alone while they go berzerk each time the door bell rings. I think that I will have to use the puppy gate to lock them in the kitchen. They will still bark their fool heads off, but I won't have to worry about either of them slipping out the open door, snapping at an overeager Trick or Treater, or licking someone to death.

Dinner tonight will once again be leftover soup. We will enjoy the last of the leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup. I promise to make a real meal tomorrow, but just don't want to deal with cooking around all of the other madness tonight. We will also have leftover Deluxe Corn Muffins with the soup. Actually, the soup gets better with time. It's true spiciness comes out after sitting overnight.

Chicken Tortilla Soup is a recipe that has evolved from another that I found online. It is still basically the same soup, but tweaked a bit to suit our tastes. The Deluxe Corn Muffins are so simple and start with a mix, but I haven't found anyone who didn't like them. Of course, they are sweet corn muffins, and I have heard that true southerners don't do sweet cornbread. But, that is another debate, entirely, right?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 cup frozen corn
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (4 ounce) can of diced green chilies
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (I grill with Montreal Seasoning)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 teaspoon fresh round black pepper
1/8 teaspoon (or a dash to taste) cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients and simmer for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Serve with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese on top. (Serves 4)

Deluxe Corn Muffins

2 (7.5 ounce) packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 (14 ounce) can creamed corn
½ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Combine muffin mixes with corn, milk, and eggs. Stir in grated cheese.
Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated 400 oven for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. (12 servings)

Home Alone

I am home alone tonight as Hubby is out of town. Sometimes when he is away, I will cook up a storm and try recipes that I don't think that he would enjoy. However, tonight I am tired. Dinner, if you can call it that, is going to be simple and easy, with the emphasis on the easy. I have leftover Pepperoni Chips from the cheese tray from Saturday night's get-together, and I think that this will serve just fine. Add a little cheese, crackers, and wine and my meal is complete.

Pepperoni Chips are a simple, little, crispy snack that are great on their own or served in combination with cheese and crackers. Try them with a glass of wine, but they are just as tasty with a cold beer. I original found the recipe in an email from World Wide Recipes, and have made them many times since. Imagine the crispy crunchy bits of pepperoni on top of your favorite pizza. That is a Pepperoni Chip. Yum!

Pepperoni Chips

1 (8 ounce) package pepperoni, thin sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the pepperoni slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake until crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to paper towels to absorb the fat and cool to room temperature.
Will keep for several days at room temperature. (8 servings)

Now that you know what is on my plate, are you interested to know what is in my glass? I am currently a fan of Menage a Trios California Red Table Wine by Folie a Deux. This is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. I am not a true wine connoisseur, and don't have the vocabulary to describe the flavor, bouquet and complexity of a wine, but I do know what I like, and I like this. It was discovered while having lunch with a friend at the Derby Cafe in Chamberlain. We had some fun laughs and giggles over the name, and the wine was not a disappointment. Hubby's joke is that the Menage a Trios part of it is that I could drink 3 bottles, if I let myself. He is quite the comedian, isn't he? Regardless, the wine is inexpensive, but good. Three bottles wouldn't break the bank, if I were so inclined. ;)

I am really enjoying savoring it in my new Stemless Wine Glasses. With 2 wild puppies and my own klutzy self running around, the stability of a stemless glass is genius. Mine aren't the Pottery Barn version, though. They were a gift from a friend, and purchased at Target. I love Target. It has the best things at great prices.

B hearts F

This post isn't on my plate. This one is on my mind and in my heart. I am in love with my new iPod. It was a birthday gift from my hubby and is inscribed with "B hearts F". :~)

I have loaded 264 songs and an audiobook on it and have only used 1.2 GB. There is a list of songs that I would like from iTunes, but am taking some time to get re-acquainted with my CD collection, first. The sound quality is incredible and the ease and convenience are awesome. I don't know why I waited so long to finally get my iPod. Long bike rides will be so smooth with my favorite tunes and/or novel to keep me company and my mind off of the pain. There are some great accessories that I have my eye on, too. Let's hope that Santa is as good to me as the Birthday Fairy.

Not On My Plate, But In My Bowl

Today, it isn't on my plate, but in my bowl. I hosted a get-together last evening and served 4 different types of soup along with some snacky nibbles, and a couple of desserts. Today, I am savoring one of the leftovers, Pumpkin Black Bean Soup. It is even better on the second day.

Originally from Cooking Light, I have modified this soup slightly to suit ingredients that I usually have on hand. I love the smokey flavor that the cumin brings to the soup.

Pumpkin-Black Bean Soup

1/2 cups canned tomatoes, petite diced, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
pumpkin seeds (optional)

Place tomatoes and beans in a food processor, process until about half of the beans are smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan, sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cumin and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add bean mixture, broth, and next ingredients (through pumpkin); bring to a boil.
Ladle about 1 cup of soup into each of 6 bowls; sprinkle each serving with about 2 tablespoons queso fresco and about 1 tablespoon green onions. Garnish with pumpkin seed kernels, if desired. (Serves 6)

Getting Started

I have considered blogging for some time, but wasn't sure that I had enough to say to keep anyone, including myself, interested. However, I have come to the point where I decided that it might be fun to take the leap. A cookbook has been in the works for some time, but I don't feel that I have collected all the right recipes, photos, and insight to make it complete. In the meantime, this blog might help it all come together...or, it might be the end of the cookbook, if blogging is more fun. :)

On My Plate is created to share with others what is "on my plate." Food is fun for me. I like researching recipes, planning menus, preparing meals, and most importantly sharing them with friends and family. This will be the primary focus of my blog. However, from time to time, I may throw in other little peeks at what is on my plate in the rest of my life. Basically, this is my menu with a little life thrown in. I hope that you enjoy it.