So, my sister broke the no-present rule and brought me this WONDERFUL sugar scrub for V-day. And then, proceeded to take me out for a pedicure and fro-yo. Well, rules are made to be broken… She was kind enough to share her recipe. It is fantastic! It’s almost edible, but not quite…

Source: Maria Rakes

Ingredients:

• Sugar
• Vanilla bean
• Vanilla extract
• Unscented body oil

Method:

• Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup oil, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/3 vanilla bean
• Store in resealable jar
• Rub small amount in hands and feel the love!

Source: Melania (with inspiration from http://www.instructables.com/id/Vegetarian-French-Onion-Soup/)

Ingredients:

• 1 Carton veggie broth
• 1 1/2 Med. onions or 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• Two cloves garlic, minced
• French bread
• Jarlsberg cheese
• 1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbl. flour
• 1 Tbl. butter
• French bread
• Italian herbs
• Salt/pepper

Method:

• Saute onion in butter over medium heat, allowing to brown
• In the meantime, heat broth in a soup pan and add garlic, vinegar, and flour, stirring until combined and adding herbs, salt and pepper
• Add onions to soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes
• In the meantime, slice 3 – 4 pieces of French bread (about 1/2 inch thick)
• Brush with olive oil and toast
• Once soup is done, add to crock
• Place piece of bread on top
• Cover with thickly grated cheese (the more, the better!)
• Broil until bubbly on top

Source: Grandma Jean Apostolou

Ingredients:

• 12 Medium potatoes
• 1 8 oz. Package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 Cup Sour cream
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• A Few garlic cloves, smashed with a mortar and pestle
• 1/4 Cup fresh chives, chopped
• 1 Tbl. Butter
• 1/2 tsp. paprika (reserve for topping)

Method:

• Boil potatoes until tender (about 20 minutes – stick a knife in them and if they fall apart, they’re done)
• Drain
• Mash with beater and add other ingredients
• Spoon into greased baking dish (I used a 9X12 pan and they fit perfectly)
• Sprinkle with paprika
• Dot with butter
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly golden

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups whole wheat pancake mix
• 1 Tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 Tsp nutmeg
• 1 Tbl vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbl brown sugar
• 1 Tbl vegetable oil
• 3/4 Cup canned or pureed pumpkin
• 1 Cup milk, (add more for desired consistency)
• 3/4 Cup chopped pecans

Method

• Mix the pancake mix and spices together
• In another bowl, whisk the egg and the brown sugar together
• Stir in the oil, vanilla, the pumpkin, and the milk
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients
• Stir with a spatula until just combined adding more milk to obtain the right consistency
• Cook over medium heat, adding nuts right after you pour the pancakes in the pan
• Serve hot with maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar sprinkled on top

Source: Inspired by Kesi Perea’s post

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl Olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 Package Morningstar crumbles
• Can pinto beans
• Can light kidney beans
• Can dark kidney beans
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Pepper
• 2 Tbs Paprika
• 1 Tbs Red pepper or Cayenne
• 1 Tbs Chili powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 White onion
• 1 Green bepper
• 1 Large can whole tomatoes
• Shredded cheddar
• Sour cream

Method:

• In large pot over medium heat, add oil, crumbles and beans (reserving liquid)
• Add salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, cumin and garlic
• Brown for 2 minutes (be sure crumbles don’t stick to bottom)
• Process onion and green pepper in food processor and add to pot
• Add tomatoes (with liquid) and cut up tomatoes into bite size pieces
• Add liquid from beans and large can of water (or vegetable broth) and bring to boil
• Add more spices to taste
• Simmer 30 minutes
• Serve with cornbread, shredded cheese and sour cream

Source: Food Network Magazine, October, 2010

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl unsalted butter
• 4 Tbl vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 3 Cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Jalapeno (seeds removed)
• 1 1/2 Tsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp cumin
• 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• 1 Small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping
• 2 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 Cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 Cup sour cream
• 1 15-ounce can refried beans (vegetarian)
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 Cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
• Mexi-sauce for topping
• Shredded lettuce, for topping
• Mexican rice for serving
• Two 4-ounce cans chopped green chilis
• Vegetable broth

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450′
• Melt the butter with 2 Tbl oil in pan; transfer to bowl
• Heat remaining 2 Tbl oil in the pan
• Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes
• Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt; toast 30 seconds
• Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes
• Stir in the chicken (or add it later if you want to make some vegetarian) and sour cream and warm through
• Remove from the heat
• Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture
• Spread 2 tbl refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends
• Top with 1/2 cup sauce, 1/2 cup chicken (optional) and 1/4 cup cheese
• Fold in the ends and roll up
• Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet
• Brush with the butter-oil mixture
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side
• Brush again after you flip
• Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato
• Serve with rice and the remaining beans

Chi-Chi’s Mexi-Sauce:

• Saute 1/4 cup chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil
• Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt
• Cook 3o seconds
• Stir in two 4-ounce cans chopped green chilis (drained and rinsed); cook 2 minutes
• Add 1 cup broth and simmer until thickened, then puree
• Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

So, a bit of trivia time. What is My Favorite Muffin? If you know me really well, you know that it is the place where my career got its start. At age 15, I worked at My Favorite Muffin in Flint, Michigan until I realized that I could work at Pacific Sunwear and meet skater dudes. (Enter Gary) There, now you know.

But seriously, this weekend, I did make the best darn muffins you’ll ever taste. Fall is in the air (or at least I wish it was) so I decided to buy a pumpkin spice candle and get my bake on. Check out this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Muffins. Mmmmm… I skipped the cream cheese frosting, but the recipe for that is at source link too.

Source:

The Pioneer Woman *slightly adapted

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup whole grain flour
• ½ Cups sugar
• 2 Tsp baking powder
• 1-½ Tsp cinnamon
• ¼ Tsp fresh-grated ginger
• ½ Tsp nutmeg
• ½ Tsp salt
• 4 Tbl cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 Cup (heaping) pumpkin puree
• ½ Cups evaporated milk
• 1 egg
• 1-½ Tsp vanilla

• Topping
• 2 Tbl sugar
• 1 Tsp cinnamon
• ¼ Tsp nutmeg

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Grease 12 muffin tins
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl
• Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated
• In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla
• Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture
• Fold gently until mixture is just combined
• Pour into a greased muffin pan
• Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture
• Bake for 25 minutes
• Cool in pan for 15 minutes

Source: Grandma Jean Apostolou

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sugar
• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Source: Tyler Florence, The Food Network

Ingredients:

• 6 ears fresh corn, unhusked
• 1/4 pound butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the corn in its husks directly on the oven rack and roast 30 to 40 minutes. (I promise, they don’t catch on fire.)
• Combine the butter with the chili powder and lime zest.
• When corn is soft to the touch, peel down the husks and tie in a knot to use as a handle while eating.
• Rub the corn with soft butter mixture, and garnish with a lime wedge.

This is an adapted recipe that my dear Grandma Jean Apostolou used to make. It’s kind of ironic, since I vegetarianized the recipe that literally translates into “hunter” in Italian. However, I  promise that you won’t even miss the meat trifecta that it traditionally contains. When I cooked this recipe today, it filled our home with a nostalgic smell, rich with onions and herbs.

Source: Grandma Jean Apostolou <3

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Vermicelli (I used whole wheat angel hair instead)
• Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 3 Onions (or about 1 1/2 if you have gargantuan SC-sweet onions)
• 2 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
• 2 Stalks celery
• 1 Green pepper
• 2 Carrots
• 1 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 Tsp. each: garlic powder, salt, seasoned salt, thyme, marjoram, chili powder, dry mustard
• 1/2 Tsp. each: onion salt, oregano
• 1 Tbsp. Italian herbs

Method:

• Brown onions and garlic in oil
• Dice celery, green peppers and carrots
• Add along with canned tomatoes and seasoning
• Cover and simmer for 1 hour
• Serve over pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese