Honey Apple Bundt Cake with Honey Caramel Sauce

I love the celebrations that make up Fall. Mostly because they all have to do with food... that's enough to get me on board with just about any holiday.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me if I was interested in trying out some Jewish recipes for the upcoming high holidays which begin toward the end of this month. I didn't have to give it much thought -- um, yes! When she told me one of the recipes was for a Honey Apple Bundt cake that was "to die for", I knew exactly what I'd be making.

Hallie and I actually have an interesting story of how we came to be friends. It's all thanks to social media and technology, believe it or not. Somehow or another, Hallie started following my Instagram account a while back. While planning a shopping event for Rapunzel's Closet in Palm Beach, she reached out and asked if I'd be interested in providing the nibbles for a chic little soiree {thanks to IG, I have photo memories! This was before I had an iPhone, so pardon the terrible photos.}. I was thrilled and flattered, and happily obliged. Soon after, our friendship as email "pen pals" began -- Hallie was living in NYC and we had never even met. 

As it turns out, our correspondence became semi-regular {and the emails very, very long}, specifically bonding over a love of all things food. She would tell me about the amazing places she was eating in NYC and even sent me an extensive list of recommendations for my next trip to the city. Our talks of foodie things soon developed into talks about life, dreams and the pursuit of the perfect outfit {following Rapunzel's Closet keeps me in-the-know of what's cute & current since most of my reading consists of cookbooks and baking magazines}, and we planned to meet up for a girl date during one of her visits to Florida. After some wine, appetizers and lots of chatter, we parted ways and remained friends. 

And, because friends don't keep amazing cake recipes from each other, Hallie was kind enough to pass along this recipe she makes every year for the Jewish holidays. 

Rosh Hashanah starts next week, signifying the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Though I was raised Catholic, I have always loved learning about celebrations of other religions. Judaism is particularly neat to me because of the fact that it is not only a religion, but also a culture rich with its own traditions, foods and language. As is the case with many holidays, food is a significant part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration -- specifically foods that symbolize sweetness to get the year off to a "sweet start."

Fun fact: My college roomate and dear friend is Jewish, and one year when neither of us could go home for the holiday, we whipped up an Easter/Passover dinner in our apartment that was epic... for the college days, that is. Talk about a mash up! :)

It doesn't get much sweeter than this cake, I can tell you that much. From what I hear, Jewish honey cake has a reputation for being sort of dry and unappealing -- more like a necessary showpiece for a traditional table than a dessert to look forward to. {Sounds like fruitcake to me!} This cake is not only beautiful, but also moist and irresistible.

Studded with apples that lend moisture to the dense cake and drizzled with a ridiculous {in a good way} Honey Caramel Sauce, this is more of a showstopper than a showpiece. The cake is lightly spiced without being overpowering, allowing the honey flavor to shine through. {Which I surprisingly enjoyed even though I'm not a huge fan of honey.}

Whether you celebrate Rosh Hashanah, or are simply looking for a sweet way to usher in the flavors of fall, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. I can assure you that guests will be clamoring for another slice, and your family will be kvelling {See? Shiksa can get her Yiddish on.} over your contribution to the celebration.

Thanks, Hallie, for sharing a new favorite! xo

Honey Apple Bundt Cake
Slightly adapted from a recipe by Nicole Slaven, private chef and instructor at the JCC in Manhattan

1 cup chopped pecans, divided
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled & chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12- cup bundt pan {or spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray} and sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/4 cup of chopped pecans. 

2. In a medium bowl, beat sugar, oil and honey until combined. {Note: This batter is going to be thick so a hand mixer or stand mixer is the best bet here.}

3. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated after each addition. 

4. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add to wet mixture until just incorporated. Like I said, it's a super-thick batter, so make sure there are no pockets of flour hiding, but also try not to overmix. 

5. Fold in vanilla, remaining 3/4 cup chopped pecans and chopped apples -- this part can be done by hand, but it'll take some muscle! 

6. Spoon mixture evenly over pecans in pan. Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes. Note: This cake browns very quickly due to the high sugar content. If you notice that it's looking like it might burn, loosely place a piece of foil on top to prevent over-browning.

7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to remove from pan. When the cake is slightly cooled, pour ½ cup honey sauce over top. 

Serve the remaining honey sauce along with the cake... a little vanilla ice cream won't hurt, either. ;)

Honey Caramel Sauce:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup heavy cream

Bring sugar, butter and honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes. 

Remove from heat and carefully add cream {it will bubble quite a bit}, and stir until the mixture looks uniform and is slightly thickened. {For a thicker sauce, allow to cool before drizzling.}  

Drizzle some of the sauce over warm bundt cake placed on a cooling rack on top of a pan or placed over the sink to allow the runoff to drip onto something other than your counter tops. Transfer cake to a serving dish.

Serve the remaining sauce alongside cake for extra sauciness.

Smoky Blue Cheese Grits

Confession: Food bloggers get stumped about what to make for dinner sometimes, too.

Don't get me wrong, I usually have a multitude of recipe ideas swimming around in my head. But most days when I get home from the office or finish a long day of working or recipes, the last thing I want to do is think about what to make for dinner. Those are usually the nights when I say, "Honey, you're on your own." Then I chop up some tomatoes and avocado, throw them in a bowl with a sprinkle of sea salt, and call it a day. {For the record, this a delicious, albeit lazy, thing to eat.}

Ruts happen; Pork chops with a side of rice. Pork chops with a side of quinoa. Pork chops with a side of sweet potato mash. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I am lucky that my sweet husband has taste buds that almost never tire of eating whatever is set in front of him. He's one of those people that can happily eat the same items for breakfast every day for a year without blinking an eye. Meaning, he's not much help when I'm trying to be creative and ask "What should we have as a side?"

His request is usually some form of greens -- a salad, sauteed spinach or kale, etc., etc., -- along with some form of starch. But the starchy element of dinner {which, honestly, I could most times do without} is usually the same response over and over again. A girl can only make so any versions of rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes before she loses her ever-loving mind.

A few weeks ago, after a long day and a firm refusal to eat the same.darn.thing again on a day when pork chops were {once again} up to bat, I decided to get a little creative.

Grits.

Smoky blue cheese grits. Because most of the time, my creativity is fueled by a constant desire to use up the tiny bits of things that end up rolling around the pantry and the fridge without a purpose. I happened to have half a box of grits sitting abandoned on one side of the pantry and a small chunk of blue cheese left over from my wine & chocolate tasting party that didn't look particularly inspiring. And so, smoky blue cheese grits came to pass.

If I said that the quick cooking time of grits didn't have something to do with my decision, I'd be lying. But the twist on a food that 1. Is usually thought of at breakfast time, and 2. Can be sort of bland if not properly seasoned or condimented {that's a legitimate word today, ok?} made for a thrilling new side dish.

Even though the husband wasn't so sure about the thought of pork chops over grits, he sure seemed to get on board quickly after a bite.

These grits are creamy and pungent with the blue cheese, and finish with a smoky richness from a few dashes of liquid smoke {an ingredient that I often tend to forget exists}.

It's an unexpected taste of something familiar; a "rut-breaker." And if nothing else, really yummy stuff.


Smoky Blue Cheese Grits 

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grits
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled -- extra for garnish if desired
1 1/4 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and half and half to a boil {watch it carefully as dairy has a tendency to bubble over when boiled.} Add salt.

2. Slowly whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to whisk continuously until substantially thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add blue cheese, liquid smoke and butter and continue to whisk until smooth and thickened to desired consistency. {I like my grits on the thicker side, but if you prefer a runnier texture you can add more liquid to achieve that.}

Serve hot with crumbled blue cheese over top.

S'mores Toffee Pumpkin Pudding Trifles

Not to sound desperate or anything, but there are less than 65 days standing between me and a pumpkin ale. {Ok, maybe a few more considering the last thing I'll be thinking about is beer when I'm trying to juggle the joys of bringing home a newborn. But you know what I mean.}

I joked around with Steve and told him that he better start a stockpile for me since I'm due the 2nd week of November, just in case there's a shortage or something. That would be disastrous.

Meanwhile, I've got one foot in summer and the other wanting to crunch in some fall leaves. {Not in Florida, of course, but somewhere.} It's just too darn hot to trade in the flip flops for suede flats. The tank tops for sweaters. The ice tea for apple cider.

At the same time, all my favorite bloggers are throwing pumpkin recipes out like they're goin' out of style. I'm not gonna lie, it's made me want to be in a pumpkiny mood. But then I remember that it's 95 degrees outside and I retreat to the kitchen, sticking my head in the freezer.

Since I still have some waiting to do until I can simultaneously cool down and get into the fall spirit with a frosty pumpkin beer, I decided to do the next best thing: Make pudding. Naturally, that's a logical alternative.

I must confess that I didn't come up with the idea for these all by myself. A few weeks ago Steve and I were up in Orlando for a business thing and we went to lunch in Winter Park at a place called The Porch. The food was pretty yummy -- specifically the little Pretzel Poppers that I could probably eat by the truckload. Save me.

Though I usually don't order dessert, I was tempted by something on the menu called the "Fluff & Nuts" -- "Layers of homemade Nutella pudding, chocolate chips & graham crackers then topped with toasted marshmallow fluff." Why, yes, I do want you in my belly. {This happened to occur a few weeks after my nerve-racking glucose tolerance test, so I thought of it as a rebellious celebration for passing the darn thing and having a functional pancreas.} It was delightful.

This S'mores Toffee Pumpkin Pudding version I made at home is an autumnal knock-off of The Porch's version - Layers of homemade pumpkin pudding, toffee chips, graham crackers and toasted marshmallow fluff.

I made my own pudding, but if you want to cheat, you can buy your favorite pumpkin pudding mix and shave some more time off of satisfying your sweet tooth. I won't tell.

Happy {early} Fall, y'all.

S'mores Toffee Pumpkin Pudding Trifles
Inspired by The Porch Restaurant -- Winter Park, FL
Pudding recipe adapted from Health.com

For Pudding:
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup milk {I used 2%, but you can use whatever you prefer}
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree {not pumpkin pie filling}
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. In a small saucepan, set over medium heat, whisk together brown sugar and corn starch. Slowly pour in milk and whisk until smooth. Heat until steaming and beginning to thicken, whisking constantly.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg. Slowly pour in about half of the hot milk into the egg, whisking constantly until incorporated {this will help you not to make scrambled eggs when you add the egg to the hot mixture}. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture and whisk until thickened, about a minute or two.

3. Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice until well incorporated.

4. Transfer to a bowl. {Optional: Whenever I made pudding, custard, or anything with heated egg, I like to ensure there are no lumps by running it through a fine mesh strainer. Just pour the pudding in and press it through the strainer with a spatula or spoon to make sure that it's silky smooth.} Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture, patting it down lightly to make sure it's all covered. {This will prevent a "skin" from forming.}

5. Refrigerate until chilled.

Alternatively, you can make instant pumpkin pudding or use your favorite pudding recipe.

For Trifles:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Pumpkin Pudding
1/4 cup toffee chips, such as Heath Bits o'Brickle
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
2 small jam jars

Set your oven to broil.
1. Create a base: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of each jar.
2. Scoop a couple of tablespoons of pudding over each base.
3. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of toffee chips over the pudding.
4. Scoop another few tablespoons of pudding over top.
5. Repeat as many times as desired {or as much as will fit in the container you're using}, leaving some space at the top for the marshmallow fluff.
6. Scoop about 1/4 cup of marshmallow fluff to top each trifle. Place the jars on a small cookie sheet and place directly under broiler to toast the marshmallows -- keep an eye on them, they tend to brown quickly! {You could probably also do this with a mini blow torch, the type you'd use for creme brulee... but I don't have one of those, so this method worked for me.}

Serve immediately & make sure to dig deep with each spoonful to get each of those yummy layers!

Where Slow Food & Whole Food Meet | Cookbook + Slow Cooker Giveaway!

My Cuban Seafood Stew recipe, available in
Where Slow Food & Whole Food Meet on Amazon!

As much as I think about food, you know what I rarely think about? Experiencing a lack of food. We've all joked about being "hangry" or casually throw around the phrase, "I'm starving!", but there are folks out there who struggle with getting enough to eat daily, and that's no laughing matter. Hunger is a real problem right here in our country -- 46 million Americans, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors, deal with hunger.

Having worked in low-income elementary schools as a teacher years ago, I saw firsthand examples of children and families that depended on the assistance of school programs and local charities to sustain themselves. It was a real eye-opener. And yet, as soon as I was removed from the daily reminder, it was easy for those real-life examples to fade into the back of my mind unless I happened to flip to a channel airing one of those heartbreaking commercials about starving children. It's shameful and I'm not proud of it, but I'm being honest.

Fall is a time when you see a lot of focus on this sort of public issue. I suspect it's because during the fall season we celebrate bounty, and giving and family. And when you reflect on the things you are lucky to have, sometimes you have a moment of clarity and realize not everyone is as fortunate... and that we should do more to help those who need it.

September, consequently, is Hunger Action Month. During this month, a nationwide campaign urges the public to take action on the issue of hunger.

I'm proud to finally be able to share this wonderful collaboration that I was invited to be a part of: Where Slow Food & Whole Food Meet: Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners from Our Kitchen to Yours. It's a cookbook made up of healthy, affordable slow cooker recipes shared by a group of more than 30 fantastic bloggers.

The best part? Proceeds from the print version of the cookbook will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida! In addition, Feeding America food banks from across the country are giving the ebook version as a free gift to their donors; if YOU donate right now, you'll get your free ebook and the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping the cause... that's a win-win! :)

Donate & get your ebook! 

Guess what else? Oprah isn't the only one who likes to change the world and give things away. In celebration of this great collaboration, there are some really awesome giveaways going on that you can participate in. 

Starting with a giveaway for your very own slow cooker! 

Please tell me that you've owned one of these at some point. They're sort of life-changing. I mean, you throw stuff in a pot, put a lid on it, and when you get home at the end of a long day, it has done all the cooking for you. Without even burning down your house. That's better than some husbands can do. I'd say owning one is a necessity. {A slow cooker, that is. Not a husband.}

Anyway, if you don't have one or if you need a new one {or, heck, if you just want another because they're so darn fabulous}, our friends at Hamilton Beach are giving you the chance to win one. This is the one they're offering. It's pretty snazzy.

What else do you have for me, you ask? Well, it would sure help to have some mouthwatering recipes to go along with this fantastic contraption. So I'm giving away a print copy of the book, too! And so are all the other participating bloggers, thanks to our sponsors Grimmway Farms, San Miguel Produce & Old Oak Farms.

You can enter to win it here... the more tasks you complete, the more entries you get!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
And as if that weren't enough, the two talented ladies who have really pulled this project together, Christine from Cook the Story and Jennifer from Mother Thyme are hosting their own giveaways for some really great prizes from our sponsors, too. The prizes include free carrots for a year from Grimmway Farms, one prize of free greens for a year from San Miguel and a potato prize pack from Old Oak Farms by RPE Produce {including 40 pounds of potatoes and 1 Bamboo Bowl, 1 cutting board, 1 pepper mill, 1 measuring spoon set, 1 recipe booklet, 1 about potatoes booklet}. Um, whoa.

Ok, so let's recap. Here are all the ways you can get your own copy of Where Slow Food & Whole Food Meet:

1. DONATE and get a FREE ebook version of the cookbook.
2. ENTER TO WIN a Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker AND the print version of the cookbook through my Rafflecopter widget above.
3. PARTICIPATE in one of several Twitter chats for a chance to win a print version of the cookbook. {Scroll to the bottom of Christine's post for information about the Twitter chat dates!}
4. VISIT the other bloggers' sites and check out the ways they're offering the book.
5. PURCHASE the cookbook on Amazon & help end hunger!

Here are the links to their blogs and the names of the recipes they contributed to the cookbook!

Broccoli and Cheese Potato Soup from Big Bear's Wife
Chicken, Potato and Barley Stew from Magnolia Days
Autumn Apple Chicken Sandwiches from Chocolate & Carrots
Pumpkin, Chicken and Spinach Tortellini Soup from An Edible Mosaic
Thai Coconut Curry Beef and Broccoli from Food Faith Fitness
Chicken Burrito Bowls from Two Healthy Kitchens
Barbacoa Tacos from My Baking Heart
Balsamic Orange Roast Beef from a farmgirl's dabbles
Cuban Seafood Stew from The Kitchen Prep
Chinese Beef and Broccoli from Very Culinary
Pork Meatballs in Marinara Sauce from Savvy Eats
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic from Around My Family Table
Tex-Mex Scalloped Potato and Carrot Dinner from Cook the Story
Cuban Black Bean Soup from Food n' Focus
Macaroni and Cheese With Sugar Snap Peas from Brooklyn Farm Girl
Sweet and Spicy Carnitas from Cravings of a Lunatic
Pork Tenderloin Florentine from All Day I Dream About Food
Thai Pork with Vermicelli Salad from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
Mango Chicken from Stetted
Creamy Buffalo Chicken from Mother Thyme
Spiced Lentil Stew from Je suis alimentageuse
Harvest Chili from WonkyWonderful
Whole Tuscan Chicken from The Little Kitchen
Vegetarian Pumpkin White Chili from Kitchen Treaty
Sweet Italian Sausage and Peppers from Sweet Remedy
Chicken Cacciatore from Poet in the Pantry
Lentil, Sausage and Kale Stew from Jeanette's Healthy Living
Italian Beef Sandwiches from Yummy Healthy Easy
Butternut Squash Vegetarian Chili from Nutmeg Nanny

Phew!! That was a LOT of information! But the most important little tidbit I hope you take away is the fact that if we all band together, we can help those who need it. And as comforting as slow cooker meals can be, there's no thought more comforting than that.

If you made it to the end, thanks for reading... now go get your slow cookin' on! :)

Baby Prep: Things I've Learned So Far | Part 2

Remember a few months ago I shared my list of things I've learned so far during pregnancy? Now that I'm well into my 3rd trimester {home stretch!}, I thought I'd share some more tidbits that have been useful for me.

{Couldn't care any less about bump talk? Scroll down to the bottom for the recipe!}

1. There are some things you'll think you want and some you'll find you need. I held off on buying maternity clothes for quite some time. Mostly because I think it's a ripoff, but also because I can't bring myself to spend money on items so ugly.

Want to know what was my saving grace? A belly band. You know, one of those stretchy pieces of fabric you can wear over the top of unbuttoned shorts or pants so you can extend the life of your pre-pregnancy wardrobe. I bought mine for $16.99 on Target.com. I didn't see the big deal about it at first, but at 6 and 7 months pregnant was still able to wear the majority of my shorts and jeans with this miraculous contraption. I now understand why it's an investment worth making.

The BeBand.

On another note: Pregnancy underwear. Undergarments never really crossed my mind before I got pregnant. And then I wandered into Destination Maternity one day and saw these maternity undies on sale, so I picked up a pack just 'cause. Oh.My.Word. I love them. I may never go back to regular undies again. {They have cute ones, girls. Thongs, even. Don't think I've gone all granny panty just because I'm growing a bump.} They are so comfy and have an added band around the top for extra belly support, which you will need one day. Just trust me on this. Get them. You'll never look back.

Maternity underwear. So comfy.

Aside from these two life-changing purchases, I vowed to keep the maternity shopping to a minimum & did stick to my guns. I broke down and bought a pair of maternity shorts, because summer. And when I started stressing about exposing my unzipped jeans crotch to strangers, I finally gave in a bought a pair of maternity jeans. {I think I thanked God for Jessica Simpson that night. My, are they comfy.}

Jessica Simpson maternity jeans.

My dear friend passed on a bag of clothes for me to borrow. Stretchy Old Navy tanks have been a staple. {I love the tamis, I'm just buying them one size up from my normal to accommodate the belly.} Maxi dresses and casual, loose sundresses are everywhere and work perfectly for slipping on over the growing bump. I will not wear a circus tent and you shouldn't either. The end.

2. Exercise helps. Had anyone told me that I would enjoy getting up and going to the gym at 6:30 a.m. -- during pregnancy -- I would have heartily cackled in their face.

I'm going to be frank: I have never been a fan of exercise. I do not like to sweat. I do not like to pant. If I'm doing either of those things, whatever is causing them to happen better be good. {i.e. Running after an ice cream truck. What did you think I was talking about??}

Because I know better, I realize the importance of regular exercise...it doesn't mean I have to like it. But you know what happened around the end of my first trimester? I started hurting. My poor belly muscles felt like they were being stretched to their limit. I was sore and uncomfortable. {And freaking out a little bit because the baby was only the size of a chicken nugget at this point. Eek.}

Yes, there are feet under there.

So I decided to walk it out. On the treadmill, in the gym downstairs from where I live. {Convenience. No cost. Air conditioning. I'm there.} Within the week, my stretching pains magically disappeared. Since then, I've consistently been doing 30-40 minutes of cardio every morning. I roll out of bed and slip on my workout clothes before my eyes are even open and get it done. I hope to be able to continue this as long as possible! I don't love it per se, but I love starting off the day doing something healthy for me and the baby. Which brings me to my next point...

3. Weight gain -- it's a hurdle. Sigh. There are certain things that go hand-in-hand with pregnancy. Weight gain is {obviously} one of them. I'll be sharing a post soon that goes in depth on this topic, but just know that you're not alone, girlfriend. Just keep doing your best and remember that your body knows what it's doing.

4. The peeing never stops. I hope, for others' sake, that there are some people who don't have to experience this, but the incessant urge to pee is not a myth. I wish it were. I can go to the bathroom and then have to go again by the time I wash my hands and walk out. It has nothing to with the baby being on my bladder or any of the things that matter when the baby is bigger -- it is simply nature's cruel joke because we aren't already going through enough.

I have no solutions for this {except go, and then go again before you leave the house}, I just wanted to complain about it for a second because I haven't had a whole lot of other stuff to complain about.

5. People can be mean. For some reason, seeing you in a vulnerable position makes some people feel the need to tell you all kinds of horror stories about pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and beyond. They like to remind you that your life as you know it is over, as if perhaps that wasn't something you've stopped to consider. They like to tell you about terrible things like how many hours a person can go without sleep before losing their mind and brushing their teeth with a tube of caulking or laundering a small pet. They like to regale you with stories of how many degrees they tore or how miserable they were before, during and after giving birth.

I am fully aware that my body will be doing some things that I don't even want to admit could happen to a human being. I am beyond cognizant of the fact that I will no longer be clubbing every night {because I haven't been since Nineteen-Ninety Never} or be able to hop on a plane on a whim and fly to the Greek Isles {because I'm still waiting for the day when this is possible}. I am painfully realistic and nothing that I've been told during these "friendly chats" has been a shocking revelation to me... but if you're easily frightened or have made it habit of wearing your rose colored glasses, then here's my advice: Tune out the noise. Focus on whatever gets you through. Think about the dingbats that have survived this crazy thing called parenthood. You'll be just fine.

{I say this with no actual proof that it will be the case. I just have confidence in you. And in me. Let's go with it.}

.....................................................

I imagined that pregnancy would bring major changes to my eating habits. That I would be averse to many foods or hungrier or constantly craving weird things... something. But honestly, my eating habits haven't changed that much. 

I mean, I'm a little more careful about what I ingest because I've got a little nugget in there who is depending on me to feed him the right kinds of things. I can also eat less in one sitting -- less room, I suppose. 

A few weeks ago I went through a little scare because my doctor suggested I could potentially have gestational diabetes. Once it was confirmed that I didn't and that everything was fine I wanted to eat my way out of a tub of marshmallow fluff, I was relieved. Aside from that, I feel that I've maintained a healthy relationship with food; eating {mostly} right, splurging on occasion.

Quick but nutritious meals like these Black Bean Burgers with Roasted Poblano Salsa are my favorite types of things to eat to keep energized, full and satisfied. The baby hasn't had any issues with spicy foods and I haven't had any trouble with heartburn, so the nice kick of spice and flavor in these is welcome.

The best part about black bean burgers is that you can add or omit things easily to suit your tastes! I kept these pretty simple with some sauteed onions, spices and a dash of cornmeal for some texture and binding. They're even great without a bun!

Give these a try next time you need a tasty bite.

Black Bean Burgers with Roasted Poblano Salsa
Makes 3-4 burgers

1 can black beans, drained {I don't rinse them, just drain the excess liquid}
1/2 an onion, sauteed until soft
1 teaspoon your favorite spice mix {I use McCormick Salt Free Fiesta Citrus}
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
Dash of salt
Optional: Chipotle Mayo

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a sheet of foil on a baking pan and lightly oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. Mash the beans lightly -- my favorite method is using a potato masher. I like some bean pieces to remain, but you can make it as mashed as you'd like. Note: You may have to add extra cornmeal if you mash too much.

3. Form burgers into patties - I usually make 4. Sliders are always fun, too.

4. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until set. {They'll set up some more as they cool off.}

Optional: For Chipotle Mayo - Combine your favorite mayonnaise with a few drops of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles, and a squeeze of lime. Stir well.

Serve on buns {or not!} with your favorite toppings - cheese, lettuce, salsa, chipotle mayo, etc. See below for Roasted Poblano Salsa recipe.


Roasted Poblano Salsa

1 poblano pepper, seeded, roasted & skin removed*, roughly chopped
1/2 an onion
1-2 small plum tomatoes
Squeeze of lime
Pinch of salt

1. In a food processor or blender, lightly pulse onion & tomato until just chunky.
2. Mix in poblano pepper. Add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt and stir together.

Serve over Black Bean Burgers or with tortilla chips.

* To roast poblanos, set them on a foil lined pan and broil {500 degrees} for about 7-10 minutes or until skins are blistered. Cool slightly, then peel off charred skin and discard.

White Chocolate Chai Tea

Hi Guys! Since I will be having my very own "labor day" all too soon, I took the weekend off from blog cooking, had a little fun and tended to neglected odds and ends. {Like finally going to Buy Buy Baby to look at baby things. Yikes. More on that another time.}That means that I totally forgot to announce the Lindt Excellence Chocolate Gift Box giveaway winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to Danielle M.! You've got some major yumminess coming your way!

If you didn't win, don't be sad. There's always next time. But in the meantime, why don't you sip away your blues with a nice cup of White Chocolate Chai Tea?

I posted this recipe long, long ago and it seems to have faded into obscurity though it most certainly deserves the spotlight. With everyone in a frenzy about pumpkin spice lattes and what-have-you, I thought I'd reblog this oldie but goody for those of you who, like me, aren't particularly into the pumpkin beverage obsession. {Fear not, I do plan on sharing some pumpkin recipes... as soon as the temps come out of the 90's. Ugh, Florida.}

I admitted a while back that I much prefer chai anything over pumpkin spiced this-and-that. That's just how it is. Judge away. I usually keep this little tidbit to myself for the most part {like it's controversial or something} because you Pumpkin Spice nuts are a crazy lot when it comes to defending the PSL.

Call me crazy, but chai is also full of warm, spicy goodness. It even shares some of the same flavors as the illustrious pumpkin spice -- cinnamon & ginger, to be exact. For whatever reason, it makes my taste buds happy and makes me think of fall as much as the "other" spice blend.

This chai tea is even more scrumptious thanks to the healthy dose of creamy white Lindt chocolate that melts away into the hot beverage. So good. Even better when it's not 100 degrees outside. I may pack this in a thermos and drive north.

Now that Labor Day has passed and everyone seems to be in a Fall-minded mode, there's no better time to bust out this simple beverage and "spice" things up. Don't worry, pumpkin will have it's turn, too. ;)

White Chocolate Chai Tea
from Lindt USA
Yield: 4 servings

2 cups water
2 chai tea bags {I use Twinings French Vanilla Chai}
2 cups milk of your choice
1 (3.5 oz) Bar Lindt White Chocolate, chopped or 3.5 oz of white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Bring water to a boil a saucepan (or microwave-safe container).
2. Add tea bags, remove from heat and allow to steep for five minutes. Discard tea bags.
3. Using a saucepan or microwave, heat the milk until steaming.
4. Place chocolate in a small bowl and pour ¼ of steaming milk over chocolate - stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
5. Add the chocolate mixture into the hot milk; pour in chai and vanilla extract and stir.

Serve hot in tea glasses or mugs.

10 {SEC} Game Day Cocktails

I'm cheating a little bit here and recycling some old recipes for you newbies around these parts...

Those of you who have been around for a while might remember my Tailgate Thursday series from a few years ago. The lovely Carla of Haute Cocktail helped me with creating collegiate beverages to go with each tailgate posts, and I had the pleasure of taste testing them at home for quality control. ;)

With college football starting up again this week {!!!}, I've been noticing lots of repinning of my tailgate food-related pins -- especially cocktails!

So, I thought it would be nice to round up all of these team-themed cocktails all in one convenient place for ya!*

I'm totally jealous that you'll be mixing spirits while I'm sipping on sparkling water for kick off this year, but traditions must live on and I expect you to carry the torch for me. {Just 10 more weeks until I can get back in the game! Weee!}

Alright, y'all, bust out your Saturday best and cocktail shakers and get to drinkin'! {Responsibly, of course.}

Cheers to another football season!

{Click the link to head to the corresponding Tailgate Thursday post complete with recipes!}

*Since I didn't ever get to a Gators post, I borrowed this delicious-looking drink from the New South Food Company. Credit where credit is due! :)

University of Alabama
The Crimson Cooler

Auburn University 
Eye of the Tiger Cocktail 

University of Tennessee
The Tennessee Rose Cocktail 

University of Kentucky
The Tipsy Wildcat Cocktail

University of Arkansas
The Woo-Woo Pig Cocktail 

Louisiana State University
The Purple Tiger Dream Cocktail 

University of South Carolina 
The Garnet Kamikaze Cocktail  

University of Georgia
The Georgia Bulldog Cocktail 

University of Mississippi {Ole Miss}
The 'Sippi Sipper Cocktail 

Florida State University
The MimOsceola 

University of Florida

The Salty Gator Cocktail

Image from New South Food Company