A Cook's Quest

The trees are brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow, and the air is crisp and cool.  My husband and oldest son are off in the mountains deer hunting and my two younger children are enjoying the warm afternoon sun that chases the frost away.   All of this means Fall has arrived, and with it comes soup season. Though I haven't been outside enjoying the beauty of Fall thanks to computer work, I can still appreciate a nice hearty soup to enjoy with my family.  I pinned soups all summer long in anticipation for a perfect day to enjoy them--the day finally arrived a few days ago.  First up for soup season was Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup .  It had a rich tomato broth in which cheese tortellini cooks and then it is topped with parmesan cheese.  Really, what could be better than that?  It was hearty and filling without being heavy.  I loved the broth alone and when a piece of pasta was included in the bite I was in a...

Hello! First I want to just say I am sorry for the very LONG, and unplanned, absence.  Once the new school year started, I have found it increasingly difficult to maintain family, school, and the blog.  I hope all of you will accept my apology and wait for my return to blog land.  Life here at my house has exploded with excitement since August.  I am in full swing with student teaching, which means the end is in sight--graduation is in December!  I now have a middle schooler, which is quite the adjustment for everyone, a 4th grader, and a 1st grader.  They are all doing incredibly well, but each is at different school which results in a lot of running around in the mornings.  My husband is working the dreamiest hours right now, day shift, which makes the balancing act so much easier. I will close with a huge thank-you to all of you that read my posts, pin my recipes, and continue to support me even when I'm not around.  I appreciate al...

I can not believe that a month has gone by since my last post!  The month of August has FLOWN by like a whirlwind, and I now find myself adjusting to a new school schedule.  In addition to the start of school, it is also time for another round of the Secret Recipe Club . This month, I was assigned to Bewitching Kitchen written by Sally who is originally from Brazil and has traveled the world.  If you want recipes that feature fresh and healthy ingredients this blog is for you.  I was struggling to choose a recipe because all of Sally's recipes look mouth watering!  I finally settled on the Roasted Heirloom Tomato Tart that she adapted from Just a Smidgen because tomatoes are in abundance right now, and I believe that anything that calls for puff pastry is destined to be delicious! I was not wrong!  This tart was delicious with the creamy cheese and sweet summer tomatoes atop the light and crispy puff pastry.  I was not able to locate ...

This month's recipe for the Secret Recipe Club comes from the blog Loving Life  written by Kirstin.  What I enjoyed about reading through this blog is the personal aspect Kirstin brings to all of her posts.  Not only are there recipes, but also daily life details of one family from the Pacific Northwest.  I love learning about those who write the blogs and getting to know about their life and what is important to them. I have shared on my blog a time or two that my husband's favorite dessert flavors are chocolate and peanut butter, in fact I have a chocolate and peanut butter category on my blog just so I can quickly find a recipe whenever he has a craving.  When I found this peanut butter pound cake at Loving Life I knew it was the recipe that I would be making for this month's reveal. As pound cakes go this one fits the bill.  It is dense, but moist, and very full of flavor.  Alone it reminds me of a peanut butter cookie in cake form, ...

When your in-laws give you three cases of apples it means it is time to make delicious desserts!  Apples are my all time favorite fruit to bake with and it won't be difficult to use them all up.  My father-in-law made a request for a batch of apple butter, my husband asked for dried apples to pack during hunting season, and I wanted to try some new recipes. The first recipe I tried was this delicious French apple cake.  It it dense with chunks of apples and rich with an almost custard flavored cake, but light and delicate too.  I would put the cake to apple ratio at about 50/50.  This cake was gobbled up quickly by my family.  I thought it was best at room temperature with a sprinkling of powdered sugar; however, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it served warm with fresh whipped cream! I only made one change to this recipe--the original calls for 3 tablespoons of rum; however, I didn't have any so I left it out of this recipe. ...

In order to get ready for my family to go back to school in a few weeks I have been trying to stock my freezer with meals and side dishes.  With my recent discovery of the perfect baked potato  I decided to make twice baked potatoes, and put them in the freezer for an easy side dish.  These potatoes have been around for a long while with many variations, I am sharing with you how I prepare them for my family. This potato is delicious with a creamy cheesy filling, flavorful skin, and brown, crispy top.  We love them with grilled meat and a light salad or even for lunch once in a while. They are easy to change and adapt depending on your family's likes and dislikes.  I hope you ENJOY! Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest 5 Baked potatoes , cooled slightly 1 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons butter, softened Shredded Cheese Salt Pepper Seasoning Salt **The sour cream is an estimate.  The amount you will need will ...

About a month ago my mother in law called me out of the blue and asked, "Do you want a tread-mill?"  to which I replied, "ummm, yes?"  And within the hour I had a treadmill in my garage just waiting to burn all those unwanted calories off of my ever growing hips. Fast forward a  few weeks to when my mother in law was cleaning out her cabinets and stumbled upon a smoothie maker still in the box and never used.  She asked me if I wanted it or not, and, after considering what I had planned for dinner that night (NOTHING), I quickly snatched it up and became a hero when I made fruit smoothies and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner.  Thus, our love of fresh fruit smoothies was born in my kitchen.   There are millions of ways to make smoothies both healthy and un-healthy.  So far ours have been relatively healthy.  We have been making them by tossing in fruit, ice, and milk or yogurt and blending away.  But, now I feel an obligation to crea...