just the eats

No clever introduction today . . . just the eats!

Buttermilk Waffles, Field Roast sausage, and strawberries:

Curried Eggplant with Tomatoes and Basil:

(This was phenomenal, by the way.  Easy, speedy, healthy, and fantastically delicious!)

Pinto Bean Stew with Jalapeno-Corn Dumplings:

(Another Crock Pot success! The only change I made to the original recipe was to double the dumplings . . . because you never really can have too many dumplings, now can you?

Eggplant Lasagna:

(I think I could have doubled this recipe, and we would have been just as happy.  Homemade ricotta added something extra-special to this dish, and take-and-bake baguette made the perfect side.  Rich and cheesy, but not TOO heavy, a stellar supper that got even better in leftover form!)

Vanilla Ricotta Muffins:

(My version of this recipe is found in Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe; this online version is pretty close.  Skip the white chocolate chips, and you've got it.  I subbed in whole-wheat pastry flour for the AP flour; a great, tasty excuse to use up that leftover ricotta!)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:

(My favorite chocolate cake recipe just got better with the addition of coconut oil, instead of canola -- the cake turns out slightly more dense, and the improvement in structure just means there's more support for extra frosting.  :)  I ended up adding extra powdered sugar to the above frosting recipe, as it was a little too runny with just the amount called for.  We took these cupcakes to dinner on Saturday night, and the little girls belonging to the grown-ups we were hanging out with were very excited!  Sprinkle cupcakes for all!)

I can't believe I haven't posted since Saturday! What happened? Well, let's see . . . Dan made off with the camera for a couple of days, so I had pictures trapped for a little bit. Here was Sunday night's dinner:

Butternut Squash Lasagna, from Cooking Light, was a huge hit! I didn't make their recipe for "Smoky Marinara" -- I just made my own recipe using a 28-ounce can of fire-roased crushed tomatoes. I also cheated a bit and used frozen butternut squash cubes, but hey, they worked beautifully! (I also had a coupon that was about to expire -- double bonus!) This will make a nice change from our usual spinach and artichoke lasagna, and is also another way I've found for both Dan and I to enjoy squash. :)

Dessert made me happy, too!

I had hit up Penzey's earlier in the weekend, and picked up a new blend to try: Cake Spice! I have enjoyed using their Baking Spice for a while now, and Cake Spice is a nice change of pace. What better way to test it out, than in a simple applesauce cake? I threw in some finely chopped pecans for texture and tastiness, and did use half whole-wheat pastry flour, too. Yum! I must confess . . . I have been eating this cake for breakfast! ;)

I did cook on Monday night, too -- Cheese Muffins alongside Red, Gold, Black, and Green Chili, but that was one of those meals that missed being photographed due to the camera being away from home. :) This meal was awesome to come home to, bubbling away in the Crock Pot, and has made delicious lunches for both of us the past two days in a row. I didn't cook last night, (translation: WAY too tired,) and won't be able to cook tonight, either, (choir practice,) but I'm sure I'll be back in the kitchen by Thursday. Until then!