Caramelized Sweet Pumpkin Seeds & Savory/Spicy Pumpkin Seeds: Cooking with Lydia!

CARAMELIZED SWEET PUMPKIN SEEDS

I thought it would be nice to share one of my favorite Autumn recipes with all of you: Caramelized Sweet Pumpkin Seeds! They are so delicious, and very easy to make. 

Two of the best things about Halloween: 

1. Carving Pumpkins 2. Roasting the Seeds

INGREDIENTS: 

(I "eyeball" my ingredients, so the measurements are not exact):

-Pumpkin seeds; cleaned and dried overnight (I used seeds from from 1.5 large pumpkins.) This week three pumpkins were carved, so I split the seeds between two batches.

-Cinnamon  (3tbsp)

-Pumpkin Pie Spice (2tbsp)

-Vanilla Extract (1tsp)

-Brown Sugar (light or dark, it doesn't matter) (3tbsp)

-Sea Salt (1/2 tsp)

-Unsalted Butter (3tbsp?) (Please note that you want to use butter for this particular recipe since it's a "sweet" one. If you want to make a savory/spicy pumpkin seed batch, use EVOO!)

DIRECTIONS:

*Lightly grease cast iron skillet with unsalted butter and allow it to reach medium heat. Mix other ingredients together in a bowl, then add to skillet. Saute for 10 minutes (varying) until golden brown. Stir often so they do not burn!  Remove from skillet and let cool. Enjoy! 

Add butter to skillet and melt on medium heat

Add pumpkin seeds (coated in ingredients) to the skillet and saute for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

-Cook until golden brown (you'll hear a tiny little popping noise)

-Lay on parchment paper to cool, and then serve! 

(Be sure to put any leftovers in an air-tight container to keep them fresh!) :) 

VIDEO

Watch the little two minute video below if you'd like to try your hand at these!

PREFER A LITTLE SPICE IN YOUR LIFE??? 

TRY THIS RECIPE BELOW!

Savory/Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients: 

(One again, I "eyeball" my ingredients, so this is only a guesstimate of what I put into these!)

-Pumpkin Seeds (from 1.5 large pumpkins)

-Chili Powder (2tbsp)

-Dill Weed (3tbsp)

-Ground Mustard (1tsp)

-Cinnamon (1tsp)

-Garlic Powder (1tbsp)

-Louisiana Hot Sauce (a few shakes)

-Worcestershire Sauce (3tbsp)

-Black Peppercorn (generous amount)

-Sea Salt (generous amount; but bare in mind Garlic Salt has sodium also)

Tony Chahere's Creole Seasoning (Original) (2tbsp)

-Lime Juice (drizzle)

-EVOO (generous amount in the cast iron skillet...it will dissolve faster than butter, so you may need to add more during cooking to prevent burning the pumpkin seeds) 

DIRECTIONS

-Coat pumpkin seeds in a light layer of EVOO, then stir in other ingredients. Saute over medium heat  in an EVOO coated, cast iron skillet for about 10 minutes. Add in more EVOO as needed to the skillet. Cook until a nice golden color. Serve! Enjoy! 

FINISHED PRODUCT: Savory/Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Left: Savory/Spicy Pumpkin Seeds. Right: Caramelized Sweet Pumpkin Seeds. 

Can't decide which ones to make? Try both! 

No Kitchen is complete without a little helper like Mykelti! Isn't she adorable?!

Cooking with Lydia: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Slow Roasted Grape Tomatoes!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Today's recipe is healthy, delicious, and easily adaptable to suite even the most picky of palates! It's actually a combination of two different recipes. Both are fantastic alone, but when combined....Ahh-mazing! The first recipe is my simple interpretation of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It is a simple dish with pasta, EVOO, garlic, fresh herbs, and peppercorn. I like making my pasta that way on days when I really don't want a heavy sauce. Sometimes, the most simple ingredients give off the most incredible flavor in the foods you cook!


The second recipe is for roasted grape tomatoes; they taste a bit like sun dried tomatoes and are absolutely delicious! I've been using this recipe for years now; I came up with this combination of herbs/spices through trial and error, and personally I think it's quite yummy! It's probably one my my most flavorful and versatile recipes! The key is to put the tomatoes and all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and let them soak for a bit so that they absorb all of the flavor before you start cooking them. If you simply top the tomatoes with a drizzle of EVOO and such, it won't be as flavorful; coat the entire tomato! You can use these slow roasted tomatoes in pastas, lasagnas, with bread as a bruschetta, in salads, or even eat them on their own. They are THAT incredible! They are very easy to prepare too! Once you prep them, you simply pop them into the oven and forget about them for about three hours. (That gives you time to do your nails, catch a shower, watch your favorite show, clean house, or do whatever you like!)


Part one: Slow Roasted Tomatoes


~Preheat oven to 250 degrees~


(Keep in mind that I usually "eyeball" my ingredients, so the amounts below are just a rough estimation. Feel free to use as much or as little as you like to achieve the level of intensity you desire.I like a slight kick to my food, but nothing too overly crazy.)

(All of the ingredients laid out; I forgot to include the garlic in this picture!)

Ingredients:
1 small carton of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp Black Peppercorn
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
2 TBSP Minced Garlic (forgot to include it in the picture above!)
1/2 tsp Fresh Cilantro (finely minced)
1/2 tsp Fresh Curly Parsley (finely minced) (This Parsley is a bit strong; a little goes a long way!)
4 TBSP EVOO
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (Green container)
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (These are powerful; use as much or as little as you'd like!)
1 TBSP Fresh Dill (finely minced)
1/2 tsp Basil (fresh if you have it. My grocery store was out, so I used freeze-dried instead)


What to do:
~Halve the tomatoes.
~Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently mix together. Be careful not to crush the tomatoes.
~Let the tomatoes and other ingredients sit in mixing bowl for about 5-10 minutes.

(They should look like this!)

~Give the tomatoes and ingredients one more stir to make sure you've coated the tomatoes evenly
~Place tomatoes on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet so that the cut halves face upwards.

(This is how your they should look prior to going in the oven; it's ok if some have more seasoning than others; they don't have to be perfect!)

~Cook in oven for around 3 hours. (Personally, I use my toaster oven for these and find that they always turn out well! Why light my big oven and heat my house up when they fit in the toaster oven?!)


~Check them periodically to make sure that they look are looking good! The bold red color should remain, and the edges should be a bit withered. The key is to take them out while they still are a bit juicy in the center, but withered on the edges.

(This is what they look like when they're done! Sorry, not the best quality picture! I assure you that they are delicious!)

Closer look at them: the edges should be "withered" and the centers should still be juicy

So tasty!!

While the tomatoes are cooking...

~Make your pasta in the last half hour before you take the tomatoes out of the oven, so that everything will be fresh and ready to serve!


Part Two: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio


-Pasta cooked until al-dente. Be sure that you do not overcook your pasta! (I used Barilla's Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti; since I only made one serving size for myself; feel free to adjust the recipe as needed for your family! If you're looking for a great whole grain pasta that does not taste like cardboard, try Barilla!!!)
~1/2 TBSP Crushed Red Pepper flakes (remember to go easy on these since you already seasoned your tomatoes with them! If you like a little kick though, feel free to use more.)
~2 TBSP Minced Garlic (A fresh garlic clove is best, but you can use the jarred garlic too)
~1/2 tsp Black Peppercorn
~1/2 tsp Sea Salt 
~2 TBSP Fresh Dill Weed
~1 tsp Basil
~Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to lightly coat the pasta)


~Lightly toss together cooked pasta and other ingredients~

This is what the pasta should look like before you add the tomatoes and Parmesan. It's hard to tell from the picture, but I promise that all of the ingredients are in there!

~Top pasta with slow cooked tomatoes and fresh grated Parmesan cheese! (Asiago or Smoked Gouda would compliment this recipe well too!)

 Enjoy!

Here's what the finished product looks like! It's delicious!

Close up!

Are you hungry yet???

Lydia's Cooking Tip: Substitutions! If you are out of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can use a bit of wine instead. Out of wine too? Use a pinch of Grape Juice! 

Homemade Rosemary Mint Fabric Softener: Thank you, Pinterest!

I recently came across a recipe for homemade fabric softener on Pinterest and thought it sounded great! I actually had everything on hand that I needed, even down to the specific conditioner mentioned in the recipe; I found that the conditioner itself wasn't thick enough for my hair type a few months back. So although it smelled terrific, it was just left sitting in my linen closet because it wasn't the right match for my hair. Enter the idea of re-purposing it into a fabric softener for my laundry...Genius! Since I've discovered Pinterest, I've had such a fun time trying out all sorts of fantastic ideas! If you don't know about Pinterest, you should check it out: www.pinterest.com


Before I continue, I want to say that all credit to this source goes to One Good Thing By Jillee's Blog . 


This recipe calls for only 3 ingredients. It takes only a few minutes to concoct, and will undoubtedly save you quite a pretty penny every time you do your laundry. That's a win-win in my book! I've tried it out on several loads of laundry now, and I have to say that I am very pleased. I'm pretty picky about the products I use, so if it passed my test, it's a keeper! (In a side note, I have sensitive skin and didn't experience any negative side effects from using this.)


What you will need:
-Water
-White Distilled Vinegar
-Conditioner
-Funnel
-Clean, Empty 1 gallon jug (I used an empty jug that once held distilled water from Target in it. It had a screw on top which made shaking up the product very easy!)
-Cute containers and labels for storage (optional)


Recipe: 
-6 cups of water
-3 cups of white distilled vinegar
-2 cups of conditioner (I used Suave's Rosemary Mint Conditioner)


Combine all ingredients into a clean, empty 1 gallon jug with a funnel. Put the lid on the jug and mix everything together. That's it, you're done! How simple was that?!


To use it in your laundry, simply add it to the "fabric softener" dispenser in your laundry machine the way you would any other laundry detergent, or pour it into a Downy Ball. If you would rather use it in your dryer, you can soak a clean dishtowel in a bit of the fabric softener and then toss it into the dryer with your clothes. It will make everything smell lovely and reduce static! 

Enjoy!

Notice the empty wine & olive oil bottles? I'm planning to put a pump-type lid and nice labels onto them soon so that they will make cute fabric softener dispensers! (Did you know that most olive oil and wine bottles with screw tops will fit empty soap dispenser tops? Re-purpose those little gems!)

Finished product! 

Be sure to give the container you store yours in a little shake before each use so that everything is mixed thoroughly.

Cooking with Lydia: Turkey Sausage Pico de Gallo with Penne Pasta.

Need a yummy idea for dinner? Want to use the ingredients you already have at home? Try this one out! It's one of my latest recipes, and is very "substitution friendly". This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare and serves four. 

Turkey Sausage Pico de Gallo with Penne Pasta

(Despite the terrible picture quality, my recipe tasted quite delicious!)

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of Cheddar cheese (could be substituted with most other cheeses! Use what you have!)

3tbs Sour Cream

2TBSP EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) This is an approximation; I eyeballed it!

1lb Turkey sausage (substitutions: sausage, bacon, turkey, chicken, or ground beef; use what you have!)

1/2 cup Lactose Free/Skim Milk (Use whatever you have! Heavy Whipping Cream makes a thicker sauce).

1TBSP Dill Weed

1/3 tsp Basil

1 cup Pico de Gallo 

1 tsp Minced garlic

1/4 cup White onion (minced)

1/4 tsp Louisiana hot sauce

1/4 tsp Sea salt

1/2 tsp Black peppercorn

1/2 tsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (original)

1 box Penne Pasta (White, Whole Grain, Etc...use what you like!)

Directions:

1. Boil water for the pasta in a large stock pot

2. In a separate sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in skillet on medium heat with EVOO. 

3.Add in sausage, seasonings, and hot sauce. Brown meat until cooked thoroughly. 

4.Add pasta to boiling water; cook until al dente. Set cooked, drained pasta aside (coat lightly with EVOO)

5. Add in milk and sour cream to skillet. Stir well!

6. Next, add in the Penne Pasta (cooked/drained) and stir into the mixture.

7. Add in cheddar cheese. (Feel free to substitute amount and type of cheese to what you have at home)

8.Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. (If sauce is too thick, thin out with milk.)

9. Top with more shredded cheese and freshly grated black peppercorn.

10. Enjoy! 

Lydia's Oven Baked Ranch Chicken

For all of you chicken lovers, this recipe is for you! It's my spin on oven-baked ranch chicken. Enjoy, my lovelies!

Ingredients:
(Since I usually "eyeball" my ingredients and don't measure, I've included a rough estimate for everything I used!)


4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed or frozen; mine was frozen, just cook it longer!)
1tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
1tsp Tony Chachere's Origional Creole Seasoning (green container)
1Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Black Peppercorn
1 tsp Sea Salt (Optional; most Ranch seasoning packets have a bit of sodium in them already)
1 tsp Fresh Dill
1 tsp Fresh Basil
1tsp minced Garlic
2 large eggs
3Tbsp melted butter
Japanese style Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix 

*Preheat oven to 450*


Directions
-Lightly mist a glass baking dish with Pam or EVOO spray-


In a bowl, mix together eggs, butter, Dill, Basil, garlic, and all other herbs and spices


In another bowl, mix together Panko bread crumbs, Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Ranch seasoning,


- Dip chicken into first bowl of mixed liquids and dredge. Let chicken sit for about two minutes and then repeat by flipping to coat the other side. Once you've dredged your chicken, dip into breadcrumb mixture and allow to sit for a minute before you flip sides and repeat. When you've achieved a nice breadcrumb coating, place chicken into baking dish.


-Place chicken in 450 degree oven for 30 minutes (thawed chicken) or 50-65 minutes for (frozen). Once chicken is cooked all the way through, set to a low broil for 1-2 minutes to make coating golden brown.


Enjoy! 


*Lydia's tip: If you have thawed chicken and want to make sure that it coats more easily, place chicken on a cutting board and beat the daylights out of it with a meat mallet! Not only will your chicken hold a coating more evenly, it's also a great way to deal with a stressful day! ;)