Morsels of Megret

And to celebrate our first "chilly" morning (at last!), I made a batch of Cooking Light's pumpkin muffins. Oh, wow. PUMPKIN MUFFINS 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup canned pumpkin 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream 1/3 cup fat-free milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg 1 large egg white Cooking spray 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine pumpkin and next 6 ingredients (pumpkin through egg white); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon the batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and brown sugar; sprinkle ov...

I have the simplest of the simple for you....an Italian dish at its very best, making everyone wonder what all is in it even though a myriad of just a very few ingredients is all it takes. I crave it every so often....especially in the early fall. I even craved it when I was going through morning sickness and nothing else sounded good at ALL. (Man, it HAS to be good.) No formal introductions this time. Just a pure and simple, healthy, delicious entree. So easy, you'll feel guilty afterwards for the little bit of time you spent on it. Cappellini Pomodoro (inspired by my favorite dish at Olive Garden) 2 cloves garlic, minced (or more to taste) 2 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (or 1 lb. fresh tomatoes, and 1 (28 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained slightly) 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, minced 1/2 t. salt 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 ounces Parmesan cheese 12 ounces dry angel hair pasta, cooked 1/4 teaspoon pepper Heat olive oil and add garlic. Cook until garlic turns ...

Cooking Light has done it again....created a light, omega-3 rich salad dressing that tastes fresh, vibrant, and flavorful. This versatile vinaigrette can go over a salad, cooked vegetables, or in my case for today's lunch, tossed with boiled red potatoes for a scrumptious, vinegary potato salad. Fantastic. Honeyed Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped red onion 2 tablespoons capers 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons honey 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup boiling water 1/4 cup extravirgin olive oil Combine first 12 ingredients in a blender; process until mixture is smooth. Add water and olive oil; process until well combined. Note: Refrigerate vinaigrette in an airtight container for up to five days, and stir well before using. Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (ser...

If you like down-home, Southern-style cornbread, I have the ultimate recipe for you. This one is a version for which you can pull out and dust off your old cast iron skillet....no other baking dish will create the notorious crispy crust like it can. This recipe is taken from "The Joy of Cooking," but I have amended it a little bit for our tastes (in parentheses). This cornbread is wonderful served straight up....or with red beans and rice....or gumbo....or Brunswick stew....or with a bowl of chili before a football game....or with a meal of all vegetables....or heaped into a tall glass with milk poured over it (Ken's favorite). You get the picture...it's just a well-rounded, all-occasion cornbread. Enjoy. (I know that "cracklin'" actually means that melted beef or pork drippings have been added to a dish, but I don't do that to my cornbread. I just think the "cracklin'" best describes the crust of a dense, moist cornbread, and so ...

I made a favorite dish of ours yesterday....meat loaf. Now, I am not one of those moms who has a signature meat loaf. Gardner will probably never be able to say, "That tastes like 'Mom's meat loaf.'" I probably have seven or eight rotating meat loaf recipes in my repertoire. I find that subtle changes in the mix of ingredients can make a different dish entirely....one we will never grow tired of (and to which our kids will never turn up their noses). I give you a newly found favorite version....called, coincidentally, "Mom's Meat Loaf." It comes from the spectacular array of ingredients put out by Whole Foods Market. I think it's called this because it sneaks vegetables into something you can get your kids to eat. Now, our boy eats veggies because he loves them anyway....but this dish will suit any picky kids' (or adults') tastes. Hot from the oven, warm even....even cold and sliced thinly for a meatloaf sandwich for the next day's lu...

I wanted to brag a little bit on the cake made by Ken's mom for Gardner's party. She found out that the party was a jungle animal theme, with a focus on giraffes (Gardner loves giraffes). Well, here's what she whipped up in the kitchen. 100% adorable! It went perfectly with the napkins I had chosen. Everybody loved the creative details, such as the Whoppers placed just so at the tips of his antlers (is that what they are....antlers?). Props to "Grandmama" for making such a spectacular and memorable cake!

Dear Self: When you go to great lengths to prepare Overnight Apple Oatmeal.....when you dice season-fresh Gala apples in pieces small enough for your one-year-old son to enjoy with you and Ken....when you measure out the ingredients with precision.....when you splurge and use your 100% organic whole rolled oats AND your 100% organic cow's milk.....when you add a dash of nutmeg along with the usual cinnamon for an extra, spicy twist....when you carefully separate the raisins you add so as to not cause clumps which are hard to break up later.....when you even DREAM about how good that oatmeal will be in the morning, then awake to imagine how delicious it will be when you go in there and scoop out a bowlful..... ....just be sure you remember to turn on the power to your slow cooker. Otherwise, all of your efforts will be in vain and you will be terribly disappointed. Sincerely, Self