Spinach and Cream Cheese Crostini

Crostinis consist of small pieces of toasted or grilled bread served with toppings. They are essentially Italian appetizers which are great for entertaining. I thought since the holidays would soon be with us, it would be great to share a recipe that's easy to make, elegant  enough to serve with company and most of all - delightfully delicious! This recipe for Spinach and Cream Cheese Crostini is all that! Make it this holiday season for your family and friends or as a quick and delectable lunch option! We love these these yummy toasted bread for lunch with our favorite salad! Enjoy! 

Delectable Chocolate Chili

Fall and winter calls for comfort food that will not only keep you warm but also make you feel really good - to help battle the winter blues! And we all know that kind of food has got to be Chili! I have already made a chicken version last year so I thought it's about time I make a beef one. I have seen some recipes that use unsweetened Cocoa powder to add more flavor to their Chilis and I thought it was a wonderful idea. So here's my version of a Chocolate Chili that uses cocoa powder to add more flavor to your regular Chili recipe.

Ground Beef Stroganoff with Thyme and Red Wine

I didn't realize that I have back-to-back pasta posts this week as the recipe I shared earlier was already a pasta dish. Oh well, this week has truly been a Pasta week for us and even our dinner tonight is another pasta dish - Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe though I added some Asparagus to the mix. Obviously, this week has not been low-carb at all though partly gluten-free as hubby only eats gluten-free Pasta. But my whole family was happy with all the dishes and that's all that matters. :-)

Penne with Beef and Roasted Pepper Sauce

I had some ground beef, red wine and roasted peppers at hand. What should I do? The obvious answer was to make a delicious pasta sauce. I wanted a quick recipe that doesn't require many hours of simmering yet still deliver robust flavor. So, inspired by my Bolognese recipe, I used the red wine to add flavor to the Beef. I boiled it and let it evaporate so that the beef retains that subtle wine taste that truly adds depth of flavor but without too much alcohol. I then stirred in  the roasted sweet peppers and fresh chopped/diced tomatoes plus some dried herbs and, wow, the result is a very delicious sauce that tastes like it was slow-cooked for hours but actually is not. Enjoy this easy and yummy pasta sauce over your favorite pasta!

Scrumptious Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce

This Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce does not need much introduction. It is a show-stopper, indeed. So pretty to look at - my hubby says it looks like it came from a Patisserie! When you make it you are sure to impress your guests and they will think you really fussed over it. It's not really difficult (you don't even need a mixer though you may use one for convenience) and it's guaranteed to please apple lovers and even those who may not care much for them. This fall season this delicious cake has become our family's new favorite sweet treat - after all, I already made this 3 times and looks like I will be making this some more! :-)