The Naptime Chef

Today I am stopping in with a quick, healthy fall snack I think you will love. In keeping with pumpkin obsession this month, the other day I made this delicious fall flavored hummus. It was a great new twist on our regular homemade hummus and paired beautifully with salty cracker and crudite. We loved the overtones of pumpkin in the silky smooth dip. I added a little extra olive oil on top for an extra-decadent touch, but you can decide if you want to do that once you’ve made it. While I can’t exactly hand this out on Halloween night, I can definitely pack it in my daughter’s lunchboxl. It will be terrific paired with some salty pepitas and her favorite carrot sticks in a fall snack.

We love grilling even when the temperatures begins to drop. However, we do draw the line at grilling when there is actual snow outside. Since the move our grill has been sitting in the basement. We plan to get it out again soon, but that is pretty far down our to-do list at this point. Instead, as luck would have it, I was sent a new OptiGrill in the mail to try at home and that is what we have been using. It ideal for indoor grilling any night of the week. I find it especially easy since it means I don’t have to run outside and light the coals while I juggle the kids dinner time as well.

I’ve had a lot of fun stuff going on this week. Fall is in full effect, gorgeous leaves are falling in our yard, and the kids are finally starting to wear fleece jackets. Work-wise, the holiday season is ramping up and I’ve been doing a lot of fun articles for various media outlets. I am personally so excited about all of the Halloween stuff that is starting to pop up around the web. I am so in the mood for our first holiday in our new home!

– My daughter and I want to make Gabby’s wreath for our front door. It looks super cool!

– Need a pick-me-up? Make a Tutti Frutti Smoothie for your kids after school.

– BOO! These sweet meringue ghosts are a cinch to make and are great little treats for kids./

– I love Megan’s post about changing gears and making the most of it.

– Don’t forget to make a carrot souffle for your kids this fall!

Have a great weekend!

It is finally (finally!) pumpkin season and I am having a blast baking up sweet treats. First up, I made two batches of pumpkin bars back-to-back last weekend. The recipe is in the book. Honestly, it is such a great recipe it is worth buying the book just for that! Then, over the weekend, my daughter and I baked up this sweet loaf and added a generous swath of cream cheese frosting for good measure.

There comes a time every fall when I feel I must, simply must, have a cheesy casserole for dinner. It kind of like the way I crave soup the second I see snow, and want fresh pesto the moment spring flowers bloom. This year I decided to take my craving to the meatless side and make a decadent mac and cheese ramped up with the addition of sweet caramelized onions and earthy mushrooms.

The first thing I cooked in our new home was acorn squash. When I wandered into Whole Foods, exhausted from unpacking, I immediately spotted the seasonal vegetable display and instantly knew that is what I needed to make. Squash is one of our favorite fall vegetables and I cook it as often as possible when it is available. I like to prepare it simply, roasted with oil and sprinkled with a little browned butter and Parmesan. I love the sweet flavor and autumnal aroma that wafts through the kitchen as it roasts.

One of the ways I ease my way into cold weather cooking is with soup. It is nurturing and fortifying, without being super heavy like a winter lasagna. Over the weekend the temperature finally dropped a bit and I made this easy pot of soup for dinner. It was perfect for a cool fall night and fit the mood with all the delicious pumpkin flavor.