Link to Love: What the F@#k should I make for dinner?

My good friend Amy passed along a site to me today that made me angry. Not because it's horribly controversial or is extreme plagiarism or pontificates on the merit of beets (Have I ever mentioned my HATRED of beets? Seriously it's the ONLY food I don't eat!) but because it's brilliant and I am mad I didn't think of it first:


http://www.whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com

Yep, you read that right. AND he has a book that goes with it! My pal Ames knows me well and I laughed hysterically as I clicked through the site...hey food can be funny!

Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs!

October Meal Planning

Better late than never right? Here is this month's calendar:

If you have not picked up this month's issue of Cooking Light several of the recipes I am trying out this month are from that issue (even the chili corn chip pie, I swear!). I also recently became the owner of a cast iron Dutch oven and cannot wait to braise some meats and make chilis and stews!!

Please share with me your meal planning...big or small we all learn from each other! And don't forget, continue to send me your recipes and results, I may feature your experience and/or test your recipe!

Steal of the Week + Meatless Monday: Apple and Blueberry Crumble

My dear friend Zack recently took a trip to the Shenandoah Valley and asked if I would be interested in having some apples from his adventure in apple picking. Actually, I am not sure if I allowed him to finish asking the question, instead interrupting enthusiastically to shout "Apples! I love apples, yes, please!". Once the apples arrived I immediately cut and ate one and quickly remembered why store bought apples are lame (well, okay to be fair store bought apples are fine but compared ot picked off the tree to table...not even close!)

The next question was, now with a bounty of apples, what to make with them? My favorite dessert next to pecan pie is apple pie but anyone who regularly follows this blog knows I am a novice (see also "not good experiences") at baking and while I am working on getting better at it, not sure if I am ready for a scratch pie. However, baking or no baking, I am pretty good using mixes to make practically anything so when BettyCrocker.com coincidentally sent me an e-mail with recommended recipes for apples, I found the recipe for Southern Apple Crumble. Of course, as is always the case I made my own substitutions and instead of oatmeal cookie mix I used sugar cookie mix and I decided to add a cup of blueberries that I had on hand.

The recipe was very easy...I rough chopped 3 of the largest apples I had and mixed those with the sugars, butter and cinnamon right in the dish I used and sprayed with cooking spray.

The next step is adding the cookie mix which was mixed with the stick of melted butter (I used unsalted reduced fat butter).

After 40 minutes at 300 degrees, you had the chopped pecans and then I baked it for another 15 minutes:

Admittedly I cut into it too soon after taking it out of the oven so it was a little liquidy at first but it smelled so fantastic and I was so excited to top it with ice cream:

DELICIOUS! My co-workers were the beneficiaries the next day since I don't like keeping something like this around the house for just me and the little boy (Hubby not a big cobbler fan) and it lasted about 45 minutes in our break room. I love oatmeal cookies and I can totally see how that was good in the original recipe but something about the sugar cookie topping just made it for me! Happy #MeatlessMonday !