The Diva Spices It Up

by Krista Davis

  Brandied Apple Cider GMP434

  4 cups apple cider

  1 cinnamon stick

  ½ teaspoon nutmeg

  Pinch of cloves

  1 cup apple brandy

  Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour into mugs and garnish by adding a cinnamon stick to each mug.

  Creamy Macaroni and Cheese BCS417

  18 × 8 baking pan

  8 ounces dried macaroni

  4 tablespoons butter

  4 tablespoons flour

  2 cups milk

  1 teaspoon paprika

  1 tablespoon yellow mustard

  1 teaspoon garlic powder

  1 teaspoon salt

  4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, such as Kerrygold, shredded

  4 ounces Colby cheese (not Colby-Jack), shredded

  ½ cup panko

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano

  Cook the macaroni according to its instructions, then drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Whisk the flour into the butter. Stir while cooking until it begins to smell a little bit nutty.

  Stir in the milk, paprika, yellow mustard, garlic powder, and salt, and whisk well to combine. When the milk mixture is very hot but not boiling, add the cheddar cheese, the Colby cheese, and the cream cheese and stir to melt. Pour into an 8 x 8 baking pan.

  In a small bowl, mix the panko and the Parmesano Reggiano. Sprinkle over the mac and cheese. Bake 20 to 30 minutes. The top should be golden, and the sides should be bubbling.

  Carrot Pumpkin Soup CCT1085

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 medium onions

  ¾ teaspoon rubbed sage

  Pinch of thyme

  2 ribs of celery

  5 large carrots

  4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth would work fine)

  1 pear

  1 cup pumpkin puree

  1 cup half-and-half

  Salt to taste

  Toast or croutons

  Melt the butter in a large soup pot at medium to medium-low heat. Dice the onions and add to the pot. Give them an occasional stir while they cook. Add the sage and thyme. Slice the celery and add to the pot.

  Peel and slice the carrots while the onions cook to the point where they just begin to tinge a little bit brown. Add the carrots to the pot. Peel and core the pear and throw it into the pot.

  Add the chicken broth and place a lid on the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. The carrots should be soft. Use an immersion hand blender to puree in the pot. It’s up to you to decide how smooth you want the soup to be.

  Add 1 cup of pumpkin and 1 cup of half-and-half. Mix well and bring back to a boil briefly before serving.

  Garnish with toast or croutons, or serve with rustic bread and butter or cheese.

  Wesley’s Favorite Meatloaf CMC3610

  1 green or red bell pepper

  1 large onion

  1 extra-large egg

  ½ cup oatmeal

  2 tablespoons yellow mustard

  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  Dash of salt

  Dash of black pepper

  2 pounds ground beef

  Barbecue sauce (or 1 cup ketchup)

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.

  Finely chop the green or red pepper. Chop the onion. Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the oatmeal, mustard, green pepper, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and beef to the bowl. Mix well and place in the loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

  Spread barbecue sauce on the top and bake another 30 minutes.

  Bonus Recipe!

  Frankenstein Marshmallows

  These are easy to make at home and will thrill children.

  Green candy melts

  Large marshmallows

  Straws

  Chocolate sprinkles

  Candy eyes

  Chocolate chips

  Melt the green candy melts. Dip the marshmallows in the green candy so they are covered completely. Insert the straws into one marshmallow side to create the stick to hold on the bottom. Dip the marshmallow tops into the chocolate sprinkles. Place two candy eyes on one side to make the face. Stand them up in a glass to dry. To speed up the process, you can place them in the fridge.

  When the green candy has set, melt some chocolate chips and use a toothpick to draw a hatchmark “scar” on each marshmallow face. A straightish line with three smaller lines crossing it will work fine. Next, use the toothpick to draw a jagged mouth. Then dip the pointed ends of two chocolate chips into the melted chocolate and push a chip on each marshmallow side as ears.

  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

  Guide to Recipe Code

  Letters are the names of the recipes.

  First number: line of recipe.

  Second/Third numbers: the corresponding letter of Peyton Poulon’s name (count spaces, too).

  Last number(s): order in which they belong.

  GPP251 P Grandma Peggy’s Pumpkin

  RPC142 E Roasted Parmesan Chicken

  MGB4143 Y Maple-Glazed Brussels

  GMP434 T Garlic Mashed Potatoes

  CCT1085 O Cornbread Corny Twist

  HPS5106 N Homemade Pumpkin Spice

  BCS417 P Bourbon Caramel Sauce

  BAF7168 O Bourbon Apple Fritters

  BAC149 U Brandied Apple Cider

  CMC3610 L Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

  CPS3811 O Carrot Pumpkin Soup

  WFM2912 N Wesley’s Favorite Meatloaf