Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’ve been outside as much as possible this week, soaking up this gorgeous fall weather. I’m reading a book right now where one of the characters is annoyed with Anne Shirley’s October quote, as he insists October is an awful month for weather, and I just had to laugh to myself as this has become one of my favorite months.

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables 

ON THE BLOGS this week: Warm hash browns, crumbled bacon, eggs, and cheese create an Amish Breakfast Casserole that is pure morning magic.

Roasted sweet potatoes, crisp warm baby spinach, and spicy breakfast sausage are all topped with an egg in this Sweet Potato Hash.

Tender chicken and a rainbow of vegetables mingle with noodles in a smoky chipotle sauce to make this Chipotle Chicken Pasta an easy dinner that is out of this world.

Tender, juicy meatloaf is seasoned to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and smothered in a rich, velvety mushroom gravy that’s so good you’ll want to lick the spoon. Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy is your next favorite dinner.

Creamy, classic mashed potatoes are elevated with the sharp and tangy flavor of white cheddar cheese in these White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.

Sliced fresh apples, with a drizzle of peanut butter and honey, topped with a handful of crunchy chocolate peanut butter granola add up to a plate of the best ever Apple Nachos.

Freshly brewed espresso is poured over creamy vanilla ice cream to create Affogato, an Italian dessert that is a marriage made in flavor heaven.

Juicy peaches, cinnamon, and brown sugar bubble merrily beneath an irresistible fluffy crust in this Crockpot Peach Cobbler.

What I’m CRAVING: Creamy mashed potatoes are topped with breaded chicken, cheese, corn, and gravy to make these Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls! Oh my word, why have I never thought of doing this?

My FAVORITE THING this week is this set of pillows. Over the past few years, I’ve replaced just about every pillow in our home with these pillows. And our guests

Plum Galette

Take advantage of the remaining plum season to make this super easy Plum Galette. Flaky pie crust is filled with juicy plums, flavored with warm cinnamon, it is the perfect transition dessert from Summer to Fall!

Are you tired of all the heat and already looking forward to Autumn with all of its amazing Fall desserts like this Pumpkin Bundt Cake, or this beautiful Apple Pear Pie? I totally feel you! But I want to introduce you to a great season transition treat, this super easy Plum Galette.

How to make Plum Galette

I used an all butter pie crust or a pate brisee for this recipe. But if you have a pie dough recipe that has been passed down in your family like this Mom’s Magic Pie Crust, feel free to use it instead!

1. First, make the pie dough and let it chill out in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour. When it’s ready, take it out of the fridge and roll out into a circle, about 11” – 12”. 
2. Slice up the plums and mix them with part of the sugar for about 10 minutes to release their juice. Discard the juice and mix the plum with the rest of the sugar, salt, cinnamon and tapioca flour (or cornstarch).
3. Assemble the plum slices in concentric circles leaving a border with enough crust to fold over. Brush the exposed crust with egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar and sliced almonds.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 30 – 35 minutes at 400°F.

Tips for Plum Galette

• Macerate the plums with a little bit of sugar before you mix it with the rest of the filling ingredients will allow them to release some of the juice which can be a lot. This juice is to be discarded or reserved and reduced into a glaze if desired.
• If you don’t discard some of the juice and use it all in the recipe, you’ll end up with soggy crust or having the juice spill out all over the baking sheet and burn.
• Brushing the crust with some egg white will also help with preventing it from being soggy.

Delicious variations

• You can add citrus zest like lemon or orange to brighten up the filling.
• For a fancy plum almond galette version, you can roll out or press some almond paste to the bottom of the crust before adding the sliced fruits on top, similar to this Almond Apple Tart.
• Change up the spices to suit your mood: allspice, cardamom, cloves, and ginger all go well with plums.
• Add in a mix of stone fruits like apricots, nectarines and peaches.

Can I use store bought pie dough?

Absolutely, you can save time by using store bought pie dough. Just be sure to buy one you can roll out and not one that’s already shaped into a pie pan.

How to store leftover

You can leave leftovers on the counter overnight but if you’re planning to keep them for more than a few days, it is best to refrigerate. Refrigerated, the plum galette will last for 5 days to a week. 

You can serve it cold straight from the refrigerator or yo

Freshly brewed espresso is poured over creamy vanilla ice cream to create Affogato, an Italian dessert that is a marriage made in flavor heaven.

Affogato

As a bona fide, lifelong lover of homemade ice cream, Affogato is an absolute dream come true. It’s the perfect blend of hot and cold, as the warm espresso meets cool ice cream.

Because the ingredients are not mixed or blended, you end up with a wonderful range of colors, textures, flavors, and temperatures in this recipe. Eating it is such a treat, because each bite is a slightly different experience.

What is an Affogato?

If you’re wondering “What is an affogato?”, it’s really quite simple. Affogato is simply a shot of espresso poured of a scoop of gelato or ice cream. That’s it. No stirring required, just start eating.

The hot and bitter espresso is cooled and sweetened by the ice cream, while the freezing cold ice cream is softened and warmed by the espresso. Together, they become something more, something magical.

Read more

Weekly Menu Plan – Sept. 25 to Oct. 1

Here is your menu plan for next week!

Monday: Greek Chicken Kabobs

Tuesday: Creamy Zucchini Sausage Casserole

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes

Thursday: One Skillet BBQ Chicken

Friday: White Chicken Chili

Saturday: Beef Stroganoff

Sunday: Coconut Curry Burger

READ: Weekly Menu Plan – Sept. 25 to Oct. 1

Roasted sweet potatoes, crisp warm baby spinach, and spicy breakfast sausage are all topped with an egg in this Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs.

Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs

I prepared this recipe so many times over the course of my boys’ childhood. They always cleaned their plates when this was on the menu.

This breakfast hash first made its way to my table over 10 years ago. I can still remember the pride that my boys demonstrated when they figured out how to stack a little taste of everything onto their forks with each big bite.

They proudly informed us that doing so made the spinach taste so much better. I can empathize, as I well recall how much I disliked spinach as a child. I’m grateful my kids enjoy it most of the time now.

A spinach breakfast is a great way to get started on those leafy greens early. And, if you haven’t already been converted to the awesomeness that is eggs and spinach, I recommend trying my boys’ beloved Power Eggs too.

Sweet Potato and Spinach

With an egg on top, hash is one of my favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I often make a double recipe just to have leftovers in the refrigerator.

I don’t think I’ve tried a single version of hash that I didn’t like. Sweet potato and spinach hash, crispy hash with bacon, potatoes, and vegetables, Read more