Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m writing this from Santa Fe, where the weather is slightly warmer than Ohio and the sunshine is lovely. (I’m choosing to ignore the fact that snow is in the forecast here tomorrow.) Nothing makes me appreciate the awesomeness of living somewhere with four glorious seasons as much as a sunny day in winter.

We had dinner at La Boca last night and plan to check out Clafoutis and El Nido as well. Thanks for the great recommendations, friends. La Boca is a long-time favorite, but the other two are new to me.

ON THE BLOG this week: Green Chile Carnitas are the perfect combination of two of my favorite savory things. It’s tough to find a combo that beats pork and green chile in my mind. Carnitas are cooked until melt in your mouth tender; then roasted at high temperature until the edges caramelize.

Oh, my sweet HEAVEN. Cornbread waffles piled high with BBQ pulled pork and tangy coleslaw are something you need to taste to really understand their greatness.

Tangy, sweet Honey Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette delivers a hint of lingering heat that few can resist. It’s perfect on salads or drizzled over street tacos or burrito bowls.

Sweet and juicy, loaded with fresh apples, and just the right hint of spices, this apple cobbler is a fall and winter dessert favorite that we enjoy throughout the entire year.

Roasted butternut squash with pasta is tossed with plenty of butter, garlic, sage, and red pepper for a flavorful take on this classic pasta dish.

With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks, and split peas, this slow cooker split pea soup is a very pleasant surprise.

Fresh greens, spicy red onions, crunchy walnuts, chewy sweet raisins and cranberries, salty Parmesan, and roasted Acorn squash come together with a tangy sweet maple vinaigrette in this winter squash salad.

Tender pears tossed with cinnamon sugar are topped with a buttery brown sugar crisp topping to create this delicious pear crisp.

What I’m CRAVING: Have you he

Sweet and juicy, loaded with fresh apples, and just the right hint of spices, this apple cobbler is a fall and winter dessert favorite that we enjoy throughout the entire year.

Easy Apple Cobbler

Cinnamon, sugar, and apples, warm fragrant and bubbling from the oven is one of the most nostalgic aromas for me. I have yet to find a candle that mimics this scent perfectly. So I will just keep making baked apple recipes on repeat to keep the kitchen smelling amazing and feeling cozy.

It is entirely up to you whether or not you choose to peel the apples for this cobbler. I’ve enjoyed it both ways and the peels don’t bother me a bit. I’m all for saving time and effort in the kitchen whenever possible, so I choose not to peel the apples most of the time.

You’ll start this recipe by slicing the apples thin and drizzling some lemon juice over them. Sprinkling them generously with cinnamon sugar and nutmeg.

Stir to coat all of the apples with the spices and then transfer them to a greased baking dish. It’s okay if the dish appears to be very full initially. The apples will shrink down a good bit during the baking process.

To make the cobbler topping, I use a cheese-grater to “grate” the cold butter. That is my favorite hassle-free way to cut in the butter. It takes just a moment and I think it’s simpler than the more traditional methods.

If you choose not to use the grater, simply cut the cold butter into small pieces and then blend it into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or your fingertips.

Toss the grated butter in the flour mixture. Stir with a fork to mix throughout. Stir in the boiling water, just until combined, leaving plenty of little lumps of butter.

With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks, and split peas, this slow cooker split pea soup is a very pleasant surprise.

Ham and Split Pea Soup with Potatoes

My husband loves split pea soup. I tried making it for him several times when we were newly married and every time prior to this, I was unimpressed. Even as a child, split pea soup was my least favorite soup.

Finally, as an adult, I’ve found a split pea soup I don’t just like or tolerate but really truly love. This slow cooker split pea soup is made with leeks, ham, and potatoes and it just might be the best split pea soup you’ll ever taste.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

When I stumbled on this rainy day split pea soup several years ago, I decided to give split pea soup another chance.

Lucky for us, I had a ham bone in the freezer already (leftover from Christmas dinner) so I made this split pea soup with that ham bone in the crock pot that same day, making this a super easy meal to make with what I had on hand.

I could tell even before I ladled the split pea soup into bowls that this recipe was a winner. The fragrant garlic and simmering split peas filled my kitchen with the most delicious smell as the soup cooked.

Then, I took a bite and discovered just how delicious split pea soup with ham and potatoes can be. Chunks of tender baby red potatoes, onions, and leeks swim in creamy split peas that are cooked in a garlicky broth that is richly flavored with ham.

Each and every spoonful of this crockpot split pea soup was more delicious than the last and it’s become one of our favorite soups over the past ten years. A few years ago I never would have guessed that I’d become such a fan of split pea

Taco Stew

This taco stew is the recipe most requested by anyone who knows my mom and now you can try it too! It’s like taco soup but thicker like a chili.

Taco stew is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that the whole family loves. We love to top it with our favorite taco toppings and everyone can totally customize their own bowl. 

So I call this a stew because I add potatoes, carrots and peas to it. That totally qualifies as stew, right?! It’s a little more hearty and chunky than our Instant Pot taco soup or even our taco ground beef chili.

Ok, back to the toppings…there’s something about the Fritos and the soup. I’m serious. I never, and I mean never, think to buy Fritos, but they are a total necessity for topping off the taco stew. I think it’s that crunchy corn taste that works so well with everything.

Ingredients for Taco Stew

I love that this recipe is mostly a pantry meal. It is so nice when you’re on a tight budget or just don’t have time to get to the store. It also cannot be easier! Here is what you will need:

• Yukon Gold Potatoes: yukons have the best flavor and keep the best texture when added to a soup or stew – you could also use red potatoes as a substitute
• Carrots: peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• Onion: just a yellow onion works great
• Hamburger: 80/20 or 85/15 works great – if you want to go a little healthier, try ground turkey or chicken
• Frozen Peas: just toss them in frozen, and they’ll be heated through in no time
• Diced Tomatoes: you can use any brand you want
• Tomato Sauce: any brand works great
• Taco Seasoning: you can use a store bought packet or make your own
• Corn: just open a can of corn and toss it in, no need to drain
• Chili Beans: pinto beans or black beans also will work great, undrained
• Kidney Beans: no need to drain these either

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post. 

Read more

Oh, my sweet HEAVEN. Cornbread waffles piled high with BBQ pulled pork and tangy coleslaw have been some of my favorite bites this year.

Cornbread Waffles

The waffles stay incredibly crispy on the outside while fluffy inside. I’ve made these cornmeal waffles more than a few times now and no matter how you serve them, they’re a winner.

My family really loves waffles and over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips that make them easy to make and serve.

Waffles are like a bread or a biscuit in our household. My kids top them with everything from savory to sweet. A fried egg or sausage gravy is delicious on a cornbread waffle. Slather your waffles with honey butter for a sweet snack.

If you are planning to freeze extra corn bread waffles, take 30 seconds to a minute off of the cooking time, or if you have the option set your waffle iron to a “lighter” setting. This gives you the option of popping them in the toaster to reheat and not get overly crispy.

Cornmeal Waffles

You’ll need just a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make corn meal waffles.

• all-purpose flour
• cornmeal
• kosher salt
• baking powder
• sugar
• milk
• eggs
• melted butter

It’s easy to swap out the ingredients here to make these waffles gluten and/or dairy free. Brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch substitute nicely for the all-purpose flour in this cornmeal waffle recipe.

To make dairy-free waffles exchange the milk for almond milk. Rice milk is a good choice too, as it is mild in flavor and it’s unlikely anyone will notice the swap.

Cornbread Waffles Recipe

Make your next waffle recipe with cornmeal and you’ll be thanking me soon for a whole new way to