We just love apples and who doesn't love a great caramel sauce drizzled all over a fabulous dessert.  This Caramel Apple Blondie Pie is so rich with all the wonderful full flavors of fall,  a brownie and pie all rolled into one.  This will be a dessert that we will serve the year round, but is just perfect for the fall and winter season, hope you enjoy it. Caramel Apple Blondie Pie Caramel Apple Blondie Pie Miz Helen's Kitchen Adapted From Southern Living Ingredients 6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoon all purpose flour 2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar, divided 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup water 1 cup butter, divided 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon table salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature 4 tablespoons apple cider 3/4 cups toasted pecans, chopped 1 9 inch pie crust, your choice Directions Peel and slice the apples into

I just love this season of the year, there are so many festivals and fairs.  The State Fair of Texas opens this weekend and we have a new Big Tex to welcome everyone to the fair grounds.  I always head straight for the Corny Dog Stand, then to the Cotton Candy and then a Funnel Cake.  By this time in the food adventure I am ready to look at all the home canned entries, all the perfect cut vegetables in a pretty jar with all those pretty ribbons hanging from the lid.  Next we are off to the textiles, quilting and hand work ( as my grandmother would say).  Its a fun adventure for a day, good thing its only once a year, my waist line couldn't take it.  But talking about food we better get on to our menu for this week. Coming Soon!   4th Annual Texas Star Chili Cook Off October 9 to 29 2013 Check This Link For Details Sunday Mexican Pot Roast Tacos Mexican Rice Casserole Mexican Salad Toss Miz Helen's Salsa Tropical Cupcakes M

Full Plate Thursday Where The Greatest Cooks On The Planet Gather We are celebrating 5 inches of rain, it was just wonderful!  All of our plants and gardens are just soaking it all in and everything looks so refreshed.  It's cooler and really puts us in the mood to cook up some good fall dishes.  I sure am glad to see you today and can't wait to see what wonderful fall dish you are bringing to share with us today, lets get it on the table. Coming Soon!   4th Annual Texas Star Chili Cook Off October 9 to 29 2013 Check This Link For Details This Is How I Filled My Plate Last Week  Breakfast   Three Ingredient Overnight Steel Cut Oats   at I Thee Cook Morning Snack Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies   at Spice Gals  Lunch Chesapeake Crab Quiche   at Kitty's Kozy Kitchen Baby Spinach Salad   at Kitchen Flavours Fresh Picked Apple Crunch Cake    at Growing Up Gabel Afternoon Snack Halloween Haunted House Cake   The Joys of Boys Dinner Bacon Wrapped Pork

We just love Ziti and this is a recipe that I have been making for years.  A friend had stopped by for dinner the other day and we were having this dish for dinner, after dinner she asked if she could have the recipe, guess what I didn't have it written down. Ziti Bake is a very flavorful Italian pasta casserole. The sauce for this Ziti has tiny little meatballs!  So this one is for all my friends who wanted the recipe, I  finally wrote it down, enjoy!

Happy Fall Ya'll The first day of autumn and we are ready for the change in season here at the cottage.  The foods are warmer and a cozy feeling begins to wind its way into our life as we seek comfort.  Come take a walk with me this morning and we will take a look at the fall garden and talk about our menu for next week. Sunday Spicy Orange Chicken Green Beans with Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette   Mashed Sweet Potatoes Green Tossed Salad Yeast Dinner Rolls Pumpkin Latte Coffee Cake Monday From Left Over Chicken and Yeast Dinner Rolls Spicy Orange Chicken Sliders Sweet Potato Oven Fries Left Over Cake Tuesday Smoky Black Bean Chicken Sausage and Quinoa Soup Corn Bread Muffins Greek Yogurt Pie Wednesday Frito Pie Mexican Tossed Salad with Miz Helen's Salsa Left Over Yogurt Pie Thursday Italian Chicken and Pasta Salad Garlic Bread Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cook

Full Plate Thursday Where The Greatest Cooks On The Planet Gather Hello everyone, when you were coming to the country today did you notice the beginning signs of fall.  Nature always gives us signs that change is coming and I get so excited when the seasons begin to change.  I am a seasonal cook so our menu is starting to reflect those changes, and I noticed that many of you are beginning to bring pumpkin, stews and soups.   I have been looking forward to you coming today and can't wait to see what you have in your basket to share with us.  Lets get all this food on the table so we can eat, I'm hungry are you? This Is How I Filled My Plate Last Week Breakfast For The Kids Back To School Breakfast   at The Joy's of Boys Owl Pancake Breakfast   at Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons Big Kids Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes   at Saving 4 Six Morning Snack Maple Cinnamon Mini Doughnut Muffins   at Annie's Noms Lunch Mediterran Noodle

This is a healthy soup just packed with flavor and although it will be good anytime of the year it is perfect for the fall and winter season.  When I started to make the soup I wondered if the Quinoa would have enough body to hold up with the sausage, but it turned out really good. We will be enjoying this soup over and over again this season and many seasons to come. Smoky Black Bean, Chicken, Sausage and Quinoa Soup Smoky Black Bean, Chicken Sausage and Quinoa Soup Miz Helen's Kitchen Ingredients 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 package precooked spicy chicken sausage, thinly sliced 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups chicken broth 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced 1/2 bottle beer 2 limes, juiced 1tablespoon honey Salt to taste For The Quinoa Ingredients 1 cup quino

 I always start thinking about cooking something warm and cozy  as we begin to transition into fall, we think of nice Slow Cooker Meals, Soup, and Stews. Although our temperatures are still very warm the animals tell us there will soon be change. Watching nature, you can just feel the season beginning to change. We have a couple of Hummingbird feeders and we have been refilling them every day.  We have had a family here all summer but right now we have travelers and as best we can tell there are about 12 to 13 extra birds that have been here for a week now. One day very soon, around the middle to last of October  they will all be gone, the season is about to change.  Come on back to the porch with me and we will watch them and talk about the menu for next week. The Menu Sunday Roja Pork Tenderloin   Austin Style Black Beans     Tomatillo Cheese Grits   Tossed Mexican Salad  Miz Helen's Salsa Southwest Spoon Bread Monday