We’re well into October, but it still feels like summer in Indiana. As much as I love afternoons spent swimming in the lake and late-night ice cream runs, I’m more than ready for fall to arrive.

There are so many reasons fall is my favorite time of year in Bloomington. The cooler temperatures and smell of fires draw me outdoors. The Farmers’ Market is full of my favorite produce — apples, pears, figs and squash. Our favorite hiking trails seem to change each week, constantly revealing new colors. And, the hearty food sticks to your ribs in the most comforting way.

While temperatures are still in the 80s, I couldn’t wait any longer to start incorporating some of my favorite fall flavors into my cooking. I associate this time of year with baking, so cinnamon and nutmeg always taste like fall to me.

This recipe is perfect for straddling those weeks between summer and fall, when it’s still too hot to spend hours over the stove. I whipped this dip up on a recent afternoon when some friends invited us over for beers. We devoured it with apple slices and pumpkin crackers. But, this could also be a delicious spread on a bagel, or a great base for a fall crostini.

Here’s hoping we can break out our chili pots sometime soon!

Honey-Cinnamon Mascarpone Cheese Dip

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup walnuts

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine mascarpone, honey, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium  mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until combined and fluffy. Transfer dip to a decorative bowl and set aside.
2. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat. Once pan is warm, add walnut and toast until fragrant — about two minutes. Remove walnuts from heat and cool. Once nuts are cooled, chop them finely.
3. Top dip with chopped walnuts and remaining 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

[/directions]

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Our garden was late to take off this summer, but we are finally getting our first tomatoes! It hasn’t been very hot, which I think may have something to do with the late-summer ripening. It’s amazing to walk outside, grab a ripe tomato off the vine and be able to make the most delicious, fresh BLTs and caprese salad. My husband James isn’t a huge tomato fan, so it’s been a bit overwhelming to try and eat my way through the never-ending supply myself. So, I’ve been trying to use about half of our supply to make sauces or dips I know he’ll enjoy.

Chips and salsa are a guilty pleasure for both of us, so I knew I had to use some of our tomatoes to make a batch. This salsa is similar to my recipe for game day salsa, but uses fresh tomatoes. You can use whatever variety of tomatoes you have growing in your garden, but I suggest using at least two different varieties. We’re growing Roma and Better Boys in our garden, so I used two of each for this salsa. Make this at least a day ahead of time in order to let all of the delicious flavors settle.

Roasted Garden Salsa

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 4-5 large tomatoes, quartered
• 1 1/2 white onions, quartered
• 3-4 jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed*
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• Juice of one lime
• 1/2 cup cilantro

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat your broiler to high. Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and garlic on top.
2. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then place cookie sheet under the broiler for 10 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are charred on top.
3. Remove vegetables from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for 30 to 45 minutes, until vegetables reach room temperature.
4. Place charred vegetables, lime juice and cilantro in a large food processor and pulse until slightly chunky. Use a spoon to sample salsa and adjust ingredients to fit your tastes.
   [/directions]

*If you like a spicier salsa, leave the ribs in one or two of the jalapeños to kick the heat up.  

The post Roasted Garden Salsa appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Do you have big plans for the game tomorrow? I can’t stand football and don’t even know who’s playing in the game. But, I love the social aspect of the Super Bowl! We usually get together with a few friends to watch the game. I typically only pay attention to the half time show, which I’m pretty excited for this year. Lady Gaga always have some interesting surprises up her sleeve.

One thing I’ve learned about the Super Bowl: it’s just as much about the snacks as it is about the game. I make sure I never go empty handed to a party. Whether you’re watching at home or heading to a party to take in the game, here are some ideas for snacks to fuel you well past half time:

Appetizers

Two-ingredient creamy salsa dip

Southwest cheesecake

Everyday salad with homemade croutons

Creamy curry chip dip

Pimento cheese spread

Pepperoni pizza party bread

Parmesan truffle popcorn

Healthy almond butter banana bread

Game day salsa

Curried cashews

Ranch house cheese spread

Entrees

Slow-cooker pulled pork

Lightened-up beer chicken enchiladas

Slow-cooker pork carnitas

Chicago style hot dogs

Desserts

Lemon white chocolate rice krispie treats

The best banana cookies

Coconut citrus upside down cake

Double peanut butter oatmeal cookies

Drinks

Limoncello spritzer

Mint margarita slushie

Summertime sangria

The post Super Bowl Recipe Roundup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

GUYS. It’s awards season. Everyone is excited about the Super Bowl on Sunday, but I’m just counting down the days until the Oscars. I’ve always loved movies and Oscars night is one of my favorite events of the year. I’m enamored with everything about the evening, from the beautiful clothing to the celebration of amazing cinema. I still have to watch a lot of the nominees over the next couple of weeks. Which movie was your favorite of 2016?

We almost always get together with friends to watch the Oscars, which makes the evening especially fun. There’s always champagne and a ridiculous amount of food to fuel us through the last speech. Whether we’re hosting or watching at a friend’s house, I always make this southwest cheesecake. It’s a savory appetizer with the consistency of a traditional cheesecake. And, it’s so good. The creamy spread combines all of my favorite flavors: cheese, green chilis, taco seasoning and more cheese.

This is one of those appetizers that’s dangerous — you know what I’m talking about. You start with just a little bit on your plate, but keep going back for more throughout the party. Before you know it, you’ve eaten 25 percent of the dish. It’s just that good!

Southwest cheesecake tastes best the next day, so make this the night before you plan to serve it and let it chill overnight. And, I’m not kidding when I say this feeds a lot of people. You’ll have lots of leftovers if you’re entertaining a small group.

Southwest Cheesecake

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 8 oz. packages cream or Neufchatel cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sour cream, divided
• 1 4 oz. container diced green chilis
• 6 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
2. Place cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about two minutes.
3. Add eggs to cheese mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add one cup sour cream, green chilis and taco seasoning and beat until combined.
4. Carefully pour cheesecake mixture into the springform pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until cheesecake is just set. Remove from oven and let cool for ten minutes.
5. Spread one cup of sour cream all over the top of the cheesecake and bake for an additional five minutes. Let cheesecake cool completely before covering and refrigerating overnight.
6. Before serving, top cheesecake with one cup salsa. Serve with crackers and tortilla chips.

[/directions]

The post Southwest Cheesecake appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

What are your plans for Labor Day weekend? Are you hosting a cookout? Hanging out with friends? Taking one last dip in the lake? Whatever’s on your weekend agenda, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite, easiest recipes to help you celebrate a summer well spent.

Appetizers

Pimento Cheese Spread

Creamy Curry Chip Dip

Ranch House Cheese Spread

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn

Game Day Salsa

Prosciutto + melon crostini

Drinks

Mint Margarita Slushie

Boozy Lemonade

Summertime Sangria

Entrees

Slow-Cooker Dry Rub Pulled Pork

Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

Desserts

Lemon White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Grandma Cattaneo’s Oatmeal Cookies

The post Last-minute Labor Day Recipes appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I love hosting friends and look for just about any excuse to throw a party. That means we’ve hosted quite a few over the years — and I’d like to think we have it down to a science. That hasn’t always been the case. When you’re trying to juggle food, drink and entertainment for a crowd, a lot can go wrong. So I’m sharing a few tips for how to host an impressive party without all of the stress.

1. Keep it simple. 

When it comes to planning a menu for a party, don’t be overly ambitious. Homemade meatballs are great for a date night at home, but no one will know you used the frozen version when you smother them in a delicious sauce and throw them on a Hawaiian roll. You can keep your menu sophisticated without having to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. Take shortcuts if they won’t compromise the deliciousness of a dish and don’t be afraid to serve some semi-homemade or store-bought foods. Nancy’s quiche and deli spirals are staples at many of our parties because they’re absolutely delicious and effortless to prepare. I also almost always serve two-ingredient creamy salsa dip, sangria and ranch house cheese spread because they’re crowd pleasers that take hardly any time to put together.

2. Prep the day before. 

I don’t know how I hosted parties before I started embracing this tip. It makes life so much easier. No one wants to spend the entirety of their own kickass party in the kitchen, so prepare as much as you can the night before. I actually plan my menu around what types of foods can be prepared ahead of time so all I have to do the day of the party is pop a couple things in the oven and put out some plates. Crockpot recipes, chilled salads and baked dips are always popular among guests and easy on the hosts.

3. Be clear about what’s expected of guests — and vice versa. 

If people ask what they can bring to the party, be truthful. If you’re counting on guests to help stock the bar or feed the crowd, be clear about those expectations from the beginning. And let people know when they’re invited whether it’s OK for them to bring their significant others, kids or friends. This will help ensure there’s enough food and drink for everyone and will ensure you avoid the awkwardness of unexpected guests. You should also be sure to let guests know whether you’ll be serving a full meal, light appetizers, or just drinks. That way they’ll know whether to come hungry or eat before the event.

4. Have some entertainment planned. 

Most of the time our parties just involve everyone catching up, enjoying some good food and beers and a whole lot of laughing. But, we always have some entertainment planned just in case we need to help people break the ice. It can be something as simple as having card games handy or a makeshift photo booth setup.

5. Have fun!

This is the whole point of having a party, after all. While it can be easy to get caught up in all the duties of hosting, it’s important to spend lots of time mingling with guests and partaking in the festivities. If you don’t, your guests will feel awkward and you won’t want to throw another shindig anytime soon. Have a blast!

The post How To Throw A Stress-Free Party appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

The first trip James and I ever took together was to the city we live in now, Bloomington. He wanted to show me around the town he went to college in and I fell in love from the moment I saw the downtown. We visited so many amazing restaurants and parks and I’m happy we can go back to them any time we want now!

One of our first meals that weekend was at Farm Bloomington, a restaurant on Kirkwood that serves a unique menu that showcases local foods. We started our meal with an order of their popular garlic fries and I’ve been wanting to recreate a healthier version ever since. Although, you can’t really compete with the original.

Most of our kitchen is packed up for our move next week, so all of the cooking I’m doing is simple. I’ve got a cast-iron skillet and cookie sheet to get us through to next Friday. You can’t beat recipes that are easy to throw together!

This recipe makes enough for two hearty servings or four small, side dish servings. If you’re feeding a crowd, double it.

Oven-Baked Garlic Fries

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 large russet potato
• 1/2 Tbsp. high-quality olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut potato into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into thin fries, about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Toss potatoes, oil, garlic, parsley and salt together in a large bowl.
4. Spread fries onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. Cook fries until slightly brown and crispy on the outside, about 30 minutes, flipping the fries once halfway through cooking.

[/directions]

The post Oven-Baked Garlic Fries appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I know lots of people head to picnics, potlucks and cookouts to celebrate Independence Day, so I’m rounding up some of my favorite recipes that you can easily whip up for your get together. When it comes to any holiday, I favor food I can make the night before the event or throw in the crockpot the morning of. Holidays should be about relaxing and savoring time with family and friends — not slaving away all day in the kitchen. Here are some simple but delicious dishes to take along to your July 4th gathering:

Snacks

Prosciutto + Melon Crostini

Pimento Cheese Spread

Two-Ingredient Creamy Salsa Dip

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn

Homemade Salsa

Ranch House Cheese Spread

Curried Cashews

Entrees

Campside Crockpot Carnitas

Slow-Cooker Dry Rubbed Pulled Pork

Lightened-Up Beer Chicken Enchiladas

Desserts

Lemon White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The Best Banana Cookies

Drinks

Layered Cream and Crimson Margaritas

Summertime Sangria

The post July 4th Recipe Roundup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.