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.

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.

We’re heading to a friend’s house for a watch party and taking over a few snacks people can munch on throughout the game. I’m throwing together a cheese plate, truffle popcorn, these banana blondies and whipping up a batch of my homemade salsa.

A friend of mine taught me how to make this salsa in college and I couldn’t believe such a simple recipe could be so delicious. It only requires a few ingredients and can be easily customized to fit your tastes (the more garlic the better!).

This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, so I usually serve half of the salsa as is and throw the rest into a batch of Two-Ingredient Creamy Salsa Dip. It’s also great to throw into the crockpot with chicken breasts to make enchilada or taco filling.

I think I may have to whip up some of these Strawberry Bottomed Pineapple Margaritas to accompany the chips and salsa — you can’t have one without the other, right?

Here are some other last-minute game day grub ideas for all of the procrastinators out there: Ranch House Cheese Spread, Pepperoni Pizza Party Bread, Curried Cashews, Lightened Up Beer Chicken Enchiladas, Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas.

Now who are we rooting for again?

Game Day Salsa

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1jalapeño, minced (remove the ribs and seeds for a more mild salsa)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. Taste salsa and adjust based on your preferences.

[/directions]

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