Yummy Fall Recipes!

I feel like it has been FOREVER since I posted on this ol' thing! 

David and I have so much fun cooking together. It's actually one his favorite things to do! How lucky am I to have a husband that likes to cook? Beeeeecause... well.. let's just say I haven't really become an expert in the kitchen, yet. So yeah, I got pretty lucky when I found me a man who can cook up a fancy meal- more than cereal and english muffins (I'm looking at you, Dad!).

David has this huge (it's way too big) record player that he likes to listen to while we (he) cook(s). Usually Bruno Mars or Jackson Five is blasting throughout our little apartment. Last night I added a few videos and images of our cooking night + we got so many recipe requests! It was seriously delicious and so easy!! So I figured I'd add a little recipe post for y'all to read + recreate at home while waiting for the fall weather to begin! 

CAPRESE SALAD (SO good. Great little snack or app for when you have guests over!)

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 whole tomato (the bigger + riper the better! Slice kind of thick)
• Mozzarella Cheese (we bought 1 ball of mozz and we had leftover!)
• fresh basil leaves
• Olive Oil (drizzle)
• Kosher salt
• black pepper

Pour balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-20 mins or until it has become a thick glaze. Let cool!

Layer sliced tomato + mozzarella + basil leave. Repeat! Drizzle olive oil + balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a little pepper... VOILA! YUM!! Now I'm hungry.

Chicken, Mozzarella + Sundried Tomatoes Pasta

• Penne Pasta
• 3 garlic clove
• 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (we used the ones in a jar from the canned tomato aisle)
• 4 ounces fresh sun-dried tomatoes (they had them in the dried pepper section)
• 1 lb chicken breast (could also use breast tenders)
• salt
• dash of paprika
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red paper flakes (or add more if you like a little kick)

In a large pan, on high heat, sautee garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of oil (use oil from sun dried tomato jar) for 1 minute until garlic is smelling nice. Remove sun-dried tomatoes from the pan, leaving the oil, and add chicken tenders, salted and lightly covered in paprika (for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. 

Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller bits and add them back to the skillet with chicken.

Add half and half and cheese to the skillet, too, and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick - don't worry - you'll be adding some cooked pasta water soon. Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy sauce, and stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Add about 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water because the creamy sauce will be too thick (do not add all water at once - you might need less or more of it). This will water down the thickness of the cheese sauce and make it creamier. Immediately, season the pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.

Add salt to taste!

Rosemary Garlic Bread (Also SO GOOD... I preferred it not baked and just dipping my bread slices in the butter mixture goodness!)

• 1 loaf of italian bread
• 10(ish) tablespoons of salted butter (softened but not melted!)
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (I prefer more, chopped)
• large pinch of kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves finely minced

Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until butter is soft + all ingredients are combined! 

Slice bread into small pieces. Slather butter mixture on each piece. Layer in foil and fold the foil edges together to make a small packet for the bread to bake in! 

Bake @ 375F for 15 minutes. Then open the foil packet and break the bread for another 2 minutes until it's all toasty!

(OR- Slice up your bread, place it on a cutting board, add butter mixture to a pretty bowl + dip! YUM!!!)

Easy Apple Pie

• 1 box refrigerated piecrust (we used Pillsbury)
• 6ish cups apples thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon butter (or regular butter, add cinnamon sugar to taste)

Preheat oven to 425F.

Mix filling ingredients in a bowl (everything except for the cinnamon butter).

Line pie plate with pie crust. Make sure to push in the edges! Spread the cinnamon butter all over inner-pie before you add in the ingredients.

Spoon in ingredients. Top with second crust. Wrap the excess crust edges under the bottom layer, pressing the edges together to seal. Cut slits in the top crust! 

Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Cover the edges of pie crust after the first 15 minutes to prevent the edges from turning brown while baking! 

Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream. Easy! 

David found all of these recipes on his Yummly app that he loves! It also adds all of the ingredients from each recipe to an easy grocery list. Makes it super simple! If y'all have any questions, feel free to reach out!