Dear Blog Readers,

I have been wrestling with how to fit in all of my life goals and motherhood and writing and the blog, and I am going to shift things around a little bit and wanted to let you know.

When I started this blog – complete with bad photos and all – I had no clue about blogging. I just knew I wanted to freelance write and thought this would be a good first step. Since then, I have learned how to use the manual settings on my camera (yay) and had more freelance writing work then I can handle, and had a readership that surprised me as it grew. And my family has eaten well, which is what I love the most about running The Humble Onion – leftovers!  So I am going to call this blog a win. Not to mention how much fun it has been to hear from all of you after you make one of the recipes here! I love sharing about food and that is the best part of having a food blog.

But I have this working theory about creativity – if you have a big outlet for it, you sort of have very little left for other creative pursuits. Decorators I love swear by take out for dinner. Artists I know can’t be bothered with putting together cute outfits and just wear black. When I am writing a lot, I don’t decorate my house. When I am not writing as much in the summer, I go gangbusters on interior design.

When I am riding a creative wave about food, it is all I think about, and my creative juices are very committed to it.

But a few years ago, in between babies 3 and 4, I wrote a novel. It was a great experience, and even though it didn’t get published, I got great feed back from a lot of major publishing houses. Some asked if I wanted to write a cookbook.

The thing that is pressing on my heart creatively is writing a food memoir, about growing up in a big family with lots of characters and tragedies and laughter and good food. There will be recipes at the end, so food will still be a part of this project. I feel like it is the perfect place for me to be creatively, and I really want to channel all my time and creative energies to it.

So I will probably be posting here and there on the Humble Onion, but not as regularly as I was. I will try to share my writing journey on the writing blog though so if you are curious about the process or about the publishing journey, feel free to follow along.

Most of all thank you for reading! I feel like this blog has been a conversation with a great friend, and you have been such good company.

Till next time, Happy Eating!

xoxo Katie

This is one of my favorite dinners to make.

It is from Giada De Laurentiis, and is one of her viewers most requested recipes. No wonder – the asiago cheese and garlic give the spinach the most perfect, fragrant flavor. And the salty chewy pancetta bites round out the dish.

I love it just for a family dinner but I have made if for company it is that easy and that good. I also love that this dish uses mostly pantry and fridge staples. If you call pancetta, asiago and ricotta staples, which I do now after this dinner made it into our rotation. I like to cook my shells ahead of time with lots of oil so they don’t stick, since that is really the only step on the stove. Everything else is just mix it together and slide in the oven.

And the hint of nutmeg in here makes this somehow a taste that you keep wanting to go back to. So you may want to make double.

The way the garlic simmers in the cream sauce (I used milk by the way but cream is the way to go if you have it) fills the whole dish with such a subtle flavor.  And I ran out of asiago so the last layer I used was mozzarella.

Every time I start stuffing these shells, I always dream about other combinations of flavors I could put in them. But then I take a bite:

And I promise myself to make these again exactly like Giada does because…yum.

Shells with Crispy Pancetta and Spinach (printer version found on Food Network here) –

Ingredients:
Shells:
1 (12-ounce) package jumbo shells pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
1 cup grated asiago cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cream (or milk)
2 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the shells:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.

For the sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis at foodnetwork.com

The Fall

The abundant, redundant season.
Ushering in the winter, like an appetizer before the big meal.
Just a taste of what is to come.
Beautiful and temporary.

(excerpted from a poem by Marla Wardell)

Even though I loved this summer more then any I can remember, I am a fall girl.  You probably already sniffed autumn on the edge of a cool breeze lately, and know what I mean. The smell of possibility. Of bountiful new beginnings. Of change. And for some reason, a big dash of hope and joy is mixed in there too. Love it.

So to help you usher in your ode to fall, here is our favorite quick and easy fall meal. Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Have you ever cooked acorn squash? It is really easy, like roasting any vegetable. 400 degress, olive oil and salt (holding the pepper for my kids!) And then the smell of fall veggies roasting fills your house.

This dish couldn’t be easier or quicker. It barely hits the 30 minute mark.

This is my husbands favorite meal! If your kids like cheese, feel free to melt some mozzarella on top (I tried parmesan but it feels too strong and blocks all the subtle fall flavors.) And I was out of pine nuts when I made this, but they truly make this dish (I know because I missed them! I always make this with pine nuts.) And I feel like the butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture helps my kids to eat the squash.

But truly, feel free to improvise, this is a dish that welcomes it. In our family, the rice pilaf, cranberry, turkey and pine nuts have become staple, but a little sautéed garden veg like zucchini or squash would be great added in at the same time as the spinach.

Happy fall, and happy eating! xoxo Katie

Stuffed Acorn Squash (printer version here) – 

Serves 6-8

3-4 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded (Figure 1 half for each person. Filling easily fills 8 halves.)

Extra virgin olive oil

½ T. salt

1 box of Rice Pilaf (which we love! You could use Long Grain Wild Rice or other favorite grain)

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 oz. chopped spinach, thawed and drained

½ t. garlic salt

1 lb. ground turkey

¾ cup beef or chicken broth

⅓ cup cranberries

⅓ cup roasted pine nuts

2 T. butter

2 T. brown sugar

½ t. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Place acorn squash halved on a baking sheet, flesh side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ½ t. salt. Turn over and roast for 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out easily and flesh is soft.

Cook rice according to package directions.

While squash and rice cook, heat 2 T. extra virgin olive oil on medium high heat in a pan. Add onions, sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt and sautéing until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add spinach and garlic salt. Add ground turkey, and cook through. Then add broth, stirring for 2 minutes until absorbed. Add cranberries, cooked rice, and stir to combine. Toast pine nuts in a pan on medium heat (watch them, then burn easily). Add to rice mixture at the end. 

Meanwhile, melt 2 T. butter in microwave with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Let squash cool for 5 minutes, then brush with brown sugar mixture, mashing into the flesh with a fork to spread around.

Then fill with turkey and rice mixture. Add favorite cheese, if desired. Add pepper to the grown ups.

I am always looking for recipes that can replace the mountains of snack bars that my kids can eat.

When I found this recipe for Healthy Banana Oat Muffins in Katie Lee’s new cookbook, Endless Summer I couldn’t believe the ingredient list! Greek yogurt? Coconut oil? So I made a double batch and guess what?
We all loved them.

Seriously, they’re the perfect fuel for rushed mornings. I ate one before I ran a 5k and felt amazing.

But what I really love about them is they are the perfect canvas for all different ingredients. As I was eating them, I thought of lots of different versions of them. Like:

// Pears and cranberries

// Chocolate chips (and less healthy, obviously)

// Chunks of apples

// Pumpkin puree in place of the bananas

Hope you try them and come up with a version your people will love. Happy Eating xoxo Katie

Banana Oat Muffins (adapted from Katie Lee’s Endless Summer Cookbook. Printer version here) –

2 cups spelt flour (or all purpose if you don’t have this, or make them Gluten Free with Brown Rice flour)

2 t. baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

¾ t. salt

⅓ cup rolled oats, plus 2 T. for sprinkling

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 ½ t. fresh lemon juice

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole is fine but I used 2%)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ c. maple syrup

¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

2 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin pan and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in the oats.

In a large bowl, whisk the bananas, lemon juice, yogurt, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla together. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; do not overmix! Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with oats.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before removing from the tin.

So can I get an Hallelujah? And an Amen?

The kids are back in school.

But I still love them.

That’s why I make a traditional back to school dinner that is a favorite for everyone.  This year’s version was my easiest and healthiest yet so I am passing it on to all of you wonderful people. All my nurturing mommy neuroses come out at the start of school, and I have about a month’s worth of healthy breakfast, lunches, dinners and snacks in my kitchen. Of course this will last about a month until I declare I am burnt out until Christmas break. Jk. Sort of.

Anyway, besides the fact that EVERYONE loves this dish and it is my most requested dinner in my repertoire, I love it because it only takes 25-30 minutes. 20 of that is roasting time where I get the kitchen clean, bags cleaned out and packed again (I am tired just typing that). So when we sit down to dinner we get to talk about everyone’s first day and have minimal clean up and go. to. bed. (Note, I did post a variation on mini meatloaves before but I like this version better).

First, I preheat the oven to 425. That’s right – crazy hot. It will make it cook fast.

Then mix together 2 Tablespoons each ketchup and honey mustard.

Then I mix together the meat loaf. You can use anything – beef, turkey, chicken, a favorite meatloaf mixture. I used turkey and I loved it, so nice and light but filling. Ground meat, egg, 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 c. white cheddar, and salt and pepper.

Then, you brush a sheet pan with oil so they don’t stick. And get a yummy crusty bottom.

Then you form the meat mixture into little loaves, brush them with the ketchup-honey mustard mixture and then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. white cheddar (you can use yellow too) on top.

Then, you slice up 1 lb. (or use 1 potato per person) of white potatoes.

Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the meatloaves on top and the potatoes on the bottom rack. Cook for 10 minutes, then rotate for 10 more. Then remove the meatloaves, letting the potatoes roast for 5 more minutes.

While they do, microwave a bag of Green Beans.

Ok, fine, you can par boil your ones from the farmer’s market. This time I went the easy route and they were yummy. I tossed them in a skillet with 2 T. butter, 2 chopped cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 pepper. Love.

Every time I make these, I am always amazed at how fast they are. And how yummy.

Hope this helps you multi-task your lights out.

xoxo Katie

Mini Turkey Meatloaves with Honey Mustard Sauce & Roasted Potatoes (printer version here)-

2 T. olive oil (plus more for baking sheet)

2 T. honey mustard

2 T. ketchup

1 pound ground Turkey (or lean beef)

1 large egg

½ cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup shredded white cheddar, divided

1 t. salt and ½ t. pepper

1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

1 package green beans

2 T. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Brush a rimmed backed sheet with oil. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons mustard and ketchup.
2. In a medium bowl, combine beef, egg, panko, ½ c. cheddar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ t. pepper. Form into four 2 x 4 inch loaves; place on baking sheet. Brush with mustard mixture; top with remaining ½ c. cheddar. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with 1 T. oil, season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer meatloaves to upper rack of oven, and place potatoes on lower rack. Bake until loaves are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets after 10 minutes. Remove loaves from oven; continue to roast potatoes until tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook green beans in microwavable bag, or parboil for 3 minutes in boiling water. Drain. Heat butter in pan, add garlic for one minute, then add green beans. Cook through, stirring so garlic doesn’t burn, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

This recipe was adapted from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart