Rosemary Apple Butter Waffle Bites

This fall, on one of our last camping trips of the season, I brought the most recent Food & Wine that had appeared in my mailbox before we left for the weekend. I paged through the recipes and photos as we drove into the mountains, not entirely paying attention to what I saw. I tend to do that the first time I look through a magazine. But then I saw a page with these beautiful and adorable canapés made with waffles! Each little square of the waffle was filled with something different, creating this beautiful piece of art on a platter. I haven’t been able to get those out of my head, so I knew they had to make an appearance sometime this holiday season. I also knew I needed to make something much simpler than what was in the magazine, because #momlife. So, I took my rosemary apple butter and put a tiny spoonful in the tiny square of a brown butter waffle (the exact same recipe I posted the other day, minus the vanilla) and all was well with the world.

Honestly, these are so simple to make and they would be the perfect bit sized treat to pass out with a glass of champagne at the start of your Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) gathering. The finishing touches of orange zest and black pepper give this appetizer a sweet and savory flavor that works perfectly with the rosemary in the apple butter. To make your platter look extra fancy, garnish it with fresh rosemary sprigs!

Rosemary Apple Butter Waffle Bites

Makes about 30-40 bite sized appetizers

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional but a nice addition!)

• 2 eggs, beaten well

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups milk

• zest of 1 orange

• rosemary apple butter (click for the recipe) *you can also use store-bought apple butter to make this even easier!

1. Begin by browning the butter. Add it to a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then start to sputter and foam, then it will all settle down and the milk particles will start to turn golden brown and a nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. Keep an eye on the butter through this process so it doesn’t burn! Stir occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a heatproof liquid measuring cup and set aside.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour in the browned butter and stir until incorporated.

4. Preheat a waffle iron. They’re all different. I set mine to a medium temperature, but you do you Boo Boo!

5. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter in the center of the waffle iron. When the waffles are done cooking, cut each one into little Tetris-looking shapes. I like to do them in 2 square sections (see photos above) but you can do them in 3 if you’d like to add something like a crumble of gorgonzola cheese or bacon or BOTH. Be creative!

6. Take a 1/2 teaspoon scoop of apple butter and drop it into one of the squares. Arrange each little bite on a platter before sprinkling with the orange zest and extra black pepper. Enjoy!
   

Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish with Savory Cheesecake

Christmas is next week. NEXT WEEK. I don't know if it's the whole being pregnant thing or perhaps it's the typical hustle and bustle of the season that has made me lose all track of time, but I am no where near as ready as I like to be with presents, plans, and everything in between. Instead of wrapping presents I've been folding baby clothes (they're so tiny!) and thinking about everything that needs to happen before our new little one arrives in just a few short weeks. Sometimes I worry that I'm not as prepared this time around. Maybe that's normal for the second baby. Maybe what happens is, since you've done it once, you figure having a newborn around is kind of like riding a bike. It isn't, of course. Riding a bike is much easier. Lucky for me, I have the very best holiday appetizer on hand that can be made ahead and looks pretty and festive and like you spent hours working on it. Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish with Savory Cheesecake = your holiday appetizer secret weapon.

A college friend of mine gave me the relish recipe. It took me a while to get around to making but after one bite I was kicking myself for not making it once a week starting the second she sent me the recipe. Ellie, you've made my holiday season easier and more flavorful. Thanks!

This relish could be used for any number of things but I love it over savory cheesecake. My savory cheesecake is simply cream cheese, greek yogurt, garlic salt and a couple of eggs. So simple you won't even know what to do with yourself. The relish and the cheesecake both last a couple of days in the fridge so they can be made ahead of time. To add a little extra color to the relish before serving, I like to add an additional sprinkle of cilantro. Other than that, the only prep you need to do before serving is to add a few crackers to the platter!

What are your go-to survival tips for the holidays? Any food tips and tricks to keep us all sane? I'd love to hear anything and everything!

Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish with Savory Cheesecake

Recipe barely adapted from my friend Ellie.

Makes 8-10 servings

For the relish:

• 1 c. dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• 1/2 c diced red onion
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1 jalepeno, seeded and minced
• 1/4 c. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 t. salt

For the cheesecake:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 eggs

Begin by combining the relish ingredients in a bowl. Toss together, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray a 7 inch springform pan with cooking spray and wrap the bottom tightly with foil. Set the pan inside a 9x13 inch pan with 2 inch sides that has been filled with 1 inch of water.

Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, garlic salt and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth. Pour into the prepared springform pan and bake for 45 minutes until the center jiggles just slightly. Remove the cake from the water and set on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. At this point, you can place it on a serving platter and chill for 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Top the chilled cheesecake with the relish and serve with a variety of crackers.

Healthy Eggnog Overnight Oats

Six weeks. In only six weeks we will be welcoming a very tiny little baby into our family. Well, let's be honest...based on the weight of #1 at birth (8.9 pounds to be exact) he may not be too tiny. Still, that seems like a pretty short amount of time. I spent some time last night looking through pictures of Riley when he was born in Tokyo and I kept going between moments of glee to have a newborn and moments of complete terror to have two kids instead of just one. I am told that these feelings are completely normal. I suppose you wade through the waters of having 2 kids the same way to do when you have your first. Just keep plugging along doing the best you can and making sure everyone is still alive at the end of the day. I suppose that means I have to be even more purposeful with the way I start my day to make sure it ends well. It's a good thing I've discovered overnight oats. Hello, easy! And these healthy eggnog overnight oats are perfect for the holidays.

Healthy Overnight Eggnog Oats | Set the Table

I like to make my overnight oats with almond milk, which is why my recent (and perhaps a bit behind the curve) discovery of eggnog made with almond milk inspired me to add a little holiday spin to an otherwise very basic breakfast. The flavor is wonderful and, to add some extra creaminess, I added a little vanilla yogurt. The regular kind, not Greek. Though I'm sure whatever you have on hand would be fine.

Healthy Eggnog Oats | Set the Table

Now, let's talk about my favorite part of any meal: the add-ons. I sprinkle plenty of ground cinnamon over my oats (random pregnancy craving plus cinnamon is just plain delicious), along with toasted walnuts and sweet raisins. I like to go a little heavy handed on the toppings to give a little variety to the texture of my oatmeal but you can of course do as you please to suit your tastes. I've been thinking about how delicious (and slightly sinful) this recipe would be with crumbled ginger snaps on top. Am I crazy? Sure. Is that so bad? Depends on who you ask.

My sister is coming to visit today (squeeeeee!) and I'll definitely be giving this to her for breakfast. What could be better than a comforting bowl of oatmeal for holiday guests? Not much, if you ask me. Rebecca and I will be having a Sister Christmas Celebration since we won't be together for the actual holiday this year and eggnog flavored things seems like the perfect way to kick things off. I'll also be freaking her out with the crazy ninja moves the little baby in my belly makes all day every day. It's gonna be awesome.

Healthy Eggnog Overnight Oats

Makes 2 Servings

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup almond milk eggnog (or reduced fat egg nog. or just almond milk.)
• 1/3 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (sounds like a lot...totally worth it)

Combine the oats, nog and yogurt (in that order) in a jar. Do not stir, simply cover with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, stir the oatmeal and transfer to a bowl. At this point, if you'd like it warm (which is totally optional but extra comforting) microwave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Top with the walnuts, raisins and cinnamon and enjoy!

Orange-Walnut Russian Tea Cakes

I have so many memories of lying in bed at night at the beginning of winter hoping that in the morning would bring a blanket of fresh snow. When it happened, there was an excitement that started deep in my belly and spread in excited tingles all the way to my finger tips. I always knew there was snow before even glancing out the window that there was snow because the light changed completely. It always felt new and fresh after weeks of golden autumn sun. The first snow of the season calls for something special. Hot chocolate for breakfast, cookies baking in the oven, and Christmas music on in the background. We had a day like that a while back, and I immediately took advantage by spending the morning making Orange-Walnut Russian Tea Cakes with my favorite little kitchen assistant.

We also wore wintery sweaters. You can't have a snow day without the proper attire, am I right?

My mom used to make Russian Tea Cake cookies around Christmas time and I remember the way the powdered sugar stuck to my fingers. Something about their snowball appearance made it seem like winter was officially official. I took my mom's recipe and updated it a little with the addition of fresh, bright orange zest. The orange in combination with the walnuts combines all the wonderful things about winter in one tasty little cookie. They are easy for kids to help with and make the perfect introduction to holiday cookie baking season.

Between the snowflakes floating softly outside the window and this sweet little boy helping me make sweet treats, this snow day was the best thing ever. I'm wishing extra hard for more days like this in the coming weeks.

Orange-Walnut Russian Tea Cakes

Makes 2 dozen cookies

• 1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ cups roughly chopped walnuts
• zest of one large orange
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1-2 cups powdered sugar for rolling

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. 2. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the almond extract in a large bowl. Stir flour, nutmeg, walnuts, zest and salt in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture until the dough comes together. 3. Gently roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet with about an inch of space between each cookie. 4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Keep a close eye on the cookies so they don't turn golden on top- that means they're overcooked! Cool the cookies for about 5 minutes on a cooling rack. 5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and cool them completely on wire rack before arranging on a plate. If the first pass through the powdered sugar didn't quite stick, you can roll them a second time once they have cooled.

Acorn Squash Polenta + Coconut & Spiced Brown Butter

I have a husband who doesn't like potatoes. To be more accurate, he will eat them but probably won't enjoy them very much. After growing up in a household where meat and potatoes happened weekly, mostly because my dad loved anything if it ended with "and potatoes", this has been quite an adjustment for me. On the plus side, it's given me a good reason to think of new, creative side dishes to serve in place of the humble potato. This acorn squash polenta is a new favorite at our house that works perfectly for the holiday season.  The coconut milk adds a little something new to a dish filled with traditional flavors and the spiced butter drizzled over the top makes it super special and festive.

Butter has a way of doing that to things.

We are having a small Thanksgiving dinner this year. We are making one last pre-baby visit to Crested Butte, where we will roast a turkey breast (recipe for that coming tomorrow!), drink hot apple cider, and hopefully watch snow fall while sitting in front of a cozy fireplace. It's going to be wonderful to have some quiet time in the mountains after what has been a month or two of insanity. It's funny how life just tends to throw all the things at you in a very concentrated amount of time, isn't it?

Not only will it be nice to unwind and refocus, it will also be wonderful to take one last trip together before our lives change dramatically. The closer we get to welcoming baby #2 into the world, the more acutely aware I am that our days as a family of 3 are quickly drawing to a close. I'm both excited and scared about that. There are so many things that I feel like we just figured out about being parents. I suppose the good news is that we have all survived and most likely will the second time around. Right? That plus we get to increase the amount of people to love in our lives. That's going to be the best thing ever. Plus the baby snuggles. I'm banking on this one being a snuggler since our oldest never has been.

Other things that will be happening in Crested Butte: lots of Christmas music, sledding with daddy (don't worry, I'll be sitting out this year lest I be confused for a ginormous snow ball rolling down the hill), and lots of good food. I'm especially excited about the Crack Fries at Secret Stash. Yes.

No matter what you are doing for Thanksgiving, I know this acorn squash polenta will be a hit! It's easy and fast to make and can feed small or large groups easily.

Bonus: it's great leftover! Pile some in a bowl and top with your Thanksgiving leftovers in the days after the feast!

Acorn Squash Polenta with Coconut & Spiced Brown Butter

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Notes: You can substitute pumpkin puree (homemade or canned) in this recipe. Just add 1 cup of the puree into the polenta.

• 1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 12 oz can coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups stone ground polenta (not instant)
• salt to taste
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• sage leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the squash, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been drizzled with the olive oil. Move the squash halves around a bit to coat the cut sides with the oil. Roast 30-40 minutes or until easily pierced on the skin side with a knife.

Scoop out the flesh of the squash and puree with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the polenta to avoid clumping, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring often, until it begins to thicken. Cook about 15 minutes or until the polenta is tender. Stir the squash puree into the polenta and season to taste with salt.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter until it begins to turn golden brown and has a delicious, nutty aroma. Stir in the spices, remove from the heat, and let cool about 5 minutes.

Ladle the polenta into a large serving bowl and drizzle with the spiced brown butter. Garnish with sage leaves and serve immediately.