Creamy Basil Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes

I have been on the lookout for polenta based recipes and having been pinning and saving them left and right.  This one touted its ease and deliciousness and I thought I would give it a try on this perfect fall day in Chicago.  The roasted garlic and tomatoes have filled my house with amazing smells in addition to the combination of polenta, parmesan cheese and basil simmering on the stove top.  Today marks the first day of “going dark” with my nail polish for the season…bring on the dark reds, greys, deep purples and blacks!  Gotta love fall!

Roasted & Stuffed Acorn Squash

Columbus Day = no work!!  With this great gift of a three day weekend after coming off a month of travel,  I am putting it to great use…cooking, exercising, cleaning, prepping for fall, and yes, catching up on all the fall shows I keep missing during the week (gotta love Scandal and Quantico!).  After a 6 mile walk through Chicago and along the waterfront this morning, I decided to keep up the clean and healthy eating by making this acorn squash recipe I stumbled upon.  I loved that it was a full meal, vs just eating the squash as a side dish.  It is very filling and scrumptious!

Poached Eggs with White Cheddar and Tomatoes

Continuing on my weekend of home cooking, I decided to test out my new egg poachers.  Poaching eggs is something I have never been able to do on my own.  Last weekend, my girlfriends and I did a weekend trip up to the Kohler Spa in Wisconsin (so fab!).  On the way back to Chicago, we stopped for a quick power shop at the outlets and I picked up a pair of Poachpods hoping they would help me master this tasty style of egg (I love runny yolk!).  It was super easy and they turned out amazing!  This recipe was thrown together with what I had in my fridge and it was super tasty.  Enjoy!

Lemony Kale & White Bean Soup

Ten states, one month = exhausted!  After a whirlwind month of traveling for both work and pleasure, I am worn out, home sick, and wanting to get back into my normal eating routine.  Traveling can definitely expose you to amazing food, but after a month straight it takes a toll.  One of the few days I was in Chicago, I picked up some soup at Hannah’s Bretzel and was inspired to make it.  I stumbled onto this recipe on a blog that I have made many dishes from.  It is amazing how cathartic a perfect fall day in Chicago can be…picking up mums, pumpkins and squash to get in the fall spirit and doing some good old home cooking.  This soup has a scrumptious blend of flavors that are perfect for a fall day.

Ratatouille Polenta Bake

Earlier this year some of the girls I work with and I decided to start having a girls night dinner every other month that rotated houses.  Each person could show off their amazing cooking skills while we kicked back, relaxed and had a fun night decompressing after work while drinking a glass, or two, of wine.  It’s nights like these that I just love.  And, the best part about it is new recipes! This one comes from Kate Saletta and is a staple in her family.  I loved the combination of polenta and cheesy veggies! 

Vegetarian Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Mexican is always one of my favorites and this is one of the best stuffed pepper recipes I have tried.  It has a great blend of spices, making it super flavorful and hearty enough with the rice and beans to be filling.  I loved the slight crisp of the onion and sweetness from the pepper.  And, if you have rice leftovers from dinner a previous night, it makes the cook time much quicker. 

Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Grits

Maybe it’s because I am been feeling a bit run down recently, but I have been listening to a lot of country music, trying to feel connected back to my roots.  With this it got me researching a lot of southern comfort food recipes.  We all know the classic shrimp and grits (which I LOVE), but I came across this beef and grits recipe and was so intrigued by the combination of tastes that I knew I needed to make it.  With a long Memorial Day weekend ahead, I knew it was the perfect time to relax, disconnect and do some good home cookin’.

Now, I will say that you need to be a lover of spice because this is definitely spicy!  But the balance of the creamy cheddar grits and the spicy beef is pretty great! Enjoy!