Thanksgiving week is right around the corner, and we are wrapping up “Fall into Flavor” at Linda’s 2nd Cup of Coffee. Thanks, Linda for hosting some awesome recipes and good cooks’ secrets. I have quite the repertoire from which to choose for some seriously warm-the-bones comfort fall foods. Be sure to check out Linda’s coffee mug chocolate cake this week and other scrumptious sounding recipes as we conclude “Fall into Flavor.”

Of all my recipes that I have shared, I think this dessert is my favorite. It calls for the simplest ingredients and is truly quite easy to make. Nothing beats the creamy texture of a good creme brulee, and this recipe delivers.

Hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving, giving our Lord the credit for the many blessings in this life. I count you among my many blessings. Thanks for sharing your recipes, for reading annie’s eyes, and for your thoughtful comments. Happy Thanksgiving.

Creme Brulee

1 quart heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 vanilla beans
Light brown sugar (granulated)

Heat heavy cream with vanilla beans to 180 degrees in a double boiler. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt; pour the hot cream over them, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until well blended.  Pour the custard into 9-10 custard ramekins, placing each in a bain-marie (water bath-I use a 13×9 pan with ½- ¾ inch of warm water) and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the custard is completely set but not over cooked. Do not let the water in the pan boil. Remove from the oven; cool. 

Before serving, sprinkle the tops evenly with fine light brown granulated sugar. Put under the broiler until the sugar is melted and bubbly, watching carefully to see it does not scorch and burn. Remove, cool, and serve in the ramekin on a small plate with fresh berries and mint garnish. (Some refrigerate creme brulee, but the flavor is best if it is served at room temperature or slightly warm.)

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee brings us some bloggy deliciousness with Fall into Flavor each Monday. Check out her recipe meme today for the bloggers’ best recipes. I thought I’d tell you about our Halloween night, and the dinner we shared with friends.

Friday evening, we had our 2^nd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest with our daughter, Lindsay, and her boyfriend, Andrew, and his family. This year, Andrew’s parents, Judy and Charlie, hosted it at their house, so we took turns answering the door to trick-or-treaters and had a great dinner, then the fierce competition began. We brought the corn and potato chowder and jalapeno cornbread and Judy made a delicious spinach salad and sweet potato cake. Here are my recipes and a few pictures of the carving competition.

Just so you’ll know, Lindsay and Andrew won Grand Prize with their entry of Scary Cat, but Judy came in a close second with the “Sick” award with her pumpkin “losing” it. Mike and I did a political theme, “Sarah Punkin.” And Charlie stuck with the geometric traditional category. This has turned out to be quite a fun yearly event! Enjoy these dishes the next cool night, but be warned. There is a little spicy kick in both.

Corn and Potato Chowder

¼ cup butter
3 Tablespoons flour
3 potatoes, cooked on high 3 min. ea. in microwave
1 qt. whipping cream
2 cups frozen corn
2 cans chopped green chiles
4 large roasted red peppers in oil, drained, seeded, and chopped
1 Tablespoon + (to taste) Tony Chashere’s^© Creole seasoning

Garnish with:
Crumbled bacon
Chopped chives
grated cheddar cheese                                                                              

Brown flour in butter until golden in a large stock pot. Slowly whisk in 4 cups vegetable broth. Peel and chop partially cooked potatoes, and add to broth. Continue cooking over medium low heat. Add remaining ingredients, adding cream last. Continue cooking over medium low heat for 45-50 minutes, until soup is bubbly and potatoes are tender. Serve in bowls and garnish with cheese, bacon and chives.

Jalapeño Cornbread

2 boxes Jiffy^© cornbread
2 eggs
½ 14 oz. can cream-style corn
¾ cup milk
1 cup grated cheese
½ cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup pickled jalapeños, sliced
1 small jar pimiento, finely chopped

Mix cornbread mix, eggs, cream-style corn, and milk. Add grated cheese, onion, jalapenos, and pimiento. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 rectangular baking pan. Bake at 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.

Linda at Second Cup of Coffee is hosting a recipe carnival these next few weeks before, dare I say it, Christmas. With weather here (Texas) in the bone-chilling sixties, a girl still can imagine what might sound good to the rest of the country on a nippy fall night. This is one recipe I have made for years. I have also used green olives instead of the black, but that might be a little on the wild side for some of you! If you like olives, you will love the flavors of green olives and cream cheese. Otherwise, just use the black ones and don’t stress. This is serious comfort food. Thanks, Linda for another fun week of good food and friends!

9 lasagna noodles (I use about 12)
1 can (4-ounce) sliced ripe olives
1 cup Low-fat cottage cheese
1 (6-ounce) cream cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 cans (10 3/4-ounce) reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
3 cups Chopped cooked chicken
2/3 cup milk
2 cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 c shredded Parmesan

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain, and set aside. Combine cottage cheese and cream cheese, stirring well; add soup and next 6 ingredients. Spread 1/2 cup of cheese mixture in bottom of a 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking pan. Layer one-third of the noodles, chicken, and cheese mixture in pan; repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, mixed with melted butter and Parmesan cheese; cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

I have another “I want it to be fall” recipe for you this week.  It’s still in the 80s here in Texas, so we pretend a lot. I turn the a/c down and put on my sweatshirt. I light the fake fire in the fireplace, and I make careful note that it won’t be long until we change our clocks back and get an extra hour of sleep. Fall is here and Linda at 2^nd Cup of Coffee is hosting the second week of Fall into Flavor. So, if you want some great ideas for make-you-happy food, check out her site today. Or try this, a family favorite, on a cool day soon.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken:
1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cans chicken stock
salt, pepper to tast
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Ice water

Place the chicken, celery, onion, bay leaf, chicken stock and seasoning in a large pot. Add three quarts of water and in water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender about 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones.

For dumplings: Mix the flour with the salt.Work in a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.

Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough. Let the dough rest for several minutes.

Add the cream of chicken soup to the pot with the chicken and simmer gently over medium-low heat.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Add to bubbling chicken stock mixture. Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes. Note to Linda J: Watch pot carefully, as it burns easily.