Simple Cheese Soup

I've taken the past couple of months off, but I'm back this month with another Blogger Clue Society post. Although life has been busy and strange lately, when I saw that "Soups and Stews" was the theme, I knew I could find time to join in. With more than 100 soup recipes on my blog, you know I'm a bit of a soup addict.

So my assigned blog this month was Sew You Think You Can Cook (cook...cook...cook). Lauren's blog hooked me from the start with that catchy name, and if you watch the tv show with the similar name, I bet you were, too. I also bet you also would have repeated "cook" three times if I hadn't said it out loud. Anyhoo, I found several contenders on Lauren's blog. I zeroed in on her Chicken Tortilla Soup first because, well...tortilla soup is my favorite kind of soup. I even had a year-long quest back in 2010-11 to see if I could find my favorite version of tortilla soup. (I did, but that doesn't stop me from trying any bowl I can get my hands on.)

Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies

Welcome to the November edition of Blogger CLUE Society! As you may have seen in the past, we have a monthly theme to aid us in the hunt of our assigned blog, and this month's theme is Pie and other Thanksgiving Desserts. This suited me just fine since I am featuring Thanksgiving recipes daily leading up to the big meal this year!

Of course I went in all psyched up to find a new recipe that would fit in amongst our yearly pie assortment...you know about my deep love of pie, right? Well, sometimes we have to adapt...annaDishes was my assigned blog for this month—and she doesn't have any pie recipes on her blog! After the nervous sweats died down (what, no pie!?), I went hunting again...with a fresh perspective.

Although pie is first and foremost in my choices of Thansgiving dessert, lately I've been opening my mind to the possibility of another dessert (or two) alongside the pie. I thought about making Anna's Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies or maybe her Grammy's Hermits, but in the end it was her Maple Caramel Sea Salt Blondies that won my heart.

Yes, I know I said maple, not pumpkin. And I went in with the full intention of making them with maple syrup until I realized there was only about a teaspoon of maple syrup in the bottom of my bottle...after I'd already started mixing things together. Doh! So I improvised and swapped one seasonal flavor for another.

I have to admit, they were pretty wonderful; they would definitely hold their own in any holiday dessert spread. As soon as I replenish my maple syrup stock, I'll be making Anna's original version, as well.

Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies

Pockets of caramel and chocolate complement the rich taste of brown sugar mingling with seasonal pumpkin in these blondies that are special enough to earn a place at your holiday table.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert vegetarian nut-free pumpkin caramel chocolate Thanksgiving bars American fall

Ingredients (9 large or 16 small blondies)

• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons / 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon flaked or coarse sea salt)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark)
• 8 soft caramels, quartered (~2 1/2 ounces or a heaping 1/4 cup)

to finish:

• flaked or coarse sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8"x8" baking pan (then line with parchment paper if you wish).

Combine melted butter and sugar and mix until smooth, then beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and caramel pieces.

Pour into prepared pan, then slide into preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. Set the pan on a wire rack, sprinkle with coarse of flaked sea salt, then allow to cool.

note:

If you'd like, try topping your cooled blondies with some chocolate or caramel icing/frosting before sprinkling on the sea salt.

Anna's original recipe used maple syrup instead of pumpkin, which I can't wait to try. She also used milk chocolate chips which I has every intention of using, as well...until I realized that somebody had raided the pantry and there were none to be found (they would be equally wonderful here). Anna also topped hers in melted milk chocolate chips before sprinkling on the salt.

The blogger C.L.U.E (Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat) Society meets every month in a game of mystery, intrigue, and fun! We are given a theme and secretly assigned another member's blog; our mission is to hunt through our assigned blog to find a recipe that fits the theme through our eyes. We then head into the kitchen and recreate the recipe and post together on reveal day!

I'm a lifelong mystery-lover, my favorite board game is CLUE, and I'm a believer that there's no better way to get to know somebody than through food—is there any doubt that I enjoy this event!?

Today is reveal day, and this month's theme is: Pie and Other Thanksgiving Desserts. Join me in reading about the food hunted down this month in the #bloggerCLUE member's kitchens!

• Aunt Orlean's Pie Dough by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Bacon and Leek Quiche by Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Black Forest Fruit Pie by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Brownie Pecan Pie by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Cast Iron Apple Pie by Lisa from Suburban Gourmet
• Cauliflower and Leek Quiche by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Classic Pumpkin Pie by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Fig and Caramelized Onion Crostini by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Five Spice Apple Pie by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• French Silk Pie with Frangelico by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Lemon Almond Cake by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Lemon Icebox Pie by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies by Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Roasted Butternut Squash Dip by Anna from annaDishes
• Semisweet Chocolate Tart with Candied Pistachios by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Southern Buttermilk Pie by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Vegan Blueberry Cranberry Mini Cashew Icebox Cheesecakes by Kim from Liv Life

Fried Apple Hand Pies

It's the second Wednesday of the month, and that means it's time for another edition of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society. This month we rummaged through our assigned blogs looking for recipes featuring fall fruits, and my assigned blog was Kelli's Kitchen. I had such a fun time rummaging through Kelli's blog in search of the perfect thing to make.

On her about page, Kelli says that she learned all the best things in life from her Nana, so I'm pretty darn excited that the recipe I chose to make this month is one that her Nana used to make—small fried apple pies.

These little hand pies remind of the hot apple pies at McDonald's that I loved as a kid and the kind of little pies that slide out of a little cardboard box (that I always hope will be good but never are). The only difference is, these are MILES better than either of those options. Honestly, I couldn't stop eating them. It was a really bad idea for me to make them in the morning when everybody else was off at school and work. I had to force myself to leave the kitchen just to put them out of view.

OREO Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream

Some people just like to do things the hard way. Take for example, me. Although my blogging friend Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake and I live in the same state...a mere 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive from each other...we actually met in person for the first time when we were both more than 2,000 miles from home. If that's not the hard way, I don't know what is. Totally worth it.

Hopefully next time we'll do it the easy way. Today I'm excited that Liz's blog is my Blogger C.L.U.E Society assignment; this month, the group scoured their assigned blogs for recipes that would help us Beat the Heat! Since I drop by Liz's blog on a fairly regular basis, I knew the hardest part wouldn't be finding a recipe that I wanted to make, but rather narrowing it down to the one recipe I couldn't live without.

Zesty Grilled Ham Steaks

We are already a week into July, and that means we're deep into grilling season. So, it's only natural that for this month's edition of #bloggerCLUE, our theme is Summer BBQ/Grilling! From the moment I had my assignment, I knew I'd hit the jackpot; Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch has no shortage of recipes that are made on the grill. I wasn't only stoked that I was assigned to Lea Ann's blog because I know she can use a grill, but because she and I have known each other for a number of years (I want to say about 6 years) through this amazing world of food blogging...way back when her blog name was Mangos, Chili and Z.

Aside from cooking up great food on a regular basis, she's an incredibly kind person, as well. When she had the chance to meet Rick Bayless, she actually got a signed copy of his (then) new cookbook for me since she knew he was (is) my favorite chef. I was blown away. Still am each and every time I open the cover of Fiesta at Rick's. I just realized that was in October of 2010. Time flies!

But anyway, the hardest part was narrowing down the choices of what I wanted to throw on the grill this month. A few things I contemplated were Sriracha Chicken Mushroom Kabobs, Honey Butter Grilled Chicken Wings with Parsley Sauce, Grilled Salmon with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce, and Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Southwestern Zinfandel Glaze. See? Almost impossible to narrow it down just from those few!

(Almost) Nancy's Chopped Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette

It's the second Wednesday of the month, and that means it's time for another edition of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society! Our theme this month is PICNIC FOOD, and my assignment was Authentic Suburban Gourmet. Authentic Suburban Gourmet is the creative expression of Lisa, a successful executive by day, who uses creativity and thoughts (authentic) and readily available ingredients (suburban) with an elegant and sophisticated touch (gourmet) for cooking, creating, and entertaining. To learn more about this born and bred Bay Area foodie, check out her about page.

It wasn't hard finding inspiration for a picnic at Lisa's place. I could see myself spreading out on a blanket under a shady tree to unpack a basket filled with everything from Oven Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts to French Cheese Straws (alongside some fruit and other nibbles) to a Grilled Egg and Olive Sandwich. Oh, and of course a good bottle of wine to accompany everything, and these perfect little Apricot, Blueberry and Cardamom Hand Pies to finish things off.

Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

Welcome to another edition of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society, where we are (semi-) secretly assigned another member's blog to "investigate" and find a recipe that fits our theme for the month—all the while learning a little bit more about each other (more details at the bottom of this post, if you're interested). Our theme this month is Berries, and the blog I had the good fortune of spending time at Rebekah's blog, Making Miracles.

Making Miracles is a blog about food, family and making memories. Rebekah is a mom and a wife, and has also been the surrogate mom for 4 little girls—how amazing is that! You can learn more about Rebekah and her surrogacy experiences on her about page. But now, on to the food! Making Miracles is full of family-friendly recipes of all sorts, including a page of baby/toddler food recipes. But what I was on the hunt for was berries!

Can I just tell you that I love the process of searching and exploring a blog each month? I really do. I like searching a general term, then more specific terms, all the while clicking on recipes that catch my fancy. I usually wind up with about 10 tabs open, and then try to narrow things down to about 3 to choose from.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Welcome to the April edition of Blogger CLUE Society, where members explore each other's blogs and learn a little more about each other, all while looking for a recipe that fits the monthly theme. This month's theme is Spring Vegetables, and I had the pleasure of digging through the archives of Taking On Magazines, run by Christiane (aka The Mom Chef).

I bet you can guess what the focus of Taking On Magazines is. Right? As a regular "mom chef", Christiane often found that the results she got after making magazine recipes varied from what was presented, either taste, presentation, or yield-wise. So, she decided to share the results of these same recipes coming out of an everyday kids-husbands-animals-underfoot kitchen. I bet there's a world full of mom chef's who can relate.

Along with magazine recipes, you can also find cookbook recipes and family recipes at Taking On Magazines, as well as a bit of stuff that is totally off topic (roundups, tours, features, etc). So, on to the nitty-gritty—the results of my "hunt". With spring vegetables in mind, I searched everything from "spring" to "vegetables", and on to specifics like "asparagus" and "peas".

Chicken Pot Pie

I love it when the second Wednesday of the month rolls around, because that means it's time for another round of the Blogger CLUE Society (more about this at the bottom of the post). Our theme this month is potatoes, and the blog I was assigned to do a little clue hunting on was none other than Cake Duchess, written by my friend Lora.

I came back several times to dig for potatoes on Lora's blog, changing my mind about what I was going to make every time. At first I thought I'd make her Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin, but apparently this isn't the time for purple cauliflower in my markets, because there was none to be found. Sure, I could have made it with white cauliflower, but that wouldn't have been as fun.

Next, I had my heart set on making something that I haven't made in a few years—homemade gnocchi. But not just regular gnocchi, potato and butternut squash gnocchi! There was a butternut squash sitting on my table, potatoes in the potato bin (and by potato bin, I mean a makeshift box that I keep in a dark spot in the kitchen). I even dusted off my gnocchi paddle. And then I just didn't.

Strawberry Chia Jam with Chia Seed Pancakes

It's the second Wednesday of the month, and that means it's time for another round of #bloggerCLUE! Our theme this month is RED—and for more reason than one. February is a busy month. Of course there's Valentine's Day. Red! And then there's the Oscars. Red (carpet). It is also National Heart Awareness month, and well...red! So yeah, I had all sorts of fun rummaging through my assigned blog for the month, which was Curry and Comfort.

Curry and Comfort is written by Ramona, who writes of her love for curry and American comfort food (and everything in between). Let's just say that I spent a long time perusing and hunting down red things, and I had a list so long it trailed behind me by the time I finished. Or at least it would have if it was printed out. Next I spent time slowly crossing items like Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, BLT Pizza, and Crockpot Paprika Chicken off my list.

What caused me to leave tempting food like that simmering on the backburner? Two words: chia seeds. To know me is to know my love for those little power-houses. I drink my daily chia, and am always looking for food I can sneak them into. Well, when I laid eyes on Ramona's Strawberry Chia Jam, nothing else stood a chance. I'd been meaning to try chia jam...any variety...for quite some time, but still hadn't gotten around to it. Mystery solved. Decision made.

Sparkling Mojitos

What girl doesn't love a little sparkle in their life every now and again? On her finger, in her glass, in the eye of a dreamy guy. You can't deny the lure of sparkly things. Therefore, you'll totally understand when I tell you that I'm sharing not one, but two #bloggerCLUE posts this month. Our theme, afterall, is SPARKLY!

I've been talking lately about things that warm my bones, like soups and stews, comforting roasts, basically anything that cooks low and slow. But sometimes, it even works to just sit back, close my eyes, and sip a cocktail. A sunny burst of lime...the freshness of mint...the rum (oh yeah, totally the rum)...combined they are instant transport to a hot Miami beach via a cocktail—specifically a Mojito.

But I'll do you one better, thanks to Aly of Cooking in Stilettos. She made it easy, really. I knew within just a few moments of rummaging through her "kitchen" what sparkly thing I'd be making. That sunshine-conjuring Mojito I mentioned? She topped it off with sparkles in the form of fizzy Prosecco!

Soft Pretzel Sticks with Spicy Mustard Sauce

I recently went on a scavenger hunt with my main objective being to find something sparkly. That's right, I said SPARKLY! Why, you ask? It's all due to a not-so-secret secret society called blogger C.L.U.E.. I was given a blog to rummage around in and get familiar with, and since I already "know" the brains behind this blog, I a wee bit worried about finding something sparkly. When I think Debra, and her blog, Eliot's Eats, I think down to earth...I think from the earth...I think seasonal produce.

But, even though I couldn't recall ever seeing a bubble, a shimmering coating of sugar, or a colorful smattering of sprinkles adorning her food, I was on a mission to dig up some sparkle. I was moments away from turning her Maldivian Scrub into a sugar scrub...adding my own sparkle, if you will. But I decided that was changing things up a little too much (our goal is to stay fairly true to the original recipe). I worried that adding sugar and oil (and removing rice flour) may be too much fiddling. But I still plan on making it. This frigid, dry weather has my skin begging for a little resort getaway (at home).

So, I set forth once more. I didn't look far before I the answer was staring me in the face—pretzel sticks gleaming with the twinkle of sea salt. Done. Finito. Acabado.