This is frighteningly good. It tastes like Pumpkin Pie without that pesky crust, or baking. Or time. Or any real effort. Are you the sort of person who remembers at 2:00 that you have a holiday party to attend at 2:30, and you still need to shower, dress, and bring a food item to share? Then this is the recipe for you.

Serve with Gingersnap cookies, or graham crackers if you prefer.

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These are so easy to make… are you beginning to sense a theme with my cooking? Yesterday I whipped up a platter of these and brought them outside to my sons’ friends that were hanging out in yard with him. Yes I realize teenage boys will eat anything, but they will also tell you if it isn’t good while they are eating it. They inhaled the peppers.

One boy picked one up off of the platter and said, very seriously, “Everything is better with bacon.” If I had a teenage daughter I would have immediately proposed an arranged marriage.
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This has been coined Christmas soup by my family because it is red and green and white, making it Christmas in a bowl.

(photo of the vegetables being sauteed)

1 lb Italian sausage
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine for soup
3 cups red wine for drinking while cooking
16 oz can chopped tomatoes
16 oz can white beans
1 med zucchini, sliced
1 med potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups pasta shells (I use gluten free an no one is any wiser)

If you are using sausage links, you will want to remove them from the casings and cut them into chunks. I just used ground sausage instead and skip this step.

Saute the sausage over medium heat until it is browned on all sides, 5 minutes or so.

Add the chopped red pepper, onion, and celery and saute for an additional 5 minutes or so.

Add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the pasta. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.

During this time you will want to boil up your pasta shells. Drain and rinse them, before adding them to the soup at the end. You can add them uncooked to the soup, but they will absorb so much water and I have always found that when you do it that way there is a really pasty taste in the food.

I have tripled this recipe and have it all set in a huge stockpot just waiting to turn it on tomorrow morning and serve it with our Christmas dinner.

For the month of November there is something fun happening over here at this little cooking blog. I asked some of my favorite bloggers to share a recipe that they will be making this holiday season. Whether it is a holiday specific recipe or just something they will be cooking for their families while they are in the midst of the rat race know as the holidays.

Without further ado, let me introduce you to Metalia. Surely all of you are reading her blog? She is a working mom of two young ADORABLE children and she is hilariously funny.

When I asked her if she had a recipe she immediately told me about this praline sweet potato pie. She had already made it a few times, FOR PRACTICE, so that she would know how to do it for Thanksgiving. God, I love her. And now that I have read the recipe and seen the photos, I would practice making this pie and practice eating this pie for the entire holiday season. I do need practice eating stealthily in my pantry I think.
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So, you carved your jack o’lantern, but what do you do with all of those seeds? If you are like the old me you just throw them away, along with all of the slimy pumpkin innards. But yesterday I decided to roast them up.
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Who doesn’t love corn-on-the-cob?

My favorite thing to do with corn on the cob is to grill it.

Step One: Peel off the first few layers of husk.

Step Two: Soak the corn on the cob in water for at least 15 minutes while you warm up the grill

Step Three: After soaking gently pull back the layers of the husk and remove the corn silk as much as possible.

Step Four: Brush a little oil on the corn, then wrap the husk back around the corn, and wrap the entire corn on the cob in tin foil

Step Five: Put the corn on the grill over medium heat. Turn every couple minutes. Then move the corn to a more indirect source of heat like the upper rack of the grill.

Step Six: After about 15 minutes remove the corn from the heat.

Step Seven: Keep the corn wrapped in the tin foil to keep it warm on your buffet table.

Now, you can melt some butter and serve the corn with that. But how about making a spicy butter to give the corn on the cob an extra little zip? Your guests will love it.

In a small sauce pan mix together (enough for about 10-12 ears):

1 cup butter
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Heat long enough for butter to melt. Put a pastry brush out with small saucepan so your guests can brush the spicy butter onto their corn.

Once you have your corn cooked this way, you will be hard pressed to go back to regular plain, boiled corn.

Summer entertaining is my favorite. Probably because it is easy to prepare most of the dishes before hand so that you can relax and enjoy your company. Also, because men always seem to want to work the grill so if you plan your food wisely the menfolk will do the actual cooking on the day of the party. Men always look better standing at the grill in 100 degree weather, holding their bottles of beer. I just look hot and sweaty and borderline alcoholic.

This week I thought I would share some recipes for those of you entertaining this weekend. Everything can be made in advance.

First up today, the ubiquitous potato salad. It is a summer barbeque staple. Honestly, I think it is written in the Constitution that you must serve this at any and all Fourth of July functions, or else be deported.

My husband is currently eating his second helping of it and said, “You have to give me this recipe!” I guess in case I meet an untimely death he wants to ensure that he can still eat this potato salad.
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