Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Ah, Game Day food. Who can resist? Whether its baseball, football or even the occasional British 'footie" game, the munchies are a necessity. Game day is when you can easily eat way too much, feel horribly full and yet you can still continue to consume. Sound familiar? I almost dread it for that exact reason, but I always love a chance to try something new. That is where these Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas come into play. If you are a fan of Buffalo Wings, then this will easily become a new favorite. I loved the spiciness paired with the oozing cheese and crispy tortilla. While I made them for dinner, they would also be perfect for a quick tasty snack after school or work. They are incredibly simple to make for when you are in a rush.

To go alongside the wings I made some homemade gorgonzola dressing. While it got great reviews from my husband, I will take his word for it. I'm not fan but if you decide to try it, i'd love to hear your thoughts as well.

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, shredded

3/4 cup buffalo sauce

1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

12 small soft flour tortillas

Preheat your skillet on medium heat or heat your panini maker. Mix the chicken and the buffalo sauce in a bowl until it is mixed evenly. Then add the monterey jack cheese.

Divide the chicken-cheese-sauce mixture on 6 flat tortillas, then top each one with the other 6 tortillas.

In the preheated skillet or panini maker, spray nonstick spray. Then place your first quesadilla in. Only spend about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how brown and crispy you would like them to get. Make sure they don't burn. Use a spatula to turn each one if using a skillet.

Cut the finished quesadillas into halves or quarters and serve.

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola

In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in the gorgonzola.

Halloween Owl Cupcakes

It is that time of year again when the little ones get all dressed up as their favorite characters and parade around school and home in hopes of filling their pails full of candy. When I was young my parents would take my brother and I around for what seemed like hours to them but minutes to us. We froze in our costumes but didn't care due to our endless quest for candy, candy and more candy. The one big change now is that for one, I no longer dress up and another is that it is not that cold here! For me, the true Halloween experience should feature a good case of the shivers as you prance from one house to the next. My kids are totally missing out.

I took a class on Monday night that taught us how to create cupcakes using the darling book Hello Cupcake. I have had the book for quite some time yet I always figured they would be outof my reach to try which couldn't have been farther from the truth. Once you see them demonstrated it becomes clear just how easy these are to assemble. My good friend Nichole and I set about creating not only these adorable, bug-eyed owls but also turkeys, werewolves, snowmen and a sunflower. Needless to say, we both had a blast laughing at our mistakes and coaching each other along. They are as fun to eat as they are to create.

So whatever your plans are this Halloween, I wish you a safe and enjoyable day.

Adapted from Hello, Cupcake

12 Devil's Food cupcakes baked in brown paper liners (I used black)

24 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Double Stuff oreos work best)

1 can chocolate frosting

4 tablespoons vanilla frosting

12 small banana shaped hard candies (Runts)

24 mini chocolate covered mints (Junior Mints)

Split the sandwich cookies, in half crosswise, keeping the cream side whole. Use a paring knife to remove any excess crumbs from cream filling.

To form the ears, cut the cream-free side of the oreo in half.

Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate frosting and the 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting into separate ziplock bags; set aside. Spread the remaining chocolate frosting on top of the cupcakes until smooth.

To make the ears, attach the large cut cookies on top of the 12 standard cupcakes with some of the chocolate frosting, round side facing each other, at an angle, about 1 1/2 inches apart and hanging over edge of cupcake about 3/4 inch.

Place the large cream sided cookies, cream side up, on the upper half of the cupcakes.

Snip a small corner (1/8 inch) from the bag with the chocolate and vanilla frostings. Pipe the chocolate frosting in vertical lines over the cookie ears to cover. Starting at the outer edge of cupcake pipe the feathers with the chocolate frosting around top of cupcake and under the eyes.

Press the yellow candies in between the cookie eyes as the beak. Attach the chocolate covered mints on top of the cookies with some of the vanilla frosting on the cupcakes. Position the eyes in different directions to give the owls character. Pipe a white highlight on the eyes.

Zucchine al Forno

I really wish it would completely cool down here where I live. It is much cooler than Summer but even today was 80 and it is nearing the end of October! Crazy! I am ready to start baking more, making soups and roasting meals and not worry about turning the oven on and heating the house even more. Today we had some insane winds so maybe this is a start.

I am always up for something warm and cheesy, especially when it has that crusty top which is completely irresistible. Sliced zucchini baked in a cheesy milk mixture and bread crumbs pair perfectly with any main dish, or even as a main dish of its own paired with a crisp salad. There are never any leftovers when I make this, which makes it perfect for a dinner party. Even kids who hate veggies will at least try this, and if you are lucky, they will ask for more. If you are not a fan of zucchini, I am sure it would be equally delicious with cauliflower or even broccoli. Paired with the grated Romano, it is sure to please.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 medium zucchini, (about 1 1/2 pounds) sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or to taste)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated mozzarella

1 cup grated fontina

1/4 cup grated Romano

1 cup plain dried bread crumbs

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Evenly pour 1/3 cup of the heavy cream and sprinkle with 1/3 of a cup of mozzarella, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/3 cup fontina and 2 tablespoons of the Romano. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs. Repeat layers, ending with the bread crumbs. Cut the 4 tablespoons of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and sprinkle over the top of the dish. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the baking dish on top and bake for 40 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Lemon-Lavender Drizzle Cake

Tomorrow my children will be going back to school after their Fall break. It sure has flown by but it gave us a chance to get out of town for a vacation and see all the turning colors of the trees along the way. Fall has arrived here along with a huge storm which left fallen trees and branches everywhere. I hope my fellow Californians fared well!

With the weather changes, unfortunately my pots of lavender in the backyard are on their last legs. Not that I am complaining, I did get a fantastic year out of them and they seemed to triple in size with the heat we had this summer. I just love how they smell and am fond of cutting a few stems to put into tiny vases in my kitchen. This recipe was a great way to use up the last of the lavender blooms. The gloomy day today is providing the perfect backdrop for a hot cup of tea and a slice of of this aromatic cake. The lemon gives it that usual tang that I love along with a fresh floral taste coming from the lavender. It is hard to resist as well with the drizzled icing oozing down the sides. It is not a huge cake, but just enough for a delectable little celebration.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma London

8 sprigs pesticide-free fresh lavender flowers, or 1 tsp. finely chopped,

pesticide-free fresh lavender leaves, plus flowers for decorating

(optional)

1 1/4 cups superfine sugar

16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

Pinch of fine sea salt

4 eggs

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups ground blanched almonds

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Juice of 1/2 large lemon, or as needed

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

To make the cake, strip the flowers from the lavender sprigs. Place in a food processor and add the superfine sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. Process until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with one-fourth of the flour, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Gently stir in the ground almonds and the lemon juice.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto the rack. Place right side up and let cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice, a few drops at a time. The icing should be thick but spreadable. If it is too stiff, add a little more lemon juice.

Using a knife and dipping it in hot water if it becomes too sticky, spread the icing over the cooled cake, making sure that it drips down the sides. Let stand until the icing is set, about 1 hour. Decorate the cake with fresh lavender flowers. The cake will keep, stored in an airtight container without the flower garnish, for up to 3 days. Serves 8 to 10.

Potatoes Savoyarde

I am not one to jump on any bandwagons or follow the latest "trends". I lean toward the classics with a twist, or whatever fits my fancy at the moment. I see so many great recipes out there in the blog world, in magazines, and of course on tv but I hesitate to do the popular foods of the moment. Living in California means that you can find produce year around, so the seasonal bias does not always apply to me. I am lucky in that respect. But yes, I caved and did the whole French thing and made a savory baked dish called Potatoes Savoyarde. A cousin to Potatoes Dauphinoise, the Savoyarde (from the Savoy region) is a crusty take where butter and stock enrich the potatoes without the cream. Who can resist that crusty top? That is my absolute favorite part, but then I am partial to any potato dish so it was an all around perfect side. The gruyere gives it a creamy yet forceful flavor that pairs well with the yukon potatoes I used. Just think of all the flavor possibilities should you want to experiment with all those delicious cheeses out there. Serve it as a main dish with a salad or a delicious side and I bet your family or guests will ask for seconds.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma French

3 tbsp Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted

3 Garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 cups Shredded Gruyere cheese

1/4 tsp Freshly ground pepper

4 -6 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 1/2 lbs, unpeeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 1/2 cups Chicken stock

Aluminum foil to cover

*If you have a mandoline then put it to use for this dish. It will make it go a lot faster in the prep.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 2-qt baking dish with the melted butter.

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, parsley, cheese and pepper. Layer one-third of the potatoes in the prepared dish, sprinkle one-third of the garlic-cheese mixture over the potatoes and dot with 1 tbsp of butter. Repeat with half each of the remaining potatoes and garlic-cheese mixture and butter. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour the stock over the potatoes, sprinkle the rest of the garlic-cheese mixture evenly over the top and dot with remaining 1 tbsp butter. Cover with buttered aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, until the top is browned and crusty and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.