Three for Three on New Fall Recipes

     Tonight I tried three new recipes at dinner - a risky prospect when a ravenous throng of family members is counting on some tasty nutrition.  I went shopping just yesterday and the pantry is full of cereal.  I knew that if the recipes weren't up to par, I could set out bowls, milk, spoons, and various forms of nutrient enriched grains for the gang and then hide behind my locked bedroom door.
     First of all, I made some Braided Italian Herb Bread.  I made a couple of changes to the original recipe in that I chose to use Italian Seasoning instead of the three different herbs (oregano, basil, and marjoram).  I also forgot to do the egg white wash.  If I made the recipe again, I would still use Italian seasoning because that was easier than the separate herbs.   I might also use all white flour although I did feel like a better mom for feeding my family something with whole wheat flour in it.  I would also double the recipe.  Bread this tasty goes fast when feeding a hungry crowd.
     I also made Spaghetti Pie. I had made a spaghetti pie many years ago but had lost my recipe.  I found this one on the internet with a 5-star rating and decided to give it a try.  It was delicious and made 2 pies which was plenty for even my big group.  My oldest son asked what I was making and when I told him, he asked why I didn't just make regular spaghetti.  He understood after one bite of the pie.  It was flavorful, filling, and satisfying to the palate with the varying textures.  The suggestion to add onions and basil to the meat had me doubting but I am glad that I added these ingredients.  The flavors were very robust and provided a separation of flavors that made the flavor of the meat very distinctive.   I chose to use cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese.  Next time, I need to remember to drain the cottage cheese first.  While the pie was quite good, there was a little bit of "juice" in the bottom of the pan that made the pie not serve up as neatly as I would have liked.  The best thing about this dish was that I already had everything in my pantry except for the cottage cheese.  I always buy the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses in bulk and then separate them into smaller portions for freezing.
     Pumpkin was on sale when I was at the market this week so I bought some, thinking I might make some pies.  Since I started cooking late in the afternoon today, I knew that a pie would not be cooled and ready to eat in time for dinner.  I found a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cake on Pinterest.  The spices in the cake made the whole house smell like Fall while it was baking.  It also looked gorgeous when I put it on the cake plate and poured the cream cheese glaze on top.  This recipe is a keeper just as it is written.  I chose to use the granulated sugar instead of flour to make my non-stick coating on the cake pan.  The sugar tasted wonderful!  I would not recommend the flour.  Several of my family members ate 2 slices of cake even after they had eaten the main courses.  (Pumpkin is a healthy gourd so I just decided extra slices of cake meant a greater intake of nutrients....Maybe??)
     It's not often that three new recipes yield good results.  All of these recipes used preservative-free ingredients and standard pantry items which made the dinner healthful and inexpensive.  The cereal can stay in the pantry for another night when my luck is not as good.