A Few Easy Recipes You Should Know About

I am not kidding you- the following recipes are NOT for the lactose intolerant. They are all loaded with lactose-intolerant enemies and nearly put myself in a coma for an entire evening! Fair warning.

First, it starts with two wonderful appetizers.. both of which, you've probably at least had or tried some variation of.

The third is a rich beverage served warm with peppermint shavings on the side.

Each of these have come out of my kitchen in the last two weeks, and have been jubilantly consumed with merry smiles and warm hearts.


Thanks to my cousins who submitted the appetizer recipes to our family cookbook-Lisa and Heather Cole.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and well chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained very well
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated parm cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 tsp garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Soften the cream cheese and mix it with mayo, parm. cheese, garlic, and seasonings and stir well so everything is blended. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach and store in fridge until ready to use. Grease a glass pie dish and pour dip in, with mozzarella cheese spreaded all over the top. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 until the top is golden brown. Serve with chips, cucumbers, or crostini.


Spicy Cream Cheese Rolls

12 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
4 oz can green-chilies
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, finely chopped
2 cups sharp shredded cheese
1/2 cup cumin
Tortillas (for the holiday, I've used both red and green ones:))


Make sure the cream cheese is softened and easy to blend well. Combine the cream cheese with all other ingredients. Taste to see if it needs salt or pepper....
Spread a good spoonful all over each tortilla and refrigerate for at least one hour (this helps them become firm so they are easier to slice).

When ready to serve, use a sharp knife to cut into 1/2 inch pieces.




White Hot Chocolate

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup half & half
3 cups milk

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the white chips with half&half until the chips are nicely melted. Add milk, and bring to a soft simmer until the mixture is incorporated and heated through. Serve warm with toppings!

Double Chocolate Festive Cookies

It's been a week of sweets and cookies: baklava, some 70 + Christmas- shaped sugar cookies with buttercream frosting, and then these double chocolate peppermint gems and so, as you can imagine, I've had my fill on both cookie dough and cavity-inducing particles. Hard to believe that gnawing on some celery actually sounds appealing. Or raw celery root. Something...

Like so many of our wonderful Grandmothers, my maternal one had some pretty killer cookie recipes and this happens to be one of my favorites- it only shows itself around the Xmas season but take out the peppermint flavor, and you've got a winner morsel of goodness for the year round. I myself personally reserve this recipe for Decembers.

My own mom has always added the mint-flavored, red and green-colored M &M's to this dough which is my first preference. However, my local Target was out of them (!) and improvisation called for some candy canes I had laying around: just smashed the daylights out of them with some fist-work and then neatly folded them into this succulent dough.

At any rate, they were good good good.

I hope next week I can tackle the famous, most-beloved holiday bread in all of German world:

STOLLEN!

Happy weekend, all!


Double Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Pieces

1 cup butter (2 squares), at room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mint-flavored M &M's or peppermint pieces


Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs together until smooth. Add vanilla. In a seperate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and then slowly incorporate to butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and mint pieces. Drop by large spoonfuls on a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for about 9 minutes (or longer if at high altitude).

Tuna Pasta

I just love this picture of Hej' and my hubs, walking down paradise lane and if you notice, it doesn't have much to
do with food:)

Tuna fish has saved my sandwich life since I have given up on deli meats for the last couple of years after a few bad experiences. Stacks of tuna fish cans are some popular cupboard entries in this home, and besides sandwiches, I love to pair the stuff up with pasta and rice!

I mean, I'll eat tuna straight out of the can if that's what it takes. I like cheap tuna, I love the thick albacore tuna steaks, and I adore sushi made with fresh tuna. Give to me in any form!

With my husband in finals this week, I've had a few solo dinners just like he has at school and so with his absence, I discovered last night, a favorite, 5 minute, tuna-fish dinner concoction, which he, quite honestly, is probably thankful to have missed! It's kinda tuna-gravy inspired with the peas but then has shots of fresh cheese and some zingy lemon- my favorite all-natural flavor booster!

... and I know it sounds kinda ick, but if you are a fan of the stinky canned fish, throw your skepticism out the door and give this a shot. I don't do measurements well when I'm improvising, so please use your senses to judge how much of this and that you'd like to add.... Cheer o!

Tuna Penne Pasta with Black Pepper and Lemon

Handful of whole-wheat penne pasta
1 can white albacore tuna fish, drained
Freshly grated Parm. cheese
Cooked baby peas
Juice of 1 lemon
Breadcrumbs
1 small garlic clove, minced
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Salt


Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 Tbsp or so of the pasta water. Add pasta water back into pan, as well as the drained pasta. Add the tuna fish, parm, garlic, cheese, peas, lemon juice, a sprinkling of bread crumbs, as much black pepper as you can handle, salt, and I think that's it. Give it all a good stir and eat for din-din.

Holiday Baklava

Baklava!

Here's my confession: I love baklava.

And here's my second: I've always wanted to attempt baking the loveliness.

And finally, a third confession: finally weaseled up the guts and courage to bake it yesterday.



We had some company over last night in festive sweaters and all for a little hot chocolate bar and desserts. The hot chocolate wasn't fancy- one regular pot of hot cocoa, and another pot of white hot chocolate with some toppings. Earlier last week I'd made up my mind to bake some baklava for the tiny get together and wow!!! Not only did I NOT totally ruin it, but somewhere in the process of creating my first imperfect version of baklava, I learned A LOT about some baklava trouble shooting!

Years ago, years back, my dad used to have a co-worker from Greece, who, every holiday season without fail, brought my family a very large, very generous, festive plate full of Greek desserts and the baklava was my very dear favorite. I hated nuts as a youngen, hated them as a teenager,and for some mysterious reason, hidden in all its buttery, honey glory, consumed Baklava like it was a package of Skittles.

And so all these many years I've secretly wanted to attempt baklava in my own kitchen for the Christmas season and we finally did it! Check off that!

There are so many recipes out there for baklava- hundreds of versions.....this particular one was found in a cookbook from the Relief Society of my in-law's ward and the woman who submitted the recipe had some other very noteworthy looking recipes in the book, so I trusted her judgment!:)

Like most things, my first attempt at this culinary project was filled with trial and error, but I'll try to walk you through it carefully so you can avoid some of the little blunders I made. Please read through the recipe FIRST before attempting. Really.

Baklava

One box phyllo dough (thawed according to package instructions)
1 lb walnuts, coarsely ground
1 lb almonds, coarsely ground
2 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp all spice
1 lb butter, melted
Honey Sauce (recipe follows)

Have your filling prepared before you start fiddling with the phyllo dough! Some phyllo doughs require at least 3 hours of thawing time on the counter, so remove it from the freezer, and let it sit on your counter for however long the box says-- in the last hour of thawing, make your filling. Have your butter melted, oven preheated, and then start using the phyllo dough- it dries out very quickly...We'll get to all that!
First things first:


Take your almonds and walnuts, and if they are NOT COARSELY GROUND, meaning, they aren't ALMOST powder-like consistency, I HIGHLY recommend putting them in a food processor and whizzing them up until they are pretty fine. I hand chopped mine- which TOOK FOREVER and gave me a perma hand cramp, and they were too choppy/chunky- so just make sure they are really, "coarsely ground". Got it??

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine your ground nuts with the sugar and spices. Stir well and set aside.

Melt all the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted, remove and place on a hotpad on your counter where your filling is. Have a pastry brush ready to use.

Take a large glass plan (I used a 9 x 13, but if you have something even larger that would be ideal!... like a 12x 18?) and brush the surface of it with melted butter.

Now, take your thawed out phyllo dough. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the glass pan so it's flat. Brush it with melted butter- all over! Repeat this process 6 times so you have 6-7 sheets of dough on the bottom of the pan.

(TIP: Place a damp towel over your dough as you work so it doesn't dry out.)

Now, take your nut mixture and sprinkle a thin layer all over the phyllo dough. Cover that layer of filling with one sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter. Sprinkle some more nut mixture on top of that (not TOO much- just a thin layer) and then cover it again with phyllo dough, brushing it with melted butter. Repeat this process until your nut mixture is used up or you have reached the limit! (I had nut mixture left over- if you are using a 9 x 13 pan, BE SURE NOT to use all your nut mixture- your baklava will be too thick. The nut mixture is a recipe for a much larger pan).

You'll want to place 6-7 sheets of phyllo dough on top of the last layer of nut mixture. Be sure to brush each sheet of dough with lots of melted butter. Once your top is on, cut the baklava with a very sharp knife (serrated works well) into diamond shapes-- you are kind of, quasi-scoring it, so that it's easier to cut through once it's all done. In other words, you can either cut it all the way down to the bottom of the pan, or you can simply score it. I chose the former and found it was much easier to then remove from the pan once it was finished. Clear as mud?

Bake for 1 hour or just until dough begins to turn golden brown.

In the last 1/2 hour of the baklava's baking time, whip out your honey sauce.


Honey Sauce

1 1/2 cups honey
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a LARGE saucepan over medium heat, stirring well. Bring to a boil, and allow to simmer for at least 20-25 minutes. Using your pastry brush or a small ladle, pour the sauce all over your baklava IMMEDIATELY once it's been removed from the oven. Reserve about 3/4 cup of the sauce and return it to the stove top. Boil it for another 5 minutes or so, and allow to sit for a few minutes until it's cooled and thickened. Brush this remaining honey sauce all over the surface of your baklava.

Let the baklava cool for an hour or less, and cut into diagonal pieces.

Butternut Squash Tortellini

I saw this on Food Network a few months ago and had it up on my "to-make" list for quite some time and finally pulled the trigger. It's quite luxurious!

It's also, obviously, a terrific fall and winter dish with a LOT of flavor and punch. Amaretti cookies can be difficult to find (at least in my grocery stores), so check any Italian markets in your area- that's your best bet.

And seriously, don't skip out on the brown butter sauce even if you're a calorie-phobic. It's the crowning point of the recipe. Ta ta!

Butternut Squash Tortellini with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
{Giada De Laurentiis}

1 butternut squash, approximately 2 pounds, cubed (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
1 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 large shallots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
4 small amaretti cookies, crushed (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package small wonton wrappers

Brown Butter Sauce:

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
2 tablespoons torn fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
*1/2 cup dried cranberries, or chopped dried cherries, or mixture of both
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese



To make the tortellini, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a foil-lined baking sheet toss together the butternut squash, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven until soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the butternut squash mixture, the shallot mixture, and the ricotta cheese and pulse a few times to blend. Add the crushed amaretti cookies, the nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until smooth. The tortellini filling can be made one day ahead.

To make the tortellini, lay out 6 wonton skins, keeping the remaining skins inside the package or under a very lightly dampened paper towel. Place 1 tablespoon of squash mixture in the middle of each skin. Dip a pastry brush in a little water and wet the edges of the skin. Gently fold the square wrapper into a triangle, making sure the edges are securely closed and there are no air pockets inside. Dampen the two bottom corners of the longest side of the triangle and gently bring them together, pressing lightly to secure. Place the formed tortellini on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Before laying out another 6 wonton sheets, be careful to dry the work surface. This will help keep tortellini from sticking to the baking sheet. Continue until all the butternut squash mixture is used. There should be approximately 36 tortellini. (The tortellini can be formed, frozen on the baking sheet, transferred to a tightly sealed plastic bag or container and stored for up to six months. To cook, simply toss the frozen ravioli into the salted boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.)

To make the sauce and serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add the sage, walnuts and cranberries and let cook until the butter starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and season with salt, and pepper.

Stir to combine. Then, gently place the tortellini in the boiling water and gently stir. When they begin to float they are done, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently spoon the tortellini onto a serving platter, Top with the brown butter sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

*I skipped this ingredient:)

Marvelous Maui and Two New Recipes

Trust me, I realize that the next few sentences will sound a lot like bragging instead of blogging...you'll have to forgive your author but I can't help this one.

I am a traditionalist who likes to stick to old rules and conventional wisdom and our Thanksgiving last week was everything out of the ordinary for me. Incredibly warm weather, sand stuck in our hair, turquoise ocean, nursing sunburns, pineapple galore, and virgin pina coladas... and I couldn't have loved it more!!! I will ditch everything that is traditional Thanksgiving fare to me from now on for a Maui holiday!

You see, my Thanksgivings are typically made up of cold weather, snow in my hair, white capped mountains, glowing white skin, sweet potato everywhere, and spiced holiday cider.

I have to applaud my mom though who did an outstanding Thanksgiving dinner despite the fact our condos weren't laced with all the wonderful appliances we're used to. Or the fact that we were on an island with ingredients that were hard to come by. Our turkeys were beautifully roasted, potatoes were exquisitely mashed, rolls were baked with love, stuffing was made from scratch, and all the other side dishes matched right up. Anyways, I'm still stuffed from it all. Home in Philadelphia again and stuffed still!

Speaking of Philadelphia, coming home from a vacation has never been so depressing and heartbreaking. I mean, I like Philly, c',mon , I do! Can't you hear me through cyberspace chanting, "I love PhillY! I love PHILLY!".

It's just that, well, Philly isn't quite Hawaii-like.I was hoping our taxi driver on the way home from the airport would at least greet us with fresh leis. Didn't happen.

So, in an effort to boost my sunken spirits, I took the liberty yesterday of purchasing a couple pineapples and it did the trick. I managed to consume an entire one by my lonesome with some assistance from Hejo and now my tongue has itty bitty cankers growing like wildfire.

I also made two recipes yesterday that were island-ese for me: spaghetti squash with grilled shrimp and grapefruit avocado salad. Both were simple, refreshing, and took me back to island paradise. I am lacking in one photo, excuse moi, but enjoy the other one and I highly recommend both recipes for your collection.

Grapefruit-Avocado Salad

3ruby red grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and chopped
4 semi-ripe avocados, cubed
1 1/2 cups oil
2 cup white vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
3 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground mustard

From the oil down, mix all ingredients together in a blender. Pour over the chunks of grapefruit and avocado. Toss gently and chill. Serve cold.
*This recipe serves 12. I know, it's huge- I had to fourth mine and it served 2-3.. You might want to at least halve it so it doesn't all go to waste.



Grilled Shrimp on Spaghetti Squash
{Everyday Food, December 2009}

1 medium spaghetti sqash, halved lengthwise
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tsp olive oil. Roast until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

You can either roast the squash or boil it- I did the latter and let it cook in boiling water until it was tender and soft enough to shred.

Once the squash flesh is scraped out into a large bowl, add shrimp and any cooking juices. Toss with lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Thanksgiving Favorites

I'm sure you have your Thanksgiving menus/plans set into place. Or at least you have a vague idea of what will be served, if it's based on tradition. And you probably even know, if you have an assignment, what kind of pie or salad or side dish you'll be making.

Out of the goodness:) of my hungry heart and because we are out of town on Thanksgiving day with the menu in the hands of another, I wanted to share a few of my favorite, very easy, verrrrrryyyyyy scrumptious dishes and desserts.



So, do you like brussels sprouts? I've been a fan for the last few years. A little mustard sauce and lemon juice also helps.... So here you are. Recipe #1.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Mustard and Lemon

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
3 Tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon peel curls for garnish

Trim the sprouts, discarding outer leaves; cut into halves lengthwise. Add them and salt to a saucepan of boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain and cool to room temperature.

Combine the lemon juice and mustard in a bowl. Mix until smooth and heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the sprouts and saute for a couple minutes or until they being to slightly brown. Add the mustard mixture, season with pepper, and serve asap with lemon curls on top.

Recipe #2 is my Grandmother's cranberry salad recipe and it deserves an omh both for taste and appearance. The outcome reminds me a bowl full of rubies and pearls- lots of deep red and shiny white from the mixture of the berry and whipped cream. And it really tastes like a million bucks. You are welcome.


Cranberry Fluff Salad

2 c. cranberries, ground (via food processor, blender, etc)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup granulated sugar
2 red delicious apples, skins on, diced
1 cup red grapes, halved
1 cup whipped cream

Combine the cranberries, marshmallows, and sugar. 'Marinate' or chill overnight. Two hours prior to serving, add the remaining ingredients, chill again, then serve. Make sure you don't over stir once the whipped cream is in or else you will loose all the fabulous volume it gives this salad!!



Recipe numero 3 is sincerely delicious and my bias stems perhaps from a bit of nostalgia but it wins my heart over every bite. Our grandma made this dish each Thanksgiving and without it, the table would've been bare naked! We all have a favorite yam recipe, but this is definitely mine.


Grandma's Apples and Yams

6-8 yams, peeled and boiled until soft
5-6 apples (any good baking apple), peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups orange juice (or 1 part water, 1 part OJ)
1 square butter
4 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt

Once the yams are boiled until just soft, remove them from heat and allow them to cool. Slice them into 1/2" slices. Set aside.

Cook the brown sugar, orange juice (or water), salt and cornstarch together. Heat until thickened, stirring so it's smooth, and add butter, allowing it to melt.

In a casserole dish, layer yam slices with apple slices in alternating fashion. Pour liquid over them and bake for about 30 minutes in a 300 degree oven, or until warmed through and bubbling.

Serve warm.


And for your little sweet tooth, you've come to the right place:

For an easy and versatile homemade cranberry sauce, check this out.

See here for an elegant rolled up dessert of heaven: Pumpkin Roulade and not as hard as it sounds.

Click here for the best festive cranberry trifle of your life.

No questions asked, this is my all time favorite chocolate tart.

And if you want to spice up your pumpkin pie with this involved pie, go here.



Well, folks, off to pack.

Truly hope you have a memorable and FUN Thanksgiving.

Enjoy that bird, gravy, and gratitude.

Smooches from Philly.

Cranberry Pop Cake with Butter Sauce

Check this photo {above} out- it blew my mind, standing by in awe as I watched my friend, Jin Hee whip out her very native Korean dish, Chopchae, I believe is how it's spelled... (you should hear her say it :)). To us, the actual translation is vermecilli (I know that's also spelled wrong)-- but, it's a meal consisting of these freakishly long and skinny, very translucent, noodles that look more like squid tentacles (but taste much better), stir fried with a plethora of veggies, beef, sauces, and OIL.. lots of it. ...... if you can't read between the lines, it was fab-u-ess!!! I certainly out- ate the other girls by reigning in at 4 helpings. Sheepish..

Anyway, this all was well, my first ever Korean potluck and this wonderful chopchae was the main show stopper, without question... Another gal brought her homemade sushi rolls, another brought sticky rice with chicken curry, and then tall BFG me waddles in with a buttery, American, boring cake.

(Oh the chopchae recipe and instructions will possibly be another post... perhaps.)

.. but!! If I haven't lost your attention yet, my cake wasn't boring and was actually quite pretty and very tasty!!! So, here is the recipe for cranberry pop cake with butter sauce. And.. if you aren't already cranberry-ed out by at least Friday (leftovers, you know), use any leftover cranberries for this recipe, or save this cake for a Xmas potluck....

Like I say, loved the outcome of the cake, and naturally, the butter sauce makes the cake a complete luxury if you don't mind a little more lard in the ol' diet.

Cranberry Pop Cake

3 tbsp butter, softened (let sit at room temperature for an hour)
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 x8 inch cake pan.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the evaporated milk, stirring until just combined. Fold the cranberries in gently. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (those of you who live at higher altitudes i.e. Utah, may need to allow a longer baking time, but don't take my word for it- let your nose tell you when it's done).

Butter sauce recipe below.

Butter Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream (I used half&half)
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract instead-yum!)

In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine all ingredients except for extract. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and add your choice of extract.

Serve warm with hot cake (if it sits for too long, whisk it well before serving).

PS. I pulled this out of the oven, whisked up the sauce, and ran to my potluck, failing to take a picture of the final outcome. Deepest apologies:)

Thai Pasta Salad

Cooking Asian-flavored foods was always a daunting and scary task to me. Choosing the correct cut of meat, then having to slice it ever so thinly, frying it with the sauce but not making it soggy..... blah. All those steps equaled lame intimidation.

Lately I've been finding some easier recipes that don't require a huge wok, 2 lbs of oil, and cornstarch-based sauces. Many of them in fact consist of a little soy sauce, little fish sauce, little brown sugar, some lime juice, little cilantro, some bean sprouts, etc (these tend to be common Thai food flavors, fyi) but I'm finding it to be much easier, tastier, and well, somewhat healthier.

Both my husband and I are crazy addicts to Pei Wei (the "fast food" version of PF Changs)- so when both of us feel the need for our greasy, "Chinese"-flavored foods, we go and pathetically order the two same dishes each time: Pei Wei spicy beef and orange peel veggies and tofu served with brown rice. We dig in, share our two dishes, scarf each granule of rice and slurp up any remaining juices from the meat or sauce.....and then of course, we're like teenage girls at Cafe Rio who stuff handfuls of Cinnamon mints into their purses-- we take a few fortune cookies each and spend the car ride home laughing over our future predictions.

Anywho. I'm babbling and this all has no point to it-- what I'm attempting to spit out is that I'm enjoying the Thai food creations which I find to be some of the easiest of the Asian foods, and this specific recipe comes from my mom's LDS ward cookbook, the Monument Park 15th to be exact, and it is a keeper!! I overcooked my noodles which was unfortunate, so they were a bit floppy and beyond al dente.... but everything else was hmmm hmmmm tummy good.

Thai Pasta Salad

1 package (box) of Farfalle pasta* (cooked and drained, but not rinsed)
1 hothouse (English) cucumber, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced (I used two bell peppers, any colors work)
1 bag spinach
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (I used honey roasted... hmm:))

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-inch piece ginger root**
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup mayo (low fat worked just fine)
1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk (lite also worked fine- be sure to shake the can before opening!!)
1/2 cup water
2 to 3 tsp chili garlic sauce (I didn't have this ingredient- omitted)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup brown sugar

From the garlic on down to the brown sugar, mix all those ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Meanwhile, toss the pasta, veggies and 2/3 cup of peanuts in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss again. Garnish with remaining peanuts.

If you aren't making this recipe for a crowd, you may want to consider halving or fourth-ing it because seriously, it makes enough to feed the Philadelphia police force.

And of course, you could always add some grilled chicken or freshly sauteed shrimp.

Enjoy!


*I had whole wheat egg noodles on hand and used those instead, but I think the farfalle are prettier for this..
**I'll buy a honking big piece of fresh ginger every couple months, peel it, and store it in a baggie in the freezer until a recipe calls for it. It keeps it fresh and free from rotting.

Take that, Knitting!

I really love embarking on a craft, but usually time and money are two main sources of opposition, and so, this little gem is both snappy and cheap, especially if you already have some yarn on hand. Which I did-- it's poop color, but now that I know I can handle this craft, I'll go out and splurge on some more "scarf" like yarn.

I mean, it's okay how it turned out-- the choice of BULKY blue yarn used on Martha's website is perfect. Kinda has the "wool/sheep-skin" look to it. The yarn I had sitting around was thicker than normal, but was not at all bulky or puffy. It kinda sags..

However, I've never enjoyed tying a plethora of square knots so much in my entire life. Loved this craft, and I'm going to proudly sport my poop colored, saggy scarf around town.

Here's the link.... and I hope you have scarf weather wherever you are- as for Philly, it's been a tad too warm.

Ciao mates!

Lunchtime: Tuna Salad and Soups

Oh dear me... I have so many recipes to post...

..but unfortunately, I've been a very neglectful photographer as of late and haven't snapped photos of not one recipe.

I'm feeling the shame...

Can you get by, though, if I don't post photographs?

Use your imagination?

Super.. I'll post a few then!


Tuna Salad

This recipe was passed onto me from my friend Cassi.... She's an amazing photographer and I wish she had one of her pictures of this salad because if you like Tuna, albeit stinky, it's really good, healthy, and filling. I like eating it with either lettuce leaves or a baguette. These measurements are approximate, and of course, you may add or subtract everything depending on your preferences. The ground mustard gives it zing, but don't add TOO much because it is very strong and you can't take the flavor away once you've added it, so sprinkle it incrementally until you have the perfect "zing".

2-4 cans Albacore White Tuna, drained
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup purple onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2-1 cup Craisins
1/2 cup pine nuts

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2-1 tsp ground mustard seed
S & P

Mix everything together, let sit in fridge for a couple of hours, and enjoy!




Tomato Bisque
{Williams Sonoma Healthy Eating Cookbook}

This is one of my favorite tomato soup recipes. It's only downfall is that it contains no whipping cream (bisque=cream, am I crazy??) but I guess that wouldn't qualify it to be in a "healthy"-titled cookbook. And surprisingly, for as few ingredients as it calls for, the soup is full of flavor- the real recipe calls for sweet paprik and since I don't keep the stuff on hand, I used Herbs de Provence, a mixture of thyme, rosemary, lemon, etc and it was fabulous... My other real downfall, while we're being straight up, is that it makes so little--- it serves 4 at the MOST, and 4 scrawny portions at that. I'll give you the original recipe, but I REALLY urge you to double it because you'll want leftovers. Okie, ciao!


2 1/2 lbs Roma tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil, seperated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
S & P
2 cups water
4 tsp sour cream, for garnish
2 tsp freshly chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place halved tomatoes on a large cookie sheet, and drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil over all of them, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, until tomatoes are "bursting" and tender. Remove from oven, and meanwhile.....

...heat up remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add onion, and garlic, and cook for three minutes on high, stirring all the while. Decrease the heat to low and cook until the onion has released its juices and is tender. Add paprika, and add the tomatoes, as well as any juices that have collected on the pan.

Add water and bring everything to a rolling boil. Simmer on medium high for about 25 minutes until everything is nice and tender.

Working in small batches, puree this mixture in food processor or blender until it reaches your preferred consistency (I still like mine kinda chunky!). Taste, adjust salt and pepper as needed, and serve warm with garnishes.


Pumpkin Soup

Now, this recipe is dynamite. I barbarically licked my bowl clean like a cat and was enticed to ask for thirds, but at a lunch party, had to put the self - control brakes on. Many , many thanks to my friend Kelley for showing us this gem of a recipe: perfect for a brisk but sunny November day! Eat, drink and be merry with pumpkin soup!



1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 fresh bay leaf (or dry works fine too)
2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion
S & P
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp poultry seasoning or 2 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
6 c chicken stock
1 (28 oz) can pumpkin puree
2 c heavy cream
½ tsp nutmeg


Heat medium soup pot over med to medium high heat. Add oil and melt butter. Add bay, celery and onion. Season veggies with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 min, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate into broth. Simmer soup about 10 min to thicken and then add in cream and nutmeg----reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

Whips out 6 servings or so.

Caramel Covered Apps

cArAmEl ApPlEs.

For me, the true essence of Halloween, Autumn, and the air turning chilly.

Plus I just really like to get caramel stuck in my teeth so I have a little something-something in my mouth to work on all day long.

My grandma W (*story time*) has left many legacies-- kindness, compassion, sweetness, loyalty, and in food terms, Jell-O concoctions and these delicious fruit confectioneries. Each year she valiantly took a plate of freshly dipped caramel apples to all of her 8 children, with enough on for their children.... I loved it. I looked forward to it, expected it, and relished in the simple but very cherished tradition she was indulging us in, year after year after year.

Caramel apples, in other words, have seen me through drama on the elementary school playground, my first experience with a locker along with 8th grade woes, high school activities and immaturities, college boyfriend break ups, U of U football games, and even my socially awkward and taciturn returned missionary phase.

And so, these treats are one October tradition I hope to maintain, as well as continually pass on. It's as important to me as college football viewing is to my man. See? Traditions..

My mom was kind enough to stop in Philly for a few days and among other mother-daughter-son fun-ness, we made my grandma's recipe late last night... It is delicious, completely homemade, tricky, and sticky.

I hope to walk you clearly through it so the caramel is neither TOO hard nor too runny. Must say, it was tremendously helpful to have my mom standing over my shoulder, coaching me through the different stages of caramel. May I suggest, if you're a tyro like I am, grab yourself an experienced caramel vet before proceeding independently.
















(image: washed apples and thickened, cooled caramel sauce finale!)

(above image, left to right: stirring evaporated milk in, mixture coming to a soft ball stage, removing caramel and allowing it to rest)


Caramel Apples

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cans evaporated milk
2 cups light corn syrup
4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
15 (approx) medium apples (I like granny smith's for this purpose) and craft sticks,
apples washed and dried

In a LARGE saucepan, melt butter, corn syrup and sugar over medium high heat. Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until it gains some thickness and becomes syrupy. Gradually add evaporated milk-- in a SLOW but steady stream, stirring all the while still! Keep the mixture boiling and once the mixture begins to turn to a light golden amber, do the soft ball test:

In a little cup filled with cold water, pour a little bit of caramel mixture into it-- if you are able to form a "soft" ball-like shape, then you've reached the soft ball stage. Keep stirring the boiling mixture.

You want the mixture to come to a firm ball stage, but once the mixture has reached a soft ball stage, it will quickly transition to the firm ball stage, in a matter of just a few minutes. You will want to remove the mixture from the heat, set it on your counter atop a hot pad, and let it cool for a few minutes (it will continue to cook). Be sure to remove the mixture before it turns too dark amber-- you're not making peanut brittle here!

Meanwhile, working quickly, cover a few cookie sheets with foil or wax paper, and grease each surface with butter.

Once it's cooled for a few minutes and is nice and thick and dark amber, begin dipping apples (make sure each apple has a stick down its center). Place each apple on prepared cookie sheets and allow to rest. Best eaten before two or three days have passed.

And if you really want to get fancy (my ol pals and I did this a couple years ago), once the dipped apples have cooled, melt some white chocolate and dip the caramel apples into it, and then roll into crushed butterfinger, cinnamon sugar, crushed oreos, see what I mean by fancy??


If you have leftover caramel, wrap in squares of wax paper and make yourself merry!

*Oh, and if you have youngens running around your house, I deeply urge you to forgo this recipe attempt until they are all slumbering.. It requires your FULL attention. Not to mention a hot bubbling pot is not safe with young and precious toddlers exploring the kitchen.

Butternut Squash Bisque

Ah, the epitome of autumn soup: you can't get much more "fallish" than using this bright orangey yellow squash accompanied with pears, apples, and thyme. Hmm Hmm! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day this month.

Peeling the butternut squash always requires a bit of elbow grease and light cussing from the bajillion cuts you get, but the outcome redeems all that.

Oh, and I would really have some good rustic bread on the side for dippage- my favorite part of the whole thing. Personally.

Butternut Harvest Bisque

1 3 lb butternut squash
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 large tart apples, peeled and chopped
1 large ripe Bartlett pear, peeled and chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or more if needed)
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp fresh sage (and more for garnish)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2- 1 cup half and half


Cut squash in halves and discard seeds. Peel with a veggie peeler and cut into 1" chunks.

Saute the onion in the butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add squash, apples, pear and chicken broth. Add spices and herbs, as well as salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until everything is tender. Cool to room temperature.

Puree the mixture in batches in your food processor or blender. With a fine mesh sieve, pour mixture through and press into a clean saucepan-- this will ensure a nice and smooth consistency. Stir in half and half (milk works too, peeps!) and heat to just a simmering stage; do not boil.

Ladle into bowls and *garnish with nuts and sage.

* I have a friend who also garnishes this with sauteed crimini mushrooms- that's a real hit!

Hey- look it who's stopping in Philadelphia on November 12th for some book signage!!!!!

Any of you Philly residents in for a 5 hour wait line at K.O.P mall on November 12?

I'd like a chance to look this woman in the eye. Face to face. And you better believe Henry would give her a slice of his classic scowl/crusty combination.

Her autograph better be pretty.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake with Glaze

I hate butterscotch flavored chocolate chips.

They cause so much guilt and regret.

Anytime, any recipe I use them in, all my self control just shrivels up and becomes non existent.

I picked some up this week at the store with intentions of baking off something with their use. Something, not so enticing.....

And instead, I went for this amazing recipe on the back of the package.. Thank you, Nestle! My new favorite application of pumpkin.

Anyways, if the title isn't enough to make you drool waterfalls, I hope you'll try this recipe sometime in the next two months. It screams autumn and is delectable.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake with Butterscotch Glaze

{Recipe adapted from Nestle}

1 package Nestle Butterscotch chocolate chips
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt cake pan or a loaf pan (I chose loaf).

In a bowl, pour in 1 cup of butterscotch morsels and microwave on high for 1 minute. Take out of microwave and stir until smooth and melted.

In a bowl with a paddle attachment, mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, vanilla, pumpkin and melted morsels. Combine well.

In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add gently to the wet mixture. Stir everything together until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, sprinkle some brown sugar over it if you'd like a nice crust, and bake for roughly 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out just clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.

When cake is almost finished baking, prepare the glaze.


Butterscotch Glaze
2/3 cup butterscotch morsels
1 can evaporated milk

In a heavy skillet over high heat, bring 1/3 cup of milk to a boil, and remove from heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add the morsels and stir vigoursly with your buff arm. Set aside.

Once cake is out of the oven and has rested for 5-10 minutes, poke numerous holes over the surface with a fork. Gently spoon glaze all over until it's gone (if you don't want to do the hole-poking thing, you can always simply serve the cake with the glaze on the side, as Nestle's recipe instructs)....

Okay, that's it. Happy October 16th!

BBQ Chix Pizza With Bacon and Pepper

When was the last time you ate BBQ pizza? No seriously. Am I just the weird one here who hasn't eaten the stuff in 6 years--- really, I can even tell you the last place I had it: Porcupine Grill.

Oh it's good stuff. We've been on pizza kicks this last year, many thanks to our neighborhood Trader Joes that sells bags of whole wheat pizza dough by the buck. With that hook up around the corner, pizzas have been coming out of our ears.

Anywho.

With some leftover bacon, a 2 inch square of sharp white cheddar cheese, we concocted this popular dish with our own touches. I know my photograph probably makes you want to barf, but it, honest to Pete, was deliciously messy and tasty...... Used up 3 paper towels on my own, just to clean off my mouth and fingers.... And needed a toothbrush afterwards with some strong mouthwash. That kind of deliciously messy.

So Long! Enjoy the fall leaves!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

{...with green pepper, bacon, and Gouda}

1 store bought pizza crust or 1 pkg of store bought pizza dough
1- 2 bottles of your most beloved BBQ sauce (we went Trader Joes brand this time)
1 lb chicken breasts
1 green pepper, sliced
1 small onion,sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked and cut up
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese, shredded
Cilantro, to garnish


In a tight ziploc bag, pour 2/3 cup or so of bbq sauce in it along with chicken. Stick in fridge and allow to marinate for a couple of hours.

Pour chicken and marinade and juices into a baking dish and bake at 325 until chicken is just done. Let cool and cut into pieces.

Preheat your oven to 425. On your pizza stone or whatever sheet pan you prefer for pizza baking, place dough or prepared crust on it.

Spread the remaining bottle of BBQ sauce all over the surface of it. Cover it with remaining toppings in any fashion (except for cilantro) and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is oozing over.

Garnish with cut-up cilantro and eat while it's hot hot hot!

Almond Granola Brittle Bars

These little teeth-rotting, molar sticking treaties are inspired from the cashew version of Martha Stewart's October 2008 magazine (I'm sure you can use any nut you have on hand; I myself, happen to prefer almonds over anything)...Last Autumn, these were coming out of the wood works in my kitchen and this last week I finally brought the recipe again out of mothballs to enjoy each chewy bite. And enjoy we did! I admit, my jaw bone is always well- exercised and spent, especially after eating nearly half a pan, and all my mouth wants to do is slurp down some soft jell-o afterwards...But who cares about a sore jaw. These have a terrifically warm flavor, healthy ingredients (somewhat) and best of all, they seem to deliver Autumn-ness right into my kitchen. Hm!

Almond Granola Brittle Bars

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup (about 5 ounces) almonds, chopped
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt


Line a 4 1/2-by-9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each long side. Toast oats and cashews in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until aromatic and just starting to turn golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add butter, sugar, cinnamon, corn syrup, molasses, and salt in the skillet, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until butter melts and mixture bubbles, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour hot mixture over oats and cashews, and stir to combine.
Transfer mixture to loaf pan. Using a spatula, press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Remove chilled mixture from pan using plastic, discard plastic, and cut into 1-inch thick bars.

Brownies with Frosting and Glaze

Time to post some TREATS, people!!!

Goodness gracious.. it's been too long since I made a good pan of brownies.




We all have a brownie recipe we are loyal to, right? I mean, it's similar to lasagna: all of us know OUR mom's lasagna reigns supreme above anyone else's, and I think in some respect, each of us is correct!


And like lasagna, once we have a brownie recipe that is tried and true, it's hard to divert from it.

(Now that I've written that, there are two brownie recipes I've collected recently that are sure to top my list too.. Hee hee..).

This recipe, if I'm not mistaken, is one my mom uses often and so, reminds me of her. It's sweet, easy to get along with, and always turns out so well. It's friendly to even the beginner baker with trepidation in the kitchen.

The recipe comes from a Utah-beloved cookbook, "Ivory Family Favorites", and if you already have it, you are well informed that just about every recipe in that book is a superstar one.

I tried to dye the frosting an orange color in honor of the holiday, and unfortunately, my neon colors didn't combine very well to produce a trick or treaty type of orange; instead, we have a gross apricot color!!! Oh well!!

I'd rather have gross apricot colored brownies than not. Here you go:



Brownies with Mint Frosting and Chocolate Glaze
{"Ivory Family Favorites" Cookbook}

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 eggs
4 1-ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla


Mint Frosting
4 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp evaporated milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract*
Drops of colored food dye

Glaze Topping
6 tbsp butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well blended, then add the melted chocolate. Mix the dry ingredients all together, and then add slowly to creamed mixture along with vanilla. Spread in a greased 9 x 13 pan, and bake for 30 minutes at 325 (please do not over bake these-- these can't be dry!). You want to take them out when they're slightly underdone.
Let cool.


For the mint frosting, combine the butter, milk, and sugar with an electric beater until smooth. Add peppermint extract (* I didn't have any on hand, so I simply replaced it with vanilla). Spread onto cooled brownies.

For the glaze, melt butter and chocolate in a double broiler (aka, put a heat-proof bowl on top of a pan with boiling water), slowly and stirring all the while. Remove from heat once it's all melted and add vanilla. Pour over cooled, frosted brownies.

Cut into squares .
And eat as many as you can.

You deserve it!

Rolled Chicken with Sage and Fontina Filling

I used to be really into poultry main dishes, particularly recipes with something special tucked deep into its cavity. I did a fig and blue cheese stuffed pork-loin, spinach and feta stuffed chicken, basil and goat cheese...... you get the idea.

And then I got pregnant and we adiosed any poultry dishes from our dinner menu for those oh so sweet 40 weeks of odd cravings and unexpected gross-outs.

I finally hopped back on the poultry bandwagon soon before Henry was born, under the conditions that someone else prepared it and I am happy to report that in the last year of his life, my notorious poultry-is-the-nastiest-thing-on-earth aversion has been kicked under the rug.

It's nice to be able to handle poultry again and not spin in circles with drowning nausea, isn't it?

Anyway, if you make my mushroom, fontina and sage pasta, you should have ample leftovers of both sage and fontina for this dish. It's really worth trying.

I saw Giada dish this out on a recent episode of "Everyday Italian" and having all that Costco chicken freezing to death (HA!) in my freezer, it seemed like an easy, beginner recipe to try.

In my best words, I'll try to recreate how I did it, but of course if you want Giada's real deal, visit food network for her directions. This is, I think, fairly close to how she does it:).

Chicken with Sage and Fontina Filling

*4 chicken breasts, pounded thin (or chicken cutlets will work)
6-8 sage leaves
6-8 thick slices of fontina cheese
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves. minced
Chicken Stock
Toothpicks
Salt and Pepper
Your favorite marinara sauce
Pinch of red pepper flakes

On a large cutting board, place chicken breasts down and season with salt and pepper on each side. In the middle of each one, place one to two sage leaves (depending on how "sagey" you want it) and then lay the slice of cheese on top of that. Roll up chicken breasts tightly and secure with 2-3 toothpicks per roll. While you've got your arms and fingers up in slimy, raw poultry, please take caution not to cross-contaminate, and if you're baby is whining for a snack like mine was, PLEASE wash your hands WELL before handling any baby noshes, mmmmkk?

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat up olive oil. Place rolled up chicken breasts in skillet using tongs and allow to "sear" (meaning, the meat browns initially- golden brown). Add the minced garlic and allow those to also cook on the high heat, stirring constantly. Turn down the heat to medium low, pour in 1/2 cup of chicken stock or so, and cover skillet with lid (I found that adding some chicken stock helped aid the cooking process without drying the chicken too much). Allow to cook until chicken is JUST done. Remove the chicken rolls from heat, and allow to rest for a couple of minutes. Carefully take out the toothpicks (chicken shouldn't split open).

Meanwhile, pour a jar of marinara sauce into a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat, and allow the sauce to bubble until it's nice and warm.

Spoon sauce over a plate and place rolled up chicken on top.

Bon Appietit!

*I'm sorry for the huge font- blogger is taking over my abilities to shrink it!

A Few Favorite Things About October: Pumpkin Cupcakes Are One

How did you ring in the Halloween season?

Sheepishly, I cheated.....

..by busting out the Halloween decorations the last few days of September. I just can't help myself.

I concluded the day with baking off some traditional pumpkin cupcakes drowning in semi-sweet chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting.

The leaves here in Philadelphia are just beginning to make their transition from summer green to red, brown, and yellow- is it beautiful wherever you are? Are your feet crunching leaves whereever you walk? Are you spending your Saturday mornings raking up fallen foliage? Are the mornings chilly and brisk? Are you already decided on a Halloween costume? How many bags of candy corn have you eaten? Isn't it all just wonderful?


I have a really hard time being sad when summer ends- I love the extended daylight, the bbq pork and fresh watermelon, I love beach days, I love celebrating the 4rth...

But let's be honest.

By the end of August, I am tired of sweating, I am tired of cranking the AC up in my car, and I'm plum done with wearing my worn out shorts and t-shirts.

My husband is busy in his 2nd year of Business school with recruiting and job-searching. Location for a post-graduate job arises frequently in our conversations, believe you me. And I just continue to press my vote for a location where Autumn thrives and leaves change and temperatures turn crisp. That's all I ask for.

Call me picky.

And speaking of picky, this is one of the very best recipes for pumpkin muffins/cupcakes I've yet had. And I'm not ever going back.

Must be the butter!


Pumpkin Cupcakes
Martha Stewart.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
*1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.


* I added 1 cup of chocolate chips to just half the batter, wanting some WITH the chocolate and wanting some without. Either way, you can't go wrong!