Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

I believe in baking for the season. What I mean by that is, the fall is all about apple and pumpkin, so I was trying to infuse those two ingredients into all of my recipes. I had always seen those bags of butterscotch morsels in the isle next to the choco chips, etc...but i had never picked them up. However, this recipe looked so simple and busy, so I thought I had no choice. Don't get me wrong, I love me some butterscotch, but I just never had any inspiration to bake with them before but thanks to my good bud, Joy, I finally received that motivation I needed to make something magically butterscotch happen in the kitchen.

Oh did I mention that pumpkin was involved too? Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola ( I just used standard vegetable oil)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil (the original recipe used parchment paper...which you have to butter) and butter the paper.

2)Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside.

3) In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute.

4) On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

5) Using a spoon/ice cream scoop/1/4 cup scoop/your hands, scoop mounds of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart.

6) Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm, about 16 minutes.

7) Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack (or I just use a plate) to cool.

8) Share and Enjoy!

These are like pillowy bundles of deliciousness. They are so fluffy and jam packed with flavor, you can definitely not eat just one. Everyone raved about these bad boys and they really hold their own. Definitely a cookie recipe that everyone should have and use. often.

Made: 10/26/10

Posted: 01/12/11

Ratatouille

Sadly, this is not a movie review of that adorable movie. However, do not fret. This is a recipe of my first attempt at this staple entree meal in any chef's cooking adventures or road to becoming a chef. Something like that. Obviously, I am no Top Chef but I like to have my own "Julie and Julia" food adventures in the kitchen as you may have noticed and so one night, I decided to try out this infamous dish.

There are so many Ratatouille recipes out there, so it was just finding which one was closest to the fresh veggies that I had on hand. I think that I will definitely be trying this dish again in various forms, but more on that later.

I adapted this recipe from Palachinka

Ingredients

2 zucchinis

1 Large Eggplant

1 Red bell pepper (I didn't have one on hand...weird i know, so i used 1 red and 1 yellow )

1 Yellow bell pepper

1 big Onion (red or white or yellow)

1 small tomato (but I used a pint of grape tomatoes and halved them)

1 clove garlic

1 Cup of crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese

olive oil

various dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives....etc (whatever you have on hand and fits your taste buds)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 325

2) Slice zucchinis, eggplants, larger onion and peppers as thin as possible

3) Line them in a artistic fashion in either a OILED round, square or rectangular baking pan on an oiled round baking pan in the following order ( I think it looks pretty if you have a similar pattern) .

4) Continue your pattern until you have used the ingredients.

5) Pour oil on top of the veggies.

6) Halve the cherry tomatoes or thinly slice your regular tomatoes and de-seed them. Also mince your garlic clove. Add both the tomatoes and garlic to the pan.

7) Finally, top with various herbs, salt and black pepper and a dash of water. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and black pepper and pour very little water so the vegetables don’t burn inside the oven.

8) Bake in a preheated oven on 325°C for about 10-15 minutes.

9) Top with Feta or Goat Cheese ( I just like the added flavor)

10) Bake for another 15 minutes.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 10/24
Posted: 01/12

Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

Well, they are not actually as adventurous as they sound, but nevertheless, I thought they were pretty ingenious.

for best buddy of BOOF's birthday (Mo), I wanted to send her something delicious and GLUTEN FREE to celebrate it with since I could not be there myself. It was fall and I love me some pumpkin and I know that Mo does too, but I wanted to do something other than a pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread because I needed to overnight whatever I was making. Because of their gluten-free nature, I decided on a Rice Krispie Treat of the Pumpkin variety. Now, I was not able to find some ingenious way to add to infuse the pumpkin into the rice krispies, but what I did was pretty stellar and i even had enough to give some to my classmates...who loved it too.

Ingredients:

1 Box of Rice Krispies (but you'll only need about 8 cups)
1 Pack of Marshmallows (mini or regular)
1 1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of Confectionery sugar

Directions:

1) Follow the directions on the box for making rice krispie treats :-)

2) Spread rice krispie treats into 9x13 or 9x9 pan

3) Add Pumpkin and Cream Cheese together and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of confectionery sugar to the pumpkin and cream cheese and mix well. Check the consistency and flavor. If too thick, add some more confectioners sugar.

4) Once icing is too your liking, spread on top of the rice krispie treats.

5) Share and Enjoy!

Man o man. these are quite tasty. It is not too inventive but yet it is quick, easy and delicious.




Posted: 12/28/10
Made: 10/17/10

Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin Gorgonzola Sauce

Sometimes you make something that says that it is "cooking light" but really, it feels heavy BUT it also feels delicious, so then you just go with it. well, that is what this dish was for me.

When I first perused through my cooking light book, I came upon this recipe and immediately was sold. I love pumpkin, I love mushrooms and I LOVE cheese, so I may or may not have felt that this recipe was a god's gift to me. I had wanted to make this numerous times before but I ran into some issues with certain grocery stores not selling gorgonzola (really, who does that?) and other random dilemmas. However, the day finally came where I had all the ingredients to whip up this gem of deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked pennette (small penne)-- I am certain I just used regular penne...and I used about 3/4 of a standard box
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3/4 pound whole mushrooms)-- I used white sliced because that is what I had :-)
  
• 4 cups vertically sliced onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage-- yeah, didn't use this
  
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
• Fresh sage sprigs (optional)-- yeah, didn't use these...I know, I lack when it comes to fresh herbs but I am on a serious budget here!
  

Directions

1) Boil water and cook pasta but make sure to keep it warm.

2) Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or any largish pot/pan with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cover and cook 3 minutes.

3) Uncover; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

4) Combine milk, cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir with a whisk.

5) Add cornstarch mixture and cheese to milk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes or until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.

6) Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, salt, pepper, nutmeg and a tablespoon of brown sugar(my special ingredient).

7) Add pasta and pumpkin mixture to mushroom mixture; toss well to combine. Top with fresh herbs, if you like that sort of stuff.

8) Share and Enjoy!

I may or may not love this dish. It is a little time consuming but I had leftovers for almost the entire following week, so it was definitely worth it. I find that if you use canned pumpkin (as I do), there can be a strange after taste. This may just be me, so I added some brown sugar to add some more flavor but also to help mediate that weird taste.

Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/17/10

Apple Plum Pie

it's no secret. i really do look up to deb @ smitten kitchen, heidi@ 101 cookbooks and joy @ joythebaker, an enormous amount. I love when I check my email in the morning and i have something delicious to potentially create awaiting me in my inbox. oh the little pleasures of life.

i had some plums that i needed to use up and i always have some apples around...so when this gem popped into my inbox, i knew I would be in business. I also undertook this adventure because i had never made a pie before! Although this is a single crust pie, so it's kinda cheating...it is still a pie in a form!

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Single Crust aka "The Lid"
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse or flaky salt (or less of table salt)
Milk or cream, for brushing crust
Coarse or fine sugar, for sprinkling crust ( I actually used some brown sugar)

Filling
1 pound ripe plums of your liking (i.e. quartered and pitted)
1 pound apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Squeeze or two of orange or lemon juice

Special Addition: 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

Directions

Make

the lid:

1) In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy.

2) Mix in the lightly beaten egg and scrape down sides.

3) Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until combined.

4) Scrape dough into a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and stick in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until firmed up.

Meanwhile...Assemble the pie:

5) Preheat oven to 350°F

6) Butter a pie or baking dish....gotta love that pyrex!

7) Add the fruit and spinkle it with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange or lemon juice.

8) Gently toss the ingredients together once or twice

9) Roll out the firmed-up lid dough on a very well floured counter and gently lift it onto the pie and trim the overhang. It will most likely tear (use those little torn pieces to patch up your holes :-) )

10) Brush the crust with milk (and melted butter), sprinkle with brown sugar and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

11) If you would like, serve with ice cream or whipped cream BUT this beauty stands alone just as well.

12) Share and Enjoy!

Notes: I may or may not have eaten this pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the following two days. be prepared for that. so good. make this. share this. I would also potentially just try the same thing with a (god forbid) pre-frozen deep dish crust just to give the entire whole pie appeal. but this is delicious, quick and easy.

POSTED: 12/28
Made: 10/15

Sicilian Gnocchi with Eggplant

gnocchi. gnocchi. gnocchi.

there is just something about that word that can make a girls heart just crumble. the thought of those pillowy balls of pasta potato dressed in some delicious outfits...they really can be the life of the party.

although i am not at the homemade gnocchi place in my life yet (but soon!), i have found some super duper tasty things to do with gnocchi. I've think we've had fun with two gnocchi dishes before with the Fire Roasted Gnocchi the Lemon Gnocchi from a while back but for this dish, I thought I would take it "Sicilian Style".

I really had no idea what this meant but the blog that I adapted it from made it look delicious and super vegetarian, so I was all in.

Adapted from: Vegalicious

Ingredients

• 1 package gnocchi (shelf stable...can be found at most local grocery markets)
  
• 1 eggplant, cubed in small pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 Cup of small cubed tofu
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can tomato chunks
• 2 handfuls raisins (yes, even I...the girl who doesn't like raisins...put raisins in the dish)
  
• Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme)...whatever you have in your fridge/cupboard
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of Cinnamon
  
• Pinch of Nutmeg
  

Directions

1. Boil the Gnocchi and boil until they float to the top.
   
2. Drain the Gnocchi from the water and set aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, saute the eggplant, onions and garlic in the oil until the eggplant begins to soften and the onion becomes glassy.
4. Add the ground tofu.
   
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, raisins and Italian seasonings.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
   
7. To serve, either add the gnocchi to the sauce, or serve the gnocchi with the sauce on top.
8. Share and Enjoy!!!
   

I really enjoyed this dish and it was really easy to make and really delicious. I love finding individuals who are dedicated to finding filling, healthy and tasty vegetarian meals...that are also well-balanced! it is a hard task but this definitely fits the bill and I would definitely make this again!

Actually Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/12/2010

DC Noodles

Stop 2 of Birthday Weekend in DC.

Apparently, I was trying to make up for all the time that I didn't spend in U Street during my time in DC...in one weekend. I met up with good buddy of Boof, Rach, for lunch at DC Noodles.

After hearing numerous good reviews from lots of buds, I decided to try out this place out. DC Noodles used to be formerly known as "Simply Home" and "", but nothing really changed in the U Street restaurant. Upon entering, the decor is very deco-modern with a cement floor, hardwood tables, and white deco seating. It features red walls and the bar is lined with those similar high white deco seats. The design scheme is very clean.

the menu is filled with every sort of noodle you could possibly imagine, so the biggest problem is making a decision. I ordered the Crispy and and Soft Tofu in the Spicy Broth which is served with soy and lime dressing, ground peanuts, bean sprouts, string beans, carrots, cilantro, spring onion and I ordered it with the thin rice noodles (but you can also have thick rice noodles). I was extremely happy with my choice as the flavor profile was spot on with a nice complexity and a lot of subtle seasonings coming through. Don't worry for all my meat lover buds, you can also choose to have chicken, pork, beef, seafood, shrimp & meatball, fish meatball & crab meatball, and vietnamese pork sausages...essentially, there is something for everyone.

there are various other dishes that I would love to try, so I am sure that when I get back to DC one of these days, I will find myself at DC noodles again. they also have a nice selection of appetizers, and various other non-soup/broth noodle dishes. the restaurant also features a full bar which is a nice touch with what appeared to be some very tasty mix drinks on the menu.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to DC Noodles. I know that best buddy of BOOF, Mo, really loves it because they use rice noodles which is obviously beneficial to Gluten-Free buds. I think everyone can find something that they will enjoy on this menu for a very reasonable price tag. If I still lived in DC, I could definitely see myself coming here more often.

Grade: B+