Cooking By Moonlight

Kale and Walnut Pesto

2013-05-01T08:32:00.001-04:00

Well Texas life has been absolutely great. Especially the food. The Tex-Mex food here is amazing and we find ourselves eating out probably way more than we should. This week we tried to stay in and eat, at least, marginally healthy. Since Tex-Mex usually is all protein and carbs I decided to toss some more veggies into our diet. Every food blogger I know seems to be on the kale train but I just don't love kale. So I thought I would try out a recipe that has kale - but hides the flavor.

I love any pesto - whether it's in noodles, spread on bread in a sandwich, or used as a dip I think it's just great. The flavor is always fresh, even if you freeze it and use it months later it tastes fresh and delicious.

In this pesto half of the basil is substituted for kale. While it helps to add in lots of vitamins - the taste really doesn't change much at all. Seems like a great way for a non-kale lover to jump onto the kale bandwagon.

I decided to serve mine with some goya seasoned chicken and the two paired together perfectly. Add a glass of wine and you have yourself a very late spring time dinner. Perfect :)

Kale and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

yields 4-6 servings of pesto

1 1/2 cups basil leaves

1 1/2 cup kale leaves

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Romano cheese

1/2 cup walnuts

1 t. red pepper flake

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 t. each salt and pepper

16 oz of your favorite shape pasta

Directions

1) In a large food processor pulse the kale, basil, cheese, walnuts, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper until finely ground, scraping down the bowl when necessarily.

2) With the food processor running slowly drizzle in the oil until all incorporated.

3) Prepare 16 oz of your favorite pasta according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water before draining.

4) Place the noodles back in the pot, stir in the pasta water and the pesto. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Spinach, Sausage, and Beans

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Kale Chips

Breakfast Potatoes

2013-04-28T22:27:00.001-04:00

What's better than a homemade brunch on a Sunday afternoon? Not much, that's for sure. This weekend was a lot of fun. Since moving to San Antonio we are constantly busy - there's just so much to do. This week was Fiesta. For those not from around these parts it's basically an 11 day long festival all over town complete with parades, block parties, concerts, and food trucks. It has been a long week of late nights with friends and drinks in the perfect spring time weather. With the festivities ending on Saturday night we decided to have ourselves a regular old lazy Sunday. Complete with breakfast potatoes!

After heading down to one of our favorite local coffee shops for a latte we came home and made breakfast. One of our favorite breakfast side dishes is crispy potatoes. If you can believe it, though, I have never actually made these. They are one of the things I order every time I go out for brunch but figured was a little too difficult to make at home. Man was I wrong!

These have the perfect crunch without being deep fried in oil or being greasy. The addition of the red pepper and cayenne pepper give it a nice bit of added heat and the onion and garlic round out the flavor. These are easy to make but you have to follow the instructions carefully. Soaking the potatoes before cooking them allows some of the starch to breakdown in the water and gives you soft crispy potatoes. If you don't soak them you'll end up with sticky gummy potatoes instead.

This was the perfect breakfast for us to have before we went out this afternoon on our bike ride. We live right by a bike trail that goes for miles and thought it was time we went on a few rides and enjoyed the lovely scenery. So we went to the Bike Shop and got Nick a brand new bike (there's something about a new bike that makes you feel like a kid again!) and road down the trails this afternoon. It was great fun :)

Not feeling like potatoes. Try out some of these other breakfast foods :)

Peanut Butter Banana Granola

Bacon Cheddar Date Scones

Eclairs

Breakfast Potatoes

Ingredients

yields 4 servings

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 in pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1/4 t. cayenne pepper (more if you like it hot)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Soak the potatoes in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry. If you want you can cut them and soak them overnight in the refrigerator so you don't have to wait so long in the morning for your food :)

2) Over medium heat add the oil and the potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until potatoes begin to soften and crisp up on the outside. You don't need to stir a lot. Once every 2-3 minutes is plenty - you want to leave them in the oil to develop their crispy skin.

3) Add the onion and bell pepper and continue to cook until they soften, about an additional 10-12 minutes.

4) Add the garlic cloves, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook 2 minutes longer or until the garlic softens.

5) Pour out over a paper towel to drain and serve immediately.

One Step Caramel Corn

2013-04-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

I looooove caramel corn. My mom makes the most delicious caramel corn. Sometimes she even makes some and mails it to me. There is always an epic battle in our apartment when these packages arrive. For some reason Nick believes he should be given equal claim to this caramel corn which I find to be completely untrue! While I love this caramel corn it can be a bit of a production to make. Sometimes you want caramel corn but you don't want to deal with the dishes that are created by making caramel (everyone HATES cleaning those pans!). Enter this recipe. It's very quick, easy, and most importantly mess free. Also it doesn't use the typical butter and sugar so you can feel a little bit better about chowing down!

To make this caramel you just stir together all the ingredients, toss the popcorn in the mixture, and bake. It's that simple. The flavor is pretty unique. While it has the delicious, light crunch of caramel corn it has the fantastic flavor of honey. Not being the world's biggest fan of honey I was skeptical of the product but I ended up absolutely loving it. Will it replace my mom's caramel corn? Heck no! Nothing would replace that! Will it be added to my list of quick and easy snacks? You know it!

You can add all kinds of flavors to this. The original recipe I saw added some spices (think a pinch of cayenne or ancho chiles) and maple syrup instead of honey. Or you can sub out the nuts for mini chocolate chips or mini M&Ms if you're a chocoholic.

Honey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe

Ingredients

yields about 5 servings

1/4 cup honey

1 T. canola oil

1/4 t. salt

1 T. brown sugar

12 t. vanilla extract

2 T. chopped almonds

6 cups air-popped popcorn

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, a Silpat, or lots of cooking spray.

2) In a bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the popcorn until well combined. Add the popcorn and toss well until evenly coated.

3) Place the popcorn on the baking sheet and bake until the popcorn is glistening about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven allow to cool until it is easy to handle without burning yourself. Here you can mold it into popcorn balls (about the size of baseballs) the same way you would make a snowball. Or you can just fluff it up and put it in a bowl to eat.

**This will store in an air-tight container for 3-4 days without going stale.

You may also like some of these recipes:

Salted Caramel, Chocolate Tart

Chocolate, Pistachio, Cranberry Popcorn

Borracho Beans

2013-04-08T22:54:00.000-04:00

This is my official, welcome back, post. I wanted to start out with something that was distinctly Texas since the reason I have been away for so long was because of the move. Since we arrived about one month ago we have had some absolutely delicious meals in San Antonio. One of our favorite new items is called Borracho Beans. This is a dish found at many local Mexican restaurants in San Antonio. In Spanish borracho means drunk. So these are basically drunken beans. They are stewed in a mixture of stock and beer and they have a really fantastic flavor.

These beans usually contain tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos. I added some bell pepper to add a little extra flavor; I even left most of the seeds in the peppers to give it a little heat. We have only been Texans for about a month now but we already love our food spicier than before we left!

Generally to make borracho beans you start out by purchasing dried beans and soaking them then letting the beans stew for a few hours. I didn't feel like baby sitting beans all day (because we have a new addition to our home that I would much rather spend my time babysitting anyway... see note below).

Instead, I opted for canned beans which were packed with no salt or bacon. It makes things go much faster and while it may not be exactly the same as the ones that stewed all the live long day I think they are still very delicious and have a quite authentic flavor. You can use about any beer you like to make these. I chose a local Texas beer, Shiner Bock. Regardless of what you choose be sure to serve the beans with a cold one of the same brand to your guests. Since the beer is in the beans it will pair perfectly with the cold beer. I served these beans with jalapeno and cheddar smoked sausages for a Texas twist on Beans and Weenies.

Can't wait to share more Texas recipes with you now that we are all settled in the new place. Sorry for the long absence - I'm glad you all stuck around! Oh and you were wondering what I was spending my time babysitting instead of beans? This little guy. We adopted Moriarty from the pound this weekend and this 4 month old bundle of energy has been the center of our worlds since the day he trotted into our apartment.

So instead of babysitting the beans I babysat this guy. Beans never played fetch and then snuggled on the couch. Artie wins :)

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Roasted Corn Salsa

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Ingredients

yields 6-8 servings

4 oz bacon, chopped

1 small white onion, diced

1 small bell pepper, diced (I used 1/2 a red and 1/2 a green)

1 small jalapeno, diced

3 cloves of garlic

2 medium roma tomatoes, diced

1 t. chili powder

1 t. oregano

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 12 oz beer

chopped avocado for garnish

Directions

1) In a large stock pot or dutch oven heat the bacon over medium until fat has rendered. This should take about 5-7 minutes and there should be some bacon grease in the pan.

2) Add onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos to the pot and continue to cook until veggies have softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, chili powder, and oregano and saute for 2-3 more minutes.

3) Add the cilantro, beans, stock, and beer into the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until most of the beer flavor has cooked off. Serve with avocado slices or fresh cilantro and, of course, another beer!

We Moved!

2013-03-19T23:10:00.002-04:00

Well hello there! I can't believe how long it's been since I posted. I actually don't even want to look at the last date because I will just be absolutely embarrassed by the amount of time that has passed. I am not generally one to offer up excuses but I would like to explain my recent absence... We moved to Texas!!

That's right, after 5 years living in the DC area we decided it was time to try something new and different so we packed our bags and hit the dusty trails (i.e. Route 10) and headed to the Lone Star State. San Antonio to be exact. When we first crossed the state line into TX from LA we ran into this awesome statue at the rest area! It's a little blurry but that is me laying on the side of the star... big star huh? I guess it's true... everything is bigger in TX! :)

We had movers bring the boxes (after we had the fire department rescue them from the elevators they locked themselves in... long story!!) but Nick and I spent 3 days driving half away across the country (halfway across and half way down!). It took us nearly 28 hours of driving time but we made it in one piece and I didn't even have to abandon him on the side of the highway. Here is our route... it looks so long on the map! We met some old friends in Atlanta and they took us our for a DELICIOUS brunch and long walk to take our minds off the car trip. Nick had "tot-achos"... nachos with tater tots instead of chips... I will DEFINITELY be making these soon - stay tuned ;)

We arrived here last week and spent the past week living on an air mattress in our living room waiting on our things to arrive. After a long week of waiting they arrived yesterday in a giant truck and now we are living in a fortress of boxes!

Despite all the boxes and the chaos I am super excited because look at this kitchen! I'm so excited to make awesome recipes for the site there! (And maybe some videos?!?). I walked in the door from work and there was Nick standing over the table; it was the first thing he built knowing that I was anxious to get back into the kitchen! What a nice guy :)

After a long evening of unpacking last night Nick and I ordered some Chinese take-out. While the food and beer (that's right... they delivery beer in TX!) were both great the best part was the fortune in the fortune cookie which I am taking as a sign that all is right with our decision to move...

Thanks fortune cookie... I will! Well that's all for now. Don't you worry though, I'll be back in just a few days with some great recipes for you.

Y'all come back now, ya hear! :)

Parsley and Farro Salad

2013-02-23T10:17:00.001-05:00

I have been wanting to cook with again since I made the farro risotto. I feel like I see it popping up in recipes, blogs, and restaurants all the time but had never tried my hand at cooking it. A few weeks ago I decided I would test it out and went to the grocery... no farro anywhere! After looking quite a few places I gave up. Then last week while at Trader Joe's in Florida with Nick's mom I found some! It was pre-cooked or instant farro so I thought it was a great way to test it out. It's super simple to make, basically the same preparation as rice. Put in boiling water, cook until done, fluff with fork.

If you haven't had farro before it's like brown rice and barley had a baby. Nice chewy texture and a mild flavor. It's just begging to have some herbs and dressing added to it for a nice rice pilaf-esque side dish. Here I decided to add basically a honey-Dijon vinaigrette and a lot of fresh parsley. While it was delicious I found a recipe later in a magazine for a risotto made with farro and I'm definitely going to give that a try next. I think the flavor and texture of the farro will be absolutely perfect in a risotto... oh the possibilities of learning to use a new food :)

Here I serve it with the Honey Mustard Pecan Crusted Salmon I previously made. The two dishes share lots of similar flavors (both have Dijon, honey, and parsley) so they pair together fantastically. It's a nice light dinner with tons of satisfying flavor. They them together for dinner and I promise you won't regret it!

Honey Mustard and Pecan Crusted Salmon

Farro Risotto with Burst Tomatoes

Shrimp and White Bean Stew

Ingredients

yields 4 servings

1 (8 oz) package farro or pre-cooked farro

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

1 T. olive oil

2 t. Dijon mustard

2 t. honey

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions
(1) Prepare farro according to instructions on the package.

(2) Combine lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

(3) Toss the finished farro with the lemon juice mixture. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve warm or cold.

Honey Mustard Pecan Crusted Salmon

2013-02-19T20:38:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I looked at my Recipe Index and realized that my "seafood" category could easily be relabeled as "shrimp" because that was the only seafood I had up there! I do make a lot of shrimp for Nick and I but there are plenty of fish to fry so I decided to come up with a tasty fish dish.

This recipe specifically is dedicated to my mom. The woman hates fish. Unless it is made in a pub and ends in "and chips" she can't stand the stuff. So I thought I would make something for her that I thought she would maybe be able to choke down. This dish is awesome. All the flavors together along with the pan searing and slow cooking makes this fish buttery delicious and the Dijon mixed with honey, pecans, and parsley give this a sweet, tangy, and savory flair.

Continued after jump >>

Vanilla Orange Panna Cotta

2013-02-06T21:28:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I did a dessert so I thought I would make a fun one before Valentine's Day. One of my favorite things to serve after a nice dinner is a fancy dessert. But I don't always feel like making something at the time. That's where a dessert like this comes in handy. It can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and just sits in the fridge until you're ready for it.

For those of you that have never had panna cotta before it's a custard-like dessert made with milk or cream and some flavoring. It has a creamy but delicate texture. Like a pudding and a mousse had a baby and dressed it up real fancy. This one has fantastic flavors in it. The vanilla bean and orange make it taste like a creamsicle.

Continued after jump >>

Baked Buffalo Wings

2013-02-01T16:31:00.001-05:00

Doesn't everyone love wings? One of the best bar foods there are. They are delicious and messy to eat. I decided to make some homemade chicken wings this week. With the Super Bowl coming up I knew I wanted to test out a party food or two. These were super simple to make and pack a ton of flavor.

While I love chicken wings I didn't think I wanted to fry mine. I already get enough fried food in my diet from eating out so when I make things I home I try to keep them at least a little healthier. These are baked in the oven but don't worry - they still get that fantastic crunch of the fried kind thanks to a few minutes under the broiler right before they are finished. They cook in the oven without the sauce and are tossed in the sauce right before serving. Leaving the sauce on too long will make them loose that fantastic crunch so be sure to do that at the very end.
Continued after jump >>

Elvis Style Granola

2013-01-27T21:33:00.002-05:00

I love granola. It's one of my favorite snacks. Whether it's on top of yogurt, served with milk, or plain I love to snack on it. A friend of mine a few months ago made some homemade granola and just raved about it. She said everyone should be making it on their own because (1) it was incredibly easy to make and (2) it is super cheap. Cheap and easy, huh? Two of my favorite things so I knew I had to give it a try. The recipe she used actually used fruit to flavor the granola. She used pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie spice flavored granola. While this sounded delicious I thought I would try to make mine like my favorite Bear Naked Banana Nut.

So I tweaked her recipe just a bit and came up with this delicious granola. The made the house smell absolutely fantastic while it baked. When it was out of the oven Nick and I each tasted a little to see what we thought... about two bowls (each) later we decided this recipe was definitely a keeper. As long as it's stored in an air-tight container this stuff will last for almost a month without going stale. Ours definitely didn't make it quite that long... maybe next time I'll double the recipe.

Continued after jump >>

Farro Risotto

2013-01-07T22:52:00.000-05:00

Normally my posts are a few days behind. Between making the food, photographing it, cleaning it up, and eating it there usually isn't time to process all the photos, type up the recipe, and think up the post. Today, however, is the exception. Today I experimented with a new recipe which I thought would take a few tries. As it turns out first time was the charm and this was delicious. It may be one of my favorite things I have ever made. Nick and I wolfed down this risotto - we just couldn't get enough. The farro has this fantastic nutty flavor, the white wine adds a delicious tartness, the tomatoes - which were roasted in the oven - give a savory tang, the Parmesan cheese and butter gives it a creamy and delicious mouth feel.

This recipe was actually inspired by a dinner I had while visiting my friend Kim in Chicago a few months ago. She took me out to a really fantastic Italian restaurant for dinner. We had the chef's tasting menu which was so fun. I can't think of anything better than being given 10 different courses all of various yummy things. While there were many dishes that we both loved while we ate a 5 hour dinner that night one that really stood out was the farro risotto. Neither of us had ever had risotto prepared with farro but what made it even more fantastic was the creaminess of the cheese and the cherry tomatoes that were literally bursting with flavor.

I took tons of pictures and even tasting notes on my phone because I knew I would have to try and remake this brilliant dish when I got home. Though while typing this I realize how embarrassing of a dinner date that would make me... Oh well, Kim loves food as much as I do and I hope this recipe makes it up to her :)

In order to get the tomatoes to have that bursting with flavor quality I decided to roast them while the risotto cooked. Then they could be added into the risotto when it was done which gives the tomatoes the perfect texture and taste without risking the tomatoes falling apart.

Looking for some more pasta recipes? Try out a few of these:

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Orecciette with Spinach,
Sausage, and Beans

Fresh Handmade Pasta

Farro Risotto with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach Recipe

Ingredients

yields 4-6 servings

1 cup farro

1 cup water

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 T. olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken broth

2 T. butter

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Directions

1) Soak farro in water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss tomatoes with 1 T. olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst. Place the stock in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until just simmering.

2) Meanwhile heat the remaining 2 T. olive oil in a stock pot over medium. Add shallot and saute until softened (about 2 minutes). Add garlic and continue to saute 2 more minutes.

3) Add farro to the pot and saute until toasted (about 3 minutes). Add wine and stir constantly until evaporated (about 2 minutes).

4) Add 1/2 cup of the stock and stir constantly until completely absorbed. Continue to add the stock 1/2 cup at a time until the farro is creamy and cooked through. Add the butter, Parmesan and spinach. Stir until well combined and the spinach has just wilted. Stir in the tomatoes. Serve topped with fresh cracked pepper.

Cure for a Cold

2013-01-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

Well sorry for the hiatus lately. Like a lot of people, I came down with the flu last week. According to Google Trends the flu in the US is currently in a "severe" state (you can check it out here). For the past three days I have been all sniffles and complaints. This flu completely wiped me out; I was so tired I could barely get up off the couch. So when Nick called me after work on Friday to ask what time we were meeting for our date I regrettably had to cancel. I felt horrible. We were supposed to go to one of our favorite places and have a date which we hadn't had in quite a while. He told me not to worry about it and he would just pick up some take out or something for himself. So a half hour later when he walked in the door I was pretty surprised to see a bunch of grocery bags. "Nothing to worry about - just a few things we needed," he said. And then, while I laid on the couch watching reruns of Chopped he clattered around in the kitchen for a bit. A few minutes later he came out to ask the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth and I knew something was up. I went into the kitchen and laid out on the counter were all the ingredients for chicken noodle soup as well as the wikipedia entry for how to make chicken noodle soup up on his iPhone.

He gave me perhaps the world's most adorable sheepish grin and said, "Well I figured chicken noodle soup was what you needed and I knew you wouldn't fall for any of that stuff from a can... so I'm making it!". I smiled at him and went back into the living room and watched TV while he made me homemade soup. I did turn around every now and then to check on him. Normally it looked like the Swedish Chef was in my kitchen grumbling and throwing things into the air. Soon everything began to smell absolutely delicious. After about an hour he emerged from the kitchen looking like he just ran a half marathon with bites of cut up vegetable stuck to his shirt but he smiling like a Cheshire cat as he presented me with a bowl of the most delicious chicken noodle soup there ever was.

There is something particularly special about a homemade bowl of chicken noodle soup when you're sick. It's healing powers are surely magnified by the time and effort of the person that loves you spending their Friday night at home slaving over a hot stove just to make you something to try and banish your illness. Did it cure my flu? No, not really. Did it make my night and remind me of the reason why I feel in love with this boy? Of course. It was one of the nicest gestures and took my mind off the headache and runny nose. So if someone you know is currently sneezing and sniffling try out this recipe that isn't too hard and will surely be worth it. Trust me, they will appreciate all your efforts more than they can say.

So a big thanks to my sous chef, who definitely graduated into head chef on Friday with this from scratch creation. Isn't he just the cutest chef there is?

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients
yields 4-6 restorative servings
1 small rotisserie chicken from the grocery store
1 (48 oz) container chicken stock
3 large carrots, peeled
3 celery stalks, peeled
1 small onion
1 T. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 (10 oz bag) egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1) Chop the carrots, celery, and onion. Try to get the pieces to all be of similar size for even cooking. Remove the skin from the chicken, take the meat from the bones, and shred the meat into bite sized pieces using your hands or a fork.

2) Heat olive oil in a large stock pot, or dutch oven, over medium heat. Saute carrots, celery, and onions until they become tender (about 10-12 minutes depending on the size).

3) When the vegetables are tender add the stock and chicken and increase the heat to high until the soup begins to boil.

4) After the soup has begun to boil add in the noodles and cook until noodles are al dente (the package should give you cooking time). When the noodles are ready add in the parsley and serve with a spoon, an advil, and some tissues. Perhaps some orange juice on the side. Hope you feel better soon :)

Roasted Carrots with Ginger and Honey

2013-01-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

Well after the fantastic Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs a few days ago I knew I had to do some more roasting! While at the grocery store I found these insanely cute little carrots. They must have been grown for a small Bugs Bunny to snack on! I figured these would be fun to serve and even more fun to eat but I didn't realize how beautiful they would turn out.

If you can't find the miniature Bug's Bunny carrots anywhere you can use either baby carrots or regular carrots that have been peeled and cut into slices. While this option isn't quite as darling as the little tiny carrots it would just as delicious. This recipe is based on a recipe that belongs to Nick's mom that Nick just loves. The addition of fresh ginger and honey gives these carrots a great flavor and makes them something much more unique than just plain old roasted carrots.

I love side dishes like this that take very little hands-on time in the kitchen and produce something that is much more interesting than just plain old steamed veggies. While I love having fresh vegetables on the table I really hate to serve them without at least a little bit of flavor to keep it interesting.

Looking for more side dish recipes? Check out these delicious and easy peas or the roasted corn salad:

Ginger Honey Carrots Recipe

Ingredients

yields 4-6 servings

1.5 lbs carrots, cleaned and peeled

1 1/2 T. butter (divided into 1T and 1/2T portions)

2 t. fresh grated ginger

1/2 T. honey

salt and pepper

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Clean and peel carrots then cut into even sized slices.

2) Melt 1 T. of the butter and toss with grated ginger. Place in a roasting pan with the carrots. Toss the carrots in the butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven for 15 minutes.

3) Remove foil from pan (carefully!) and continue roasting for 15-20 minutes (or until carrots reach desired tenderness), turning at least twice to ensure even cooking.

4) Remove from oven and remaining butter and stir with honey. Toss carrots until evenly coated with the honey mixture.

Asparagus Avocado Tomato Salad

2013-01-02T22:42:00.000-05:00

I actually made this salad quite a while ago while visiting my friend Kim in Chicago. My first night there we stayed at her Dad's (Pete) house. Kim's dad is one of the most generous people I know. A few years ago when I was in college and interning in Chicago with Kim he let me and Kim stay in his house rent free for nearly an entire summer without complaining a bit. This time he was just as hospitable and offered up his home (and most importantly kitchen) for Kim and I to take over. One of the dishes I made that night was this salad. It was super quick and a way to get a lot of colorful veggies on people's plates that packed a lot of flavor.

We ate this salad over dinner with wine while enjoying some of the stories Pete is famous for. This man has traveled all over and seen so many things that he is great to chat with. He loves to sit around the table enjoying food and company so we had a great time.

The trip wasn't just making food though. Kim and I spent the night at her apartment downtown that weekend and had a fantastic meal at an Italian restaurant she frequents. While there I had one of the best cocktails I have ever had as well as the most delicious short-rib bruschetta appetizer. I will definitely have to post soon trying to re-create those amazing recipes I had ! ;) In the meantime enjoy the salad! :)

Asparagus Salad with Gorgonzola Recipe

Ingredients
yields 6 side dish sized servings
12 oz asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pices
16 oz cherry or grape tomatoes cut into quarters
1 large, ripe avocado, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup basil, finely chopped
1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 T. lemon juice
1/2 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Directions
1) Steam the asparagus until just tender (about 2-3 minutes). Place in an ice bath to chill. Meanwhile slice the tomatoes, avocado, and basil.

2) Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

3) Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with dressing just before serving. Enjoy!

Try some of my other favorite salads...

Stacked Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Layered Cauliflower Salad

Chicken Roasted in an Iron Skillet

2013-01-01T22:17:00.001-05:00

Well welcome to the new year. After a great holiday season with lots of food, drinks, family, and friends I have so much to be thankful for in 2012 and so much to look forward to in 2013. One of my favorite parts of ringing in the new year is the new year's resolutions. I actually look forward to these every year as a way to change course, break bad habits, start new habits, and refresh. This year I decided to also make a new year's resolution for my blog... my goal is to post everyday in January. In addition my goal is to amp up the veggies, salads, and main dishes since last year I was pretty heavy in the desserts realm. To start the new year out right I made pan roasted chicken thighs.

I love the flavor of just about anything that has been roasted. As a Christmas present from Nick's grandparents I received a cast iron skillet (one of the few kitchen items missing from my collection) just like this one: Lodge Logic L10SK3 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet. I wanted to break it in and couldn't think of any better recipe than pan roasted chicken thighs. The skillet made all the difference in the world - these were so delicious. The skin was perfectly crispy and flavorful and the inside was juicy and moist.

If you don't have your own cast iron skillet you can make this in any oven proof pan or sear them on the stove top and transfer the chicken to a roasting pan to finish baking in the oven. Though speaking as someone that has made it that way before I would recommend purchasing your very own skillet... especially because now that I have this new fun toy I am sure I will be making plenty more recipes that use it and you will want to eat them all :)

This recipe is super simple and takes only 3 ingredients. For us, however, it turned out to be a team effort... our overly sensitive smoke detector seemed to be in a mood this fine new year's day and went off, no joke, 15 times. Nick finally decided to camp out under the thing fanning a pillow for the entire last 12 minutes of cooking... What would I do without him?! Hopefully he didn't mind all the work because these were so delicious I am certain we will want to make them again. Though perhaps next time we will just set a fan up on a chair.

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe

Ingredients
yields 4 - 6 servings
6 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
1 lemon, sliced into thick slices
1/2 T. canola or vegetable oil

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2) Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper.

3) Heat the oil in a skillet or oven proof pan over medium high heat. When the oil is very hot place the chicken thighs, skin side down. The chicken should sizzle loudly when placed in the pan - if it doesn't then the oil isn't hot enough yet!

4) Sear the chicken for 2 minutes on medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, skin side down for 10-12 minutes or until the skin is a golden brown color all over and the fat has rendered. If you have a large skillet be sure to check and make sure it's cooking evenly.

5) Places lemon slices in the pan with the chicken and transfer chicken to the oven (keep it skin side down) cook for 12 more minutes.

6) Flip the chicken over and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through (the internal temperature should be 165 and the juices when cut should be clear, not red). Remove from oven, transfer to plate, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Saffron Vanilla Rothschilds

2012-12-25T11:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my gluten-free Christmas. Well I suppose it's not actually my gluten-free Christmas; it's Nick's mom's gluten-free Christmas. She recently embarked on a gluten-less lifestyle so I figured I would try to make a few Christmas cookies that fit into her new diet. She found a recipe in the paper for a vanilla saffron almond cookie that sounded a lot like the Rothschild cookies that we made in culinary school. So I took inspiration from the ingredients in the paper and modified a Rothschild recipe to make these delicious cookies.

I'm not a big fan of gluten free flours because they are usually hard to find, expensive, and a mixed bag of results. So when I make things for people with a gluten intolerance I prefer to lean toward recipes that are naturally gluten-free and don't take any substitutions. Rothschilds and macarons are the way to go (don't worry - there is a macaron recipe coming soon too!). They use almond flour (sometimes called almond meal) which you can normally find in the baking section of the grocery or even just on Amazon (I use this one: Almond Flour - Fine - 1 bag, 1 lb).

These cookies are pretty easy to make. They take a little longer than other cookie recipes because they require a meringue be made first and the almond flour gently folded into the meringue. Whipping egg whites into meringue isn't hard at all - the only real trick is making sure you don't get even a drop of yolk into your whites (the fat in the yolk keeps the egg whites from setting up properly). Finally make sure you add the sugar in slowly, patience here pays off, if you add it to quick you're going to end up starting over which takes waaaay more time than if you just add the sugar slowly.

After the cookies came out of the oven this morning everyone gave them a try. They definitely were a winner and didn't taste like a substitute cookie at all! Even if you're not gluten-free you'll love these cookies that are sans-gluten. They go great with a cup of tea or a coffee. And they only have about 25 calories per cookie! So munch away! :)

Saffron Vanilla Almond Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

yields about 60 cookies

1 pinch saffron threads, crushed

1 T. hot water

5 egg whites

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups almond flour (sometimes called almond meal)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

2) In a large mixing bowl (or the mixing bowl of your stand mixer) add the hot water and saffron - crumble up the saffron threads in your hands before adding them in. Let stand for 2-3 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, separate the eggs leaving only the whites (you'll have to use the yolks for another recipe as you don't need them here). Add the egg whites, vanilla, and salt to the saffron water mixture and beat until frothy and soft peaks begin to form.

4) Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula and turn the mixer back on. Add the sugar slowly 1 T. at a time. After all the sugar is incorporated scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to beat until the egg whites are firm and glossy with stiff peaks (see picture above).

5) Gently fold in the almond meal.

6) Place 1/2 T. sized mounds on the cookie sheet or put the mixture into a piping bag and make little S shapes with a wide round tip.

7) Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and puffy. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before attempting to remove them (if hot they will stick to the sheet - if cool they will slide right off no problem). Store in an airtight container at room temperature (don't freeze or refrigerate these or they will get an odd texture).

Bacon Cheddar Date Scones

2012-12-23T12:51:00.004-05:00

This post took a while coming. I made these when I was back home for Thanksgiving to serve for breakfast one morning. I love scones and have made sweet and fruity ones many times before but this was my first time making a savory scone. I was reluctant to believe they would be as good as the fruity ones but they were delicious!

I love all the different goodies in these. The dates add a sweet component. The bacon a crunchy, chewy, salt component. The cheddar and blue cheese add the cheesy deliciousness that pull the whole thing together. They are perfect for breakfast along side an egg or just with a cup of coffee. It's like someone built the breakfast into the sandwich!

Thanksgiving with the family is always a ton of fun. My aunt, uncle, and cousin stop by and half the neighborhood comes over and we all eat enough food for an army. My mom was busy making the dinner for everyone which takes a ton of time. The woman made at least 4 kinds of pie for heaven's sake!! So I thought I would lend a hand and make some breakfast so that she could rest that morning with a cup of coffee instead of a to-do list. :)

These smelled delicious while they were baking and even my nephew couldn't resist. So here is a picture of said nephew who is perhaps the naughtiest puppy there ever was... but he's so stinking cute it makes up for it! :)

Breakfast Scone Recipe

Ingredients

yields 8 large scones

2 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

8 oz bacon, cooked, drained, and roughly chopped
1/3 cup dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
4 T. butter

2 T. shortening

3/4 cup cream

1 egg

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, bacon, cheeses, and dates in a large mixing bowl and mix until combined.

3) Cut in the butter and shortening using a pastry cutter or two forks. Add the cream and egg until just combined. The dough should be lumpy.

4) Flour a work surface and place the dough on the surface. Gently form it into a round disk about 3/4 an inch thick. Slice the dough into 8 even slices like a pizza (see picture above) and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Want smaller scones? Use a small round cookie-cutter and cut out smaller pieces.

Looking for sweet scones instead? Try my Pumpkin Scones.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Scones

Holiday Popcorn

2012-12-21T17:50:00.000-05:00

Holiday parties are abound and I love having some recipes in my back pocket that are easy to put together and still fun to serve. When I have parties I like there to be plenty of finger foods for guests to munch on while I prepare the main event. This recipe is super easy and keeps quite well in an air-tight container so you can prepare it up to two days ahead of time without worrying about it getting stale.

This time I made this holiday themed this time by adding in the pistachios and cranberries for the hint of red and green. You can really do about anything with it. Little bits of candy bars, red hots, candy corns, anything your heart desires can be mixed in with the popcorn to make this fun finger food for your party.

So feel free to experiment with this and see what you come up with. If you come up with something great let me know - I'm always looking for new ideas.

Popcorn Mix Recipe

Ingredients

yields 7 cups snack mix

6 cup air popped popcorn

1 t. salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup nuts (I used pistachios)

1/2 cup dried fruit or candies (I used carnberries)

Directions

1) Pop popcorn. Spread evenly out on a sheet pan.

2) Drizzle melted chocolate on time, while the chocolate is still soft sprinkle with salt, nuts, and fruit.

It's as easy as that! :)

Eggnog Pancakes

2012-12-18T10:14:00.000-05:00

Do you have some eggnog lying around? Maybe it's leftover from a party or maybe you bought it to have just a glass but can't fathom yourself finishing the carton... regardless of why you have extra. But what in the world do you do with it? Fear not... I have the solution... Eggnog Pancakes.

I made these for breakfast on Sunday and they turned out great. Fluffy, warm, and eggnog-y. The only problem was... I forgot I don't like eggnog!! The recipe was great and if you love the flavor of eggnog you're going to love these for breakfast this winter. If you don't like eggnog (or if you forgot you don't like eggnog) I probably wouldn't recommend making them though. As it turns out eggnog flavored recipes taste distinctly like eggnog! Go Figure. Oh well, live and learn.

If you like eggnog but aren't a huge pancake fan this batter is pretty versatile and you can simply heat up the waffle iron and pour it in there. Ta-da! Eggnog waffles! :)

Eggnog Pancake Recipe

Ingredients

yields 8 medium sized pancakes

1 cup flour

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

1 cup eggnog

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 T. butter, melted and cooled

1 t. vanilla

vegetable oil or butter for the skillet

Directions

1) In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggnog and egg. Whisk until just combined. Add the cooled butter. (If you don't let the butter cool it will seize up with the cold egg and eggnog... won't ruin the dish but may make them just a little less pretty).

2) Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil or butter. Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter and cook until bubbles form on the entire surface (about 2 minutes). Flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

Looking for some other breakfast options? Try out some of my favorite breakfast recipes:

Waffles

Popovers

Eclairs

Homemade Pasta

2012-12-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

Well it was finally lazy weekend for us here in DC. The last 3 months have been filled with travel, visitors, and commitments. This weekend Nick and I finally had some time to spend together without anything to do... except chores, errands, etc. But still, it was nice. Last night we decided to make dinner together and do a double feature from Redbox. Not wanting anything too fancy or complicated we opted for some homemade pasta. The process is quick and it is something that is easy for two people to make together while sharing a bottle of wine.

I love dinners that we can make together. Standing the kitchen cooking together, chatting, listening to music, and drinking wine is one of my favorite date nights. Nick is the perfect person to make dinner with in the kitchen. He is willing to help with anything and able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions (is that garlic on fire?!). Whether it's chopping the onions or waving an oven mitt in front of the screeching fire detector he is always there to help. Even if his job is laying the pasta out on the drying rack (don't worry - I cleaned it afterward!) he acts like it's fun.... though he did remind me how little work boxed pasta is quite a few times... ;)

Last Christmas I got a pasta roller attachment for my kitchen aid mixer (like this one: Pasta Roller Attachment). I absolutely love it. While you can use a rolling pin to roll the pasta out this just makes the process so much faster and easier - no Kitchen Aid? No Problem... we made pasta growing up every Christmas and used a hand crank pasta roller and it worked fantastically (like this one: Hand Crank Pasta Roller). I didn't get the cutter that goes with it so we have to cut it on our own. To make things a little easier this time I lightly floured the fresh sheet of pasta and folded it over itself then used a pastry cutter (or pizza cutter) to make thin strips. Were they perfectly even... heck no... were they perfectly delicious... oh yes!

While it is more work than just opening up a box of Barilla even Nick admitted it was worth all the effort. The taste and texture of homemade pasta just doesn't compare to anything from the store. And all in all (as long as you don't mess up the first batch of dough... ooops!) it really only takes about 30 minutes start to finish. As long as you have a good bottle of wine, nice music, and a chatty sous chef the time flies by in a heartbeat.

So if you have a night this winter where there isn't much to do but eat dinner and watch a movie try out this recipe and see what you think. Though be warned... you may never want to go back to the boxed stuff ;)

Homemade Pasta Recipe

Ingredients

yields 2-3 servings of pasta

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

1 T. olive oil

1/2 t. salt

Directions

1) Place the flour on the counter and form a small well in the middle. Crack the eggs and pour the olive oil into the well. Using a fork combine the ingredients. When the dough has come together knead it until smooth (about 5 minutes).

2) Allow the dough to rest on the counter for 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare your pasta roller (or do some stretches so you're ready to use the rolling pin!) and put a large pot of water with 1 t. salt on the burner to boil. Cut the dough into 4 batches and roll out into thin sheets and if you have cutter cut the dough. Otherwise lightly dust the sheet with flour, fold it over itself and cut into long strips. Place the strips flat to dry or hang the from a rack.

3) Place the fresh noodles in the boiling water and cook 1-2 minutes or until the texture is to your liking. Drain and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.

Looking for something tasty to do with the pasta? Check out some other recipes of mine that use pasta!

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Orange Pecan Waffle Cookies

2012-12-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way... Welcome to The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap post! Nothing feels more like the Holidays than Christmas cookies and presents in the mail. The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap served as both this year! Basically you sign up and get 3 bloggers names and addresses and mail them cookies then wait patiently to receive cookies yourself! This was my first year participating and I took a lot of time deciding what to send. As I knew it would spend a couple of days aboard a mail truck I opted for Orange-Pecan Waffle Cookies which I knew kept well and didn't get stale fast.

These cookies mean holidays to me. I actually stumbled upon them the first time while on a holiday get-away. Nick and I took a long weekend vacation to Virginia Beach a few years ago and stayed at a fantastic bed and breakfast. It was a great trip. We saw snow on the beach (crazy!), ran around town without worrying about crowds or reservations (empty!), and drove down the board walk to see all the Christmas lights (pretty!). After a delicious dinner where we shared bottles of wine (yes that's plural!) we came back to the bed and breakfast and found a cookie jar filled with these cookies. There were probably 25 cookies in the jar and by the morning I can assure you there was even a crumb remaining. They were so delicious.

The innkeeper was the nicest lady in the world and she shared her secret recipe with me. Since then I have made these quite often. In addition to being delicious they are EASY. You don't even need an oven! Just a waffle iron is all. What's better than something that doesn't even need a cookie sheet?

Hopefully the girls I sent them too enjoyed them as much as my boyfriend enjoyed the leftovers. Sorry I couldn't send a box to each of you... here is a picture of the box consider it the best I can do for you dear readers as there are far too many of you to send pictures too. :) Merry Christmas all :)

Waffle Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

yields 48 cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. finely chopped pecans

1/2 t. salt

zest of 1 orange

Directions

1) Cream the butter and the sugar until they are smooth.

2) Add eggs, flour, vanilla, pecans, salt, and orange zest. Mix until just combined.

3) Pre-heat waffle iron. Drop 1/2 - 1 T. batter onto the waffle iron and bake for 90 seconds. If your waffle iron can accommodate try baking a few at a time. I could fit four in mine, one in each quadrant without them sticking to each other.

If you're interested in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap you can check out their website and add yourself to their mailing list. If you would like to see more cookie swap cookies check out the posts from the bloggers that sent me their delicious treats!

Maneesha at Twice Charmed Gourmet sent me Meyer Lemon Cardamom Crinkle Cookies.

Hannah at Nothing But Delicious sent me Lizner Thumbprint Cookies with Apple Butter.

Stacey at Every Little Thing sent me Lemon Rosemary Cookies.

Focaccia Bread

2012-11-29T08:40:00.001-05:00

Well I suppose it's time to start blogging again. I took a fantastically long break from blogging these last two weeks and went home to Indiana to eat unphotographed meals and drink wine with family and friends. While it was great to take a break I do have to say my right index finger is itching to take some pictures of delicious food! :) This recipe is one of my favorite yeasted bread recipes. It's easy and uses an unexpected ingredient to give the bread a delicious crumb.

After I had photographed the bread I quickly served up some pieces for Nick and I with a little of olive oil for dipped. This bread is truly fantastic right from the oven. The crust gets a nice crispiness and the warm soft middle is prefect for sopping up your favorite sauce. Luckily we didn't eat the whole thing and I used the leftovers the next day to make sandwiches for our lunches. This bread really does make the perfect sandwich. Unlike some regular white breads it has lots of flavor which goes great with just about any lunch meat or cheese you can find.

Rosemary Olive Oil Focaccia Bread Recipe

Ingredients
yields 10" x 15" loaf or 2 8" round loaves
Dough
1 medium baking potato (8-10 oz)
1 1/2 t. rapid-rise yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt

Topping
2 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
3/4 t. sea salt

Directions
1) Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.

2) In the bowl of your stand mixer or food processor place yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup of the warm water. Mix (or pulse) until combined and tightly cover. Set aside for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly (can take longer in a cold kitchen).

3) Peel and quarter the potato. Place in the boiling water and cook potato pieces until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain the potato well and allow to let cool. Using a grater grate the potato into fine pieces.

4) Add the 1 1/3 cups of the potato (discard or snack on any remaining potato) and remaining ingredients to the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough comes together and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky add up to an additional 1/2 cup of flour.

5) Place dough hook on mixer and increase speed of the mixer to medium. Mix for 5 minutes or until dough becomes elastic. If using a food processor turn out onto the counter and knead gently for 2-3 minutes.

6) Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and allow to rise for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.

7) Press the dough flat into either a half sheet/jelly roll pan or 2 8 inch round pans. Press dough to the ends of the pans. If the dough become resistant don't get mad... just allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes and try again... like everything in life it just needs a minute to re-group.

8) Allow the dough to sit in the pans, covered with a tea towel, in a warm place until the dough is puffy and doubled in size (about 1 hour).

9) Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. With damp fingers press the dough to create little dimples. Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle salt and rosemary on top. Bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Best eaten warm, or cold, or in sandwiches, or dipping into soup.... nevermind... it's gone...

adapted from Cook's Illustrated The Best Recipe

Mango Sorbet

2012-11-15T11:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking... sorbet? It's definitely fall, nearly winter, and this girl is making us freezing cold dishes? Where's the stews, the soups, the mugs of hot cider?! While I love fall food more than about any food in the world I just had to make sorbet this week. I love sorbet... there is no better dessert than frozen, sweetened fruit. And with mangoes on sale at the store I was sold... so put on your sweater and have some sorbet, it's worth a chill! :)

Whether or not on your onboard for this chilly treat you'll be impressed with the mango goodness of this sorbet. Find fresh mangoes and the flavor is particularly intense. It reminded me of the little gelato stores that give you just a few bites of ice cream because the flavor is enough that just a few bites will do you. Super fresh, super yummy!

Here I mixed it with a little bit of my favorite sorbet... raspberry. The two together served in these fun shot glasses was fantastic! If you're a fan of two flavors together then try the mango sorbet with the raspberry sorbet recipe.

Mango Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients
yields 8-10 servings
2 large, ripe mangoes (16 oz frozen, cubed mango from the freezer section)
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. lime juice
1 t. lime zest
1/2 cup water

Directions
1) Peel mangoes, remove seeds and cut into large chunks.

2) Combine mango chunks and all other ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

3)Place the mixture in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacture's instructions. When the ice cream is finished place in an airtight container and store for up to 10 days.

Check out some other frozen desserts...

Fudge Pops

Raspberry Sorbet

Margarita Ice Pops

Pumpkin Pie Spice Scones

2012-11-12T23:13:00.004-05:00

Well it seems to be all about pumpkin this year so I thought I would add another of my favorite pumpkin recipes to the blog. Scones are one of my favorite breakfast pastries. They have that mildly sweet flavor that makes you feel like you're eating dessert while being warm and hearty like a biscuit.

These actually took some experimentation to get the consistency I was looking for. Every recipe I could find called for eggs. I knew I didn't want eggs in there. Eggs, because of their fat and protein content, will give baked goods a cakey consistency. When making say cakes or brownies this is an awesome effect... when making scones or biscuits... not so much.

After nailing down a recipe I thought would work that was egg free I then had problems with the pumpkin... too much and the scones get an overwhelming flavor and the dough is too sticky... too little and they don't get the right color. I think here I struck a good balance of flavor and color, though it did take quite a few tries.

While I love to serve scones warm with just melted butter (and don't get me wrong, these are great that way) I decided to make a glaze for the remaining ones I didn't wolf down right off the baking tray. I love the look and taste of the glaze on the scones at Starbucks so I tried to replicate that here.

Just like when making pie or biscuits you need to be sure you don't over mix the dough. When liquid and flour combine and are agitated gluten beings to form. The more you work the dough the more your scones are going to resemble a nice baguette. After you have added the liquid ingredients only mix it until the dough comes together into a large ball. After that... STOP! No one likes chewy scones....

Pumpkin Scone Recipe

Ingredients
yields 8 scones
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 T. butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 T. vanilla
1 T. pumpkin pie spice

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl or food processor combine the flours, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

2) Add the chunks of butter and process until the mixture resembles a course meal. If you don't have a food processor then you can use a pastry cutter or fork to mash the butter into small pieces in the flour, much like you would for pie dough.

3) Add the pumpkin puree to the mixture and process quickly. Add the vanilla and whole milk in a steady stream and process until the dough comes together in a ball. If not using a food processor, incorporate the pumpkin, whole milk, and vanilla into the mixture slowly being careful not to over mix the dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

4) Form the dough into a large ball and roll out into a 8-9 inch circle on a floured surface. Using a pizza cutter or knife cut the dough into 8 evenly sized slices. Place slices on a greased baking sheet and bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until the scones are lightly browned.

Pumpkin Scone Glaze Recipe

Ingredients
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 T. milk
1/4 t. vanilla
1 t. pumpkin puree
1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice

Directions
1) Combine sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a bowl and mix well until combined. Reserve 3 T. of the glaze mixture in a separate bowl off to the side.

2) Pour the non-reserved glaze over the scones evenly.

3) Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to the reserved glaze. Drizzle over the top of the glazed biscuits in a fun pattern.

Looking for other ways to use pumpkin? Try my lightened up pumpkin bread recipe:

Pumpkin Bread

Shrimp with Tomatoes and White Beans

2012-11-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

As winter starts to set in and there is a chill in the air I can't stop thinking about stews. Hearty, rich, and warm. They fill you up and warm you up at the same time. This one was great, not only was it the stew that satisfied my craving but it's my newest installment of quick and easy dinners.

This stew I really loved. It was almost like a chili in consistency with really great spices. Nick, my non-tomato loving friend, only gave it a mediocre rating. So if you're not a fan of tomatoes don't bother. It has tomatoes, it looks like tomatoes, and it tastes like tomatoes! For me that was great though. The broth is delicious and definitely requires a nice piece of crusty bread to sop up all the juices.

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