Thanksgiving, and leftovers.

This was the first year I've ever cooked a Thanksgiving dinner. I'd say I was over prepared, since I did a lot of knitting the day of... not that I'm complaining. I ordered a smoked turkey, which I had never tried before, from the Amish organic meat guy that I also ordered beef and pork from this year. It was fantastic! My first bite confirmed that it was indeed similar to ham, but it was such a stress free way to make a Thanksgiving turkey, that I would absolutely do it again.

These rolls (on the right above) are also one of my favorite party foods, since you mix the dough the night before and let it sit until about 2 hours before you want to bake them. I'd say they fall into the enriched bread category, since they contain a fair amount of sugar, some milk and butter, but they are always popular. Instead of feeling leaden like many enriched doughs, these are light, and hold well for a couple of days after too.

The smoking process requires the bird be cut in half, so I froze half of my bird. The meat is actually then fully cooked, and only needs to be heated through. I borrowed a Rival electric counter top roasting pan from my in-laws, and was rewarded with an entire oven of free space. I had the stuffing and Potato Pumpkin bake ready the day before, so it really only needed to be on an hour, 90 minutes if you include the rolls' baking time.

By the time I ate pie later in the evening, I was really very full. I can not eat to my full capacity anymore. I was reminded of this when reading this post by Glutster today. Ah, to be 20 again...

There were hardly any dishes from this adventure either, at least no more than any other day, which was an added bonus. We had a leftovers party the next day with Sasa and Dimitri to quickly dispense of most of the leftovers. I had made enough steamed broccoli to feed North Korea, so I decided just before they arrived to make a broccoli soup. That wasn't a bad idea, since it was also delicious.

Made like this:

All my leftover broccoli, a carrot, an onion, 2 c. of stock and 2 c. of skim milk. Easy peasy. Add some salt, pepper and Aleppo and blend with an immersion blender. Then mix in about 4 oz. of shredded (Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar - I love Wisconsin...) cheese and you have a pretty easy, healthy, delicious soup!

I was leaving town, so I sent along the leftovers with them, but I'll be making this again soon. The Boy-O and I took a quick trip west to cut down our tree and visit my parents for a day. When I returned, there was just enough turkey left for a couple of sandwiches. I ate one last night, and one for lunch today on some plain old white bread I made.

It has been quite a while since I made plain white bread. This is the Cook's Illustrated American White Bread, which is just that: soft, plain and white. It was the proper choice for the last of the Thanksgiving turkey. I polished off the last of my first jar of spicy dilly beans, a keeper of a canning recipe if I ever had one, and am on track for a cleaned out fridge. We're heading south to Orlando, FLA in a couple of days, and I like to have a clean slate when I return from a trip. The break in cooking before we go will be used to decorate the tree, knit and meander around the house in general.

Boy, Marisa at Foodinjars was not kidding about how good these dilly beans are...

So many people have such horror stories about their first Thanksgiving behind the stove. I'm very thankful that mine was such a good experience to remember! The coming weeks will be spent in Christmas cooking preparations. Cookies, of course. Every year I seem to go overboard and think that I never have enough. Tamale making is going to be in the works again this year, too. I love making tamales, and this is my third year using the Rick Bayless method. The only thing I do wish I had were an extra pair of hands to help with the spreading, and about 20 extra feet of counter space. But as long as I plan enough in advance, I am just as happy to do it alone. Still if you are in the greater Milwaukee area, and want to lend a hand, just let me know.

Canolo Mio: November 2009 Daring Baker Challenge

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

The recipe for these Cannoli was titled Lidisano, a very Italian sounding name if you ask me, but she also adds: "the name ‘Lidisano’ is a combination of Lidia, Lisa and Sopranos".

This month, I was fooled by the opening lines that this challenge wouldn't require baking. Then I read my dreaded words "Deep Frying". I'll admit that I've never deep-fried anything in my life, and this rendered me very procrastinative for this challenge. I've pan-fried, but always with minimal fat in a non-stick skillet - so I guess that's really not even close. I am not opposed to eating the occasional fry or onion ring either, but somehow, I never had the urge to do this in my hood-free home. Fortunately, I did my homework (as promised) and did a lot of thinking through. Not only was this a fun challenge, I discovered the joys of deep-frying.

As always, I'll let the pictures tell the story:

I decided to make the optional ricotta cheese. I've made this before, though not for some time. Ounce for ounce, I'd say that homemade ricotta (one gallon milk to one quart buttermilk, though I made only half) is worth making over buying. Not only can the taste convince you, but it's really not all that expensive to make. I made a half batch, and my yield was about 2 1/2 cups. Your yield will depend on the fat content of your milk, and I used whole for the sake of the Daring Kitchen and Thanksgiving spirit.

I made a makeshift bag out of cheesecloth and tied it from my cabinet to let it drain. It was delicious, dry curd cheese when it emerged.

I did this step a couple days before the frying stage. It will last about a week in the fridge. I'm planning a lasagna out of the remainder. If I have too many leftovers after our Thanksgiving dinner to attend to, I think I'll assemble it and freeze it, though I'm not sure about freezing the ricotta by itself.

So, true to my procrastination, I made the dough yesterday afternoon. It needs a couple hours in the cold to relax, and I thought I could fry it today if I felt like it. (After all, everything is basically done for my Thanksgiving dinner. I think Thanksgiving seems to be a little different than most dinners, since everything can be made mostly in advance. I find myself with more time than I thought today, until 3 p.m. when my prep work will pay off and I have to turn on the oven.) I ended up deciding to make the shells last night after all.

I opted to use the pasta machine rolling option. The reason my dough is that peculiar shade of burgundy is that I used red wine as my acid. The recipe called for sweet Marsala or any red or white wine on hand. In any future cannoli making events, I think I would use white just to have a more attractive color in my end product. These did taste delicious, though. As they fried, I could smell the wine evaporating, and in the end only had a nuanced taste of alcohol.

I cut the circles with a 3 inch cutter, and layered them in the plastic wrap to await their fried baths. This dough was incredibly elastic. The other thing I noticed about this challenge is that it wasn't really messy. The dough was clean to work with, and didn't even need much flour to roll out. And the frying was a breeze too. I was so surprised at this, since I thought for sure I was going to need to wash the floor and wipe up spattered oil from everything. In truth, I didn't even need to wash more than the stand mixer bowl, the oil pan and the candy thermometer!

My fry station.

I decided to use grapeseed oil to fry. And those takeout chopsticks were my only other tool needed. I spread some newspaper on a sheet pan, laid a sheet of paper towel on top, and waited for the oil to come to temperature: 350-375 degrees.

I used a small pot, since I knew I was going to make the stacked cannolo, and it required me to use less oil. I used about 3 cups to come to a depth of about 2 inches. A strange thing happened to me: I fried each cannolo by itself, and I got to know the temperament of hot oil. By about the 3rd round, I knew how many seconds before I needed to flip, and by about the 10th, I knew how to control the heat to maintain about 370 degrees. I could physically see the differences in cannoli fried at 350 and those fried at 370+. Amazing. The beautiful blistering came at the higher temperature. I have new appreciation for fry cooks.

For health reasons, I don't think I'll take up frying on an everyday basis, but I enjoyed this! I had the quiet kitchen to myself (since I started after Boy-O's bedtime), and with zen like precision, I carried out my 4th daring baker task. After all the rounds were fried, I pulled out the pumpkin-ricotta filling I made earlier in the afternoon, and filled a pastry bag.

The pumpkin filling was tasty, if not a touch on the sweet side, and indeed the only thing bothering me about the my whole challenge experience was the color combination of my finished product.

But after my first bite, I wasn't too worried about that. The shells were perfectly crisp, and the filling perfectly and pumpkinly creamy.

You can find the recipes for this month's Daring Baker Challenge at The Daring Kitchen website, if you find yourself curious about deep frying. If you do carry out the task, I hope you are as pleasantly surprised by the results as I was!

One day until Pie Day, or Thanksgiving as it is also known.

First off, these photos will not be as clear or artful as normal. It's hard to snap photos when your hands are covered in butter and flour. I am truly amazed that I've never dropped my camera thus far due to "kitchen hands", but I'm sure that now I've mentioned it, it will fall gracelessly from my grasp later this afternoon...

I decided to waiver from the Vodka Pie Crust I was planning to make for my Thanksgiving pies, and opted for the Alton Brown method since I've had nothing but success from his recipes in the past, and they used slightly less fat than the Vodka Dough. I was also in the mood for weights, and so out of the cupboard came my digital scale, and all the ingredients were assembled nice and neat in the food pro.

Check it out if you have 10 minutes:

Now, I did not use a brick of lard, mind you. I did use 2 T. of organic, non-hydrogenated shortening, and the resulting pie dough was beautiful and easy to work with. The most novel thing about this pie dough making method is that after food pro assembly, you simply toss the dough into a zipper top bag, and then gently knead it into a disk through the plastic. Mess free! I am the messiest pie dough maker ever, and nary a stray crumb catapulted from the counter during my whole process.

I mixed up the doughs yesterday, and pulled them from the icebox to roll this morning. Another amazing thing is Alton tells you to cut two sides off the zip top bag (one of my sides was the ziptop part), and then use the plastic to roll out the dough. This is genius, since I barely needed any additional flour to roll, and absolutely nothing sticks to the board.

When I got to this point, I did slice off the other two sides of the plastic bag, and then repositioned the plastic as needed. I think I've found a way to have pie more often! Usually, I stick to cake, since I do love it, often it only requires one bowl, and I can manage relative neatness while assembling.

Finished pie photos will most definitely accompany my Thanksgiving dinner post, sometime after the fete tomorrow or Friday...

But look at my work area! Not messy at all, and now I'm on to assembly of the Potato and Pumpkin Bake that Marisa at Foodinjars.com told me (and all of her readers) I had to make. Meanwhile, if you haven't made a pie yet, or just needed some encouragement to go ahead and make one, give Alton's Recipe a try. You won't be sorry, and neither will your clean kitchen.

HOT! Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Last Friday, the Boy-O and I went for lunch together at Honeypie. It was one of the better restaurant experiences for us lately, I suspect because it was just the two of us. He sat opposite me at our table in the window, and really was being quite impressive. He ordered his grilled cheese, on the list of his acceptable foods, and I just ordered a bowl of soup: Creamy Curried Carrot.

I haven't had a carrot soup in quite awhile, and this one was great. I just needed to ask for the Sriracha, since I like things hot. That one bowl was enough for the day, but I really had a taste for it again today. I thought I'd make some, but I'd make sure to add enough heat for me not to need to add any additional.

Well, it's Hot, I'll tell you. I finished making it just after lunch, and had a little cup full just to be sure it was seasoned properly. I'll list my approximate proportions here:

Hot Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

• 2 T. or so olive oil and/or a little butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 T. more or less Hot Curry Powder
• 1 t. or so powdered ginger
• 5 or 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 good size sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• about 6 c. chicken stock or veg stock or even water
• salt and pepper (I used California Seasoned Pepper and a good shake of Aleppo, since I can't seem to omit it from anything)

Saute onion in oil or butter until translucent, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add curry powder and ginger powder and stir for one minute. Add all the chopped veg and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, pop on the lid, and simmer gently for a half hour or so until the vegetables are soft. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (taking care not to seal it up all the way if it's hot). Adjust spices with salt and peppers.

You could add a whole host of other nuanced spices if you feel like it, I think nutmeg and maybe even a little allspice would be good. I'm also planning to splash it with a little half and half before I serve it to my Mom tonight. Oh, and I'm going to make a few candied walnuts for the top... I think it needs something crunchy.

Such a cheerful fall color...

The other highlight of Friday's impromptu lunch was the Boy-O having to have dessert. I know I could have said no...but I confess that I truly am bewildered at the deliciousness of their baked goods. Of all the things in the case, he picked out a gingerbread cupcake with cream cheese frosting. I was surprised he didn't go for the Black Forest Cupcakes that were copiously finished with whipping cream and cherries...that's what I would have gone for.

I let him eat 1/3 of it there, since it was the size of a small cake, and we took the rest with us. It was delicious, studded with golden raisins, and definitely not in the non-fat gingerbread category. After this Thanksgiving, I think I'll have to break out my favorite gingerbread recipe, one from the Gramery Tavern that has Guinness. Until then, since I'm hosting this year, I'm back in pie making mode.

You know they're going to be good if you can't stop eating the batter...

It pains me to confess that I had to ditch the remainder of uneaten bread pudding. I have to remember to invest in a smaller baking dish that is approximately half the size of a 9x9 square. I guess I'm a bit tired of sweets. Did I actually just say that?

Well, I guess it was short lived, since I got the cookie making vibe this afternoon. I decided I could not control my desire for butterscotch chips, and the only thing I know of making with them is Oatmeal Scotchies. But given my slightly less than normal sweet tooth (most used 1 1/2 c. of sugar!) and a full cup of butter in every single recipe I looked at, I knew I had to do some tweaking so here it is:

Better for You Oatmeal Scotchies:

• 8 T. (1 stick) butter (c'mon, if you are going to make cookies, you have to have SOME butter!)
• 1/4 c. veg oil
• 3/4 c. brown sugar (light or dark)
• 2 eggs
• 3 c. rolled oats
• 1/4 c. flax meal
• 1 c. white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur, but whole wheat pastry flour is probably fine)
• 1/2 t. cinnamon (I used the last of my Cassia...)
• pinch of salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla
• one 11 oz package butterscotch chips
  

Now since I didn't know what I was doing until it happened, I will divulge my processes. You can assemble according to your favorite cooking making method if you like.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

In a standing mixer (mine was fitted with my new beater blade), combine softened butter and oil and mix thoroughly. Add brown sugar and continue to mix until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating a full minute between additions.

Add rolled oats. Stir. Add flax meal (just grind whole flax seeds in a coffee grinder if you have them instead). Stir. Add whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and vanilla. Stir.

Add one package of butterscotch chips. I know this is a artificial flavor, but sometime nothing beats it! And, since I have this fab beater blade, I added the chips and then used the machine to stir.

Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Depending on your size, you may need to adjust more or less. I used a scoop about this size:

And here's my hand, for reference:

One of these days I'll get around to measuring how many t. this actually is. All I know for certain is that I made these particular cookies by compacting the scoop and leveling it off. Normally I subscribe to the larger cookies, fewer scoops, but these seemed to thrive on their smaller portioned shape. I pressed the top of each one slightly before baking too, since they don't spread much.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a more substantial and less greasy cookie due to my cutting down on all the butter. They passed the Husband test as well. Boy-O swiped 3 off the cooling rack, but I rescued the third one before it was devoured. And as for me, I ate enough of the batter to be satiated until later this evening, when, no doubt, the sugar will call to me once more.

Tea from a coffee pot...

My little mid-century home has a wealth of built in storage disguised as a china cabinet in the dining room. Deep within the closed bottom cabinets, I found my old percolating coffee pot about a week ago. It was by accident, really, since I had to rearrange cookbook space due to the new additions. I can proudly say that I think I now have more cookbooks than any other genre of book, an obsession that really is only curtailed by my lack of funds. Fortunately, I have a great library within walking distance to fill in my gaps.

I'm not sure what made me decide to making tea in this contraption, but I figured this brand new percolator was not going to live out its life hiding away in the depths, or brewing up coarse grind coffee. Back when I got the percolator, 1996 I think, I did use it for coffee. I was not impressed with the lifeless, lackluster joe that emerged. In those days, I resulted to straight espresso instead of the brewed coffee that is currently my morning mainstay.

Faberware. A decade has passed, and it is still in the same pristine condition I left it in. No crazy, leftover coffee smells either. The tea snobs may shutter at my new found method of brewing, but I don't think I'll succumb to regular brewing again, at least for awhile. The basket neatly holds loose tea and prevents it from littering the water. It's a self-contained unit and only needs to be plugged in for about 3 minutes to cycle.

Granted, I think I do prefer the method of strainer basket for my nicer (and more expensive) Rishi Teas, since they can then endure multiple infusions. When I ran a second infusion of this Cinnamon Plum (below), a new seasonal obsession, it was rather weak - but not really non-palatable. But if you are in a hurry for great tea, and don't worry about the waste (or are using a teabag), 3 minutes is all it takes before you could be pouring that first cup.

I have recently recultivated a love affair with Celestial Seasonings. When I was a kid, there was a menagerie of CS boxes lining the back of the stove at my best friend's house.

I thought the artworks were amazing: of the boxes that I still remember - Tension Tamer: a princess atop a great green dragon, Bengal Spice:a burly, lounging tiger, and my most favorite Mint Magic: with its wizard conjuring up a golden chalice, presumably filled with my favorite beverage)....and what a treat to choose from 30 different kinds of tea! We liked tea at my house too, but usually we had only one kind open at a time. Even now, when you ask my Dad or Brother if they want tea, it is just assumed that you mean Lemon Zinger. I can see why. I recently bought a carton and am drinking it with honey.

just 3 more minutes...

My cabinet has expanded to include several open boxes. I like the choice of boxes, but I still waver back to my loose teas. A short list of links to my most favorites lately:

• Rishi Tea Cinnamon Plum (This link includes a recipe for apple jam made with tea! I'll let you know how it is, since I'm making it straight away.)
• Tevana Rooibos Tropica (A guilty obsession for more than a year! I found them in the Mall, but undeniably one of the prettiest teas I've ever had.)
• Alterra Tea Lavender Chamomile
• Celestial Seasonings Nutcracker Suite (A staple from now until January - with honey added.)
• Celestial Seasonings Decaf Sweet Coconut Thai Chai (Try saying that 3 times fast.)

  

If you happen to have a percolating coffee pot around, I'd suggest having a go with tea brewing. My 4 cup pot is perfectly suited to one tea bag, I'm supposing because of all the percolating going on.

adaptation.

I think it may be impossible for me to follow a recipe without making alterations of some kind. Strangely, however, I always need a base as a jumping off point. If I can at least visualize a final result, I can see all my tweaking to be done along the way. If there was ever anything that a culinary school could do for me, it would be to school me on the science of cooking. In lieu of that, I guess I'll always have Alton.

This past week, I've been altering lots of things. First, a soup that began as Thai-Style Chicken and Rice Soup at Epicurious.

adaptation #1: Thai-Style Soup.

My secret ingredient came by accident when my Husband (who, incidentally, is really incapable of eating any Asian/Latin/Egg dishes without a hot sauce addition of some kind) added the sweet chili sauce before eating.

The original recipe, at the link above, had you straining out the ginger and garlic. This is too much work for me, and I hate to think of the flavors I'd be missing out on, so I'll recant my Thai-Style Soup recipe for you here:

adapted Thai-Style Soup

1 onion, chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (the larger you leave the pieces, the milder the final result: Thanks for telling all the secrets of garlic, Alton Brown...)
1 T. Thai Curry Powder (or Thai Red Curry Paste)
1 t. ground coriander
2 inch piece of ginger, grated on the microplane (or chopped finely)
8 c. (2 quarts) chicken stock, or equivelent substitution
4 c. water
1 can coconut milk (I used to buy "Lite Coconut Milk" from Trader Joe's, since there are no crazy chemicals, and it's really cheap. Then R1 told me, why not just buy the real deal since they just add water to "Lite" coconut milk - not that I'm eating coconut milk Morning, Noon and Night mind you - you can freeze a partial can, not in the can of course, if you only want to use half. The Thai Kitchens brand is seriously delicious, and also crazy chemical-free. One whole can of silky, thick, full-fat coconut milk in this soup was perfect.)
2 c. cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 c. basmati rice
1/2 lb. (or more to your liking) boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise OR 3/4 lb. medium shrimp 31-35 count, peeled and deveined or (I'm wagering) one block extra firm tofu
2 c. or so frozen peas, if you are out of season
2 T. or more fish sauce
salt, 1 1/2 t. or to taste
Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce to serve (buy this from an Asian food store, and it's less than $3...)

In a dutch oven, heat a bit of olive oil (or any oil you cook with) and saute the onion, garlic and ginger until translucent, about 5 minutes or so. I actually like to heat the oil up with the garlic, since I think it makes it milder - a trick I plucked from Marcella Hazan. When the onions are appropriately sauteed, add the curry powder (or paste) and coriander and stir for 1 minute.

Next, add the stock and water. If you are holding this to make later - this is a good place to put the lid on and turn off the heat. If you are continuing: bring to a simmer and add the rice. Start checking for the doneness of the rice at about 12 minutes. You really only need to cook the chicken in simmering water for 3 minutes (so make sure you do slice it thinly), so I like to add it when the rice in just about to be done. I will say, that normally rice in soup seems to grow. The basmati rice, however, seemed to stay about the same. Even after it rested in the fridge for a day or two.

When the rice is near cooked, add the chicken, and simmer until just cooked, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, cilantro, peas and fish sauce, and cook until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt.

Serve with sweet chili sauce. After our initial dinner, I froze 2 quarts of the leftover soup in jars and saved 1 quart for my lunches (I finished the last bowl today). I like having frozen soup on hand, since I don't really buy canned soup. After my initial impression with the longevity of the rice in the icebox, I'm looking forward to delicious thawed frozen leftovers sometime in the future.

adaptation #2: Susan Purdy's bread pudding.

In Have Your Cake and Eat it Too, Susan Purdy massively adapts higher fat recipes into relatively guilt free pleasures. Late last week, I had a half a loaf of bread to use up so I made a variation of her bread pudding, as I have several times in the past. My Mom gave me a copy of this book, and I confess that while it does have a few things that I like, it does tend to be a little to lean for me. If you want a low-fat alternative that you want to eat up in one day, this is the book for you. I've found I liked most of the recipes, but they are too low in fat to taste good for the 7 days that I want and need a recipe to endure - and also cake that is so lean seems to mold fast at room temperature, and I like my cake out on the counter where it can stare at me.

She also seems to have a phobia of egg yolks, which I know was all the rage a few years back. Instead of using her approach of fewer egg yolks and more egg whites for this bread pudding, I like to just throw in 2 eggs and be done with it.

A poor pictorial rendition, as it came out of the oven in the evening...

adapted Bread Pudding:

Combine 4 cups of bread cubes (I love to use artisan style bread here since it really holds up), 2 T. of dark brown sugar and a pinch of salt in 2 c. of milk (originally 1%, but I use skim) for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix 2 eggs 1/4 cup granulated sugar (recipe calls for 1/2 cup if you like it sweeter), 3/4 c. milk, 1/4 c. whisky or rum, 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. nutmeg, 1 t. vanilla extract and 1/2 c. raisins. Pour mixture over the bread cubes, and transfer to a 9x9 glass baking dish.

I like to poke any visible raisins under the surface so they plump up nicely. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, checking at the 45 minute mark. I never bother, but you can bake in a bain marie (hot water bath) as well. It may take slightly longer. Bake until the custard sets. Since it isn't an egg heavy custard, it is a looser interpretation of custard. But rest assured the results are adequate, politely boozy, and rapidly devoured by bread pudding fanatics (a.k.a. me in my household...). It also keeps quite well in the fridge for nearly a week.

adaptation #3: Insanely Healthy Pumpkin Bread

I got it in my head that I desperately needed Pumpkin Bread. Partially because we read the Runaway Pumpkin, on Lindy's advice, and Boy-O was talking about it. A quick Googling unearthed this recipe with so much room for adaptation that I knew I had to make it.

I really did mostly follow the recipe, and was taking it up on adding whatever I had to laying around to use up. Below you can see the leftover almonds mixed with powdered sugar from the last Daring Baker Challenge. I guess it pays not to ever throw anything away...

I also used up several other tablespoons here and there of chopped up nuts. My only mistake was adding additional chopped nuts to the tops before baking. Usually they toast and sink perfectly into the bread, resulting in my favorite way to enjoy nuts in quick breads. But due to the stiffness of the batter, I think I've eaten most of them as they have fallen off during slicing...but I'm not complaining.

I've wrapped it in foil, and parked it in the fridge since it is very dense and English-puddinglike. Today I discovered that it is incredible spread with grape jelly, and somehow it really enhances the pumpkin flavor. I opted for the very low sugar content, and even abstained from adding my new favorite baking ingredient, brown rice syrup. It's Insanely Healthy, and the Boy-O loves it. Into the keeper file...

I think the hardest thing about this whole food-blogging thing is determining when a recipe becomes "Mine". I'm wondering if there is a legal department somewhere defending the intellectual properties of cooks around the country, and if some mad recipe writer somewhere is going to sue me for what little I have. Fortunately, I feel that food folk are some of the nicest people out there, and that sharing really is in the best interest of all of us- adaptations and all.

I hope if I've made your recipes, I've done you justice. I really do set out to start each recipe by making it once in its written form. I will continue to include links to original recipes, and the sources of my original inspirations. Meanwhile, I'll continue the adaptations until I find my next photo-worthy post.

Obsession has officially set in: Burp! Where Food Happens...

I woke up at 2:45 this morning and just could not go back to sleep. I haven't really had this problem in quite a long time, since I usually hit the sack after midnight, and am promptly refreshed in about 7 hours. I turned in about 10 last night to try and re-cultivate my reading habit, which has fallen by the wayside as of late. If it's not a food blog recipe, or the paper a couple of times a week I'm probably not reading it, and that is terrible. Like all things, I tend to go through cycles and get into and out of things that turn into Obsessions.

I suppose that is what happened around 3 am when I decided to do a little reading on the iPod so I didn't have to turn on the light. I discovered Burp! Where Food Happens a few weeks ago when trying to find other Milwaukee food bloggers. Not only did I find that there aren't many of us, I found that sometimes you meet people on accident and could immediately strike up a friendship. I never was (or I dare not say, could be) someone who would cultivate an online friendship. Or maybe, more appropriately, I never thought that it could happen to me... But this Lo that writes Burp! is fast becoming someone I'm proud to know. She is full of advice, encouragement and great recipes. A link to Burp! will forevermore be found to the right of my posts in the Food Blogger Obsessions category , and you can click here to be magically transported to their online trove of recipes.

As a healthy hour or so of my normal sleeping cycle was blissfully given over to the recipes that Lo and her husband Peef generously lent to the Internet world, I was amazed that one site could have so many perfect things that I would want to make. It seems that we share the same palate as well as the desire to cook (and bake) with what is around us in the greater Milwaukee area. After about a half dozen bookmarks to the rapidly growing recipe file on the iPod (I fear I'm going to need more memory soon), I finally was able to get back to bed - albeit dreaming of Cornmeal Waffles that were going to be my breakfast.

I used half the recipe, eyeballed the oil instead of using butter (I save that for company), and used 1 egg for my half-ing endeavors, and they were the best waffles I've ever produced. Boy-O even ate one of the 2 leftover as a snack this afternoon. Another of the coolest things about their site is that they discuss, and then have the recipes posted seperately. This is pure perfection for insomniacs, as I just trolled through the archives, pleasantly reading as if I were deeply embroiled in Shakespere. Here are the links to another several recipes that will be made sometime in the near future:

• Orecchiette with Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta
• Beer Ketchup
• Burp! Barbequed Shrimp (for my Husband, who will Love this...)
• Bourbon Chicken Breasts
• Chipotle Slaw
• Double Ginger Granola with Cranberries & Cocao Nibs
• Orange Harissa Chicken
• Vodka Sauce with Gorgonzola Cream (Penne Vodka is already one of my favorite things, how great to see a version elevating it to dinner party status with that elegant addition of Gorgonzola!)
• Black Bean Chili with Mushrooms
• Meltingly Tender Pork with Apples

I could go on and on, but I won't since you should stop what you are doing and head over there to find out what you are going to have for supper.

I'm kind of hoping I'll have another sleepless night tonight so I can get through the rest of the archive. Better go charge up my battery...

Brussel sprout lunch.

brussel sprout lunch, originally uploaded by Rcakewalk.

Last night I decided to make some steak, since I have to make way in my deep freeze for the new grass fed beef shipment that is coming shortly. I love having a properly stocked freezer now, and there is nothing better than not knowing what to have for supper and then coming up with something fantastic without leaving the home. I also love that I finally figured out that gas grill, so that even though I was grilling in the dark, it was a snap.

I, of course, am not really ever able to finish a whole steak. I saved it for a lunch, and added it, cubed, to a salad with lots of beets. I intentionally made too many garlic mashed potatoes with high hopes of a Shepard's pie in the next day or two. I haven't eaten brussel sprouts in years, and got some in the Harvest Share CSA box last week. Does this seem like a rather large lunch to you? It was. Lately I've been hungriest at the mid-point of the day, especially if my morning includes a walk. In fact, yesterday I didn't know how I'd have room to have steak for dinner after too large a bowl of leftover Rancho Gordo bean soup garnished with about half a mango. Yet, something miraculous happens each day at sunset (now hovering ridiculously overhead around 4:30), I do get hungry again.

I love that I signed up for the Saveur magazine's once a week online newsletter. It's emailed and loads quickly on the iPod touch, and always has a week of interesting meals to choose from. It was here I found a base recipe here for last night's sauteed brussel sprouts:

(In which you first boil them for about 3-5 minutes until mostly tender, and then drain and cool them to room temperature. When they are cool enough to handle, slice in half. Saute an onion in a bit of butter and olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes, then add in the halved brussel sprouts and saute until beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes. Then toss in a handful of toasted pecans, or any nut really.)

My Husband liked them! I think "not bad" was the actual quote, but the plate was suspiciously cleaned of them, so I'm taking it as a win. I think if bacon was involved, I could have gotten a better quote. Either way, I'm going to try and make these forgotten vegetables more often.

My first Giveaway winner (and a picture of the interior of the PIE)

CONGRATULATIONS, Lindy!

As I just got back from typing in my minimum and maximum numbers at Random.org, (labor intensive I might add, as I only had 2 comments) lucky numero uno will be hand delivered the POM jelly and a matching jar of homemade muesli. Lindy attends library day at the same time as the Boy-O and I, so it's even likely I'll even get my jars back!

If you're reading this today, Lindy, I'll bring it tomorrow...

I think the jelly looks best when held up to the light.

Though I was a mite daunted with the lack of interest in my POM Jelly giveaway, I don't think it will be my last. All of you friends of mine who have trouble commenting will need to give me a call, and I can walk you through it! Also, I can add you to a list in Blogger that automatically emails you every time I post: Just click on my profile on the left and shoot me an email so I can add you.

Meanwhile, if there was a way to giveaway a pie (at least to non-local readers), I would be totally up for that since the pie making bug has struck. All but about 3 generous pieces were gone after a lovely weekend spent visiting. I realized that I never took a photo of the interior:

One staunch non-dessert eating friend declared it the best pie ever. I thought it was good, but do prefer more thickening and softness in the apples. I was really alone in my opinion however, since the others liked it for its al dente qualities and lack of thickened liquid.

I have about 3 days left of this pie, and I'll be ready to attack some other dessert. Any requests? Maybe I'll get on the ball and accomplish the Daring Baker's Challenge early this time. I owe it to myself to be a tad more organized this month...

Last week in food...

I will be the first to admit that sometimes I feel hopelessly technologically challenged. I seriously have been trying to upload a picture of pie for 45 minutes. Good thing the Boy-O is tired out from a long weekend and taking a deservedly long nap...

I've had this problem before: I take a photo horizontally, upload it into Picasa, and then somehow the computer sprites tweak it into vertical mode. I go in, change, save, reload - and it is still miraculously vertical. I've repeated this process now so many times that I'm about out of patience. So, If you would like to see this photo, click here.

And now, on with the Post:

Last week was busy in preparation for E and Laura's visit on Friday. I do like to clean and organize, this is true, but somehow I never felt like I had enough hours in the day. I realised around Wednesday that I feel this way since Daylight Savings time has robbed me of 60 precious daylight minutes. I now wake at 6:30 am, and am shocked to be turning on lights promptly around 5 pm. I know I'll get used to it, but the initial week always sends me into denial a little bit. Thankfully with the onset of shorter days and cooler weather, I feel re-inspired to cook. Some highlights from last week:

Spinach and bacon pizza with jalapeno Monterrey Jack cheese. I've decided on giving up my food snobbery of pizza dough construction (Sorry, Alex Guarneschelli...) and going with the "whatever is in the icebox" approach. It's good! I let a portion of the Artisan Bread in Five stored dough sit out covered with a towel for about an hour, and then added the toppings.

One pizza truth I will forevermore adhere to is the addition of the cheese after the pizza has baked 2/3 of the way. Oh, and bake at 500 degrees f. My own, unwritten rule is to only include 3 ingredients as toppings (not including the cheese), but I forgot about the onions until it was too late, so this one only had two. I just remembered that I also sauteed the spinach with sliced garlic, and that was a great idea.

It was even better a couple days later when I had it for lunch. I was cooking my beans via the Parson's Method (more on that below), and slipped it into the oven on its foil for 10 minutes.

Bay scallops with mushrooms, sherry "cream" sauce and polenta. I Loved this. My Husband Liked it, since he's not a huge fan of polenta. I hate to hear this, but secretly plan on making it for lunch every once in a while.

CSA farm box. I got a Harvest Share box from my new CSA, Highcross Farms on Thursday. Lots of late season produce including kale, arugula, parsley (even though mine has suddenly turned into a hedge in the back yard), squashes, onions, brussel sprouts... 10 minutes after I lugged it in the door, I had the beets on a sheet pan destined for roasting.

Friday, the girls were coming, and I planned to make Crispy Kale, since I remembered reading about it in Bon Appetit several months ago. I actually received Tuscan Kale in my box, and was so excited since I have never seen it anywhere before. I went ahead and tried the same baking method with another spicy green (unknown variety to me) and some curly kale as well.

I think I preferred the curly kale, since it literally melted in your mouth, but they were all delicious. And my Husband loved it too. Crispy kale, yes and polenta, no? Go figure... another 10 years, and I should have this down pat!

Friday, I decided on a bean soup since it's flexible in the serving time. Rancho Gordo Midnight blacks, cooked via the Parson's Method mentioned in the book Heirloom Beans. I was so curious when I read this, I just had to try it. I figured a soup pot of beans was the best way to experiment.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. In a dutch oven, bring one pound of unsoaked beans to a boil in 6 cups of water. After it boils, put on the lid and slip it into the oven for 1-2 hours. I checked at 1 hour, and then again at 1:20. They were done enough to add the salt, so I added 1 t. and then back in the oven for another 20. Perfect black beans! And, a delicious soup. But some things no matter how delicious, do not translate well on film.

Now, PIE! All the pie talk last week did really wet my appetite for pie in the home. I wasn't sure what kind to make. I did know that I wanted to make Cook's Illustrated Magazine's vodka pie crust. I call it this to differentiate it from all the other pie doughs I've made. This one is really great, and the vodka allows for easier rolling since the liquid evaporates in the oven. It's flaky and tender so Alton Brown would be proud, and my friends agreed that it was pretty darn tasty, so I'll take it.

The guts included a layer of what was essentially cranberry jam. The recipe was peeking out at me from behind the vodka pie dough recipe. I don't know why I never thought to make it before. I do know that I'll be making it again. As for a photo of the finished product? You will have to click on over to my Flickr stream, since I'm nearing the end of my allotted computer time for one day. And, all this pie talk is making me hungry.