The Making of a Dinner Party

Last night, Karen and I held a joint holiday dinner for our colleagues and their loved ones. My staff includes Emily and Chloe, and Karen's consists of Tony and Cydney. Since I love a good dinner party and obviously enjoy cooking very much, we thought it would be the perfect way to honor our colleagues and show them how much we appreciate them and their work.

Several weeks ago, we started party preparations and sent out hand-made invites a and decided on a menu of spinach artichoke dip, lasagna, salad, bread, and a few varieties of holiday cookies. Karen began setting the table earlier in the week with her grandma's china and silver (agonizing over fork placement and centerpiece selection) and I started cooking up a storm in the kitchen, baking three varieties of holiday cookie recipes from the latest issue of Rachel Ray and simmering homemade sauce for lasagna.

Things came together perfectly for the party. With lasagna cooking in the oven, mounds of snow covering the yard, Christmas tunes on the radio, a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with lights and colorful ornaments, garland on the mantel, and a fire burning, the house felt so cozy, warm, and welcoming. Everyone had a great time, the food was delicious, and I felt so lucky to work with such wonderful people. The dinner party was definitely a great success.

Banana Espresso Muffins

In anticipation of the work week and my continual need for a a sweet accompaniment to my morning coffee, on Sunday night I made a recipe for Banana Espresso Muffins that I found on a cooking blog (via Tastespotting). I love banana bread, and this recipe seemed to offer a new and exciting alternative to the classic staple.

The muffins turned out quite tasty and have paired nicely with my morning java this week.

Ingredients
1 very ripe banana, lightly mashed

1/4 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unbleached flour

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor mix banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and process until blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed of a stand mixer for about 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining banana mixture in two parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition. Add pecans and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Remove half of the batter and place in separate bowl and add the espresso powder until incorporated.

Place muffin liners in tins and alternate spooning banana mixture and espresso mixture into each liner until full to the top. Take a knife and gently swirl each muffin liner to mix the espresso batter and banana batter. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack.

African Peanut Butter Stew

I tried a recipe for African Peanut Butter Stew this past Saturday night. I found the recipe online at Lunds and Byerly's, the Minneapolis gourmet grocery store that I am mildly obsessed with. For over a year, I've been wanting to recreate an African stew that I enjoyed at an on-campus lecture event I attended last year (at which my former Professor, Harold Scheub, of the famed African Storyteller 210, relayed his favorite tales and explained commonly used story devices). I've been waiting for the perfect stew weather. And this past weekend, I knew that it was finally time.

While the stew did require some prep work, the end result was well worth the elbow grease. My friend Karen gushed that it was one of the best dinners I've ever made. The pictures above just don't do the dish justice. It was a great combination of hearty vegetables, chicken, and subtle flavors of curry, peanut butter, and pepper, over a fluffy bed of couscous. The recipe also made enough to feed approximately 10 people, and since there were only three of us, I have lots of great leftover lunches for the week.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 bell peppers, green, red and yellow, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
1 (10 ounce) package couscous

Directions

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Stir in onion, cook over medium heat until translucent. Stir in chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until outside is browned. Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, peanut butter, carrots, bell peppers, curry powder, red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions using 1 teaspoon salt. Serve stew over hot couscous.

Most Delicious Apple Cake

Last weekend, I also made this great apple cake that I found at the excellent food blog 101 Cookbooks. It was really easy, and I think it turned out quite delicious. I also think it looks hot, too (see photo, above). Would you agree, Katy?

I made/would make a few substitutions. I couldn't find large grain sugar, so I just used regular sugar to sprinkle on top. And although I used natural cane sugar as the recipe suggested, I think I would use brown sugar next time for a little more flavor and sweetness. The cake definitely got better throughout the week as the flavors intensified and the cake moistened.

Unfussy Apple Cake Recipe
from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
2 cups sweet, crisp red apples, cut into 1/4 cubes (peel on)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup dark Muscavado sugar (or other fine-grain natural cane or brown sugar), lump-free
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 eggs1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
3 tablespoons large grain sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, racks in the middle. Butter and flour (or line bottom with parchment paper) one 9-inch square baking dish or tart pan, you can also bake it in a 9x13 pan but really keep a close eye on it after 20 minutes - it will be quite thin.

Place the chopped apples in a bowl of water along with the juice of one lemon. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large bowl. And in a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until barely combined - try not to over mix. Now drain the apple, shake off any excess water, and fold the apples into the cake batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing it out toward the edges. Sprinkle with most of the large grain sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cake is just set and a touch golden on top. I like this cake every-so-slightly under-baked, just barely, remember it will cook for a little while after you remove it from the oven

Favorite Chili

I made a double batch to ensure plenty of leftovers!

Here's my Tupperware, reheat special!

The last time I was home to visit my parents, my mom whipped up an amazing batch of chili from a recipe that she had found in the March 2008 Rachel Ray magazine. Apparently it was the winning chili recipe for some sort of chili cook off Rachel had hosted for readers. I think this chili is awesome, especially served with cilantro, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips. It's quickly become my favorite, and it's the perfect Tupperware, reheat lunch for me at the office.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 pound of lean ground beef or Boca meatless ground burger

1/2 cup chopped onion1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 T. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 15oz can black beans1

15 oz can pinto beans

1 10oz can tomatoes and green chiles

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 oz Monterrey jack pepper cheese, shredded

1 (10 oz) bag corn chips such as Fritos

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, and the tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the cilantro, then top with the cheese, cover and let stand until the cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Place a handful of corn chips in each of 4 bowls. Top with the chili and serve.

Chef Dangler's PR Pasta

I found the following recipe in the November issue of Runner's World. I love how they always feature a runner chef and that person's favorite runner-friendly recipe. This one is from Chef James Dangler at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester in White Plains, New York. Chef Dangler credits this dish for his sub-three-hour PR marathon. I really enjoyed the recipe. You could definitely shorten the recipe by buying pesto, rather than making it from scratch. I thought the meal had great flavor, and I really enjoyed the flavor contrast of the pesto pasta on a bed of bell-pepper coulis sauce. I'll have to try the dish before my next big race. Perhaps maybe I'll run a PR, too!

Chef Dangler's PR Pasta

Runner's World, November 2008, The Athlete’s Palate

Pesto
5 oz. fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup olive oil

Bell-Pepper Coulis
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. dark balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. jarred grated horseradish
1 pinch sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta
4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces or strips
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup white wine
1 16-oz box rotelle pasta, cooked
1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp. basil, sliced into thin strips
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

Pesto: Place all ingredients in food processor and puree. Bell-Pepper Coulis: Puree all ingredients in blender. Warm coulis in a saucepan. Place in pasta bowl. Pasta: Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken and minced garlic and cook through. Add white wine, scraping pan to loosen any brown bits; simmer to reduce liquid by half. Add five tablespoons pesto. Toss pasta with sauce. Add toasted pine nuts, basil, and grated Parmesan. Place pasta into bowl over bell-pepper coulis. Serves four.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti"

Over the weekend, during a short visit home to spend time with my parents, my mom gave me a copy of the Vegetarian Times that she had laying around. Inside, I found several great recipes, including the following recipe for Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti" that is made with spaghetti squash. I made this meal on Saturday night. It was definitely one of the best meals I've made recently, and I wouldn't change a thing to the recipe. It was the perfect mix of flavors and colors, and a very healthy meal, too.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti"

Vegetarian Times, October 2008
Submitted by Amy Schwartz, Macon, GA

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 oz. spinach
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 cup chickpeas
4 oz. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and julienned
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 ½ tsp. garlic salt
4 Tbs. low-fat feta cheese

Directions
1. Pierce spaghetti squash rind several times with a fork. Microwave on high 5 minutes per pound of squash, until squash is soft. Cut in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Rake insides of squash into bowl.
2. Cook olive oil and onion in large skillet over high heat, until fragrant. Stir in spinach and garlic, and cover. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When spinach has cooked down, reduce heat, and stir in spaghetti squash.
3. Stir in chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic salt. To serve, divide among 4 plates, and top each with 1 Tbs. feta cheese.

Baked Butternut Squash With Sausage and Apples

While it seems that I've satisfied my recent obsession with cooking all things involving pumpkins, I've since replaced that obsession with squash. But as my friend Karen reasoned, they're both in the gourd family. Ever since squash started appearing at the farmers' market earlier this month, I've been attempting new squash recipes with hearty fillings that make a meal of themselves.

Recently, I attempted the following recipe, which I found in my Joy of Cooking cookbook--pretty much the bible of cookbooks. Luckily, I had some helpers for this recipe and plenty of time, because it was quite tedious and involved many ingredients and lots of chopping. I chose the recipe because it sounded delicious, but didn't realize at the time that it involved three separate recipes! The meal was fabulous, but I'm not going to lie, it was a pain. I was flipping between pages 309, 532, and 533, which were recipes for Baked Butternut Squash, Basic Bread Stuffing, and Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples, respectively. Of course you could buy pre-made stuffing and make things a whole lot easier, but I can't help myself, I'm a cooking purist.

I would definitely recommend this recipe for a hearty fall dinner. It also warmed up nicely as leftovers. I've taken the liberty of combining the three recipes into one, below. I think a single, complete recipe (although long) will make it much easier for anyone else who wants to take a stab at the meal. Enjoy!

Baked Butternut Squash Stuffed With Sausage and Apples
Joy of Cooking (75th anniversary edition), pg. 309
4 servings

Ingredients
2 butternut squash (about 1 pound each)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound sliced firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
¼ to ½ cup (1/2 to 1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup to ½ cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups diced peeled green apples, such as Granny Smith
4 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a baking dish. Halve lengthwise and remove the seeds and strings. Arrange cut side up in the baking dish and brush lightly with oil. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake until almost tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the squash cool slightly. Keep the oven on.

Toast bread cubes on a large baking sheet at 400F, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn bread cubes into a large bowl.

Heat a large skillet with butter over medium-high heat until the foam subsides. Then add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in the chicken broth, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together.

Cook pork sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the meat with a spoon, until it is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the sausage and apples to the bread stuffing.

When the squash has cooled, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving 3/8-inch-thick shells. Lightly mix the squash pulp into the stuffing mixture, breaking up the squash as little as possible.

Pile the stuffing into the squash halves. Dot each half with 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces, and 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar.

Bake, uncovered, until piping hot and brown and crusty on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before serving.

The "Consummate" Chocolate Chip Cookie

A few months ago, the New York Times featured an article and recipe for the ideal chocolate chip cookie. The blogging world of cooks and bakers obsessed over the piece all summer, testing, refuting, and perfecting the article’s hypotheses. The recipe is based on Jaques Torres’ (a renowned chocolatier) classic recipe, but also relies on contributions from several other prominent bakers who are also featured in the article, including Mary Rubin of City Bakery in New York City, Herve Poussot of Almondine in Brooklyn, and Dorie Greenspan, the celebrated author of several baking books. Here’s a glimpse of the article:

Like the omelet, which many believe to be the true test of a chef, the humble chocolate chip cookie is the baker’s crucible. So few ingredients, so many possibilities for disaster. What other explanation can there be for the wan versions and unfortunate misinterpretations that have popped up everywhere — eggless and sugarless renditions; cookies studded with carob, tofu and marijuana; whole-wheat alternatives; and the terribly misguided bacon-topped variety.

All this crossbreeding begs the question: Has anyone trumped Mrs. Wakefield (former owner of the Toll House Inn, who is credited with creating the first chocolate chip cookie in 1930) ? To find out, a journey began that included stops at some of New York City’s best bakeries as well as conversations with some doyens of baking. The result was a recipe for a consummate cookie, if you will: one built upon decades of acquired knowledge, experience and secrets; one that, quite frankly, would have Mrs. Wakefield worshipping at its altar.

I’m clearly behind the rest of the blogosphere in my recent attempt to recreate these cookies, but that's largely because it took me so long to gather the necessary ingredients—particularly, the bittersweet chocolate discs (with at least 60% cacao content). Eventually, I found a variety of discs at a specialty grocer in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, I’m yet to find them locally.

I finally made the cookies last week and released them for tasting and judgement at Thursday night's chili party. The process is unique and definitely requires patience, as the recipe recommends chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours prior to baking. After 72 hours, I sprinkled sea salt on the golf ball size dough balls, as the recipe suggested, and then baked them in the oven. The cookies definitely looked beautiful, very plump, evenly baked, and airy. Consensus seemed to be that they tasted great, too. I, however, thought they were a little dry. I prefer more of a chewy/gooey chocolate chip cookie. To each his own. But I definitely enjoyed this science experiment, and learned new tips that I can incorporate into my favorite cookie recipes.

Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

I love squash. And so I've been loading up on many varieties at the farmers' market. Recently, I came across a great recipe for Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash. I found the recipe online at Lunds and Byerlys, a Minneapolis specialty gourmet grocery chain. I modified the recipe a bit since I didn't have the recommended Lunds and Byerlys special seasonings on hand. I think it still turned out great and the bowls looked beautiful. The meal was delicious, filling, and also seemed quite healthy. Always a bonus.

Ingredients

1 (1 lb.) acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. bulk Italian sausage

2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone and mozzarella, divided

Directions

Arrange squash halves cut side down in 13X9 microwavable baking dish; add ¼ cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, using multiple sheets if necessary. With a knife, make 4 steam vents in plastic wrap. Microwave (HIGH) until tender (15-20 minutes).

While squash is cooking, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté sausage, Italian herb seasoning, red pepper, onion and garlic until sausage is no longer pink and onions are tender (8-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spinach, wild rice and 1 cup provolone/mozzarella.

When squash is tender, carefully remove plastic wrap, starting from side farthest from you. Using tongs, transfer cooked squash to cutting board; discard water.

Place a tablespoon of butter in bottoms of each squash half. Mound sausage mixture into halves. Return to 13X9 dish, cover with foil and bake in preheated 350F oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese over tops, return to oven and bake until cheese melts (5-8 minutes).

Amount: 4 servings

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies

And so the pumpkin obsession continues...

This weekend I made a batch of Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies and a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Both turned out very good. I love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate, certainly a match made in heaven.

Today I randomly came across a recipe for Pumpkin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins. The addition of peanut butter leaves me intrigued. Maybe I'll try that one later this week.

Following is Martha's recipe for pumpkin swirl brownies. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Makes 16
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.

Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.

With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Last night I tried my hand at a recipe for pumpkin ravioli that I found in the latest issue of Ready Made Magazine.

I made the "pumpkin puree" ahead of time, which definitely quickened the process last night. It was exciting to make my very first batch of home-made ravioli. I though it would be complicated and time consuming, but who knew it was as easy as mixing together a filling, folding small amounts in won ton wrapper triangles, and then boiling in batches of 10-12 for 2 minutes?

The browned butter topping was awesome, and would definitely work as a great accompaniment to many other pasta dishes. It was a great meal, and home-made ravioli was a new and unique culinary experience for me!

Everything But Pumpkin Pie

I think it's rather obvious by now that I love all things pumpkin. All things, except pumpkin pie. I detest pumpin pie.

In the last few weeks, I've made pumpkin fetuccini, pumpin bread, and last night I made a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (pictured, left). The cookies are to die for and best served cold, straight from the freezer. I blogged about them last fall. The post and recipe are here.

Next up on my list is homemade pumpkin ravioli. I found a great recipe in the latest issue of Ready Made Magazine, and am excited to tackle the recipe later this week.

My brother also recently sent me a pumpkin-related discussion
on runnersworld.com. Turns out I'm not the only pumpkin lover out there. It's a great discussion with ideas for many pumpkin snacks and recipes like Edy's Slow Churned Light Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Oatmeal, and Deena Kastor's Pumpkin Lasagna. It was like visiting pumpkin heaven...

Fettuccine with Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone

I had a couple friends over last night for dinner and the debate. I decided to try a new recipe that I’ve had my eyes on for a couple years now—Fettuccine with Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? And so seasonally appropriate?

I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t the easiest recipe I’ve ever made, and did take quite a bit of preparation and close to two hours to make (not to mention a near disaster with the blender). Without a doubt, the biggest pain was shelling the pumpkin seeds. Try it, you'll see. However, the dinner was delicious and unique, and my friends cleared their full-plate heapings of fettuccine in no time. I also served the pasta with homemade pumpkin bread, which was a nice touch as well. Luckily, I have leftovers for lunch today, and plenty of extra sauce at home.

Fettuccine With Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone
From Bon Appetit, September 1998
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
4 cups 1/2-inch pieces seeded peeled fresh sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from 1 1/2 pounds squash)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced
1 pound fettuccine

2/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds, toasted
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss pumpkin with olive oil in large bowl to coat. Transfer pumpkin to baking sheet. Bake until pumpkin is tender and beginning to brown, stirring once, about 30 minutes.

Transfer pumpkin to processor. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken stock. Puree until smooth. Add mascarpone cheese and ground cinnamon. Process to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups chicken stock. Boil until stock is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in pumpkin mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)

Cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer fettuccine to large bowl. Add sauce and toasted pumpkin seeds; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.

Fall Food Fun

I've had some nice "fall food fun" spottings lately. I found the top picture on my favorite foodie site, tastespotting.com. The oreo turkeys were originally featured on a food blog entitled "the hungry housewife." Ingredients include double stuff oreos, candy corns, milk balls, Reece's cups, and chocolate frosting. The original posting points out that a recipe is hardly needed...once you look at those little turkeys, you can pretty much figure out how to make them. If you need more assistance, check out the hungry housewife blog.

I found the pumpkin pictured in the second photo over the weekend at Fox and Obel, a gourmet food market in Chicago. I think pumpkin art is always fun, and I like the idea of using assorted vegetables for the eyes, hair, ears, etc. Very creative and food friendly. Hopefully these pictures will get your creative foodie juices flowing!

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Last night, I made myself a simple Italian fest—Fusilli noodles covered with San Marzano tomato sauce. I was recently introduced to canned San Marzano tomatoes through a friend of a friend. They are a variety of plum tomatoes that are considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world.

The story goes that the first seed of the San Marzano tomato came to Campania in 1770, as a gift from the Kingdom of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples, and that it was planted in the area that corresponds to the present commune of San Marzano. They come from a small town of the same name near Naples, Italy, and were first grown in volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic soil is believed to act as a filter for water impurities. Compared to the Roma Tomatoes with which most people are familiar, Marzano tomatoes are thinner and pointier in shape. The flesh is much thicker with fewer seeds, and the taste is much stronger, more sweet and less acidic. Many people describe the taste as bittersweet, like high-quality chocolate. Because of their high quality and origins near Naples, San Marzano tomatoes have been designated as the only tomatoes that can be used for true Neapolitan Pizza.

I had been looking for a can of San Marzano “Whole Peeled Tomatoes” for a few months with no luck. They seem to only be sold at speciality food markets. Finally, over the weekend I found them at a small market in Door County for $3.99 per can, and so I stocked up with four. Last night, using the simple recipe featured on the back of the can, I whipped up a batch of tomato sauce. In addition to the tomatoes, sauce ingredients include butter, a small onion, and salt and pepper. I also added some fresh basil from my garden. The sauce was incredible. It was thick and chunky, and the flavor simple, yet complex. Definitely puts jarred varieties to shame. The small amout of work required is well worth the taste.

My Cookbook Library

For me, the definition of “friends with benefits” or “friends in high places” is friends with retail jobs. Just recently, through a friend who works at Williams-Sonoma, I have had the opportunity to borrow cookbooks of choice from the store’s extensive library. Essentially, I check-out a book and peruse the recipes/try out a few, and decide if I’d like to buy it. The problem, of course, is that I end up wanting to buy each one I borrow. I love cookbooks. My latest loaner is Giada De Laurentiis' "Everyday Pasta," which is her third and latest cookbook. Some of you might be familiar with Giada from the Food Network. As I have no cable access at home, I was not.

As soon as I borrowed the book, I spent an entire night curled up reading the fabulous recipes and admiring the beautiful pictures. The book is full of simple and completely unpretentious pasta dishes. Giada clearly knows Italian, and explains the recipes in a very clear way. She also seems very fun and approachable. I love the collection, and will be making my way through the recipes this month. Stay tuned! Who said the carbo loading needs to end post-Ironman?

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

One of the recipes I make most often is for my favorite banana bread (recipe follows). I purposely buy two extra bananas whenever I'm at the grocery store so that I can make this bread as soon as they become very ripe. You can also freeze your ripe bananas and pull them out of the freezer whenever you're ready to bake. This bread is deliciously moist and flavorful, and pairs wonderfully well with morning coffee. Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large bananas will do)
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spray cooking oil (you can use butter) to coat the bottom of a 9x5x3 inch bread pan, then lightly dust the pan with flour and tap out excess.

Next, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. One at a time, add eggs, beating well with a fork after each addition. Stir in bananas, milk and vanilla until combined. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scrape batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until you test with a knife in the center of the bread and it comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack, cool 10 minutes before removing bread from the pan, then finish cooling on the rack.

Stuffed Hierloom Tomatoes and Another Tart

Yesterday happened to be just one of those days in the office. I needed a little time in the kitchen to relax and unwind. I’ve had two recipes at the top of my list for a few weeks, but alas, have been too busy with training and work to spend any quality time in the kitchen recently. Sigh.

But last night, I finally had the opportunity to make both recipes—one was a recipe from Williams Sonoma for Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes, and the other, a modified recipe from Bon Appetite for a Nectarine and Marscapone Tart in a Gingersnap Crust.

For the stuffed tomatoes, I found beautiful organic Heirloom Tomatoes at the farmer’s market this past weekend. Preparation was relatively simple. I cored each tomato, scooped out the seeds, and stuffed with the filling of bread crumbs, Italian Sausage, mushrooms, onions, and cheese. I arranged the tomatoes in a pie dish and sprinkled with additional cheese, followed by a light drizzling of olive oil. Then I baked at 375 for 30 minutes. The dish was wonderful and hearty enough to serve as an entree, but would also serve as a great appetizer for a summer barbecue.

The Nectarine and Marscapone Tart was even more simple to prepare. I crushed the gingersnap cookies in a food processor, added melted butter, and then spread the crust in a tart pan, using a metal measuring cup to flatten the crust. I baked the crust for 8 minutes and then cooled on a wire rack. Meanwhile, I combined the filling ingredients, and spread on the crust once it was cool. I then refrigerated the tart and cut the nectarines into thin slices. When I was ready to serve the tart, I arranged the nectarines on top. I forgot to brush the top with the peach jam, but will try that tonight. Delicious, delicious tart. I'm clearly not over my tart obsession yet. But I feel like there are so many wonderful tarts yet to discover...

Zucchini Bread & Brownies

I declared yesterday a national zucchini holiday. And as such, in between reviewing a few of the 86 (!) applications I received for the position I’m hiring, I decided to make two recipes last night involving significant quantities of grated zucchini. The first recipe, for zucchini bread, I found at one of my favorite cooking blogs—101 Cookbooks. The recipe involves many interesting ingredients (perhaps too many), including poppy seeds, curry powder, and lemon zest. I enjoyed a slice with my coffee this morning, and it was delicious.

I found the second recipe (below) at Soda’s Farm Market near Green Lake. Soda’s is a ma and pa produce shop that we always stop at to pick up fresh veggies and fruit while we’re at the lake. The owners are kind enough to leave out copies of their favorite recipes, and this time I found a recipe for zucchini brownies. It was labeled “Excellent!!,” so I figured it was worth a shot. The recipe was quick and easy, and the brownies are moist and delicious. I also think the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts scattered on top just before baking are a great addition.

Zucchini Brownies (Soda’s Farm Market)

1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup margarine
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 ½ cups grated zucchini
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. cocoa
½ tsp. salt

Mix the above ingredients together, spread into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Topping: sprinkle on top of batter just before baking—1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tbsp. sugar, ½ cup chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.