Pumpkin Time

I love pumpkin and this year I didn't want to just make pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie like I always do. I found a recipe on Foodnetwork for Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta. It is delcious, a 5 yum dish. It was a quick and easy meal, and is probably pretty healthy for you!

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpking puree
• 1/2 heavy cream
• 1 tsp hot sauce, to taste
• nutmeg to taste
• 2 pinches cinnamon
• salt and pepper
• 7-8 leaves fresh sage, thinly sliced, plus some for garnish
• grated parmgiano-reggiano
  

Bring water to boil and cook pasta to al dente.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic to a saute pan and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, and combine with the pumpkin. Stir in cream and season wth hot sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 5-6 minutes to thicken. Stir in sage and toss wth pasta and add grated cheese.

Since I only did a half recipe of the above dish, I still had a half of can left. So I made a half recipe of Downeast Main Pumpkin Bread that I found on Allrecipes.com. It was pretty good, bet than my usual pumpkin muffin recipe that I got back in 7th grade home ec. I would say 4 yums.

• 1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cups water
• 1 cup oil, vegetable
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp ginger
  

Prehead over to 350'. In a bowl, mix pumpkin, eggs, water, sugar, and oil until blended. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Leeks All Around

The star of this post was just an afterthought when the mushroom soup called for 2 leeks and my grocery store only sells them in bunches of 3. I had no idea what I would use 1 leek for. I googled the Food Network and found a recipe for Fried Leeks. You don't even need a recipe for this one and they tasted surprisingly good; almost like a mini onion ring, but sweeter and you can pop them in your mouth rather than bite them off. They would be great to put out at a party. 5 YUMS.

• 2 cups of flour, separated
• 1 egg
• about a 3/4 cup milk
• leeks, cut up in 1/2 inch rings
• canola or frying oil
  

Combine the milk and egg in a bowl and mix. Put the flour in 2 bowls. Take the leek pieces and pull apart so 2 rings stay together. I used the middles too as chunks and they tasted good too!

Dust the rings in 1 bowl of flour, then dip in the egg mixture and then flour again. Put aside and in a fryer, or in my case a saute pot, heat oil to 375'.

[Side Note: My kitchen is not equipped with a fryer or a thermostat that goes to that temperature. I heated my oil over medium-high heat and to test for hotness, I sprinkled doughy bits from the flour and egg mixing together to see if they started to sizzle and cook right away. If they do, the oil is ready to fry. I also made sure there was enough oil to cover the biggest leek piece.]

When oil is ready, put leek bites into oil a few at a time. Do not over crowd! Fry for about 1-2 minutes until they start to turn light brown. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve hot.

These were also good cold. The original recipe didn't come with a dipping sauce, but these would taste great with one. Some marinara would be a yummy Italian twist.

Now for the reason I discovered the fried leeks, Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup. This soup is good, but not as creamy as I was hoping. It could have been a tad bit thicker in my opinion. This definitely took time to make too, gives me more appreciation for truly homemade soups at restaurants. 3.5 yums

• 5 oz fresh shitake mushrooms
• 5 oz fresh portabello mushrooms
• 5 oz fresh cremini mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 stick plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopper
• 1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 tsp minced leaves, divided
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
  

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4 inch thick an if they are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, onion, sprig of thyme, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 cups of stock. If not add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining stick of butter and add the leeks (I remember only using a half stick- maybe this is why mine isn't as thick...but definately more healthy). Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushrooms caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half and half, cream, parsley and season again with salt and pepper as needed. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve hot.

The Tiniest Scallops

I found Sweet Pea, Scallopo and Mint Risotto recipe early in the summer, but took all summer to see scallops on sale. I got a bag of frozen raw teeny tiny scallops on sale and finally made the recipe. I thought this receipe was awesome. The recipes calls for diver scallops...who knows what those are....but I used scallops in 1' size; they were so easy to get on the fork in perfect proportion to the peas and rice. The title says mint, and I used fresh from the garden. If you don't like mint, don't worry, the flavor hardly came out. 4.5 yums

• 5 tbsp olive oil


• 1/4 cup chopped almonds


• 2 cups Arborio rice


• 1/2 cup dry white wine


• salt and pepper


• 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint


• 8 cups chicken stock, heated


• 1 cup peas, frozen


• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp butter, room temperature


• 1/2 cup grated parmesean


• 1 lb. diver scallops

Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and pout in 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionaly till soft. Add in the rice and mint, stir till the rice turns opaque, about 3-5 minutes. Then pour in wine and cook off the alcohol for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper. Begin to ladle in broth 1 to 2 ladles at a time. Stir often, when the liquid is almost gone, pour more ladles. Cook for 15-25 minutes, till rice is creamy but has a little bit of bite. You may not use all the broth. Stir in the peas and parmesean and all but 2 tbsp butter. Remove from heat and cover.

In a saute pot, heat butter on medium high heat. Add in scallops, and depending on size, cook 4-8 minutes. Turning over half way. I cooked my little ones for 4 min. Then add to arborio. Sprinkle with remaining mint. Serve hot.

Can't Get Simpler for Summer

I'm watching the new season of Top Chef and the final episode of Top Chef Master's and I got the urge to write in my blog! TV tonight has also made me check out a video of how to shuck a clam! But anyways....a summer staple, that everyone loves is Caprese. My tomato plant is on hiatus till the next batch turn red, and there were locally grown tomatoes at the grocery store. Got to support the community! And then walking down the aisle, lucky me....mozzarella balls were on sale! 2 for $6! Automatically got a craving for the appetizer and picked some fresh basil leaves from my garden to layer with. Simple yumminess. Nothing can get much simpler and rate at 5 yums. Its light and fresh and could easily be drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette and be even better...now that i think about it!

Summery Goodness

There is nothing better than fresh garden vegetables in the summer. Mix in sausage and you can't go wrong on a hot summer night. The Fresh Corn Salad I found from Ina Garten is amazing served cold or at room temperature. I couldn't stop taking bites of it when I was cleaning up!

I served the salad along side Sausage, Pepper and Red Onion. I cut up the hot sausage before I sauteed with the julienned red peppers, red onion and some olive oil. The would have been served great in a toasted sub as well!

The salad is definitely a keeper forever in my recipe book. It will be great for taking to potlucks in the summertime, but I would definitaly make double as this recipe only serves 5. Definitely 5 yums!

Fresh Corn Salad

• 4 ears of corn
• 1/2 cup diced red onion, small
• 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp slat
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup julinenned fresh basil leaves

Cook corn for 3 to 5 minutes in boiling water for the starch to come out. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop cooking and set the color. (I never have ice so I ran the corn under cold water). Let the corn cool and cut the kennels off the cob.

In a bowl, toss the corn with the remaining ingredients except the basil. Before serving, add the basil. Taste for seasoning.

Another Healthy Mac and Cheese That Is Actually Good!

Yes! I finally found a semi-healthy mac and cheese that is pretty good that will have you asking for one more serving! My friends from home were coming to visit this past weekend, and I tried Macaroni and 4 Cheeses out on them. They had nothing bad to say about it, asked for seconds, and had another little helping as a midnight snack. Why do I say its healthy? It has 20 oz of winter squash puree mixed into it. The color mixes in beautifully with the cheese, and it keeps the dish moist and kept me fuller. The squash also adds this extra density texture, but not in a bad way. It was easy and quick to make, and I highly recommend it for a dinner party. Notes: I could only find 12 oz frozen squash boxes, so I used it all, and the dish still came out great. A little more squashy, but a little more healthy :). I also let the squash defrost fully so it mixed easier in with the milk. 4 yums.

• 1 lb. elbow macaroni


• 2 (10 oz) packages frozen pureed winter squash


• 2 cups lowfat milk


• 4 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)


• 2 oz monterey jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cups)


• 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese


• 1 tsp salt


• 1 tsp powdered mustard


• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper


• 2 tbsp grated parmesean


• 2 tbsp unseasoned bread crumbs


• 1 tsp olive oil
  

Preheat over to 375'. Coat a 9x13 dish with the cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook till tender but firm, about 5-8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon till defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar, jack, ricotta, salt, mustard and cayenne. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, parmesean and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

Bake for 20 minutes and then broil for 3 minutes till the top is crisp and brown.

What You Can Do With 8 oz of Sour Cream

Actually alot! I was in the mood for some stroganoff and went to my resourceful Betty Crocker Cookbook. I only had chicken on hand so I made Chicken Stroganoff. I am trying not to put in repeats on the this site, but this stroganoff was soo much better than the one I had wrote about a while ago, and it looks better ;)

4 yums

• 1 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin, about 1.5 in thick (I used one big chicken breast, cut up)


• 2 tbsp butter


• 1 1/2 cup beef broth
  
• 2 tbsp ketchup (I omitted)


• 1 tsp salt


• 1 small clove garlic, mincehd


• 3 cups sliced mushrooms (8 0z)


• 1 medium onion, chopped about 1/2 cup ( I used 1 shallot)


• 3 tbsp flour


• 1 cup sour cream


• cooked noodles

Melt butter in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken, stirring occasionly till browned. Reserve abotu 1/3 cup of the broth and pour the rest in with the salt and garlic. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir in the mushrooms and onions. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir flour into the reserved broth. Pour over the chicken and stir in. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minutes and reduce heat to low. Stir in the sour cream until hot and pour over noodles.

As I split the stroganoff recipe in half, I still had 4 oz. of sour cream leftover. I remembered that there were a few of my dessert recipes that call for sour cream and I always want to try them when I don't have the cream on hand. So I found one of the recipes I have been meaning to try out, Pound Cake with Chocolate Swirl. 2 yums. Have to say I was not too pleased. It was a bit dry, and not that moist dense cake I was hoping to get from a pound cake. The flavor was just OK, and did not really taste like a pound cake either. If I had to compare it to something, a boring muffin would be a good comparison.

• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter


• 2 cups flour
  
• 1 tsp baking powder


• 1 tsp baking soda8 oz sour cream


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 2 eggs


• 2 oz semi sweet chocolate, grated (I just used whole chocolate chips because I was lazy)


• 1 tsp cinnamon

Heat over to 350'. Butter a 9x5 in pan. Mix the chocolate and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat sugar and butter together till light and fluffy. Add sifted flour, soda and powder and beat till blended. Add sour cream and beat. Add vanilla and eggs and beat till combined. Spread half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 the chocolate mix over the batter. Then top with remaining batter and top that with the remaining mix (I forgot this step...). Bake for 55 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes.