Recipe: Pumpkin Swirl Brownies...and a GIVEAWAY!

Friday.  8AM.  Put your first batch of candy corn and chocolate chip cookies with cornflake crunch in the oven. 

Give yourself a pat on the back because, not only are you not going to be late for work, but you'll already have all of your Halloween baking done for the day and you'll have the perfect Halloween recipe to share on Monday.  Look at you, thinking ahead!

Return to the oven in ten minutes to check on the cookies.  Realize that they have turned into a burnt sugar chewy disgusting mess because the candy corn has decided to melt.  All. Over. The. Place.

Trick.



Friday. 8:30 AM. 

Reflect.  Ponder.  Ruminate.

Maybe it was your oven.  Maybe you left out a key ingredient.  Maybe all of your years of not really reading instructions have caught up to you.  Maybe you're cursed.

Decide to put together another batch of cookie dough to bake when you get home from work (thank god you had enough gluttonous intent foresight to buy TWO bags of candy corn!).

If you ever get home from work.  Because.  Now you're late.

Trick.



Friday. 3 PM.

Sneak onto the computers at work to read the reviews of this recipe.  Realize that it was not you, your oven, or your inability to read that led you to cookie doom and destruction.  It's just that the recipe sucks.  Christina Tosi, wherever you are - I love your cereal milk ice cream and your compost cookies more than my future firstborn child, but I really don't know why you'd lie to me like this.  I'm not sure that we can still be friends.

Decide that you are going to try to beat the odds and bake another batch of these anyway.  Not only are you a glutton for candy corn but you are also a glutton for punishment.

Friday. 5:30 PM.

More melted burnt candy corn sugar.  All.  Over.  Everything.

Realize that you are going to have to bake something else.  And you are almost out of butter.

Trick.



Friday. 6 PM.

Frantically search through all of the party-friendly Halloween recipes you've bookmarked over the past three years for one that only uses one stick of butter and will not require a single trip to the grocery store.  Realize that you are severely understocked when it comes to baking supplies and that maybe you should spend less money on winter squash and more money on butterscotch chips and brown sugar. (Fat chance.)

Stumble across this recipe for pumpkin swirl brownies that you've drooled over probably six dozen times.  Think - brownie = hordes of butter.  Cry a little inside.  (And, uh.  Maybe outside.  Baking disasters make me emotional!)

Read recipe.  Realize brownie = only ONE STICK of butter + oil.  (See what good things happen when you actually read recipes?  POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.  Learn from it.)  Thank all of the Halloween baking gods in existence that Bertolli has just sent you a bottle of olive oil to taste test.  Bellissima.

Treat.

Friday. 7 PM.

Put brownies in the oven.

Stress eat too much sushi with your roommate. 

Try to put on your dresses.  Wonder why the two of you haven't fasted for three days to prepare for this. 

Sigh.

Trick.

Friday. 9 PM.

Cut brownies. 

Gooey.  Warm.  Chocolate. Pumpkin.  Delicious.

Treat.  Definitely.  Absolutely.  Treat.

--

Luckily, you guys can share in the Halloween treat as well!  Here's how:

First off - eye candy.  Have you seen the new Let's Cook! iPhone and iPad app from Fabio Viviani?  Not only does it feature Fabio's beautiful face and dreamy accent, but it also offers more than 5 hours of video, 16 step-by-step video recipes, 100+ recipes that have been hand selected by Fabio, and a dozen of Fabio's cooking and entertaining tips.  Here's a sample of one such video and if that doesn't make the memory of all those tricks fade away, I'm not quite sure what will.  This app is available for only 99 cents in the App store, so definitely check it out!

Second, the GIVEAWAY!  Bertolli has offered to send one of YOU a bottle of olive oil!  All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what your most creative Halloween costume is/has been.  The winner will be announced on Friday!

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Makes 1 9x9-inch tray, adapted from Smitten Kitchen


Ingredients

• 8 tbsp butter, plus more for pan
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut)
• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish.  Cut a length of parchment or aluminum foil that will cover the bottom and two sides of the pan with a little overhang ad line the pan with it.  Butter the lining as well.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, 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, 3-5 minutes.  Beat in flour mixture.
4. Pour half of batter (about 2 cups) into a separate bowl and stir chocolate into it.  If you find that it is a little thick, then add more batter (until it is pourable) as it will be easier to swirl if this is thinner.
5. In the bowl with the remaining batter, stir in the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Transfer half of the chocolate batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.  Top with half of pumpkin batter.  Repeat to make one more chocolate and one more pumpkin layer.
6. With a small spatula or table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect.
7. Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack.  Cut into 16 squares.

Recipe: (Vegetarian) Butternut Squash Carbonara

Crutches make for a rather unfortunate Halloween prop.

I mean....they do open up the door to a lot of costume possibilities.

An injured marathon runner.  An injured Olympic athlete.  An injured NBA player.

But let's be honest.  No one wants to make out with the injured anything when they can make out with the functionally bipedal sexy "insert noun here".



I imagine that must be why my roommates stole my crutches from me last Friday and told me I needed to learn to walk again.

OR. ELSE.

(Also, they really wanted us to be a trio of insects for Halloween - ladybug, bumblebee, and butterfly.  And nothing says sad and celibate like a butterfly with a crutch.)

So. I did.

It took a little getting used to.  There was definitely some kind of learning curve.  But I am now officially walking again.  (With a minor/barely noticeable limp and little to no pain.)

The first place I walked?  To the gym.

Apparently my version of "no exercise" is going to pilates.  Daily.

My legs might be losing muscle mass at a rapidly alarming rate.  But I intend to have some seriously rockin' core strength when this is all said and done. 

Plus, um. My butterfly costume involves me wearing a dress.  And I'd like that dress to not cling in weird places when I put it on tonight.  Know what I'm sayin'?

The only way I know of to build core strength is to build core muscles.  And to build core muscles you need protein.  And you know what has protein?  Bacon.  Vegetarian tempeh bacon to precise.  While I absolutely would not say it tastes like the real thing, what it does taste like is smoky salty deliciousness.  Which just happens to pair perfectly with the subtle sweetness of winter squash.

So when I eat this at every meal for the next 24 hours...I'm gonna tell myself I did it in the name of muscle growth.  And not because it's so addictively deliciously that I just couldn't stop.

That's some good logic, right there.

GIVEAWAY WINNER - According to the random integer generator, the Eggland's Best giveaway winner is commenter number 25 - Michelle of Ms. Enplace!  Michelle, I'll be emailing you!



Butternut Squash Carbonara
Serves 4, adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut or kabocha squash, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 8 oz pasta
• 4 slices tempeh bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb baby spinach
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp almond milk or regular milk or heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Roast squash on a foil-lined pan for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
2. Set up a pot of salted water to boil.  Begin to cook the pasta.
3. While the water is heating, spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook the bacon.  Add the garlic and some black pepper.  Add the cooked squash to the pan.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks, almond milk, and parmesan cheese.
5. Place the spinach in the bottom of a colander.  Reserve some of the water from the pasta and then strain over the spinach so that the hot water cooks the spinach as you're draining.  Add the pasta and spinach to the pan and toss.
6. Remove the pan from the heat.  Use the pasta water to temper the egg mixture, pouring in a 3 tbsp, one at a time, and stirring vigorously while adding so the eggs don't cook.  Pour the tempered egg mixture into the pan and toss to coat.  Add a bit of the pasta water until sauce has the desired consistency.
7. Serve with parmesan cheese.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted next week by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast!

Recipe: Chickpea Potpie with Cornbread Crust

Yesterday, my brother happened to be over around dinnertime and I happened to have just made these and so I happened to offer him an ENTIRE RAMEKIN (!!!) all to himself.

And he said no. 



I am going to choose to believe that his decisions had nothing to do with the fact that these potpies had chickpeas instead of chicken.  And everything to do with the fact that my mother traumatized us by feeding us frozen chicken potpies when we were little.

(I understand, Daniel.  The thought of eating 3,000 calories and 500,000 mg of sodium in one sitting scares me too.)



For all the nutritional devastation that those potpies left in their wake, however.  They were, in fact, delicious.

The odds that my mother could have come up with a just-as-good-tasting-and-equally-easy homemade version?  Slim to none.

That's where these chickpea potpies come in.



The most intimidating part of making your own potpie from scratch is, arguably, the pastry crust.  Your butter needs to be cold, you need to know how to use a pastry cutter, and then you need to chill it and roll it out...and if you're me, nothing ever works out quite the way it's supposed to and you end up eating dinner at 10pm.  Which is okay (albeit non-ideal) for a 24-year-old single lady, but not so much for a family of five.  I get it.

What if I told you that you don't need a pastry crust.  That maybe, just maybe...a cornbread crust is the way to go?

I know I'm really pushing the envelope here, but hear me out.  Not only is it healthier, but it tastes delicious (sightly sweet, mostly savory.  Heavenly.) and you can whip it up in exactly five minutes flat. 

Win.

As for the filling...I've made a few potpies in my life and it is harder than you'd think to get the consistency of their innards right.  There's a fine line between so-loose-you-could-drink-it-with-a-straw and so-thick-you-might-use-it-to-superglue-your-Halloween-costume-together.  But as soon as I poured the veggie broth into the flour-covered pan, I knew that all would be right in the world.  At least as far as dinner was concerned.

And sometimes.  That's all the comfort you really need.



Do you guys have a favorite comfort food recipe?  Or a favorite way to make your favorite comfort food easier to make and/or healthier?  If so, go on over to kelly-confidential.com and share it or vote on the comfort food recipes that are already there!  For every selection or entry, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund as part of its $1 million commitment to the cause.  Plus, visitors will be entered to win an Electrolux Induction Cooktop, which makes cooking your favorite comfort foods fast and easy.

And feel free to enter my GIVEAWAY!!!



Chickpea Potpie with Cornbread Crust
Serves 4-5, adapted from Big Bowl of Love 


Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup frozen baby peas
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• dash of Tabasco sauce
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup AP flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup almond milk or lowfat milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes and carrots until tender but not soft and set aside.
2. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray (or ramekins!)
3. For the filling, heat a large saucepan until hot.  Add the oil and onions.  Saute onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle in the 1/4 cup flour and mix.  Slowly pour in the vegetable stock whisking well with a wire whisk. Still using the whisk, cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the chickpeas, peas, cooked potatoes and carrots, salt, pepper to taste, and Tabasco.  Cook on medium heat until the mixture is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.  turn into the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly or divide evenly among ramekins.
4. Preheat the oven to 400.
5. For the crust, in a bowl combine the cornmeal, 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil and egg yolk.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix until uniform but a bit lumpy.  Spoon the batter evenly over the filling.
6. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes for the casserole and 10 to 12 minutes for the ramekins.

For more comfort food recipes, check out these:
Macaroni and Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Peppers
Thai Sweet Potato and Winter Squash Pot Pie
Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash with Five-Spice Marshmallows
Beef and Beer Chili
Cannellini al Gratin

I am submitting this to Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted this week by Lynne of Cafe Lynnylu.

Recipe: Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Winter Squash

If you crave sweet and salty as much as I do, then this maple-miso glazed tofu with broccoli and winter squash is the recipe for you! Check out my post on Marcus Samuelsson's site for the recipe!  (And for all of my tofu-hating readers out there...this would also be awesome with chicken, pork or salmon.)

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Quiche with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola, and Sage...and My Eggland's Best "Pink Party"! (GIVEAWAY)

I'm always trying to get my friends to run with me to cure cancer.  (I typically train with Team in Training, and in doing so raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.)

But as soon as I start saying things like, "You could just do the half marathon!"  they look at me like I have six heads and back away slowly as quickly as possible.  Apparently 13.1 miles of running doesn't sound quite as appealing to them as it does to me.

Eating to cure cancer, on the other hand?  That they can handle. 



A few weeks ago, Eggland's Best contacted me about their involvement with Susan G. Komen For the Cure and asked me if I would get involved as well by hosting a Pink Party for a bunch of my closest friends.  In exchange, they'd make a contribution to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in my honor, as well as provide me with some coupons to share with my friends and additional funds for extra ingredients.

Given that (a) I already use and love Eggland's Best eggs and think they are a great and healthy product, and (b) will take any opportunity to hang out with my favorite ladies and eat good food, especially if it's in the name of a great cause.  I answered with a resounding yes.



Before we get to the food, can we discuss eggs for a second and how Eggland's Best ended up joining forces with the SGK foundation to begin with?

Eggs get a bad rep but actually, they can be part of a healthy diet.  Especially Eggland's Best eggs which, in addition to being a great lean protein source, also provide TWICE the vitamin D and omega-3's, as well as TEN TIMES the vitamin E, with less saturated fat and cholesterol, as compared with other eggs.  Given that being overweight has been linked to an increased risk of cancer while eating a healthy diet filled with nutrient-dense foods such as fruit, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains has been shown to be the one of the best defenses against it...I'd say it's a no-brainer.

While I don't have any direct connection to breast cancer myself, cancer does run in my family and so I'll do anything and everything I can to prevent it from pervading future generations.  This is why I exercise and eat a diet that is based around fruits and veggies.  These are the two things I can do that I know for sure will help me stave off a whole slew of diseases.  And in a world full of uncertainty...I like "for sure".  It's not a given that these will absolutely prevent me from getting sick, but every little bit helps. 



So here's what went down.

Yesterday, at approximately 1pm, five of my favorite ladies came over for one egg-cellent brunch! (Sorry, had to do it.  At least once.)  From left to right, we have Victoria, Lauren, Sophie, Amma, and my other roommate Anu was also present...but she somehow managed to evade my camera. 



We gossiped.  Among other things, we discussed Tom Cruise's sexual orientation, which season of Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker was pregnant during, whether hiring a surrogate to carry and have your baby just so you can keep your figure is absolutely disgusting (unanimous yes, by the way), etc.  It was awesome.  I really love gossip.

And we ate.

A lot.

Roasted pumpkin quiche with caramelized onions, gorgonzola and sage.  Pumpkin biscuits with cranberry curd.  Spinach and dried cranberry salad. Pink lady cupcakes.

You would have had to roll me home.  Except...I was already home.  Score.

It was really an awesome meal and I just want to thank Eggland's Best for giving me this opportunity to hang out with my favorite ladies and eat delicious food...and also for allowing me to share the love with you guys...with a GIVEAWAY!  One lucky reader will receive an awesome prize package with: 2 free EB dozen coupons, 1 free EB hard cooked and peeled variety coupon, 4 EB ramekins, 1 EB apron, 1 EB whisk, 1 EB spatula, 1 EB egg timer, 1 EB eco bag, and 1 EB plush egg.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling me either what you do to raise awareness about/combat cancer or how you incorporate healthy living in your life to prevent cancer. The winner will be chosen on Friday.




Roasted Pumpkin Quiche with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola, and Sage
Serves 6-8, adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups onion, sliced
• water, as needed
• 2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
• 1 tbsp sage, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute until the onions are tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Reduce the heat to just a bit below medium.  Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the onions turn a deep golden brown, about 50 minutes.  You will need to stir every 10 minutes for the first 30 minutes and every 5 minutes for the remaining time.  Add a bit more water if the pan starts to get dry.
2. Preheat oven to 400.  Place butternut squash or pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Set aside.
3. Lower oven to 375.
4. Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with the olive oil and fit it into the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan with the ends hanging over the side of the pan and repeat with the remaining sheets, placing them on top.
5. Mix the onions, pumpkin, eggs, milk, gorgonzola and sage. Pour into the crust.
6. Bake until golden brown and set in the center, 25-45 minutes.

Looking for more recipes with eggs:
Corn Quiche in a Teff Crust
Muhammara-Style Shakshouka
Mexican Torta
Sweet Potato Tortilla
Lazy Chile Rellenos
Fried Eggs on Toast with Cheddar and Avocado

I am submitting this to Meatless Mondays hosted by Chaya of My Sweet and Savory!

Recipe: Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices

Did you know that runners are good in bed?

Honestly, I had no idea.  Seeing as how...I have not been "in bed" with anyone since before becoming a runner.  (TMI?)

But that's what I was told yesterday by a stellar individual who was trolling the online dating website I occasionally frequent, looking for an easy lay.  Apparently we, as runners, "have stamina and stuff".  And "stamina and stuff", in case you didn't know, is useful for more than just running.

Wink wink nudge nudge.



Damn.  Is it getting hot in here?  Does anyone else feel like they need a cold shower?

Or at least a shower to wash off the grimy disgusting sleaziness that just emanated off of the screen?

For real, I screamed at the computer at this point.  (Sorry computer, it's not your fault.)

Then politely explained to this fine gentleman that, actually, my pelvis is broken at the moment so, no, I would not be meeting him for a booty call later that night.

(Who knew stress fractures could be so handy!?)



And that, my friends is the single male quicksand sludge out there that I need to wade through in order to eventually find my prince charming.

(Honestly...I'd rather run a marathon. I think it might just be easier.)

So do we now see why I'll be the single girl eating weird colored soup every day for the rest of my life?

WhatEVER.

It may be the worst shade of green known to man and ugly as hell.  But you'll forget all that the second you put it into your mouth (I'm really struggling to resist a good hearty "that's what she said" right now.  For the record.).

With the infusion of coconut milk and all of my favorite warming spices (cardamom! cinnamon! cloves!) it is a soup to be reckoned with.  And to top it all off, it's so healthy that I'm pretty sure it'll infuse you with any stamina that you were lacking.  Not necessarily to appease the weirdo random dudes who virtually molest you via OkCupid...but so that you'll have the mental strength to forge ahead and not lose all your faith in single twenty-something mankind.

I know we could all use a big dose of that.

--

This week our Gourmet Live Women Game Changer in Food is Molly Wizenberg, the writer of the blog Orangette and also of the recipe memoir, A Homemade Life.  If you've never read anything of Molly's, then you should.  I started reading her book on the plane back from San Francisco and honestly, that is probably the main reason why I barely slept on that flight. I just couldn't put it down.  

My favorite quote, and what I want to leave you with: "Food is never just food.  It's also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be."

For more of Molly's recipes, check out these blogs:

Val - More Than Burnt Toast

Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey

Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
April - Abby Sweets 

Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite

Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen

Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green

Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda

Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof

Nancy - Picadillo

Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices
Serves 4, adapted from Molly Wizenberg's Orangette

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of nutmeg
• black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups French green lentils
• 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Ingredients

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is translucent.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Add the thyme, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is slightly browned and very soft.
2. Add the stock and the lentils.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Add the coconut milk to the soup.  Stir well.  Cook for about 15 minutes to blend the flavors.  Taste and adjust the salt as necessary.  Serve.

I am submitting this to Souper Sunday hosted over at Kahakai Kitchen.
 

Recipe: Caramel Crumb Bars

I have a very Goldilocks and The Three Bears relationship with caramel.

Too light.  Too dark.

Too sweet.  Too burnt.

A whole lexicon full of "too" adjectives.



And the thing is that when you risk your life and the first ten layers of skin on your forearms in order to make it (hot sugar is HOT, people! ).

The only "too" it had better be is "too perfect".

Am I right, or am I right?



Though I'm usually a proponent of the "melt sugar and add heavy cream while backing away from the stove as quickly as possible" method, I was intrigued when I stumbled across these caramel crumb bars and saw that they required condensed milk, brown sugar, minimal stovetop bubbling....and allowed you to keep every single epidermal cell on your body.

Score.

But Joanne! you may squeal.  How did your caramel turn that deeply beautiful amber color if you didn't stand over it sweating bullets and stirring as if your life depended on it?

It's called an oven folks.  Let it do the dirty work for you.

But do they taste as good as if you had poured your blood, sweat, and skin into the mix?  Given how quickly they disappeared at my friend Amma's housewarming party, to which I brought them, I'd say hands down yes.  But there's only really one way to find out...



Before you move on to the recipe, I have a favor to ask of you.  My recipe for Orzo, Arugula, and Butternut Squash Salad in a Maple-Balsamic-Coffee Vinaigrette was chosen to be a finalist in a Whole Foods contest, but I need YOUR votes in order to win!  If you wouldn't mind stopping by this site and voting, I'd really appreciate it!  You do need to register in order to vote, but all that happens when you register is that you get delicious recipes sent to your inbox once a week.  Not a bad thing, if you ask me!

Also, I'd like to announce the winner of the Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook and cookies...Theresa of the Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine!  Congrats Theresa! I'll be emailing you.



Caramel Crumb Bars
Makes a 9x13-inch tray, adapted from The Modern Baker via Tracey's Culinary Adventures 


Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups AP flour, divided
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 with a rack in the bottom third of the oven.  Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, then line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang so bars can be lifted out, and spray again with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until soft and light, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla.
3. With the mixer on low, add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, beating just until the dough is smooth and the flour has been absorbed.  Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Transfer 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan.  Press the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom layer.  Transfer the pan to the fridge while you make the filling and the top layer.
5. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour to the remaining dough.  Work it in with your fingers until large crumbs form.  Set aside.
6. To make the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and condensed milk.  Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally.  When the mixture begins to boil, whisk frequently until it begins to thicken and darkens in color slightly, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the fridge and pour the filling over the bottom crust.  Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.  Crumble the topping evenly over the caramel.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is gently bubbling and has turned a dark caramel color.  Cool the bars in the pan on a wire rack until lukewarm, about 15-20 minutes. Use the foil to lift bars out of the pan.  Once completely cool, cut into squares.

I am submitting this to Bake with Bizzy!

Speckled Green Bulgur with Red Potato Sauce...and a Review of THe Oyster Bash hosted by PALM Beer!

If you're tired of having to eat stick-to-your-ribs food with the air conditioner on then check out my recipe for speckled green bulgur with red potato sauce over at Marcus Samuelsson's blog...it's the perfect mix of fall and summer.

 

I have next to no experience with oysters or beer, and yet when the fabulous folks over at PALM breweries asked me if I wanted to attend the Oyster Bash hosted by Ted Allen at NYC's Wine and Food Festival and receive a little info session on how to pair beer with food.  I said absolutely hands down yes.

Why?

Simple.  I am the lone beer amateur in a group of friends that is chock full of beer connoisseurs.  I need to step up my game (or at least have something intelligible to say on the subject at parties).



Thankfully, David van Wees and Anthony Giardina, the two PALM representatives present at the Oyster Bash, did just that.  They explained to me that it's PALM's unique ratio of ingredients and mode of preparation that gives it such a crisp refreshing flavor that pairs well with just about anything.

Oysters, red velvet cake, ice cream sundaes.  You name it and this beer will compliment it.



Speaking of oysters, I'm fairly certain I ate more of them at this bash than I ever have in my entire life combined!  Not only was there an abundance of plain oysters that you could dress with lemon juice or some cocktail sauce but eight different chefs were there presenting their best oyster recipes as well.



My favorites were certainly the Greek Style oysters by Chef Michael Cressotti, the BBQ Sauce and Smoked Coleslaw oysters by Chef Shane McBride, and the Greek Yogurt and Pomegranate Oysters by Chef Michael Psilakis.

All in all, it was a day to be remembered both food-wise and beverage-wise.



Thank you so much for the kind folks over at PALM for giving me this opportunity and for introducing me to my new favorite beer!

Disclaimer: Though I did get to attend this event for free, my thoughts and opinions on it are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Recipe: Butternut Squash with Pepita Cilantro Vinaigrette

I'm fairly certain that someone in airport security stole the rubbery cushiony part off of one of my crutches.

I'm not really sure what kind of TSA officer would stoop so low as to steal the sole source of underarm comfort from a poor crippled girl...but it's obviously the same type of TSA officer who insisted on patting her down just to ensure that she wasn't harboring some kind of fugitive underneath her skinny jeans.  Given that she can barely hide socks underneath her skinny jeans...I have no idea what they were thinking.



I honestly probably wouldn't even have noticed the missing rubber foamy thing except that when you fly to San Francisco to not run a marathon, though you absolutely for sure cannot run in any conventional sense of the word.  You are not exempt from walking.

Not at all.

You walk from one end of Fisherman's Wharf to the other... 

You walk from your hotel to the Ferry building... 

You walk from mile 25 of the marathon to mile 26.2...



Because you know.

If you cannot be the one thing you really want in this world (a marathoner times three). 

And if you cannot do the one thing that makes you feel really truly alive.

Then at least you can walk.  And watch.  And know that you'll be out there again.

Someday. 



Oh, um.  And eat.

Which is why a serious detox is in order.

I'm trading in Ghirardelli chocolates for butternut squash grain salads with a southwestern twist. 

And no one can stop me.

(Except for TSA agents.  They kind of scare my...hence why I let them walk all over me and steal my foamy cushiony thing. The bastards.)



Butternut Squash with Pepita Cilantro Vinaigrette
Serves 4, adapted from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
• 2 cups jicama, chopped into small cubes
• 1/2 medium avocado, cubed
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp pepitas
• 1 cup wheat berries, soaked overnight and boiled for 1 hour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Arrange butternut squash on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until fork-tender.
2. When squash is done, mix in a large bowl with the jicama and avocado.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, cumin, olive oil, coriander, and cayenne pepper.
4. Mix wheat berries into butternut squash mix.  Pour the dressing over the top and stir to combine.  Serve topped with pepitas.

Recipe: Pad See Ew...and a GIVEAWAY!

You know how sometimes restaurants decide to name themselves "Best Chinese Food" or "Happy Delicious Taco Heaven"? Doesn't it just seem like the number of accolades they bestow upon themselves directly correlates with the odds that you'll contract E. coli just by thinking about dining at their establishment?

It's totally like that with this dish.

(Except not.)




You see...it has the word "ew" in it's name.

Awkward.



But I can tell you for a fact that I've been madly in love with pad see ew since 2005 and I have never noticed a single ew thing about it.

Until, that is, I got to the part in the recipe where it said to add a splash of fish sauce (times three).

At which point I had to avert my eyes and clothespin my nose shut and splash it into the pan while trying to convince myself that this step in the recipe was just a mere figment of my imagination. 

Because if I knew that that god-awful scent was nestled somewhere in this bowl of noodle-y goodness...I just wouldn't be able to eat it.  My psyche is weird that way.



Hopefully you have no such ridiculous aversions or are at least equally as good at convincing yourself of things that aren't true as I am.

Like, remember when I told myself that traveling to San Francisco to not run the marathon that I was supposed to run and watch all my friends run it would make me happy?  Uh, right...about that...

Well, here I am for better or worse!  And, actually, I'm going to be so happy to see them cross that finish line.  GO TEAM!

And to start the celebration for them...I'm sympathy carb loading.  Kind of...I'm not sure that 8 oz of pasta for four servings can be considered carb loading fo realz...but I suppose it's carb loading lite.  Totally the way I roll these days.

I was so excited to see a recipe for Pad See Ew on Chez Pim, as Pim is the woman game changer in food whose recipes we are celebrating this week!  This is one of my favorite Thai dishes, but I rarely order it since it's so calorically dense.  Made at home, though, it can actually be healthy as well as delicious!  So if you want to support my friends in their marathoning endeavors and "carb load (lite)" as well, then you can do so without a speckle of guilt.

NOTE - See bottom of post for the GIVEAWAY!

Check out these blogs for more of Pim's recipes:
Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Nancy - Picadillo



Pad See Ew
Serves 4, adapted from Chez Pim

Ingredients

• 1 package firm tofu, pressed and cut into large dice (or chicken, pork, beef)
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp peanut oil, divided
• 1 lb broccoli, chopped
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 8 oz flat rice noodles, soaked in lukewarm water until pliable
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine the tofu, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil in a large bowl.  Allow to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge.
2. Heat a wok on the highest your stove will go.  Add a tiny splash of oil.  Throw in the broccoli and eggplant, as well as a splash of fish sauce.  Cook, stirring frequently, until eggplant is cooked through.  Remove from wok and set aside.
3. Add another splash of oil.  Add the noodles to the pan, shaking the wok a few times to coat them with oil.  Add about a tbsp of soy sauce and another splash of fish sauce.  Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any charred bits, until the noodles are cooked through.  Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add a final splash of oil, followed by the garlic and the tofu.  Let the tofu char for a few seconds and then flip.  When the tofu is browned on all sides, move it to the side of the pan and crack one egg in the middle.  Let the egg sit for a few seconds and then stir everything together.
5. Throw the veggies back into the pan.  Stir quickly to mix, then throw the noodles back in as well.  Add soy sauce and rice vinegar to taste as well as 1 tbsp brown sugar.

NOTE - I realize that the fish sauce and oyster sauce don't make this 100% vegetarian, but there are vegetarian versions of these out there, so use them as you see fit!

 

GIVEAWAY!!!

 

 Have you ever had Tate's Bake Shop cookies?  They're kinda sorta the best things since sliced bread.  Crispy, buttery, heavenly delicious.  And the best part is, they are made from all natural ingredients!  Just as cookies should be.  They recently came out with a whole wheat dark chocolate cookie that they sent me to try in celebration of October being NATIONAL COOKIE MONTH...and it was a magical experience.

Not only that, but they've offered to send one of YOU GUYS three bags of these babies as well as a copy of The Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook, signed by the author - Kathleen King!  I own this cookbook...and it's quite lovely in every way.

In addition, ALL OF YOU get a 15% discount at tatesbakeshop.com by entering in the code COOKIE.  This is good through the month of October!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment (with your email address so I can contact you!) telling me what your favorite cookie is.