hey, this recipe has pumpkin in it.

It's pumpkin season. I know this because every person I have ever met has posted about how many pumpkin muffins/lattes/soups/pies he or she has already had and it's not even November yet. As you may have guessed, I am not as big of a pumpkin fan as every else that I know. But I am a people pleaser, so I bake pumpkin things when people want pumpkin things.

I made this recipe for a "pumpkin potluck" my friend Leslie hosts every year. Last year I made Dorie Greenspan's "pumpkin stuffed with everything good"...so if you want a serious pumpkin fix (and accompanying post-pumpkin food coma), you could double up. Fair warning: both recipes are very rich but also very good.

While we're getting into the fall spirit, here are a few pumpkin jokes for your viewing pleasure (yep, it's that time of night):

Q: What does a pumpkin pie say after a big meal?
A: That was filling!

Q: What is a pumpkin's favorite sport?
A: Squash!

And my personal favorite...

Q: How do you mend a broken jack-o-lantern?
A: With a pumpkin patch!

I'll be here all week.

pumpkin whoopie pies with bourbon-maple-cream cheese filling and candied walnuts
adapted from Gourmet Live
makes 16

ingredients:
for the cookie-cakes:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

pumpkin cookie-cakes ready to be filled!

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
for the candied walnuts:
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 c pecans
for the filling:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 c confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)

instructions:

For cookie-cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Whisk together sugar, oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until well combined, then stir in flour mixture.

Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, drop a scant scoop's worth of batter or 2 scant tablespoons of batter onto a lined baking sheet to form 1 mound. Make 15 more mounds, arranging them 2 inches apart until baking sheet is full (you will have batter left over).

Bake until springy to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookie-cakes to rack to cool.

Form and bake remaining batter on the other parchment-lined sheet. You should have a total of 32 cookie-cakes.

Leave oven on.

For candied walnuts:
Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper.

Stir together sugar, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon water in a small saucepan. Heat over moderate heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Stir in pecans.

Spread mixture on lined sheet pan and bake until coating is bubbling and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cool completely on pan on a rack.

Coarsely chop candied walnuts.

For filling:
While cookie-cakes are baking, beat cream cheese, butter, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, bourbon, and maple syrup, and mix on low speed until smooth.

Chill filling until firm enough to hold its shape when spread, 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

Assemble whoopie pies:
Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of filling each on flat side of half the cooled cookie-cakes, then top with other half of cookie-cakes. If necessary, chill whoopie pies just long enough to firm up filling again, about 30 minutes.

Gently press walnuts onto filling around middle of each whoopie pie to help them adhere to filling.

the finished product.

pie time for a party.

When I first came to divinity school, I wanted to keep throwing dinner parties like I did in Charleston, but there was just one small problem: I didn't have an income to pay for these parties. My mom suggested that I start a potluck supper club, which I did, and it was fun the first 3 or 4 times we did it, but most people's enthusiasm waned much more quickly than mine. Unless you really like to cook, committing to doing that once every two weeks just doesn't sound like that much fun.

Two years later and I'm trying again. This time I actually know some people in Nashville (which tends to happen when you've lived somewhere for two years), and I put out an open call on Facebook asking who was interested in joining. We had our first supper on Friday, and it was wonderful. Everyone brought amazing food--Senegalese peanut stew, butternut squash, rosemary, and goat cheese flatbread; and salted beer crescent rolls, to name a few--and several of our friends stayed for 3 or 4 hours just talking, laughing, and drinking the wide variety of pumpkin beer people brought. It was basically my dream come true.

Who knows if this iteration of the supper club will last, but I'm pretty sure I'll keep trying to make these happen as long as I live. There's just nothing I would rather do with my time than enjoy good food with good people.

Anyway, about what I brought to the party: When I was a kid, we used to have this savory pie at least 2 or 3 times a year, usually when we were in the middle of a "cold" snap (i.e., under 50 degrees). It's a magical dish, the epitome of warmth and comfort, but I hadn't made it in years. I'm not sure what reminded me of it, but as soon as I thought about it I knew I had to make it. I just ate the last leftover piece for supper tonight, and I already want to make it again. In fact, it was so good that every time I cut myself a slice I forgot to take a picture until I had already eaten a couple of bites. I promise, it tastes better than these pictures make it look.

A few notes: Feel free to substitute 1 lb. regular sausage + 1 tsp red pepper flakes if you don't have hot sausage. It's not spicy either way, but omit the red pepper if you don't want any spice at all. You can also use any frozen greens here in place of the spinach, or cook/drain about 32 oz (2 lbs) fresh greens to replace the frozen. Unless you happen to have fresh greens on hand, because you're mixing this with so many other ingredients I would stick with the frozen variety. Also, you can certainly use a pre-made refrigerated pie crust, but I think the flavor and flakiness of this recipe make it worth the effort.

cheesy spinach, mushroom, and sausage pie
serves 8

ingredients:
1 lb hot sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 10-oz packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
7 eggs
2 c grated mozzarella
16 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
2 prepared pie crusts

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, brown sausage with garlic; drain. In the same pan, brown the mushrooms; remove from heat.

In a very large bowl, beat 6 of the eggs, and beat yolk of remaining egg with 2 tbsp water; reserve egg white. Add sausage, mushrooms, cheeses, and salt to 6 beaten eggs and mix until combined (you may want to use your hands for this).

Roll out one layer of pie crush into a greased 9-inch deep dish pie pan and brush crust with egg white. Spoon filling into the crust and top with remaining layer of pie crust. Press edges together and crimp to seal. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape, and brush top layer with the egg yolk-water mixture.

Bake for an hour and a half to two hours, until the crust is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out hot. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

maple bacon crackerjack.

Yes, you read that right. This is popcorn popped in bacon fat, tossed with bacon, peanuts, and maple caramel. Don't make this unless you have guests, and even then, you probably shouldn't make it until right before they arrive so you don't gobble it all up before they get there.

This is not the kind of thing I make often, and in fact I haven't made it in several years. But it's always a huge hit, it screams fall (tailgate food!), and I guarantee people will ask you for the recipe. You can say you made it up--my feelings won't be hurt.

maple bacon crackerjack
adapted from cooking light
makes about 10 cups

ingredients:
5 slices bacon
1/2 c popcorn kernels
1/2 c peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, but it makes you eat it a little slower!)

instructions:
Preheat oven to 325. Place bacon in a large pot (this helps reduce the number of dishes you'll have to do later), turn burner to medium and cook until crisp, turning frequently. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.

Add a couple kernels of popcorn to the pot and set your burner on medium-high. Wait for those kernels to pop, then remove from heat and add the rest of the kernels. Keep off heat for about 30 seconds (this gets all the kernels to the same temperature). Put pot back on the stovetop until most of the kernels have popped, which should happen fairly quickly. You might want to shake the pan a little so none of the kernels burn. Transfer to a large baking sheet and sprinkle the peanuts over the popcorn. Dice the bacon into small pieces and add that as well.

Combine butter, sugar, maple syrup, and salt in small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and pour over popcorn-peanut-bacon mixture, tossing to coat (this is pretty messy). Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Place in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes to crisp it up before serving.

everyone loves a pumpkin.

Marketing the seasons is nothing new. According to retailers, school starts in July, Halloween in August, Thanksgiving in September, and Christmas...well, it seems like any time is a good time to start your Christmas shopping.

The pumpkin market, though, is in a class all by itself. When fall hits, every restaurant, coffee shop, and grocery store plasters their walls with posters advertising pumpkin spice fill-in-the-blank. The pumpkin phenomenon may have gotten out of hand. This assertion might make me sound like an old lady screaming at trick-or-treaters to get off my lawn...except I'm about to offer you a pumpkin recipe.

One of my friends had a pumpkin-themed potluck last night, and as much as I make fun of the pumpkin trend, everyone brought something delicious that included pumpkin. Pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin salad, pumpkin pizza, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, a fabulous pumpkin bourbon milkshake (heavy on the bourbon, light on the pumpkin)...the list goes on. I decided to go whole hog (whole gourd?) and hollow out an entire pumpkin, stuff it, and bake it.

I knew I would get points for presentation, but I honestly didn't have incredibly high hopes for this combination of flavors. As it turned out, they melded perfectly. Although my serving method wasn't perfect--I just stuck a spoon into the stuffing, so most people only ate that and didn't get any pumpkin--I combined the two on my plate with wonderful results. Next time I would follow the directions Dorie Greenspan offers and either slice the pumpkin with the stuffing for individual portions, or scoop it all into a big bowl and mix it up.

I made a vegetarian version, but if you're only serving this to meat eaters I would definitely add some bacon or sausage. You can use pretty much any combination of bread and cheese--whatever you think would go well together. No matter how you make it, this is one pumpkin recipe worth trying.

pumpkin stuffed with everything good
adapted from dorie greenspan
serves 6 as a side or 4 as a main course 

ingredients:
1 medium cooking pumpkin, 3 to 4 pounds
about 4 c bread, torn into chunks (I used cranberry pecan)
6 oz cheese, shredded (gruyere, emmentaler, cheddar, or whatever you like)
4 cloves garlic, minced
about 1/2 c heavy cream
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper 

instructions:
Place the oven rack on the bottom Preheat the oven to 350. Cut out the top of the pumpkin, leaving a large enough hole for your hand to fit. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, and save them if you'd like to toast them. Rub the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine the bread, cheese, and garlic, and mix with your hands to combine. Stuff the pumpkin with the bread-cheese mixture, filling it but leaving space to put the cap back on.

Combine the cream with as much nutmeg, salt, and pepper as you think is necessary, and pour the cream mixture into the pumpkin, covering the bread but not submerging it in liquid.

Place the cap back on the pumpkin and place it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or in a Dutch oven. I used a Dutch oven to make sure my pumpkin wouldn't collapse, but it held up remarkably well. Bake for about 2 1/2 hours or until the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork. I removed the cap after about 2 hours to let the top of the stuffing brown. Prepare to impress your friends and family!

a recipe to share

Have you ever had an experience that totally turned you upside down, that reminded you what's important? Of course you have; everyone has. (So I hope.) I visited my friend Cara in Austin last week for my fall break, and it helped me remember what matters, what brings meaning to our lives: human connection. That may sound trite or overly sentimental, but I don't mind so much. It's still true.

After 72 waking hours in Austin (but who's counting?), on Saturday I came home to Nashville, back to the realities of school, work, and a routine. It felt a bit like a crash back into normal life, but at least I can hold on to a few things: memories, a lesson or two, new sources of hope. It also helped that I came home to friends, and even better, shared three dinners in a row with them.

I wish I could share everything about my trip with you all (or most of it, anyway). For now, though, I can only offer a great recipe to enjoy with others. This recipe for Hungarian goulash, a beef stew, is a childhood favorite of mine. No, I'm not Hungarian, but when I was growing up my mom made it all the time. It's easy, humble, comforting, and delicious. This recipe makes way more than one person could eat alone, so share it with people you love.

hungarian goulash
adapted from williams-sonoma essentials of slow cooking
serves 4-6

ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil

it photographs humbly as well.

1 1/2 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 quart reduced-sodium beef broth
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 medium red potatoes, diced
3 medium carrots, chopped
Sour cream (optional)

instructions:
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.  Meanwhile, season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pan and brown on all sides, 5-7 minutes (you may have to work in batches to ensure that the beef browns rather than steams). Remove the beef from the pan and place in a large slow cooker.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the paprika, caraway seeds, oregano, tomato paste, and broth, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into the slow cooker over the beef. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice and stir to combine.

Cover and cook until the beef is tender, about 6 hours on the low-heat setting. Uncover and stir in the bell pepper, potatoes, and carrots, and re-cover. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook until the potatoes are tender, 2 1/2 - 3 hours longer.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with sour cream, if desired. Crusty bread is a nice addition as well.

sesame-crusted feta and fig sandwiches

When school starts, I consider it fall. No matter that the high reaches 90 degrees most days and I can still get good tomatoes at the farmer's market; I'm ready for it to be sweater weather (and stay that way--I can pass on winter, thank you). Today, Labor Day, marks the "official" end of summer, and it's a bit cooler and rainy and at least it LOOKS like fall outside, so I made a decidedly autumnal sandwich for lunch. And it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had...which is saying a lot, since anything on bread pretty much qualifies as my favorite food.

This is a bit more labor-intensive than a ham and cheese on wheat, but the extra effort pays off. The nuttiness of sesame seeds plays off the sharp tang of feta, and the figs' already considerable sweetness deepens with a quick toss in a saute pan and a drizzle of honey. The bread is almost secondary, but a nice hearty whole-grain works well (I used Whole Food's Seeduction bread, one of my favorites despite the name). Now that I think of it, though, this recipe might work even better as a salad, on a bed of arugula perhaps.

sesame-crusted feta and fig sandwiches
adapted from serious eats
serves two

ingredients:
4 oz. block feta
1 tbsp butter
4 figs, quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp honey
4 slices of hearty bread

instructions:
Slice feta into approximately 1/4" slices and place on a plate in the freezer to harden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Add figs and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine sesame seeds, coriander, and red pepper on a medium plate. Remove feta from freezer, dip each slice in egg and coat all sides evenly with sesame seed mixture.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Saute feta until golden on both sides, turning carefully with tongs, a minute or two per side. Remove from heat.

Top each slice of bread with feta and figs, season with salt and black pepper, and drizzle with honey.

happy (almost) thanksgiving!

the only tg picture i could find on my computer.

I cannot wait for Thanksgiving. Christmas certainly has its charms, and I'm excited to start singing carols, wrapping presents, and looking for snow (that's a pre-Christmas possibility in Nashville!), but Thanksgiving has a special place in my heart. It's not just that food takes center stage, although I certainly enjoy that. I just love the whole idea behind it:  the devotion of a full day to gratitude. 

Also, I can't write this post without mentioning that I have a special ancestral tie to this holiday. My mother's side is descended from Stephen Hopkins, one of the passengers on the Mayflower and thus a participant in the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth. My grandmother, forever the Bostonian, never let a Thanksgiving pass without reading aloud to us "The Women of the Mayflower," an essay on, you guessed it, the women of the Mayflower. As a chubby five-year-old, I didn't quite see the value in delaying supper to hear a history lesson, but of course now I look back on the tradition with fondness. I am amazed at how vividly I remember sitting on one of my parent's laps on that ugly green couch, half-listening, half-daydreaming about pecan pie.

Anyway, that's a long enough trip down memory lane. Twenty years later (!), our family has both shrunk and grown, we have Thanksgiving at the beach with a substantially smaller crowd, and we have a copy of Grandma's essay to read to ourselves. Thanksgiving is still my favorite holiday, though, and I want to share with you what we're planning to make this year. Some of these recipes we've had before, and some of them are variations on family favorites. I'm also using this to highlight some of my go-to recipe websites and sources (although most of them have already made appearances on here).

This is a pretty traditional menu with a few twists. We've never been much for changing it up on Thanksgiving, and although I'm all for culinary creativity, on this holiday I like to take the familiar route. Maybe this will provide a little inspiration for your menu or prompt you to share some of your favorite Thanksgiving memories or dishes. Regardless, I hope that you have as much to give thanks for as I do.

a thanksgiving menu
for snacking and drinking:
   the modern relish tray (The Kitchn)
   cocktail suggestions (Cooking Light)
   beer pairings (Saveur)
   wine pairings (food52)
sides (the best part!):
   beet salad with chevre and walnuts (Williams-Sonoma)
   cranberry-pepper jelly (Bon Appetit)
   summer squash casserole, aka "Sarah's foot casserole," but that's another story. 
      (Southern Living)
   spicy roasted green beans with bacon candy (Tasting Table)
   creamy mashed potatoes (Cook's Country) and gravy (just wing it...get it?)
   golden-crusted brussels sprouts (Serious Eats)
   spicy creamed onions (Saveur)
   cornbread and sausage stuffing - my favorite! (Cook's Illustrated)
mains:
   herb-roasted turkey breast (Ina Garten)
   maple-glazed ham (Real Simple)
desserts:
   pumpkin-praline pie (Cook's Country)
   sorghum pecan pie (The Lee Bros.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

apple-cardamom upside down cake

A year ago, I wouldn't have recognized the flavor of cardamom. I had unknowingly tasted it before in Indian dishes and maybe a Scandinavian-influenced sweet or two, but I certainly would not have been able to pin it down. It's slightly floral (but not in a potpourri kind of way), earthy, with a little bit of black peppery kick. In this recipe it's combined with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, so you're not smacked in the face with cardamom flavor. Thus, it's a good introduction to the spice if you're not sure you'd like it on its own.

A few notes on potential adjustments to the recipe:  next time, I think I'll up the whole-wheat/oat flour ratio to half of the flour (3/4 c white, 3/4 c whole grain). I might even add some whole oats; the substantial amount of spices in the cake can support a heartier texture. Also, you could reduce the sugar a bit, to maybe a cup or so, since the caramelized top already bring the sweetness factor up a notch. A few spoonfuls of honey in place of some of the sugar would be nice as well. Oh, and maybe some toasted walnuts or pecans on the bottom with the apples! (This is the first time I made this, so bear with me.)

In short, you could do a lot with this recipe to make it totally yours. I think it's pretty forgiving, considering I accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder and then just added some cream of tartar to make up for it, and it still tasted great.

apple-cardamom upside down cake
adapted from the kitchn 
12 servings
per serving:  285.5 cal, 8.4g fat, 54.9g carb, 1.8g fiber, 2.9g protein, 8+ weight watchers

ingredients:
8 tbsp salted butter, divided
1/2 c dark brown sugar
3 medium apples
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat or oat flour (or a combination)
1 tsp cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle over apples
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar

instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 6 tbsp of the butter in a small saucepan and add the brown sugar. Let bubble for a couple of minutes, then pour into 12 x 8" pan (13x9" would probably be fine, too; your cake will just be a little thin). Keep the saucepan out; you'll use it again.

Peel, core, and slice the apples, and lay them flat over the butter-brown sugar mixture in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, salt, and baking powder. Warm milk and remaining butter in saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Meanwhile, beat the eggs until they are thick and pale, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar and beat 5 minutes more. Add flour mixture and milk, and stir until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into pan.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. If having for dessert, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

uh-oh, this piece fell apart. guess I have to eat it!

it runs in the family

My family likes food. A lot. My mom, sister, and I like to make it, and my dad and brother-in-law like to eat it (okay, they occasionally help in the kitchen, too). Every Christmas and birthday we exchange various cooking gadgets, try out new recipes on each other, and eat more than we should. And when we manage to get together on a normal weekend, we devote a good chunk of our time to food then, too.

My sister Emily and brother-in-law Jon just moved to Atlanta, which works out quite nicely for the rest of our family, as Atlanta marks the halfway point between Nashville and the town where my parents live. So, we had some family time this weekend that included house hunting, furniture shopping, and lots of delicious food. We tried a couple of great restaurants, JCT Kitchen for dinner on Friday and Rosebud for Sunday brunch, but Saturday's dinner, prepared by Emily and Jon, topped them both. Something about cooking a meal yourself (or, at least, watching as it's cooked!) just makes every dish taste better.

The great thing about this menu is you can make it as easy or labor-intensive as you'd like. It's also endlessly modifiable and completely carbtastic--two features of most of my favorite meals. Feel free to tweak the recipes, but they're pretty delicious as-is.

As for timing everything, cocktails first, of course. Then I would recommend starting the pasta sauce, boiling the pasta, making the pizza, and tossing the salad last. For dessert, we had vanilla ice cream with granola (both homemade!), and that's a great ending if you're feeling ambitious (and easy to buy if you're not).

I'm calling this menu a "new Italian family feast" because, well, I have to call it something, right?

new italian family feast

serves 4-6

kir royales a la emily

tossed salad with fig-balsamic vinaigrette

pear, brie, & arugula flatbread

pasta and tomato sauce with onion and butter

kir royales a la emily (makes 5 cocktails)
 
1 bottle prosecco
3 oz brandy
3 oz creme de cassis
5 lemon twists, for garnish

Divide prosecco, brandy, and creme de cassis evenly among five champagne flutes. Rub rims of flutes with lemon twists and drop in the drinks to serve. (If you don't make anything else on the menu, make these!)

tossed salad with fig-balsamic vinaigrette

dressing:
   2 tbsp olive oil
   2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
   2 tbsp fig preserves
salad:
   5 c mixed greens
   1 small bell pepper, sliced
   1 small cucumber, sliced
   1/4 c kalamata olives
   1/4 c chopped toasted nuts

Whisk together first three ingredients; toss with salad ingredients and serve.

pear, brie, & arugula flatbread

 







1 ball store-bought pizza dough (try Whole Foods), or homemade version
1 pear, sliced thinly
4 oz. brie, chilled and sliced thinly
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 c arugula

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, or as high as your oven will go. Sprinkle flour on baking surface (a cookie sheet will do just fine), and stretch dough into a thin round--or whatever shape you can make it! Place round on cookie sheet and top with pear and brie, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake until edges are brown and brie is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Top with arugula and serve.

pasta and tomato sauce with onion and butter

simple & delicious.

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
5 tbsp butter 
1 medium yellow onion, peeled 
   and halved
16 oz dried or 24 oz fresh pasta 
   (Jon made our pasta from 
   scratch...no big deal)
salt, shaved parmesan and red 
   pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Place tomatoes, butter, and onion in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally, breaking up the tomatoes, and cook for about 45 minutes or until you're ready to eat. In the meantime, prepare pasta and other dishes. Salt to taste, and top with parmesan and red pepper flakes.

fall! (means comfort food)

Fall has arrived! (at least chronologically, if not meteorologically...the weather in Nashville has been alternating between summer and fall) I love the changing of the seasons, and fall might be my favorite one. The colors, the activities, the food...just soak it all in.

I had both an acorn squash and a butternut squash on hand this week (thank you again, CSA, for making me exercise culinary creativity), so I roasted them together and let my imagination take it from there. First I made a version of this recipe for farro with acorn squash and kale (delicious, but not exactly pretty), and then I used my butternut squash for something resembling mac and cheese.  This recipe is not quite as cheesy and hopefully a little bit healthier, but it is still top notch comfort food!

I had something like this for the first time last fall, when my sister made this recipe. I'm not sure why I didn't make it myself until last night, but I'll certainly be making it again.  About 17385 other food bloggers have posted a version of a butternut squash mac and cheese recipe, so this isn't exactly new, but it may be new to you.

I had my pasta bake as part of the first "homestyle" meal (meat, vegetable, starch) I'd eaten in awhile, and I could not believe how satisfied I felt afterwards! The dish can certainly stand alone as a vegetarian main course, but I had mine with chicken and green peas last night, which are also featured in one of the photos below. I think I'll have leftovers again tonight, and I'm actually looking forward to it. I think that says a lot!

P.S. - With my remaining cup of butternut squash, I think I'm either going to try this bread or these cookies. If anyone has other suggestions, please share!

the best part!

cheesy butternut pasta bake
adapted from Martha Stewart
serves 6 as a main course, 12 as a side
per large serving:  460.2 cal, 10.2g fat, 63g carb, 11.2g fiber, 27.4g protein, 12+ weight watchers

ingredients:
16 oz whole wheat pasta (I used spirals)
3 c cooked mashed butternut squash (I roasted mine)
2 eggs
1 c skim milk
1 c fat-free cottage cheese or ricotta
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 oz parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 c breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (Ritz are the best!)

instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a large casserole. (I used one that was about 8 x 12; it just depends on how thick you want it!)

Boil pasta until al dente, according to package directions; drain.

Combine squash, eggs, milk, cheeses, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Add pasta to squash mixture and mix until combined. Transfer mixture to casserole and top with crumbs. Bake until top is crispy and edges are browned, 40-50 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

microwaves are magical.

We're reading Augustine's Confessions for my Formation of the Christian Tradition class, and this has inspired me to make my own public confession. Today I did something I have not done since college...I bought Lean Cuisines. (Gotcha! This will not be a theologically-themed post.)

I'm coming up on Week 5 (I think it deserves the capitalization) of class, and as my time spent reading, writing papers, and working increases, my time in the kitchen decreases an equivalent amount. For the most part I've continued to subsist off of fresh produce, grains, and beans (cheap!), but sometimes you just need a meal that only requires you to pierce plastic with a fork.

Anyway, the recipe I have today is a cross between freshness and convenience. Thanks to my friend Hailey, I happened across this method for microwaving potato chips on Pinterest. I was skeptical but tried it anyway, and it really did work. This week my CSA box has a few sweet potatoes in it so I made a batch of chips with one of those, seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and fresh rosemary. I had them for lunch with what I'm calling an early fall BLT, with tomatoes (still sort of in-season!), thick-cut bacon, sauteed kale, and lemon-garlic mayo. Yum.

The chips taste like they're baked rather than fried, but they are about as crunchy as kettle chips, which I love. They're a great option if you want something snacky but not junky. You can change these up with whatever flavors you'd like, and serve them with a dip if you want--they're definitely sturdy enough to handle it. Here are a few flavor suggestions:

-sweet potato chips with cinnamon and sugar and a side of maple syrup
-regular potato chips with seasoned salt and a side of ketchup (easy, and a good substitute for seasoned fries!)
-potato chip "nachos" with bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and scallions (not exactly healthy, but I bet they would be delicious!)

microwaved (sweet) potato chips
makes about two servings, easily multiplied
per serving:  88 cal, 2.4g fat, 15.8g carb, 2g fiber, 1.1g protein, 2+ weight watchers 

ingredients:
1 medium potato or sweet potato, sliced into thin disks (a mandolin would be helpful
   here, although mine turned out fine without one)
1 tsp oil
seasoning of your choice

instructions:
Toss potato slices with oil and seasoning, and place in a single layer a microwable dish (I used a casserole). Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Flip the slices over and microwave for another 2-4 minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Let cool--they will crisp up as they cool.

an unseasonable salad

There was a time back in the dead of winter (which in Charleston translates to temperatures consistently in the fifties) when I ate brussels sprouts at least three times a week. I roasted them, sauteed them, put them on pizzas and in omelets. To my surprise I liked them raw as well as cooked, and a salad I found on food52 became a regular menu item for me. I talked about this salad A LOT, as anyone who spent more than 10 minutes with me during that period can attest.

But the bounty of spring and summer made me forget about the miniature cabbages that had served me so well in January and February. I moved on to salads of baby lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn. Brussels sprouts left my life as suddenly as they had appeared.

Then, this Sunday I saw a tiny basket of them at The Vegetable Bin, my favorite source for produce in Charleston. I took all of them. I made my winter salad again. I'm not ashamed to say I licked the bowl.

brussels sprouts salad
adapted from food52
4 small servings, or 2 large
per large serving:  238.5 cal, 16.3g fat, 21.1g carb, 4.1g fiber, 6.2g protein, 7+ weight watchers

This is a very flexible recipe. You can use whatever cheese you want, or omit it altogether for a vegan version. I've replaced the cheese with nutritional yeast with some success. The salad could also easily be turned into a light main dish by adding some protein; chickpeas work perfectly.

ingredients:
1/4 lb brussels sprouts (about 12 large),
   trimmed and sliced thinly
2 ribs celery, diced
2 c arugula, chopped
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/4 c crumbled feta
2 tbsp chopped toasted walnuts
juice of half a lemon (about 1 tbsp)
2 tsp oil of your choice (I used
   grapeseed)
salt and crushed red pepper, to taste

instructions:
It's a salad. Toss all ingredients together and serve! 

chocolate pecan caramel pralines

So, I had some leftover heavy cream in my fridge that needed to be used before my trip to Connecticut tomorrow. I'm not a big candy maker, but I had all the ingredients for this salted caramel on hand, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Not the best idea I've ever had.

I couldn't get the sugar to dissolve on medium-low heat, so after twenty minutes or so I just cranked up my stovetop to medium-high and prayed for the best. This resulted in some hybrid of caramel and praline, which wasn't what I set out to make...but hey, isn't that what trying new things is all about?

chocolate pecan caramel pralines
adapted from food52
makes about 32 candies
per candy:  88 cal, 4.4g fat, 13g carb, 0g fiber, 0.3g protein, 3+ weight watchers

ingredients:
1 1/2 c sugar
1/4 c honey
1/4 c water
1/3 c heavy cream
6 tbsp salted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz chocolate chips or chunks of your choice
32 pecan halves, toasted

instructions:
Line a small baking pan with parchment paper or foil (I used an 11 x 7" pan).

Combine sugar, honey, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves or you get tired of stirring (like I did)!

Increase heat to medium high and let mixture simmer until it turns a light golden brown color, 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cream and butter. The mixture will boil pretty profusely, but don't worry--it's supposed to! Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the caramel into the pan and sprinkle chocolate chips/chunks over it. Swirl with a knife.

Let mixture cool until it is semi-solid, and press pecans into it. Let cool completely.

Remove from pan and take off the foil or parchment paper, then cut into squares.