I love a challenge. Especially if it involves baking something delicious and then eating it. When I (and a lot of others I presume) think of fall seasonal flavours, probably one of the most popular choices would be pumpkin. So many possibilities with this humble gourd. It can be sweet, it can be savoury, you can eat the seeds, or you can carve it up and cram a candle inside it. Such fun to work with, and easier than 1,2,3 if you use the canned stuff.
My family never made pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, or pecan pie for that matter. I was totally deprived of this spicy fall treat until well into adulthood. Once I did try it though, I was hooked. There’s just something about pumpkin, once it’s been mixed with other enhancing flavours, that conjures up all the best memories of autumn. Crisp, colourful leaves, the whiff of wood smoke on the cool breeze, the return of my favourite long coats.
And so it was that I came to the dilemma of the pumpkin cookie. Sure, I’ve seen it many times. It’s all over the place this time of year, although you will find some people calling it a “muffin top” these days. Which is really more accurate anyway when it comes to the standard pumpkin cookie recipe. Fluffy, cakey and not at all the texture one thinks of when dreaming of cookies. When I think of a cookie, it should crispy around the edges, slightly undercooked in the centre, and chewy throughout. The perfect cookie texture, if you will. Apparently this is rather hard to achieve when it ocmes to a pumpkin cookie because of the added liquid involved in the pumpkin itself. It is quite watery when you add it to the batter.
I thought that there must be a way to solve this dilemma. Too much liquid…well, why not just get rid of that excess liquid then? You will still retain the orange hue and fall flavour of pumpkin, but at the same time, achieve a much better texture or crumb.
And so I set to work experimenting one afternoon. And this, my friends, is my gift to you. A perfectly crisp and chewy pumpkin cookie, accented by the wonderful spices we all know and love and a little surprise for extra zing. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup pumpkin butter**
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips or chunks
fine grain sea salt, such as pink Himalayan (optional)
1. Cream butter and sugar in medium sized bowl.
2. Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin butter. Mix well.
3. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add to wet and stir to combine.
4. Stir in orange zest and chocolate chips and set in refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. These cookies don’t spread much so be creative in making shapes. I went for a rough look by pulling out chunks of dough and loosely molding into cookie shapes. Sprinkle with sea salt before baking if desired.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Because these cookies are crisp and chewy fresh out of the oven, I recommend making them in smaller batches and freezing the dough for future use.
** To make the pumpkin butter:
Method #1. Dump one can of pure pumpkin purée (27-29 0z can) and one cup of brown sugar into a small saucepan. Heat on medium and continue to stir and reduce for 1 hour. When done, you should be left with about a cup + 2 Tbsp of very thick pumpkin butter.
Method #2. Halve three small sugar pumpkins, scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut side up on a greased baking tray, bake in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, scoop out flesh and purée in food processor (there should be about 2 cups). Drain in cheese cloth by squeezing out the excess liquid. Add to small saucepan along with 1 cup of brown sugar. Cook down on medium heat for about one hour until very thick. Remove and set aside.
Remember, they don’t stay crispy and chewy forever. These guys are best served right away, or at least within 2 days. After that they begin to soften. They still taste great, but I chose to freeze two thirds of my dough in two small batches for later indulgence.
When company’s coming over for dinner, it’s nice to be able to offer something warm and comforting for the ever important, after dinner indulgence. Which is why I baked this caramel & apple cream cheese tart last weekend when some family was coming for a visit. We don’t often get visitors, what with living 35 minutes from the nearest city. It is isolating, but at the same time, the freedom that comes with living out in the middle of nowhere is very inspiring. Planning is key. You can’t leave the house with toddler in tow without two days worth of snacks and diapers, sippy cups and toys. Grocery lists are thorough and complete, keeping in mind you won’t be going to pick up that forgotten pint of cream anytime soon. Emergency supplies are well stocked in the garage and we’ve got enough firewood to keep us warm all winter long should anything catastrophic happen.
I stacked it all myself too. I didn’t say I chopped it. No, it came that way, well most of it anyway.
Lots of interesting things can happen when you don’t have the distractions of the city to pull you away. Maybe you have time to practice your cooking and baking skills, your photography skills, and even your rusty writing skills. Maybe you bring yourself a little closer to your childhood roots, embracing nature at every turn, and welcoming the life that comes along with rural living. There’s nothing quite like waking up to the cock-a-doodle-dooing of the neighbour’s rooster or the baaaaing of their purebred sheep. Interesting things can happen too, just take this next picture as an example.
That poor, unfortunate fellow flew right into our living room window the other day. I just so happened to be sitting at the computer, writing a post, when “BANG!” I looked out the door next to me, to the deck outside, and there were feathers billowing around all over the place. I walked out onto the deck and there he was, lying on his back, feet in the air, completely stunned. I took him inside and let him rest in the laundry room, wrapped in a towel for a few hours. I checked on him every now and then, and gave him a little ramekin of water. For some reason though, he wasn’t interested in it. After a while, I figured he must be okay. Maybe it was when he started flying around the room, desperately attempting to peck his way through the windows. So I caught him and my husband snapped this photo. He’s been back a couple of times since then too, I think he must like me.
And then there’s this. This has to be my number one reason for living so far away from my favourite boutique stores, my favourite gourmet restaurants, movie theaters, restaurant supply stores, etc. To walk 30 seconds down my driveway, and another 2 minutes down the lane way to see this. What gorgeous beauty and such inspiration, right in my backyard. If I ever have to leave here, it will be a very sad day. But for now, I revel in it’s wonderful simplicity, it’s serene tranquility and I wonder how I ever managed to make it in the big, noisy city. Then again, some questions are better left unanswered.
Caramel & Apple Cream Cheese Tart
For the crust:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or half a nut)
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (8 whole crackers)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground pecans
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
3 tbsp buttermilk
For the cream cheese layer:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
For the apple topping:
5 large apples, peeled cored and sliced into 1/4″ pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup creamy caramel, melted (or make your own)
1/4 cup half & half (or light cream)
1. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl.
2. Add vanilla, egg and spices to butter and sugar. Mix well.
3. In bowl of food processor, pulse nuts and crackers until a fine crumb is formed. If using prepackaged graham cracker crumbs, simply measure out at this point.
4. When nuts are ground, mix together in another bowl with flour, graham cracker crumbs, oats, salt and baking soda.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
6. In a 9×13 greased, glass baking dish, add the crust and pat down evenly. Set aside.
7. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the confectioner’s sugar until smooth.
8. Add the egg, vanilla and sour cream.
9. Pour over the crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula and set aside.
10. Toss the sliced apples with the salt, and cinnamon.
11. Lay the apples out over the top of the cream cheese layer like a deck of cards spread out on a table. One layered over the edge of the next.
12. Bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes.
13. Melt caramels and combine with half and half.
14. Pour caramel sauce over the cooled apple tart and serve warm.
My parents are retired. They are in their early fifties. They live in Mexico for 6 months. Are you jealous yet? I know I am. Every year when they pack up the RV (not that they have much to pack, as they live in it year round), and head back down the Baja, I have little pangs of jealousy. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to live in such a beautiful place. Here’s a couple of pictures you can gaze upon to join me in my envy.
Just so you know, I didn’t edit these photos at all.
Now, back to what I was talking about. Yes, yes, we’re all jealous of the beautiful weather, the ocean views, the fresh sea air, the freedom and the lack of responsibility. But the biggest thing I’m jealous of? The authentic Mexican food. No, seriously. I heart Mexican. Big time. I could eat it every day. There is such a wide variety of food available in Mexico, it’s no wonder it’s so popular the world over. It’s not just tacos, enchiladas, nachos, burritos and chimichangas either. Open up your culinary eyes and there is a vast variety of food coming out of Mexico.
The Baja is known for it’s huge variety of seafood as it’s basically one long coastline. Think lobster, marlin, dorado, squid, shrimp, crab, swordfish, tuna, etc. But also, there is much ranching there, leading to roadside stands serving goat, pork and beef. Baja California is home to the humble origins of the Caesar Salad and the Margarita. Quite a dynasty of food really.
When my parents make their way back home along the coastlines of the the US, they bring with them my favorite souvenir, recipes. My Mother is a great cook, and has a way with traditional Mexican food. She has brought many a good dish home to me. Jicama and cucumbers, drenched in lime juice and salt as a very simple side dish, stuffed chiles rellenos, dripping in cheese, authentic Pico De Gallo, painstakingly diced to perfection. Another of my favourites is Conchinita pibil. Although it originated in the Yucatán, it is a wonderful, complex dish of pork marinated in citrus juices and achiote paste for hours until it literally falls to pieces. Delicious! But my all time favourite that I have learned from my Mother is this one, Baja fish tacos. Such a simple dish, full of fresh flavours and quite easy to put together.
I hope this recipe can become one of your family favourites too.
Baja Fish Tacos
For the Guacamole:
1 large, ripe avocado (skin gives a little when pressed on, should be dark green to almost black)
1/2 large, ripe tomato
1/4 sweet onion
1/3 bunch cilantro
Juice of 3 key limes (or 1 small lime)
1. In a small bowl, with a fork, mash the avocado. Leave slightly lumpy, it does not need to be perfect.
2. Dice the tomato and the onion very fine (about 1/8″ x 1/8″). Add to avocado.
3. Finely mince the cilantro and add that to the avocado.
4. Pressing down on the limes, roll back and forth across the counter a few times. This releases the juices from inside. Cut and squeeze into avocado mixture. Make sure to remove seeds or squeeze lime into loosely held together fingers. The juice will go through, but the seeds will be caught in your hand. Or use a lime juicer!
5. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the Pico De Gallo:
12oz tomatoes (roma or other highly flavourful varities)
1 small jalapeño
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 sweet onion
Juice of 3 key limes (or 1 small lime)
1. Dice the tomatoes and onion very fine. (Again, about 1/8″ by 1/8″). Toss into small bowl.
2. Deseed the jalapeño, and dice it the same as the onion and tomatoes. Add to bowl.
3. Finely mince the cilantro and toss with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Repeat the same technique as above and squeeze the lime juice into the other ingredients.
5. Stir to combine and set aside.
For the fish Tacos:
300g white fish (Dover sole, halibut, cod, etc.)
8-12 small tortillas
1/8 head iceburg lettuce, shredded
2/3-3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
oil & butter (about 1 Tbsp each)
1. Slice the fish into thin, long strips, about 1/2″ wide by 3-4″ long)
2. Mix salt, pepper and flour on a large plate.
3. Heat butter and oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan on medium high heat.
4. Dip strips of fish into flour mix and then lay in pan. Allow to brown on each side before turning, about 1 minutes.
5. Remove fish to plate lined with paper towel (recycled of course!) and continue until all fish is battered and fried.
6. Heat tortillas in microwave or oven with paper towels between each one (sometimes they come with a liner between each one already). Keep warm in tortilla warmer, if you have one.
7. To serve, place everything on the dinner table individually and allow each person to personalize their taco.
I like everything on mine, and my parents brought us this to use on ours as well: McCormick’s Jalapeño Mayonesa straight from the Baja.
I could eat these every day of my life. They are just so good. Light, yet filling and full of wonderful, fresh flavours.
Hey, maybe we can organize a foodie trip to Baja. Wouldn’t that just be the bee’s knees? Or the cat’s pajamas? You know what I mean…ooohhh the food we would eat! Goat roasted over a mesquite pit buried in the sand, fresh crab claws pulled off an unsuspecting victim who is then tossed back in, carnival food, icy margaritas. Okay, I’m starting to drool now. Think it over though, I’ll be waiting by the phone.
The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.
Welcome to my very first attempt at a Daring Cook’s Challenge! Although I joined a couple of months ago, we were so busy with child care and moving that I just didn’t book off enough time from everyday life to sit down, write out the recipe and get to experimenting with food I’ve never made before. Joining the Daring Kitchen is supposed to challenge my inner epicurean. So far, it’s made me cower in a corner making easy & simple (yet tasty) dishes that I am intimately familiar with instead of branching out and gettin’ dirty.
Well, let’s take this as my next step. The next step to pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, to not limiting myself because of my current knowledge. Life is about learning, a constant process that is ever evolving. We cannot remain static just as the seasons cannot do so. If my hunger cannot be sated it is most likely because it is somehow related to my hunger for knowledge. Let’s hope these challenges will fulfill that need and spark in me some creativity that I am always looking for.
Surprisingly enough, I’ve never actually eaten Pho in a restaurant or anywhere else for that matter. I have been to Vietnamese restaurants, but I don’t recall ever ordering this wonderful national dish. What a mistake that was. This has got to be one of the most complex and extraordinary tasting soups I’ve ever had. The roasted spices brought out such a deep, intense flavour in the dish. The addition, in the end, of the accompaniments, only added to my fascination. Such a light and fun meal, spicy for those who want and it utterly mild for those who don’t.
My only alteration to the recipe was to cook my broth for 2 hours instead of 20 minutes. I did use store bought stock, but because I bought such a large piece of pork for the dish, a longer cooking time was completley necessary. It only made the stock that much more concentrated with the heady aroma of the anise, cloves and coriander. I must say, I will definitely be making this again and again. Thanks Jaden, a wonderful dish!
Ingredients:
For the Pork Pho Broth:
2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 quarts (2 liters/8 cups/64 fluid ounces) store-bought or homemade chicken stock
1 250-300g piece of pork (I used a huge 2 lb picnic roast. What? It was on sale!) (bone in or boneless)
½ onion
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
1 to 2 tbsps. sugar
1 to 2 tbsps. fish sauce
1 lb. (500 grams/16 ounces) dried rice noodles (about ¼ inch/6 mm wide)
Accompaniments:
2 cups (200 grams/7 ounces) bean sprouts, washed and tails pinched off
Fresh cilantro (coriander) tops (leaves and tender stems)
½ cup (50 grams/approx. 2 ounces) shaved red onions
½ lime, cut into 4 wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
Hoisin sauce
Sliced fresh chili peppers of your choice
Directions:
- To make the Pho Broth: heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.
- In a large pot, add all the ingredients (including the toasted spices) and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 2 hours, skimming the surface frequently.
- Use tongs to remove the pork piece (or pieces) and shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in.
- Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.
- Prepare the noodles as per directions on the package.
- Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded pork and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl.
- Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.
When I started this blog, is was merely to be a way for me to motivate myself to get out of a food rut I’d been wallowing in for a year. The moment our son was born, my appreciation and knowledge of fine cuisine, went out the window alongside my pert, youthful breasts and late nights out with the girls. I knew you were wondering about that, well there you go.
Food after baby consisted mainly of steamed vegetables, salads with bottled dressings and fish baked with a little lemon pepper. Sad isn’t it? I knew I’d gotten into a place I didn’t want to be. A place where my only creative outlet was being stifled by my own laziness. Not to say that I wasn’t busy. Babies do take up a lot of time, but women have been making food from scratch and tending baby for centuries. I knew that a chef was still in there, somewhere, she just needed some inspiration.
That inspiration came in the form of a brand new Nikon D60. Now that I had this amazing camera, I felt I needed to do something with it to justify it’s purchase. Something other than taking pictures of my dog, the kid and the garden. I had a blog, but I’d never actually written anything for it. My husband prodded me to start writing about my one true passion. I needed no other motivation.
Only a few months in now, and the perks of having this creative space are many. Not only do family and friends know what I’m up to and get to immerse themselves in it, but people I don’t even know can too. Some might consider the voyeurism that goes along with blogging a bit weird, but I revel in it. I met a woman in a country market the other day, who asked me about some cilantro. I told her the many culinary uses for it and then proceeded on my way. My ever marketing husband swooped in behind me and mentioned my blog, to which the woman replied, “Oh, I’ve been to it!” Amazing. Strangers read my drivel. Not to lesson the impact of my words on your cerebrum, but it’s astonishing that someone other than my Mother/Sister/Father/Husband, would bother to read my thoughts.
And that brings me to the recipe I’ve featured today.
Recently, some friends of ours called us up to invite us over for dinner. Actually, our dentist and his lovely wife. Not only to eat, but to partake in the cooking and also some laughter and maybe just a little wine. To me cooking is fun, so being invited over to cook is akin to being the guest of honour. I have cooked at their house before, and it was such a good time, our hosts thought it would be a fantastic idea to continue it. We are hoping that we’ll get together twice a month, share recipes, ideas and just plain, good times. Nancy, our host, is my most avid blog reader. Inspired by my culinary adventures, she has taken on some of my best recipes. So kudos Nancy, you’ve definitely got the onions.
But you see, it was this blog that made this monthly cook off possible, and I couldn’t be happier. I have other things in the works as well, though I’m not at liberty to mention them just yet. Suffice it to say, I won’t be stopping any time soon.
For all my Canadian readers, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope this year has brought as much joy and happiness to you as it has to myself and my family. Cheers to everyone on this special holiday! Although, today’s recipe wouldn’t normally be considered a holiday meal, around these parts, seafood is welcome any time of year.
For our first meal, we decided to make Chef Michael Smith’s Cornmeal Crusted Salmon in a Basil Mussel Broth, served with my Miso Oysters, Ceaser Salad and bread for soaking up all that delicious nectar of the sea.
Cornmeal Crusted Salmon with Basil Mussel Broth
Adapted from Michael Smith
2lbs. of fresh mussels, debearded**
1 cup of Riesling or other dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup of pesto
1 cup of fine cornmeal
1 Tbsp. Paprika
salt and fresh cracked pepper
4 6-oz salmon filets, skin on
3 Tbsp. Corn oil or other neutral flavoured oil
1. In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium high heat, add cream, wine and mussels.
2. Cover with lid to keep steam in, and cook 5-7 minutes, or until mussels are all fully opened.
3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove mussel meat from shells, toss shells and set meat in small bowl. Pour cream sauce into smaller saucepan, add pesto and set that aside as well.
4. Place cornmeal, salt, pepper and Paprika in a large plastic bag. Shake each salmon filet separately in bag to coat. In large sauté pan, heat corn oil on medium high. Add salmon, skin side down first to hot pan. Sear for 5-6 minutes per side, or until cornmeal crust is browned and crisp and salmon is done to medium.
5. Heat cream/pesto sauce until warmed through, add mussel meat back to sauce and continue to warm.
6. In bowls, add one salmon filet and top with mussels and some of the sauce.
7. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.
** Mussel shells should be tightly closed. If not, give it a tap, if it does not close, mussel is dead and should be discarded.
I have to say thank you to Nancy and Jay for your hospitality, good company, fine beverages and great food. Cheers, we’ll be seeing you again soon!
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