An Uncomfortable Futon

Jer-Lindy Farms

It's been a while since I've shared my food travels and indulgences with you.  I guess I could say, I'm really freaken busy. I'm actually sitting in front of the t.v. tonight for the first time in a while - and it feels great (considering the futon's lack of support). Maybe that's why I don't sit here very often.

Lately, my life has consisted of Brewers baseball games, working at the farmers market, attending state fairs, picking apples at my parent's farm and traveling with my husband on his work trips. Oh - and I biked in a 63 mile bike tour. As usual, I've been taking and collecting photos from all of my adventures - so stay tuned. I plan to get {digital} life caught up soon.

I'm hoping that you've begun to enjoy the greatness that is Fall. The smells, fresh air, pumpkins and colorful trees make this time of year so great. I already got my pile of Martha Stewart special editions of Halloween out - because this year, I get to have my nieces around for Halloween weekend. That means decorating and baking some spooky treats. I seriously can't wait. Maybe some chocolate pasta will show up at some point too. What's your favorite thing to eat or make or enjoy during this time of year?

Halloween 2010

Hello friends. I'm sorry to be neglecting you again. This blog post is about a week late, but let's face it - sometimes you just need time away from the computer. I simply wanted to share some photos with you because well, I'm proud of my Minnesota and cheese pumpkin carvings.  I handed out cheese to the 15 trick-or-treaters again this year and had no complaints. Can you believe it? Kids actually declined my offering last year. I think they're starting to catch on. I hope you all had a fabulous Halloween and are as excited about the upcoming holiday food as I am. Bring it on!

Gotta love caramel apples this time of year - Salem, MA

Go Big 10!

This was my attempt at 'Put A Fork In It' Halloween-style.

Because everything can be related to cheese.

A Trick for your Treats - Cupcake Edition

I recently visited a fun little candy shop and bought those cute little sugared pumpkins seen in the photo above. I mean, is it really that obvious that I love pumpkin? I only have three different varieties of pumpkin flavored coffee in my freezer and maybe, just maybe a 6-pack of pumpkin ale. Oh, and let's not forget the pumpkin ice cream in the freezer - thanks to Edy's. I would LOVE for Haagen Dazs to come up with a pumpkin flavored icecream. Because we all know that it would be THE best.

So, since I had these pumpkin 'gum drops', I had to make something with them right? Of course right! (Fiddler, anyone?)  So, I decided to whip out my Martha Stewart Cupcakes book and whip up a few wonderful creations. After looking through that book, I tag about 10 different cupcake recipes that I want to make. Now. I honestly convinced myself to make three different kinds until I got the first one made and thought - what am I thinking?  So I stuck with the two. Pumpkin Patch and Mint-Filled Brownie. C'mon folks, wipe the drool off of your face, it's embarrassing.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Ingredients
4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbls plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbls ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; pulse to combine. With machine running, add milk and eggs; process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add pumpkin; pulse to combine.

Spoon about 1/3 cup batter into each cupcake liner. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes


Ingredients
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 small chocolate covered mints (Peppermint Patties or Andes Mints)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.  Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally just until melted, 4-5 minutes.

Remove bowl from heat. Whisk in sugar and salt until mixture is smooth; whisk in eggs to combine. Gently whisk in flour and cocoa just until smooth (do not overmix).

Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each lined cup. Place 1 mint on top, gently pressing into batter.  Top with 2 tablespoons batter, covering mint completely.  Bake, rotating tin halfway through, until a cake tester inserted halfway in centers (above mint) comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

Cream Cheese Frosting
from Martha Stewart Cupcakes


Makes about 2 cups

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions

Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

*For the green frosting, I used neon food coloring. The orange color is simply a mixture of red and yellow. I never count the drops, I just keep adding until I like the color. 

A Trick for your Treats - Brownie Edition

How's that box of brownies doing on your shelf? I came up with a way to jazz up those brownies and just in time for Halloween. I love to buy seasonal treats like cider donuts, peeps, you know - the things you have an excuse to eat at least once a year. I recently bought some Halloween Oreos, simply to dunk in a glass of milk. But I saw someone use them as the base of a cupcake and thought, hmmm - what other ways could I incorporate Oreos into a dessert? Here you have it folks, a Trick for your Treats - Brownie Edition.

Trick for your Treats - Brownie Edition


Ingredients

1 brownie mix prepared by instructions on box
12 Halloween Oreo cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven according to box instructions. I used an 8x8 glass pan, thus preheated to 325*F.  Grease pan and set aside.

Prepare brownie mix per box instructions and pour a thin portion of it into the pan, spread evenly.  Place one layer of Oreos over brownie mix evenly.

Pour the remaining batter over the cookies and spread evenly. Tap the pan on the table a few times to make sure the brownie mix fills in all the cracks.

Bake per box instructions though, keep a close eye for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Once baked, take pan out of the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.  Place a sheet of waxed paper or a cutting board over the pan and invert onto a table.  Flip again so the right side is up.  Cut into square pieces, per desired size.











If you just can't get enough chocolate, melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave with 1 Tbls. butter and pour over the brownies.  Feel free to decorate with sprinkles or any other edible decorations. Your guests (or family members) will be surprised to find a crunchy Oreo inside!

Pumpkin Bread for the Soul

Ooh the joys of Fall. Finally, an excuse to add pumpkin to just about everything. I will admit, it doesn't belong in everything though. I made a squash and pumpkin pasta sauce last week and it was NOT good. Sad, but true - just ask my husband.  Anyways - this was not one of those instances. 

This pumpkin bread is awesome. It has cream cheese and pumpkin pie spice - it doesn't get a whole lot better.  Check out the bottom of the recipe for other ways to use pumpkin pie spice.

Now, when you take this bread out of the oven, you're going to be tempted to cut it up right away to give it a try. DON'T DO IT! I did, and I regretted it.  It tastes so much better when it's cooled and doesn't completely fall apart either. I mean, check out my photos - I just couldn't wait.

This recipe is from one of those free Kraft Foods magazines. It dates back to 2007 and I love it.

Pumpkin Bread for the Soul

Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods' Layered Pumpkin Loaf

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup  plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4   egg whites, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup  canola oil
2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp.  salt
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3 egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, spice and salt; stir just until moistened. Beat cream cheese, remaining granulated sugar and remaining egg white with whisk until well blended.

SPOON half of pumpkin batter into greased 9x5-inch nonstick loaf pan; cover with layers of cream cheese mixture and remaining pumpkin batter.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Loosen bread from sides of pan; cool in pan 10 min. Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

*Wondering why you would ever want to purchase pumpkin pie spice? I'll tell you why - it's fabulous. I sprinkle it on my coffee in the morning, over a souffle or custard or even ice cream. It just adds a little somthn' somthin' to your everyday foods. (I know, souffle isn't exactly everyday, but it sounds good right?)

Finger Lick'n Good

I love Halloween and I love cheese.  I also love creeping my husband out when I bring him a plate of food - that I had been slaving away at for, I don't know.. 40 minutes... and it's these nasty looking fingers. You'll typically find cheddar witch's fingers with blanched almonds as the nails, but I didn't have any, so I had to improvise. I'm kind of glad that I did, because these pistachios, cut in half, look awesome. I totally forgot to make some thumbs though, so my completed hand (see below) doesn't look totally proportional. Serve with some spiced up ketchup for that devilish Halloween look.

Cheddar Witch's Fingers

Adapted from Myrecipes.com 

Yield: Makes about 30 crackers

Ingredients

5  tablespoons  butter

1/4  pound  (about 1 cup packed) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I used Grafton Classic Reserve Two-Year cheddar)

3/4  cup  all-purpose flour

2  tablespoons  cornmeal

1  large egg

Salt

15 shelled and peeled pistachios

Preparation

1. In a food processor or bowl, whirl or rub together butter, cheese, flour, and cornmeal until the mixture has the texture of wet sand. Add egg and whirl or stir with a fork until dough holds together.

2. Scrape dough onto a sheet of cooking paper or parchment, 12 to 14 in. wide and about 14 in. long. Top with another equal-sized sheet of paper and pat dough into a 1/2-in.-thick circle. Wrap in plastic and freeze 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 3 days.

3. Roll dough into a rectangle about 8 in. wide and 10 in. long, working carefully to avoid creases in paper. Return to freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°.

4. Peel off top paper and use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 30 strips, each about 1/2 in. thick and 5 in. long. Place each strip on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt to taste, then use your fingers to round the top of each strip into a fingertip shape. Use a sharp knife to score shallow "knuckle" lines in each finger, then press a pistachio "nail" into the tip. If you like, bend each finger in places to make it look knobby.

5. Bake the fingers until an even light brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Happy Halloween!

In our house, Halloween means more than spooky tricks and cute kids coming to the door saying "trick-or-treat!".  Today was originally the date of our wedding. We're happy now, knowing that the weather would have been really crappy and everyone would be in a bad mood because it's almost impossible to do field work at this point. Today, last year, was the day Lucas proposed to me. It was in the beef barn at the University of Minnesota - St. Paul campus - pomping away at the AGR float talking to my friend Melissa about how excited I was for her engagement. Little did I know, everyone knew I would be getting proposed to that night... except me. I absolutely love Halloween - so it's a special treat. No, we didn't go out this year and dress up as anyone crazy, but we did our own thing - and had a blast with it. 
I found a bunch of recipes that included pumpkin or seemed 'fall-like' and Lucas carved the pumpkin. As strong supporters of the dairy industry, we decided to hand out string cheese instead of candy. I tried this once during college with my friend Lana and we had a lot of kids decline the cheese. [how sad!] This time around, we only had one kid decline and many kids say "yes! I love string cheese!" It was great.  We had 124 kids stop at our door - with one piece of string cheese left for Lucas and I to share. The movie Halloween H20 - 20 Years Later, was showing on cable, so we got ourselves a drink and enjoyed Halloween - our own special way.  The best news is - I get to be in bed at a decent time - on daylight savings night!  
Below are the recipes I used for our Halloween dinner. The gnocci wasn't that great, but the bread pudding was AWESOME! The photos of the menu were taken by yours truly. Feel free to search for the actual recipe online to see the 'real' picture. Until next year... Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6.
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for ramekins
6 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup bourbon
1/3 cup hot water
One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of salt
One 12-ounce, day-old loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 10-ounce ramekins or custard cups, and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and set aside on a baking sheet. [I used a casserole dish instead of individual cups - works great!] Place raisins in a small bowl, and cover with bourbon, if using, and the hot water; let soak until plump, about 20 minutes. Drain; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, spices, and salt. Toss in the bread cubes, and stir gently to evenly coat; let stand a few minutes. Fold in the raisins. Divide among prepared dishes, pressing down slightly to make level.
Bake until custard is set in the center and top is golden, about 40 minutes. If bread browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Remove from oven; let cool slightly. To serve, un-mold onto plates; dust with confectioners' sugar.


Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4.
1 small sugar pumpkin (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), stem removed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
2 cups of flour, plus more for work surface
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
20 medium chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed
8 fresh sage leaves
1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pumpkin halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and fill each with 1 tablespoon water. Cover each half with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to oven and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Scrape pumpkin flesh from skin; discard skin.
2. Mound flour in center of a large work surface; add 1 tablespoon salt and the nutmeg. Using a fork, mix until well combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 2 cups pumpkin and 1 cup grated cheese to well. Slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When flour is incorporated, gather dough together to form a rounded mass; knead mixture until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a cylinder about 1 inch in diameter; cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Transfer gnocchi to a baking sheet and cover with a clean, damp towel. Repeat process until all the dough has been used.
4. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook until they rise to the top, about 4 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat and add butter and shallots. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until shallots are golden. Add mushrooms and sage; cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin, chicken stock, heavy cream, and 1/4 cup grated cheese; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet and toss to combine. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and nutmeg.
7. P.S. I had pre-made gnocci, which is maybe why it didn't taste as good. Just an FYI.

Artichoke Triangles
From Betty Crocker

Photo from website.
Ingredients:
1 can (14 to 16 oz) artichoke hearts, well drained and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (1 oz)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 package (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons half-and-half

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line large cookie sheet with foil or cooking parchment paper; lightly spray foil or paper with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except pastry and half-and-half.

2. On lightly floured surface, roll 1 sheet of pastry into 12x9-inch rectangle, trimming edges if necessary. Cut into twelve 3-inch squares.

3. Place 1 tablespoon artichoke mixture on each square. Lightly brush edges with half-and-half. Fold pastry over filling to make triangles. Crimp edges with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry and artichoke mixture. Brush tops of triangles with half-and-half. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Eat well - Be happy.