it's pumpkin time!

As usual, it is September in Nashville (90 degrees) and all I can think about is fall cooking! It's all the food magazines that come this month - apple, pumpkin, dark beer, chili...I am so excited for cooler cooking weather. Here is a fall teaser recipe - very delicious.

Oatmeal, pumpkin, chocolate, walnut muffins (long name).

 

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup low-fat milk

one large egg

one large egg white

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375ºF, and line muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. Whisk dry ingredients and spices together in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, oil, milk, egg, and egg white to a medium-size bowl, and mix thoroughly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill muffin tins evenly, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

watermelon lime aguas fresca

small (sometimes called personal) seedless watermelon, cubed

agave syrup or honey (optional)

juice from whole lime

Pulse the watermelon in the blender until smooth, strain through a fine mesh strainer. Take watermelon juice and combine with lime juice - taste. If you would like it sweeter, add some agave or honey. Fill a glass with ice and halfway with watermelon juice, top with club soda. I love a salty sweet combo so I enjoyed my drink in a salt-rimmed glass.

it's getting hot, hot, hot.

The warm weather has arrived! As summer tries to takeover spring, we have been enjoying some lighter fair on the deck - and wine on the deck - and on Friday, we had raspberry mojitos on the deck. This weekend, I made a tasty chilled gazpacho with shrimp paired with herbed sour cream muffins. You may be seeing a theme - herbs. My potted herbs are really taking off and now I am getting herb-anxiety - I have mentioned this condition before. Basically, everything I cook or bake for the next 3 months will have some type of fresh herbs in it - not a bad problem to have!

Sunday Night Gazpacho via Ree Drummond

Herbed sour cream muffins via Bon Appetit - I altered the herbs a bit, using more dill, basil, lemon basil & chives and omitting the marjoram. Be sure to mist your cupcake liners prior to spooning in the batter. Also, a buttermilk note - I rarely buy buttermilk as you can make it at home. In a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar, top off with milk up to 1 cup. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add to recipe. Less expensive than buying a quart of buttermilk unless you have a plan for the rest of it (or want to freeze it). 

ah-mazing banana muffins

These muffins (via Martha Stewart) are so good - the sour cream  makes them moist and even more delicious. Make these soon, you won't be disappointed!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium sized mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12 cup muffin pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared muffin pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

the sign of a great Christmas

Christmas 2013 photo recap...we never take enough pictures!

Labor of love...sand tart cookies.

2 sticks (1/2 lb.) butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs and 1 egg white

3/4 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

In standing mixer, cream the butter, sugars, 2 full eggs and vanilla. Then add flour in small batches, mixing as you go. When flour is completely mixed in, refrigerate the dough for 24 hours. Take a handful of dough and begin rolling, placing the rest back in the fridge until you need more. Roll out on a well-floured surface, adding more flour as you need it, to prevent dough from sticking to the cloth. If dough starts sticking to rolling pin, dust it with flour frequently, too. Using cookie cutters, make some beautiful cookies and assemble on a baking sheet (with parchment or Silpat). Mix a bit of water with egg white and using a pastry brush, lightly coat each cookie (don't get puddles!). Sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar or cinnamon and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or less. Depending on your oven's temperature and the thickness of the cookies, baking time will vary. Watch them closely to prevent them from burning. Take them out just as their edges begin to turn a light shade of brown, or even a little sooner, if you don't want the brown edges. Cool on a wire rack. These take a while, so clear your afternoon!

Billy at Rippa Villa estate tour in Spring Hill, TN (what a trooper). We did also have a great lunch in Columbia at Square Market Cafe. If you are south of Nashville, this is lovely little spot for a bite.

Mom & Dad at Rippa Villa...note the different facial expressions than Bill. This is their type of day.

Vancer & Maura - Christmas 2013 (at Belle Meade Mansion)

From Vance's now infamous Manhattans to coconut cake, turkey to Mom's fruit cup...we had such lovely food and so many good times over the holidays - it was rare to have time to step away for the camera! I think this is the sign of a great Christmas.

and that is why we don't churn our own butter

A few weeks ago, I made mayonnaise  - "may-oh-naize" it sounds more refined than "man-aze." I also roasted my own red peppers - which provides very few photo ops. In keeping with the "do it yourself" theme, I decided to make butter. I like the idea of flavoring homemade butter with honey, orange, or herbs. I think this is a great accompaniment to some delicious toast at brunch.

In the mixer, whip a pint of cold heavy cream on medium-high speed.

It takes about 7 minutes to get to whipped cream and then it starts to get chunky and a bit yellow. Whip for about 11 to 12 minutes and remove to colander. Push out all the butter milk.

Squeeze the butter to remove all liquid, mix in your ingredients. I used about 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage and salt to taste.

 Butter is something interesting to try - but honestly you only end up with a small amount - definitely not more economical to make your own!

I also made an apple skillet cake in my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.
Apple topping

1-3/4 stick Butter
3/4 cups Sugar
2 whole to 3 large Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, And Cut Into Six Equal Piece
Cake batter
1 stick Butter
2/3 cups Sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Large Eggs
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 whole apple, peeled and cored

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a 9 to 10-inch skillet, melt 1 3/4 sticks butter over low heat. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the pan and stir around, then place apple slices, cut side down, in the pan. Don’t pack them too tightly, but try not to leave overly large gaps. Allow this to cook over low/medium-low heat while you make the cake batter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add sour cream and mix well.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together then gradually add flour mixture into the creamed mixture until just combined. Gently stir in 1 chopped apple.

Remove skillet from heat. Spoon batter over the top, then spread gently so batter is evenly distributed. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Allow cake to sit in skillet for five minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

Bake until golden, allow to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Take a large plate for the flip...

Ta-da! Enjoy with ice cream or a good cup of Joe.

ol'fashion ice cream sandwich

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

1-2 cups mini chocolate chips

vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars until smooth; beat in eggs and vanilla. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon well - slowly mix into creamed mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Spoon small amounts of dough into well greased (or Silpat mat). Bake for about 9 minutes and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes on pan outside the oven. Once the cookies have cooled, place a small scoop of ice on the underside of a cookie and push another on on top. For an extra chocolate kick (which I think this needed), melt some dark chocolate and dip or drizzle on cookies - allow to cool before assembling the sandwiches. Yum!

Don't throw that out!

Saturday night is the loneliest night of the week...when your husband is a surgery intern! So tonight I am using browning bananas to make muffins and rotisserie chicken remains to make chicken stock for soup.

Muffins...
10 Minute Banana Muffins (adapted from bread recipe below)
Banana Bread

Makes 1 full-sized loaf or 2 small loaves
Preheat the oven to 350.

In one bowl, combine:

1/2 stick (4-5 tablespoons) butter, softened


2 eggs


2 or 3 very ripe bananas


2/3 cup sugar

Use a potato masher, fork, or spoon to squish the banana and mix the ingredients together. It is alright for there to be small (1 centimeter) chunks of banana in the batter, but you want most of the banana to be reduced to mush.

In another bowl, combine:

1 1/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour


3/4 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/4 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the ingredients are blended together.

If you like, stir in additional ingredients here, such as chopped walnuts or pecans, dried cherries or apricots, or chocolate chips. A handful (about a half a cup) is about right.

Pour the dough into greased baking pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Small loaves take around 30 minutes, a normal-sized loaf takes around 50 minutes. (For muffins, I checked them at about 30 minutes - I was using a 6 pan muffin so they are pretty big).

Remove from the oven. This bread is great warm, but it is excellent cold too.

After they have cooled for 5 or 10 minutes the loaves can be removed from the pan to cool. Once they are cool they can be individually wrapped and frozen.

The recipe only makes about 5 large muffins - I added chocolate chips to a few of the muffins for me!

Chicken Stock...

Whenever I buy a rotisserie chicken from the store or roast a chicken at home (or turkey), my mom always reminds me to make stock for soup. It is so simple and is a great way to save money and make delicious soup!

Take the chicken (after you have enjoyed most of the meat - this is right when you are thinking you should toss the remains but don't!) and remove as much skin as you can.

At this point also pull off any good looking meat - this will be used in the soup, just stick it in the fridge

Discard skin/fat

Fill a stock pot with water

Put the chicken bones in the pot

Cut a small onion into quarters and put it in the water

Take some celery greens (leafy tops) and put add them to the water

If you have some fresh herbs, add a few sprigs to the water (rosemary, parsley, etc.)

Add some salt and pepper and put the pot on about low-medium heat

Simmer the stock for a few hours (about 2 to 3), after about an hour your kitchen is going to smell wonderful!

Tonight, I didn't have any celery so I added a few fresh basil leaves, sprigs of rosemary, 3 bay leaves and a small bunch of parsley to the stock.

After you have simmered the stock for a few hours, use tongs to remove the chicken bones, celery, onion, etc. Take the remaining stock and pour it through a strainer into a bowl or pot. Cover the strained stock with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. I typically refrigerate the stock overnight, as you need about 6 to 8 hours to chill and settle.

This next part is a little weird, but must be done. When you remove the stock from the fridge - take a spoon and skim off the fat from the top of the liquid. Once this is done, you are ready to make soup! Find your favorite soup recipe and get to town with your homemade stock. 

I typically make a chicken corn noodle soup with spaghetti, corn, carrot, onion and celery. Yum! 

Night all! I am going to eat a muffin and a watch a movie.