So now that it has actually started to feel like Fall a wee bit here in So Cal (yes, it is 75 degrees I am freezing), I have decided to celebrate my current Fall Top 10:

Ok I know I am a little obsessed with poached eggs, but I can't help it. They are easy to make, a good source of protein and they just make everything more yummy (yes that is the technical phrase). It was actually pretty funny, I was watching Top Chef the other night and the editor of Food and Wine magazine was the judge. The challenge to the chefs was to make a dish that convinced her that the food trend shouldn't be yesterdays news, and one of the trends was poached eggs. And to make matters worse another trend that was named, was bacon. I am sorry, but I just don't think poached eggs or bacon should ever go out of style, just my opinion.

I couldn't resist the baseball analogy, seeing as the World Series is going on and all. But all joking aside, this is probably one of my favorite recipes! We all know I cook a lot and although most of the recipes I make are pretty good, this one is awesome! I actually have plans to make this again. Yes, that is saying a lot seeing as I am not one of those chefs that has a repertoire. I am one of those chefs that now you see it and now you don't. I truly never make most things a second time, or at least the same recipe a second time.



To start with I loved the sage and onions, the flavor that the sage provided gave the risotto a really nice herbal taste. The onions were cooked, but not mushy and added a nice texture to the risotto. The risotto itself was really creamy and I loved the nutty flavor from the Parmesan cheese. In the past when I made risotto the recipes called for simmering chicken broth that you added to the risotto warm. This recipe just had you add the chicken broth, but it did not impact the texture in any way. The pumpkin was subtle, but added a great Fall color to the dish. If someone hadn't told me there was pumpkin in this recipe I don't think I would have been able to pick it out. So if you are not a huge pumpkin fan, I would still try this recipe because I don't think you would be disappointed.


Saute a chopped onion and sage leaves in olive oil. I kept the sage leaves whole and that worked perfectly. I probably used about a tablespoon of olive oil, but you could probably use more or less.


Stir in 2 cups arborio rice. Remember the type of rice you use for this recipe does make a difference. Arborio is the Italian risotto rice and using a different varietal will change the texture of the dish.

Stir in 1/2 cup white wine until absorbed. Loved this part of the recipe as this allowed my BFF and I to drink the rest of the bottle as we cooked, and risotto takes a lot of stirring so we were pretty parched.

Gradually add 6 cups of chicken broth, stirring until absorbed. And seriously don't dump the whole 6 cups in at once, definitely add it gradually, stir it until it has dissipated and then add more.


Whisk in 3/4 cup pumpkin. Stir in 2 T butter and 1 cup grated Parmesan.


And let the love affair with pumpkin risotto begin! This would truly be the perfect meal for Halloween night or a great Thanksgiving side dish.

Special thanks to my BFF who was my food photographer and risotto stirer (I don't think that is a word, but I am going with it).

I served this risotto with Turnbull Sauvingon Blanc, however I did not take a picture, well because we enjoyed drinking it immensely, and by that time we weren't really thinking of photos. How is that for honesty?

Let me start by saying it doesn't matter how old you are, it always feels decadent to be going out on a school/work night. You feel slightly rebellious and a little sassy. I guess I just never realized how "routine' I am when it comes to work nights-gym, shower, glass of wine, cook and blog. That is pretty much what my life looks like Monday-Thursday. So on Wednesday night when I got off work early to head to Santa Barbara to see Alton Brown and "play" with one of my good friends, her Dad and her brother, I felt pretty out of control...in a good way.

Now if you haven't been to the Four Seasons Biltmore in Montecito, you need to go! It truly feels like you stepped into a different country. The grounds are incredibly lush with vegetation, both their bar and restaurant have patios that look out over the ocean and it seriously feels like instant-vacation. And this is where our adventure started.


It was slightly chilly, but we were bound and determined to sit outside. And the staff was incredible, surrounding us with heat lamps, so it truly felt like a tropical oasis. Sure at one point I did think they were going to set an umbrella on fire with a heat lamp, but alas there was no emergency, and all was right with the world.

So we sat on the patio, sipping an incredible Sanford Pinot Noir and snacking on lemon olives and roasted mushrooms. I was pretty much in heaven-good friends, wine and mushrooms. It doesn't get much better than that!


The Pinot Noir was very smooth and not too earthy. It was fruit forward, but with a slightly dry finish. It was incredible with the lemon olives!


The next stop was to head to Downtown Santa Barbara for some soul food and Alton Brown. We went to a restaurant next to the Grenada Theater, Tupelo Junction Cafe. It definitely specializes in Southern style food, however I would almost describe it as Southern Fusion because it has a California modernist twist to it. For example, I had my first fried green tomato experience, which I loved by the way, but it was served in a stack with a goat cheese and arugula. I loved the tangy flavors of the goat cheese and the slight acidity of the tomatoes and I loved how the tomatoes were fried, but they were still crispy and the batter was not greasy at all. Heaven!


Tupelo Junction is also known for using a lot of very fresh and local ingredients, which was evident in the blue cheese pear salad, we also tried. They used white pears that resembled nectarines, but had a very sweet and distinct pear flavor.


We also shared the shrimp and scallop grits and even though I wasn't that hungry I had to try a bite and it was perfect! The smoky flavor of the shrimp and scallops and the creamy cheesy grits were impeccable!


And as if an incredible happy hour and dinner wasn't enough, we were off to the main event with 11 minutes to spare. I have to admit until Wednesday night I wasn't a huge Alton Brown fan. He was just ok, a little brainy and a little irritating to me. However, I have such a new appreciation and admiration for him, after seeing his show.


I didn't really know what to expect, he is a Chef, doing a show? I had seen Anthony Bourdain earlier in the year and he does a kind of comedy/lecture style show with a question and answer, which I loved, but with Alton I just wasn't sure. His show was incredible! It was a combination of comedy, science, music and theater. Alton Brown is a very talented musician, playing not only the guitar, but also the saxophone and singing. I was impressed! He was funny and down to Earth. He does a Top 10, kind of like David Letterman, but with food which was hysterical. And he covered such true and important things to know, such as never put trout in ice cream, bad idea, that is just disgusting. And most importantly the most amazing Chef is always your wife!!! He also uses science and innovation to make pizza and ice cream, I truly can't even try to describe these events because I will sound like a crazy person, so he is on tour, just go see him!

Yes, I know I look like a stalker! I was pretty excited to find Alton's tour bus!

I was sad to the see the show and the night come to an end. It was absolutely perfect and I have to say, if I can have more nights like this, I am definitely going out on a school night again. Happy Friday!

So this is the first time I have written a blog for something I haven't eaten. But the story goes a little something like this...I work with men, lots of them (no I am not a stripper), who love food. So one of them started following my food fb page and he started declaring his love for pumpkin pie on every post he saw. Seeing as I am extremely perceptive and a trained observer I deduced the fact that he had an affinity for pumpkin pie. So then the other day I was leaving an awards ceremony (not the pole dancing olympics) and I was accosted by a group of these so called men, who all started whining about pumpkin pie, how much they wanted one, how much they love food, yada, yada, yada. And I decided to take pity on them and bake them a pie.






Truth be told I love any excuse to cook and they gave me a great one!

On Monday morning they got their pie and I got this picture of them eating it for breakfast...


The pie got rave reviews from this group so I figure it has got to be a hit. Thank you AA (not alcoholics anonymous, this is not a confessional blog) for the pumpkin pie inspiration and for returning my pie pan.

This pumpkin pie recipe had a few ingredients I had never used before, cream cheese and half and half. I was told the cream cheese was subtle and added a nice texture, so give it a shot.


First make your crust or cheat and buy one, whatever you prefer. Believe you me there will be no judgment from me on pie crust. I can make them, but they just aren't pretty after my hands get done with them.


Pre-bake the pie crust. I was pretty proud of my pie weight creativity. I don't have pie weights and I didn't have any dried beans and so I used barley and that seemed to work fine.


Next in a mixing bowl make the filling.  Cream the softened cream cheese and then add in the pumpkin. Add the sugar and salt and mix some more. In a separate bowl, combine the half and half, eggs and melted butter. Mix into the pumpkin concoction. Add in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and ginger.


Pour into pie crust and bake for 50 minutes. Cool on a rack.


1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

So ya know when you are going to make dinner for someone and you ask them what they want for dinner, the majority of the time they respond with,"eh whatever you want," or," I don't care, whatever you make is fine." Well I have my BFF spoiled to such a point that I tell her I am going to make her dinner, ask her what she wants for dinner and she sends me the specific recipe that she wants. I actually love that our relationship has advanced to such a point that she has no problem asking for what she wants. So tonight she requested Spinach Artichoke Pasta.




The recipe sounded incredible-cheese, spinach, artichokes and pasta, seriously it sounded like a slice of heaven. However, I have to be honest with you, it was good and it had potential, but it needed something. It almost needed more spice or maybe it needed to be baked with another layer of cheese at the end or maybe it needed some cheese that was a little more poignant, like a blue cheese or Gouda. It was good, it was creamy, but it wasn't a knock you out of the ballpark recipe. I did really like the spinach that was sauteed with garlic, I loved the artichoke sauteed in butter and I loved the texture of the cheese sauce. It just seemed a little bland, overall, for me.

Oops I got in trouble for feeding the kitchen dogs

I also have to admit I cut the recipe in half, the thought of 10 servings of pasta, was a little overwhelming for me. The recipe was super easy and it does have potential as comfort food.

First of all, saute garlic and spinach in butter.


Next saute the artichoke hearts, that are cut in half.


Finally, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and slowly whisk in the milk. Once the mixture has thickened, add in the cheese and stir until melted. Fold in the artichokes, cooked pasta and spinach. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and red pepper and you are done!




Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 10

Print Recipe
Ingredients
6 Tablespoons Butter
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
2 bags Baby Spinach
2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Drained And Halved
3 Tablespoons Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1-1/2 cup Mozzarella Or Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth (less Or More)
12 ounces, weight Penne, Cooked Until Al Dente
1/2 cup Seasoned Panko Breadcrumbs
Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste

Preparation Instructions
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or skillet. Add garlic and throw in the spinach. Stir it around until it's wilted, about 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot and raise the heat to high. Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside.
Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pot. When melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk until it's combined. Pour in milk and whisk to combine. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to thicken. Add Parmesan, Mozzarella/Monterey Jack, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to melt, and if it's overly thick, splash in chicken broth.
Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine. Gently fold in spinach, then pour the pasta into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes and plenty of Panko breadcrumbs for crunch.

We had this meal with a red wine blend that was really nice. And we paired the meal with some scary movies and a full moon, it was a perfect October night. Hope you are all having an incredible weekend. Cheers!

I have an obsession with all things Jewish! I think it stems from the fact that my biological father is/was Jewish and so attempting to learn about the culture and cuisine is almost my way of understanding my father, who I have never met. I also love the sense of community and tradition that surrounds the Jewish faith. And if we want to prioritize Jewish food traditions, matzoh balls would definitely come out on the top 3, if not #1. Kind of like marinara sauce for Italians, every Jewish family has their own recipe for matzoh balls and their own beliefs as to the texture and ingredients that should be included in that recipe.



For example, there is quite the debate on the texture of a matzoh ball. I have eaten at quite a few Jewish delis and I have found that several of the restaurants have "gut bomb" style matzoh balls, however the ones I made tonight were light and fluffy. At first I thought I had done something wrong, since my balls weren't dense enough, I thought. However, I quickly learned that the recipe I selected, just made a lighter and fluffier varietal. I also found that the litany of ingredients and techniques that can be used to make matzoh balls is a mile long. If you are interested in the history and diversity of matzoh balls this is an awesome article: http://www.jewishjournal.com/cover_story/article/thinking_outside_the_matzah_ball_box_20090325

If anyone has a Jewish Mother or Grandmother they would like to loan to me I would love to learn from the best! Wouldn't that be the greatest Craig's List Ad: Wanted-Jewish Grandmother who can cook and is willing to share family recipe secrets on how to make Matzoh Ball Soup. Must be made with love.

As for the matzoh ball soup I made tonight, let me just say I loved it! When I was cooking it, I was concerned that it was just too simple and boring. I was also concerned about my matzoh balls because the balls were small and unexciting, however I was thrilled to see how much they puffed up and grew in the broth. It was almost like watching one of those sponge capsules we all had as a kid, ya know the ones that looked like vitamins until you put them in water and then they turn into sponge dinosaurs, bugs and other shapes. My matzoh balls were kind of like that, however not dinosaur shaped.


This recipe combined egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, pepper and matzoh meal to make the balls. Have you ever seen matzoh meal? This was my first experience cooking with it and although I hate to say this, it kind of looks like kitty litter. Thankfully it doesn't taste the same, wait I have never tried kitty litter, but the matzoh meal tastes kind of like a cracker and I don't imagine kitty litter is in the cracker family.

Next form the mixture into balls, after it has sat for 10 minutes.


Bring the vegetable broth and garlic to a boil. I thought, initially, that this sounded like a very boring soup base. However, the garlic really infused a lot of flavor. I did add some salt, just because I used low sodium vegetable broth.

Add the matzoh balls to the boiling broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Next add the sliced carrots and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve the matzoh balls in brodo with a smattering of Parmesan and tarragon leaves.


1 large egg
2 tablespoons fresh ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup matzoh meal
6 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
Tarragon leaves, for garnish

In a bowl, whisk the egg. Whisk in both cheeses, the oil, salt and pepper. Stir in the matzoh meal. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then gently form into 1-teaspoon-size balls.
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil with the garlic. Add the matzoh balls, cover and simmer over moderate heat for 30 minutes. Add the carrot, cover and simmer until the carrot is tender and the matzoh balls are puffed and light, about 10 minutes longer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with tarragon and grated cheese.



It was wonderful! I was so proud of my matzoh balls and how light, fluffy, nutty and flavorful they were. I loved the constast with the garlic broth. Sure I would have liked a few other types of vegetable varietals, but this was an awesome first attempt at matzoh ball soup, in my opinion! Cheers!

So my reign of pumpkin terror continues. Has anyone else noticed that people are either pumpkin fiends or they dislike pumpkin immensely? I haven't met anyone who has just an eh attitude towards pumpkin. I love the people who have the pumpkin calendar countdown like I do. My BFF and I actually first bonded over pumpkin spice lattes and we have been besties ever since...you know what they say...the friends who eat or drink pumpkin together stay together, that was the context right?

Pumpkin Pudding

Pumpkin Quick Bread

So this week I have tried two new pumpkin recipes-Pumpkin Pudding and Pumpkin Quick Bread.

Let's start with the Pumpkin Pudding. I was honestly expecting it to taste like pumpkin pie filling and it doesn't. So if that is what you are hoping for, please stay away from this recipe. However, it has a different flavor as it is made with coconut milk and it has almond extract added to it. So it has an almost nutty, savory taste to it. And honestly I really like it, but it is different.


The pudding is so very easy! Combine 2 cups of coconut milk, 2 cups of pumpkin (as a side note 2 cups is one 15oz can for both the coconut milk and pumpkin), 3/4 cup sugar, 3T cornstarch, 3 egg yolks, 1/4 tsp almond extract and 1/4 tsp salt.


 In a pot bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 10 minutes or until thick. Be prepared for the mixture to cook down, do not be alarmed. And be careful if you are using a metal whisk, come to find out it can get hot and burn the hell out of your hand. Chill the pudding.


Now for the Pumpkin Bread, let me just say that this is one of the moistest pumpkin breads I have ever made. This is probably due to the stick of melted butter and the sour cream. I loved the spice from the pumpkin pie spice. And if you are looking to make this bread even more decadent, slice it and spread nutella on it. Seriously I think I heard angels singing!!


To make the bread, whisk 1 cup pumpkin, 2 eggs, 1 stick melted butter, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt.


Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Bake in an oiled 9x5 pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.


Now just in case you wanted a few pumpkin facts, let me help:

• California is one of the top 4 pumpkin producing states in the US
• Approx 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced a year...translation that is a lot of pumpkins
• Pumpkins originated in Central America
• The larges pumpkin pie was 350lbs and 5 ft in diameter...I did not make it
• Pumpkins have been used to remove freckles and cure snake bites...I have some pumpkin smeared on my face right now hoping to diminish my freckles...stay tuned
• Pumpkins are a fruit
• The whole jack-o-lantern thing started with Irish immigrants 
• Pumpkins come in many colors, not just orange, they can also be found in green, yellow, red, white, blue and tan

I loved that both of these recipes were extremely east, screamed Fall, added to my pumpkin obsession and just down right made me happy. Happy Hump Day!!

I swear the psychological component to food is so powerful! This is a great pasta recipe don't get me wrong, but it was made even better by the fact that I got to go for a run tonight and it was a beautiful warm night with a large moon. I also got to cook, with the Dodgers game in the background and a cold beer in my hand. It was truly one of those life moments that just give cause for celebration. Ya know how sometimes it truly is the simple things that just make you happy. For me, tonight was one of those nights.