Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

Holidays in a Bowl

So....I found this MUST TRY recipe in Sunset Magazine and had to give it a whirl because I love pumpkin and my husband loves gingersnaps.  A match made in heaven if you ask me!  Both the ice cream and my husband & me!

Anyway, I made this delight on Halloween night.  I took one bite and immediately deemed this recipe a Carmalt Fall Tradition from this point forward.  Yes, it is THAT good.  

The creamy, cold pumpkin flavor is a pleasantly sweet reminder of all the goodness of fall and the crunch of ginger is a happy reminder of the approaching holiday season.  Who wouldn't want that?!?!?!

Trust me, you won't regret these calories...

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream
Serves 8 (makes 1 qt) / Time: 45 minutes plus 2 1/2 hrs to freeze 

  
Ingredients

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1.5 C half and half
• 1 C packed light brown sugar
• 1 C Homemade Pumpkin puree
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 C coarsely crushed gingersnaps  (*Note: harder cookies have more crunch and are better to use because the softer gingersnaps could potentially dissolve...and who doesn't love some crunch???)

Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients except gingersnaps in a bowl to blend.  Strain into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions

2. Scrape ice cream into a bowl and stir in gingersnaps. Freeze, covered until scoopable, 2 1/2 hrs and up to 1 wk (gingersnaps soften somewhat after one day, but it remains delicious regardless)

If you forgot how delicious it looked the first time...

Piece of Cake, Right?!?!   Well....no, it is actually a bowl of ice cream....  =) 

If you want to make Homemade Pumpkin Puree - 
(I used canned pumpkin, but for those adventurous type...)
 A 2 lb pumpkin makes 1 1/2-2 cups of puree, at least one hour
Cut a Sugar Pie pumpkin (or other deep orange-flesh squash) in half using a large heavy knife and a mallet to tap knife through flesh. Scoop out and discard seeds.  Rub inside of pumpkin with vegetable
oil.  Set pumpkin cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree oven until very soft when pierced, 45-75 minutes. Scoop flesh into a food processsor; whirl until smooth.  If puree is watery drain in a strainer 30 minutes.

Bon Appetit! 
REALLY - YOU NEED TO TRY THIS.

Chicken Enchiladas with PUMPKIN CREAM SAUCE

Since this dish was deemed heavenly by my enthusiastic, potluck loving coworkers last fall, I knew I would have to make it again this year.  If you are like me and have a sincere appreciation and love for Mexican food and all things fall, then KEEP READING.  These simple, pumpkin flavor packed enchiladas are sure to be a treat for family and friends.  I bet kids would even find them tasty.

Enjoy these now and thank me later...

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Yields 9 Enchiladas (depending on how full you pack 'em)!

Before...

Ingredients:

• 2 medium/large sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 4 T butter
• 3-4 C cooked chicken, diced
• 1 C pumpkin puree
•  1 C heavy cream
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t cumin
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 9 medium flour tortillas
• 2 C queso fresco
• This is a Mexican cheese, often found near the shredded cheeses but packaged like mozzarella (see photo above)
• 1/2 C diced scallions, for garnish
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then add the onion slices.  Saute until brown and caramelized, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Once caramelized, add the cooked chicken to the pan and mix with onions and remove from heat
4. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, cream, broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper.  Set aside.
5. Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, roll tightly and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
6. Spread the pumpkin cream mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle generously with queso fresco.  The more cheese the better!
7. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tips of the cheese brown.
8. Garnish enchiladas with scallions and serve! MMM MMM Delicious!

After!!

Bon Appetit!

 

Two Homemade Fall Pizzas

Whenever I go back to Colorado Springs to see my family I always try to find time to make a delicious meal for everyone.  My reasoning for this is three fold:
1. I love cooking...that is a given
2. My Mom usually purchases the groceries and I can't say I mind cooking on someone else's dollar...  Thanks Mom!
3. You should see my parents' kitchen.  My Mom had her midlife crisis in the form of changing her entire kitchen and she did a great job with the new design.  The drawers close on their own, the fridge beeps at you if you leave it open, she has a warming drawer (ideal for holiday meals) AND she is a lady with a deep and sincere love for appliances and gadgets.  Can't go wrong with any of that!

So, the last time I was home we went with two recipes my Mom found for pizza: roasted root vegetable pizza and zucchini and summer squash pizza.  Both were good, but the easiest of the two was the zucchini and summer squash and ended up being the family favorite by far.  I literally made my Mom double check the recipe to make sure we had done everything because it was just too easy to be true.

Don't be fooled.  Neither pizza is a pizza as you would typically imagine.  No red sauce here!  But I promise if you are a fan of vegetables, particularly those of the fall variety, you will be pleased.

Zucchini and Summer Squash Pizza (From William Sonoma)

Ingredients:

• 1 green zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
• 1 yellow zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
• 1 Tbs. Parmesan dipping and drizzling oil, plus more for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Two 10-inch pizza dough round, homemade or store bought
•   6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 oz. ricotta salata or goat cheese
• 6 large fresh basil leaves, minced

 

 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 475 degress.
• In a bowl, stir together the green and yellow zucchini, the 1 Tbs. oil, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain off the excess liquid.
• Place 1 pizza dough round on a floured surface (ideally a pizza board). Lightly brush the dough with oil. Sprinkle 2oz. of the mozzarella on the dough and top with half of the zucchini and then sprinkle one more ounce of the mozzarella on top.
• Transfer the pizza to the oven, tapping the peel lightly to release the pizza. Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza occasionally to ensure even browning.
• Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the pizza. Grate or crumble half of the ricotta salata over the pizza and sprinkle with half of the basil. Cut into slices and serve immediately. 
• Repeat to cook the remaining pizza. Makes two 10-inch pizzas.

Roasted Root Vegetable Pizza (From Martha Stewart)

Serves 4 
Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 pound homemade pizza dough or store-bought pizza dough, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 6 cups (about 1/2 recipe) Roasted Root Vegetables
• We used a small butternut squash, chopped
• 2 small red onions, cut into sixths and layers separated
• 6 small carrots cut lengthwise and into 1 inch chunks
• 1 small acorn squash, chopped
• 5 small red potatoes cut into sixths 
• *Note - potatoes on pizzas seems weird, I know...but it is delicious!
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (optional)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Brush a large rimless baking sheet with oil. Gently stretch dough into 12-by-16-inch oval (or as large as will fit on baking sheet); transfer to prepared sheet.
2. Sprinkle dough evenly with half the mozzarella. Scatter vegetables on top, then dollop with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and the rosemary, if desired. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake rotating sheet from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

I must give my Mom credit for these pizzas as she did most of the work making the dough and getting the pizzas in and out of the oven.  I may have bitten off more than I could chew that weekend with work, school, and being able to function in general, so thank you Mom for a delicious meal!

Bon Appetit!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

While I am on a curry kick, you MUST try this delicious curried butternut squash soup.  I found this recipe in the Colorado Classique cookbook and the two times I have cooked this I made some very slight, but hardly noticeable changes to the original recipe. 

This soup was a pleasant discovery because I have a bad habit of staying away from potato/squash/ pureed soups because
1. They often times use heavy cream and my unfortunately slow metabolism and I try to avoid heavy creams more often than not, and
2. They seem like much more work than broth based soups

Well, now that I have a handy dandy high tech food processor I can no longer find an excuse for not making delicious pureed soups....and as for the metabolism, that is what a treadmill is for! 
Please note, this soup does not actually use heavy cream (yes, good find Leah) but I felt the need to explain to you why I am turned off by creamier soups. 

Anyway, now that the first winter storm has hit the Colorado Front Range and Thanksgiving is somehow right around the corner, you should give this soup a try and thank me for providing you with an easy to prepare accompaniment to your Thanksgiving meal or just thank me for the comfort your body will feel when you consume this butternut deliciousness on a cold winter day.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 6-8 portions. 45 minute Prep.  30 minutes cook time

Ingredients

• 2.5 - 3 lbs of butternut squash, cooked until tender 
• 4 T butter
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 T curry powder
• 4 C chicken broth
• Optional: grated white cheddar cheese (Colorado Classique garnishes with plain yogurt & mint)
  

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop squash and place on rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.  (You can also cut the squash in half and cook in the microwave for 8-10 minutes cut side down, but I prefer the oven roasted flavor)

2. Meanwhile, prep other ingredients
3. When there is 5-10 minutes left on the squash, melt butter in a stockpot

 4. Add shallots, onions, garlic, and curry powder and saute for 5 minutes

5. Add cooked squash to the pot, add chicken broth and bring to a simmer
Cook for 30 minutes

6. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, season to taste and garnish with white cheddar cheese, or with plain yogurt and mint

 7. Serve Hot...Of Course!!

The second time I made this I served it with green beans that were boiled, and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, craisins, and sliced almonds.  Not a bad combination if I say so myself!

Bon Appetit!

Chicken in Yellow Curry - a delicious and hearty dish!

      For those of you that have followed my blog since the beginning (maybe you are out there somewhere...) you may have read about the unbeatable Italian treat: Roasted Balsamic Strawberries.  That recipe as well as the recipe below comes from one of the greatest cook books I own, The World Kitchen. 
     I have made many recipes from this unique and worldly cookbook, but the Chicken in Yellow Curry is my first adventure in trying a recipe from the Thai and Vietnamese region of the book.  I do love curry though, so I had a lot of faith in how this recipe would turn out; plus, Luke and I both were aching for some sweet potatoes!
     This dish is relatively easy to make (although cooking the chicken can get time consuming) but the delight that follows is well worth the wait.  Tender chicken soaked in a sweet, yet slightly spicy sauce...what more could you ask for?

 Chicken in Yellow Curry Deliciousness (makes about 6 servings, allow just over an hour for cooking)
Ingredients:

• 3 T canola oil
• 3 lbs, skinless chicken thighs (recipe calls for bone in, but I prefer boneless)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 T curry powder
• 1 T packed brown sugar
• 1 T red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 stalks lemongrass (*Note: Lemon grass can be expensive.  Instead I substituted 1.5t lemon zest and 1/8t minced ginger....thanks to the AmAzInG Food Substitutions Bible)
• 1 T minced ginger
• 1 C chicken stock
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 2 T fish sauce
• 3 carrots, cut into about 1 inch chunks
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• Slices of fresh basil leave (to garnish, about 3 T)

Directions:

1. In a dutch oven or heavy pot (3.5 quarts is just big enough), warm the oil over med-hi heat.  Working with about 3 thighs at a time, sear chicken until browned on both sides (about 8 minutes per batch).  Set aside on plate.
2. Add garlic and shallots to pot and saute until fragrant (30 seconds or so).  Add the curry, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, about 1t black pepper, lemongrass (or substitute), and ginger and saute until fragrant and well blended (another 30 seconds or so).  Add the stalk and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.  Stir in coconut milk and fish stalk and bring mixture to a boil.
3. Once boiling, add all chicken, carrots, and sweet potatoes.  Make sure all are pushed down into the pot to be covered by the sauce.  Partially cover and cook over low heat for about an hour.  Veggies should be tender and chicken cooked through.
4. Spoon mixture into bowls and garnish with the basil.  Serve hot for a heart warming, curry experience!  (*Note: the recipe says to spoon the mixture onto a platter, but as far as I am concerned this would create a terrible saucy mess....so I opted to spoon straight into bowls.  One less thing to clean)!  

Heart Warming Deliciousness in Every Bite!!

This is a nice warm meal, perfect for a fall or winter day.  Please let me know what you think and Happy Cooking!

Bon Appetit!

Homemade Walnut Pesto!!!!!

Throughout the year, we have been growing basil on our balcony but have not been doing a very good job of consuming it.  The amount of basil we had was not proportionate to the time we had to eat it before winter which lead to making Walnut Pesto!!! I can not take credit for the idea of making pesto with our exuberant amount of basil, that was all the idea of my mother-in-law.  I had originally thought we could dry the basil with the food dehydrator, but pesto sounded much more delightful!

I found the recipe below via foodgawker.com, but it comes from a blog called Cookie + Kate which turned out to be a delightful food blog that I plan to visit more often. Food Blogs make my life, or atleast a small portion of my life, complete =)

I decided to make walnut pesto instead of the traditional pine nut pesto for two main reasons:

1. Pine nuts are more expensive than walnuts
2. Some pine nuts can leave a bitter taste in your mouth called 'Pine Mouth' and I didn't want to run the risk of using a bad batch of pine nuts in our mass produced batch of pesto!

WALNUT PESTO:

Ingredients:

• 3 lightly packed cups of basil, washed
• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled 
• 3/4 Cups of walnuts, lightly toasted
• 3/4 Cups of olive oil (if you prefer thinner pesto, add more, but this is plenty in my mind!)
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon Juice (optional, but the approx. teaspoon I used added great flavor!)

Instructions:

Step 1: Toast walnuts over med-hi heat, until fragrant

1. Toast the walnuts over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes
2. In a food processor, combine basil, walnuts and garlic cloves
3. Drizzle olive oil into food processor while pulsing other ingredients
4. Transfer mix from food processor to bowl.  Add salt and lemon to taste.
5. Transfer to lidded bowl for storage in the fridge, or if you plan to freeze some, transfer to multiple containers for storage in the freezer  

Step 2: Combine basil, walnuts and garlic in food processor

Place pesto in container(s) for storage in fridge and/or freezer

The pesto tasted delicious when we made it, although I have yet to use it in any recipes as of now.  I recently made scrambled eggs with some pesto mixed in which was delicious and it always makes for a flavorful condiment on sandwiches.  Or you can always go the more traditional route of using it in your favorite pasta dish! Keep a look out and I will try to post some recipes including pesto soon!

Bon Appetit!

A Mountain Mini-Moon

As a wedding present, my beautiful bridesmaids gave me and the hubby a two night stay in Steamboat Springs.  Being in school, we were delaying our honeymoon until December, so we were delighted to find out we could actually getaway together following the wedding.
Lucas had never been to Steamboat Springs and I had nothing but wonderful memories of the area from when I traveled there for tennis tournaments and family vacations.  It had been a while since I had been back to Steamboat (atleast 10 years) and so it was a very exciting weekend.  Steamboat is still as wonderful as I remembered it!

We arrived into town earlier than expected and headed to Fish Creek Falls for a leisurely hike before checking into our hotel.  Fish Creek Falls is a great hike because you can do as little or as much as your little legs desire.  Having been in the car for 3.5 hours, Lucas and I decided to walk up to the second waterfall along the trail.  The first waterfall is about a 1/4 mile walk in order to view the beautiful waterfall cascading through the mountain pines (this is a little touristy here...I recommend braving the altitude and hiking farther along the trail to the second falls to escape the tourist trap).

First Fall along Fish Creek Trail

The second waterfall is about 2.5 miles one way and is roughly 1.5 hours from the trailhead.  The website describes the hike as moderate to difficult, but any serious hiker would put it more in the moderate range.  The nice thing about hiking to the second waterfall is that the trail is not very crowded.  We spent 15-20 minutes at the second waterfall before seeing any other hikers.  Sit down, relax and enjoy the sound of the rushing water...or clamber over some rocks to get up close and personal with the fall while mist covers your face.
For those wishing for a longer hike, you can continue another 2.5 miles to Long Lake for a 5 mile one way trip, although a local told us it is actually 7 miles one way to the lake.  Either way, be prepared for a long day of walking!  This website gives you basic information about hikes in the area and can be useful if you decide to check it out someday!

The Second Waterfall

After hiking we checked in to our quaint hotel, the Inn at Steamboat, which is located near the ski area, the Steamboat Grand, and other condos.  The Inn is a boutique hotel with a true mountain feel, unlike some of the larger resorts in the area.  It is also in a great location to walk to the nearby ski area or to catch one of the free buses into downtown.
We decided to catch the free bus into downtown to walk around and grab some dinner.  The Cantina is a Mexican restaurant in downtown Steamboat that had been recommended to us and had received great reviews online.  It is apparently the best Mexican in Steamboat, which does not say much for other Mexican restaurants in the area.  I may be to harsh because of my deep love for guacamole, tortilla chips, margaritas and a good plate of Mexican food.  The Cantina just was not up to par.  The guac tasted like prepackaged avocado and although the buffalo something or other I got wasn't bad...it certainly didn't live up to expectations.  Headed to steamboat?  Try one of the many other local restaurants that may be able to offer a more satisfying meal.

For instance, a stop at Mahogany Ridge Brewery could be a good choice for dinner, or even just drinks.  The happy hour menu looked promising, 1/2 off drinks and a $1 tapas menu.  We, naturally, only sampled the beer.  Definitely worth the stop, and for $1 per sample I definitely recommend trying a little bit of each beer they brew.  With the sample, you even get a taste of their craft rootbeer which is AMAZING (and that is saying a lot coming from someone that doesn't care much for rootbeer).  I have never had Tommy Knockers rootbeer, but my guess is this would give it a run for it's money.

Beer Sampler at Mahogany Ridge Brewery

Take a break from calorie counting for the day...it's worth it.

Our second day of Steamboat adventures wasn't what we expected due to an extra dose of fog and rain that changed our plans of hiking the trails at the ski area.  So rather than working out, we went to Winona's for the largest cinammon roll I have ever seen (or eaten) and a very satisfying breakfast burrito.  Breakfast of champions if you ask me.
Winona's is A MUST DO, whenever you visit Steamboat.  The restaurant is small, but service is quick and it is definitely worth the wait. The food was amazing and I wish I had a larger appetite so I could try more on the menu!  We only had breakfast, but based on what was coming out of the kitchen I would imagine the lunch options are just as amazing.

Rainy Day at Steamboat Ski Area

Given the rain, we didn't feel like doing much hiking and instead warmed up in the hot tub back at the hotel.  The evening brought sunshine, thank goodness, and a beautiful wedding at Catamount Ranch.  I am not terribly familiar with Catamount Ranch offerings, but the grounds are beautiful (particularly for a wedding) and it looked as though they offered other activities for visitors such as canoeing, paddle boarding, taking a boat out on the lake, etc.

The Lake at Catamount Ranch

On our final day in Steamboat we explored the path along the Yampa River and walked around downtown.  I could have easily spent a few more days in town, hiking the trails in the ski area, visiting the local hot springs, checking out live music taking place on the river or just walking around downtown.  Steamboat is a wonderful getaway for a family vacation or a romantic weekend even if you aren't visiting in the winter to "scar the gnar" (aka go skiing).  From farmer's markets, to tubing on the river, to watching people catch some air on the ski jump...the town has a lot to offer and is definitely worth checking out!

Bon Voyage!