not october but time for pumpkin pie

The Tall Short Person requested Danica Soup and crescent rolls for dinner.  I decided it needed pie for afters.  I have to admit that there is only one pie that I really like making even though I have tried others.  I make pumpkin because it is my favorite.  I used to freak out my Mom and ask for pumpkin pie for my birthday - in March.  I do not like most cake so this was a much better choice.  I think she had to buy extra pumpkin in November to make sure she had the makings for my pie.  I could be wrong though.

This pie is made from a winter squash I roasted.  I modified a couple of recipes I have seen that used condensed milk.  The winter squash is so flavorful that the condensed milk sweetened it plenty.  I like a bit of cinnamon and ginger in mine.  We actually ate this warm because we could not wait.  It meant the flavor was lovely but the texture was a bit odd.  It will be better when it is chilled.

Another Pumpkin Pie

2 cups roasted winter squash or pumpkin

1 14 ounce can of condensed milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1 portion your favorite pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out the pie crust and line a pie pan.

In a blender, put in all the ingredients (except the pie crust) and blend.  I find that I cannot smash roasted squashes smooth enough so this is how I get the smoothness I like.

Pour into the prepared pie pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Yes, pumpkin pie the week of Valentine's Day but it is what I like.  I have enough roasted squash for one more pie.....

chocolate chip cookie dough brownies

We do not go out to eat a lot but we definitely do not go out to eat on Valentine's Day.  We have had too many friends who have worked in the resturant industry and know it is one of the busiest nights of the year.  I am more likely to go to the grocery store late because grocery stores have a tendency to be very quiet.  Grocery shopping during the SuperBowl is awfully quiet too.

We did not even leave the house for grocery shopping this year once we got home.  I made a simple lasagne and roasted broccoli for dinner.  Dessert had to be chocolate.  I tailored it for the Tall Short Person because my Beloved does not do Valentine's Day.  He worked too many years in retail.  But he did sharpen all my kitchen knives (and a few others) and made me a card.  

I combined two of her favorites, chocolate chip cookies and brownies.  I made the end product gluten free so my Beloved could share.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

1/2 recipe gluten free chocolate chip cookies

1 recipe of brownies from the brownie cake:  use 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup millet flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, and 1/2 cup of sorghum instead of the all purpose flour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter and dust with millet flour 8 inch round pan.  I used a cake pan because I had gifted myself with two new ones but I think a springform pan would work better.

Mix the brownies per the recipe instructions.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Mix the chocolate chip cookie dough per the recipe instructions.  Drop on top of the brownie mixture (I had extra and just baked the brownies)

Bake for 20 minutess or until a knife poked in comes out clean and the cookie dough has browned.

These brownies are incredibly rich and the Tall Short Person liked them very much.  I think they are actually better gluten free then made with wheat flour.  I did have the issue of them trying to break between the cookies.  Just made for smaller brownies but they are on the more delicate side.  I destroyed the first one that came out of the pan.

Enjoy.

tacos

We had a not very fancy meal of tacos on Monday.  I have been craving tacos like the ones my Mom used to make.  To be honest, it was ground meat and the McCormick Taco seasoning mix but they taste right to me.  I will not say this taco meat tastes like that but it came out awfully taste.  The homemade flour tortillas helped too.  So, even though they did not taste anything like my Mom's tacos, they were so tasty they satisfied the craving.  Which, honestly, you cannot ask for more then that.

Taco Meat

Note:  This is the filling for tacos.  Use a bit of the meat mixture inside flour tortillas and add cheese, lettuce, tomato, or nothing at all.

2 pounds ground meat

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chili

1/2 teaspoon ground chipolte chili

2 teaspoons paprika

4 tablespoons sugar

In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Add the onion.  Let it brown for about five minutes and add the ground meat and garlic.  Brown the meat.  Turn the heat down and mix in all the spices.  Let meld over low heat.  Serve with flour tortillas and any toppings you would wish to add.

hand and butt salve (formerly known as garden salve)

My hands are always beaten up because I do things.  Garden.  Cook.  Play in earth plaster and cob.  I found a garden salve that I really ilked and works on my hands.  The ingredients are simple:  olive oil, beeswax, calendula, and comfrey.  It goes on a little oil and then soaks right in.  All my hurts heal faster.  

Then the Smalles Short Person came along.  This works better then anything else on his butt.  It can make the slightest red go away in less then a hour.  

I knew it would be not hard to make so I tried.  It turned out well.  A little softer then what I had purchased but it is actually easier to get a bit on my hands.  If it hits 116 again this summer, I will need to add a bit more beeswax!

Hand and Butt Salve

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup dried calendula flowers

1/2 cup dried comfrey leave

3/4 ounces beeswax

In a pot, put the olive oil, calendula, and comfrey.  You want to heat this until just warm and keep it there for 20 minutes.

Cut the beeswax into tiny pieces (it does make it easier to measure).

Strain the calendula and comfrey out of the oil.  I strained into a large tomato tin that I had cleaned.  Put the tin with the oil in a waterbath (water in a pot that is hot and stays hot).  Slowly, drop in the beeswax, stirring all the time.  When all the beeswax is in, stir until melted.

Pour into jars.

It firms up a bit more then this but it is very green and smells that way.  But it really soothes the skin.

mushroom risotto

Risotto is one of those comfort foods that is much better the next day.  That is if it makes it to the next day.  It is such a lovely food.  We really like it around here.  It is one of those dishes that I could really eat twice a week.  But during the summer here, it is a bit warm to make the traditional way and I just do not think any other way I have tried so far is as good.  

I have been trying to feed the freezer recently.  During December I got told there was no food in the freezer.  My Beloved reheats well.  Now, I do not have any empty pyrex to put in the freezer!  But the comment was made while our best friend was here that I should really put more risotto in the freezer.  The issue here - none of this made it!  

It is a simple food that just takes a bit of time.  Comfort food at its finest.

Mushroom risotto

about an ounce of dried mushrooms

6 to 8 cups water

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion minced

4 to 6 gloves garlic minced

1 to 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground pepper ( to taste)

1 glass white wine (optional, but use something you wish to drink)

2 cups aborio rice

2 to 4 ounces grated asiago or parmesan

 

In a large pot, put the mushrooms and water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn down and let simmer until you have a strong mushroom broth.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over a mediim flame.  Add the onion.  You want it just to start to brown.  Carefully take the onions out of the broth and mince.  Add to the onion.  Add the garlic.  Give a few good stirs and let things meld together a bit.  You want golden but no darker.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Add the rice.  Mix the rice until each grain is covered in oil and starting to turn translucent.

Add the wine.  Stir the rice until there is no liquid in the pot.

Add the boiling broth, a cup at a time.  You want to stir often because the starch in the rice will go into the broth.  You want the rice to be cooked.  I like soft.  My Beloved likes al dente.  Whatever works for you.  We like the risotto to be a bit on the brothy side.

When the rice is the texture you like, turn off the heat.  Add the cheese and mix in.  Cover the skillet with a lid and let sit for five minutes.

Serve the yumminess.

My Beloved says it is fabulous as breakfast the next day.

We like it reheated days later and let it get crispy bits from the oven (put in a pyrex and heat).

There is a recipe for appetizers that I wish to try where you take day old risotto, wrap a bit of cheese in the risotto, and bake or fry until crispy.  I will have to try it.  That is if there are every leftovers!