Recipe of the Week

I haven't started my holiday baking
quite yet but, when I do these will be
one of the first things that I make.

These cardamom spice cookies
from Martha Stewart, are a lovely
alternative to gingerbread.




















Cardamom Spiced Cookies

5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
1 cup dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

** Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cardamom, allspice,
pepper, and cloves in a large bowl. Place butter in a mixer bowl.
Bring sugars, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a large saucepan,
stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot sugar mixture over butter,
then beat on low speed until combined.

**Beat cream, egg, and vanilla in a bowl, then add to butter mixture.
Beat on medium speed until well combined.

**Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture,
beating until just incorporated. Divide dough into thirds,
and flatten each into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic, and refrigerate
overnight (or freeze for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator).

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out 1 disk between
lightly floured parchment to 1/8-inch thickness.
Alternatively, the dough can be rolled out to 1/16-inch thickness
for a crisper cookie.

** Cut out shapes with holiday cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to
parchment-lined baking sheets, grouping similar sizes together and
spacing them 1 inch apart. Roll out and cut scraps once.
Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until
edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
(If making small cookies, start checking after 8 minutes.)
Transfer to wire racks, and let cool.
Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 2 weeks.


**Once everything is incorporated the dough can get very sticky. You'll want to throw in the towel but don't. After it chills it will be much easier to work with.

Friday Jams.

For me, Christmas begins today.
We've given Thanksgiving it's time to shine
but now it's time for Christmas music.

Here are some to get you in that
Christmas-y kinda mood.

The Giving of Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe of the Week

This recipe has become a Wednesday staple
for the bf and I. Prep and cooking time
totals about a half hour, and it goes by
even quicker with two people
and a bottle of wine.

This recipe is wonderful because it is
so flexible. We add sweet italian sausage
and dinosaur kale, but you can add just
about anything.

Wednesday Night Stuffed Shells

*Medium pasta shells (as many as you need)
*1 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
*1 container of ricotta (we just use 15oz and that seems to work out)
*1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
*1 c grated mozzarella
kosher salt and black pepper

optional:
dinosaur kale
1 sweet italian sausage

-Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat
to 400F.

-Cook the pasta according to the package directions,
drain and run under cold water until cool.

-Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom
of a large broilerproof baking dish

- If you are adding in the sausage and kale
precook them in a large pan until the
sausage is just cooked and the kale
is wilted. About 6 minutes.

-In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan,
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, kale and sausage.
Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them
on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella
and bake until the shells are heated through.
10-12 min

-Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese
begins to brown. 2-5 min.


(We also like to add some more sauce to the top
before adding the mozzarella cheese. This way
the broiler won't make the shells too crispy.)

Friday Jams.

For a lot of people Friday means the weekend.
"Not I" said the redhead,
my next day off will be Thanksgiving.
But today isn't all bad.
Payday, Coconut Island, bartending, and of course-
large amounts of wine.

Happy Friday : )

Latest Obsessions

*Petit Ecolier Cookies: dark chocolate
(the bf seems to think I have some sort of addiction)
(I'm not commenting on whether he is right or wrong.)

*Freya's Prints
(my favorite is "Vast and Amazing")

*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
(cannot wait!)

*Apollo's Angels:A History of Ballet
(I saw this at the Strand and swooned.)

*The evergreen candle that is filling our
house with a Christmas scent
(I'm holding off on the music til Nov 26)

*Leftover stuffed shells.
(comfort food)

*Daily Candy's 30 gifts under $30
(just to get you in the shopping spirit)

Recipe of the Week

For each person that is learning how to cook,
there comes that time in the process where
you really start to enjoy the things that you are making.
The dishes don't feel like they are missing something,
and you want to keep eating your food.

I've been feeling that way lately, and it's just happened
in the past few months. I've really been enjoying what I've
been making-especially this weeks featured recipe.
I found it in the latest edition of Living (naturally)
and it is one of the most satisfying things that I have ever made.

Bonus: it only calls for a cup of wine, which leaves you
with some to drink while you patiently
wait through the 2.5 hours of cooking time.

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

-4 Bone-in short ribs (2lbs total)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
-2 teaspoons cornstarch
-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
(I used grapeseed oil because it is better with high heat)
-8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
(I used cremini mushrooms)
-3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4" cubes
(I just used 2 carrots, one chopped and one cubed)
-3 shallots, minced
-2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
-2 strips of bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
-1 tbsp tomato paste
-2 thyme sprigs
-1 dried bay leaf
-1 cup dry red wine, such as burgundy
-8 cups homemade or store bought low sodium
beef stock
-2 cups water

1.Season the ribs with 1/2 tsp salt and some pepper.
Coat with cornstarch. Heat oil in a large heavy pot
over medium high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides
-about 6 mins, transfer to a plate.

2. Add mushrooms to the pot. Cook until browned-
about 4 mins. transfer to a bowl with the cubed carrots.

3.Add shallots, bacon, celery, and chopped carrots to
the pot. Cook until caramelized-about 6 mins.
Stir in tomato paste

4. Return ribs, with plate juices, to pot. Add thyme and bay
leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits
with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced-about 2 minutes.
Add stock and water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until beef is tender
-about 2, 2 1.2 hours.

5.Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones;discard.
Cut meat into bite size pieces; return to pot. Add
reserved carrot and mushroom mixture.
Bring to a simmer; cook until the cubed carrots are tender.
Season with salt if necessary.

Serve over top of herbed egg noodles.
(egg noodles combined with fresh cut
flat leaf parsley) and with a side of
Horseradish Chive Bread.

Preheat oven to 375F
Mash 1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
with 2 tbsp horseradish and 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
until smooth. Season with coarse salt. Slice 1 large french bread loaf
without cutting all the way through. Generously spread butter mixture
evenly onto each piece and wrap loaf in foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm.


(The bread is great for dipping, and it can be made
on a smaller scale too. I just used 3 slices, didn't wrap it in foil,
and made a small batch of the butter mixture. It was delicious)

Holiday Markets

I've been a busy bunny getting ready for
the upcoming holiday markets.
I'll have lots of new notebooks
and 2 new holiday cards!
I'm still waiting to hear from one more
but right now, this is my holiday
market schedule.

This Saturday, November 20, 2010
Jackson Heights Holiday Craft Fair
11am-4pm
St. Mark's Church
33-50 82nd St
Queens NY 11372

Saturday, December 4th, 2010
3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair
12-6pm
195 Morgan Ave Brooklyn, NY

Sunday, December 5th, 2010
Holiday Handmade Cavalcade
11am-8pm
201 Mulberry St b/w Spring and Kenmare
in Manhattan.

Sunday, December 19, 2010
Big Social Holiday Market
11am-8pm
201 Mulberry St b/w Spring and Kenmare
(yup, same place as the Cavalcade

Hope to see you at one (or all) of these!

Latest Obsessions

*The Mexican Chicken Soup and Edamame Hummus
from RICE
(I've been having lunch there on Thursdays)

*Strawberry Jars
(for my strawberry kitchen)

*Chocolate Covered Pretzels
(I have an endless craving for these)

*Drunken Mad Hatter Video
(not what you expect to happen)

*Christmas Shopping without buying myself things
(this is a challenge)

*My new Kitchen Aid mixer
(Christmas came early this year!)

Recipe of the Week

When I was younger I hated pumpkin pie,
I wanted to like it but it was always too dense
for me. Then I found this recipe a few
years ago and have never looked back.
This has a light and fluffy filling, almost
like a mousse and it comes out perfect every time.
*It's best made with real pumpkin puree and
homemade pie crust


















Pumpkin Pie

* 3 cups pumpkin puree
* 1 cup sugar
* 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
* 4 large eggs
* 1.5 cans (12oz each) of non fat evaporated milk or regular whole milk
(I've used both kinds and it will turn out fine either way.)


Mix the above ingredients together and pour into pie crust
for pie crust recipes and tips check out
Martha
Julia


Bake at 425F for the first 15 minutes
then down to 350F for 50-60 minutes
until a knife or testing skewer comes out clean.

Winter?

Yesterday I found myself wondering
if I could now consider it Winter, and after
some research I realized that I can't.
At least not until December 21.
But it feels like it, doesn't it?

I had made lists of things that I was excited about
for fall, summer, so I'll continue on with winter.
Keep in mind this list counts til Dec 31st.
Because come January, all I will want to do
is get the hell out of NY. From now until
12/31 is the fun part of winter in the city.
Trust me on that.

*Hot Chocolate at the Ronnybrook Farm stand
at the Union Sq Greenmarket (last year it was $1.25)

*Watching the ice skaters-or actually skating- at
Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park or Central Park

*Walking around the 5th Avenue (in the 50's) area. Even if you never
venture over that way it's fun to see everything covered in lights.

*Staying in and watching holiday movies

*Baking Christmas cookies, at my house and at Carly's house

*Meandering around the holiday markets (and selling at them)

*Decorating the house

*The first snow, which hopefully will occur on a day
when I don't have to leave the house.

*Trips to Serendipity for frozen treats


Most of the list ends up being Christmas related,
oh well. I love the holidays. Just the thought
of doing all these things gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

A New Yorker

There is something special about living in this city.

Even when you are cursing the MTA for their latest
blunder, having a meltdown because you realize that
you are living above your means, or dealing with the never
ending crowds of (occasionally rude) people.
You still love this city, and you stay because there
is nowhere else like it.

I was reading over the Village Voice's list
of 50 Reasons to be Pretty Damn Euphoric
You Live in NYC. I agreed with a decent amount
of the reasons, and it inspired me to write my own list.

Here are the General Loves:

1. Food.
Do you have a local Peruvian restaurant? Have you
eaten hand pulled noodles in a questionable basement area?
Can you name at least 5 cupcake places within a 5 mile radius?
New York's population is so diverse, of course there is going to be
a huge variety of food. Anything you want, you can surely find.

2. No drinking and driving.
Get home by train, cab, or Right Rides.
(If you are lucky enough, you can
walk home from your favorite local bar)

3.)Things to Do
You can find an outlet for anything you enjoy doing,
right here in the city. You can see just about any movie
or museum exhibit that you want. Learn a language, join
a book club, take bellydancing classes, run a marathon.
Being a New Yorker allows you to participate in
just about anything that interests you.

4.)People
The city is full of amazing people.
After spending time here, you'll find your own crowd
of ridiculously awesome folks.

5.) My Neighborhoods.
I have 2 to be exact. I have the one where I live,
and the one where I work. You become
personally invested in the people
and the places at exist in these small areas.
It's comforting to have a bar where people know
you, or a bagel shop that remembers your order.

And now the little details:

*Spa Castle
*Bubble Tea in Chinatown
*Watching the dogs in the Tompkins Sq dog run
*Secret Bars- specifically PDT
*Union Square Greenmarket
*Grand Street waterfront park in Wburg
*The Asian Wing at the Met
*The cafe in the Neue Gallery
*The view of the Manhattan skyline from the end of my street
*Pupusa's and Asia Dog at the Brooklyn Flea
*Skeeball @ Ace Bar
*Cab rides from E 4th to E 9th St.
*McNally Jackson bookstore
*Landmark Sunshine midnight movies
*Ceci Cela pastries
*Mickey Johns, where the bartender knows what the bf and I drink
(guinness and magners with ice.)
*The dollar book section of Housing Works
*The smell of the bread bakery on Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint
*Kenka

I <3 NY

Latest Obsessions

*This photo of Serg and Big Big Mees.















(There is nothing better than seeing your
two best dog friends snuggling together.)

*Sherlock
(Masterpiece Mystery never disappoints)

*Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns
(I am so making these on Saturday morning)

*Dorado Riding Boots from Frye
( in my dreams..)

*Homestead Print by Beauchamping















(Because I do)

*Samhain Dress from Anthropologie
(I think it would compliment my gingerness)

*Awaiting the return of th Peppermint Mocha
@ Starbucks
(I know, I know. I can't help it)

Recipe of the Week

Back from a weekend of eating
more sweets than I care to remember,
I'm going on a mini detox this week.
Lots of veggies, fruits and juices.

This post on Smitten Kitchen
caught my eye. I'll be making this tomorrow.














photo and recipe source

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils


3/4 cup black or green lentils
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash or sugar pumpkin
(1-inch cubes) (from about a 2-poudn squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika*
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
Roasted seeds (about 1/2 cup) from your butternut squash (optional; see note above)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash or pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika and salt. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and roast 20 minutes. Flip pieces and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Cool.

Meanwhile, soak lentils for 10 minutes in a small bowl, then drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, any oil you can scrape from the baking sheet with arugula, if using, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper and extra vinegar, if desired. Divide among plates and pass with remaining goat cheese to sprinkle.

Hallows Eve

The bf, Serg and I are currently living it up

in South Jersey. We hosted a Halloween party

last night, which was a blast, and today will be

spent watching scary movies and eating the

left over party food. I can't imagine a better way

to spend a Sunday.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Latest Obsessions

*Dear Creatures
(I love the Anna Sweater Blouse)

*1010 Project
(lovely photos)

*DesignSponge's Living In: Beetlejuice
(classic)

*The bf's cauliflower gratin
(ridiculously delicious)

*Whipped Cream flavored vodka
(I know, it sounds crazy-but it is surprisingly
delicious mixed with cranberry juice or root beer)

*A Bit of Paris
(I think of it often)

*Our bed. The Sleep Machine.
(as the nights get cooler, nothing beats crawling
into the most comfortable bed ever.)

Halloween Nostalgia

When I was younger Halloween night went like this:

My family and a few of our cousins would visit
our grandparents neighborhood for some trick or
treating. Then we'd come back to our development
and collect even more candy. When the treating was
over we would all come back and have a huge pizza dinner.
(the pizza place we would order from doesn't exist
anymore but oh, what I wouldn't give for a slice
of Joe's pizza)

After dinner, we would sort through the candy,
make the necessary trades and settle down
in front of the tv for some Halloween shows.
Not the scary kind, the Disney kind.

These are some of my Halloween favs with
a G Rating.

The Dancing Skeletons


Halloween is Grinch Night

Watch (T.V.)Childhood Favorites - Dr. Seuss - Halloween is Grinch Night.avi in Family | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com


Mister Boogedy
(this is ridiculous, but this is what we loved)


The Halloween That Almost Wasn't
(we actually re-watched this last year
and it's just silly-but
we loved it when we were little)


and of course, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Recipe of the Week

This is now one of my favorite dishes of
all time. I've been making it a lot
because it's fairly easy and completely
satisfying.

I'm generally not a big mushroom person but,
I've been trying to get into them for awhile
and this finally did it. The first few times I
made it I used Honey mushrooms and the most
recent time, I used Cremini. Both work well.

If you can't find spaghetti squash this also tastes
great over pasta. The bf and I recommend adding
some butternut squash if you take the pasta route.

Oh! and I've also switched the spinach to dinosaur kale,
it cooks just as quick and is packed with all kinds of good stuff.

















source



Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds), halved lengthwise
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (3 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs
• 8 ounces lean ground turkey
• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster, cut 1/4 inch thick (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 4 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups), washed well

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season cut sides of squash with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake, cut sides down, on a baking sheet until tender, about 45 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Scrape flesh into strands using a fork. Let drain, covered to keep warm, in a colander set over a bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, until soft but not brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add oregano; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Divide mixture between 2 bowls.
3. Stir 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese into 1 bowl of onion-garlic mixture. Mix in breadcrumbs, turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper using your hands. Form mixture into 12 balls.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs, turning, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add remaining teaspoon oil to skillet. Cook mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, adding a few tablespoons water if skillet browns too quickly, until soft and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add remaining bowl of onion-garlic mixture, meatballs, and stock; bring to gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until meatballs are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach; cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.
5. Divide squash and meatball mixture into 4 servings. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Halloween Flicks

If you really want to get into the Halloween
spirit, a scary movie will surely do the trick.
Last night the bf, a few friends, and I watched
Evil Dead. Just scary enough to make
me scream, but just campy enough to not
give me nightmares.Win.


Here are a few movies to get you in the
Halloween mood.

*The Exorcist
(still scares the crap out of me)

*Candyman


*The Shining



*The Evil Dead


*Uzumaki
(because who doesn't love Japanese horror)

*The Ring

*The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Latest Obsessions

*Photo Gallery of Senior Dogs by Garry Gross
(I kinda want him to take some photos of Serg)

*The You Might Like Feature on Etsy
(sign in first and it's on the homepage)

*Lace Up Boots
(this is one trend that I'm into)

*Itsy Bitsy Doughnuts
(These just look so good!)

*Drugs Inc. on NatGeo
(so interesting, it's worth watching)

*Pretty In Pink
(it was on last night and I fell in love all over again)
(mostly with James Spader)

*Bobby BottleService Returns
(I would like for me to propose you this..)

Oh Yoko

I really love this interview with Yoko Ono.

Recipe of the Week

Another pumpkin recipe for you,
this time in the form of a cake.
What a cake it is too, I couldn't stop
eating the icing-so be warned.

**2 notes with the icing:
double the recipe for enough to cover the top,
and work fast because it sets quickly.

You can find the recipe here

Halloween Reads

Scary stories are awesome all year
round but especially in October.
Here are some books that will
give you goosebumps.

-Dracula by Bram Stoker
(a classic)

-Green Tea and Other Ghost Stories by
J. Sheridan LeFanu

-Stories for Late at Night by Alfred Hitchcock

-Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce
by Ambrose Bierce

-The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

-Books of Blood (vol 1-3) by Clive Barker

-Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre
by H.P. Lovecraft

-Road Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories
(compiled by Dahl)

Latest Obsessions

*Top Chef: Just Desserts
(pastries +drama=entertainment)

*Cookieboy
(can't read it but, the pictures are worth it)

*Martha Stewart Living: November Edition
(seasonal recipes galore)

*New DesignSponge Berlin Guide
(I desperately want to visit again)

*Scary Stories
(what's your favorite?)

*Dinosaur Kale aka: tuscan kale
(better than regular old kale, and cooks faster.
add it to anything)

Come One, Come All

I'll be selling at markets on Saturday
and Sunday of this coming weekend!

On Saturday you can find me at
Crafts in Chelsea. I'll be sharing a tent
with my friend Felicity, who makes
lovely jewelry from vintage beads.
The event is being held on
21st St between 8th and 9th Ave,
and is from 9am-5pm.

Also, check out the Crafts in Chelsea
Giveaway on the NewNewBlog and win
items from some of the vendors!


















On Sunday I'll be back at the
Brooklyn Flea at the Bank!
We've moved down into the vault area,
so come down and say hello!
The Flea is located at One Hanson Pl
and runs from 10am-5pm

Recipe of the Week

Brussels Sprouts were never a favorite of mine,
I think that most people feel that way.
But I found this recipe in Bon Appetit
last year and they have been a
fall/winter staple ever since.



















source

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Maple Pecans

* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 1 cup large pecan halves
* 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed

Preparation

*
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray large sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Place pecans on small rimmed baking sheet. Whisk maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add to nuts and toss to coat; spread in single layer. Bake nuts 5 minutes. Stir. Continue to bake nuts until toasted and glaze is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to prepared foil and separate. Cool completely.
*

*
Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl; whisk in oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
*
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add brussels sprouts. Cook until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Cool on paper towels.
*
Using processor fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch slicing disk, slice brussels sprouts. Transfer to large bowl.
*
Toss brussels sprouts with enough dressing to coat. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Mix in some pecans. Place slaw in serving bowl. Top with remaining pecans.



~The nice thing about this dish is that you can make it a day ahead,
just don't mix in the pecans until you are ready to serve it~

Halloween Inspiration

I'm thinking that Monday is a good day
for some inspiration. Especially in the form
of Halloween displays.













Amy Atlas
**check out the eye candy section of their site.
Their designs make me swoon


I love these little ghost pops!







































































Martha Stewart
**Martha loves Halloween, so her site is packed full
of good ideas and recipes.




















All You

Latest Obsessions

Duvet Covers
(We need a new one, and I'm loving Urban's selection)

KitKat Bars
(I'm sure this has been my obsession before. I'll always love KitKats)

2 Rabbits in 2 Cups
(Bunnies!!!!!)

The Zapp and Roger Pandora Station
(They played Computer Love and PYT- enough said.)


Xian Famous Food
(Cheap eats in NYC - I like the D3)

Through the Looking Glass.

If I told you that this sign led to some delicious food
would you believe me?














Flushing is kind of like Wonderland. If a ratty old
sign promising hand pulled noodles points to this entrance,
you don't think twice. You follow the arrows.
They will lead you into a basement area that has been
transformed into a mini food court. About 7 little
"restaurants" crowded into a fairly small space.
Each with their own specialties, all for amazing prices.


















We decided to try out "Zhou's Hand Pulled Noodles"
and they did not disappoint. For $5 we stuffed ourselves
with beef and noodle soup. The photo really doesn't
do it justice. This bowl is deep and very packed full
of noodles, bok choy, beef, and cilantro. We also added
some kind of pickled veggie and spicy chili sauce at the
suggestion of our table mates.
































I'd visit this place again and again. There was also a little
hot pot restaurant that I really want to try. Everything down
there looked so good. Sometimes you just can't judge
a place by its entrance..

Another new place for us was this little hole in the wall
that had 2 walk up windows, and by far the cheapest menu
I have ever seen! $1.00 scallion pancake, $1.25 for a heaping pile
of lo mein or rice noodles, $1.25 for 4 pork buns.
















I <3 Queens.

Recipe of the Week

This week is all about Pumpkin Bread.
















Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pumpkin purée**
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice


Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter and flour a loaf pan, mine is 9x5x3".

Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda
into a medium sized bowl. whisk lightly to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the puree, olive oil, water, eggs, and spices.

Add flour mixture into the large bowl and whisk til just combined,
do not overmix.

Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes,
a cake skewer poked in the very center of the loaf should come out clean

** I do recommend using fresh pumpkin.
(There is nothing wrong with canned pumpkin,
but why not use an ingredient when it's at its peak??)

It's very easy to roast and puree, and can be done
a day or 2 ahead. Set the oven to 350 F, cut the pumpkin
in half lengthwise, and scoop out the guts and seeds.

( bonus: roast up the seeds with some salt and cayenne pepper!!)

Place halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast
for about 45 minutes. Let cool, then peel or cut off the skin,
slice in to smaller pieces and place in food processor.
Process til it has a smooth texture.
Store in the fridge, it should last about a week.

Latest Obsessions

*Our Netflix Halloween Lineup
(Rosemary's Baby, Evil Dead, Bram Stoker's Dracula, to name a few)

*Oh Yoko-John Lennon
(this song never gets old)

*Applying to as many holiday craft shows as possible
(fingers crossed!)

*Crossword Books from the Puzzle Society
(the covers are so pretty)

*Halloween Search on Tastespotting
(in case you can't tell, I love Halloween)

*Dita Von Teese's Twitter Photos
(favorite lady)

Greenmarket Finds

I went a little overboard at the market today...
Everything just looked so good!

There were so many greens














and beautiful autumn-toned flowers



















This is what I came home with:
















*a lovely bouquet of flowers
*chive goat cheese
*burpless cucumbers
*cream
*spaghetti squash
*tri-star strawberries (!!!!!)
*red raspberries
*celeriac
*whole grain bread
*flour
*ground turkey
*dinosaur kale (because what sounds cooler than that?)
*french lettuce
*concord grapes

Recipe of the Week

I have found another use for my
delicious concord grapes.

This recipe was taken from Lottie + Doof
but I've peppered some notes in, they will
be in italics

Concord Grape Jam Tart

serves 8 to 10

Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 oz (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water

Jam:

• 1 1/2 pounds Concord grapes, stems removed
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• Crème fraîche, for serving

Make the dough: Pulse flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together. Shape dough into two disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to two days).

Make the jam: Combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve (you should have 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice). Return juice to saucepan over high heat, stir in granulated sugar and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly until mixture reaches 220° F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. Transfer jam to a bowl to cool, stirring occasionally as it sets. The jam should be thick and spreadable.

*Due to a broken candy thermometer I scorched the first batch of jam, while trying to get it to reach 220 degrees. The second time around I made it sans thermometer and gave it about 10 minutes on the stove until it thickened properly.

Assemble: On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer one round to parchment-lined baking sheet, and fit the other round into a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges flush with tart pan. Freeze both until firm. Using the wide base of 2 pastry tips, or anything else you can find, cut clusters of holes in dough on baking sheet and return to freezer until firm.

*I used a house shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread 1 cup of jam over dough in tart pan. Brush top edge of tart dough with egg. Slide remaining round on top. Press edges to seal and trim excess dough. Brush top with egg, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake tart for 15 minutes, then gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Return to oven and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Unmold, and transfer to a platter. Serve with crème fraîche.

**This recipe was surprisingly easy (despite the thermometer debacle) and delicious. I recommend serving it with just a little bit of unsweetened whipped cream, or with some peanut butter brittle ice cream.yum.

Creature Feature

I've been featured in the Crafty Questionnaire
on the NewNewNY blog!

check it out here

Go Away

Seriously, Indian Summer,
I'm not really interested in having you around right now.
If the greenmarket looks like this:















Then it's time for you to go away.

I was having a conversation with a person at my bar
last night and when I said I was looking forward to cool
weather she said "Shut up! Don't even say that!"
I'm going to assume that she did not spend the
summer in NYC, because if she did I doubt that she
would still be clinging onto summer.

I should preface this by telling you that I love the heat.
I love summer, and sunshine and everything that comes with it.
This summer was beyond hot, it was humid/balmy/
hazy however you want to say it- it was brutal.
There were too many days spent in packed subway
cars with people sweating on you, and not enough
days spent at the beach.

It's time for a change.
Send in the crisp and cool weather!

Recipe of the Week

This week will feature Beef Stroganoff.
A recipe that I have loved for as long
as I can remember, it is one of my favorite
things that my mom makes.

(As I type this, it's actually simmering
on my stove)

1 pack of beef cubes
2 c of beef stock (or enough to cover)
1 can of Cream of Mushroom (I prefer Amy's brand)
1/2 c sour cream
1 bag of egg noodles

Heat a little bit of butter in a large pot. Brown the beef cubes
a little bit and then pour in the stock. Let simmer for
45-50 minutes or until reduced.
Add can of soup, reduce.
*At this point you can start cooking the egg noodles
or at least boiling the water*
Whisk in sour cream
salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over top of a very large pile of egg noodles.

Very simple, and ridiculously delicious.

Latest Obsessions

Le Creuset sets
(only in my dreams)

Eric Ripert
(chef crush)

Polka Dot Dress
(this is clearly an expensive latest obsessions)

Queens Frozen Treats List
(I need to check this out)

Halloween Baking Decorations
(so read for halloween! I know i'm way early)

PBJ Tart
(who doesn't love pbj desserts?)

Fizzy Lifting Drinks

The bf showed me this video last night,
and I just fell in love with this man and his
soda emporium.

He fights for the underdogs, hates corn syrup,
and loves carbonation. Why can't there be an
east coast sister store??

For me, soda begins and ends with Boylans
(mainly black cherry and root beer), I'm
also a sucker for fountain cherry coke...(mainly
when I'm at Wawa at 2am- which isn't too often)
Now, in terms of sparkling water, my heart
lies with Badoit.

What's your favorite soda/sparkling drink?

Recipe of the Week

Smitten Kitchen has been one of my
favorite sites to check for good seasonal recipes.
When the Grape Focaccia with Rosemary was recently
posted, I knew that this was going to be a favorite.

** be sure that you have about 3-4 hours
to spare, there is a lot of rising that takes place-
but this bread is totally worth the wait!

Low Country Daydreams

I have Charleston on the brain. (again)
My best ladies and I are possibly
going to plan another trip down there
very soon.

I'm dying to hang out by the battery
near my favorite pineapple fountain,
















try new restaurants that I've read about,
raid Harris Teeter for cake and balloons @ 3am,

















get ridiculous frozen drinks at Wet Willie's

















and just relax with my best buds.

I've been reading over these
two guides for some inspiration

designsponge Charleston City Guidee
NYT 36 hours in Charleston

Latest Obsessions

*Alexa Chung for Madewell
(especially this)

*Concord Grapes
(you should make grape focaccia)

*The German Cookbook
by: Mimi Sheraton
(I love German Cuisine)

*Atlantic City- Bruce Springsteen

*Haunted Cut-Outs

*Cheese 101 @ Murray's
(this class would be a dream come true)

Recipe of the Week

I'm trying to make my blogging a little bit more
consistent. I don't really want to do the whole
Music Monday, Worldess Wednesday thing.
So I'm doing what works for me.


So here we are! On this beautiful
Tuesday morning, my recipe this week
is for:

Basic German Pancakes
(Deutsche Pfannkuchen)

1/2 c sifted flour 4 eggs
2 tsp sugar 1/2 c milk
1/4 tsp salt 6tbsp butter (approximately)

Sift flour, sugar and salt together. Using a beater,
whip eggs until light and frothy; beat in milk.
Turn flour mixture into beaten egg and, still using beater,
whip until you have a smooth batter.
Melt 2tbsp butter (or enough to cover the bottom of the pan)
in a 10" or 12" skillet, and pour in just enough batter
to cover bottom with a thin layer.
As soon as you pour batter, tilt and rotate the pan so
the batter will run over it evenly. Cook over moderate heat
until pancakes are golden brown on underside; turn and
brown second side. Remove to platter.

*Recipe from The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton


These may be my new favorite pancakes.
I topped mine with a little bit of cinnamon
sugar and folded them up. You could do the syrup thing
or add some fruit compotes, either way-
these will be awesome.

Moving On

This summer has been amazing.
Lots of travel, delicious food, and
wonderful friends. And the heat!
my god, the heat. Not always pleasant,
but compared to summer 09-
I'll take the heat over the rain any day.

While I do love summer, I am definitely ready to
move on into autumn.

I'm looking forward to:
*Getting things together with my business
*Selling at markets again
*Baking delicious pumpkin bread
*Juicing concord grapes
*Watching the trees in Sunnyside change
*Late night bonfires in our backyard
*Hot apple cider
*Halloween decorations
*The start of French 3 classes
*Seasonal menu changes
*Scary Netflix selections for October
*Being able to wear scarves again

Back from Vacation

The bf and I just got back from a week in Orlando
with my family. It was a blast. We hit all the parks,
took time to relax by the pool, drank our way through Epcot,
and got to nerd out in Harry Potter Land.

It was a perfect trip.