Saturday, November 19, 2011

Pumpkin Waffles

Wow, I have been bad! I can't believe I haven't posted in three weeks.  I have been traveling for work, so not doing as much cooking.  But I blame a glass of wine here and there for why I haven't been posting :)

So a few weeks ago, I made some pumpkin muffins (with whole wheat flour and honey...healthy, but just...ok.)  Anyway, I had loads of leftover pumpkin.  The hubby had been working non-stop all week and had to go back in the office all day Saturday, so I decided to make him a treat before he had to go work.  I gave him the choice of pumpkin waffles or pumpkin pancakes, reeeeeaaaaally hoping he would pick the pancakes since they are easier, but he wanted waffles.  So waffles it was.

I scoured the internet looking for the perfect recipe, as I'm a waffle novice, and pumpkin in general is very dense and can be tricky to work with since it will weigh down just about any fluffy waffle recipe I could think of. And then I came upon a blog where a woman has tried over 90 recipes on the quest to make the perfect pumpkin waffle.  Perfect! I admire her dedication, as I would not be able to stick to it like she did!
http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/
It was pretty perfect.  Here's what you're working towards:

I used her recipe nearly exactly.  The only thing I would change would be to add a touch more sugar the next time - AND to crank the waffle iron up to high instead of medium.  I prefer a crispier waffle, so next time I would turn that iron up!
Here's what I used:
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (would go just under a 1/2 cup next time)
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg or 1/4 tsp dried (I used dried)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm 


First, in a medium sized bowl, mix your dry ingredients - the brown sugar, cornstarch, flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. If you give the cornstarch and brown sugar a stir first, that will help break up the cornstach, which can stick together and get clumpy.  No one wants a cornstarch clump in their waffle! This might be a good time to preheat your waffle iron, as well.
Then separate your eggs - putting the yolks in a big bowl, and the whites straight in your mixer bowl. You can get those going until stiff peaks form (2-3 min) while you mix the pumpkin and milk into the into the yolks.

Pour the melted butter into your pumpkin mixture, stirring or whisking as you add it.

Then stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.


Next it's time to fold in your egg whites, very carefully, so that they are just incorporated but not stirred. 

Now for the fun part! Into the waffle iron it goes. I did a light spray with cooking spray before I added the waffle batter.

I think I filled up the first one too much, because it only made 2 full waffles, but my iron has very deep pockets.

 Next time, I would probably double the recipe so I could freeze a batch!
Delicious!They were perfectly spiced, though I would prefer a touch more sugar.  I served with dried cranberries and fresh maple syrup. Enjoy!


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Whole Wheat mushroom pizza with fontina, rosemary, and truffle oil

We had the most delicious pizza when we were in Reading, PA for my cousin's wedding last weekend and I figured there was no reason I couldn't make it at home! I decided to make a healthier version, however, and ordered the whole wheat frozen pizza dough from Fresh Direct.
This was a simple one! Just preheat the oven to 500 degrees before you start. Knead the pizza dough with your hands and work on flatening it out to a round surface.  Use a bit of flour on your hands to keep it from sticking. Put a little flour down on a cookie sheet (or a pizza stone if you have one) and then put the pizza dough on top once you get a nice circle of dough.
Shred a chunk of fontina cheese or whichever cheese you prefer until you have about 3/4 cup per pizza. Put the shredded cheese on top of the dough and then add your other toppings. Chop some mushrooms - I used the gourmet blend from Fresh Direct and put onto along with some chopped rosemary. Then I drizzled with some black truffle oil that I keep on hand.
Pop the pizzas in the oven for 10-15 min until the crust looks crunchy and the cheese is melted but not browned.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Shrimp and Bulgar Wheat with Mexican flavors

The hubs declared this dish one of his favorites I've ever made, which is high praise for something that falls in the healthy category!!  It was really easy and took no time at all.  I did a true "mise en place," meaning having everything chopped and ready ahead of time because it only takes about 15 min to cook and I didn't know when the hubs would get home from work.

I have never cooked with bulgar wheat, but thankfully I decided to give it a go with this Epicurious recipe.


Here's what I used-
Clockwise from the top:
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 chopped cloves of garlic
1 lime worth of juice
1 lime cut into wedges
1 red pepper, diced
2 fresh ears of corn, cut off the cob
1 lb of wild shrimp (trying to stay off farm raised seafood), shells off and deveined
and in the middle,
1 cup bulgar wheat (purchased from Fresh Direct)
and 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Start with a large pot and add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.  Meanwhile, add 2 cups of water to your microwave for 2 min so that it boils.  Add the bulgar wheat to the garlic in the pot and cook for a minute or two until you can smell it getting toasted a bit.  Add about 1/2 tsp of salt as well.
Then, add the first 1/2 cup of boiling water.  Stir until the wheat has absorbed the liquid and continue adding the water a 1/2 cup at a time. After the 2 cups are incorporated, the wheat will be just slightly soupy.  This should take about 7-8 min in total.  The rest of the water will continue to be absorbed over the next few minutes.
Then add the shrimp to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the shrimp are JUST cooked. They still needed a few minutes here.
Then add the corn, red pepper, lime juice, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 2 minutes.
Finally, turn the heat off and add the cilantro and serve with a lime wedge.
This would make the easiest dinner party ever. I would prep everything before your guests arrive, and then it just needs 15 minutes to cook and voila! A Mexican flavored, healthy dish.
I would serve chips and salsa and a nice manchego cheese while guests arrived, and serve the dish with a slice of avocado on top and a crostini on the side.  It pairs beautifully with a light Sauvignon Blanc or fruity Pinot Grigio.