SPICED PUMPKIN CAKE WITH PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

My favorite carrot cake had a perfect 1:1 ratio of cake to frosting. That explains why it was my favorite. Rich, dense, moist and flavorful, it was perfection. However, I quickly realized that that much frosting had to be overcompensating for something. That's what fat, sugar, and salt does anyway, right? It adds flavor to the flavorless. So when it came time for me to make my own rendition of this classic cake, I aimed for flavor and moistness in the cake itself, with the frosting as an added bonus. The addition of pumpkin and butternut squash create an earthier flavor and richer texture, plus the addition of classic pumpkin pie spices (ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc) turned up the volume on this autumnal dessert. It ends up becoming the Great Pumpkin Cake, so be sure to have at least a dozen friends around to try it. Enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups olive oil

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups shelled pecans, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut

1 cup of finely grated carrots

1 cup grated butternut squash

1 cup of canned, pureed pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside. With a mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and pale. Gradually add the sugars and beat for a few minutes, until the batter is thick. Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and pumpkin alternatively and beat on low just until incorporated. Add the veg, pecans, and coconut and mix just to combine. Evenly divide the batter between three greased cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups unsalted butter, softened

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

pinch of salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup canned pureed pumpkin

2-3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted

7-8 halved pecans

Directions:

Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer until light and a little fluffy, add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until combined. Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt, zest and vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar and pumpkin puree alternatively. Turn the mixer on a low speed so it doesn't blow out everywhere.

On a cake platter, place one layer of the cake. Working from the center outward, smooth about a half inch of frosting. Add the second layer, repeat. On the third layer, add a large deal of frosting and working outward push the frosting over the edge, covering the sides. Continue smoothing the frosting until the entire cake is covered. Grab a handful of coconut and gently press into the sides. Continue until the entire cake is covered. Decorate the top with pecans and enjoy!

BREAKFAST IN BED

I'll consider this a Cocktail Monday post, simply because it could double as a Hangover Monday. What better way to heal the wounds of a late night than with a decadent breakfast in bed?

And it's not just the breakfast that's decadent: I have finally graduated to big girl bedding. For the past few months I have coveted the beautiful organic cotton fabrics at Rubie Green. Some of the patterns may appear familiar, because they've upholstered the spreads of every home decor magazine. The lovely Michelle Adams designs and prints the fabric to order, producing fabrics that are fun, sophisticated, and very unique. They also all go brilliantly together, so you can mix and match your favorites styles. When she came out with a new bedding line I considered it a sign from the style gods that it was time to move on from boarding school white and to embrace my East Village pink, with a dash of Jackie for good measure. I practically live in my fabulous bedding, hoping that some of its demure elegance and kick of coquettishness will rub off on me. If you wish to follow Michelle as she navigates the world of interior design, check out her blog, Ma Belle.

Now that we have set the scene, let's discuss the props. The whole energy behind breakfast in bed is one of spectacle. It's usually reserved for holidays where a luxurious hour of carefully avoiding crumbs under the covers is called for, so here are a few ideas to remember if you're planning on surprising someone with the smell of coffee and muffins.

1. Use a tray. It sounds simple, but until you've tried using a fork and knife on a plate precariously balancing on your knees and then breaking a yolk over your favorite pillow, it doesn't really sink in. Even better, use a breakfast tray with those nifty legs so you don't drip a bite on its journey up to your mouth.

2. Another one in the preventing a mess trend: serve with a dish towel or a really large napkin so they don't get any crumbs under their shirt.

3. Have fun with it! Flowers, goofy vintage salt and pepper shakers (like my mom's toaster and waffle iron, below), a tea bag caddy, the paper, or a favorite book are all welcome additions to the spread.

4. Give the obligatory wake up nudge. If you wake up under a breakfast tray, chances are you'll accidentally knock it over and spill hot tea on your pajamas, so please have the courtesy to wake up the recipient of your breakfast before. Just give them a gentle shake and tell them to brush their teeth because you have a surprise for them. They'll appreciate the gesture and will get to savor the experience bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Green Eggs with Ham

Sorrel pesto, Jamon Serrano, fresh arugula, and a sunny side up egg all served on a brown butter english muffin sounds like something Sam I Am would be down for. In a box with a fox, or in a house with a mouse, or whatever other situation he's in.

Once again, a favorite breakfast from Huckleberry Cafe in Santa Monica. I swear, if eggs are involved, it's spectacular there. From here on out they are unofficially the patron saints of eggs (Sorry St. Brigid of Ireland!). I tweaked the recipe a little, using sorrel in the pesto for a bright, citrus flavor, adding brown butter to english muffins, and creating my own vinaigrette. The combination is simple and classic, the makings of a perfect breakfast. My family inhaled these on Sunday morning, and I turned a few into breakfast sandwiches for lunch. Whatever way you decide to enjoy this plate of breakfasty joy, do yourself and family a favor and whip up a batch this weekend. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1-2 large eggs (whatever's your apetite)

4 oz Arugula

4 thin slices jamon serrano

1 english muffin, halved and toasted

For the Pesto

8 oz sorrel leaves, destemmed

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup olive oil

For the Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the pesto, mix the sorrel, pine nuts, and garlic in food processor and pulse until combined. Continue pulsing while drizzling in the olive oil. Finish with salt and pepper. For the vinaigrette, mix everything together together in a tupperware until emulsified. Lightly dress the arugula. Fry an egg to your desired amount of doneness (I suggest sunny side up). To finish the plate, butter the toasted english muffin, top with the jamon serrano, then the arugula, the eggs, and a healthy drizzle of the sorrel pesto. Enjoy!

Brown Butter English Muffins

I had no idea that you didn't bake English Muffins, did you? It makes perfect sense when you think about the toasty brown top and bottom, with corn meal clinging to it. They're also surprisingly easy to make and freeze well for future breakfasts to come. If you don't have the spare two hours before the meal (it's mostly inactive, so don't worry, you won't be slaving in the kitchen at 6 am), let the dough ferment in the fridge over night, and you can just roll them out in the morning. These are one of those things that taste amazing when you make it from scratch, and light years from the store bought variety. They're fluffy and delicate with a crunchy barely fried top and bottom, just begging for a bit of butter. Enjoy!

Makes 8-10 Muffins

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/4 oz active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 tablespoons brown butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. In another saucepan melt the butter over medium heat until it foams up and turns a nutty brown and add it to the milk. Let the mixture cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it foam for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, yeast mixture and flour and salt. Mix until it all forms a rough dough and knead by hand for 3 minutes, until fully combined and smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until it doubles, for about 1 hour. When its ready, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds about three inches wide. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1/2 hour.

Heat a griddle or large pan over medium-low heat. Drizzle with oil and cook the muffins for about 10 minutes on each side. To use, split, toast, and enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Fig Honey Butter

These should be called fall vegetable muffins, but the flavor is like a cross between carrot cake and pumpkin pie, so I feel that Spiced Pumpkin grabs the sense of these delicious little muffins better. The fig honey butter is the perfect earthy compliment to these moist, delicately textured treats. A word to the wise, just pulse the carrots and butternut squash in a food processor rather than grating them. It might not look grated, but it has the same effect in the cake and is a hell of a lot easier then sitting there and grating all of it yourself. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups olive oil

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups shelled pecans, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut

1 cup of finely grated carrots

1 cup grated butternut squash

1 cup of canned, pureed pumpkin

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside. With a mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and pale. Gradually add the sugar and beat for a few minutes, until the batter is thick. Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and pumpkin alternatively and beat on low just until incorporated. Add the veg, pecans, and coconut and mix just to combine. Pour into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients

5 ripe figs, halved

1 bunch rosemary

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch sage

olive oil

8 oz butter, softened

3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a casserole dish scatter the herbs on the bottom. Place the figs on top of the herbs, face side up. Drizzle the whole thing with a little olive oil and pop in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the figs a plump and juicy. Let the figs cool and add them, the butter, and honey to a food processor and pulse until combined. To store, roll in wax paper, secure the ends, and refrigerate. Smear it on everything and anything.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES REVISITED

As I sit on my stoop, shaking my cane at young whippersnappers and pigeons, embittered by how easy they have it today (pigeons especially), my mind drifts to a pithy thought:

“I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words… When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly disrespectful and impatient of restraint”

Hesiod, 8th century BC

You see, my brother is a sophomore in high school, and thus taking one of my all time favorite classes: AP European History. That's where it all started for me, my nerdiness. And like Samson's locks, my nerdiness gives me my strength, perceived or real. So when I find out my brother is A) not as taken with the Hapsburg Empire as I was (Oh Franz Joseph, will you never learn?!) and B) he gets to rewrite papers at the end of each quarter for a new grade, you could imagine my distress. Not over the Hapsburgs as much as this paper situation. Grace??? Mercy??? Who ARE these teachers? Second chances didn't exist for Napoleon, so why should they exist for sophomores? Wait...bad choice of comparison.

For the past week I've been helping my brother edit his papers for this quarterly grace period, and it has been difficult. Henry is a wonderful writer, so editing hasn't been the problem. It's the idea that he gets a second shot at something I had to have perfect and ready the first time. It's how the generation before "copy and paste" must've felt. It's how my dad probably feels when he sees me hit the delete key. "Ugh, I had to use charcoal from the hearth and write by candlelight! Imagine trying to delete that!" I think he used to grumble. But while Henry was working on his papers, I was working on my baking, and this idea of resubmitting for a new grade seemed surprisingly appropriate.

The thing is, I've never been in love with my chocolate chip cookie recipe. They're efficient and delicious, but not the earth shaking cookie monster craze inducing discs of joy I want. So, I've tinkered a bit, and have a new, improved recipe. These cookies are exactly what I want in a cookie. Indulgent, rich, buttery, perfect ratio of chewy to crunchy, and most important, chocolatey.

I've made a decision to cut my brother and myself a little slack and slouch off this curmudgeony attitude. Sorry Hesiod, but there's nothing wrong with a little innovation and progression, especially if it leads to reflection and growth. So, for a second grade, I've revisited the classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. Here's hoping I've raised my B+ to and A+!

Enjoy!

For 2 - 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

8 oz butter, softened

2 cups dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup dry oats (not the quick cooking kind)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, or semi sweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a food processor pulse the oats until very fine. In a mixer, cream the butter with the sugars on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract until pale. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, adding the oats, and beat into the butter mixture at low speed until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and continue beating until mixed. Drop medium sized balls (1-2 oz) of cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Allow to cool for a minute or two (if you can!) and enjoy.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA

"Of course you would," was my sister's response when I told her I had homemade ricotta ready if she wanted to put a little on her veggie pizza.

Have I become that girl? Not Marlo Thomas, the other "that girl." The pretentious obnoxious homemade everything, first at the farmer's market, gossiping about what restaurant just closed down, learning every manager and produce merchant's first name chick? Minus the pretentious/obnoxious threat, I would be kind of ok with that. My sister isn't, but if I keep feeding her I think I'll turn her around. The mistake she makes about me is in her assumption that I'm anything other than a lazy cook. I'm curious too, but hunger and laziness eclipse zealotry rather quickly. If there's a faster, easier, more efficient way of doing something, I'm there. And if it tastes better too, great! This ricotta is the perfect example of this: five minutes of active work, and in thirty you'll have fresh, creamy cheese twice as delicious as what you can get at the supermarket. So go ahead and indulge in laziness where you can. If applied properly you'll get the credit of being "that girl" without hardly lifting a finger. Enjoy!

For 8 oz of Ricotta

Ingredients:

1 quart whole milk

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

hefty pinch of salt

Cheese cloth

Directions:

Fold the cheese cloth to be twice thick, and lay it in a sieve over a bowl. Bring all of the ingredients except the lemon juice to a roiling boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the milk has curdles, and pour the mixture over the cheese cloth. Allow the curds to separate from the whey for about 15-20 minutes. The cheese may be enjoyed warm, or can be refrigerated for 2-3 days.

SPICY SHRIMP AND COCONUT SOUP (TOM YUM GOONG)

Rarely does one get to say, "Yum's my middle name."  And rarely does food have a first, middle, and last name to boot.  This all points to an especially awesome dish, and an especially popular one if you find yourself in Thailand.  Or a Thai restaurant, which is where I find myself at least once a week.  This time around, I had a bunch of fried chicken mushrooms left over from the farmer's market and cold air nipping at my heels, so soup's on!  These earthy little mushrooms, which taste like shitakes with the volume turned up, are the perfect compliment to sweet shrimp and spicy/sour broth. And it's ready to eat in under 30 minutes.  I can't think of a better way to beat the cold and hunger at the same time.  Enjoy!

Note: Leave the kaffir leaves, ginger, and lemon grass in the broth, but eat around them.  They're super fibrous and meant to impart flavor, not be eaten.





Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 stalks fresh lemon grass, the tip and base trimmed and the rest cut into 1 inch pieces
3 one inch chunks fresh ginger
6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, sliced
1 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk
3/4 lb shrimp shelled and de-veined
1 tablespoon roasted garlic chili paste (nam prik pao)
1 cup fried chicken mushrooms, or shitake mushrooms, sliced (if using fried chicken mushrooms, make sure to clean them thoroughly, as they're very sandy)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

sliced chiles (optional)

Directions:

Bring the broth and water to boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lemon grass, ginger, kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce, mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chili paste and shrimp, boiling for another 7 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk. Taste to adjust the seasoning, adding fish sauce or chili paste to taste. If it's a little too spicy, add the coconut milk to soften it. Garnish with cilantro, basil, and fresh chiles for extra spice.  Enjoy!

ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Classic, simple, and delicious, tomatoes and garlic were meant to be partners. Barely roasted and smeared on some grilled bread, bruschetta is the perfect marriage of these ingredients. By roasting both the garlic and tomatoes, the natural sweetness and mellow caramel flavors in each are brought out, which is the perfect solution for out of season tomatoes that lack the brightness of those at their peak. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 heads of garlic, the cloves peeled

1 bunch basil, chopped

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Heat an oven to 425 F. On a baking sheet, lay the halved tomatoes face side up, drizzles with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the cloves of garlic into a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt, close up, and place on the pan. Roast the tomatoes until bursting and caramelized on the bottom, about 15 minutes, and roast the garlic until just golden brown, about an additional 20 minutes. In the meanwhile, either grill the bread or drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven until toasted. When ready, smear one of the garlics on a piece of bread, pile on the tomatoes, add a sprinkling of basil, and garnish with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Continue with the remaining bread. Enjoy!

EARLY FALL BOUNTY, PART II

These don't taste like fried chicken. I already asked. So no mushroom and waffle combinations any time soon, unfortunately. "Then why are they called fried chicken mushrooms?" you ask. "I have no idea" was the farmer's response. He then went on the speculate that perhaps these mushrooms, which can be found in "back-woodsy" areas, were given their name by hillbillies who ate a lot of fried chicken. Right.

To me, they look like and share qualities with Shimeji mushrooms or Straw Mushrooms, which pop up in Asian cuisine all the time. Fried chicken mushrooms are not meant for the skillet. There they'll end up tough, woody, and a general mess. But stick them in a soup, stew, sauce, or anything slow cooked, and they impart a sweet earthy flavor, toothsome texture, and an okra-like thickening effect that makes them perfect for heartier fare. My mind is already bubbling with ideas: a savory soup, a succulent pasta filling? Hopefully this weekend I'll come to a decision. Enjoy!