Homestyle Cooking: Fresh/Freezer-Friendly Burritos

Burritos are simple, delicious, and are pretty easily accessible in America almost anywhere via a local grocery or gas station convenient store.  I'm sure you can name a couple local restaurants/take out joints that serve some fabulous burritos too.  Who doesn't love a freshly made burrito for take out on those nights where you don't want to cook at all?  I can name at least three places in the local area where I can a damn good sized burrito in less than twenty minutes.  The point I'm trying to make is that burritos are not only super easy and fun to make, but they're really cheap when you buy the ingredients fresh and make a whole bunch for supper (and to stock your freezer). 

My inspiration to create a burrito party for dinner and to stock the freezer came from Martha Stewart and a recipe found here on her website.  I prepared and cooked my ingredients and had them spread out on kitchen table so that Greg and I could pick and choose how we made our supper and our future supper.  I used Martha's recipe as a guideline and chose my own ingredients to use what I already had in my cupboards.  Here are some of the ingredients I chose to use for our burrito party:

Ingredients:
(listed clockwise in the photo above)

shredded taco cheese
guacamole (Wholly)
Greek Yogurt (Chobani)
refried beans
chopped up boneless chicken cutlet
black beans
Greek Yogurt + 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce 
shredded Iceburg lettuce
hot salsa
1 cup cooked Basmati rice* (with 1 can of diced tomatos and peppers + half a 
          chopped onion) 
10" soft tortillas (not shown)

*I put in the can of diced tomatoes and peppers + half a chopped onion in the uncooked rice and water before cooking.  I cook my rice in an old pressure cooker for about 9-10 minutes.  When the time the rice is done the vegetables are cooked as well (and make the rice more flavorful).  You could use any kind of rice for this recipe (white, brown, yellow;etc.)

We each had two and made up four for the freezer.  I don't ever recall making this many burritos in one sitting.  Now that I know you can easily freeze them, why wouldn't you make up a couple extra to have on hand?  They were honestly even tastier than take-out or frozen because we made them by hand (and I'm sure the fresh ingredients helped too).  I am so excited to try out my newly made frozen dinners and even more excited to do this again.  Maybe even as a dinner party meal.  

To freeze: wrap individually with a long piece of plastic wrap and mark with the date.  Aluminum foil seems like it would be a good alternate as well.  According to Martha, they should be good for up to three months, but I doubt mine will be in there for that long.  Enjoy!

-Caroline 

November Reading

It's December and I'm still trucking along with my reading.  The end of November felt like it flew by for me.  Black Friday and on has been mainly spent assisting consumers with their Christmas needs at my job.  I have, however, been able to absorb, and love, every minute spent reading and mentally visualizing each word of the two books I have pictured above, even though I've slowed down a bit in pace.  I truly enjoy the anticipation to read more and more as I mentally latch unto to the protagonist and imagine their experience in the text as if it were real.  That feeling when you want to continue and keep reading on to the end; when the book is thinning towards the back cover and really you want the opposite so that you'll stay in mentally in this written world. 

I didn't always read this consistently.  College kind of dampened my personal reading when I struggled to finish assigned reading as well as numerous art projects on top of it.  And I'll admit I've also pushed reading aside at times when I was in relationships.  Movies were just more crowd-pleasing.  I still watch movies with Greg as well as read for personal enjoyment.  Since I found inspiration in an old Jack London novel, Adventure, in the Syracuse Regional Market, among a lot of aged German books, I have been reading and craving more books; especially those written by Americans from the twentieth century.  

Shown top to bottom:
          On The Road by: Jack Kerouac (currently reading)
          Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey into the American Dream 
                  by: Hunter S. Thompson

I loved reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  I enjoy the way Hunter S. Thompson writes in the way that it feels personal-almost like a diary from a witness.  I'm intrigued by his writing and the experiences he's lived through America and Puerto Rico.  Fear and Loathing is absurd and doesn't stray far from the outskirts of Las Vegas and the Nevada desert.  It was above all interesting adventure of a read of a lot of drug and alcohol consumption, interpretations of trends in America from an opinionated sociological perspective, and the quintessential search for "The American Dream."  Kerouac has been spot on fantastic and an equally intriguing read based on America in the late 1940s.

I hope you're reading an equally enthralling book that keeps you anticipating the next pages and prolonging those last pages that edge the back cover.  I'm also very open to suggestions from other twentieth century writers on their own search for an America and how they fit into that place.  

-Caroline

I Love Leftovers.

The title says it all.  I love leftovers.  Even better than eating scrumptious food for the second time is reducing your personal food waste.  It's a delightful win-win situation.

I decided to write this post not only to talk about my love of leftover food from the night before, but also to share a tip on the last post concerning the homemade tomato soup.  I ate the last of the batch last night and decided to add some ingredients to mix.  Yes, it's still quite delicious after being chilled for a couple of days in the refrigerator.  I added too much red pepper flakes to mine and it was just a little too spicy for my preference (but I've been eating it anyways).  To counteract the spicy-ness I added about 4-5 teaspoons of tomato paste and 1/3 cup half & half.  Not only did this even out the soup a bit, but it also made it just a little creamy.  If you're a typical canned tomato soup person, I'd recommend you add 1/3-1/2 cup of half & half or whole milk to the soup for creamy goodness.  

Also, I discovered crushed tortilla chips make fabulous toppers on tomato soup!  Add a little tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or shredded cheese and you've got a pretty tasty dinner (especially on these colder nights).

-Caroline

Homestyle Cooking: Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Crustinis

I'm pretty sure I've said this before (and probably will again)...I could eat soup all year round (easily). 
I love soup.  I do enjoy canned coup when I'm feeling lethargic, but canned soup ain't got nothin' on homemade soup!  We've just had our first couple of light snowfalls central New York (a couple of inches) and occasional snow flurries throughout the week.  The winter coat is already in use and the snow brush has come out of its long slumber in the trunk of my 90s grandpa-sedan during the warm seasons.  Winter really feels like it's just around the corner.  Or down the block.

This recipe for homemade tomato soup comes from a cooking blog, Sips and Spoonfuls, that I stumbled upon doing some recipe research.  I followed the recipe loosely and also blended for a fraction of the time recommended for a chunkier soup.  I also used what I already had on hand, so a little improvisation was made.  Listed below are the ingredients I used.

Ingredients:

(soup) 
2 tbs olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2-3 green onions, roughly chopped

8 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

8-10 plum tomatoes

1 tsp dried basil powder ( you can use fresh)

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp sugar

salt, pepper and red chili flakes to taste

handful of chopped parsley to garnish

other (optional) garnishes: 

french-fried onions

croutons

sour cream

shredded cheese/parmesan cheese

(crustini)
Bagette of choice in 1/2" slices (I used a Tuscan bagette)
butter
sliced cheddar cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan and add onion. Once it starts to get translucent, add garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes or low-medium heat or until fragrant.  Add diced tomatoes, basil powder, chicken/vegetable stock, sugar, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Simmer on low covered for about 40-60 minutes.  Blend soup with an immersion blender until desired smoothness or transfer to blender half at a time.  For crustinis, butter each slice of bagette.  Add 2-3 sliced of cheddar cheese between two slices.  Heat large pan to low-medium heat and spray with a little extra virgin olive oil spray.  Cook until each side is lightly brown and cheese is melted.  Enjoy! 

I originally bought the Tuscan bagette for butter slices and dipping into the soup.  Mini grilled cheese sandwiches seemed like a better option after I was done making the soup.  I also was able to cook six crustini in a large pan at once, which made me think of this side morphed into a party appetizer.  Hmmmm....

-Caroline

Post-Thanksgiving

If you acknowledge the American holiday of Thanksgiving, I hope you had a hearty and comforting family holiday.  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays simply because it's about family, food, and gratitude.

Greg and I spent our Thanksgiving between two homes and a long stretch of Interstate-90.     First stop was my family's home for a simply Thanksgiving and then back on I-90 to the capital district.  This was all followed by a long drive home to Syracuse on none other than I-90; getting back before midnight.  I'm quite thankful for cruise control (among other important things like my family, friends, education, and Greg).

We both work in the retail field, and it's about to get a little hellish with the upcoming day-after-Thanksgiving…Black Friday.   Very long shifts and an abundance of patience are the plan for today.  In rebellion to this American consumer madness, I swear not to buy one item today. Maybe it won't matter any in the grand scheme of things...but it's my stance against this financial storm I'm about to weather.

-Caroline

Homestyle Cooking: Cottage Pie

This was my first (ever) attempt at baking homemade cottage pie.  The photo above does look like a mess, but it was a very scrumptious and worthwhile mess to eat.  I chose to create a hybrid between two American recipes and one British recipe and bake it all in a glass (11x7") Pyrex casserole dish.  The American recipes were found between Food Network and TheKitchn.  The British recipe was found via the BBC.  I honestly am not familiar with any other British cooking websites/blogs other than the BBC currently, but would love to try some out.

The recipe I created (or mashed together) between the three, filled the casserole dish nicely, though it did look like quite a bit of food at first.  Both Gregory and I had heaping seconds and it ended up being the perfect amount (for two foodies) and leftovers for tomorrrow.  Next time I intend to try them out in individual ramekins for Gregory and myself (or if anyone else happens to be over for supper).   

Ingredients:

(filling)                                                                                       
2 carrots (washed, peeled, and diced)                                                                    
2 celery stalks (washed, peeled, and diced)
1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cups frozen corn (I used canned corn, which also worked very well)
1 onion (I used a red onion-any will do)
6 cloves of garlic (smashed and diced)
1 pound 90% lean 10% fat ground beef
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestshire sauce
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper (added for taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

(topping)
4 small-medium russett potatoes 
2 small parnsips
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup half & half
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (optional-but delicious)

Prepare a large pot to boil potatoes and parnsips.  Wash, peel, and dice potatoes, parnsips, and carrots.  Wash and dice celery and onion.  Boil potatoes and parnsips aare soft enough to easily stick a fork into.  Drain potatoes and parnsips.  Add half & half and butter and mash away until smooth.  Stir egg yolk in and set aside.

Heat extra virgin olive oil on low/medium heat in a large saucepan on the stove (the stove I use has numerals, so I put it on a 3- 3 1/2).  Add garlic and onions.  Saute for five minutes and then add the carrots, celery, and tomatoes.  Add ground beef (or ground lamb for a shepherd's pie) and cook until ground beef is browned all over.  Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until everything is mixed in.  Pour in the chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil.  Add worcestshire sauce, rosemary, and pepper (and/or any other spice you may like).  Reduce heat to low and cook for another 10-12 minutes.  Add corn and peas and mix together thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Transfer filling mixture to a casserole dish and smooth out to an even layer, covering the bottom completely.  Scoop potato/parnsip topping unto filling and evenly smooth out.  Bake for 30 minutes until potatoes are slightly browned on top.  If you would like to add a top layer of cheese, bake for 20 minutes.  Add cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Let the casserole cool/rest for a bit once it's finished before digging in (it may be tempting, but it isn't worth a burned mouth).  Serves 2-4 (depending on how many "seconds" you decide yo go for).  

This was a fantastic one-dish comfort food that was surprisingly light.  To put it in plain terms: it's a warm-tasty-mess-of-vegetables-and-cheezy-mashed-potato-goodness all in one dish!  I'm certainly saving this recipe for a cold wintery night when it will be the perfect warming food.  

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .         

Note: I actually forgot to put the egg yolk in the mashed parsnip/potato mixture.  I'm sure that's why it came out without any kind of solidity in it's form (oh well).  I reassure you, it was still darn delicious.

Oh!  And since I forgot to update on the U.S. Election (I'm sure you all already know the results since it's been a week) I wanted to say I'm very happy Barack Obama won.  I personally rely on his healthcare; it helps me stay on my mother's health insurance until next June.  Which means in case of an emergency I am covered more if I need to go to the hospital-instead of having to pay out of pocket (which would NOT be affordable).  Contrary to popular belief of those older (and better off) than me, not all graduates can easily find jobs with decent pay and health care benefits.  I appreciate what Iittle support I do have for the time being.  Also to mention, Mr. Obama also supports Planned Parenthood, who I'm a HUGE supporter of.  I rely on these clinics for my annual check up, as SO MANY other men and women do.  

The Sea Wolf

I literally just finished yet another wonderful Jack London creation, The Sea Wolf, on Sunday.  My personal copy of the book is a softened and yellowed-with-age paperback printed in 1965, though it was originally written in 1904.  It was a valued find at Books & Melodies, a local used/vintage bookstore (that also sells used records).  It's a great used bookstore that is filled to the brim with great books for excellent prices (by excellent I mean cheap).  I don't hold a strong preference to paperback books, but I do enjoy the malleable feeling a book acquires from age as well as the softening of its pages.  

There's something intimate in becoming completely enthralled in an exciting read.  Bending the pages around the spine and curving the paper.  Consuming the text to satiate one's mind.  It's such a different feeling from the new laser-printed books you can easily find at your local Barnes & Nobles.  Blah!  Give me aged pages and lost spelling (dated).  Intricate vocabulary and gripping mental imagery.

The book follows a young gentleman in his mid-thirties, Humphrey Van Weyden, the scholarly protagonist and his voyage from a sinking passenger ship to being rescued and then imprisoned on a sealing schooner by the name of Ghost.  Captain Wolf Larsen, a cook, six to eight mates, and six seal hunters make up the sealing schooner that are all 100% testerone and 100% souls of the sea.  The theme of life and death is always prevalent and is also classified as the cheapest currency in existence.  Wolf certainly calls the shots on board the Ghost, and exercises his philosophies of human life, existentialism, and the views of 19th century theorists (for he's not only super-strong and sea-experienced, he's also well read).   

This is a book filled to the last page with nautical terms and life confined to a small buoyant vessel in the Pacific Ocean.  I was also happily surprised to find out the physical story in the book was printed to the very last page!  That may seem like piddly-posh to most people (or everyone)-I was honestly really astonished; one usually sees advertisements for other books, printing information, or even just four or five blank pages at the very end of a bound book after the story has ended.  I also really enjoy the small bits of 19th century romance from a man's perspective through Jack London's books.  Three I've read so far (Adventure, The Sea Wolf, and Valley of the Moon) have small examples of innocent appreciation and curiosity of the opposite sex. 

I was captured by it to the very last page and like the rest of Jack London's books, I loved this one dearly.  If you have yet to read any of Jack's books, please give it a second chance.  His work is a milestone in American Literature (in my personal opinion) and I believe every American should at least know who he was and a little of his writing.

As you've probably guessed I'm quite passionate about Jack London and have been completely absorbing myself in his writing.  I love the feeling of falling in love with how an author writes and how he/she makes you feel when you read his/her work.  Sometimes, you just find that one particular author that knocks your socks off-and you're addicted!  I hope you share the same sentiments about a favorite author(s).  

Happy reading!
-Caroline

Portfolio Update/Last Year's Illustrations

I added these two smaller (7x10") illustrations to my website today.  I was digging through my wooden crate full of my sketchbooks from 2006 to the present.  There's about 18 total, though I can say I did not fill each page.  The majority of them are working sketches that are pretty personal, because they're experimental.  I was hoping to find some inspiration in some forgotten sketches and illustrations in these, and I came across these two illustrations.  Even though I drew them last year I wanted to give them a little more spotlight.  Plus, I had forgotten to scan them and publish them on my website to accompany my portfolio.

I also stumbled on this sketchbook, Sketchbook with Voices, that I purchased at the Hirshhorn Museum, when Gregory and I were visiting his brother and sister-in-law.  It's blank except with a quote or a one-line instruction from a contemporary artist.  I hope this will jump-start my creativity.  

-Caroline

 .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     . 

Note: I absolutely LOVE galleries and museums!!!  I highly recommend visiting the Hirshorn Museum in Washington, D.C.  It's a part of the Smithsonian museums, which means it's free to the public and it's contemporary and super neat!  

Homestyle Cooking: Baked Potato Crisps

Homemade baked potato crisps are easy to bake and healthier than the popular brands you find conveniently ready for consumption.  If you have a couple of potatoes (any kind will do) around the house, a little oil, and an oven you're set to make these tasty crisps.  

Gregory and I are watching the United States presidential election as the votes are being polled state by state.  I decided to make a batch of these baked potato crisps as the updates roll in.  We're waiting in anticipation, and a little merlot, for who will run our country for the next four years (I hope it's Barack).  Earlier, we went to our local library to vote and then celebrated with some fresh bagels from Wegman's (simple delight).  

To make these baked potato crisps, first preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Slice a handful of potatoes (I used four smaller ones) in 1/8 slices or thinner if desired.  Spray a cookie sheet with a little extra virgin olive oil spray and spread potato slices so they are not overlapping.  I coated all these slices with a little extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl with a basting brush, but you could also spray the slices with oil as well.  Top with your choice of spices: creole cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, dill;etc.  I chose to use some fresh cracked pepper.   Bake for 10 minutes, flip slices, then bake for another 10 minutes (or until they're golden brown/brownish).  Plop freshly baked potato crisps unto a paper towel lined plate and blot excess oil.  Accompany with dipping sauce of your choice.  I suggest a side of ranch dressing.  

We'll see what the final presidential votes are tomorrow.  There's usually some voting machine fiasco...
           ...in the meantime enjoy! 

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

Squash Season

I love squash.  I didn't always enjoy eating this vegetable, however.  Years have passed, I've grown with age, and my taste buds have certainly changed.  I've taken quite a liking to the taste and texture of different squashes as I've grown older.  One of my favorites is spaghetti squash (the pale yellow squash/noodle-like entree mixed with marina sauce pictured above).

I happened to luck out this year and purchased six squash (two spaghetti, two butternut, and two acorn squash) from a regional farm, during a visit home with my family.  As you can see pictured above, we've already consumed one butternut and one spaghetti squash.  But we did just have a new member to the squash bushel,a carnival squash, given to us from Gregory's sister Lara.  This will be my first time eating carnival squash-it is really cute looking.  I've cooked up both a butternut squash soup and baked spaghetti sauce with marinara sauce and cheese, but I still have yet to pin-point the recipes I want to use for the other ones.  

If you haven't had squash yet this autumn, go out to your local grocer or local farmer's market and purchase one!  It's just not fully autumn without some little squashy delight.

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

Halloween/October Roundup

This October was low-key, but I don't mind.  I still feel content with how I spent the holiday as well as leading up to it; managing to cram in some typical seasonal activities to enjoy the season.  I had the chance to pick pumpkins off the vine at Bellinger's Farm in Fultonville, New York (a family favorite) with my mom as well as catch the last bits of apples on the trees in the orchard.  It's been another rough year for apples and pumpkins in central New York with the summer drought and the autumn hail we've been getting.  

I carved pumpkins with Gregory for Halloween (which was a lot harder than I remembered).  Made a butternut squash soup (forgot to photograph) and spaghetti squash.  Baked all the squash seeds from both said squash.  Filled the living room with a candy-corn scent from a woodwick candle I bought from work.  Indulged in as much pumpkin and pumpkin-tasting things as I could...homemade pumpkin cookies with Hershey's milk chocolate kisses, pumpkin and sausage penne (forgot to photograph), and a little pumpkin coffee creamer with my morning coffee.

Our Halloween was spent with a couple of our friends watching Rob Zombie's version of Halloween, having a couple of brews and some homemade taco dip (photographed after we brought it home and had a little more), and playing with their new adorable French Bulldog/Boston Terrier puppy.  As you can see from the impromptu mini photo shoot in our kitchen that Gregory dressed up as Hunter S. Thompson and I went as the crafting mogul, Martha Stewart from the 1990s.  I'm pretty happy with the way my wig came out after some slight styling and a lot of hairspray, as well as the dated ensemble.  It was cheap, witty, and dated housewife frumpy.  Oh, and yes, we managed to find the real TarGard cigarette filter that Hunter S. Thompson swore by at our local Walgreen's to really pull off Greg's costume. 

I love hearing about what other witty costumes that friends come up with or people they have witnessed.  It's also never too early to be inspired by a design for next Halloween.

-Caroline 

Guess Who I'm Going to Be for Halloween...

Photograph source

I decided less than a week ago to go as the crafty-cooking queen of the United States, Ms. Martha Stewart.  The wig I purchased earlier this week from Dougherty's Masquerade in Shoppingtown Mall, wasn't spot on, but I'll make it work.  I'm off to the local thrift store to find the perfect ensemble today (a tad last minute..I know).  I'll post photographs tomorrow with an update!

To all you goblins out there getting ready to dress up and celebrate...
       
               ...be safe...and have a Happy Halloween!!! 

-Caroline

October Reading

 

The end of October is looming.  Gregory and I have been watching the Halloween movies up until the fifth one (the sixth deals with occult stuff that creeps me out too much).  My point with all this is "looming" makes me think of Dr. Loomis, Michael's doctor and psychatartist who is always trying to put an end to the mayhem.  I wouldn't say I like these movies, or any of those other typical scary slasher films, but my boyfriend does and I make it through them.  He picks the scary Halloween films and I pick the kid-friendly ones.  Think Hocus Pocus and Nightmare Before Christmas.  I have, however, been steadily reading and wanted to update from the month of October to share some great reads!

Shown top to bottom: 

          The Call of the Wild and Other Short Stories by: Jack London 

          The Sea Wolf by: Jack London (currently reading)

          White Fang by: Jack London

          Pattern by: Orla Keily

          Sister of the Road: The Autobiography of Boxcar Bertha by: Dr. Ben Reitman

                    (which, actually is considered fiction, but is based on real people 

                     and experiences in hobo life and train hoppin' between the World Wars)

I finished reading all the remaining short stories during the month of October, though I did have The Call of the Wild and Other Short Stories by: Jack London listed in my September reading post.  An Odyessey of the North, To the Man on Trail, To Build a Fire, and Love of Life were great,and completely enthralling reads.

All of these books listed above, with the exception of Orla Keily's Pattern, which is based upon her experiences becoming a textile designer, are categorized as fiction, yet I wouldn't whole-hardheartedly consider them simply as that.  As you can see, I've been reading even more Jack London as my love for him and his writing continues to grow.  I honestly, don't think I'll be satisfied until I read every bit of writing he has created.

It's such a grand season to curl up with a good book and a mug of hot coffee, warm mulled cider, or hot chocolate!  I wish you many a good read and adventure as we begin to shift into November.

Happy reading!

-Caroline

Late October Delights/Spaghetti Squash

I'm squeezing in some late October activities to enjoy to make the last bits of autumn all that more cozier.  A good portion of the once vividly colored leaves have come off the trees both from the wind and all the rainy days we've been having here in Syracuse.  I swear, it's rained here more during the autumn than it did all spring and summer.  The grass hasn't looked this lush all year.  Gregory and I carved pumpkins a couple nights ago (pictured above).  I had completely forgotten just how hard it was (and how much strength was required) to carve a pumpkin-we both hadn't carved pumpkins in years!  Can you guess which one is mine? (the simple happy one).

I also cooked up some spaghetti squash this week Italian style with some marinara sauce and feta cheese.  I cooked this squash for the first time last year and loved how reminiscent it is of real spaghetti and how tasty it was baked in the oven.  To bake: Cut 1 medium sized spaghetti squash lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and set aside.  Heat oven @ 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Brush both halves of squash with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place both halves cut side down on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 1 hour.  When squash is cool scoop out with fork.  Saute in a large pan on the stove with a little more extra virgin olive oil.  Voila! Top with marinara sauce, pesto, spices, the possibilities are endless!

All those squash seeds were to put to good use too!  I  baked them @ 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes and sprinkled them with some creole cajun seasoning (you could also use salt and pepper or any other spice).  Flip and stir them around.  Then pop them back in for another 5 minutes or until they're lightly browned.  Enjoy!

Happy cooking!
-Caroline 

Homestyle Cooking: Pumpkin Spice Blossoms with Chocolate Kisses

Let me tell you, I feel like I have been a machine in the kitchen as of lately!  Well, maybe not compared to most food lovers who relish in making scrumptious concoctions for themselves from scratch-but I certainly have been making and baking more cuisine for myself.  The last two weeks I've found myself craving to make homemade cookies to enjoy at home as well to bring in a treat for my co-workers at work (it's also a pleasant treat to sneak back into the break room to have a home baked goody too!)  This lovely little cookie recipe comes from the lovely baking blog, Tutti Dolci, and can be specifically found here.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 dozen Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses

Note: I couldn't locate the Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses at my local Wegman's or Rite-Aid (my local grocery and drug store) so I simply substituted the good ol' classic Hershey's milk chocolate kisses.  I personally think the pumpkin/chocolate combination hits the spot!  (I also think I was too late in the retail autumn season to try the spice kisses out as well-oh well.)

On a different note, I haven't made much art lately, and to be even more honest with you, I haven't been feeling the huge motivational urge to produce anything.  I feel as though I've been taking my creative energy and putting it to use in the kitchen, cooking and baking from scratch.  Though I love that I've creating tasty treats for our apartment and to bring into work for my co-workers, I am conflicted with myself for feeling sluggish with my art.  I'm not going to go into my own personal creating art between my inconsistent work schedule conflict any deeper; it's just a little more difficult than people may think to classify yourself as an artist sometimes.  Anyways, try out the cookies and relish the peak of the changing foliage!  (We're almost full peak in colors here and it's beautiful!) 

Happy baking!
-Caroline 

Homestyle cooking: Russian Eggplant Spread

I wouldn't classify myself even the closest to a vegan, because, well, I choose to eat eggs, dairy products, and a little meat every week.  I wouldn't say I salivate over cooked chicken, but I am still fond of sliced ham on sandwiches from the delicatessen.  I choose to live this lifestyle, but I do still thoroughly enjoy hunting and trying out new vegan recipes when I'm invited to a pot luck party where some vegans will be present.  The challenge is exciting to cook outside my comfort zone and try new recipes everyone can indulge in. 

This recipe, like the majority of the recipes I find, love to read, and re-create, can be found on TheKitchn, specifically located here.  I felt inspired to re-create this recipe as soon as I read the article.  I absolutely love reading the myriad of culinary articles they have from various food bloggers, critics, writers, and culinary visionaries.  Yes, I visit this site every time I check my usuals (financial account, e-mail, bills...) and I can say, it's the most enjoyable site to check up on.  The drool-worthy food photography is also a fantastic plus too!


Ingredients:

2 large eggplants (about 1 pound each)
Olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil for cooking
2 medium onions, chopped
3/4 cup (6 ounces) tomato paste
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

My creation from this recipe, pictured above, made about 2 cups+, because I chose two medium-sized eggplants and one and a half white onions.  I also added a handful of fresh cilantro from my container garden (which is still doing quite well in the colder weather) and a dash of two of ground cayenne pepper. 

I added extra virgin olive oil as I cooked and stirred the tomato paste with the eggplant and onions until it was a smoother-chunky mixture (if that makes sense).  Sliced French baguette accompanied this warm vegan spread and was a pretty big hit at the pot-luck party.   The above photograph is another "the day after" photo with what little was left of the spread.  I honestly didn't have enough time to get myself changed and ready, make the spread, and then photograph it to share later-whoops!  What little leftovers there were left made a good afternoon snack (even cold) between Gregory and myself. 

Also, I just want to say that it was an interesting experience peeling and cutting baked eggplant.  Prior to this recipe I had only made eggplant Parmesan, which is also baked, but does not require peeling or handling after it's baked.  It wasn't gross at all-just interesting.  

The weather is nearing in the 30s at night and soon I'll be bringing all of my plants in from our small kitchen balcony.  I've been craving squashes, root vegetables, and greens.  Hot soups, ciders, and this dip are all pleasant delights during this autumnal time.

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

Homestyle Cooking: Tuscan Ribollita

Autumn has officially arrived here in Syracuse, New York, and that means a myriad of delicious hot soups, stews, and bisque!  I absolutely love making homemade soup and lean heavily on vegetarian recipes.  Though I am not vegetarian (I tried this lifestyle for two years a couple years ago), the majority of dishes I make and eat are vegetarian friendly.  I honestly, don't get those cravings for a hot steak like my family does.

Thursday happened to be one of my days off, so I volunteered to cook supper with a warm bowl of veggie soup in mind.  I am equally in love with pureed soups just as I am with chunky soups, though I made this mind of Gregory who just happens to favor more chunkier soups during the colder weather months.  After a little digging around my favorite cooking sites and blogs I found this recipe for Ribollita, a very lovable Tuscan vegetable soup from TheKitchn found here. (Yes, this is my absolute favorite cooking site ever!)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
10-ounce bag frozen spinach
2 cans cannellini beans with liquid
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, for a vegan adaptation)
One 15-ounce can (1 3/4 cups) tomato pureé
9 ounces day old bread, torn in pieces, about 3 cups
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan, grated (optional)

The photo above was taken the day after I made it fresh, so it did get chunkier (more like a stew) with the bread chunks I put in.  It still held all it's flavor and goodness even after a little reheat on the stove.  I also added a couple sprinkles of ground red cayenne pepper to add an underlying heat in the soup as well (I like a little spice to most of my dishes).  I also served this soup with a big loaf of crusty french bread that had warmed in the oven for half an hour @ 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

This soup is absolutely perfect for the score of rainy, overcast, and particularly cloudy days we've been experiencing in Syracuse, and is easy to throw together after getting home from work.  Enjoy!

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

Homestyle Cooking: Parsnip Potato Soup

The past week it has really began to feel like autumn is about to be upon us in New York State.  As the cold fronts move over the northeast from Canada, I am beginning my own autumn transition into scarfs and pashminas, sweaters, hot coffee (though I'm still making my own iced coffee-ha!), as well as homemade soups and chilis!

Cooler weather certainly points to homemade soups and stews choked full of autumn and root veggies!  A couple days ago, I had such an urge to make a hot, comforting soup and was looking for a little challenge.  I scoured the recipe binder I now have (full of page protectors housing recipes I've printed online and torn out of food magazines) as well as the saved bookmarks on my computer for some inspiration.  I decided on parsnip potato because, frankly I've never cooked parsnips before and it looked divine!

This recipe comes from a modern parenting site called Babble.  While, I'm very happy to be child-free in my life until I make that decision (a very, very long time away), this website did have some good-looking recipes on it-including this little gem!  You can find the precise recipe located here if you, too, are interested in making this for yourself, family, or friends, as the cooler months descend upon us.

I manipulated the original recipe a little bit to fit the taste buds of Gregory and myself (we really love our garlic and onions).  I also baked two boxes of classic Jiffy cornbread in the oven to accompany the soup as well.

Ingredients:

2 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
5-6 diced green onions 

4 medium-sized peeled and diced parsnips

6-7 medium-sized yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced
2 medium carrots peeled and diced

6 cups vegetable broth
water as needed
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme

4-5 stems of fresh cilantro

4 strips of cooked bacon hand crumbled (to top off your soup)

You could add other soup toppings once it is finished as well.  Gregory and I like to top our soups off with croutons and/or fried onion pieces, depending on the soup.  Sometimes it's just better to dip a little a crust bread, crackers, or a warm sandwich in your soup too!  Also, this dish could easily be made into a vegetarian by leaving out the added bacon in the end, or vegan by substituting the little bit of butter used with extra virgin olive oil.

It's certainly a little easier to shift into the cooler months up in the northeast with a hot dinner!  

Happy cooking!
-Caroline

This year so far in books read

I should have taken note in June (a half way point through the year) to look and see exactly how many books I've successfully read through and how many more I can squeeze in before December ends the calendar year-whoops!  Well, I did not and I am instead, I'm taking inventory now. 

Shown top to bottom: 
          Jack London: Sailor on Horseback by: Irving Stone
          The Call of the Wild and Other Short Stories by: Jack London
          Adventure by: Jack London
          The Valley of the Moon by: Jack London
          Lives of the Artists by: Calvin Tomkins
          The Old Man and the Sea by: Ernest Hemingway 

I technically have yet to finish all of the short stories that are in the same paperback collection as The Call of the Wild.  There are six stories in all that presented in this order: 
          The Call of the Wild
          Diable-A Dog
          An Odyessey of the North
          To the Man on Trail
          To Build a Fire
          Love of Life 

I only read through the first two and am a pausing point in the third.  I really want to get To Build a Fire, but I don't want to rush through the others and not respect their literary worthiness.  As you can most likely conclude, I am infatuated with the late Californian writer, Jack London, and the adventurous life he lead.

I have been dedicating my lunch breaks to complete reading, though I honestly don't read as much outside of these breaks (I'm going to work on this).  Almost six books down and I'm going to set an official goal to read four more by the end of the year!  

Happy reading!
-Caroline