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