I love pasta. I love it so much that I make my own, having picked up an Atlas pasta roller/cutter a short while ago. Ive had other retry much the same over the years but they always got left behind when the relationships ended.

After a trip for groceries, I decided to make up some pasta. This time it was fettucinni, which is the easiest to make and work with. I started with the dough: a mix of unbleached and whole wheat flours, olive oil, a couple eggs, and water.

When the dough had sat for long enough l started on the sauce, Id given it a bit of thought while the dough sat and decided on a lemon sauce as wed just bought a bag of lemons. By he time I was ready to cook, I had a rough outline of the sauce.

First sauté some finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add a couple tablespoons of capers, and the zest from 2 lemons. Sautéed that for a while over low heat while you make the pasta.

While the pasta boils add the juice of 3 lemons and a tablespoon of butter to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce. I use tongs and/or a Chinese fishing net to transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Dont bother draining it, and whatever you do dont rinse it! The starch on the surface of the pasta and the bit of starchy water will help the sauce thicken and cling to the pasta. Stir to coat and add some chopped basil and grated parmesan.

Serve.

Tonight we checked out a new place in our neighborhood: Butcher and the Burger. Suzanne heard about it on the “This Week in Food” podcast (also available on iTunes). On a whim we decided to drop in for dinner on our way to Whole Foods.

This is one of the latest of the build your own burger places. Except, as opposed to places like Custom Burger and Epic Burger, Butcher and the Burger is upscale, with patties like Elf, grass fed beef, shrimp and elk.

The deal is simple, pick a patty, pick a seasoning, pick a burger, add toppings: some included (lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc), and some for an additional cost (such as avocado, grilled onions, fried egg, fois fras).

Behold the menu (also available at their site):

I got the house blend beef with Chicago steakhouse spice blend on a pretzel bun with swiss, dijon, and grilled onions.

Suzanne attacked hers so I didn’t have a chance to snap a picture. She went with the pork patty with the Umami glaze and avocado, wasabi mayo, lettuce and tomato. I sampled, and it was delicious as well.

We shared an order of fries, which was plenty for the two of us.  The fries were incredibly good.

One cute touch was the presentation: everything was served on cutting boards (which are available for purchase). Also we casually commented about sharing the order of fries and they served them on a separate board for easier sharing.

The staff was friendly and helpful. It’s only a few blocks from us and we’re certain to be back.

Suzanne stumbled across this recipe a couple weeks ago and emailed it to me with the subject “Make me yummy food.” I never say no to requests like that. After looking at the recipe, it became even more compelling. A Graham Elliot recipe. Beef Stroganoff. Elaborate and involved. It sounded like fun. The original recipe is here.

I’ve always like beef stroganoff, even as a kid. Growing up, my mom would make “beef stroganoff”. I quote it for a reason: take some ground beef, brown it, throw in a can of cream of mushroom soup and some sour cream, add season with salt & pepper. Mix & serve over egg noodles. This was altogether a different dish.

So here’s the recipe, with my comments and/or changes in italic.

Shallot marmalade

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 shallots, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar

I didn’t have enough shallots on hand, so I used 7 shallots and a large white onion.

In a medium, deep sauté pan over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot rings and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add the sugar and vinegar and continue cooking until amber in color and thickened to the consistency of molasses, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: The shallots can be made in advance and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 3 days.

I was tempted to just eat this up. It’s onion candy. Wow.

Peppered spaetzle

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and keep at a bare simmer. Fill a large bowl with very cold ice water.
In a second large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper.

In a blender, combine the eggs, sour cream, and 1 cup water. Purée until smooth then add to the flour mixture and stir to combine (the consistency should be a little thicker than pancake batter, so adjust with more flour or more water as needed).

Working over barely simmering water, force half the batter through a spaetzlemaker, food mill, or colander. Let the spaetzle float to the surface—this will take about 1 minute—wait 30 seconds, then use a mesh skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer the spaetzle to the bowl of ice water. Once cool, transfer the spaetzle to a colander to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter. DO AHEAD: Spaetzle can be made in advance and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

This seemed to have worked well enough, but I had the batter too thin and they didn’t fry nicely and ended up a bit mushy.

Peppered crème fraîche

1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche and pepper. The crème fraîche should have an intense pepper note, so add more pepper to taste if necessary. DO AHEAD: The crème fraîche can be made in advance and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 1 day.

The beef
4 (1-inch thick) beef tenderloin steaks (about 2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons olive oil

I diverged somewhat here. Keeping an eye on the budget, I opted for a nice grass fed stew beef instead of tenderloin. I’ll reserve tenderloin for a nice steak sometime. I dried the beef and cut it down into smaller pieces. I then browned it in a large dutch oven before adding the broth and some red wine. I dropped the temperature to a simmer and let the beef braise for a couple hours, until it fell apart when stabbed with a fork. Then I drained it and reserved 1/2 cup of the braising liquid for the mushroom puree (below).

Season the steaks with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board as done and tent with foil. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom purée

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups (about 12 ounces) black trumpet, portobello, or cremini mushrooms, thoroughly cleaned and roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
6 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
1/2 cup beef stock
3/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons truffle oil (optional)

I used a mix of crimini and fresh shitake.

In a large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add 1/2 the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 the garlic, shallots, and thyme and continue sautéing until the shallots are tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar and continue cooking until the vinegar is almost completely evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, shallots, thyme, and vinegar. Once all the mushrooms are sautéed, reserve about 1/2 cup.

Transfer the remaining mushrooms to a blender, add the beef stock, and purée until smooth. With the blender on, slowly add the grapeseed oil and truffle oil, if using, and continue processing until the sauce is smooth, aerated, and emulsified, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and a splash of vinegar if necessary.

In my opinion, the additional vinegar here is not required. The final dish had a very nice tartness.

To serve

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh dill, minced

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the mushroom purée. When warm, transfer to a gravy boat or other serving dish.

In a large sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt the butter. Add 1/2 of the spaetzle and sauté without stirring until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining spaetzle, the reserved 1/2 cup of mushrooms, and the shallot marmalade and sauté until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish.

Thinly slice the steaks and arrange the meat on a small platter. Dollop the crème fraîche over the meat and sprinkle with the dill. Serve immediately.

Since it was just us and there’d be loads of leftovers, we simply layered everything (spaetzle, meat, puree, and crème fraîche) on one platter.

Once spooned out onto a plate and ready to eat, everything mixed nicely together.

The result was just amazing. We had to explicitly stop eating and pack up leftovers or we might have eaten it all.. it was that good.

Today I have a guest post for you by Joseph Morris, a professional chef for over 20 years. He also owns the site Culinary Arts College for students interested in getting a degree in culinary arts. Have a look at his site, and enjoy his leftover tips.

Thanksgiving is over and you may have already worked your way through the leftovers, but Christmas is just around the corner, which means even more leftovers! Here are some creative ways you can make your leftovers seem new again.

1. Mashed Potatoes – Add some chopped onion and egg, then make patties and fry them in olive oil. You can also add some cooked rice for a little more sustenance.
2. Cranberry Sauce – Add chopped nuts and serve with cheese and crackers for an easy snack. You can also eat it at breakfast as a topping for pancakes or mixed into yogurt.
3. Rolls and Breads – There are lots of easy options here. You can make croutons or breadcrumbs to use for later. If you want to use it up, leftover bread also works well as French toast or bread pudding.
4. Stuffing – Bake “stuffins” (stuffing muffins)! Simply press stuffing into a muffin tin and bake for 10 minutes. You may even want to add nuts, dried fruit, or herbs for more flavor.
	5. Sweet Potatoes – Make a sweet potato bisque to warm you up on a cold day. Puree sweet potatoes and add stock and coconut milk. You may also want to add some herbs or exotic spices like curry or cumin.
6. Roasted Vegetables – Chop up your vegetables into small pieces and make a quiche with some crumbled cheese and diced ham.
7. Ham – Dice up your ham and cook it with lentils, onions, and plenty of spices. Alternatively, you can make ham and lentil soup with mixed vegetables to use up the ham bone as well.
8. Roast Beef – Make roast beef quesadillas with peppers, cheese, and onions. This can be a great alternative to a boring grilled cheese sandwich.
9. Turkey – Forget plain sandwiches made with slices of turkey – make turkey salad sandwiches instead. Dice leftover turkey and mix it with mayonnaise, mustard, chopped apple, and celery.
10. Gravy – Use gravy as a flavorful sauce for whole wheat pasta or egg noodles. You may even want to add some herbs and/or spices to change the flavor.

There are lots of other options for reusing leftovers – all you need is a little creativity. Meals like soup, pizzas, and savory pies could easily use up many leftover foods that might otherwise spoil in your fridge.

Speaking of which, it’s important to remember that even leftovers don’t last forever. Most dishes will only last about three or four days after the big meal unless you freeze them. Make sure you reheat foods thoroughly to kill all the bacteria they might have gained since they were originally cooked.

We started off with a spread of snacks and nibbles.

Salad

Once everyone was here, we started on the salad while the bird was in the oven.

Shaved Root Vegetable Salad
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 4

Summary:

Slice the red beets last and keep them separate until serving so their color won’t bleed onto the other vegetables.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons hazelnuts, divided
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons hazelnut oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red beet, peeled
1 medium golden beet, peeled
1 small turnip, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
2 radishes, trimmed
1/4 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Crush 2 tablespoons hazelnuts; place in a small bowl. Whisk in orange and lemon juice, vegetable oil, and hazelnut oil. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice beets, turnip, carrot, and radishes using a mandoline or V-slicer. Place red beet slices in another small bowl and remaining vegetables and parsley in a medium bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons vinaigrette over red beets; pour remaining vinaigrette over vegetables in medium bowl. Toss each to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange red beets on a platter; spoon over any vinaigrette from bowl. Top red beets with remaining vegetables. Drizzle salad with any remaining vinaigrette; garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts.

Soup

Tomatillo Gazpacho.
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Ingredients:

4 pounds tomatillos, chopped
1 pound onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
Ground cumin, to taste
Cilantro, chopped, to taste
Sour Cream, optional

Directions:

Boil tomatillos, onions, garlic, jalapenos, poblanos and vegetable stock until soft.

Puree till smooth and strain, then chill.

Puree raw cucumber then chill.

Combine chilled tomatillo puree with cucumber puree, then add a little ground cumin and chopped cilantro and blend till smooth.

Vegetable

The major vegetable side dish was a roasted squash:

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chile Vinaigrette
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Recipe By: Gourmet
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Summary:

This late-season squash is roasted to coax out its subtle sugars before being mixed with citrus juice, chile, and cilantro.

Ingredients:

2 (1 1/2 – to 1 3/4-lb) acorn squash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile, including seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450F. Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss squash with black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, chile (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined. Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Potatoes

Of course you can’t have thanksgiving dinner without potatoes. These where great, with the mix of white and sweet potatoes, the mix of flavors.

Mashed Potatoes with Cilantro and Roasted Chilies
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 poblano chilies
3 lbs. russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, quartered
1 lb. sweet potatoes
3 garlic cloves, peeled, bruised
1 cup warm half and half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed chilies; chop coarsely.

Cook potatoes and garlic in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 35 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes and garlic to bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth. Gradually beat in half and half. Add butter and beat until melted. Stir in chilies and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuffing

The stuffing is of paramount importance as well, and this one fit the meal perfectly.

Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 12

Summary:

Chilies and corn—staples of the southwestern diet—are the hallmarks of this stuffing. Its intense corn flavor comes from a mixture of corn bread, corn chips, corn kernels and cream-style corn. It gets its zip from poblano and jalapeño chilies.

Ingredients:

Buttermilk Corn Bread (see below)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
4 large poblano chilies, stemmed, seeded, chopped
3 large jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage or 4 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups crushed corn chips
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups (about) canned cream-style corn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut corn bread into 4 equal pieces. Crumble 3 pieces onto large baking sheet (reserve remaining piece for another use). Bake until slightly dry, about 20 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, all chilies, sage and oregano and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with corn bread. Mix in cilantro, corn chips and corn kernels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in the turkey:

Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough cream-style corn into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream-style corn, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

To bake all stuffing in pan:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix in 1 1/4 cups cream-style corn into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Buttermilk Corn Bread
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 12

Summary:

Use to prepare Southwestern Cornbread Stuffing, or enjoy this on its own.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, oil, sugar and eggs in large bowl to blend. Add dry ingredients, stirring just until blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

Turkey

And of course the turkey, the required protein side dish (well, ok, some people consider it the centerpiece of the meal). Suzanne makes a mean turkey. This was no exception. She skillfully melded a couple different recipes to come up with this.

Achiote Butter-Basted Turkey with Ancho Chili Gravy
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 14

Summary:

Achiote paste is a combination of vinegar, spices and annatto seeds, which have a unique, earthy taste. Basting the turkey with butter and achiote yields a moist, richly flavored bird, and the slightly piquant sauce is a refreshing change of pace from traditional gravy. Offer your favorite mashed potatoes, and pour a Pinot Noir.

Ingredients:

2 fresh poblano chilies
3 dried ancho chilies, stemmed, halved, seeded
1 22- to 24-pound turkey, giblets discarded
1 large white onion, quartered
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons achiote paste
3 1/2 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)

The Brine:

1 1/3 cups kosher salt
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 cinnamon sticks
6 ancho chilis, rinsed

In a large pot, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 qt. water. Remove from heat and add 5 qts. cold water, the garlic, cinnamon, and chilis. Let cool to room temperature.

The Rub:

2 tbsp. ground dried ancho chilis
2 tbsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Prepare brine and soak turkey in it. Chill, covered, 12 hours.

Char poblano chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose chilies in paper bag. Let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel and seed chilies.

Toast ancho chilies in heavy large skillet over high heat until color darkens slightly and chilies are fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer ancho chilies to medium bowl. Add enough hot water to bowl to cover chilies. Let stand until chilies soften, about 20 minutes.

Puree 4 ancho chili halves with 1/2 cup soaking liquid in blender. Add roasted poblano chilies; puree. Season with salt and pepper. Drain remaining 2 chili halves; chill. (Puree and soaked chilies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse turkey inside and out. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Cut remaining 2 ancho chili halves into strips. Place chili strips and onion in turkey cavity.

Mix butter and achiote paste in small bowl to blend. Run fingers between turkey breast skin and meat to loosen. Rub half of achiote butter over turkey breast under skin. Rub butter over outside of turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey. Tie legs together to hold shape. Pour 1 1/2 cups broth into pan. Rub turkey with olive oil and rub with oregano and ground chili.

Roast turkey 45 minutes. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, about 3 1/2 hours. Transfer to platter. Tent with foil.

Pour turkey pan juices into measuring cup. Spoon off fat from pan juices, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Add enough remaining broth to pan juices to measure 3 cups. Return 1/4 cup fat to roasting pan. Place pan over 2 burners set at medium heat. Add Masa Harina; whisk until mixture resembles paste, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Add chili puree; simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

Cranberry Sauce

What’s turkey without cranberry sauce. This was perfectly on theme, and so yummy.

Chipotle Cranberry Sauce
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Recipe By: Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Summary:

This relish has a smoky, savory
quality, thanks to the chiles and
garlic. Unlike most cranberry
sauces, this one doesn’t require
any added liquid.

Ingredients:

2 dried chipotle chiles
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin

Directions:

Place chiles in medium saucepan filled with water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chiles are tender, adding more water if needed to keep chiles submerged, 1 to 11/2 hours, depending on dryness of chiles. Drain.

Combine softened chipotles, cranberries, sugar, and lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until cranberries begin to pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, and cumin. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Remove chipotles. Stem and seed. Mince chiles and return to cranberry sauce; stir to distribute. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Notes:

Ingredient tip: Dried chipotle chiles can vary by brand, with some being more supple than others. Look for chiles that give slightly when pressed between your thumb and forefinger. Chiles that are hard may not soften sufficiently when simmered in water.

All Together

Dessert

Chad brought this amazingly good pumpkin cheesecake.

Snappy Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Recipe by tasteofhome.com
Service Size: 12

Summary:

I won first place in a pumpkin baking contest with this snappy dessert. The judges gave high marks to its gingersnap-pecan crust and creamy marbled filling. If you wish, substitute cinnamon graham crackers for the gingersnaps. —Lisa Morman, Minot, North Dakota

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 30 cookies)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

GARNISH:

Whipped topping, optional
Additional gingersnap cookies, cut into wedges, optional

Directions

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and pecans; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.

Place 1 cup filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin filling and set aside. Pour remaining pumpkin filling into the crust; top with plain filling. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonfuls over top; cut through filling with a knife to swirl.

Place pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipped topping and cookie wedges if desired.

And I made this creme brûlée.

Chocolate-Ancho Crème Brûlée
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 8

Summary:

In this intriguing twist on a delicious and popular dessert, the ancho chilies add a touch of earthy heat.

Ingredients:

3 cups whipping cream
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried ancho chili with seeds, stemmed, chopped
Pinch of ground cumin
1/3 cup plus 6 teaspoons sugar
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/3 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Strain custard to remove any lumps as well as the chilies and cinnamon. Reserve the chilies to mince for garnish.

Divide custard among eight 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place cups in heavy large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake custards until almost set in center, about 35 minutes. Remove cups from water and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat broiler. Mix remaining 6 teaspoons sugar and ground cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over custards. Broil until sugar melts and caramelizes, watching carefully and turning often, about 2 minutes. Use a brûlée torch is you have one, instead. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Refrigerate.) Transfer to plates and serve.

The Result

Everyone had a great meal and a great time.

This is the second time we’ve gone to one of Steve’s dinners. Once again it was a good meal. Steve, our host, recently did some traveling in Italy. He brought home plenty of ideas. This meal is a series of inspirations from the Piedmont area.

I got some good pictures, so I’m not going to say much… I’l let the pictures speak for themselves.

“Autunno Italiano”

Pumpkin (leeks, greens, anchovy)

This was a study in contrasts. The soft pumpkin, the chewy greens, crisp leeks, and crunchy pumpkin seeds. The sweetness of the pumpkin and the salty pungency of the anchovy in the emulsion. A brilliant start to the meal.

Gnocchi (chestnut, sage, caseificio cheese)

Oh… this was good.  very, very good. Soft little pillows of potato-y, chestnuty goodness. This was the softest, creamiest gnocchi I’ve had in a very long time.

Snapper (romanesco, carrot, fennel, chili)

This was likewise great. The fish was very nicely done. The romanesco was perfectly cooked with a nice bit of crunch. I thought this dish was wonderfully presented. The way the three different colored carrots, sliced lengthwise, and fanned out. Just beautiful.

Pork Shank (apple, procini, rapini)

Well, This was nicely done and very tasty, but it’s not the style of food I really like.

Budino (maple, hazelnut)

Oh boy. Few people can do dessert like the Italians. Steve followed their lead in fine form. A creamy maple budino on a bed of caramel and hazelnut, topped with a hazelnut cookie. Wow.

Throw in some good company and conversation and 3 bottles of wine between Suzanne and I… and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

THis has been sitting in my draft folder long enough that I’ve lost track of what I wanted to say. Since tonight we’re going to a second of these meals (by the same chef), I thought I should publish this one as is.

Back in February, Urban Daddy ran a story on a series of underground dinners in Chicago. We’d been familiar with this in San Francisco (in particular ForageSF) so we were excited to learn of this.

Suzanne made the arrangements, and Sunday night we caught the train North and embarked on our culinary adventure.

The menu was titled “Summer Solstice”, as it took place on June 19 and was driven largely by the previous day’s farmer’s market.

The Meal

Summer Squash blossoms, stuffed with Ricotta, with a green garlic puree.

Grilled soft shelled crab, dusted with curry, with pickled turnip and galangal puree.

Whole sardines with a peach, caper, fennel, sorrel, and mustard sauce and a panzella.

Wild Boar with a peppered beet puree and a pear and basil salad.

Strawberry tart with a vanilla and balsamic reduction.

The Experience

In all we had a great time.

There were five trucks in attendance, and we got something from four as we’d had food from the tamalespaceship before.

Gaztrowagon: we got two naan-wiches: Caprese (tomato onion salad, pesto, mozzerella), and Beef Cheesesteak (beef, peppers, onions, pepperjack cheese). The Beef Cheesesteak was very tasty, if a little small. I’d get it again. The Caprese was tasty enough, but seemed very odd hot (it reminded me of Rimmer’s “Hot Gazpacho”). I think would be much better served cold. I’ll pass on the Caprese, but would;t mind checking out some of the other options.

Southern Mac & Cheese: New Mexican (green chili, pepperjack, and cojita). This was really good, but then who doesn’t like a good Mac & Cheese. This one was especially nice. And the flavor we chose was only available in the large container, so there was plenty to have some each for dinner with a lunch for Suzanne left over for the next day. We’re eager to try some of their other flavors.

Meatyballs Mobile: Thai’d Balls (turkey, coconut milk, Chili sauce, sweet peppers), Pizza Balls (ricotta balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage). We both loved the Thai’d Balls (but then we’re a little kinky anyway). The Pizza Balls (a chef’s special that night) left a bit to be desired. Not so meaty with just a bit of sausage, and with plenty of green peppers (leaving Suzanne out of this one). The ricotta was fine, but the whole package fell short of what we’d expected after the Thai’d. We’ll go back tho this truck, but not for Pizza Balls.

Flirty Cupcakes: Devil In Disguise (red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting), The McDreamy (chocolate cupcake with a cream cheese & chocolate filling). What better way to finish off our food truck meal than at a cupcake truck. These were very tasty, indeed. No disappointments here.

Overall, the food was good, but suffered from having to be prepared and packaged in advance. The naan and meatball rolls were somewhat soggy and doughy from being exposed to the fillings for some period of time. The rules around food service in Chicago are retarded. Being able to do final prep and assembly on the spot, as required, results in such a better product. Both of us agree that we wouldn’t be interested in a prefab burrito. We got burritos from the taco truck outside our place in San Francisco occasionally. That was a big thing there, and they had reasonable rules.

Not quite so bad is the fact that the cupcakes had to be prepackaged as well. We ended up getting 2 full sized cupcakes in stead of the selection of 4 that we would have preferred, since they didn’t have our mix of choice made up.

Next Tuesday is the last chance for this event, and we expect to be there.

Chicago is coming along, and may someday join the the 21st century in this regard. Then we just have to ditch the unions.

I went to Cheesie’s, the new grilled cheese place at Belmont & Sheffield, for dinner before my evening activities (which Suzanne would feel is too geeky to make public on this blog) last Friday after work. I’d read about them earlier in the week and was eager to give them a try, seeing as I love a good grilled cheese sandwich.

The place is decorated warmly, with wainscoting, and bright orange walls above. It has a very startup feel: order & pay at the counter, stacks of napkins on tables. It felt like they had just opened the day before, which they had.

There are riffs on various classic paintings featuring grilled chsses sandwiches. I took a table next to one such spin on American Gothic.

You can get sodas and such at the front counter with your food. If you prefer beer, wine, or spirits you can get them separately at the bar at the back of the diningroom.

As I like spicy food, and I wanted to see how far they pushed on some of their edgier offerings, I went for the Jalapeño Popper (cheddar cheese, cream cheese, fresh jalapeño slices and bacon on sourdough bread) , sweet potato fries, and a Burning River from Great Lakes Brewery.

The sandwich was good. Gooey, creamy cheddar. Salty, yummy bacon. Fiery peppers. The bread was very nice. The thing that surprised me was that teh cream cheese was spread on the top of the sandwich … on the outside. This was, as I said, unexpected, and made the act of eating a bit more of a challenge. Nonetheless, it was very tasty and very satisfying. The fries accompanied it with style. They were fresh, and hot. It was a good meal and a decent value at under $10 plus a drink.

I have a feeling that a stop here on my way to gaming will become part of my Friday night routine.

Suzanne and I went for a guided walking photo tour of Old Town on the weekend. We met up at the North & Clybourn Apple Store and headed into Old Town to see some of the interesting bits of architecture, learn some of the history, and take some photos. The schedule was to walk for a couple hours, find our own lunch, and meet back at the Apple Store for a digital photography workshop. The tour was great and the workshop was fine, if a bit introductory.

The real find, however, was our lunch stop: Burger Bar. It’s located conveniently across the street from the Apple Store. If you like burgers and beer, it’s a great spot. Suzanne doesn’t care for beer, but there are plenty of options, including a full cocktail selection.

Suzanne went for something a bit lighter: the Powerhouse Veggie Burger (arugula, avocado, goat cheese, chipotle mayo). She said the flavors were fine, but the texture of the patty was chewy and somewhat gummy. She’ll have meat next time. The Sweet Potato Fries she got as her side were nicely done, though.

I chose something more traditional: En Fuego (fiery burger, jalapeños, pickled red onion, oaxaca, guacamole). I went ahead and got the side of El Diabolo which was, indeed, wicked hot but had a pleasant flavor. The burger was big (all patties are half pound), juicy, and very tasty. I had the plain Fresh-cut Fries as my side. They were fresh, hot and crisp. Exactly what you want with a burger.

We also decided to try their Fried Pickles. These were perfect: thin slices of dill pickle, battered, breaded, and fried golden brown and crispy. They had a nice crunch while still being moist on the inside. The Urban Sauce that accompanied them was ok, but a remoulade would have been nicer.

I really enjoy a good burger, and I wasn’t disappointed here. Suzanne, who’s not as big a burger fan, liked it as well. We’ll both be back. To top it off, they have “10th burger free” loyalty cards. Between the menu and the book of beer, they have plenty to keep me going back for some time.

Burger Bar
1578 N. Clybourn
(Just south of North Ave on Clybourn in Lincoln Park)