I don’t know how they do it, but Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are like liquid crack.

Something about that sugary, spicy, frothy latte has become tightly correlated in my brain with the first turning leaves.  I start to crave them in September.

Their marketing team has done an amazing job convincing me I should spend $5 for one of those puppies every week.  I tip my hat to you, Starbucks.**

Finally, in late November, I think I have had my fill.  Back to the plain, boring nonfat latte for me.  Or more likely, the yummy french press coffee I get for free and make at home.

That doesn’t mean all things pumpkin spice are gone, though.  No, no.  I’m still embracing pumpkin season for a few last moments.  If you haven’t had your fill of seasonal goodness yet, make these.  They are like fluffy little heavenly cake squares.

Simply delightful.

**(I feel like the dad from So I Married An Axe Murderer, who goes off about the colonel at KFC.  “He puts an addictive chemical in the chicken that makes you crave it fortnightly!”  Come on, at least one person I know should get that reference…)

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Year of the Noodle: Week 45

As a child, frozen spinach was my nemesis.  My mom would dutifully try and feed it to me, and I would spit it out.  I would whine.  I would gag.

Finally she gave up.  And I officially put frozen spinach on my blacklist for life.

Until last week.  Mom snuck that frozen spinach into a delightful dip, and I didn’t even notice it came from the freezer.  In fact, I rather liked it.  So I decided to give frozen spinach another try in this recipe.

I smothered it in cheese and surrounded it with pasta and eggs – just in case – and I still liked it.  This whole dish is hearty and filling, and the spinach has a rather nice flavor.  It feels like comfort food.

If you had told 8 year old me that anything with frozen spinach in it was comfort food, I would have thought you insane.  Yet here we are.  I can now remove frozen spinach from the blacklist, like a grown adult.

Score one for mom.

How about something that doesn’t have squash, sweet potato or pumpkin in it?

Something hearty, with beans and quinoa.

Something you can eat with your lunch, or in that odd 3pm snack time when lunch wasn’t enough.

Quinoa salad it is.

This is an adapted version of a Vegetarian Times recipe called picnic caviar.  I don’t know why they call it picnic caviar – I much prefer quinoa salad, so that’s what I’m calling it :)

If you’re still in the mood for squash, add some finely chopped zucchini in.  No one will be the wiser.

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can pinto beans or black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 2-oz. can diced green chiles with liquid
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

Whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, oregano, and basil in large bowl.
Stir in black and pinto beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, chiles, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Source: Vegetarian Times

My guilty kitchen tool is the potato ricer.

It’s awkward to store, a nuisance to clean, and it’s only useful about twice a year.  Not to mention it’s completely unnecessary.  But it makes the creamiest mashed potatoes ever.

You see my dilemma.

My potato ricer came out of it’s awkward storage place for the first time in about a year to help make this dish.  You have to admit, there is something satisfying about squishing potatoes into oblivion with this thing.  And the end result is creamy and completely lump-free.

While I think I prefer my sweet potatoes in more solid, roasted form, this is a novel way to serve them at Thanksgiving.  If you just can’t get enough mashed potatoes on Turkey Day, this might be a go-to winner.  Cut down on the number of Yukon golds if you want the sweet potatoes to really shine.

Ingredients

Place sweet potatoes and potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water, and season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 9 minutes. Drain; pass through a ricer into a bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 1 stick butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat; add 2 tablespoons sage. Stir butter mixture and milk into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. (Mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Combine breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sage. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Top potato mixture with breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling around edges and breadcrumbs are golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. (If browning too quickly, tent with foil.) Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Year of the Noodle:  Week 44

Oh Thai food, how I heart thee.

That’s almost all that needs to be said.  Every Thai dish I’ve made this year has been lovely.  Even though they usually require a trip to the international market to buy yet another kind of soy sauce.  I don’t even care.  That’s how much I love Thai food.

The lovely spices in this dish just get better as the noodles sit in the sauce.  Enjoy it with some tofu or chicken for a heartier meal.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound Udon or rice noodles
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves

Directions

Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl.

Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce. Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles.

Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.