Thanksgiving and Pumpkin Pie

I've never embraced the Thanksgiving holiday but I think its because, until last weekend, I hadn't experienced a true Thanksgiving meal. For the six years of my life that I've actually spent in N. America, I've loved Thanksgiving for all the wrong reasons, namely, the opportunity to get away to warmer climates when I was in DC, and even more so, when I was freezing away in Montreal.

The first surprise came when I went to pick up the turkey. I assumed, for some reason, that turkeys were slightly larger than chickens. I discovered how wrong I had been as we lugged the 20 lb monster-of- a-bird back to the car and dropped it into the trunk. I'm going to stick in a picture of Nadir preparing the turkey just to show you what I'm talking about. (Side note: the turkey he made was amazing).

I was in charge of dessert for the Thanksgiving meal so I went online and found a non-traditional pumpkin pie recipe. I've never even tried a pumpkin pie or dessert but I figured from the 600 positive reviews listed , there had to be something to it.

Luckily, a week earlier, I had frozen some fresh pumpkin puree which I thawed out and mixed with some eggs, butter, cream, sugar, vanilla essence, and a touch of cinnamon. I poured the mixture into a premade crust which had been in the oven for about 20 mins (see below) and was beginning to brown.

I left the pumpkin pie in the oven for about 65mins (a little longer than the recipe requires) and took it out to cool once it had set. The pumpkin is more yellow than orange which can be attributed to the fresh pumpkin puree I used over the canned. It looked and smelled delicious.

After leaving it in the fridge overnight I served it at the Thanksgiving dinner with some cream. It was all gone within 20 minutes. I have a different take on Thanksgiving now; its about family and more importantly it completely revolves around food. There's a combination thats hard to beat!

Paula Dean's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
• 1 piece pre-made pie dough
• Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes (I baked it for 65 mins), or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Butternut Squash Pizza with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions

Yesterday as my husband, Nadir, was leaving for work, I threw out an idea for a butternut squash pizza, to mentally prepare him for a dinner, that may or may not be edible (depending on how successful my experiment went). His response was a raised eyebrow and "interestingggg." Now, when words such as 'interesting' and 'unique' come into play in reference to one of my cooking ventures, its definitely a way to mask a growing apprehension or uneasiness on the part of my culinary guinea pig.

Unfortunately, the inspiration behind the pizza is quite pathetic. It was not inspired by the lovely thin crusted, fresh tomato topped, basil covered pizzas, that I ate in Italy. Nor did the delicious tartine, that I tried at a brunch place, covered with flavorful unique ingredients, get my creative juices flowing. It was actually a commercial for Dominos Pizza that I saw on TV on Sunday night, that had me craving pizza through to the next morning. I know anyone who claims to have a sophisticated palate is not supposed to admit to enjoying things like Dominos' pizzas, but as a student it was one of my staples, and I have to say, at times there was nothing that compared to taking a comforting bite out of one of their thin crusted pizzas. Anyway, before I turn into a Dominos commercial, lets get to the pizza I created.

I had a butternut squash in the fridge which I wanted to use up so I thought that if I could somehow incorporate it onto a pizza it might taste good. I looked up recipes online but nothing really appealed to me. They all used chunks of butternut squash and grated parmesan cheese with caramelized onions. I finally decided to bake the butternut squash in the oven and puree it, adding a little bit of milk, and then use it as a base sauce. I topped it with chunks of goat cheese and some caramelized onions, and then sprinkled it with a little bit of mozzarella. I baked it in the oven for about 10 minutes (as I had used the store bought crust).

The pizza was deeeeeeeeeeeelicious! The slight sweetness from the butternut squash was cut by the tartness of the rich creamy goat cheese and the crunch and flavor from the caramelized onions just put it over the top. I loved it. I looked over at Nadir as he took his first bite. His eyes widened and a satisfied smile followed. If an apprehensive "interestingggg" can be converted into that expression, I'd say its definitely a recipe worth trying. Its a little more labor intensive than most pizzas but it definitely pays off.

Butternut Squash Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 butternut squash

1/4 cup milk

Chilli flakes

Salt

Pepper

Goat cheese (About 5 oz)

Mozzarella cheese (handful)

2 onions

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Store bought crust

Olive oil (3 tbsp)

Directions for the Butternut Squash Sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Microwave the butternut squash for 3 mins with the skin on (this will soften the skin and make it easy to peel). Use a potato peeler to take off the skin. Chop into 1 inch cubes and spread on a foil covered baking tray (make sure you've oiled the tray beforehand so it doesn't stick). Sprinkle the squash with salt, pepper, olive oil, and 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Mix together in the tray and then let the squash bake for about 25 mins. Once it is soft transfer to a food processor, add some salt, pepper, and chilly flakes to taste and pulse until it has a smooth consistency. Slowly add in the milk pulsing a little at a time until it is thin enough to spread over the crust.

Caramelized Onions

While the butternut squash is in the oven cut up 2 onions and sautee them in olive oil on high heat for about 10 mins or until onions start to soften and become a translucent color. Turn heat down to very low and add the balsamic vinegar. Allow the onions to cook for about half an hour stirring them every 5 mins or so until they have caramelized.

Pizza

Assemble the pizza by spreading the butternut squash sauce over the surface of the crust. Add chunks of goat cheese and the caramelized onions, and then top it all with a sprinkling of mozzarella. Bake in the oven for about ten minutes and then serve.

Yam Fries

I had never eaten sweet potatoes until I tried the delicious sweet potato fries at the restaurant, Urban Solace. It came as a side to a delicious juicy burger, but once I bit into those slightly sweet, slender crispy fries, I almost forgot about the main course. The only reason that I can come up with to explain why these amazing fries have escaped me all these years, is that I haven't been exposed to much Southern cuisine. I really have been missing out! I also haven't partaken in many traditional Thanksgiving meals where I've heard sweet potatoes are usually found in abundance and for some are a necessary part of the meal.

Another common side found during Thanksgiving meals are yams. Yet another vegetable that I haven't been exposed to. Along with winter squash they are currently lining most of the stalls at my local farmer's market. Its exterior resembles those of ordinary potatoes but beneath its rough skin lurks a surprisingly cheerful orange vegetable.

I had heard that yams are both similar in taste as well as color to sweet potatoes. So, reminiscent of those delicious fries I had at Urban Solace, I decided to make Yam fries. I cut them into wedges rather than thin fries to make things easier. After seasoning them with some salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil, I put them in the oven to bake for about 35-40 mins. (See below)

They came out slightly crisp on the outside and soft and dense on the inside. They tasted as good as the sweet potato fries that inspired them; vibrant orange wedges, slightly sweet, and perfectly crisped. I dipped them in ketchup and it made for a great side to our dinner. They were much healthier than real fries (as there was no frying involved), and best of all, they tasted just as good.

Recipe for Yam Fries (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 Yams

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

1 tsp paprika

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with cooking oil.

Peel the yams and then cut into thin wedges. Sprinkle them generously with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder and add the olive oil. Mix it all together and then lay it out on the baking sheet. Bake for about 35-40 mins. If you prefer it crispier broil it for the last minute or two but keep a close eye on it because it can burn easily.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

Ok this is so embarrassingly simple that it doesn't even qualify as a recipe but its so decadent, chocolaty, and blissfully warming during the cool winter evenings that I thought I should share.

Nutella hot chocolate is my latest obsession. I've had some really terrific hot chocolates through the years including one in Paris which felt like it was eighty percent melted rich chocolate with a touch of milk for effect. It was out of this world but I could barely move after having downed it; it was basically a chocolate meal in a mug. Another great one (which they no longer serve) is the "Signature Hot Chocolate" at Starbucks. I enjoy it because of the unexpected hint of salt that brings out the rich chocolate flavor. Salt and chocolate might sound weird but trust me once you've had it there's no going back.

Nutella hot chocolate probably doesn't give rise to thoughts of diets and such but I actually have been trying to be a bit more healthy in general and I'm trying to cut out a lot of the junky sweet things I consume during the day minus the buttermilk pancakes I had for brunch today (oops!). I still need something sweet after dinner though to feel completely satisfied so this is my fix.

One night, I was craving hot chocolate but we had no cocoa in the house so I decided to use what was on hand. I added a tablespoon of Nutella to a pan on medium heat and then slowly added a bit of milk stirring constantly. Once it was fully dissolved I added the rest and turned the heat up until the milk was steaming. The result was delicious. The chocolate and hazelnut flavor are really rich and complement each other really well satisfying the cravings of even the biggest sweet tooth. If you're counting calories its about equivalent to having a chocolate bar but about a hundred times more satisfying.

Wrap your hands tightly around that steaming mug of hot chocolate. The best thing is that it just took minutes to make. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Nutella

1 milk skim milk (or whole milk if you prefer)

Directions:

Put the stove on medium heat and spoon the Nutella into the pan. Mix in a little bit of milk and stir until most of the chocolate is dissolved. Add the rest a little at a time stirring constantly and then cover and turn the heat up. When the milk is steaming pour it into a cup and sprinkle with a few mini marshmallows if you desire.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a special relationship with chocolate chip cookies. Its called LUST!

My eyes go a little blurry just thinking about them. Much like the image below.

I don't just love the finished baked product. I love it in all its forms and stages. It begins with the mixture of brown sugar, butter, white sugar, and vanilla extract. I eat about a quarter of it while stirring it. In go the eggs, then the dry ingredients, and finally the chocolate chips. All melded together to form a mushy doughy ball of chocolate chip heaven.

I love love LOVE cookie dough! Deciding between eating raw cookie dough or waiting for them to come out of the oven is always a close call. The perfect cookie is one that is lovely and melt-in your-mouth-chewy in the middle and crunchy around the edges. There's nothing that beats a good chocolate chip cookie with a steaming mug of milk or tea.

I've been on a chocolate chip baking/eating binge lately. I went to a Halloween party with all good intentions of making witch hat or black cat shaped cookies but in the end I knew that neither would measure up to the flavor, crunchiness, chocolate gooey-ness, of a real homemade chocolate chip cookie. They were a hit at the party and a week later I found myself baking them again for a sci-fi movie night (side note: don't EVER rent the movie "Splice"....it has a seriously disturbing storyline!). I tried a slightly different recipe each time so I'll share both. The first one was chewy, doughy, thick, and delicious while the movie night ones were thinner, crispier, and equally tasty.

Before I forget, I have to mention that since moving to San Diego I have discovered a dessert that should definitely be named after me and my love of cookies. Its called the "Pizookie." If you haven't already guessed, it's the melding of a cookie and a pizza; a gigantic cookie in a pizza pan with each quarter comprised of a different sort of cookie (I recall chocolate chip, oatmeal, and peanut butter) topped with about 12 scoops of ice cream. I hope my last meal measures up to this...

Now with the image of that dessert go whip up some delectable chewy pieces of chocolate chip goodness....

Thick Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (from allrecipes.com by Dora)

Makes 24 Cookies

Ingredients

• • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned. (I had to bake mine for 15-20 minutes so keep an eye on them. Time may vary depending on how large you make them)

Crispy Chewy Cookies (on smittenkitchen.com)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Butternut Squash

I never really ate squash growing up but I would have tried this squash anyway because of its name; there's something about the word butternut that conjures up images of delicious buttery smooth rich vegetables. I was first introduced to it quite accidently on a weekend getaway that I took to a quaint town called Carmel. It was Memorial Day weekend and there was a lively buzz about the place as citygoers explored the beauty of Big Sur during the day and sauntered through the specialty stores and restaurants in the evening.

After a beautiful hike through a redwood forest we were famished and strolling around Carmel impatiently awaiting the time for our restaurant reservation. We stumbled across a store with tons of exotic jams, spreads, and sauces. As there were so many people in town that weekend, they had several stations filled with goodies that you could sample. With no intention of buying anything we wandered around trying almost everything in the store and then I tried the butternut squash sauce. It was delicious! The sauce was slightly warm, had a buttery smooth texture, and surprised me with its unexpected punch of paprika and spice. I kept coming back to it and by the third sample I realized I couldn't go home without it.

Back in San Diego, I added it to some pasta and it was incredibly delicious. Come October I found butternut squash in abundance at the farmer's market. I brought home several and tried out two recipes. One was an effort to recreate the buttery sauce from Carmel and the other was a healthy adaptation of a Martha Stewart recipe. For the pasta sauce I baked the butternut squash in the oven for about an hour, then scooped out the inside and pureed it in the food processor. I heated it in a frying pan while adding creme fraiche a little at a time along with some paprika, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper, and stirred until I had the consistency desired for my sauce. It was delicious!

The second recipe I tried a few days later was Martha Stewart's butternut squash recipe. I cut the butternut squash in half and seasoned it with some salt and pepper before leaving it to bake in the oven. Once it was tender, I scooped out most of the inside and then pureed it in the food processor with some greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) adding some chives, paprika, salt and pepper for flavor. Once the mixture had a smooth consistency I scooped it back into the butternut squash skin and sprinkled it with some breadcrumbs and let it bake for another 20 minutes until the top was a lovely golden brown color. My husband was practically licking it out of the skin, a bit like I do with mangoes which I adore. It was that good.

Here are the recipes. Try them out while squash is in season. They are nice and hearty for the cooler autumn months.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

2 butternut squash

80z creme fraiche (or heavy cream)

1 tsp paprika

chilli flakes

Salt

pepper

Directions:

Slice each butternut squash in half from top to bottom, seed, and scoop out the loose fibers. Season each squash with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until the inside is tender. Scoop out the flesh and place it in the food processor and add more salt, pepper, some chilli flakes, and paprika. Blend until smooth. Place the mixture in a frying pan and slowly add the creme fraiche stirring to blend. When you have the consistency you desire add the pasta to the sauce and toss it. You can add some previously cooked chicken pieces if desired.

Adaptation of Martha Stewart's Twice Baked Butternut Squash Recipe

Ingredients

2 butternut squash

1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 teaspoons paprika

3 fresh chives, cut into 1/8-inch pieces

3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees with the rack in center. Halve squash lengthwise, and remove seeds and fibers. Sprinkle squash halves with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place squash on a baking tray. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer squash to a cool surface, and let cool enough to handle.

Use a spoon to scoop baked flesh out of each half into a large bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch border around six of the halves so they will keep their shape. To the bowl, add sour cream, paprika, chives, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix with a handheld electric mixer or potato masher until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the squash halves with mixture (discard remaining six empty halves). Sprinkle tops with toasted breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown and warm throughout, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve.

It is also excellent served on slices of toasted baguette bruschetta style.

Sirloin Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce

I've probably described my favorite steak to you in a previous blog. The one that I used to eat at Entrecote in Montreal where the tender meat with the beautiful butter sauce would melt in my mouth and the thin crispy fries were the perfect accompaniment.

No matter how many healthy vegetable dishes you make or low fat meats you cook, there are times when its virtually impossible to whip up a gourmet substitute that will fulfill a craving for a nice juicy piece of steak. I know a lot of people enjoy the purity of steaks, perfectly satisfied with a seasoning of salt and a few herbs, seared for a few minutes, and then served up on a plate. I, on the other hand, am all about the sauces.

I think it started with ketchup when I was a kid. I see my husband's nephew eating ketchup with a side of food rather than the other way around or my younger cousin happily munching away on ketchup sandwiches. I wasn't quite as bad but I do remember getting a raised eyebrow a few times when I was younger after asking for it at some fancy restaurants.

Thankfully, I'm not as obsessed anymore but whenever I'm looking at a menu I always find myself inevitably with a dish that has an appealing sauce. I was craving a steak a few days ago so after picking up two half pound pieces of sirloin, I decided to come up with a creamy mustard sauce to go with it. It was really really delicious. We were sopping up the leftovers with pieces of bread long after we had finished with the meat.

Its remarkably simple. I seared the 2 pieces of steak in a frying pan on either side for about 30-40 seconds. I stuck them in the oven to finish while I made the sauce. To the leftover juices in the pan I added some chopped onions and garlic. After a minute or two I added beef broth and then finished by adding some creme fraiche and a tablespoon of mustard. Once the steaks were done, we poured the sauce over them and devoured the meal within minutes.

Recipe for Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients

2 half pound pieces of sirloin steak

3 tbsp of finely chopped onions (about 1/3 of a large onion)

6 oz of creme fraiche

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 cup of beef broth

3 cloves of garlic

Pinch of salt and ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wash the steak and pat try with a paper towel to ensure that it sears well. Season generously with salt on each side and then sear in some butter or olive oil (I prefer butter) on each side for about 30-40 seconds. Put in the oven and check every few mins. I prefer mine medium well so I left it in for about 10 mins but if you prefer it medium or medium-rare take it out sooner.

While the steak is cooking chop up the onions and the garlic into fine pieces and add it to the juices that were left in the pan from the steak. After the onions have become soft slowly add the beef broth. Cook until it has reduced down (30 seconds to 1 min). Add more beef broth if too much gets absorbed. Keep stirring as you add the creme fraiche a little at a time. Finally add a tbsp of mustard and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to finish. Let the sauce cook for about a minute and then serve over the steak.

Fig and Honey Ricotta Crepes

I've discovered a fruit that I absolutely adore. Its a purplish brown color on the outside with a very thin skin. It is soft, filled with tiny seeds, and when bitten into releases a burst of sweetness. If you haven't guessed already, the deceptively unassuming fruit that I've been describing, is the fig.

I haven't been exposed to figs as much as I should have. It could be that I rarely encounter any fresh ones when shopping for fruits in the grocery store, or the fact that they don't seem to dominate the menus at the restaurants that I frequent. Let me tell you something. I've really been missing out. Luckily for me, a friend of mine brought over some freshly picked figs, from the tree in her garden, the other day, and I finally got round to trying them. We had decided to go out for dinner last night to a restaurant where I had excellent steak frites a few months ago. I hadn't eaten all day, and was famished, but the steak that arrived was disappointingly overcooked and tough.

I ended up leaving half of it and returned home feeling very disappointed and unsatisfied. My eyes fell upon the figs and my husband and I decided to whip up, what turned out to be, a delicious midnight snack. After cutting each fig in half, we laid them on a baking tray, sprinkled them with brown sugar, and then stuck them in the oven. While the figs were baking we added some honey and vanilla essence to the ricotta cheese that I had in the fridge. I could have honestly just eaten the honey ricotta by itself it was so good. We quickly made some crepes and added the figs and honey ricotta cheese.

It was a delicious combination. The smooth ricotta cheese complemented the juicy flavorful sweetened figs. I topped the crepe with a drizzle of honey and devoured two within minutes. Many people enjoy figs with goat cheese but if you're looking for something more dessert-y the ricotta is a great substitute. If you want to skip the crepe part completely you can just top the grilled caramelized figs with the honey ricotta and drizzle it with some additional honey for a delicious dessert.

Recipe for Fig and Honey Ricotta Crepes

Ingredients

Crepes (use store bought mix if available)

12 Figs

3-4 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Ricotta Cheese

2 Tsp Honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 F

Cut the stems off the figs and then cut them in half. Cover each half with some brown sugar and lay them face up on a greased or sprayed baking tray. Bake in the oven for about 30 mins. While the figs are baking take out the desired amount of ricotta cheese (you can use the partially skimmed to be healthier) and add the honey. Keep adding it until you have reached the desired sweetness. Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence and stir in well with the honey. Once the figs are almost done make the crepe batter and begin to make the crepes. After they are done, assemble them by adding the grilled figs and topping them with the ricotta cheese. Roll the crepes up with the filling inside and sprinkle some honey before serving.

Italian Tartlets

There's something about Italian food that makes my mouth water. It always seems fresh, simple, and above all flavorful. On a trip that I took a few years ago to Italy, we visited Florence, Venice, and Rome, and ate pastas and pizzas to our heart's content. Italian food in Italy is different from Italian food in other parts of the world. First of all, a real pizza is a large piece of dough which is rolled out until it is really thin, its topped with a fresh tomato marinara sauce and just a small sprinkling of cheese, before being tossed into a wood oven. The result is a crunchy thin delicious pizza crust with just enough flavoring on top to make you swoon, but not so heavy that you can't finish the whole thing by yourself. None of this deep fried pan pizza business, with chicken tikka pieces topped with five different cheeses, and some jalepeno peppers. I've even watched in horror as large pizza chains advertise kabob stuffed crusts on TV! The pastas in Italy were also to die for. Boiled pastas mixed with marinara sauces, sometimes pesto, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan, and mixed with meat or the vegetable in season. Fresh, fresh, fresh. Delicious.

I made a simple spaghetti with ground beef dish yesterday. As per the Italian tradition, I used fresh tomatoes for the sauce, as well as some onions, and lots of fresh garlic. I wanted something pizza-like as well so as an appetizer I made delicious tartlets. I made the base with puff pastry, topped it with olive tapenade made from scratch, melted some mozarella cheese on top, and then topped them off with some lovely cherry tomatoes. The puff pastry base was crispy and flaky while the saltiness from the olive tapenade really complemented the sweetness from the tomato and the oozing melted cheese kept me eating tartlet after tartlet.

One thing that I noticed about Italians is that they really take the time to enjoy every bite of every meal. Instead of eating dinner inside with the TV blaring in the background, my husband and I took the food out onto the deck and bit into the tartlets as the sun was setting. They tasted even better...

We could learn a thing about the joy of food from Italians. Julia Robert's summed it up in the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" when she addressed a friend concerned about her weight after devouring pizzas upon pizzas. "I'm going for it. I have no interest in being obese. I'm just through with the guilt. So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to finish this pizza and then we're going to go watch the soccer game, and tomorrow, we're going to go on a little date and buy ourselves some bigger jeans."

I'm glad I have the stretchy kind....

Tomato Basil Tartlets Recipe (by Giada de Laurentis)

Ingredients

• 1 (10 by 9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup olive tapenade (you can make from scratch if you can't find them in the store)
• 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded fontina cheese (or mozarella which I used)
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 6 basil leaves, chopped (optional. I didn't use them)
• Fleur de sel or other large flake sea salt

An Olive Tapenade Recipe

• Fleur de sel or other large flake sea sal
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup pitted olives
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp capers
• pinch of salt and pepper

To make the tapenade first grind the garlic in blender and then add all of the other ingredients. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.

Directions for Tartlets

Special equipment: a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter (Can use the rim of a wide glass as well)

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 16 rounds of pastry. Place the pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the pastry rounds. Place another baking sheet directly on top of the parchment paper to keep the pastry even while baking. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. ( I would recommend baking it for 13 minutes and then removing the top pan and baking it for another 3-5 minutes before removing it from the oven).

Spread 1 teaspoon of tapenade on each pastry round. Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese on top. Arrange 2 pieces of tomato on the cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped basil on top.

Transfer the tartlets to a platter and garnish with a pinch of fleur de sel.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

The cupcake saga began when I was living in DC. Up until I moved there, I had never been much of a cupcake eater, except for the occasional one here and there, at someone's birthday or farewell party.

Everyday, after having worked out at my office gym, I would head home feeling very proud of myself at having burned a few hundred calories. Unfortunately on the way, I would pass a cute little shop called "Hello Cupcake," and found that I had absolutely no willpower when it came to resisting their 'Vanilla Gorillas'; a moist banana cupcake with a delicious vanilla butter frosting.

To make matters worse, a few months into my stay, I found an even better cupcake shop called the "Red Velvet Cupcakery." They have a variety of different cupcakes but the only ones that I've tried are their Red Velvet ones. They are absolutely FANTASTIC! The cupcakes are so moist that they melt in your mouth and the cream cheese frosting, with just the right amount of sweetness and perfectly smooth texture, had me licking my fingers and scraping every last bit off the cupcake wrappers. If you're ever in DC, please please please make a trip there. You will not be disappointed.

After moving to San Diego, I've been searching far and wide for the perfect Red Velvet cupcake with no success. None have even come close to replicating the velvety texture and vibrant flavor of the ones in DC. I decided to take things into my own hands and made a dozen Red Velvet cupcakes from a recipe I found online. They are delicious and far superior to any that I've had here.

I can't stop eating them. It's like biting into a moist velvety sweet frosty piece of heaven.....

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe by Paula Dean (I've adjusted a few of the quantities but its essentially the same)

Makes 10-12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook's Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad

As the days are become sunnier, I've been eating more and more yogurts, melons, ice creams, and all other things cool and refreshing. A few weeks ago, after spending the day walking around in the sun, soaking up its rays, and getting a fabulous tan, I was feeling a little dehydrated and lethargic by the time I returned home that evening.

I scoured the fridge, and all that I had left over from my farmer's box ,was a measly lonesome watermelon. I cut into it, and to my surprise, found its bright yellow juicy flesh staring up at me rather than the pleasing pinkish hue that I was expecting. Perhaps everyone else in the world knows this except for me, but in my world, the only watermelons in existence are pink. At first, I thought it was a case of mistaken identity, but when I gingerly picked up a piece and bit into it, I found that it was infact a nice juicy cool refreshing piece of YELLOW watermelon.

I cut it into pieces and looked for some cheese to go with it. Feta cheese and watermelon salads are fairly common but the only cheese in my fridge was an enticingly creamy chunk of goat cheese. I decided to give it a try and topped the salad with a sprinkling of fresh mint and citrus dressing. It all came together very well. The sweet watermelon balanced out the tartness of the goat cheese and the freshness from the mint enhanced the overall flavor. This is a great snack on a warm day and takes about five minutes to put together.

Goat Cheese and Watermelon Salad Recipe

1 Watermelon

8 0z of Goat cheese

A few sprigs of fresh mint chopped

Dressing

Juice from 1 orange (1/4 cup)

Juice from 2 lemons (1/4 cup)

1 tbsp of honey

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil

Directions

Whisk together orange and lemon juice with the honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil and continue whisking until it has been incorporated into the mixture. Slice the watermelon and cheese and place them in a bowl. Finely chop the fresh mint and add it along with the dressing to the salad. The results are refreshing and flavorful.