Even More Pumpkin ...

... are you sick of it yet? I might be. After the humiliating defeat of those cookie-muffins, I was just about ready to throw in the towel on this demented journey and pitch the remaining goo into the trash.

Fortunately, this Diva is nothing if not persistent and I resolved to give the waffles a try. The results? I think we have a winner!

Pumpkin Pecan Waffles:

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground ginger*
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
  
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup of milk (I used non-fat)
• 4 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup of solid pack canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup chopped pecan
  

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar and spices and whisk to combine well using a wire whisk. Reserve.

In another bowl, combine the melted butter, egg yolks and milk and beat well to combine. (This will work better if your yolks and milk are at room temperature.) Add the pumpkin to the mixture and stir well to combine. Add the pecans, stirring to incorporate and reserve.

Using either your standing mixer, or a wire whisk and a cold metal bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have begun to form. If beating by hand, add a tiny pinch of cream of tart to facilitate the process.

Gently fold the beaten whites into the pumpkin batter, by thirds, folding them in until the white parts of the batter have just disappeared. Use the standard folding procedure.

Spoon the batter into a pre-heated waffle iron and cook until light golden brown and cooked through out. See manufacturer's instructions for use of the waffle iron, as cooking times/needs may vary. Serve immediately, topped with butter and warm maple syrup. Enjoy!

~~~

A couple of notes on the recipe: I do not like a sweet waffle, so I've used very little sugar here. Feel free to up the amount if that is your preference. I find its best to have the egg yolks at room temperature and the whites cold ... so do what you need to do to make that happen. I crack the eggs and let the yolks come to room temperature, and store the whites in the fridge until its time to beat them.

I'm going to up the amount of spice next time. The 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon should be fine, but I'll use more ginger in the next batch. Again, its entirely up to you. I wasn't looking to create a spice waffle, so there's just a hint of warmth in the batter as written.

Lastly, and maybe this is why I like them so well, this is not a pumpkin-heavy waffle. The flavor is just subtle enough to be present, without dominating. If you're looking for more intensity, try using 3/4 of a cup of pumpkin mash. Play around with it and let me know what you think.

I'm delighted with these waffles and happy to end my pumpkin themed week on a high note. They're perfectly crisp on the outside, deliciously tender on the inside, and you can't beat the beautiful color. I'm marking this one down as a keeper - and the perfect recipe for using up that dreaded left-over pumpkin.

There's only one problem ... these waffles are so good I'm afraid I'll eat them all. I'm popping them into the freezer to save myself from myself! They'll make a perfect quick and easy breakfast for a husband on the go. I hope you'll try 'em!

This recipe will serve 4. Bon appetite!

The Great Pumpkin

I'm getting ready to carve this great beast - along with his brother who's currently adorning my dining room table - and I expect to be elbow deep in icky pumpkin stuff any minute now. While I don't love the prep work, I do love carving, so the ends justify the means. Our windows face the street and I like to take advantage of that this time of year and offer my creations to the masses.

Needless to say, I'll be roasting the seeds ... but you can't possibly need a recipe for that, can you? What's to say? Separate the seeds from the pulp, toss the seeds with some olive oil, dust with some Kosher salt and your favorite spices and dump them onto a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake them in the middle of a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 45 minutes or so, stirring once in a while, until they're crisp and light golden brown, serve and enjoy.

There's varying schools of thought on oven temp, baking time and whether or not one should wash the seeds prior to roasting ... I don't. I think they have more flavor when they are unwashed, but your mileage may vary, of course. And really, the baking times vary. Some years they're done in 45 minutes, sometimes its an hour. Use your best judgment.

Here's what I do know: they're delicious and the husband can't get enough of them!

As for the carving ... I've been doing the same design since I was a kid. I like big spooky eyes, some evil eyebrows and a giant fanged mouth! My pumpkins always look the same, its the husband who experiments. One year, after the Yanks had won the World Series, he carved his into the famous interlocking NY design on the Yankee caps. As soon as it went into the window we started to hear beeps and cheers from cars and passers by. What fun!

Obviously there'll be no Yankee themed pumpkin this year ... I wonder what he'll do??? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, what are you doing to celebrate this magical holiday? Scary Diva wants to know!

When Good Cookies Turn Bad ...

Its a cold and rainy day, the husband has taken ill, and I've got a huge can of pumpkin mocking me every time I open the fridge. So what's a Diva to do when such miseries ensue? Why bake cookies of course! Pumpkin cookies to be exact.

Bound and determined to complete my wonderful and terrifying journey toward pumpkin-acceptance, I've been busy devising ways to use up the open can. Intrigued as I am by that scotch laced pie I mentioned on Monday, I'm still not ready to take the pie plunge. I'm just not there ... yet. Cookies seem like a far friendlier, more gentle even, introduction to this fearsome ingredient ... especially if they're topped with chocolate.

Sadly, said cookies broke my heart. The flavor combination is a winner to be sure, but the texture ... ugh ... not at all what I had anticipated. The inspiration for this failed cookie came from a spice cookie featured in this month's issue of Woman's Day. While I did not use their recipe, I was completely charmed by their use of "Snowcaps" to top the cookies. I constructed a fairly standard dough, baked them off and topped each with a nonpareil. They looked great and tasted great, but I just can't get past the texture ... this is a cookie that thinks its a muffin. What the ...?

I'll post the recipe here, but not because I think you should try it. Rather, I'm asking you pumpkin using people, what went wrong? The finished cookie is entirely too soft and cake-like. Was it the whole wheat flour? Should I have used more butter? Help!

Rejected Pumpkin Cookie Muffins:

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice Powder
  
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• scant 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, room temperature
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup of canned solid pack pumpkin, room temperature
• Snowcaps for topping
  

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugars together in the bowl of your standing electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin and beat until well combined. Reserve.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined. Add the flour to the pumpkin mixture, by thirds, beating on medium speed until just combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked throughout. Immediately press a Snowcap into the top of the cookie. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

I was so confused by the resulting cookies, that I decided to bake the second batch in a mini-muffin tin. The husband liked those better and I think I agree. We'll eat them, of course, but suffice it to say this was not my vision of the perfect pumpkin cookie. Sad.

For only the second time I will not end this post with the phrase: "I hope you'll try it!" I hope you won't. What I do hope is that you'll send me a better recipe for pumpkin cookies. If you've got one, let me know in the comments or email me. I'm heartbroken.

Meanwhile, I've still got left-over pumpkin in the fridge. Is this a bottomless can? Next up: pumpkin waffles. Stay tuned and lets hope they won't disappoint!

Bon appetite!

The Other White Meat

This may well be the least appetizing picture I've ever posted. Apologies ... I was starved when I took it and in no mood to mess around with the styling. Having just completed a streak of somewhat accidental vegetarianism, I was in the mood for something heartier last night. Generally speaking, I'd say I'm a "flexitarian" - meaning I will actively choose to go meatless several meals a week. I've never been a huge meat-eater, so its not much of a stretch, but four days of veg only meals left me feeling quite carnivorous indeed.

That being said, I knew I wanted use the meat as an accent rather than the focus of the meal. Pork fajitas seemed like the perfect option. The meat I used was uber lean and I loaded them up with a rainbow of brightly colored peppers - including some from bro's wonder garden. They hit the spot!

I've adapted this recipe from "The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook" - and its not so much the recipe that I've changed, but the technique. The original calls for one to season the pork, cook it, then slice into thin strips. This just seemed rather silly to me, so I decided to slice the pork first, marinate it, then cook it. I like my version better and I think it saves time. Of course I added a few extras to the recipe as well. Having recently gotten my hands on the elusive Mexican oregano, I seized the opportunity to put it to good use here. The husband and I happily devoured our fajitas and I think you'll like them too!

Quick and Tasty Pork Fajitas:

• 1 large lime
• 2 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
  
• 1 tsp. of chili powder
  
• 2 large, boneless, center-cut pork loin chops
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 large yellow or orange pepper, cut into strips
• 1 small green pepper, cut into strips
• 1 medium red onion, cut into thin slices
• 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of non-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. jarred salsa (any brand will do)
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
  
• some whole wheat or whole grain tortillas

Cut the lime in half and juice one half of it into a medium sized mixing bowl. To the lime juice, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil, the garlic and the chili powder. Whisk well to combine and reserve.

Remove any visible fat from the edges of the pork chops and slice the meat into thin strips - about 1/2 will do. No need to be precise. Add the pork to the lime and chili powder mixture and toss to coat. Cover and let it marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the peppers and the onion and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and are just beginning to brown - approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the oregano, a dash of salt and pepper and deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Add a tbsp. of salsa and the juice of 1/2 lime, stir well to combine, then remove the pan from the heat and transfer the peppers to large bowl or dish. Cover with foil and reserve.

Return the same skillet to the stove and to it add the marinated pork strips. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently until all of the pork is cooked throughout. Return the reserved peppers to the skillet and stir to blend, adding in some additional chicken broth if necessary. Add the chopped cilantro, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes so the flavors will combine.

Spoon the pork and pepper mixture into the tortillas and top with any and all of the following garnishes:

• Salsa
• your chosen brand of hot sauce
  
• non-fat sour cream, or non-fat Greek yogurt
• some chunky avocado salsa*

* Combine the flesh of two ripe, peeled avocados, the juice of 1/2 a lime, some salt and pepper and a few tbsps. of jarred salsa in a bowl. Mash together with a fork until desired consitancy is achieved. Use as a topping for the fajitas or as a dip with chips and veggies.

I'm a big fan of the Ezekial brand "Sprouted Grain Tortillas," so that's what I use, and I do opt for the non-fat Greek yogurt as a garnish in place of the sour cream. The taste is virtually the same and you can't beat the protein power. The avocado salsa is especially nice ... and frankly that's the husband's recipe. He's famous for it!

As written, this recipe will serve 3 or 4 very happy people, depends on your appetite, but it can be doubled or even tripled easily. I hope you'll try it!

So, where to fall on the carnivore/flexitarian/vegetarian spectrum? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetite!

Let Them Eat Pumpkin!

Ever since reading the comments on Friday's apple cake recipe, I've been trying to envision a scenario in which I'd ever utter the phrase: "what I'm really craving is pumpkin-oriented things." I can't. I have an 0n-again-off-again relationship with pumpkin at best. And, in fact, avoided it altogether up until a few years ago. Frankly, pumpkin anything just plain freaked me out.

Then, in November of 2005, my friend V passed on her recipe for pumpkin cranberry bread to me ... with the perplexing preface that: "its a great way to use up left-over pumpkin!" Immediately I thought: "who the hell has left-over pumpkin?!" Swayed by the inclusion of all my favorite warm spices and my deep affection for all things cranberry - I cast my fears aside and went out and bought my first can of pumpkin. I've been making this bread ever since.

V's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread:

• 1 cup of canned solid-pack pumpkin
• scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup of whole wheat and 1 cup regular.)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of washed, drained and picked-over fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup of chopped toasted pecans, optional
  

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8 inch loaf pan.

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and to it add the baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk well with a wire whisk to combine. Reserve.

In the bowl of your standing electric mixer combine the pumpkin, sugars, water, eggs and oil, using the flat beater attachment. (Alternately, you can use a hand held electric mixer.) Add in the flour and spice mixture, 1/3 at a time, and beat until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the cranberries and pecans, stirring by hand to incorporate.

Smooth the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the loaf comes out clean. (Baking time will vary by oven so don't let the bread go unattended! My loaf was finished in an hour.) Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn bread out onto the rack and continue cooling. Bread may be made 4 days ahead and kept covered and chilled. I hope you'll try it!

Apart from the inclusion of the whole wheat flour, and reducing the white sugar just a bit, I really didn't alter this recipe. The original calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour and you could certainly go with that if you like. I could have chosen to swap out the sugars for agave nectar, but decided against it in this instance. If you're up for a total recipe make-over, by all means have at it.

The resulting loaf has a deliciously light crumb, and the combination of the warm spices and tart cranberries is delightful. Not to mention that, as the loaf bakes, your house will be filled with the aroma of every wonderful holiday you've ever had. Its intoxicating. Personally, I like this bread straight up with no adornment. Its great for breakfast, or as a snack with a cup of tea ... or ... you could do as the husband did and fancy it up for dessert.

While I have yet to become a total convert, I do adore this bread. Thank you, V! Who knows, I might even be moved to try the Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie featured in this month's issue of Bon Appetite. The recipe calls for the addition of some scotch ... and sure, if you dump a bunch of scotch into it ... I might be able to choke down a piece. Stranger things have happened. Pass the scotch!

Ironically, after making this bread, I'm now in possession of some left-over pumpkin. In a fit of lunacy I seem to have purchased the largest can of pumpkin imaginable. Oh well, I'm nothing if not a gracious hostess - so stay tuned for more pumpkin-oriented deliciousness. The people will have their pumpkin! I think I smell a series in the making ...

Bon appetite!

Tag, I'm It ... Twice ...

Two of my favorite virtual peeps, Sassy and Miss Caught Up, tagged me with a meme on the same day last week. So in a rare weekend appearance of The Diva, I now present to you - six random habits/things/quirks about me. I'll give you a minute to recover from the thrill of anticipation while I list the rules. ~wink~

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Let your tagged peeps know once your entry is UP.

• Although I love to bake and am well-known for my creations, the feel of raw flour on my hands really freaks me out. Touching flour provokes in me the same reaction as nails on a chalk board. ~shiver~
  

• I put my mascara on *before* my eyeshadow. This is contrary to every rule in the make-up book and I don't care! It works for me.
  

• I'm a little freaked out about this one ... but ... I may be developing a fondness for "Coldplay." Believe me, I'm every bit as shocked and dismayed by this as you - but I've downloaded an alarming number of Coldplay tunes in the last few months ... ok, two. But that's two more than I ever imagined I would. Stay tuned for future developments.
  

• I may need a tweleve step program for my coat fetish. My love of coats knows no bounds and borders on addiction. The husband may actually disown me if I buy another ... and yet there was this cute little red number in the Gap last week ... help me!

• I drink tea in the morning, not coffee, and I'm picky about the brand. I prefer Barry's Irish Tea - Gold Blend. I like it very dark and very strong, with just a touch of non-fat milk, and it must be served in a HUGE mug ... no pansy-ass dainty teacups in Divaland. I cannot and will not leave the house until I've had my morning tea.
  

• I bat left and throw right ... all the great hitters do. ~wink~
  

Although that's six, I'm going to add a seventh ... I believe rules are made to be broken - and I'm breaking the rules a bit here on this meme. I'm not going to associate a tag on this - because half the people I would have hit have done it already. If you're reading this and want to use it yourself - consider yourself tagged and go for it - but do let me know if you do. I really enjoy reading the responses to these things. Its a fun way to get to know each other. If you don't want to use the meme, by all means leave a few of your quirks in the comments ... curious Diva wants to know!

I've also received this lovely award from the always charming Miss Caught Up - and I must say the feeling is mutual. Amanda, you make me smile everyday. Thank You! On a similar note, I'm passing on this award to everyone who's reading or has ever read my blog. I'm immensely grateful to all of you and want to let you know how much you make me smile. Consider this a great BIG thank you for all of your encouragement and I say that with the utmost sincerity.

That's a broad interpretation of the rules to be sure ... but then again, the Diva has always been something of a rule-breaker ... and I'm guessing you knew that already.

Cheers!

Almost Virtuous Apple Cake ...

I can hear the cries of shock and horror now ... yes, that is vanilla ice cream next to the cake ... but before you send the sugar squad out to cite me for SB violations, do know that this is not a picture of *my* plate. The husband and I entertained a dear friend for dinner last night and said friend has a deep personal commitment to ice cream enhanced desserts. She's almost unable to eat a piece of pie or cake without icy accompaniment. I don't share her commitment. I really never have understood the appeal of soggy cake, not even when I was a child. Ice cream and cake do not share space on my plate. Period. And that has nothing to do with any diet, South Beach or otherwise.

The cake, however, does have something to do with my chosen style of eating. Its my updated version of a Mama Diva classic. Blessed with a bag of crisp Empire apples, I decided to give her Easy Apple Cake a semi-beachy make-over. I'm well pleased with the results. I replaced the white flour with whole wheat, added a bit of extra spice, and opted to replace half the sugar with agave nectar. Having only recently begun to explore the wonders of agave, I was a bit gun-shy and decided not to replace all of the sugar. I'm still a bit unsure when it comes to using this product and need to spend more time baking with it. I'm working my way up to it - but if you're confident in this area, by all means give it a go and use just the agave - about a scant 1/2 cup should do it. The nectar is pretty sweet.

Mama Diva had already reduced the amount of sugar in her version - she uses a half cup while the original calls for a full cup. Frankly, I can't imagine that. I think it would be entirely too sweet. Though, I suppose it depends on the apples you've got. If they're tart, or if you like a really sweet cake, you can certainly up the amount. Trust your judgment!

Almost Virtuous Easy Apple Cake:

• 4 Empire Apples (or any other firm variety), peeled, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup of agave nectar*
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. of ground ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, optional

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place the diced apples in a mixing bowl and to them add the sugar and agave nectar, stirring well to combine. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes. Then add in the beaten egg and the oil. Stir to blend. Reserve.

Place the whole wheat flour in a small mixing bowl and to it add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt. Stir well to combine, using a wire whisk. Add the flour and spice mixture to the apples and stir to blend. Add the vanilla and walnuts, if using, and stir to blend. Turn the batter out into a well-greased and floured 8 inch square glass or Pyrex baking pan, and smooth to fit the pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 40 to 45 minutes*, or until cooked throughout. Serve warm from the oven or allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

*There are conflicting theories about oven temperature as regards the use of agave nectar in baking. Some websites insist you reduce the oven temp to 325 degrees, others assure that doing so is unneccesary ... I have no idea which is correct. I can tell you that this cake baked up really fast in my 350 degree oven, so don't let it go unattended. Begin checking for doneness after 35 or 40 minutes, if using agave, and proceed from there. Or go ahead and try it at 325 degrees ... and by all means report back.

I'm delighted with whole wheat substitution - it lends a nice, almost nutty flavor to the cake that pairs really well with the apples and walnuts. I like to serve this cake un-frosted, but you could certainly opt for a light glaze of some sort or a dusting of powdered sugar if you're of the non-Beachy mind set. The finished cake has a moist, tender crumb and is densely populated with apples. Frankly this one's more about the apples than it is the cake and that's as it should be. Its apple season and they are to be featured, not buried!

Lastly, feel free to play around with the spice combination here as well. The original calls for just the cinnamon, but I happen to love nutmeg and ginger. Do as you see fit. Either way you'll be rewarded with a yummy, apple-y dessert that's just this shy of being virtuous. Why its practically a health food! I hope you'll try it.

So, what's your favorite fall dessert? Hungry Diva wants to know.

Bon appetite!