Parsnip Soup

I haven't been eating very well lately. I also have totally fallen off my working schedule. Partly because I did something to my knee skiing a few weeks ago, so I've been trying to take it easy. There has been a lot of pasta, and cheesy things being consumed. 

Tonight I wanted something will lots of veggies. Something light, and also quick and easy (since I was dining solo). A salad was my first inclination, but being January and all- I wanted something cozier. 

Months and months ago the BF and I shared a bowl of creamy parsnip soup at a local restaurant, and it was so good, I have been thinking about it since then.

Browsing a few recipes I found a recipe for Potato, Carrot and Parsnip soup.

It hit the spot! I halved the recipe, didn't use as much 1/2 & 1/2, and increase the amount of parsnip, and ended up with a really tasty soup that was quick, easy and delish!

Check it out if you need a quick weeknight dinner! 

While we are on the subject of soups...anyone have their own recommendations? I personally love a pureed soup, or lentils! 

I am not sure I could have taken a more unappetizing photo! This does NOT do it justice! But let's all have a laugh at my lame photography, since I was in such a rush to eat my bowl of soup!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Happy Halloween Friends!! I hope you have some spooootacular plans today!

One of my closest childhood friends had the mom who always had some homemade something around the house. Many of these treats were holiday traditions, or things she would make for special occasions. Considering I practically lived at their house in elementary school ( think America Girl dolls, Beanie Babies, Salute your Shorts, and old school Nintendo) I in affect adopted a love for many of the treats her family had, in addition to my own family's food themed traditions. One of my favorites that I adopted and made my own parents incorporate into our own holiday tradition repertoire was roasted pumpkin seeds. It was the perfect food tradition to tie with carving pumpkins every year.

Considering how serious I take my holiday traditions (I may or may not be a bit of a holidayzilla) this year I knew that carving a pumpkin meant I had to do it right. Now, I think I nailed the pumpkin I was going for using some power drills. So I was pretty thrilled when I ended up having enough pumpkin seeds from tha adventure to warrant making a batch of roast pumpkin seeds just like when I was growing up.

Normally one pumpkin isn't enough to get enough seeds, but I had picked a particularly seedy one which was great. Typically I would recommend to plan on having at least two pumpkins to gut to get enough seeds for this.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups fresh, raw, straight from the pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon Worester Sauce
1 teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted.

You are going to clean off those seeds until all the guts of the pumpkin are off. I try to clean off as much gunk as possible as they are coming out of the pumpkin and then use a colander that has bigger drain holes to wash them for dayz. Then you are going to boil them. Ten minutes. Just plop them into salted boiling water and away you go.

Now you need to get them good and dry. Like NO moisture, or the salt will clump up on you. I put to paper towels on top of a grated drying rack and move them around for a few days until they are dry. If the paper towel holds any moisture, you'll want to change that once a day. Mine took two days to get completely dry.

Once dry, mix the melted butter, salt and Worcester sauce. Include the pumpkin seeds and stir to coat.

Heat oven to 225F. Spread seeds out on a pan and roast for 1-2 hours. Mine typically take 2 hours. Take them seeds out to check for burning and to stir on the pan every 20-30 minutes.
Voila! Amazingly tasty roasted pumpkin seeds!

**As a side note, if you want to make these without the pumpkin mess, or in say, like July, check out the option to order plain seeds that you could just start at the step where you throw them in the mixture. 

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Browned Butter and Mizithra Dinner

So while I totally understand that Old Spaghetti Factory (or The Fac. as affectionately called be me and MOH) is generic Americanized Italian food I have a deep, unwavering love for their browned butter and mizithra. Sadly The Fac. does not exist out here on the desolate East coast. Kind of problem when I get a brownedbutterandmitzthrafoodcraving attack. So.... I whipped up my own version of this tasty delight. I figured the ingredients could not be too extensive. So here is it for all of you mizithra devouring individuals such as myself.

Ingredients:
Butter (butter is love people)
Wedge of mizithra cheese, grated finely (the only place I have found it here in the DC area is at the Whole Foods on Duke street in Alexandria)
Spaghetti
Olive Oil


Directions:
1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain. Toss in a glug of olive oil so the pasta won't stick together if you decide to keep any for left overs.
2) While pasta is cooking, heat a small sauce pan and put in about a 1/4 cup (per person) of butter. Slowly heat the butter until it has browned (yes, it is normal for it to have almost burnt flecks in it, but don't go further than that!)
3) Put pasta in a bowl, drizzle butter on top and sprinkle cheese, toss all together and inhale!

Trust me, not the healthiest meal, but cheap and very very tasty.

The No-Good-Very-Bad Attempt at Homemade Fruit Rollups

Well this was a epic culinary fail. But luckily for your entertainment....there are photos!!! Ok so the idea came from Darby (who is A-dorable ps) at A Fly Through Our Window (read her blog-- you will fall in love with her and her family!). ANYWAYS, she posted her recipe on her blog with pictures, and it just looked too good to not try. Plus, I love fruit leather, fruit snacks, fruit roll ups--fruit anything basically. So here is her recipe for all you brave souls who obviously aren't going to pay attention to my epic fail.

So it started off with a trip to the store. Then I chopped and cleaned my lovely strawberries (Which are totally a steal right now!).

      

THEN we stuck the berries in a blender (first time it has made an appearance since the move) and added the applesauce and lemon juice. I few minutes swirling in there and I had my beautiful pink/red puree.

After the blender we (I mean I) put it on the stove and added my sugar.

So at this point all is going/looking well. I reduce to the point of Darby's directions. Pour onto my lined cookie sheet and pop it in the over which is set at the lowest temp. my oven can go. So we wait. And wait.

and wait.

and wait...

and check on it.

and wait some more....

and some more...

and then it starts to solidify and look like fruit leather/roll up material. But the center was still gooey. So we wait.

and wait.

and then we ruined it. By waiting. Ruined.

Crispy, not rollupy.

Disaster. That made it in the trash.

Boo.

I have no idea what I did wrong, but I am kind of determined to get it right. A few things: I think I need to bake in a friend's oven (preferably one that is newer than mine). I think the temperature regulation was a bit off. Also I think I could have reduced it a bit more before the cookie sheet. Anyways, if anyone has attempted Darby's recipe and rocked it...send me your tips!

Table for One

I had some extra time the other night to actually whip up something other than a frozen meal or mac and cheese (don't get me wrong...I love me some mac and cheese) but this is one of my favorite pasta meals to make. Erin who stayed with me almost exactly a year ago gave me this delish recipe. I really suggest you give it a try!

1/4 cups butter
1/2 cups oil
1 tbs flour
1 clove garlic (pressed or minced) (I use like 3-4 cloves but I am a HUGE fan of the garlic)
1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts in water
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbs minced parsley (fresh or dried)
3 tsp lemon juice (better if straight from a lemon and not the bottled stuff, about 2 lemons)
2 tbs parmesan cheese
2 tsp capers
salt and pepper (to taste)
linguine noodles

To cook:
1.) In a large pan, melt butter with oil, add flour, and stir (3 minutes, on about high medium heat. Just don't let the butter burn!)
2.) Stir in broth (1 minute), reduce heat and add garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper
3.) Stir constantly for 5 minutes
4.) Mix in artichoke (with water from can), cheese, and capers. I like to break apart the artichoke hearts with a spoon if they are maintaining their shape in the pan.
5.) Cover and simmer (8 minutes) You can simmer longer, it gets thicker the longer you simmer.
6.) While simmering, boil up the noodles.

Add more of any ingredient to soothe your desires. I usually add more garlic and lemon than what is called for. This also re-heats for days later which is awesome left-overs!!

Anyone else have any good recipes they want to swap??