Here in Connecticut, we usually have our first big snow storm sometime between the end of December and end of January. Not this year. We got our first taste of winter on Saturday with a massive snowstorm that dumped about a foot of wet snow on parts of New Jersey, New York and New England. We lost power on Saturday afternoon at about 2:30 p.m. and are still without it. However, after Hurricane Irene’s aftermath where we were days without power, when the opportunity to buy a generator arose on Sunday, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

The generator powers our fridge, internet, my computer, a space heater and a light. Everything else — running water, stove, heat, etc — are off until our power is restored. There haven’t been any real estimates on when that might — beyond the warning that this could be a long outage — maybe even a week or more. Read the rest of this entry…

There’s snow in the forecast this week. Snow. As in that dreaded white stuff that drove me to the brink of insanity last winter. So, yes, snow. In October. I really hope the forecast is wrong. It’s just too soon.

Did I mention that I donated all my winter coats to charity at the end of the winter? They were too big, so I made the decision that it was time for something fresh. But I haven’t bought a new one yet. So there’s that too.

If there was ever a time that there might be a need for comfort food, now is it. And mashed potatoes? They are total comfort food on the grand scale. Add some smoked gouda and a bit of garlic to the mix and you have decadent comfort food. Is there any better kind?

The gouda – smoked gouda, to be precise – adds so much to these potatoes. The pleasant earthy smokiness, like the lingering scent open burning in the fall (it’s not a bad thing, I swear), gives them both creaminess and that smoky flavor. There’s no need for gravy or butter — they’re perfect on their own. And the garlic? It plays a happy supporting role — not overtaking the flavor, but rounding it out.

Bliss in a bite.

I served these with Apricot-Glazed Sage and Garlic Pork Tenderloin, but they’d also be good with roasted chicken or a juicy steak.

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Pillow-y gnocchi. Sweet roasted butternut squash. A buttery creamy sage sauce. We’ve been eating variations of this dish for weeks now, but tonight … tonight it was beyond perfect. It was blissful. The thing that made all the difference? Adding a ladle-full of gnocchi water to the sauce, something that I discovered after reading Aviva Goldfarb’s recipe for Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Sage and Walnuts.

I love the way roasting the seasoned butternut squash brings out its inherent sweetness. It’s a nice contrast to the buttery sauce that turns downright creamy when you add a little of the starchy gnocchi water to it.

Well, Paige and I thought so at least … Will wasn’t a fan. I am not sure that he liked sage, which is fine since the boy eats just about everything. It’s okay if he doesn’t like one herb. Right?

In any case, if you like sage and you like butternut squash, you will love this dish. It’s quintessential fall.

Of course, we are hurtling towards winter now. As my kids and I were walking through Target the other day, I tsk tsk’d at the Christmas decorations infringing on the Halloween candy and costume space. I mean we are still a week away from Halloween. Then comes Thanksgiving. And only after that does Christmas arrive. Come on, people!

Except, in some ways, you kind of have to at least put a little thought into the holidays now … budgeting, for instance, is something I do at the end of October. Though I likely won’t shop until after Thanksgiving, I need to know what I am spending so that I save specifically for that. And yes, I know it’s crazy that I wait to shop. But it’s my tradition.

And then there is the whole Christmas cards thing (or holiday cards — whatever you send). Personally, if I don’t order them early, then I won’t send them. I need time to write, address and stamp (the stamps are the biggest part for me) my cards to get them out in time.  That’s why I always try to order them in around the end of October or early November. It gives me that time.

Shutterfly recently contacted me, asking me to share their 2011 card collections with my readers … and how could I resist? This whole project means two things for me: I actually have my cards already created and ordered AND I get to help you do the same.

So, I’ve spent the past few days looking through the many styles of cards available. There are all varieties of cards: whimsical, religious, classic … and I found myself drawn to the simple classic ones with sweet sentiments like “Joy” or “Rejoice.” But with so many choices, it was so hard to choose one (thank goodness for the compare feature — I marked the ones that I liked and went back to decide which one was best). Finally, I decided to go ultra-simple “We Believe” design that I just loved. It reminds me of our favorite holiday movie, The Polar Express.

Now that I’ve ordered, all I need to do is get them addressed, stamped and mailed. With any luck, they will be on time this year.

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When you’ve spent your whole summer on a loose and open schedule like ours, it can be hard to get back into the groove of things when the school year comes along. We definitely felt this more this year than ever. Summer was long and blissful. I smile whenever I think of the long bike rides, days at the beach and evenings reading on the sun porch. Even with the start of school being delayed by a week (thank you, Irene), we just weren’t ready for the order and strict scheduling that comes with school starting.

And boy, did it start. This year, our schedule is more hectic than ever between the kids’ activities, my work and juggling a confusing schedule of school pick-ups. With Will in the first grade this year, there is also a constant stream of homework and studying (he averages 2-3 tests and quizzes per week). Even Paige, who is still in preschool, has had homework this year, thanks to a new and enhanced school curriculum.

Talk about going from zero to sixty, right?

Tonight it occurred to me that we’ve finally hit our stride in this whole school year business. The kids have their after school routine down. Homework gets done with minimal resistance, dinners are back to being eaten in the kitchen at our table and bedtime happens faster and easier. Sure, there are times when the kids want just a little more time to play before bed (and I have to say no). But overall, things are flowing now.

Even dinner prep, which was a challenge for me in post-summertime, is happening on time and without so much stress. I’m back in the routine of cooking earlier so that we eat earlier. In summer, a 6:30 or 7 p.m. dinner was fine for us. But during the school year, dinner needs to happen at 5:30 or 6 p.m. The key to making this happen was relying on easy, minimal prep dinners.

Of course, it hasn’t been without challenge. Earlier this week, I mentioned that I’ve been in a bit of a protein-rut lately and was hoping that an assignment I’ve been working on with Costco and the National Pork Board might help me break out of it. Thank goodness, it did.

This pork dish — Apricot-Glazed Sage and Garlic Pork Tenderloin — may sound complicated, but it’s actually really simple: Cut slits into tenderloin and stuff them with sage and garlic. Bake for 30 minutes. Glaze with apricot and bake a little more. (Ok, there are a few little steps I left out, but you have the idea.) It takes maybe 5 minutes to prep. Now, granted, it does take about an hour total — from prep to plate — to get on the table. But it’s so hands off that it’s a-ok. And the leftovers? Perfect for another night’s dinner … or packing for lunch.

But what about the flavor? The sage and garlic subtly flavors the pork, without being overwhelming. (Note: you will want to carefully fork out the garlic and sage leaves before eating.) And the apricot preserves gives the meat a pleasant sweet coating all over — and no, it’s not in-your-face apricot flavored. In fact, Will likened the flavor to a sweet barbecue sauce.

Worth. Every. Bite.

If you want to learn more about pork and how to cook the many cuts of it, check out the Pork, Be Inspired website. Also, you should know that back in May, the USDA lowered the temperature guideline for pork loins, chops and roasts from 160 degrees F to 145 degrees F with a three-minute rest. It will be pinker than you grew up with  — but it will also be juicier and so tender. Trust me, you’ll like it. Ground pork should still be cooked to 160 degrees F. For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure that your meat is cooked to the right temperature.

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Today I went to the store with a short list that had maybe six things on it. But I left the store with at least a dozen items. How does that happen? Were the Brussels sprouts really so seductive that I couldn’t leave without them? (Yes.) Did I really need 18 eggs? (Yes.) And cake mix? (Actually, no, but I thought I did at the time.)

The grocery store is a wild temptress, for sure. Is it just me? Does that ever happen to you?

So, those Brussels sprouts. I didn’t really have any plans for them — I wasn’t even sure when I would use them. But, you know, I adore Brussels sprouts, so I knew I’d find a way.

I ended up whipping some up tonight as a little snack (they’d be equally good as a side dish). I roasted the Brussels sprouts with just a whisper of cooking oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Then I mixed them with walnuts and grated Asiago cheese. Finally, I finished it off with a drizzle of walnut oil. The slightly sweet roasted Brussels sprouts have a rich, warmth to them with the infusion of walnut throughout. Perfect.

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So. I’ve had a couple of butternut squashes in my fridge. They’ve been taunting me. Staring me down. Begging me to do something, anything with them. But I was nervous. It’s been years since I handled and cooked squashes in their whole form. Typically, I take the easy way out and buy squash that’s already been peeled and cubed. But I couldn’t let the squash go to waste. I had to overcome my nerves and just use it.

Turns out, working with butternut squash is way easier than I remember. Since I ultimately wanted cubed squash, I cut the ends of the squash off to make them flat — easier to work with the squash that way. Then I used a regular ol’ vegetable peeler to peel the skin (which wasn’t as tough or thick as I expected), taking care to peel away until I saw orange flesh. Finally, I sliced the squash in half length-wise, removed the seeds and stringy things and sliced the squash into 1/4-inch slices. I used what I needed immediately, dicing it,  and stored the rest in an airtight container in the fridge.

Honestly, working with a whole squash wasn’t any harder or more time consuming than cutting down the big chunks of butternut squash into a quarter-inch dice. And it’s way more cost effective. Guess what I will be buying in the future? Yep … no shortcuts needed on this one.

I’ve been roasting most of the squash and using it in different dishes. When you roast butternut squash, it becomes soft and sweet — a natural, light caramelization that’s just awesome. For this, I tossed the squash with a bit of olive oil spray, cinnamon, paprika and salt (a killer combination on orange veggies), which gives it a rich savory sweetness once it’s been roasted for about 25 minutes.

One of my favorite things to do with this roasted squash is to sprinkle it onto salad. It’s amazing, and a little unexpected. This salad combines the sweet, soft bits of squash with sweet-tart dried cranberries and warm, meaty toasted walnuts. It’s served on a bed of romaine. And one of my favorite things about it? It didn’t take more than 30 minutes to make. Okay. maybe 40 minutes, if you haven’t already peeled and sliced your squash.

It’s a great fall salad for lunch or a light dinner. Who doesn’t love a great salad?

What shortcuts do you take in cooking? Dish in the comments.

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Shawn says that dinners in our house are completely unpredictable (he’s right).  Sometimes dinner is something simple — like Quick Chicken Parmesan. Other times it’s a step off the beaten trail like Bacon and Kale Fried Rice. I like variety … and so do the kids.

Still, despite loving variety, I’ve fallen into a slump with proteins. It’s been chicken or vegetarian (with an occasional fish thrown in now and again) for awhile now. We need a wee bit more protein variety in the rotation. So when I heard that October is National Pork Month, and Costco and the National Pork Board asked me to be part of a campaign where I’d develop and share a family favorite pork recipe, it was just the catalyst I needed to break free. Read the rest of this entry…

I was going through photos today and came across ones from a Seattle bakery that I’ve meant to write about but haven’t yet. What better time than now?

When Cate and I jetted off to Seattle for Starbucks Coffee College back in May, we literally spent our last afternoon eating our way through Pike Place. It was glorious. Among our stops that day was Piroshky Piroshky Bakery in Place Place Market.

I have to tell you though: If not for a Top 10 List of foods to try in Seattle that Cate’s friend sent along, I wouldn’t have tried it. But I am so glad we did. Read the rest of this entry…

Can I tell you something? Lately, I have had to work on meal plans and budgeting for food. I simply have to spend less on what we eat.

For awhile there, my freelance writing business was booming. In fact, it was so big that I ended up letting go of a few lower paying clients. But this summer, one of my clients cut my workload (and my pay) in half. At first, it was kind of an abstract this sucks kind of thing.

But this month is when it really hit me. My income was substantially reduced, and suddenly I need to budget really well again. That means no more trips for after-school lattes for me and cake pops for the kids. That means using coupons again and paying attention to the sales flyers. That means seeking out work and making due in the meantime. (Anyone looking for a recipe developer/journalist/writer/blogger?)

As a result, I’ve been looking to less-expensive meals that are both easy and meet our expectation for really delicious dinners. Chicken drumsticks are a great budget-stretching meat to have in the rotation. Not to be confused with the mini ones that are a popular game day food, chicken drumsticks are larger and meatier. Two pounds of drumsticks with a couple of sides is perfect for my family, though you might want to go to three pounds if you are big eaters. The glaze recipe could be stretched to glaze another pound of drumsticks — or it’s easy to make a little extra.

These Baked Sticky Orange Chicken Drumsticks are delicious. They go perfectly with Kale and Bacon Fried Rice and a salad. And it can all be ready in under 30 minutes — totally easy too.

Also see Crunchy Oven-Fried Chicken Drumsticks.

I came up with this recipe after spying a similar one in an old food magazine. The original recipe from Every Day Food called for basting with marmalade only. However, I find marmalade to be too tart for our tastes. But combining the marmalade with soy sauce and rice vinegar, the sharp tartness is toned down and a richness is added without losing the orange flavor. The reaction was huge — everyone loved the sticky coating.

Do you have to watch your food budget too? How do you do it?

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The day that I heard there was going to be another pumpkin shortage this season, I ran to the grocery store and bought several cans of pumpkin to cook with. Call me crazy, but I couldn’t beat the thought of not working with pumpkin this season. It’s one of my favorite things to eat in the fall.

Really, can you blame me?

This cake is a great way to celebrate pumpkin this fall. With a moist crumb and a spiced icing drizzled all over, it’s an ideal after-dinner treat. And the flavor? It’s like if pumpkin pie and a perfect white cake had little cake babies that closely resembled the pie with the texture of cake.

See also Pumpkin Coconut Muffins.

Don’t let the longer ingredients list fool you: this is an easy cake to make and when you butter the bundt pan well, the cake just slips right on out. Easy. And if you are into cooking with your kids, this is a great recipe to do so with. My kids took care of the measuring and mixing of the dry ingredients (with supervision of course). They also could have (but didn’t this time) helped ice the cake too.

It warmed my heart to have the kids back in the kitchen to bake this cake with me. For a little while, Will and Paige just weren’t into cooking with me. The sound of chairs being dragged across the floor were silenced and replaced with the sounds of playing with Legos or games of imagination. While I missed their help, it was fine and I loved that they created all sorts of imaginative scenarios. I might have even grown semi-used to being solo in the kitchen again. But now all of a sudden, they’re back and more into it then ever — and I love it. Maybe it’s fall? Or maybe they missed it too? I don’t know, but I am happy to have them back at the counter with me.

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