Got chips?

It was mid-summer when I started dreaming up this cranberry concoction. While my family and I were contemplating whether the elevated temperatures really warranted turning on the air conditioner, I was also starting to fantasize about how I could take some traditional Thanksgiving tastes – like cranberry sauce – and give them a new life.

And this? This ain’t your grandmother’s cranberry sauce. Oh no, it’s totally different.

This Cranberry Salsa is made from ripe cranberries that I bought roadside on Cape Cod. It’s sweet and spicy, a perfect contrast to salty tortilla chips. It should also be amazing on a turkey sandwich … you know, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s something that you take one bite of and instantly want more. And perhaps the best part? It takes no time to make.

To make it hot, I used a habenero pepper, which gave it a hearty bite. If you like really hot, include the pepper seeds in the salsa. For a milder salsa, use a milder pepper like a jalapeno.

This might not be the sauce you thought you wanted for Thanksgiving. But it’s amazing — use it as an appetizer or alongside the turkey. The leftovers will be ideal for turkey and cheese quesadillas, nachos, alongside omelets …

But, that’s if you have any leftover to eat. It’s just so amazing.

For the recipe, head over to SheKnows where I wrote about three alternatives to cranberry sauce, including this one.

Until last week, I had never carved a pumpkin myself. There was this one time in high school where I insisted on having a carved pumpkin … but aside from a tiny knife jab or two, I didn’t do the actual carving. But on Halloween, I carved two pumpkins and my husband carved another two. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see them lined up and lit on our front steps … heck, I may or may not be still lighting them since I love them so.

Pumpkins are fun. They are also very tasty (and nutritious! Don’t forget nutritious!). Just look at all the pumpkin recipes I have written about lately. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Coconut Muffins … yum.

But the flesh of the pumpkin isn’t the only wonderful, edible, tasty part … the seeds are also amazing — especially when they are roasted. Between the kids and I, we polished off a whole batch of these in just days. Honestly, a few pumpkins are on my farmers’ market list for this weekend. I am hoping to puree and freeze the flesh and roast more seeds.

Chances are, the seeds won’t last long.

As far as snacks go, this is one that I can feel good about serving to the kids. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, they have a good amount of protein, iron and even anti-inflammatory benefits. For men, they may even help with prostate health.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
8 servings/2 cups

2 cups raw, whole pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Rinse the pumpkin seeds, removing as much of the pumpkin flesh debris as you can. Lay the seeds out on paper towel to get the excess water off. It’s okay if you don’t get it all.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the pumpkin seeds out and drizzle with butter. Use a spatula to mix well around the sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix again.

Bake for 40-55 minutes until the seeds are lightly browned. Stir every 5-10 minutes after 40 minutes for even browning.

Before it does though, I wanted to tell you about a great organization that brings a little something extra to the lives of people who are down on their luck. While it might not fill a clear-cut need, I think something that brings a smile to faces fills an absolute need of delivering a little happiness … a little feeling of being special … to people who really need it.

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Lydia Walshin of The Perfect Pantry at the BlogHer Boston conference. She is a food writer and founder of Drop In & Decorate, a Rhode Island-based, tax-exempt nonprofit organization. This organization provides support for cooking decorating events held around the country and abroad, with the cookies produced being donated. This year, the nonprofit has support from some major companies who are making it easier than ever to just drop in.

What’s it all about? Here’s the basics, direct from Lydia:

The idea behind Drop In & Decorate is simple: bake some cookies; gather a group of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, your worship group or book group to decorate the cookies together; donate the cookies to a nonprofit agency serving basic human needs in your own community. It’s a simple idea in a complicated world, and  something anyone can do.

If you’d like to host your own Drop In & Decorate® event, Pillsbury and Wilton would like to help. Pillsbury has donated 50 VIP coupons, worth $3.00 each, off any Pillsbury product — including sugar cookie mix, icing and flour — to be distributed, first come, first served, while supply lasts, to anyone who plans to host a Drop In & Decorate event (max. 5 coupons per person). And we’ll include a Comfort Grip cookie cutter, donated by Wilton, while our supply lasts.

Write to lydia AT ninecooks DOT com for more info on how to get your free coupons and cookie cutters.

It’s such a simple thing: to bake and decorate cookies. But it can mean so much. If you are looking for something charitable to do as a family, group or school this holiday season, check into Drop In & Decorate.

But this year is different. This year I vowed to be the mom who does. And so far, I am doing pretty well at it.

Sure, I might have packed these treat bags up while the kids ate lunch a mere 30 minutes before school today. But I still did it. And I was really happy with the results. Inside are some simple kid toys.

Most of all though, I loved the treat bags themselves. As I’ve mentioned, I adore Halloween … haunted houses, scary movies, the macabre. I love it all. So the creepy house on these cellophane bags? I just couldn’t resist. Total love.

So, tomorrow, Will will dress up as an adorable pirate and Paige as a pretty princess. Me? I’m going as a snazzy wicked witch. I cannot wait …

Do you dress up for Halloween? What will you (and your kids!) be this year?

“Mommy, what’s this?” Will asked me when he sat down to dinner and saw two spooky ghosts on his plate. I could see him thinking hard as he studied the white apparitions.  “Are they ghosts?”

Yes, indeed, they were ghosts.

I fashioned these ghosts from mozzerella cheese sliced from a block and slices kalamata olives. When I originally made these, I fastened the eyes with a dab of cream cheese, but I skipped that step this time. It’s nice to have everything stuck together, but it isn’t always necessary.

What I love most about these adorable ghosts? The flavors. Salty, brined olives are a fantastic contrast to the smooth, creamy cheese.  Cute is great, but cute and tasty is even better. Seriously. Will must have thought so too, because he gobbled them right up.

I love Halloween.

Check out the directions for this and another freakish (and yummy!) Halloween treat on my latest post at the Mott’s More to the Core blog.

So, where did we eat this weekend on the Cape?

The Cape.

It feels so unnatural to me to say Cape Cod. It’s so formal, like something that someone who hadn’t ever been there would say. But I’ve been there many times. As a child, my family would make a yearly pilgrimage to the Cape for our massive annual family reunion. There would be volleyball and lobster. My grandmother would convene with her cousins, the ones that she’d spent summers playing on beaches and swimming with. Meanwhile, I would search the crowds (yes, crowds) for my generation of cousins … the ones who, although older, would build sandcastles on the beach with me.

I have a great family.

This past weekend was the first time that my children visited the Cape. While I doubt they will ever connect the concept of visiting the Cape with huge family gatherings like I do, I certainly hope that they do associate it would good times and good friends. I have great friends too.

Alright, enough musings … onto the food.

The Sunnyside, Hyannis – It was pouring when we arrived in Hyannis on Saturday, intent on grabbing lunch and possibly heading out for the harbor cruise. Given the weather, eating at the clam shack by the docks was off (heck, so was the boat ride), so we headed back to Main Street and parked. When my friends spotted the words “A Family Restaurant” on The Sunnyside’s sign, we agreed it seemed perfect for our party of three adults and two little kids and dashed inside.

The food here is tasty and inexpensive — a very good combination. The children’s menu is basic and predictable, but that’s okay sometimes. Will had some sizable chicken fingers and Paige was happy to order a hot dog — her favorite. They both devoured their fries. Meanwhile, I polished off a flavorful and thick Monte Cristo sandwich with sweet potato fries. I definitely recommend asking to substitute sweet potato fries for the regular fries … very tasty.

The Lobster Claw, Orleans – When I was a child, my grandmother and I would eat out at Howard Johnson’s every so often. While there, she would inevitably order the fried clam strips. Somehow, I fell in love with them too, in all their rubbery goodness. I’m older and wiser now though, and can really recognize a good fried clam when I see taste it.

When I tasted the fried clams at The Lobster Claw, I knew for certain that these were fabulously good fried clams. They were tender and had that hint of salty sweetness that only comes with a good, fresh clam. The pile was huge, and yes, I devoured the whole thing. The kids chose off the children’s menu – fried shrimp and fish and chips. The big fried shrimp were meaty and delish, but Will wasn’t fond of the fact that they still had the shells on (and he wasn’t entirely sure where the shell started and the shrimp meat ended). I thought they were awesome though … not that I tried any of his or anything.

Cooke’s Seafood, Orleans – It seems like every restaurant on the Cape wants to proclaim that they have the best fried clams or lobster or whatever. I can’t really say whether Cooke’s claim of the best fried clams is valid or not, since they were out of them. But I can tell you that their fish and chips was made with beautiful fish. Will ate it all up, with not too much prodding.

As for their crab cakes, they were divine. I adore crab cakes. They are among my very favorite seafood dishes … and these ones? They are meaty. Some crab cakes have lots of fillers that give them a rich, bready flavor, but lack in the actual crab department. These, however, are thick and rich with lots of delicious, fresh crab meat. Total love.

What I wasn’t in love with though were the onion rings. I am a big onion ring fan, but my platter came with two that looked perfect from the outside but were too undercooked inside. I am just not a fan of crunching into onions when they are in fried ring form.

Also, just a note that their website is woefully out of date … it doesn’t even list this location, but I assure you it does exist.

Cottage Street Bakery, Orleans – If you go to Cooke’s in Orleans, then you need to pop over to Cottage Street Bakery, which is across the parking lot and just across the street. It’s a cute, small shop with a few tables inside and several picnic benches outside. The display cases are filled with all sorts of sweet confections.

I bought a peanut butter brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of peanut butter butter cream, thin layer of chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups on top), a mint brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of mint buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a coconut brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of coconut buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a carrotcake cupcake with a thick swirl of creamy frosting and a peanut butter cookie. No, I didn’t eat it all myself. I shared.

Will and I split the coconut brownie in the car while Paige slept. But it was so good, we didn’t stop there … we split the mint one too. And the mint brownie? Absolutely to die for. It was the perfect combination of mintiness and chocolate, creamy and cakey all at once … oh, it’s so good. If it wasn’t so far away, I would drive up for another. They are just that good.

Do you have a favorite spot to eat on the Cape? Share in the comments below!

It was a weekend that we had talked about for more than a month, sending links back and forth and brainstorming about things to see. High on the list was visiting a cranberry bog, which unfortunately didn’t happen. But we did score three pounds each of some freshly picked cranberries. Sweet! I cannot wait to get cooking with them. I have many great things planned …

Missing the cranberry bog wasn’t for lack of trying … we did what we could. We dropped in on an annual cranberry festival, where we ate some dried cranberries and scooted around a barn filled with people and vendors. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting. But the kids were pleased since they scored some balloons and got to meet a friendly pig.

We checked out a fake lighthouse at the fair grounds and a real one at a beach. We ate fried clams and delicious brownies. We went to a small museum, ate in a small local diner that I have been to dozens of times )but didn’t totally realize that until we were mid-meal) and managed to hit the better part of the cape. It was a total blast.

Many good things can be said about good food and good company … and we were blessed with both this past weekend.

Click through to see more photos from our trip.

What did you do this weekend?

When I was in high school, I had a close group of friends who always hung out together. As groups of friends go, we weren’t always all the best of friends — there were ebbs and flows, just like any relationship. But one thing was certain: when we got together, we all had a ton of fun.

One of those friends was Lisa. She was an honors student who loved English class just like me. We had most of our classes together, except for language — she was a French student, I was a Spanish one. So, we spent a lot of time together in and out of school. When I think of her, one thing that sticks out in my mind is her absolute love of Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I smile just thinking about her waxing poetic about their many virtues.

Now me? I don’t think I had eaten — let alone heard of — lemon poppy seed anything before her.  But once I tried them, I discovered that they were every bit as good as she said. However, unlike Lisa, I just couldn’t bear the idea of poppy seeds getting caught in my teeth (call me vain … ok, I probably was). So, I didn’t eat them often.

Last week though, my local supermarket’s bakery had mini muffins on sale and I picked up a package. I’d almost forgotten how much I love the sweet lemony flavor … mmm. But something struck me as I ate them: I still really don’t like the poppy seeds. I could totally do without them, in fact. That got me thinking about how I could have my lemon without the hassle of the seeds …

The answer? Blueberries. I mean, sure, you could make the muffins sans any additions. But what fun would that be?I am sure it would taste perfectly fine without them, but I don’t want fine … I want something that makes you swoon.

And really … lemon and blueberry are two flavors that really go well together. Aren’t they? Well, my kids and I thought so. I think you will too.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins
yields 12 muffins

This recipe calls for frozen blueberries. Be sure to pick up regular frozen blueberries, which are sweet. Wild blueberries are not recommended because they are too tart to create a good contrast here.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup nonfat milk
2/3 cup granular sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup frozen blueberries (NOT wild blueberries)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk to combine until smooth. Stir in the blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool for 15 minutes before eating. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Some foods are ubiquitous to areas. Philadelphia has its cheesesteaks. The south has its BBQ. New York has its cheesecake. Boston has its baked beans. But for every well-known regional food, there are dozens of lesser known ones that are just as wonderful — if not more so.

When it comes to greater Boston, one of those foods is the Roast Beef Sandwich. An area favorite, particularly north of Boston, it’s popularity extends across the New Hampshire line and down into Rhode Island too.

Let me introduce you to this glorious sandwich … The Roast Beef Sandwich is typically served on an onion roll, which is a soft sandwich roll that’s dotted with sweet bits of caramelized onions. My husband opts for a regular sesame roll, but you have to ask for that (and unless you are a total onion hater like him, I don’t suggest you do so). Onto that roll goes an eye-popping quantity of thinly sliced roast beef deli meat, which has been warmed on the grill. It’s doused with a spicy, loose barbecue sauce and served hot. The contrast between the sweet onions and the bite of the sauce is amazing.

Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my lips … this is an amazing sandwich.

Since this is one of those foods, of course there are many places to grab a Roast Beef Sandwich in the greater Boston area. But only one hold’s the distinction of being the originator. That’s Kelly’s Roast Beef, which opened in 1951. Kelly’s started as a walk-up beach eatery at Revere Beach. That location is still in operation today.

There are dozens of other places to get a Roast Beef Sandwich and everyone has their own favorite … they’ve even found their way onto the menus of chain restaurants like Roy Rogers (which actually makes a decent one … not as good as the real thing, but definitely a good attempt).

I was introduced to this phenomenon by my husband years ago, and I have to admit that when I heard about these hot, beefy sandwiches, I pictured layers of thick, dry roast beef sogged with gravy. That image obviously couldn’t be further from the truth.

Shawn’s sandwich of choice is from Blue House in Salem, NH (no, not a typo — there really is a Salem in New Hampshire … and it’s not the same as Salem, Mass.). This pizza joint-slash-roast beef house creates unbelievably thick sandwiches and a hearty amount of sauce. I have it on good authority that they use the Ken’s Steak House brand barbecue, which is sadly only available wholesale. Drats.

I’ve also tried Royal House of Roast Beef, which is located in Metheun, Mass., just off of Interstate 93. It’s in a strip mall with a Dunkin Donuts and a liquor store. The cash-only operation has sandwiches that aren’t quite as hefty as Blue House (though they are still pretty big). Ask for extra sauce, as I felt like they were a little light on it. But they still make a good bite.

So, could you make this at home? Probably. But the barbecue sauce is really important to the dish. It has to have the consistency of tomato soup and a definitive bite. I’m not sure of any that fit that bill exactly, besides Ken’s. The roast beef needs to be heated, but not cooked (you don’t want it to get dry!). And the onion roll is probably easy to locate. Really, it’s a matter of finding the right sauce.

What lesser known local favorites are popular in your area? Share in the comments below!

Other Regional Bites:

• Pasties in New Jersey

Last night, after a rushed day, my husband and I did something together that doesn’t happen enough these days: we power-cleaned the house. In short order, my office was transformed from neglected storage space to usable thinking space. By the time we were done, the bathrooms were sparkling and the living room picked up. It was a great feeling to wake up to such a tidy house today.

And having a tidy house? Well, that makes me spontaneous. Seriously. I was driving to the store today when I had an inkling that today might be a good day to invite someone over for lunch. I did – or tried to – but it didn’t work out. The quiche, on the other hand, was fantastic. The kids just ate it up.

I started with two big shallots. After chopping then into rings, I sauteed them in some olive oil, swishing them around with my favorite wooden spatula until they were all soft and caramelized. It’s important to smash them a bit while they are cooking so that they break up a little. The caramelizing brought out their wonderful subtle sweetness.

When it came time to make the quiche, I layered the shallots with some crumbled Danish blue cheese. Danish blue cheese is creamy and blends well. Some blue cheeses, like Maytag blue, have a major bite, but Danish is a little more subtle. Although it’s sharp, it mellows a lot when melted into the egg mixture. The result is this amazing flavor combination that is sweet, salty, savory and super … all at once.

After it baked up, the kids and I dug in and devoured it. Mmm, and was it ever good. This would make a perfect lunch with a nice green salad (we skipped that today) and some toasty bread. And best of all? It’s ridiculously easy to make. Totally perfect for an impromptu lunch date.

Blue Cheese and Caramelized Shallot Quiche
serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large shallots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
5 large eggs
1 cup nonfat milk
dash salt and pepper
1 frozen deep dish pie shell (I like the Oronoque brand)
1 cup crumbed Danish blue cheese (roughly 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sprinkly lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the frozen pie shell on a baking sheet (this will make it easier to transfer the quiche between oven and counter). Spread the shallots in the bottom of the shell, followed by the blue cheese. Pour the egg mixture in last.

Cook the quiche in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.