tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81901270859634028722024-02-18T23:18:41.714-05:00Nectar At The RoadsideElizabeth lives in Georgia. Rebecca lives in New York. Nectar at the Roadside is their home in between.Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-48064295520316411102011-12-05T20:09:00.001-05:002011-12-05T22:19:00.104-05:00When Was Thanksgiving?Oh...right, almost two weeks ago. Can you even believe that? When I was little, I never understood why my mother was so stressed out around the Holdiays (even more so than usual). She would always sigh and say how time went too fast and there weren't enough days in a year, and I would think "How silly! I have all the time in the world, and Christmas just can't come fast enough!" ...Well, here I am at twenty-three and time seems to just be flying past me and spinning me in circles as it does so. A day seems to be over in a matter of hours, and a weekend in even less. If this is how time moves for me now, I can hardly imagine what it was like for my mother having four children and a husband to take care of!<br />
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But enough about time, let's get back to the subject at hand: Thanksgiving. I meant to write a Thanksgiving post that weekend, but the days ran away from me. But I've finally received the beautiful photographs via email (which my sister had graciously agreed to take for me), and it's time to talk about some Pumpkin Manicotti with Gorgonzola Creme Sauce (hey, you've got drool on your face).<br />
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This year, my cousin Tina (our Thanksgiving hostess) asked me to provide the pre-dinner pasta course (pumpkin ravioli, she stipulated) and the dessert. So, because I didn't end up having time (ha!) to make homemade ravioli dough, I had to improvise...and manicotti seemed to be a nice little semi-homemade (back off, Sandra Lee!) alternative. Unfortunately, silly me didn't write down the steps I took to get to the delicious filling, though it comes very close to my <a href="http://nectarattheroadside.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-baked-ziti.html">Pumpkin Baked Ziti</a>, the main difference being that I roasted garlic for the filling this time (and I totally recommend you do the same if you take on the this endeavor). </div>
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When my cousin initially asked me to make pumpkin ravioli, I was so excited and couldn't wait to make another savory pumpkin dish; but I had to think long and hard about what type of sauce would top my creation. I wanted to do something different from the classic Sage and Butter sauce, so I searched the web, for some ideas, and found a recipe for a Gorgonzola Creme sauce. (I apologize for my unpreparedness because, although I used the recipe only as an inspiration, I feel I should've given the source some muse-credit).Needless to say, the sauce was a perfect creamy compliment to the manicotti, and the added crunch of crushed walnuts only made it that much better!</div>
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Thanksgiving is the super-spectacular kick-off to my favorite time of year (it is preceded by the super-wonderful<i> pre-</i>kick-off to my favorite time of year...I'm referring to the time from October 1st-ish to about the week after New Year's...). The transition from Autumn into Winter is, for me, the best of the best. The most beautiful crisp mornings, the flamed-foliage like fire in the trees, and the food - the food! When someone asks me what meal I'd eat before getting strapped to an electric chair, it's Thanksgiving, every time.<br />
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Thanksgiving also happens to be my cousin Tina's favorite holiday, and she definitely knows how to host an amazing dinner party down to the slightest details (her infant son was decked out in turkey gear, while her four year old marched around the house saying "Gobble, gobble!").<br />
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As party favors, Tina decided to get everyone cute, festive slipper-socks. Can you tell we're all related?...we all picked the penguins.</div>
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With only a few weeks left in my holiday kick-off, you can probably guess that I'm getting as much of my fill of Christmas music, Holiday movies, and peppermint hot chocolates as I did of my eight-course Thanksgiving extravaganza!</div>Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-48144286010063283082011-11-21T19:12:00.001-05:002011-11-21T20:43:34.363-05:00Foodspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Lizzie,<br />
It's been over a month now since we've posted and I think we're in need of a little foodspiration - just a nudge, or maybe a push, in the right direction. I know it isn't the desire to cook or bake that we lack (I made an Indian-inspired meal on Friday that I was quite thrilled about!), but maybe it's something different. I'm hoping this letter will be that little nudge that puts us back on our feet, back in the kitchen(with a camera), and back on the blog.<br />
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So the other day, I thought...in 15 or 20 years when VH1 makes hologram TV specials "I Love the First 11 Years of the 2000s" (it's a working title), will there be a featurette on blogging? Just imagine some washed up celebrity or reality show star (yes, there will be a featurette on them, too!) talking about how blogs exploded in the early 2000s, and undermine the whole world of blogging as if it were the computer equivalent to the pet rock. They'll laugh and joke about how everyone and their grandmother had a blog. Blogs about everything from crafts to coffee to the contents of womens' purses. And in my pondering, I imagined myself in front of my hologram television thinking about how offended I was that they would make fun of blogging and also how happy I was to have been a part of that world. Now, if we never keep up with this, we can never feel personally affronted by VH1 for exploiting our twenty-something hobby slash creative outlet, right?<br />
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How accomplished do you feel after writing a post? Don't you want to tell all your friends and co-workers to read it? to see your wonderfully creative recipes? to let them in on that little part of your life, however scary it may be to put yourself out there for the cyberworld to judge, to love, or ignore? Let's think back to that excitement we had the weekend we created Nectar at the Roadside. Recreate it! Don't lose it! Let's be foodspired and fashionspried poemspried and worldspired! Okay?<br />
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Love,<br />
Becky<br />
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just remember...<br />
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Our food doesn't have to look like this*...it just has to taste like it looks like this.<br />
<img height="640" src="http://joylicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/1.jpg" width="426" /><br />
...and if it doesn't, that's okay, too. We can make food mistakes, blog mistakes, and photo mistakes.<br />
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We don't have to dress or look like <a href="http://www.keikolynn.com/">KeikoLynn</a> to feel fabulous...<br />
<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6213038216_5a6f1ab363_b.jpg" /><br />
...we already are. Duh!<br />
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Kitties make everything better...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZ5QLxtbDLtvAU24g9OstL8R8kyKgB_944QrAdznsGX9DIhWn1t-2l5tbw2bSmCPC839fZW9B3qEaF2Co6koQg1qioIfxbfMO8Norn-fhBp4XUYZ4zSUpw_8rts8HFcX9NNisQHkIR-qc/s1600/299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZ5QLxtbDLtvAU24g9OstL8R8kyKgB_944QrAdznsGX9DIhWn1t-2l5tbw2bSmCPC839fZW9B3qEaF2Co6koQg1qioIfxbfMO8Norn-fhBp4XUYZ4zSUpw_8rts8HFcX9NNisQHkIR-qc/s640/299.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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And most importantly...<br />
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Dolly Parton believes in you.<br />
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Yay!<br />
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*photo taken from <a href="http://joylicious.net/">Joylicious</a>, who takes some of the most beautiful food photos ever.Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-65978449008766224522011-10-19T21:57:00.000-04:002011-10-19T21:57:39.009-04:00How to Be Fancy<br />
1. Roast some fresh squash with a little bit of olive oil and sea salt.<br />
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2. Chop up some pretty green lettuce (or just grab some arugula...arugula is always fancy).</div>
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3. Put thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples on your turkey and cheese panino (and use the correct Italian verbage).</div>
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4. Surround yourself with strawberry and parsley plants at dinner time.</div>
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Remember that <a href="http://nectarattheroadside.blogspot.com/2011/09/lady-sage-dressing.html">Lady Sage</a> dressing I made a couple weeks ago? I wasn't kidding when I said you could make it however you wanted. Tonight I decided to spice things up (haha!), so instead of using fresh herbs, I added cumin, coriander, and ginger powder along with some honey and olive oil. </div>
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Oddly enough, the combination of honey and cumin almost tasted peachy. I'm so used to salt and cumin together, that I didn't expect the flavor I created, and I fully intend on exploring it some more! Poured over my crisp romaine lettuce and sweet roasted butternut squash, this dressing was a lovely addition to my salad.</div>
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(focal black & white is also fancy...car insurance bills in the corner of the picture are not)</div>
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And what's that along with my salad, you ask? That's a turkey and Honeycrisp apple panino! Honeycrisp apples are the most divine apple ever created. Have you ever eaten one? It's what dreams are made of.<br />
During this season, I go wild for Honeycrisp apples. They're a bit more expensive than your everyday Galas and Fujis, but they are totally worth it. And, although they taste like sweet, juicy, crispy candy on their own, sometimes I like to incorporate them into other dishes. I sliced the apple very thin, and pressed it into my turkey and provolone sandwich on a hot skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil. The sweet tartness of the apple went so well along with the sharpness of the provolone. To be honest, I prefer apples and cheese to apples and peanut butter (but, then again, peanut is my least favorite of the nut butter family). I'd also suggest this with brie or Swiss cheese. Any cheese you choose, you're bound to feel fancy.<br />
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Buon Appetito!<br />
<br />Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-58977275487758592452011-10-18T21:32:00.000-04:002011-10-18T21:32:23.348-04:00Autumn Overload (and some soup)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Is anybody else as excited as I am about fall? I love everything about this season. The cool, crisp air that smells of spice and crunching leaves. Wrapping myself in a scarf and wearing boots, going pumpkin picking (even if it happens to just be at a roadside stand), and scooping the guts out of the pumpkin for carving. And maybe most of all, I love the food. Pumpkins, apples, pies, sweet potatoes. I've said it before, but I'm not sure I've truly gotten across my love of Autumn. If I could be any spice, I'd be cinnamon, and then I could eternally live in Autumn. It's so warm and comforting, but it also packs some heat. Sweet and sassy!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">*Courtesy of Bailey Joyce</span></div>
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On Sunday, I went pumpkin picking with my friends, and shortly after, we each carved our choice pumpkins. I, of course, chose to carve a cat. Fargo was impressed. (and naturally quite curious)</div>
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We finished off the night with some Halloween movies (nothing scary, as I really dislike horror movies). I feel as though I did a sufficient job paying homage to my favorite season.</div>
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Unfortunately, my camera was dead, so I was unable to take pictures of the pumpkin soup I made on Saturday (but maybe you've heard enough about pumpkins for today?) So instead, enjoy some sweet potato soup!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoZFXeh-N0ulCrcsp-j4egzkEc5mkSqPyngPtHkguGrHDDsJXLqCeQf__d0wD07K9IDojgEw5kKIrNTYOZkqthh2NH_3oyj9n_A6b8EgqhvL7TNdyiuAhpgIqoRm-sjhSGpTV6ZQ1FuXI/s1600/pumpkins+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoZFXeh-N0ulCrcsp-j4egzkEc5mkSqPyngPtHkguGrHDDsJXLqCeQf__d0wD07K9IDojgEw5kKIrNTYOZkqthh2NH_3oyj9n_A6b8EgqhvL7TNdyiuAhpgIqoRm-sjhSGpTV6ZQ1FuXI/s320/pumpkins+055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sweet Potatoes + Yukon Golds = Potato Heaven</div>
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I bought a whole bunch of leeks at the Farmer's Market. They are so pretty!</div>
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...but beware. Even though they're milder than regular onions, they'll still make you cry.</div>
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It's all coming together...</div>
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Now doesn't that look delicious? The perfect little lunch for a crisp Autumn day.</div>
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<br />Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-43943554091653185822011-10-13T22:51:00.001-04:002011-10-13T22:55:04.953-04:00I Had a Bad Day So I Baked Cookies and Ate Too ManyToday was just one of <i>those</i> days. You know when one thing goes wrong and then everything else seems to go wrong and the phones seem to ring off the hook and you want to yell at everybody? Well, I had one of those days today. By noon, all I wanted was my fuzzy slippers, my kitty, and a glass of wine.<br />
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I had actually planned on posting my brother's birthday brownie bars tonight, but when I started writing the post, I could still feel the pangs of the day poking at my sides. So why fight this? If I find baking to be cathartic and writing even more so, why not let out exactly how I feel...and sugar coat it, both metaphorically and literally?<br />
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So here goes...<br />
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Feel better already? Yeah, me too.<br />
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So at some point during my long, arduous day, I got a craving for molasses cookies (Yes, I'm still on a molasses kick). And I realized I have all the ingredients I need, and, since I couldn't find the recipe that made me fall in love with them last year, I decided to use <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/spicy-molasses-cookies-seriously-delicious/">The Pioneer Woman's Spicy Molasses Cookies</a> recipe, and tweak it to my liking.<br />
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Waiting for them to bake may have been the second hardest part of my day.</div>
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But in the end, the bad day and prepping and baking time only made these cookies that much chewyer, gooeyer, and transcendental. ...okay, maybe they weren't <i>that</i> good. But I feel better (aside from being so darn full!)<br />
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Here's how to make your day better:</div>
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<b>Spicy Molasses Better Day Cookies</b></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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3/4 c. butter, softened</div>
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1/2 c. white sugar (plus extra for rolling)</div>
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1/2 c. brown sugar</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1/4 c. unsulphured molasses</div>
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2 c. all-purpose flour</div>
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2 1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp. ground ginger</div>
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1/2 tsp. ground cloves</div>
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1/4 tsp ground cardamom</div>
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1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a large cookie sheet.</div>
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In a stand up mixer, or with a handheld mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg and molasses and mix until well incorporated.</div>
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In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/molasses mixture. Once it is all well incorporated, use a cookie scoop or a teaspoon to roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls on plate of granulated sugar until coated. Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool slightly before moving onto a wire rack.</div>
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Cookies are best when eaten warm and fresh from the oven. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-42694620536746184692011-10-11T19:05:00.001-04:002011-10-11T19:05:46.757-04:00A Love Letter to KaleDear Kale,<br />
Thank you for being so delicious and also so nutritious. Because you are a super food (it's true, go look yourself up on the <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/andi.php"><span style="color: purple;">Whole Foods</span></a> webpage!) I do not feel bad about shoveling handfuls of your roasted crispy goodness into my mouth as if you were buttered movie popcorn (which, in my opinion, does not taste nearly as good). Tonight, I roasted you in the oven with a pinch of salt and olive oil and lamented seeing the bottom of my bowl. Maybe tomorrow, I will sautee you alongside scambled eggs and mozzarella cheese. Or maybe I'll juice you. Either way, we will both be happy.<br />
Forever and ever,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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To celebrate my love of kale, here are some tasty recipes from around the web, and also how I devoured them tonight.<br />
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<a href="http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/01/kale-spinach-and-pear-smoothie/"><span style="color: purple;">Kale, Spinach, and Pear Smoothie</span></a> from Joy the Baker<br />
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<a href="http://www.shutterbean.com/tuscan-kale-salad-pecorino/"><span style="color: purple;">Tuscan Kale Salad with Pecorino</span></a> from Shutterbean<br />
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and even though <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/10/sausage-potato-and-kale-soup/"><span style="color: purple;">I'm not a sausage fan</span></a>, The Pioneer Woman can rarely do wrong.<br />
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Now, Giada will tell you to drown your kale in olive oil so they don't burn. I love Giada, but I personally don't like to put too much olive oil on my kale chips (true, I do think burnt roasted kale is yummy).<br />
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I lightly coat mine in olive oil and spread them evenly on the pan, give the sea salt grinder a few cranks, and pop them in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The leaves will be crispy and curly and slightly browned on the edges.</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I piled mine high in a bright blue bowl, eating
it leaf by leaf, while Fargo sat longingly across the table.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I couldn't not let him lick the bowl clean!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-23961157622037106472011-10-06T20:08:00.000-04:002011-10-06T20:08:35.683-04:00Let's Talk About Stuff!Stuff that I am totally into right now? Natural remedies. My three current obsessions are baking soda, coconut oil, and molasses. These are three things you probably have in your pantry (and if you don't, I strongly suggest you get them. Nudge, nudge.) So what's so special about these three things? I'm so glad you asked!<br />
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Baking soda (as I'm sure you've probably guessed from Arm and Hammer's myriad product line, and probably from years of studying your mother or grandmother's cleaning habits) is a naturally wonderful cleaning agent. A few years ago, I switched to Arm and Hammer toothpaste (and my mouth feels super fresh, and my teeth nice and slick after I brush) but it wasn't until recently that I gave baking soda the chance to really work its magic.<br />
Shampoo? Oh yeah. Mouthwash? You bet. Face wash? <i>Definitely.</i> It may sound strange, but trust me on this. Next time you're about to take a shower, grab a box of baking soda (I actually keep mine in a mason jar in my bathroom. But don't trying screwing the cap back on with wet hands because you'll drop it and it'll shatter everywhere and you'll cut your feet when you're already late for work...not that that happened to me on Monday or anything...)<br />
So grab a little handful of baking soda and trickle a little water into your hand so that it creates a little paste, and scrub it around your hair (you'll probably need two handfuls, but I have pretty short hair, so I don't need much). You'll want to massage your scalp really well, then rinse rinse rinse. Your hair will feel weird, squeaky, and even dry, but don't condemn me just yet! If you really hate the feeling, you can use a dab of conditioner, or about a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar in a cup and a half or so of water, then rinse. When your hair dries, it will be shiny and soft, and you won't be able to stop running your fingers through it!<br />
I also like to use baking soda as a face scrub. Sadly, I haven't had perfect skin since I was about ten years old, but after using baking soda, my skin feels surprisingly similar to the time before my teenage years of Clean & Clear and Neutrogena experiments.<br />
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So, want to love your hair even more? On a day (or night) when you don't have much else to do but watch BBC miniseries and episodes of Mad Men on Netflix, put some coconut oil in your hair and let your strands soak up the healthy goodness for about an hour or two (coconut oil becomes solid when it is cooled, so you may need to warm it up in the microwave first). After your movie is over and you've congratulated Betty Draper on her awesomeness, wash your hair out really well (using regular shampoo, as you've just put oil in your hair), and dry as you normally would. And then leave a comment thanking me for your luxuriously soft and coconutty hair.<br />
What else do I use coconut oil for? (Besides baking and cooking, naturally) I like to use it as a lip balm, lotion (but not on my face), and even a shaving cream! Your skin will be so smooth, you'll want it to be summer again so you won't have to cover it up! (But not really, because fall is the best. Ever.)<br />
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So what about molasses? You're probably thinking, <i>Oh God! She's going to tell me to bathe in molasses!</i> Don't worry. I'm not that crazy. I've been really into molasses lately, putting it in my oatmeal, my tea, thinking about molasses cookies, etc., not realizing it's kind of a sweet, sticky super-hero.<br />
Did you know that molasses is chock full of healthy minerals like copper, iron, and magnesium? Yeah, I didn't either, until I did a little research on this powerhouse of a sweetener. It's been rumored to help with acid reflux (which I happen to suffer from), clear up acne, reverse anemia, and even cure cancer! Seriously, I'm not making this stuff up.<br />
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So I've decided to embark on a little molasses adventure. I'm going eat about two tablespoons of molasses a day (either in my oatmeal, my tea or coffee, or in a hot cup of almond milk, which I hear-tell tastes like caramel) and see how it makes me feel. Maybe it'll prove to be a magician and my acid reflux will be gone. Maybe I'll have baby soft skin. Maybe (oh, did I mention this?) my hair will grow in thicker and richer, without any greys (hey, I'm only 23, but, I've seen a few).<br />
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So now I'm going to leave you guys with one last ditty of fun information. Did you know that brown sugar is actually just white sugar and molasses? So the next time you're baking up something delicious and run out of brown sugar, have no fear! Just mix together some molasses and white sugar and those oatmeal cookies will be just as warm and gooey as ever.Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-29248969783043357892011-10-02T23:20:00.000-04:002011-10-02T23:20:51.749-04:00Pumpkin Baked Ziti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When I told my boss I was making pumpkin baked ziti for dinner he looked at me as if I'd just told him I was making beer flavored cookies. I assured him, "No no no...this will be good!" but he was not hearin' it. </div>
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Well, maybe I can't convince my boss, but I certainly convinced my friends that pumpkin + cheese + pasta = greatness. And maybe you guys will be believers, too!</div>
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This weekend, I hosted a little dinner party for a couple of my friends. The whole week I debated what to make. Initially, I wanted to make crock pot chili with a chipotle cornbread, but there were time restraints, and waiting 6 hours for chili to cook, while on a cold, leisurely day, sounds amazing (and you bet your bacon I'll be doing that soon!) for Friday night after work, that just wasn't going to cut it. So I had to regroup and brainstorm. </div>
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Obviously, I've been on an Autumn kick, so I thought <i>why not make an all-in-one, roasty, toasty, savory dish to celebrate the month of October?</i> So that's exactly what I did!</div>
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First, you'll want to roast your pumpkin, and make the whole house (or apartment) smell like sweet roasted Autumn. Mmmm.</div>
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After the pumpkin has cooled, remove the skin and puree it with an immersion blender or good old-fashioned potato masher.</div>
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Mix the pumpkin puree with ricotta, one clove minced fresh garlic, paprika, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir it up!</div>
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While your pumpkin mixture hangs out on the counter, get the pasta going. I actually used penne because the store was out of ziti...so technically this dish is pumpkin baked penne. That doesn't sound too bad, right?</div>
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Next, heat up a large skillet with some olive oil. ...And I don't care what anybody says about Rachel Ray, she's totally right; olive oil on the stove totally smells good.</div>
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Throw in your onions and let them sweat until they become translucent.</div>
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Add your ground meat. Call me crazy...but I sprinkled some cinnamon over my chicken as it browned. Can you imagine how delicious my kitchen smelled? If you can't, I'll tell you. It. Smelled. Great.</div>
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Now throw it all together in a big ol' pot. Stir it around. Let the pasta, pumpkin, and chicken mix and mingle.</div>
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Put it all in your greased lasagna pan, and empty a bag of shredded mozzarella all over that thing. Then take a few handfuls of shaved parmesan and sprinkle liberally over the mozzarela. Garnish with a few sage leaves, and pop that baby into 375 degree oven and let it bake for 20 minutes.</div>
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Set up the table while you wait for your guests to arrive and for the ziti to bake. </div>
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Try not to drool too much while the kitchen fills with the smell of melting cheese and sweet pumpkin. </div>
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And pour yourself another glass of wine, because you deserve it.</div>
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When your guests finally stroll in and your baked ziti is cooked to a perfectly browned, melty goodness...</div>
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hand them each a huge helping of food and watch their faces as they devour it.</div>
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Do you have to guess? They LOVED it. Okay, I'm bragging a little but I can't help but feel a little pride at creating a wonderful, one-pan, October-licious meal (and proving my boss wrong!)</div>
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<b>Pumpkin Baked Ziti</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
2 c. pumpkin puree (pumpkin roasting instructions below)<br />
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
1 Tbs. cinnamon (plus more for sprinkling)<br />
1 tsp. paprika<br />
1 tsp. chili powder<br />
pinch of salt and pepper, to taste<br />
1 lb. ground chicken (or ground meat of choice)<br />
1/2 whole onion, chopped<br />
olive oil (for sauteing)<br />
1 package shredded mozzarella<br />
a handful shredded parmesan<br />
sage leaves, for garnish and extra flavor<br />
1 box ziti pasta<br />
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Pumpkin Roasting Instructions:<br />
If using a pie pumpkin, you'll need to roast it first. Preheat your oven to 350degrees F. Wash the dirt off of the skin. Cut your pumpkin in half from stem to bottom, then scoop out all the seeds (you can keep them for toasting later). Place each half onto a greased baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for 35-40 minutes. When done, the skin will peel easily away from the meat, and the insides will be mushy. Let cool before you begin the pureeing process. Puree with a immersion blender or potato masher.<br />
Preparation Instructions:<br />
(Note: the order in which you prepare the elements does not matter. You can even prepare some the night before if it makes the process easier!)<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.<br />
In a medium-sized bowl, combine ricotta, pumpkin puree, garlic, and your spices until well incorporated. Set aside.<br />
Boil the pasta (I'm assuming I don't need to give instructions for this.)<br />
Heat up a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add your chopped onions and cook until slightly translucent. Next, add your ground meat (and sprinkle in some cinnamon) and let brown.<br />
Once all the elements are prepared, mix them together in a large pot or bowl, making sure they are all well incorporated. Pour into a greased 14" lasagna pan and top with generous amounts of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Garnish with sage leaves. Place pan in the center of the oven and allow 20 minutes to bake. Let cool slightly before enjoying.Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-11112706055943527752011-09-29T20:58:00.000-04:002011-09-30T09:24:06.066-04:00Lady Sage DressingHave you heard of <a href="http://joythebaker.com/">Joy the Baker</a>? She's amazing. And, well, it's no secret that I follow her blog religiously and have made at least half of the recipes she's posted. But as much as I love her, I have to stray away from her recipes just a bit and give them my own little twist (and name...you'll see)<br />
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So Joy has this Green Goddess dressing that has always looked so fresh and tasty to me, and, although I love<br />
plain yogurt and use it for just about everything, I'd never ventured to try her dressing...until last night. (and boy, am I happy that I did!) I slathered my corn and avocado salad in it last night, and doused my arugula and chicken salad in it for dinner tonight.<br />
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So Joy's dressing is called "Green Goddess Dressing", and since I tweaked the recipe, I only thought it fair to create my own name, right? And Lady Sage seemed fitting. I'm a lady. I love sage (and, yes, I use it in the dressing).<br />
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If you eat a lot of salads. or if you don't. Even if you hate salads (really? you hate salads!?) You must try this dressing! It's so easy to make, and even easier to change it to your liking (the only rule is that you have to come up with a creative new name...I just made that rule up now).<br />
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Okay, so grab your plain non-fat yogurt, a handful of fresh sage, some fresh basil leaves, your sea salt grinder, pepper, a garlic clove (but don't use the whole thing) and olive oil.<br />
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If you're using a food processor, I envy you. I'm sure you can just throw all of that stuff in and watch it pulse. I am using my trusty immersion blender. (You can also do this without either, just mince your ingredients super fine.) Curl up you sage and basil leaves into little torpedoes and dice them, then mince about half the garlic clove. Throw these in the bottom of a blender-safe container. Next, add your yogurt and a little (and I mean little) drizzle of olive oil. Now blend. Grind in some salt and pepper to taste. And then taste it. It's tasty, right? Now put it all in a little mason jar or dressing spout, then pour it freely over your fresh, colorful salad. And save the rest for the next three nights' dinners.<br />
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<b>Lady Sage Dressing</b><br />
1/2 c. plain, non-fat yogurt<br />
4 fresh sage leaves<br />
2 fresh basil leaves<br />
1/2 garlic clove, minced<br />
1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil<br />
salt & pepper, to taste<br />
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see Joy's recipe here: <a href="http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/05/green-goddess-dressing/">Green Goddess Dressing</a>Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-2729177252588343662011-09-27T18:22:00.003-04:002011-09-29T16:14:43.411-04:00Let's Talk About Sweet Potatoes!Since Lizzie started us off with an Autumnal post, I'd like to keep the theme going.<br />
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Do you love sweet potatoes? Your answer should be a resounding YES! Sweet potatoes are wonderful. They're tasty just alone, baked in the oven (if you have the patience), delicious in pie, great as baked "fries", mashed, whipped, fried... really, I could go on forever...<br />
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite autumnal foods! ...along with pumpkins, of course, and honeycrisp apples (jeeze, oh man are they good! But I'll post about them later...)<br />
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Guess what I had with my salmon burger last night? Spicy sweet potato fries! And for dinner the night before? Goat cheese whipped sweet potatoes. And what I made for my friend Lisa for her birthday? Sweet potato granola bars. Are you sensing a pattern here?<br />
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Sweet potatoes are a staple food around the world from China, to Africa, to the Caribbean. They're super nutritious, versatile, and did I mention delicious?<br />
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How does Cinnamon Spiced Sweet Potato Chips sound? (...sorry brevity isn't really my thing.)<br />
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Put them into a sealable container with some olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper, ginger powder, and a sprinkle of sugar for good measure.<br />
Now shake is up so it coats each chip evenly. Go ahead - shake it. Pretend like it's a tambourine, you know you want to!<br />
Place them evenly on a baking sheet and put them into your preheated 400 degree oven for 25 (or more) minutes.<br />
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While they're cookin', pour yourself a big ol' glass of wine, and start preparing your other dishes (I'm making breaded chicken and sauteed spinach)<br />
You'll want to check them about half way between and give them a little shake.<br />
When the time is up, taste one to check for doneness. Done? Good! Let them cool a bit, adorn your plate with them and enjoy them with your chicken, spinach, and even a fancy yogurt dip!<br />
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<b>Cinnamon Spiced Sweet Potato Chips</b><br />
What you'll need:<br />
2 Tbs. (or more) of extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 tsp. cinnamon<br />
1 tsp. ground sea salt<br />
pepper, to taste<br />
1 tsp. cumin<br />
1/2 tsp. ground ginger<br />
granulated sugar (just a sprinkle)<br />
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...oh yeah, and two large sweet potatoes, of course.Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-75902395053493503882011-09-26T21:38:00.016-04:002011-09-29T16:21:48.317-04:00Sweet Heat Pumpkin SoupHave you noticed that pumpkin season is here?!<br />
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Cooks go a bit pumpkin crazy this time of year, but for good reason. Pumpkin is such a diverse fruit because it can be served sweet or savory. Not to mention it's delicious, healthy, and should be the official flavor of Autumn. So if you haven't jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon yet, I urge you to join us!<br />
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To kick off <i>Nectar at the Roadside</i>'s first pumpkin recipe, I am making my Sweet Heat Pumpkin Soup. I love plain pumpkin soup, I do. There is something very special about its simplicity, it usually being seasoned with only salt and pepper. But, if you're a spice/flavor addict like me, then you will probably prefer my amped up version.<br />
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Like most soups, we start with onions. I am a firm believer that when making soup, one should sweat their onions! So coarsely chop your onions (they will be pureed later anyway) and throw them in a large dutch oven or saucepan with butter. Cook them over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or longer, if you are patient. We are going for slow here, people. Let the onions and butter become comfortable with each other, because honestly, can you think of a better combination than butter and onions?<br />
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Once the onions are translucent and very soft, make a well and toss the garlic in. Cook until fragrant (15-30 seconds) and then toss together with the onions. I change my mind. Butter, onions, and garlic is the best combination.<br />
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Next, toss in your pumpkin cubes. If you are using canned pumpkin, hold off. Cook for about five minutes.<br />
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Add the broth, cubed bread, and apple. If using canned pumpkin, add now.<br />
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Cook on high heat until boiling and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.<br />
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If you have an emersion blender (cough, Rebecca, cough), I envy you. If you are old school like me, a regular blender will have to suffice. In shifts, blend the soup until pureed and add back to your saucepan.<br />
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Time for the fun part. Doctor up the soup by adding the pepper, salt, curry powder, red pepper flakes and cinnamon.<br />
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Give your soup a taste because it may need more salt or red pepper flakes depending on your preference. I believe in erring on the side of caution, so if you think it needs more, add it now.<br />
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Stir in the half and half and watch the color and consistency transform.<br />
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Pour in your maple syrup. Stir.<br />
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</div> Velvety, spicy, and sweet! Enjoy.<br />
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</a></div>Elizabeth's Sweet Heat Pumpkin Soup<br />
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About 6-8 servings<br />
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2 pie pumpkins, peeled and cubed OR<br />
2, 29 oz cans pureed pumpkin (I used 1 pie pumpkin and 1 can)<br />
2 large onions, coarsely chopped<br />
6 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped<br />
1 slice of sourdough bread, cubed<br />
2 Tbsp butter ( Use oil to make vegan)<br />
5 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper<br />
1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 Tbsp curry powder<br />
1 tsp red pepper flakes<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1/2 cup half and half or light cream (Use milk alternative to make vegan)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-58726506952024668442011-09-26T15:39:00.005-04:002011-09-29T16:22:13.609-04:00Recreating Recipes: Gimme Coffee!'s Orange Ginger Molasses Cookie EditionIf you haven't heard of <a href="http://www.gimmecoffee.com/">Gimme Coffee!</a>, don't fret, most people haven't. Gimme Coffee! is a small cafe chain that claims its roots in Ithaca, NY and has slowly trickled down to NYC. Ithacans are extremely proud of their Gimme Coffee! digs and if you have ever been to Ithaca, you may have noticed a Subaru wagon or Volvo 240 with Gimme Coffee!'s red exclamation point sticker on its backside. Gimme Coffee! is a really great place. Pretentious? Absolutely. You may not get a smile from one of their employees, but you will get outstanding beverages and baked goods. I recommend the chai! Super spicy and not sickeningly sweet. I digress.<br />
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Anywho, I now come to the point of this post: cookies. Orange ginger molasses cookies to be more precise. A little more than a year ago, I was at the Trumansburg, NY location ordering my cup of fair trade coffee, when I saw a delicious looking cookie in a glass jar on the counter. I decided to give it a try. It looked like a large ginger snap, but to my astonishment, it was moist and soft. It also tasted as it ought to, strongly of ginger and orange (too many so called "ginger" cookies do NOT taste like ginger). I had a new obsession, but unfortunately, it was short lived. A few months after my discovery, Gimme Coffee! changed bakers, and I was left to lament my loss.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I had only one option to taste these perfect cookies again, so I started experimenting. I was (am) determined to crack this cookie recipe. I have attempted half a dozen recipes or more. The end result is always either too cakey or too crispy, and never flavorful enough. I don't attempt the OGMC's too often, because I get really down every time I fail. Here comes the happy (almost) ending. Yesterday, I took another stab at them, AND I GOT THE CONSISTENCY RIGHT! Woohoo! Turns out the missing puzzle piece was an exorbitant amount of oil. I know, I know, not the healthiest thing, but I am not done experimenting. I plan on trying coconut oil and seeing what the outcome is.<br />
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I still haven't figured out how to make them burst with ginger and orange. I have tried fresh orange juice, zest, and orange extract, but the orange is always too subtle. I have also used ridiculous amounts of fresh and powdered ginger with no success. I do have ideas. Orange liqueur is an option, but I cannot see it bringing high intensity flavor. I am hoping that essential oils will be my golden ticket. When I was sampling recipes for earl grey ice cream, I had similar difficulties. No matter how many tea bags I used, my outcome was an ice cream that could only be identified as earl grey once I told the person trying it that it was in fact, earl grey. After a few bland attempts, the light bulb went off and I added bergamot essential oil (bergamot is what makes earl grey taste like earl grey). Ta-da! I had delicious earl grey ice cream. Essential oils are very potent. Using them in cooking is not traditionally done in America, but I recommend it. I promise to post about cooking with EO's soon.<br />
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I will be attempting the OGMCs in the near future, and hopefully good news (and a recipe) will follow.<br />
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Best,<br />
ElizabethAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8190127085963402872.post-79620625891763031552011-09-26T12:10:00.002-04:002011-09-29T16:22:30.656-04:00Sunday Spiced Banana Bread<div style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: url(http://assets.tumblr.com/images/input_bg.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 0%; color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 8px 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi there! Rebecca here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For my first recipe here on <i>Nectar at the Roadside</i>, I’ve decided to share my tasty Sunday breakfast.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes I wake up wanting something super-delicious, warm and toasty...don't you? And banana bread seemed like just the thing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So let’s get started!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">First, gather your ingredients, and watch out for the kitty in the background. He loves to help...not really, though.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I always keep overripe bananas in the freezer for times like these. So if you’re like me, take those out of the freezer and let them thaw.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img _mce_src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls3d8qMpoq1r0ltao.jpg" height="640" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls3d8qMpoq1r0ltao.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="492" /></span><br />
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In a large bowl, mix your dry ingredients. In another, mix the wet ones. Then combine, but don’t over mix! Oh yeah, you’ll want to preheat your oven for this…otherwise you’ll be waiting for that “I’m ready!” beep while you shovel banana bread batter in your mouth.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Let it bake for about 30 minutes while you browse the interwebs and/or wash the dishes. Or vacuum, you can do that too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And when the timer goes off…</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <img _mce_src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls3d9gU2FC1r0ltao.jpg" height="400" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls3d9gU2FC1r0ltao.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="328" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">…let it cool for fifteen minutes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I topped mine with creamed honey and almond butter. So yummy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Below is the recipe, adapted from Shutterbean.com…because I don’t have zucchini…</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday Spiced Banana Bread</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 c. milled flaxseed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp. baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp. baking powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp. salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 t. cinnamon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or more to taste)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 c. mashed ripe banana</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 c. milk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 large egg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp. vanilla</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Instructions:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients, breaking up the chunks of brown sugar as much as you can.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Create a well in your dry ingredients bowl and add your wet ingredients and the mashed banana. Mix until incorporated, but don’t over mix.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Coat a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and place on the center rack in your oven. Bake for 30 minutes (or until a knife can be removed cleanly from center).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Allow to cool before enjoying.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(Source: <a _mce_href="http://www.shutterbean.com/" href="http://www.shutterbean.com/" style="color: #007bff;" title="shutterbean.com">shutterbean.com</a>)</span></div>Rebecca A. Kowalskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353682925043989072noreply@blogger.com0