Lingering

And here she comes...strolling back in after being AWOL for a little over a month...just like that.  ::Snap::  Just like that.  There isn't even a good excuse behind my absence.  I wasn't walking the streets of Rome or hiking through Denali National Park.  No, no, it was nothing like that.  It was just another one of those 'in a rut', 'no focus', 'all I want is a sandwich for dinner' and throw in a dollop of anxiety couple of weeks.

But here we are.  Halloween is four days away, which means that November is right around the corner.  Half-way down the next block is Thanksgiving, with the 'baking like crazy, drag out the box of decorations, and "holy crap, did you know there are only 26 shopping days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas?!?!"' holiday season.  And it's barreling down the roadway like an 18-wheeler that's lost its brakes.

So before the insanity begins, let's linger on Fall.  Let's take the time to watch the change of colours in the trees, enjoy the days with a nip in the air (I have worn long sleeves, a jacket, and a scarf already--all on the same day!) and even enjoy the Indian Summer weather (like today's 90 degrees).  I went to the farmers market in Burbank last Saturday morning.  It was lovely.  I hadn't gone in awhile.  It felt good getting up early and heading out in the morning chill, even before my first cup of coffee.  By late morning, that chill was replaced by an absolutely gorgeous Saturday of bright sun and blue skies.  I ended up at Granville Cafe, having brunch with the woman that knows me best (pegging my menu choice before I uttered a word), where we enjoyed a patio table, eavesdropping on conversations from the next table, and totally digging on the Dutch pancake with prosciutto and Gruyere in front of me.  A thin, dinner-plate sized pancake with slivers of ham and cheese speckled in the batter.  Some of the prosciutto pieces were a little crunchy from settling to the bottom while on the griddle, some bits of cheese were just perfectly melted.  I left exactly two bites on my plate after coming to the realization that I was just shy of eating the whole thing.  You cannot say I don't have a hearty appetite.

I spent the next couple of days fixated on those tastes.  While I considered making my own Dutch pancake, I opted to use the baguettes that had veered down the stale path and made a bread pudding, though I swapped out the Gruyere with smoked Jarlsberg and a bit of cheddar.  It felt practically decadent buying prosciutto, since it's not something I buy all that frequently.  A savory bread pudding is one of those foods that screams Fall to me.  It's a perfect dish when the weather begins to turn cold.  It's also easy as pie to whip together.  You'll probably have left-overs.  This is just as delicious for the next day's breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Prosciutto and Smoked Jarlsberg Bread Pudding

Serves 4-6

5 cups bread, cubed (i.e. baguette or sourdough)

½ cup onion, sliced thin

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced thin

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ cups half and half

3 eggs

¾ cup shredded smoked Jarlsberg

½ cup shredded smoked Cheddar, plus ¼ cup additional Cheddar

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 oz prosciutto, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté mushrooms and onions in butter and oil until onions turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.  In a bowl, whisk half and half, eggs, 1 cup cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic powder.  Add cubed bread and toss to coat evenly.  When thoroughly combined,  add prosciutto, mushrooms, and onions.  Turn into a 2-quart baking dish (I used a round casserole), sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over top and bake for 50-60 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving.    

'Tis the Season

No, no...don't worry...the tree isn't up, the ornaments and lights are still in their boxes, and there isn't a strip of tinsel to be found anywhere here yet.  It's coming though, faster than you may think.  Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away and I had already seen the Christmas decorations vying for space right next to the Halloween candy and costumes at Target.  I'm talking about that other indicator of the season, whether you call it the Fall Season or the Thanksgiving Season...I'm talking about pumpkin.

All over the internet, on Pinterest, and in the blogs I read, I've seen recipes with pumpkin--pumpkin roll, pumpkin donut holes, spiced pumpkin muffins, pumpkin- filled ravioli, the traditional pumpkin pie and loads more.  The Pumpkin Spice Latte has been back at Starbucks for at least a month.  So I decided to throw my hat into the ring and submit my take on a pumpkin something or other.  My pumpkin treat for today is pumpkin biscotti, because in my world, there is no such thing as too much biscotti.  I have to give this one to Kenny, lover of all things pumpkin, for giving me the idea to make these.  I definitely owe him a dozen of these cookies.

Being a relative newcomer to the Pumpkin Appreciation Society, I'm impressed with all the ways you can use pumpkin in recipes.  A word of warning, I still have pumpkin puree to use, so sooner rather than later, you just might see another pumpkin recipe here.  But for now, sit down with a cup of coffee, gather your energy for the upcoming hustle and bustle of the holidays, and have a cookie or two.

Pumpkin Biscotti
Adapted from Alice Waters' Anise Almond Biscotti recipe
Makes about 36-40 cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.  In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Whisk to mix well.  In another bowl, add the sugar and eggs.  With either a whisk or electric mixer, whisk until pale yellow in colour and light in texture.  Add in the pumpkin and mix well.  Gradually add the flour mixture and stir to combine.  When the dough is mixed, turn out onto a floured board and split into two portions.  Form each portion into a loaf about 12-14 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide.  Place about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
  
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Turn oven temperature down to 300 degrees.  Cut loaves into half inch slices and place face down on the cookie sheet.  Leave a little space in between each cookie.  (You may end up needing another cookie sheet for this or doing this in two steps.)  Bake again for another 25-30 minutes, turning the cookies over half way through the baking time.  Remove and cool on baking sheet.  

A Little Holiday Cheer...

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas...Happy Holidays...Happy Hanukkah...Fabulous Festivus or whatever it is that you happen to celebrate at this time of year.

Enjoy the time you spend with your family or if you can't be with your family, then the friends who have become your family.

May it be filled with joy, love, lots of laughter, and of course, good food with even better company.

And because I like it old school...it doesn't get much better than this...