Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake Ever!!

The baby is sleeping, the house is clean and I finally have a little time to get back to what I love, food and sharing! In honor of Turkey Day, as I call it in my house, I am posting my Aunt Susan's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake recipe. Aunt Susan turns out a mean Turkey Day dinner, but this cake is my favorite dish of them all. It's moist, flavorful and the best thing is that it is super easy to make. In other words, perfect for this and any other mommy! Since I am such a fan of spices, I added a little clove and nutmeg when I made it, but even without it this cake is delicious! Dangerous too, I have been known to keep slicing little slivers until I ended up eating half the cake :)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1.5 cups vegetable oil

1 can canned pumpkin (or 1.5 cups fresh cooked pumpkin)

3 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Combine the wet ingredients, sift the dry ingredients together and then combine both the wet and dry ingredients together. Add chocolate chips and stir until they are evenly dispersed. Cook at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Add a touch of nutmeg and clove if you want. I used a 1/8 of a tsp of ground clove and 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg.

Use a well greased/floured bunt pan or a loaf pan. In the above picture I added chocolate chips on the top before I started baking and found out later that they started to burn. Better to just keep them in the batter.

Remember to keep it easy and fun! Better to have good food and great company than perfect food and a stressed out host!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Awesome Summer Fruit Crisp

It has been awhile since I have posted anything sweet and with summer producing so many luscious fruits and berries, I figured a nice recipe for a fruit crisp was warranted. This recipe came from an old roommate and was initially intended to be used on top of Granny Smith apples. Although I have made it with apples many times, over the years I have experimented with other fruits including, plums, peaches, blueberries and raspberries. They all are equally as good and when topped with homemade vanilla ice cream this dish is divine! This is one of my ,favorite desserts and the only problem with this recipe is that I have been known to wake up in the middle of the night and scarf some down with a glass of cold milk!

Ingredients:

- 5 ripe, but slightly firm, medium peaches (if they are super ripe the dish can get mushy)

- 1 cup blueberries

- 1 cup raspberries

For the topping

- 8 Tbs cold butter cut in pieces

- 1 cup sugar (I often make this with 3/4 of sugar if I am serving the crisp with ice cream so it is not too sweet)(brown sugar is nice with apples, but only use 3/4 of a cup)

- 3/4 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons (you can also do 1/2 flour and half quick cooking oats)

- dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Butter a baking dish and add sliced peaches, blueberries and raspberries. Sprinkle two tablespoons of flour over the fruit and gently toss.

Cut/blend the sugar, remaining flour and butter together until crumbly. If using a food processor, pulse the ingredients together. I also have used a fork and my hands. If using your hands make sure they are cold! Whatever your method, be careful not to overwork the ingredients or the topping will become one big fat glob!

Add topping over fruit, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Put your baking dish on top of a sheet pan so juices from the fruit do not boil over and end up in the bottom of your oven. You can also make this in individual ramekins, but reduce the cooking time.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream! Reheats beautifully if you want to make it the day before! Easier than pie to make and sure to impress your most discerning guests!

Yum!

Herbed Greek Meat Patties with Tzaziki Sauce and Feta Oregano French Fries

I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I started my blog. So much has happened, including the birth of my son Christian! I started to blog before I got pregnant and clearly little Christian took up most of my time over the past year. Now that he is out and almost three months old, I can finally get back to my other love, cooking! In honor of baby Christian and my recent move to the Greek community Astoria, I am posting my Grandmother’s recipe for Keftedaki, aka Greek herbed meat patties. These are super kid friendly and can even be made in larger portions to serve as a burger for a summer barbeque. If you do decide to serve them as a burger try topping them with tzaziki sauce or feta. At one point I will post my spicy feta dip recipe which would be equally delicious. If you are desperate for the recipe now, feel free to email me for an immediate response. I like serving the keftedaki with tzaziki sauce, a Greek green salad and French fries topped with oregano and feta.

Keftedaki - Greek Herbed Meat Patties/Burgers/Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground lamb (these proportions can be adjusted to your taste)

¾ cup grated (or super finely chopped) red onion (about one medium onion)

¾ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

¼ cup finely chopped mint (not spearmint!)

½ cup to1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs (just enough to absorb the excess moisture)

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. Greek or Mexican oregano

1 tsp lemon juice

2 beaten eggs

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Flour and vegetable oil if pan frying*

Directions

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix, making sure not to overwork the meat. For best results mix the day before (leaving the eggs and breadcrumbs out) and let rest 24 hours so the flavors can combine. When ready to cook add the eggs and breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Make little meat balls, patties or burgers. Grill or pan fry. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

I like salt so I put about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, note that regular table salt is MUCH saltier so use half. After you combine everything make one small meatball and cook it before the rest to taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly.

*Flour and vegetable oil only if you are going to make little round balls to pan fry. These are great if you are doing a dinner party. Roll the balls and coat them in flour, remove any excess before adding to the oil. Drain on paper towels and then serve them on a platter with the tzaziki sauce for dipping.

Although I like to mix the three meats, feel free to use only one kind if you do not eat pork or do not like the gaminess of lamb. I would, however, try it with the lamb at least once since it adds fabulous flavor. I imagine the recipe would also work with ground turkey or chicken even though I have never tried it.

Best Taziziki Sauce

Ingredients

1 17.6 ounce container of either 0%, 2% or full fat Total Greek strained yogurt. Of course full fat is best. (I highly recommend using this brand since it makes all the difference in the world. You can try other strained yogurts or make your own strained yogurt by using cheese cloth to strain regular yogurt.)

1 cup finely chopped peeled and seeded English cucumber (about a 2 to 1 ratio with yogurt.)

2-3 crushed garlic cloves (if I am not pressed for time I use a mortar and pestle and mash the garlic with a little salt. If I am busy, I use a garlic press)

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Salt to taste

Directions

Combine all the ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator overnight or at least for a couple hours. As the tzaziki sits, the garlic will become more pronounced so if you want to add more garlic I would recommend doing it the next day. Some people prefer grating the cucumber and also adding dill. That is not how my family makes it, but either way is correct. I personally like the crunchiness of the cucumber when it is chopped versus grated.

To seed the cucumber cut it in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. If the cucumber is super watery you can remove excess water by placing the chopped cucumber on a paper towel in a colander and letting it sit for a few hours.

Finished tzaziki topped with olive oil

Feta Oregano French Fries

Ingredients

1/2 lb Good Greek or Bulgarian Feta

1 Tbs Greek or Mexican Oregano

salt and freshly ground back pepper

French Fries (follow the link below or use your own favorite recipe.) I like to fry my French fries in olive oil. It is expensive but it tastes so good and that's how we do it in Greece.

Directions

As any new mother knows, time is now super limited. In order to conserve energy I have posted a link to my friend Azmina’s recipe for French fries. Simply follow her directions and sprinkle with crumbled feta and oregano as pictured below.

http://www.lawyerloveslunch.com/2010/06/quest-for-perfect-homemade-french-fry.html

It's good to be back!

XOXO

Kat and Baby Christian

Super Easy and Tasty, Braised Short Ribs

With the New Year, comes a new post! It has been a super long time since I have written anything, but I have a good excuse. I started my blog in late April and then in early May I became pregnant! So as you can imagine the only thing I was cooking was the bun in my oven J. Despite the fact that I am due this month, we had to move last week so for the first time in my life I regretted having over 200 cookbooks and kitchen gadgets. I finally finished putting my kitchen away yesterday and with its completion, came inspiration. I decided to make something easy for New Year’s Eve dinner since a) I am super tired, and b) my Fred Flinstone swollen ankles can only handle me standing for so long. So in case you happen to be 9 months pregnant, just moved and are still working full time, this is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:

4 ½ lbs short ribs (bone in or out) cut in 3 ½ inch pieces.

1 package sliced button mushrooms

6 sprigs of Italian parsley

1 small chopped yellow onion

6 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

2 cups red wine

1 can chopped tomatoes

kosher salt

black pepper

olive oil for searing

Directions:

Liberally salt and pepper the short ribs and sear them until the reach a nice dark brown color.

(This is where having the new All Clad Slow Cooker would come in handy since it allows you to sear in the slow cooking insert. I unfortunately bought mine right before they introduced the one with the metal insert and cannot buy it separately. If anyone knows any executives at All Clad, please explain to them that this is a serious crisis which only they can resolve!)

Remove the short ribs and place them in your slow cooker. Top with the parsley, garlic cloves and bay leaves.

In the same pot where you seared the meat, sauté the onions until softened slightly (add more oil if necessary). Be sure to scrape the pot to pick up the brown bits that have stuck to the bottom. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for a couple more minutes.

Add the red wine and tomatoes and stir to incorporate. Pour over the ribs.

Set your slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.

After the dish is ready, I like to scoop out the meat and strain the remaining juices to remove any excess fat. At this point you can also adjust the seasoning. Alternately you can refrigerate this overnight and then the next day take off the excess fat that has accumulated on the top. In fact this dish tastes even better the second day!

If you find the remaining sauce too thin you can reduce it.

Serve over polenta, fresh pasta, or with crusty bread. Top with parmesan if you have it. I also like to serve it with caramelized carrots and a simple side salad.

Delicious!!!

I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2011!!!

Mmmmmm Zucchini-Watercress Soup

One of my favorite pastimes is coming home from work and cracking open a cookbook and perusing its contents for a new and delicious recipe. This easy recipe I found while reading the Silver Palate Cookbook in its entirety during my first and second year of law school. I love soup and this recipe is particularly spectacular since the zucchini lends a sweetness and smooth consistency without adding the extra calories off heavy cream. It also is just as delicious if you make it vegetarian or vegan by omitting the butter and chicken stock. This is the sort of recipe that makes you say, Wow! It will be sure to impress you, and your most discerning guests!

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups finely chopped yellow onions

3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock or water if vegetarian/vegan)

2 pounds (about 4 medium size) zucchini

1 bunch of watercress

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.

2. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

3. Scrub the zucchini well with a kitchen brush, trim the ends, and chop coarsely. Drop the zucchini into the stock and return it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until zucchini are very tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, remove the leaves and tender stems from the watercress and rinse thoroughly.

5. Remove the soup from the heat, add the watercress, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

6. Pour the soup through a strainer, reserving the liquid, and transfer the solids to a food processor or use a food mill fitted with a medium disc. Add 1 cup of the cooking stock and process until smooth.

7. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add about 2 cups more stock (see Note), until the soup is of the desired consistency.

8. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Simmer briefly to heat through. Serve immediately.

5 to 6 portions

Note: For a richer soup, substitute 1 cup heavy cream for 1 cup of the liquid added after processing.

I have also served this soup chilled with lump crab meat. Also a delicious option which is great in the hot summer months.

Enjoy!

Reprinted with permission from Workman Publishing,

from The Silver Palate Cookbook,

copyright 2007 Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

http://www.workman.com/products/9780761145974/

Yia Yia's Yemista aka Grandma's Stuffed Peppers

Several months ago I was fortunate enough to meet the virtual acquaintance of another (and lovely) food blogger Devaki, from WeaveThousandFlavors.com. Through her blog, Devaki had a competition for a product from Emile Henry and since we all know I have a bit of a pot (not the type you smoke) addiction, I had to enter! Below is my winning submission as well as pictures of the stuffed peppers in my brand new Emile Henry Brazier, which I won courtesy of Grandma's recipe, Devaki and Emile Henry. For a direct link to her post along with a funny story about the first time I made the stuffed peppers, go to

http://www.weavethousandflavors.com/2010/06/and-the-winner-of-the-make-your-wish-emile-henry-give-away-is.html?cid=6a012875c7e993970c0134849d2b4a970c

Ingredients:

6 medium to large tomatoes (I say medium to large because some veggies have become gargantuan lately - just buy ones that are large enough to stuff, but not so large that they do not fit in the casserole dish/roaster)(buy four tomatoes you will stuff, and two that are extra ripe ones that will become the sauce)

4 medium green peppers (you can also use round or oblong summer squash)

1 cup of long grain rice

1 lb ground lean beef or turkey meat

1 small red onion chopped

2.5 Tbs chopped parsley

1.5 Tbs finely chopped mint (Note: do not use peppermint, the other kind)(you can also use dry, mint but use half the portion)

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)(this is my addition, but my Grandmother said others in Greece use them too)

2 Teaspoons sugar

¾ Cup olive oil

Kosher salt/pepper

¼ Cup white wine (optional)

Directions:

First, make sure you have a pan (perhaps an Emile Henry Brazier) that accommodates all the vegetables. Then, cut the tops off the peppers and slice or pull out the core.

Turn 4 of the tomatoes upside down and using a very sharp knife, cut a circular hole, about 2 inches in diameter, in the top of the tomato.

Carefully scoop out the inside of the tomatoes with a small spoon and reserve.

Place the tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish and in each tomato, sprinkle 1/2 tsp of sugar in the interior. This helps if the tomatoes are not super sweet.

Grate the remaining two tomatoes on the large part of a box grater. My grandmother uses this technique when making any tomato base. When feeling lazy I have also been known to pulse them in a food processor or my Vitamix. Also add the cores of the tomatoes that you previously removed and chop any pieces that seem too large, i.e. over an inch.

In a medium sauté pan, heat ¼ cup olive oil and add the onions, sauté until softened and then add the rice. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, then add the mint, parsley, black pepper and about 1 Tbs of kosher salt. If using white wine, add a splash and stir. Then add one cup of water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid and cook until the water is absorbed. The point is that you are only half cooking the rice because it will absorb additional moisture from the vegetables.

In a medium sauté pan brown the meat, drain any fat, salt and pepper to taste (you can also substitute vegetable or soy protein if you are vegetarian or vegan).

Toast the pine nuts in a smaller pan, stirring frequently since they burn quickly! You can use the same pan you use for the meat, just rinse the pan before you brown the meat.

When the rice is done, add the meat, pine nuts and combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning and get ready to stuff! Note, the rice will still be slightly firm at this point.

Using a small spoon evenly stuff the peppers and tomatoes. Do not overfill or push down the mixture since if you do, they will not cook properly.

Place the tops of the vegetables back on and then pour the tomato puree over them. Add about ½ cup of water evenly throughout the pan. Add a generous amount of olive oil over the vegetables and salt and pepper.

Cook for at least an hour in a 375 degree oven, basting with the juices about every 20 minutes. They will be done when they have burned a little on the tops. Turn the peppers half way through if you placed them at an angle in the pan. I also rotate the entire dish half way through cooking so they brown evenly. If they are browning too quickly and the filling and the rice is not fully cooked yet, add a little extra water and cover with aluminum foil.

Serve with warm crusty bread, feta cheese and olives. Trust me . . . they are good!!!

Kali Orexi!

Yummy Fruit Popsicles!!!

The irony of this post is that although I planned on writing it some time last week, the heat in New York has made me lazy and tired, which kept me in a vegetative state in between my air conditioner and circulating fan. I think I now fully understand what they mean when they say, "the dog days of summer." For the past two months I have had daily fantasies of moving to some tropical island so that I can roam around in a bikini with a frozen cocktail permanently affixed to my hand. In the meantime I will continue to appease myself with frozen treats like the popsicle pictured above.

Watermelon Raspberry Popsicles

3 cups cubed watermelon

1/2 cup raspberries

squeeze of 1/2 lime

1/3 cup simple syrup (more or less to taste)

Blend all of the above ingredients and add to popsicles forms and freeze until firm. To make the simple syrup, add equal parts of sugar and water and melt slowly over a medium flame until the sugar granules have disappeared. You can make a batch of the syrup in advance and store to sweeten coffee, tea, cocktails or fruit salad.

You may want to give these watermelon popsicles a stir mid-way through freezing, otherwise the mixture will separate. They still tasted great so it is purely for aesthetic reasons.

Orange Mango Popsicles

orange juice (use your popsicle molds to measure out the right amount)

1 small ripe mango

15-20 raspberries

For this recipe I simply used my popsicle molds to measure out enough orange juice. Keep in mind that you will need to leave extra room for the mango and raspberries.

Combine one cubed mango to the orange juice and blend. Add the puree to the molds and dropped in a few raspberries for decor and flavor. Because I used Tropicana (which is already sweet) I did not add extra sugar. I would imagine this would taste even better with freshly squeezed oj.

Note: As with all popsicles, leave about 1/2 inch at the top to allow for expansion of the liquid when it freezes. If you don't have popsicle molds try ice cub trays with tooth pics! Just remember to add the tooth pics after the mixture has frozen a bit.

Although I don't have kids yet, I imagine this would be a good way to get some extra fruit in their diets. For adults kids you can chill the puree and add some rum or vodka! Yum!

Hope these recipes help you get through the last weeks of summer and inspire you to come up your own fun flavor combinations. Next on my list are melon-basil, coconut-strawberry and kiwi-lime!