I love a good scone, especially with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea.
I am fairly picky about them though. I'm not a fan of those giant sugary diabetic-coma inducing monstrosities from the coffee shops around here (chains and local joints alike). Sugar aside, they're usually loaded with butter and eggs... which make my tummy feel like death.
I am quite fawned of pumpkin and always have been, it probably stems from loving been called pumpkin (actually pronounced "punkin') by my mother and father.
I even got one on my arm :) (it's upside-down)
A couple months back I purchased a copy of the Veganomicon, by Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero (suuuch a good book), anyway I came across a recipe pumpkin baked ziti. Pumpkin+pasta sounded like heaven. So the other night my family was coming over for dinner and I figured this would be the best time to try it out.
With rave reviews from both my mother and father and brother's girlfriend, I highly suggest you give this recipe a shot!
Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Bread Crumb Topping: (from the Veganomicon) serves 6 - 8
3/4 lbs uncooked ziti or penne pasta
2 onions, sliced very thinly
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
white pepper and cayenne
2 cups pureed pumpkin or 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Sage Bread Crumbs:
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs, preferably fresh and homemade
1/3 cup walnut pieced chopped in a food processor until resembling coarse crumbs
1/4 cup Earth Balance
2 tsp dried, rubbed sage
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp ground paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cashew Ricotta:
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces (approx 4 oz)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves fresh or roasted garlic
1 lb firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
To make the Cashew Ricotta: In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic until a thick creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor, working in two or more batches in necessary, until the misture is thick and well blended. Blend in the basil and salt.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 11-inch lasagne type baking pan with olive oil, or use two smaller pans.
Prepare the ziti according to the package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.
While the paste is cooking, make the caramelized onion: preheat a large heavy-bottomed pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Saute the onions in oil until some onion bits are very brown and caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
Place the Cashew Ricotta in a large bowl and fold in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, white pepper, cayenne, and vegetable broth and mix. Add the cooked ziti and caramelized onions, stirring to coat the pasta. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press lightly with a rubber spatula to level it.
Make the sage breadcrumbs:
Melt the Earth Balance in large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, walnuts, dried herbs and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the mixture is lightly coated, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle evenly over the ziti.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the top of the ziti is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
3 tablespoons shelled pepitas for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl mix together flour through salt. Take your cold margarine and cut it into small chunks and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork, until the mixture looks crumbly.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together soy creamer through zest.
Make a flour well and begin to fold in the wet mixture to the dry. Fold in cranberries. Stir until a soft dough forms but be careful not to over mix.
Dived to into two place on separate baking sheets. Flatten each into a circle 1" thick. Run a Knive through each circle creating 6 - 8 wedges. (I just made mini circles) Brush with extra creamer and bake for 30-34 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean from the center. Let cool 10 minutes before re-slicing.
I made a maple dizzel for mine :)
This video is my newest love, it's amazing. So artfully shot <3
Last week was a week full of great food! There is a wonderful grill up at the cabin the Hubby and I had no shortage of ways to utilize said grill. One that I'm most proud of: Grilled French Toast with a grilled fruit compote.
I loooove squash!! But recently I have found myself with an abundance of zucchini. I think I might have a problem because it seems whenever I pass by a farmers market I am compelled to buy a couple... which wouldn't be such a bad thing except for the fact that I'm and r-tard and forget that every Wednesday I get a CSA goodie box full of seasonal veggies. (fun fact: zucchinis are definitely in season right now).
Last week I went to go pick up my box and was in awe of the mammoth forearm-sized squash. Which caused me to wonder "What am I going to make wth this???" which led to "Holy crap!! What the hell am I going to do with all of the other ones??!!" (I tend to panic easily).
Toast the bread (totally optional), spread on the peanut butter and layer straw berries, apples and blueberries to create an American flag, or get creative and make your own design.
P.S. I promise I'll be posting more soon! Have a safe and happy holiday!! 'Merica!!
Don't get me wrong, it's not that I can't bake. I just prefer to cook. In fact once a year, from October to December, I go baking mad. Cookies, candies, cakes you name it... by the time January 1st rolls around you couldn't pay me to bake one more thing.
