Fresh Pumpkin Spice Pie

Boyfriend and I moved to our new apartment almost nine months ago. Since then, we've had two parties, countless kickbacks, and I've made dinner at least three nights a week (and when I make dinner, I try to make things I haven't made before!). 

However, we have never had anyone over for dinner.

Of course, I've made dinner for our roommate (Mah Bestfriend), and for other close friends. It's never been a big deal, and usually we're all drunk. I just make food, and people I live with eat it. The end.

So I've been really excited/terrified to make dinner for people who aren't drunk roommates.

A girl I've worked with for years and her boyfriend are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. She's someone who I consider to be a close friend in an unusual way. We've been through so much together-- hated each other, appreciated each other, related to one another, and somehow became unlikely friends. But all of these experiences have been at work. It's been a crazy ride, and we're both busy with school and work, so it's been hard to hang out.

This dinner has been a long time coming.

Boyfriend and I finally get to have an actual sober adult dinner party thing in our new-ish apartment, and we finally get to hang out with a couple we've been needing to kick it with for years!

And damn, was it a great night!!

(Adapted from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 sugar pumpkin (A sugar pumpkin, or pumpkin pie pumpkin. For more info, check out Baking Bites)
• 1 recipe for My Favorite Pie Crust
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (If you don't have it, you can make it REALLY easily from the recipe here!)
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds.
2. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. 
   
3. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork.
4. Cool until just warm.
5. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel.
6. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender.
7. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C.)
8. In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs.
9. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition. (Don't be alarmed by the runniness of the filling!)
10. Put the whole mixture in the food processer again and process until smooth, in batches if necessary.
11. Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell.
12. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning.
13. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
14. Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
15. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown.
16. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Last week was Boyfriend's 31st birthday! He came home to cupcakes and beer glasses...

...and he asked me to make him a special dinner. 

I do believe I delivered.

With the help of Roommate/Beyestfreyend, I made my first attempt at braising.

It went well.

(Adapted from Anne Burrell)

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in short ribs (about 5 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3/4 cups tomato paste
• 2 to 3 cups hearty red wine
• 2 cups water
• 1 bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Season each short ribs with salt. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. 
   
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. While the short ribs are browning, puree all the vegetables and garlic in the food processor until it forms a coarse paste. (We were using a mini food processor, and it took several batches. If your ribs get done browning before your paste is ready, they're totally fine to sit for a few minutes!)
4. When the short ribs are very brown on all sides, remove them from the pan.
5. Drain the fat, coat the bottom of same pan with fresh oil and add the pureed vegetables.
6. Season the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a crud has formed on the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 to 7 minutes (Don't stir too much or it won't form the "crud"). Scrape the crud and let it reform. Scrape the crud again and add the tomato paste. 
   
7. Brown the tomato paste for 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat if things start to burn. Reduce the mixture by half.
9. Return the short ribs to the pan and add 2 cups water or until the water has just about covered the meat. 
   
10. Add the thyme bundle and bay leaves.
11. Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and add more water, if needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time.
12. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to let things get nice and brown and to let the sauce reduce.
13. When done the meat should be very tender but not falling apart.
14. Serve with the braising liquid and Perfect Mashed Potatoes!

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

I've made mashed potatoes a million times, but these are seriously the best ones I've ever had. They're smooth, creamy, luscious, and ridiculously easy to make.

They're so simple, it's wrong

The secret? The perfect ratio of potatoes, butter, and cream.

Tyler Florence has done it again.

(Tyler Florence)


Ingredients

• 4 pounds golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters (I used yukon)
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

• Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with cold water. 
  
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them well and remove the bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan.
• Put the potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a bowl. (I used a fork and just mashed them up really well!)
• Add the hot cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix together with a spoon and top with chives.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce

Not too long ago, my best friend/roommate and I had a petty argument about the quality of store-bought red pasta sauce. She loves Classico, I love Prego. We ended up agreeing to disagree, mostly because the reason we disagreed was because she likes her sauce chunky, and I'm not a huge tomato fan.

I mean... I like tomatoes, but they have to be in the right setting. I used to hate tomatoes altogether, but I've mostly gotten over that (Baby steps, right?). 

The residual damage of my former tomato aversion is that I'm pretty picky about dishes that include tomatoes. In the last couple years of my more recent culinary adventure, I've forced myself to cook with and enjoy tomatoes, and I've been pleasantly surprised... and yet still very, very picky.

Today I took my last midterm of the week, during one of the most intense quarters in college that I've ever taken. I got out of class early, went to the grocery store, and literally spent an hour on my smartphone researching how to make smooth pasta sauce out of fresh tomatoes. 

When I got home, I spent my first afternoon cooking without midterm studying or homework hanging over my head.

I made my first red pasta sauce from fresh ingredients. And I do believe I nailed it.

(Makes 80 ounces of sauce. This equals about 4 average-sized jars. We freeze this sauce in big Ziplock bags!)

Ingredients:

• 5-6 lbs Roma tomatoes
• 1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
• 4 teaspoons garlic, minced finely
• 2/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup red wine

Directions:

1. Peel tomatoes. There are a few different methods for this, but I like to roast mine. Spear one tomato with a fork and roast it over a stove burner on high for 30 seconds to one minute. Let it cool enough to handle and then peel the skin off.
2. Quarter skinned tomatoes and put them in  a food processor or blender until they're smooth. (We have a mini 3-cup processor, so I had to do 3 or 4 batches)
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
4. Saute garlic and onions until soft and fragrant.
5. Add parsley, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, italian seasoning, brown sugar, broth, and wine. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Strip Steak with Brandy Peppercorn Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

Steaks:

• (2) 7 oz steaks
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• salt and pepper

Brandy Peppercorn Sauce:

• ½ tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns
• 1 tsp green peppercorns (pickled)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 tbsp Brandy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Brush steaks with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Sear steaks on skillet, about 1-2 minutes per side.
4. Transfer to oven for  3-4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches about 130 F for medium rare (The temperature will rise during resting).
5. Remove steaks from oven, keep warm, and let rest while making sauce.
6. Add butter and garlic to pan, sauté 2-3 mins until it is just beginning to brown.
7. Add broth, reduce until almost gone.
8. Add brandy, cream, and both peppercorns. Reduce until it has reached your desired consistency.
9. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve with Prosciutto and Sun-Dried Tomato Wrapped Asparagus.

Prosciutto and Sun-Dried Tomato Wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (About 16 spears)
• 4-6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
• 8 thin slices of prosciutto
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Slice each piece of prosciutto lengthwise, so you have sixteen pieces. 
3. Lay a piece of prosciutto out flat. Sprinkle a couple pinches of sun-dried tomato on it. Wrap one asparagus spear with prosciutto/sun-dried tomato. Repeat until all asparagus spears are wrapped. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Lay asparagus out in a ceramic or glass dish. 
   
5. Brush spear with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes.

Gingered Salmon with Grilled Corn and Watercress Salad

(Adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 small ears of corn, shucked
• Four 6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets
• 20 small slices of pickled ginger (about 1 ounce)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 bunch of watercress, thick stems discarded (about 8 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. In a small saucepan, boil 1/2 cup of the balsamic vinegar until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.  
   
3. Let the reduction cool, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil.
4. Heat a grill pan.
5. Grill the corn over high heat, turning, until nicely charred all over, about 5 minutes. Let cool.  
   
6. Using a serrated knife, cut the kernels from the cobs.
7. Arrange the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface.
8. Using the tip of a sharp knife, make five 1/2-inch-deep slits crosswise in the flesh of each fillet.
9. Stuff 1 slice of ginger into each slit, then thread each fillet lengthwise with a short skewer.  
   
10. In a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil.
11. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and add the fillets to the skillet, skin side down.
12. Cook over moderately high heat until the skin is lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
13. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the salmon for about 6 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the skin is very crisp and the fish is just cooked through.
14. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with the mustard and the honey.
15. Gradually whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of canola oil into the dressing.
16. Add the grilled corn kernels and watercress to the bowl and toss to coat.  
    
17. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the skewered salmon. Drizzle the fish and salad with the balsamic vinegar reduction and serve right away.

Pan Seared Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce and Salt-Baked Fingerling Potatoes

(Adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli)

Ingredients:

Steaks:

• 4 (14-ounce) strip steaks, trimmed
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon green peppercorns, preferably in brine, lightly crushed
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 cup veal stock, home-made or store-bought
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, washed, dried, leaves finely chopped

Salt-Baked Potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds small fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
• Pinch coarse sea salt
• 15 bay leaves

Directions:

For the steaks: 

1. Heat 2 cast iron skillets large enough to hold 2 of the 4 pieces of beef until they begin to visibly smoke. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Shut the heat off underneath the skillet and use a pair of tongs to place the steaks in the pan 1 by 1 in a single layer. Turn the heat on under the skillet and brown the first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Try to resist the temptation to turn them over or move them as they cook.

Turn the steaks on the second side and brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Arrange the steaks on a rack to "rest" while you make your sauce.

Remove the excess grease from 1 of the pans that was used to cook the steaks and reserve the other pan for the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the shallots and cook until they are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the green peppercorns and brandy and cook until the liquid reduces almost completely.

Stir in the mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest and Worcestershire sauce. Swirl the pan so all of the flavors start to meld together.

Add the veal stock and reduce to a desirable consistency, then stir in the tarragon.

For the potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add the potatoes to a casserole with a fitted lid that is just big enough to hold the potatoes. Toss them with some sea salt and the bay leaves. Cover the casserole and put in the center of the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, remove the casserole from the oven and discard the bay leaves.

Heat the reserved skillet that the steaks were cooked in over medium heat and add the potatoes into the steak drippings. Cook until they brown and become slightly crisp. slightly. Season with salt, to taste.

Arrange the potatoes on the bottom of 4 dinner plates and top with the steak. Drizzle with the sauce and serve immediately.