Poco-Cocoa

I made this amazing dish tonight, and had to share it with you all immediately. It is so delicious…wide noodles with sweet butternut squash, pine nuts, spicy arugula, and fresh sage. Justin was oohing and aahing throughout the meal, proclaiming it “better than restaurant food.” I must say I agree…the flavors and textures blend well together, but still somehow manage to remain distinct.

In other news, I (finally) watched the new Pride and Prejudice, and I loved it. I haven’t read any of Jane Austen’s books, but now I’m tempted to. My heart was aflutter throughout the film, hoping that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy would end up together. It made me realize just how much I love romance…real, divine romance. Romeo and Juliet. Amelie and Nino. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I like new romantic comedies as well, but I’d like to find more of those epic romances, whether in book or film form. Any recommendations, dear internets? (One caveat: they MUST have happy endings.)

In return for your romance suggestions, I offer you this wonderful recipe.

Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

• 4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• Cooking spray
• 8 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta) or fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups trimmed or baby arugula
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475ËšF.

Combine squash, vinegar, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

While squash bakes, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts, sage, and garlic; cook 3 minutes or just until pine nuts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Place pasta, reserved cooking liquid, pine nut mixture, and squash mixture in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, arugula, cheese, and pepper; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Cooking Light magazine.

In case I don’t post tomorrow, Happy Halloween, everyone!

This is my first apple pie…we needed some comfort food, so I bought some pre-made pie crust and some apples, and made it up as I went along. I looked at a few recipes, and it looks like most people add a few bits of butter on top of the apples before baking…I’ll probably do that next time, because more butter is never a bad thing!

I used Granny Smith apples because Justin likes his fruit tart, and the pie was deliciously sweet-tart as a result. I thought maybe I underbaked it because the crust wasn’t really dry (and most pie crusts I’ve had were pretty dry and flaky), but it was still good.

The pie was even better the next day…

…after it all settled and congealed a bit.

Though I’d recommend following a more well-tested and perfected recipe if you’re craving apple pie, I’ll post this one for my own future reference.

Apple Pie

• 2 pre-made refrigerated pie crusts
• 2 1/2 pounds (about 5 or 6) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons flour
• **2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Unroll one pie crust and lay in the dish, pressing down and fluting the edges.

In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour; pour into prepared pie dish. **Dot with butter, and top with second pie crust, pressing edges to the bottom crust to seal. (Cut out shapes or strips for a lattice look.) Brush the crust with cold water and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Cover the edges of the pie with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more. Let cool and cut into wedges.

**Add butter next time!

Makes 8 big yummy or 10 small demure slices.

Source: poco-cocoa.

I love all things pumpkin, but I usually don’t start cooking with it until the fall. I think it’s the ascetic in me, trying to save this pleasure for a specific time of the year, so as not to “use it up” or tire of it. I do that a lot. When I was younger, I was utterly confused to see ads for Stovetop Stuffing in March…wasn’t stuffing just a Thanksgiving food?

I fight with myself about this idea of saving things, or having them only at a certain time…aren’t cheesy nachos only eaten at ball games? Shouldn’t wine only be drunk at dinner? And Mexican hot chocolate only in the winter? I’m not sure when I made up these little food rules…but the truth is that I have many of them guiding my choices, and not just the ones about food. I can never decide whether I should drop these rules, or whether they’re worth keeping to preserve the anticipation of a certain season or event. In this age of supermarkets where all foods are available all the time, I guess this is my small attempt to keep seasonality going.

Anyway, try these pumpkin bars, at any time of year…they’re dense and moist and full of chocolate, for you fellow chocolate-lovers out there.

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Line bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray foil with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes ut with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

Note: If you can’t find pumpkin-pie spice, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each allspice and cloves.

Makes 24 servings.

Source: Everyday Food magazine.