Poco-Cocoa

Welcome, Autumn
With your sweet pumpkins
And scent of cinnamon
Let us hear the crunch under our feet
As you shake out your colorful hair
Kiss us with your crisp breath
And fill us with comfort and hope

I LOVE autumn. Love it with a passion. Let’s forget that it’s 80 degrees outside, and that the leaves are still green. Let’s pretend that it’s brisk and cool, like it is in so many parts of the world. If there’s one thing I dislike about Austin, it’s the length and depth of its summer. So long! So hot! And with hardly a taste of autumn before it’s time for a shot of cold and another long summer. To those of you who can see oranges and reds and browns outside your windows, know that you are lucky.

I decided to bring a little autumn in our home with these cute little cookies. I love that the dough is so easy to mix (no electric mixer), and that the recipe makes a small amount of teeny, tiny cookies. They do have their danger, though…I can eat 4 of them before I even realize it. They’re firm but chewy, with that sweet vanilla taste of candy corn.

I have to share with you my friend Vidya’s new etsy site…she’s selling her cute aprons and hairpins and such, and yours truly is one of the models. It was a fun photo shoot, in our wee little kitchen, and I think the photos turned out really well (thanks to my husband, of course). Stop by and check it out if you have a moment.

On to the cookies!

Chocolate Candy-Corn Cookies

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• about 36 candy corns

Preheat oven to 325ËšF. Place butter and sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Add flour, and mix until a dough forms.

Scoop out level teaspoons of dough, and roll into balls (chill dough briefly if it becomes to soft to handle). Place balls on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm and cookies are dry to the touch (do not let cookies color), 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven; gently press a candy corn into center of each cookie (surface of cookies may crack slightly). Cool on sheets 1 minute; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes: You can make a non-chocolate version by eliminating the cocoa powder and increasing the flour to 3/4 cup.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Source: Everyday Food magazine.

Let’s all celebrate the fact that I FINALLY went to the grocery store! No more cereal for dinner! Really, it wasn’t that bad, but lately I’ve been trying to make my groceries stretch as long as I can, just to avoid going to the supermarket. I finally gave in yesterday, mostly because we needed some bathroom supplies. I rewarded myself with a stop at Bath and Body Works for some sample-sized lotions in a few fabulous fragrances.

I’m pretty excited about tonight’s Project Runway…last week I was so disappointed that it was a rerun. I don’t watch much TV aside from my beloved Project Runway, so I guess I missed the information that the new episode wouldn’t be until tonight. This is it, though…the final three contestants. How did I get so caught up in this show? I think my days working at the boutique really opened my eyes to fashion and fabric.

Anyway, as a bonus, I managed to snag the entire Project Runway Season 1 DVD series from Waterloo Records last night…which means I’ll be glued to the telly all week, I suppose. I’ll definitely have a crafty thing to work on while I’m watching (one of those super-secret Christmas gifts). I’ve heard that Season 1 is the best, because it focuses more on the actual fashion than the drama. We’ll see.

We also picked up V for Vendetta last night, and I have to say, I really loved this movie. It seems so appropriate for the political climate we are in now, and it’s such a hopeful film, in a dark, comic-book way. V’s dialogue, especially his alliteration speech, was excellent.

As for reading, I finished the banana book, and now I’m just bursting with random banana facts. I’ve started Meditation Made Easy by Lorin Roche, which is great. It makes meditation so accessible. I have a stack of books to start on as well, but they’ll probably stay there (or go back to the library soon), because I’ve been so engrossed in the latest issue of Gourmet.

Well, enough chatter…we all know we’re just here for the food. Last night I put this salad together in so little time it was scary. Seriously, a dinner this delicious should take much longer to make! I used whole wheat couscous and balsamic vinegar, and (of course) left out the olives (1/4 cup chopped), though Justin added some to his dish. I’ve just had a bit for lunch, and the flavor is even better today. It would make a great packed-lunch dish, and Justin thinks he’d like to try it spooned into a pita pocket.

Vegetable-Couscous Salad

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sherry or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (.6-ounce) envelope Italian dressing mix (such as Good Seasons)

Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 2 cups chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Combine first 4 ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly, and shake vigorously.

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Combine couscous, bell pepper, and remaining 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing mixture. Toss gently to coat.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Cooking Light magazine.