So…I decided to check it out. Which is better? Canned or fresh? First of all let’s chat pumpkin. There are numerous kinds of pumpkins. The big jack-o-lanterns are edible but not as flavorful as their smaller cousins, the sugar pumpkin (or pie pumpkin). Within that category there are also numerous pumpkins and each has a distinct flavor.

Differences Between Canned and Fresh Pumpkin

So..If you are going to plant pumpkins in your garden I would suggest an heirloom type; maybe a Long Island Cheese or perhaps an Amish Pie pumpkin. The flesh of any type you choose will be a slightly different shade from golden yellow to bright orange.

If you aren’t growing them you are limited to what you can buy. Be sure to choose heirloom over commercial and pie pumpkin over the big one.

Here is the difference between Libby’s canned pumpkin puree and the homemade pumpkin I made:

Right off there is a color difference. Most people will assume that the canned is richer because the color is darker. I did not find this to be true, although the flavor is different. The canned pumpkin has an earthy flavor while the fresh has a light and delicate almost floral flavor. There are ways to cause the flavor to be more intense….We’ll talk about that later.

How to Roast a Pumpkin for Dummies and Smart People, Too.

So, you have your pumpkin. The first thing you have to do is to carefully dispatch it. Yes. With a knife. You can do this.

Step One: Remove the stem from the pumpkin with a sharp knife.

Step 2: Plunge the knife into the pumpkin mercilessly. Lightening optional

Separate the pumpkin halves

Scoop out the seeds. Laugh maniacally.

Oil the pumpkin flesh.

Now, you need to put the pumpkin halves in the oven at 375F until the skin looks oily and the flesh is tender. Some people roast them flesh side down – never having been one to do things the same way as others, I don’t. I like it roasted flesh side up, which is why I oil it.

Roasting a Pumpkin Vs. Steaming a Pumpkin

Now, some people with tell you to “roast it” cut side down in a pan of water. This would not be roasting. This would be steaming. You can do that if you like but let me tell you why I don’t. Roasting any vegetable causes caramelization. This causes the sugars to intensify and it takes on a deeper flavor. Steaming cooks the vegetable, in this case pumpkin, in such a way that the flavor is kept light and delicate.  Nothing wrong with that if that is the flavor you want. Remember that as a chef, cook, or baker YOU are in control of the food. You are a master of the flavor and can coax it to perfection for each dish.

Think about what you are making. A light soup? Maybe you do want the pumpkin steamed. A robust spice cake? You want it caramelized and intense.

After It Is Cooked

So, in about 45 minutes your pumpkin will look a bit like this:

Just scoop the cooked flesh out of the shell. Once it is out you can decide whether you want it pureed in a food mill or blender, or you will leave it as is. If you are doing a soup or a custard or pie I suggest pureeing in a food mill. If you are baking a cake or bread then leave it as is. The fibers won’t hurt a thing in that case.

You can store the pumpkin in the fridge for about a week, in the freezer for about six months…Canning pumpkin is not recommended. If you want your pumpkin to intensify in flavor a bit more then you can cook it slowly over low heat stirring often (or in a slow cooker). Keep an eye on it or it will burn.

Once your pumpkin is cooked it is ready to use in any recipe that you could use canned pumpkin in (like pumpkin muffins).

Is It Better than Canned?

But is it better than canned?

I think it is. I like that each pumpkin tastes a little different. I like that I have some control over the roasting process and the final outcome. I like that it is fresh and local, and organic. AND…I especially like that for 99 cents I got twice the amount of pumpkin as what was in the can for 1.29. Added benefit? Pumpkin seeds for roasting.

images: marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Does the government really have to control everything we do? Seriously, being micromanaged makes me grumpy.  You know I review things on my blog. I will say, “so…xyz sent me a cookbook for review” …Honestly someday I would like to say “Lowes sent me an entire kitchen for review!” but so far it is a dream that dissipates with the cold light of day.

Because you read my blog, interact with me on twitter, are fans on facebook, and maybe even read some of my other stuff you know that I am not going to say I like something if I don’t. In fact, if you read Kettle and Cup regularly you know I am durn hard to please. The idea that I have to spend valuable minutes thinking about whether or not I have fully disclosed that an item was given to me free for review just irritates me. I write about 5-8 articles a day, each being about 650 words long. Do the math.  BLAH.

You also know that I despise big governments with lots of regulations and rules. To me people will do things because they are the right thing to do or they won’t. No, I don’t believe in government control of too much of anything.  Stay out of my business. Run the country, let the states run the states, let the city municipalities run themselves…micromanagement sucks the life out of people and governments.

If the government wants to really micromanage something they should start with the Congress.  Let’s just talk about full disclosure for a little bit, shall we? Special interest groups and corporations run our government not the people’s representatives. We vote them in and trust that they know what they are doing. Maybe some of them should use full disclosure and get a tattoo that says, ” I know….NOTHING”

You can’t protect people from their own stupidity. If I say:

You guys…I got this great new ingredient from ACME ..it’s called Cow Poop Marinade. It is awesome on steaks and burgers.

You aren’t going to be dumb enough to go out an buy it are you? And just because I say I liked something doesn’t mean you are going to like it anyway, right?

So now, we have more laws. Moses couldn’t get the Israelites to follow 10 laws and we have about a million, including laws about things the government has no business being involved with….Like blogging.

Don’t take anyone’s word for anything. Try it for yourself. Make your own choices and decisions and then if you make the wrong one? No whining, no victimization, no poor me…suck it up and move on.

Yeah…I am going to comply…I always have before there was a law. But I am doing it because I WANT TO…NOT because they TOLD me to. Just want to get that straight. If there is something reviewed on this blog I am sent the item, gratis, and I give you my opinion…also gratis. I have never been asked to send anything back..and I am not sure I would review something I did not get to keep. So..now you know.

oh and the image? I got it from Stock exchange. usually I make a note of that by writing the following (and they haven’t paid me at all):

image: sxc

Post from: Baking Delights

This was not too spicy but just spicy enough to wake up your homemade sausage biscuits in the morning. I added brown sugar because I like the balance of hot/sweet/salty in breakfast sausage but you can leave that out if you like.

The main problem you are going to run into if you use ground pork is the lack of fat. You can overcome this by adding a bit of chopped bacon or a bit more fat to the pan if you like. Sausage that doesn’t have en0ugh fat gets rubbery. If you are having the butcher grind it tell him that you are making sausage and ask him to help you with the fat ratio.

You want to make this the day before you plan to use it to let the flavors combine. Just mix your ingredients, pop them in a refrigerator container with a lid and let them mix overnight.

Yum!

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

This is a traditional breakfast sausage. It could have used more fat.

• 2 lbs ground pork
• 1 tbs seasoning salt
• 1 tbs sage
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp dried chipotle, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Mix the ingredients all together and cover tightly. Refrigerate overnight. Next day make into sausage patties using about 2 tablespoons mixture for each patty. Pan fry in a little oil until done.

2 lbs of homemade sausage

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Post from: Baking Delights

I like the added flavor that the salt brings to a variety of foods. We have used it on garlic bread, vegetables, meat…even my homemade hamburger buns.

The pepper is my favorite though. It is a not-too-spicy slightly sweet blend that really adds layers of flavor to almost anything. I am a big pepper fan, and this is great on eggs, beef, just about anything.

You know how you can go somewhere and have some really awesome food and not replicate it at home? Well, sometimes the difference is in the salt/pepper. Seasoned salt can make all the difference because it gives your taste buds a wake up call… “Hey guys, this here is different!”.

If you can’t find it at your store (and you should be able to) try Amazon.com . It isn’t expensive and it is nice to have around.

image:MaryeAudet

Post from: Baking Delights

I was making pancakes the other morning and I wanted something different for syrup. While I wish I could always serve my family real, organic maple syrup I just can’t. We go through almost a quart of syrup at breakfast and that kind of cash racks up. So, I make homemade syrup using a little organic maple syrup and organic maple flavoring for flavor.

But sometimes I want something a little different. I was thinking of a fruit syrup.

See, we used to go to the Jersey shore every summer. There were two things we always did…Ate at this little pancake place that had a bazillion flavors of syrup and stop at this place that had trampolines stretched over pits in the sand so I could jump.

See, fruit syrup is special to me but I don’t like the chemical taste!

So, I pulled out some Celestial Seasoning’s Cherry Berry Tea. I steeped three bags in 2 cups water for 4 minutes. Then I Brought the water to a boil and added a pinch of salt and 4 cups sugar.

It is a lot of sugar but the formula for syrup is two cups water to 4 cups sugar. Ya gotta do it. Stir until the sugar dissolves and then boil for one minute. Remove from heat, stir in a tablespoon or so of lemon or lime juice and let cool a little.

You can use any tea you like. Think about peach ginger or blueberry white! Yum! Once you have the basic formula down you can use anything you like.. juice, coffee, anything !

The best part of wakin’ up…

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Post from: Baking Delights

Seriously, what is not to like about summer…well besides the 107 degree heat? Cooking out is the best! I must admit that Marc likes the gas grill and I miss the taste of good old fashioned charcoal in my burgers but still, there is just something about eating a hamburger that has been cooked out of doors that is amazing.

My dad used to brush hamburgers with a little honey. I can’t seem to replicate that flavor and he never told me how he did it, what he mixed, how much…sigh. It is a flavor that is lost to me forever, everywhere but my mind.

These hamburgers with coffee chipotle rub are a great substitute though!

This is super easy, and lends a smoky, complex flavor to meat. I used it on hamburgers and everyone loved them. It gave the burgers a nice crust and a fantastic flavor. You can adjust the amount of chipotle for the amount of heat that you want. Do remember that chipotle continues to get hotter the longer it sits. The rub needs to flavor the meat for about an hour before grilling, but if you wait much after that your burgers may be a little more spicy than you like.

This calls for turbinado sugar because it melts in heat and adds a nice texture to the exterior of the burger. You can use plain or brown sugar if you like. It will change the final product.

Remember that the different roasts of coffee will give you different results in the flavor of the meat.

Coffee Chipotle Rub

• 1/4 cup finely ground coffee
• 2  teaspoons ground chipotle pepper
• 1/4 cup smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tbs garlic powder

Mix together and rub on meat. Allow to stand an hour before grilling. You can store excess in a cool, dry place…not the fridge!

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Backtrack with me, k?

On Monday last week I got a letter from the VA hospital letting me know that I had a sonogram on my thyroid scheduled on August 6 at 1 o clock. I asked her why, when I thought they had decided to remove it. She was a little snotty, but patiently explained to me that the doctors had ordered it, they knew what they were doing..etc. Did I know more than the doctors, hmmmmm?

Tuesday Marc tried to find out what was going on by talking to a doctor while he was up there. The doctor told him that they had not decided what to do, the surgeon was in Africa, AND since my blood work was all normal there was no reason to take the thyroid out, despite the fact that I am horribly, horribly symptomatic. Marc tried to argue but…to no avail. Did HE know more than the doctors…hmmmm?

On Saturday as you know I got a phone call which let me know I was scheduled for day surgery August 6 at 6 a.m… Interesting….

So I had to go with Marc to the VA this morning about HIS upcoming procedure (we call it the tazer test, electric stimulation of various nerve clusters to check for damage, he has had it before) and after talking to his doctor we had a few minutes. I thought it would be nice to explain to the people in radiology that I was having my thyroid removed the morning of the 6th.

Have you ever felt like you were in a Saturday Night Live comedy skit? I did. I went to the first person. She glared at me.

“Ma’am move BACK behind the sign”

Mkay….but there was no one at the desk. I move back obediently.  She looks up and bellows at me… “NEXT!”

I go up to the desk and explain the story.

“You will have to talk to our scheduler. Next window.”

I obediently walk to the next window. The woman there is talking to a  patient. For hours. They talk about where he lives, what he does, what foods he likes, the color of his underwear…well not that..but you get the idea…Finally he leaves and I step up to the window.

She turns away and begins to work on the computer.

She turns, see me and jumps. “Oh! Can I help you?”

Me,”Yes…” and I proceed to tell her the story.

The phone rings and she answers it. She starts to talk and then glares at me. “Move away from the desk please.”

She finishes talking and calls me back to the desk.

“Can I help you?”

I explain the story again. She is obviously one of our fine veterans with short term memory loss….

She looks at me for a minute when I am done.

“So, did you want to reschedule the sonogram for a later time?” She looks at me hands poised above the keyboard.

“They are taking it out.”

“Yes, well then..how about …hmmm….August 17th? At say…..2:00?”

“I am having my thyroid removed the 6th”

“Right. So do you want to try to make the appointment the afternoon of the 6th?”

“Uh….” I am frantically looking at Marc at this point. He is trying not to laugh.

“We can make it earlier. You may not feel well after the surgery and want to get home as soon as possible” She gives me the expectant look again.

“Ummm…” I lean up to the window. “I….am…having….it…removed…. It won’t BE there.”

“Yes ma’am. So would you like the appointment closer to your surgery time?”

I am not looking around for a camera and Alan Fundt. Maybe Rod Serling.

“No, if it is closer to the surgery then what if the doctors aren’t done…REMOVING MY THYROID?”

“Good point. SO you want to leave it at one o clock then?”

“Uh….”

“Fine.” She types into the computer “just have the surgeon call us if it looks like you wont be able to make the appointment and we can reschedule.” She smiled expectantly “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Uh, no. Thanks. That is …umm..fine”

So I am thinking of  asking the surgeon to put my thyroid in a jar so I can take it to radiology. Then they can sonogram it every day if they want.

And people keep asking me why I don’t think nationalized health is a good idea.

images:marye audet

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Post from: Baking Delights

The sauce is spicy. If you don’t like it spicy then adjust the amount of habenero or change the peppers totally. You could go with a chipotle, a jalapeno, or a serrano. It is hard to say how much to use because each person seems to have a different opinion as to what is spicy and the peppers can vary in heat from pepper to pepper. Let me tell you what happened to me.

I was getting the ingredients together for this sauce. Normally I taste a pepper to see how much I will want to use because I have had enough variation in heat to totally mess up a recipe. So I took a tentative nibble…they were, after all, habeneros.

Nothing. just a tiny little zap on the tongue. Sigh. I proceeded to chop about three habeneros and add them to the sauce. As I chopped the last one I popped a bit of it in my mouth.

ZOWIE. I saw stars. I became one with the universe. The top of my head came off. Again, verily, verily, I say unto you…always, always taste the peppers. EACH pepper. They vary in heat!  Quickly I pulled as many peppers as I could see from the bubbling sauce and put them in the chicken scraps. Our chickens like spicy things.

So, be sure to to check your peppers for heat and adjust your recipes accordingly.

This sauce was so good that people were spreading it on bread until it was gone.

Blueberry Habenero Sauce

• 1 large, sweet onion (like Vidalia) peeled and chopped
• 1 quart of blueberries
• 2 habenero peppers, chopped (adjust as needed)
• 1 tsp of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle in adobo, you can leave this out if you don’t have it but it adds a nice dimension
• 1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
• Juice and zest of one lime
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Olive oil for pan

1. Saute the onion in the oil until it is soft.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the lime juice, and simmer until the sauce reduces by about half. This will take ten minutes or so.
3. Add the lime juice and remove from heat.
4. Blend the sauce in the blender until smooth.
5. Brush on meat before cooking and then serve remaining sauce as a garnish.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Images:MaryeAudet

Post from: Baking Delights

I am not sure the foodies are genetically different from other people. I have a hunch that it has to do with many things but that eating a variety of foods while you are growing up is a good start, although not the only piece to the puzzle. My mom did not like to cook and we had a variation of one of three or four meals every night. I was not allowed in the kitchen because I was messy. My kids hardly ever have eaten the same thing twice. They all have helped and do help in the kitchen and are exposed to a variety of tastes and textures, as well as cultures through the food we eat. Kyrie is an expressive foodie. You can see it on her when she eats. She is a picky eater, not that she refuses to eat something but she won’t eat more than a few bites of anything that isn’t to her liking. Yesterday she had a hot fudge sundae. Apparently it hit the spot:

Is that not the picture of a true foodie? I just love that picture!

Anyway. So, if you want to be a little more experimental here are the basics I think you should have. Everyone is going to have different ideas, of course, so take what you like and add what you like! These are not in any particular order or priority.

1. Smoked Salt- This adds a layer of flavor that makes a difference in many foods. I have heard you can smoke it yourself but I haven’t done that yet.
2. Chipotle Granules- I get the Archer Farms ones at Target. These are not canned but are dried chipotle in a tiny dice. You find them in the spices section. Adds smoky spicy heat.
3. Several kinds of cinnamon- Head over to Penzey’s and choose a couple of the varietal cinnamons.
4. Wasabi- A Japanese horseradish, wasabi comes in paste and powdered form. I prefer the powdered and you can add it to so many things for an intense heat. It doesn’t burn your tongue so much, but like horseradish, it clears your sinuses. Wasabi Mayo is a fantastic dip for raw snap peas, and one of my new addictions.
5. Turbinado sugar- even if you aren’t interested in the health benefits, turbinado sugar is a nice, large crystal that adds texture when sprinkled on cookies. It melts down beautifully for creme brulees, and it is wonderful sprinkled over the crust of breads before baking.
6. Fleur de Sel- a flaked sea salt, Fleur de Sel adds unique flavor to all kinds of things, including caramels and truffles.
7. A good balsamic vinegar, preferably one in white and one dark. Don’t be afraid to pay a little more for this than you would normally…it is worth it.
8. Local honey, raw and in as many flavors as is available in your area.
9. Culinary lavender buds
10. Rose water
11. Lavender, Violet, Rose, and Elderberry Monin Syrups make wonderful flavorings and additions to Italian sodas, cakes, pies, custards, ice creams, and anything else…
12. Loose leaf Earl Grey Tea, another great flavoring ingredient
13. Pink, white, green, red, and black peppercorns…but not mixed
14. Five spice powder
15. Garam masala
16. Walnut oil
17. Smoked sesame oil
18. Jalapeno jelly
19. Bottled Key lime juice
20. Agave
21. Gluten (to help bread rise)
22. A variety of flours: rye, graham, whole wheat, teff, etc…
23. A variety of fresh peppers: anaheim, poblano, jalapeno,bonnet, serrano…
24. Artichokes, canned or fozen
25. Fontina cheese
26. Smoked Gouda, Edam cheeses
27. Whole milk buttermilk
28. Truffle infused oil
29. Kosher salt (should just be in everyone’s pantry)
30. Wheat berries for pilafs and such
31. Peanut oil- do not use anything else ever for frying! I use peanut oil for almost everything.
32. Several varieties of olives
33. Macadamia nuts
34. Pignoli (pine nuts)
35. Fresh rosemary
36. Fresh sage
37. Fresh lemongrass
38. Finishing salt
39. Heirloom tomatoes
40. Heirloom potatoes: rose, purple, etc
41. Orzo, and any other pasta that you haven’t tried. Try flavored pastas, whole grain pastas, etc.
42. Fresh fennel
43. The organic baby leaf salads: herbs, mixed greens, etc.
44. Seeds for sprouting. There are a ton of different kinds.
45. Ice Cream salt
46. Edible gold flake
47. Edible glitter/metallic sprinkles
48. Fondant
49. Vanilla pods
50. Cardamom

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Post from: Baking Delights

Believe it or not cumin is fantabulous with…of all things…vanilla.  And chocolate.  And citrus.

That beautiful golden color is an indication of the flavor because the flavor of cumin is warm, and caressing.  The flavor of cumin is the flavor of a summer day in the country…endlessly long and lazy.

Ground cumin is much more intense that the seed, but getting the seed and grinding your own is the best way to get the most intense flavor.  Here are some ways I like to use cumin:

• Mix with salt and butter and keep in the fridge.  This is fantastic on fresh corn on the cob.
• Add to corn chowder.
• Add to cooked carrots
• Add to mashed potatoes and sprinkle with cheese
• Use as a flavoring in vinaigrette
• Add a pinch to a yellow cake batter
• Add a pinch of cumin and a pinch of chile to a tropical fruit salad
• Add to hot chocolate or fudge frosting

I know, using cumin in such a variety of ways is a stretch for most people but once you start playing with this flavor you will be hooked.  Yeah, it is fantastic in main courses like enchiladas and mac and cheese but….try it in a variety of ways.  It is just that good!

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Post from: Baking Delights