Pumpkin Bread

Confession: I've subsisted almost entirely on peppermint stick ice cream for the past two days.


Also, my kitchen looks like this:

I'm not kidding at all when I tell you that I have about three feet of prep space in my kitchen.  What you see is what you get, and the moment that you even think about preparing a dish, it starts to look like this. It truly makes cooking a feat of strength and wit.  Bearing in mind these unlikely conditions, its a wonder that I'm still able to cook the way I like to.

On to the point of today's post- I made pumpkin bread. It's quite delicious, fresh from the oven with some butter smeared on. I also think it would be amazing as a muffin, with a little sugar/flour/butter crumble on top. I, however, will be using it in my pumpkin bread pudding.  For now, though, just try the bread- its amazing.

(One thing- I want to talk about pumpkin pie spice. Although you can certainly make your own, I buy the premixed kind from World Market. Many, many, many bakers eschew the use of the premixed pumpkin pie spice, but I find it convenient and delicious and constantly use it to season things. I say...use what you like. Thats all :) )

Cast of characters:

• 1/2 stick of butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water

Start by heating your oven to 350 and spraying your loaf pan. Mix the flour, salt, soda, powder and spices and set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil and sugar. Add the pumpkin and vanilla, then mix the eggs in one at a time. Once everything is combined, add the flour and water gradually- its really important not to over mix at this point!  Spread the batter in your greased pan, and bake for an hour or so, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in a pan for about ten minutes, then turn on to a cooling rack and enjoy!

The Gravy

Hi.  


Hi there.


Let's be honest with each other for a minute. My food isn't really intended for a health conscious diet. I can tell myself all day long that just because my salad is coated in a glistening layer of warm bacon dijon dressing doesn't mean its any less healthy. But..I cook food that people love. People eat emotionally at my house, and that emotion is usually a mix of extreme joy and contentment. Granted, the people that eat at my house are usually young professionals and they're just happy that their food did not come from a take out container.


But I digress. The Gravy.

The gravy was made by my mama, and by her mama, and her mama before that. It's made of embarrassing ingredients and very little skill is necessary to create it, but its been known to elicit proposals of marriage. There is meat in it, cheap steak, but it really is mainly about the gravy, which i recommend eating over very creamy mashed potatoes. I recommend eating it heavily throughout the winter...or any time you're poor and hungry and need to be reminded of the old country :)

Cast:
- 1 1/2 lb round steak (honestly, use any any any piece of cheap meat in the case, really!)
- 2 cans cream of mushroom (please don't bother getting the low fat or slightly healthier version)
- some flour
- some oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- water, as you need it


Ok.  Heat the oil on medium high in a large skillet with higher sides (my mother would recommend an electric skillet for this dish).  Pour about a cup of flour in a flat dish and season with salt and pepper. Cut the steak into pieces about bite sized (or larger if you want to focus more on the meat). Dredge the steak in the flour, and place in the skillet to brown.  After a few minutes, turn steak and brown on the other side.  Once everything is looking nice and brown, about five minutes or so, add the onion to the meat and spoon the mushroom soup over top.  Add a can and a half worth of water and stir to combine.  It will look pretty disgusting.

Thats ok, I promise.  From here, you have a few choices about how you want to handle the next few hours (seriously, this gets better the longer it cooks, so give it at least four hours). I was home all day being lazy, so I just kept it on the stovetop in my skillet. My grandmother would do the whole thing in her electric skillet, and my mom usually starts everything either stovetop or in an electric skillet, but transfers it to the over so she doesn't have to think about it the whole time. It's really whatever you like.  Just remember to keep it covered and stir frequently, adding more water as necessary so it doesn't get dry.

After a few hours, it will start to look gloriously delicious and the meat will start to fall apart. Add a good amount of fresh cracked pepper, and serve over creamy mashed potatoes and you are set.  For life.

Life's Not Fair.

Isn't that the truth?


In about a week, I'll probably make a list of the things that I'm thankful for in this world, and its generally a pretty epic list. But sometimes, really sucky things happen and I hear my mom/grandma's voice in my head reminding me that life certainly isn't fair.


For example. I was an outstanding student in high school and went to a really amazing college.  It was a private, Catholic school and I loved every minute of it (especially the minutes I spend on Waikiki beach, in Cairo, and meeting Ev).  I got an honors degree in International Studies, and did this ridiculous senior thesis project on Turkey's relationship with the West, and how it would change the security landscape over the next decade or so (ok, isn't that even a little impressive?). I had very lofty goals of getting into intel work, or working with the Dept. of Defense.


But no.  I applied for DoD jobs for two months before graduation and two months after, until I finally gave in and began working the front desk at a hotel. After three months of that, I became lucky enough to land a receptionist job for a construction company.  After three months of that, I was laid off and found a job with a fashion company, creating a line of clothing for little girls.  Seven months later, I was also laid off from that job. Wtf, right?  I have a great degree from an amazing school, and here I sit, blogging in my beautiful living room.  


I know.  I know!  The economy, blah blah blah, my peers, blah blah blah. And its true, really. My graduating class inherited the absolute worst time to find a job. I know. And, lets face it...the education majors I graduated with only partially found full time jobs, and everyone else either went to grad school, or work in coffee shops. How much does that suck?  I'll give you a hint- alot. It seems like I apply for jobs day in and day out, and even Macy's won't take me. Seriously, how can I not be qualified to serve food? I can't find a real job because I have no experience (ok, who graduates with a political science degree with some kind of experience? No one.) and I can't get a lame minimum wage job because they know that the moment I am offered another position I'll leave (so true, though. hey, I have $50,000 in loans to pay back!).  What the hell?!  I've worked really, really hard to get to this point! 


WHY CAN'T I FIND A JOB? 


It's not fair! I didn't do anything to deserve this economy!


Life's not fair, Erin.


Sorry for my rant, but sometimes...this really, really sucks.

Mmm...just like moms!

Let's be honest- sometimes there are those days when its raining and gray out and you really just feel like climbing back under your flannel bedding at watching '16 and pregnant' marathons the whole day. Oh, thats just me?  huh.

In any case, those days always, always call for a meal that could have come directly from your grandma's kitchen.  Enter Chicken and Noodles.  Not soup, which is well and good in its own right.  My Chicken and Noodles is this gloriously thick concoction thats sort of like gravy...and it goes over a bed of mashed potatoes.  If you're looking for healthy food, this is clearly not your recipe. If you're looking for something swoon worthy that will make you feel like you're wrapped up in a big, familiar hug.  Try it.


Cast of Characters:


2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tbs olive oil
32 oz chicken stock
2 cups shredded chicken
12 oz reames frozen egg noodles
2 tbs flour
2 tbs water


Ok.  Start by sauteing the carrots and celery in the oil (you could add onion, but..I didn't). Add the spices and let those cook for another minute.  Add the broth and the shredded chicken and cook for about twenty minutes.  Add the noodles and cook for another twenty minutes. Mix the flour and the water in a small bowl, and then add to the soup and let thicken for five or so minutes.

When it looks thick and glorious like this, you can lay down and die. Or you can make a pile of mashed potatoes and ladle this magic on top. Or just eat it plain.  Your choice.  

Ok, now, a few things. Personally, every week I buy a package of chicken from the grocery and broil and shred it, and it can be used for two meals (like the chicken chili from the weekend). Also, Ev loves nearly everything I cook for him, but he also likes his food a bit spicy, so this chicken was seasoned with some cajun seasoning, and I sprinkled some red pepper flakes into the soup. Finally, I was raised to cook instinctively, rather than with recipes.  When I give quantities, its usually pretty approximate (especially in terms of oil, salt and pepper) so when the soup looks a little dry, add some more broth or water.  Do what feels right!  And enjoy :)

No running, but have some chili!

Right- so technically I did not run at all this weekend.  On Saturday I justified it by going to church which, like running, is something I always intend to do but usually don't get around to. And Sunday is the one day that Ev is off, so we went to the pet store and watched football and graded papers and snuggled in our island of a bed all day.  Which, I think, is exactly what you're supposed to do on Sundays, right? 

Anyway, to redeem myself...I made dinner, and it was such a perfect Sunday afternoon football dinner- chicken chili.  Lately, I've been switching between white and red chicken chilis, and I think I like the red one better, just because I can sneak in a few more vegetables and pretend its healthy.  Of course, the white chili has all those beans and fiber, so also healthy, but thats another recipe for another day.  Lets get on with the Red Chicken Chili, shall we?

1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded chicken (2 breast halves)

8 roma tomatoes

2 bell peppers (I like red and orange, but whatever you like)

1 small to medium onion

2 cups chicken stock

1 4 oz can chopped green chiles

1 4 oz can chopped jalapenos (ONLY USE HALF!!)

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 bottle beer...whatever you have. I've used everything from bud light to christmas ale :)

1 can kidney beans...or black beans, or whatever

* Hi.  You can use any form of chicken you like- I prefer mine shredded, because I like the texture better than when its in larger cubes.  To shred it, I throw the cleaned and salted pieces of chicken under the broiler for five minutes, then flip them and roast five minutes more.  Remove from oven and shred with two forks. So easy!

Ok, start by cutting your tomatoes in half, lengthwise. Half and seed your peppers, and half the onion. Place all the veg, cut side down, in a 9 x 13 baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.  Broil until the tomatoes split and the peppers begin to brown, usually between 15 and 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and transfer the peppers to a cutting board and give them a rough chop; toss the tomatoes, onion, and collected juices in the blender with chicken stock and pulse until its still a little chunky. 

In a deep sided pan, saute the chile peppers and jalapenos for a minute in some olive oil; add the spices and cook a minute more. Pour the blended tomato mixture in the pan, and the chopped peppers and shredded chicken.  Add a bottle of beer and the drained and rinsed beans. Cook everything on medium low heat for at least fifteen to twenty minutes.  Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and some kind of carbohydrate.  Normal people eat cornbread, but I'm not a fan so I use homemade fries (what, I'm irish!) or fritos. Yeah...fritos.  Its good :)

Goals...and more goals.

Today, friends, I managed to run two miles. Um...in thirty minutes. Which is a little embarrassing, I think.  I mean, four years ago I was running three miles in 27 minutes. Huh.


The reason this is important is because I am setting a goal- a goal of running a half marathon by the time Ev graduates.  I have my eye on one particular race scheduled for May 1.  My inspiration is this: if Ev can manage to work full time, and part time, and still reach his personal goal of finishing school (again!) in one year, I can also manage to conquer something that I find very difficult. And I find running very, very difficult. 


So here we are.  Five and a half months til 13 miles.  Being me, this project will get chopped into smaller projects, and I think I'm going to base them off of both time and endurance.  So my two baby goals are as follows:


1) I need to be able to sneak in 3 miles in less than 30 minutes (that will help timing)
2) I need to be able to run thirty minutes without stopping, whatever the distance (this should give me some endurance to build off of.


Since every goal should be measurable and have a due date, I propose that I complete one of these goals by Christmas, and the other by New Years.  I know, I know, its only a week later.  I'm confident I can do it.  However, it might be a little difficult if things like this keep happening-

This, my friends, is coffee cake.  Actually, this is THE coffee cake. You see that brown stuff on the left part of the cake? Thats a brown sugar caramel goodness, with pecans.  Or walnuts.  Either way, I've been told on more than one occasion that this is the best coffee cake they've ever had...its pretty serious.  Do yourself a favor and make it for your father, or father in law- any man, really.  You can thank me later.

Cast of characters:

FOR THE CAKE:

1-½ stick Butter, Softened

2 cups Scant Sugar

3 cups Flour, Sifted

4 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1-¼ cup Whole Milk

3 whole Egg Whites, Beaten Until Stiff

FOR THE TOPPING:

1-½ stick Butter, Softened

¾ cups Flour

1-½ cup Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

1-½ cup Pecans, Chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don’t overbeat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 (or LARGER!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm—delicious!

One thing- please, please use a pan that is either slightly larger than a standard 9 x 13  (I used a corningware pan that probably was an inch or so more on either side) or use one with taller sides- this makes a ton of cake!  Or just halve the batter and make in an 8 or 9" square pan.  Your call, really.  Just make it!