Pumpkin Squares

A highlight of Fall: Pumpkin baked goods.  Why dont we eat these all year round?!

This recipe is from the Grupe sisters, with a couple of tweaks from me.

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 c oil, 1/2 c applesauce)

Frosting Ingredients:
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

* Combine flour through ginger
* Combine pumpkin, eggs, oil
* Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine
* Bake in an 11 x 15 greased pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (I ended up baking for close to 45 min.)
* For frosting, beat together frosting ingredients for a few minutes until fluffy.  Spread on top of cooled pumpkin cake

-- Kate

UPDATE: Kate's October recipe - Rarebit

I've spent my entire life thinking rarebit is rare rabbit. I'm not sure why, but only since moving to London have I realized that it's a vegetarian cheese sauce, and has nothing to do with Bugs. This was a delicious and easy weeknight meal. I even saw it on the menu at the restaurant where we had lunch yesterday.

I served mine sauce over steamed broccoli and toast. It was perfect, but next time I will consider adding smoked tofu because I think it will lend a nice flavor and lots of protein. -- Sarah

Avocado soup - redone

Anniemac, you sent me this soup recipe a few months ago and I wanted to make it, but by the time I got around to it the seasons had changed and there was no way I was going to make a cold soup. So, I created a hot, vegetarian version of my own.

Grilled Halibut with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Roasted Garlic Rouille

Grilled Halibut with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Roasted Garlic Rouille
 From Sunset Mag: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1916221

This was great and I think you can eat with many different kinds of fish / shellfish. I used tilpia and it was fabulous. Rouille's scare me sometimes due to my dislike of mayo, but I used Veganese and let's be honest: Roasted garlic could be served to me on the bottom of a shoe and I would love it, so addicting.

Roasted Cauliflower with Kalamata Vinaigrette

From: Gourmet Sept 2009    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Cauliflower-with-Kalamata-Vinaigrette-354954

This is simple, quick, and pretty healthy. The unlikely pairing of cauliflower and kalamata olives scared me at first, but then I realized it is delicious. Roasted cauliflower tastes nutty and completely different than raw, which I had forgotten (or never knew!).

UPDATE: Kate's October Recipe - Rarebit

This was a delicious Monday night dinner.  It reminded me of the cheddar & beer fondue from a restaurant in Cherry Creek that Megan P. and her family used to take me to in 5th grade.  The Rarebit was easy to make and combines ingredients that I typically have on hand.  I would definitely make this again, trying it with other pairings -- asparagus, potatoes etc.

This time, I served it over toast, made from beer bread from Avalon bakery in downtown Detroit: 

I put the Rarebit over the toast topped with MI apples.  Ken and I ate almost the entire batch.....piggy!

Kate's October Recipe Selection: Rarebit

From: The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Fall is in the air (at least in MI), so for my monthly "we all make it" recipe, I have selected Rarebit (page 93).  It seems like a comforting, warm, cozy dish that looks easy enought to prepare after work for dinner, or for a weekend lunch.  It also has multple variations of what you can serve it with.

CSA Curry

Each week, I am tasked with preparing and consuming the CSA produce before a new box arrives or it spoils, whichever comes first (usually a new box).  Oh, the pressure!  My freezer is pretty full, so I've been looking for ways to use multiple ingredients.  This CSA Curry allowed me to use up Asian eggplants, onion, garlic, green pepper, an Aneheim pepper and a Serano pepper.  Not bad!

I made a currry paste using a blend I bought this summer at the Savory Spice store in Lowry -- the Cambodian Lemongrass Curry. I mixed this with a little olive oil and water and added it after the vegetables had sauteed a bit.  Once the spices were fragrant, I added lite coconut milk and let is simmer for a few minutes.   In general, I prefer spicy curries, but tend to make more mild versions as I need to perfect my paste curry ratio.  Overall though, this was a delicious way to consume some CSA produce.

-- Kate

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Lemon-Cumin Shrimp and Cilantro Cream

Click here for the recipe.

6 first-course or 4 main-course servings 

This soup is healthy and easy and I think it's best heated up. The shrimp / lemon / cumin is a nice addition to a relatively tame soup, as is the cilantro cream. (I hate sour cream and was hesitant, but used it instead of yogurt and was happy with it) This soup would be great served in a small bowl at the beginning of a dinner party.

This velvety soup has no cream except for the little bit of sour cream that's spooned on top. It's perfect for summer entertaining: All of the components can be prepared a day ahead.

Ingredients

Cilantro cream

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small garlic clove, pressed

shrimp

• 1 pound peeled cooked medium shrimp
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced (about 2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 medium zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish

Preparation

cilantro cream

• 
  
  
  
  
  Whisk sour cream, cilantro, and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
  
  
  
  
  
  

shrimp

• 
  
  
  
  
  Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
  
  
  
  
  
  

soup

• 
  
  
  
  
  Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add zucchini; stir to coat. Stir in broth; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Cool to lukewarm. Add chopped cilantro. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Transfer soup to large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Divide soup among bowls. Top each with shrimp, dividing equally. Spoon dollop of cilantro cream over each, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Oregon Tuna Melts

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/oregon-tuna-melts

I know: Tuna Melts? Really? Yes. Not necessarily even for the melt, but for the tuna.

We grew up eating tuna melts consisting of tuna, an English muffin, and some cheddar or american cheese melted on top. This is just as tasty but a bit more grown up, and I ended up making another batch of the tuna after we devoured the melts just to have in the fridge for later.

Red onion, basil, vinegar, olive oil. I think the oil and vinegar transform the tuna in to a less-fishy dish that you could eat on a salad, with crackers, or in these sandwiches. Very good.

If you are going to make the melts... I highly recommend the mustard or mustard / mayo combo as it was surprisingly good. I used cheddar and no pickles. Ciabatta was a great idea.