Prime Cuts

It’s been over a year since I’ve had the pleasure my mom’s cooking, and after a year of waiting, you can imagine that I had a long list of “must-haves” for my week-long Alabama visit.

From her spinach and bow-tie pasta bake to her hash brown casserole, everything my mother makes is packed full of love and tastes like absolute perfection.

Being the only vegetarian in the family, there are a few dishes she’s made over the years specifically for me. And one of those dishes that I beg for, is her Eggplant Parmesan (which she greeted me with as soon as I walked in the door).

Warning: This dish is NOT healthy and takes awhile to pull together, but is one of the most delicious meals you may ever have the pleasure to partake in. With that said, please, enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana Recipes

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
Tablespoon of salt, plus as needed
5 or so cups fresh breadcrumbs
Tablespoon dried thyme
Tablespoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Enough all-purpose flour for dredging
6 eggs, beaten (if I make it for myself I’d throw in egg beaters, but that’s because eggs freak me out)
A LOT (I’m guessing 8 cups) of Randazza Family Marinara
2 tablespoons milk
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
AT LEAST 1lb mozzarella (cheese is always a good thing to splurge on and get the fresh kind, totally enhances the flavor/quality of your meal, so get fresh if you can!); sliced thin

Preparation

Put the eggplant slices onto several baking sheets or plates and sprinkle a fair amount of salt on both sides to let the bitter juice seep out. It will probably take 45 minutes to an hour.

Toss the eggplant into a strainer and rinse well with cool water, then pat the eggplant until dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.

Put flour in a medium bowl, place breadcrumbs in another medium bowl, and in a third bowl whisk the egg and milk together. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture.

Transfer the eggplant to a coated (with olive oil) baking sheet into a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side, or until brown. Set aside.

Up the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Coat a 15 x 10 glass baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter 1/2 of the Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread, or sauteed spinach (if you feel a need for something healthier), and enjoy the BEST meal EVER.

Enjoy!

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Photo by: mhaithaca

“Do you know any great appetizer recipes?” I get asked this question all the time, especially around The Holidays. People have guests popping in left and right, and the thought of serving up one more veggie tray, one more jalapeno popper, or one more nut-covered cheese ball is enough to make anyone’s head explode.

Psst! I’ll let you in on a little secret. Lean in a little closer (it’s OK … I won’t bite). You don’t have to dish out that cookie cutter, boring, tired out old stuff. There are worlds of goodness out there to be explored without having to resort to … that.

The Holiday Season is the perfect time to indulge a little. The frostiness in the air lends itself to all things warm, bubbly and gooey. So, why not surprise your guests with something a few steps away from the everyday? Serve them something that’ll have them licking their fingers and begging for more. Give them something that’ll make them salivate with anticipation for your next “do”!

First up: Manchego-Quince Skewers

This is so simple, I find it hard to even call it a “recipe”. That said, this is fast, easy, has remarkable flavors and people will gobble these up so fast that your head will spin. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

1 pound Manchego cheese
1 pound Quince Paste (you can get this at most upscale/specialty markets**)
1 bunch of Watercress
Toothpicks.

**If you can’t find Quince Paste, a piece of dried apricot will do in a pinch.

Preparation

Cut the Manchego cheese and the Quince Paste into 1” cubes. Skewer one cube of each on a toothpick with one watercress leaf. Serve. That’s IT. The creaminess of the Manchego works beautifully with the tangy sweetness of the Quince Paste and the subtle peppery quality of the watercress. Easy-peasy.

Second: Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples

This one takes a little more time, but you’ll reap loads of accolades and smiles, so it’s worth every second.

Ingredients

1 small wheel of Brie
1 tube refrigerated crescent roll dough (the “leading” brand now makes this in big sheets, so you don’t have to contend with seams and the like)
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (either light or dark is fine)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I like almonds or pecans, but walnuts would work, too)
A handful of dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
English Water crackers, for serving

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll crescent roll dough onto a cookie sheet. Place the brie right in the center. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook til it dissolves and gets all melty and caramelly. Add the diced apples, nuts, cranberries and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are just soft and the cranberries just begin to plump up. Spoon this mixture on top of the brie, then wrap the whole package in the crescent roll dough, making sure to seal the seams well.

Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer to a platter with the English Water crackers and serve. It’s melty, it’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s GOOD.

Don’t settle for the ordinary when you can have something EXTRA-ordinary.

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Photo by: sean dreilinger

Brewing coffee is as much of an art as it is a science. One of the widely used methods is the auto drip machine. Since Mr. Coffee came on the scene we’ve been addicted to convenience and good coffee. But there is more to an auto drip machine than you might think. There are many things to consider when buying an auto drip machine.

One of the most important aspects to a great auto drip machine is the temperature that the machine brews your coffee at, it should brew somewhere around 195-205°F. This is very crucial, many machines will brew your coffee at a lower temperature and then heat the coffee on the warmer.  When this happens you’ll experience less flavor and usually an abnormal bitter tone to it. One of the reasons many machines will brew at a lower temperature is due to the amount of wattage that the machine has. Remember, larger wattage, hotter coffee.

Another aspect of your auto drip machine that needs to be considered is the shower head, no, I’m not talking about your bathroom. The shower head is the part of the machine that drips the water onto the grounds. Some machines just have a singular point of entry for the water to hit your grounds. This method doesn’t fully soak your grounds effectively which usually leads to weak, under-brewed coffee. But if you have a coffee maker that is like a shower head that can soak the grounds evenly you’ll experience great, fully brewed coffee.

When brewing coffee through an auto drip machine you have to consider the container or carafe that the coffee will reside in once fully brewed. There are two main kinds of carafes: glass and thermal. Obviously, glass is the most common and easily most misunderstood, this is why you should go to a store to at least check out a coffee maker before buying. There are many companies that will give you a fancy, full featured machine but then go cheap on some really thin glass. If you’re an avid coffee drinker consider getting a machine with good, thick glass because you’ll be using it for purpose not looks. This part, in my opinion, is similar to buying drinking glasses. You want something good looking, light but not cheap, you know what cheap glass feels like. If you don’t, go to Walmart and pick up a set of drinking glasses that are a starter/college set and then go to Macy’s or Crate & Barrel and pick up some nice drinking glasses for people who want to have them for a period longer than a Bachelors degree.

Thermal is the other type of carafe. I recommend a vacuumed thermal carafe. There are many varieties of thermal so do your homework. Since your coffee should be enjoyed immediately after brewing I hardly see a point in having a thermal carafe, at least that’s the way I see it because your warmer should keep your coffee hot while you enjoy your first cup.

Filtration is important when brewing coffee regardless of brewing method. Most coffeehouses will triple filter their water. The best I recommend is to use a Brita filter carafe and then ensure that your coffee maker has a water filter on it, as most do now. This will provide you with at least double filtered water. Great water is just as important as good, fresh coffee. Many will argue this aspect but I will tell you from many years of searching for great coffee that water is absolutely key and is worth the extra steps. You can get away with having a cheap machine and make better coffee by using filtered water. Similarly, you can have a very expensive machine and if you’re pouring in tap water I can guarantee you that your coffee will taste off or just plain bad. Many people who don’t like coffee never realize that what they really didn’t like was the taste of tap water that barely tastes like coffee. Cardinal rule with coffee: use filtered water, no exceptions!

Coffee filters are a thing of debate for most coffee drinkers, I’m not even going to attempt to explain or begin a debate here but let me lay it out for you. There are paper and metal; one is disposable and the other is reusable. Paper; you have new and recycled, bleached and natural. Metal; you have cheap metal mesh (claiming it’s gold) and then you have a real gold mesh filter (this will run you around $50). I buy bleached paper. Brands matter, why, because many will debate tasting the filter in the coffee, the right brand can eliminate that taste.

There are many choices when considering buying an auto drip machine but in the end if you really want to have a good cup of coffee and you drink coffee semi-regularly you should be spending at least $50. If you’re the person who drinks daily and multiple times throughout the day then you should consider getting a maker that is $100. If you’re the person who goes through a coffee maker every year like my parents then you should consider buying a really nice coffee machine that can withstand the abuse of coffee addicts. Those machines are somewhere around $199. As the price increases you’ll find many companies will try to amuse you by having crazy features telling you that it will make your coffee better, those companies are just ripping you off. Remember, coffee has three parts; the coffee itself, the water, the brewing method. There is no need for crazy features, some of the better machines that are expensive are very simple and at first makes you wonder why it is so expensive. That is because the quality is much higher, remember, more metal, less plastic is always a good thing.

Let me break it down quickly for you as I know you’re wondering what should you buy, so here’s my recommendations:

• Saving money: buy what fits your budget and use filtered water and good coffee and good filters.
• Willing to spend a little bit more: buy something like a DeLonghi around $80, it’s good, not great, watch out for how the carafe sets on the warmer, if it’s not just right it will spill all over your counter.
• Want great coffee and willing to put some money down: get a KitchenAid ProLine Series, this retails for $199 but you can find them on eBay for around $140.

What do I use? KitchenAid ProLine Series. Yes, it was expensive but it the best machine I’ve ever used, I brew coffee from 1-4 times a day.

Not to further mess with your possible confusion, remember, convenience is the key with an auto drip machine. A good $20 french press can make equal or sometimes better coffee than an auto drip machine if the right techniques are used but it makes less coffee and requires more attention than an auto drip machine.

Tell me what you use and why you decided to buy what you did.

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Photo by: Neubie

Ahhhh, The Holidays. I love ‘em. No matter what holiday you celebrate, or whether you celebrate any at all, what they stand for is the same for us all: giving thanks for those you love, spending time with those you love most … and consuming rich, wondrous, deliciously sinful foods.

Right out of the blocks, I’ll let you know that this recipe is not for the faint of heart. If you’re the person who balks at anything that has more than 3 grams of fat in it, or who immediately worries about how to work off each bite of food, then this isn’t for you. I’m a believer in moderation. I think that if you live a healthy lifestyle, then it’s OK to indulge in something that’s really bad for you, at least every once in a while.

So, without further ado, let’s talk about EGGNOG, shall we?

It’s rich. It’s sinful. It’s sweet and creamy and indescribably delicious. Sure, it has a gazillion calories, but that’s OK. We only live once, right?

When I was growing up, friends always had store-bought eggnog in their houses. You know, the super-thick, super-cloying stuff that shows up in grocery stores just after Halloween each year. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that stuff. It’s great in coffee and kids really like it, but once you’ve had the real deal — eggnog that’s made from scratch — you’ll never look at it the same way again.

When I was growing up, my parents threw a big holiday bash each year. My dad always made a huge batch of his homemade eggnog and everyone in the neighborhood would clamor for a cup of that magical goodness. I wasn’t allowed to try it ‘til I was much older (you’ll understand once you see the recipe), but once I did, I was hooked.

For me, this drink exemplifies The Holiday Season. It says that enjoying yourself is a good thing. That it’s OK to relish in the finer things in life. That the holidays, themselves, are sweet and rewarding, much like the liquid love in your cup.

So, don’t think about the gym. Don’t think about your diet. Think about enjoying yourself. Think about good friends and good times. Think about having a cup of eggnog!

My Dad’s Classic Eggnog

Ingredients

1 dozen large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 quart whole milk
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/5 (a regular sized bottle) Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
Freshly-grated nutmeg

Preparation

In a large punch bowl, separate the eggs (save the egg whites to make “forgotten cookies” … I’ll post that recipe later!) Beat the egg yolks until they are a pale, lemony color. Beat in the sugar until thick. On a lower speed (you’ll make a mess otherwise), stir in the milk. Stir in the rum. Chill for AT LEAST three hours.

About an hour or so before serving time, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the eggnog mixture.

Chill for another hour. Serve in cups with freshly grated nutmeg sprinkled on top.

Enjoy life to its fullest!

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As I mentioned before one of my favorite things about autumn is the food. More specifically, it’s a time where I can fill my plate with root vegetables. Out of all of these vegetables, one not only means fall, but it  absolutely means holiday and family – and that vegetable is pumpkin. There have been a number of recipes on Prime Cuts over the past couple weeks that feature this incredible vegetable, but I wanted to give you my take.

Every season that the glistening Libby’s pumpkin cans* appear on shelves throughout stores, I get giddy and I’m inspired by the endless possibilities. I’ve had the good fortune of having pumpkin for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and even in cocktails.

When I heard reports of this year’s pumpkin shortage, I immediately stopped by my local grocer to pick up a flat of canned pumpkin, so I’d be well stocked throughout the season.

Versatile and nutritious, it is one of the few ingredients that to me feels both like a comfort food and healthy choice.

So if you haven’t made your trek to the store to stock up, get going! You don’t want to miss your chance to make incredibly delicious (and I mean DE-lish!) recipes like this one I pulled from VegSource.com:

Gnocchi in Pumpkin Sauce

Ingredients

4 cups whole wheat gnocchi
1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Basil Cream:
1/4 cup raw cashews, presoaked in water for 12 hours
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper

Preparation

1. To make the basil cream, drain the soaked cashews. In a blender or food processor, blend cashews with 1/4 cup water, basil and pepper until the mixture has the consistency of a thick cream, meaning it should slowly drip off a spoon.
2. Boil the gnocchi until they float, then drain in a colander. Shock them with a quick spritz of cold water from your faucet.
3. To prepare the sauce, mix the pureed pumpkin with the almond milk, nutmeg and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the gnocchi. Simmer for another minute.
4. Assemble the dish by placing the gnocchi and sauce on the plates. Add dots or swirls of basil cream.

While the recipe takes awhile prepartion-wise, the resulting flavor is worth every second! Enjoy!

*Full disclosure, Libby’s Pumpkin is a Publicis Consultants | PR client, and is my agency of record.

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Photo by: eekim

Editor’s Note: Both Melissa and Justin Rasmussen wrote about their pumpkin pancake recipes this week.  While both recipes are similar, there are some differences.  I encourage you to try both recipes and then report back to us which one you liked better.  Think of it as the dueling pumpkin pancakes.

Last night, my family and I did one of our most favorite things in the world: we had breakfast … for DINNER. This isn’t an altogether unheard of practice, but it happens infrequently enough at my house that my kids think that something extra-special is happening and it’s always lots of fun.

Before we sat down to eat, we made sure that all of the finer details had been tended to: everyone wore their pajamas, we had our “morning music” playing in the background, grownups had big cups of rich coffee; the kids tall glasses of ice-cold milk.

On deck for this very special meal were thick slices of crisp bacon, fresh fruit and, the pièce de résistance: homemade pumpkin pancakes.

Have you ever made pancakes from scratch? Most folks turn to a mix whenever they’re making this tried-and-true breakfast treat, and it’s really quite a shame, as homemade pancakes are not only 100 times better, they’re also exceedingly easy to prepare. I assure you that a few minutes of extra effort will come back to you tenfold in better taste, not to mention in thanks from your family and friends.

Now, I mentioned that this breakf … err, DINNER, was extra-special. Accordingly, I couldn’t just prepare any ordinary pancakes. This called for something extraordinary.

Light, fluffy and indescribably delicious, these subtly spicy and sweet little discs of happiness will warm you inside and out. Let’s begin, shall we?

Perfectly Puffed Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup CAKE flour (it has less gluten and will result in a fluffier pancake)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt (make sure you use regular salt here; Kosher is too coarse)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 whole, large eggs
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1 ounce melted butter (optional)
4 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
Butter, vegetable oil, or nonstick cooking spray

Preparation

Heat a griddle over a medium flame (about 375 degrees if you’re using an electric griddle).

Sift together dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the pumpkin puree and half-and-half (or whole milk if you’ve taken that option); mix well. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks (this is easiest with a standing mixer, but a hand mixer, or even a wire whisk, assuming you’ve got the energy, will work great). Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, taking care not to over-mix (a few lumps are just fine). Add the melted butter if you’re using it. Fold in the egg whites (this’ll make the pancakes extra light and fluffy).

Add a small amount of butter, oil or cooking spray to your griddle. Scoop batter onto hot griddle; flip pancakes when they’re just starting to dry around the edges. Cook til golden brown.

Serve with warm syrup (maple if you’re a fan, some other if you’re not) or a simple sprinkling of cinnamon & sugar.

Whip up a batch this weekend. For breakfast OR for dinner. You’ll be glad you did.

Enjoy!

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Photo by: Rice and D

I have never really been a fan of pancakes, or really french toast. I know that sounds horrible but I think it has something to do with all the burnt, crispy discs I was served while camping every weekend growing up. That’s not to say that I don’t eat pancakes or french toast but it is definitely few and far between. I would rather have toast than pancakes most of the time. Yeah, I know it’s weird coming from a Danish family who is all about pancakes, even so much that they even make them into small round spheres called aebleskivers, for the pancake monsters on the go.

But when fall comes, there are good things coming to my table. As the leaves gently drift to the ground in their brittle, crunchy state there is one breakfast meal that I look forward to, pumpkin pancakes. My loving wife is a baker of sorts, she is always looking for recipes and how to change them and build on top of them to make them better and more tasty. The first time she made pumpkin pancakes, I knew she was the one for me. Okay, so maybe that’s a bit exaggerated, or a lot, but really, they are that good. These pancakes can bring people to the table, so make sure you make plenty.

So, while I was planning this post I had hoped to take some nice sexy food porn pictures of these glorious, pumpkiny, cakes of the pan but as quickly as they came off the pan they were being snatched away onto someones plate. I couldn’t get anyone to stop, to resist just one bite before I could snap even one photo. Then one bite turned into two and as I went to adjust the plate for the perfect picture animal instincts set in and there was no way I could touch their plate, so watch your fingers when you decide to make these because they unleash some pumpkin craziness.

My family and friends have an obsession with pumpkin, the moment October 31 peels off the calendar everyone is salivating for my wife to make pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin anything. Beyond the picture it was a great feat to get the recipe away from wife, it was her concern that people would need to treat this recipe with the respect and the responsibility it deserves around pumpkin crazies. I assured her that my friends here are responsible and will act with caution around the pumpkin crazed animals they call their families and friends. So without further ado, here you go, enjoy. You’ve been warned.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Preparation

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice cinnamon, and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Slightly healthier version, substitute 1 cup of flour for whole wheat flour. This is my personal favorite, the pancakes come out a little more dense but the payoff is much higher, I think everything bonds better.

Enjoy!

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With the coming of winter and cold weather, nothing is better than a hearty, full-bodied red wine.  Fortunately for you, we feature an amazing selection of full bodied Argentinean red wines at Caminito, and I am intimately familiar with all of them.  Argentina is one of the top, up and coming wine countries of the world, specializing in an amazing assortment of hearty, earthy reds that pair nicely with Argentina’s most famous food – beef.  One of the greatest things about Argentine reds is that they are easy to come across and for the most part very affordable.

One of my personal favorite wines that we serve at Caminito is Terra Rosa, which is a Malbec, Argentina’s famous bold red grape.  When you think of hearty red wines Malbec is generally at the top of the list, and Terra Rosa is no exception.  When I tasted this wine for the first time the first flavor and aroma I noticed was something that I can only describe as a smokey, woody, hickory type flavor.  This was immediately followed by some spicy, yet well rounded tannins, and a finish of crisp red fruits.  There really is a lot going on, but the overall balance works perfectly, in a deliciously complex, romantic harmony.

I suggest this wine to customers who are looking for a dry red wine to compliment their steak, hopefully wood –fired, if possible.  However, I also suggest it to customers who know little about wine and are looking for an overall good, drinkable, affordable wine that is representative of what Argentina has to offer. This wine can stand on its own, and also pairs nicely with many foods which speaks to the versatility of Terra Rosa!

Due to its bold and smoky flavors Terra Rosa pairs incredibly well with basically all grilled foods, in particular steaks, chops, game, even hearty fish and shrimp dishes.  Terra Rosa also has the complexity to compliment foods like rich tomato based pastas, strong cheeses, and rich chocolate desserts.  In my opinion, the smoky flavor of this wine matches up best with food form the grill (I know I am a bit of a grill fanatic, but this is just down right true!).

One interesting fact about Terra Rosa is that it is an old vine Malbec.  This, as one would assume, refers to the fact that the original root stock for the grapes is over 50 years old.  The genetics involved in these grapes have been meticulously maintained and cared for which, in turn, produces a very consistent yield and taste.  Factors from vintage to vintage such as variations in rain, sun or temperature can result in slightly different taste profiles for wine, but in my experience I have never found a bottle of Terra Rosa that did not taste exactly as I expected it to.

So, on one of these cool fall/winter evenings when you are thinking about what to do for dinner and drinks, I suggest you think like a Gaucho and fire up the grill (if you haven’t put it away yet, but why would you, its still football season after all) and open a bottle of Terra Rosa Malbec.  It is a great wine year round, but is really something special in the cooler months, and is especially magnificent when paired with a smoky, grilled T-Bone, or a nice ribeye (my top two favorite cuts of beef).  For me, that is simply one of my favorite meals: a steak cut considerably larger than most would care to tangle with, cooked just the way I like it, and a bottle of full-bodied red wine.

One of the best things about Terra Rosa is that if your steak is too big for just one bottle, it is inexpensive enough that a second won’t break the bank at all.  Terra Rosa and a steak, you honestly don’t need anything else, simplicity… delicious, simplicity!

Have you had Terra Rosa before?  If so, what did you think of it?

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Photo by: Sifu Renka

Recently I saw in the New York Times a story of Thomas Keller’s last meal with his father. The article was fascinating, and captured exactly how I feel about food. Food is a way to show affection, share life experiences and create memories. And it got me thinking, what would I have as my last meal? Out of the thousands of meals I’ve had in my life, and the hundreds of thousands of meals I haven’t, what would be the ultimate? Would I go for an exquisite meal at El Bulli or stick with the simple comforts of home cuisine?

Having no idea which direction to turn, I asked my friends.  The response was overwhelming. Each answer was incredibly personal, unique and most were linked to a story.

My friend Justin said “anything cooked by my grandma I would spend my last meal surrounded by my family at grandma’s table. Yup. For sure.” Spending time with family, you know I back that.

A peer, who I served with on PRSSA’s National Committee, surprised me with his thoughtful response. “French onion soup to start. For an appetizer, go for an avian theme and serve foie gras with a cinnamon rub atop two pieces of buttered cinnamon toast and scrambled quail eggs. For the main course, a veal and crab leg medley with sides of asparagus and potatoes au gratin. Warm blackberry cobbler topped with strawberries for dessert. Finish with black coffee.” Okay, I’ll admit, that sounds pretty incredible.

Two friends said they’d delve into their food allergies. Kayley would brush aside her gluten allergy to indulge in a loaf of fresh baked bread, and Lisa would head straight for the dairy aisle with nothing but thoughts of cheese on her mind.

But after hearing from so many of my friends, I still couldn’t answer my own question. So I turned to My Last Supper by Melanie Dunea (I highly recommend for its beautiful pictures), which features 50 top chefs and each of their last meal’s recipes.

But the book only confused me more. I was complicating the process. And then it occurred to me — the one thing I ALWAYS ask for when I go home. This is going to sound ridiculous…so drum roll please…

…..My mom’s toast

Allow me to explain. For every meal my mother prepares, she takes my likes and dislikes into consideration. And as silly and/or sweet as it may sound, she prepares even the smallest meals that way. Every dish is full of love, even if it’s just bread and butter.

Now that’s a last supper I can toast to.

What would your last supper be?

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Photo by: basheertome

Mmmm … pumpkin. Is there anything that conjures stronger images of Fall-ish, childhood fun? Halloween, jack o’ lanterns, the homey smell of your mom’s pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving … these things are indelibly ingrained in our psyches. Their very thoughts can instantly transport us to cozy days spent with family and friends, sitting comfortably next to roaring fireplaces, basking in the warmth of their company.

For many people I’ve met, the only pumpkin they’ve ever eaten has been in pie. There’s nothing wrong with this, to be sure; good pumpkin pie is one of the best things in the world. But if you’ve only ever had pumpkin this way, you are really missing out. Pumpkin bread & muffins, warmed with butter, are among my favorite comfort foods. Pumpkin doughnuts (ohhh, yes) are scrumididdlyumptious. A favorite of my kids is homemade pumpkin pancakes (I promise to get to that very soon!). I’ve even had a wonderful pumpkin risotto served with toasted pecans. Incredibly versatile, pumpkin can be incorporated into a host of foods, whether they’re for breakfast, lunch or dinner. One of my favorite ways to serve it is in pasta.

My family are big-time pasta eaters, so I’m always trying out new ways of fixing it (tomato sauces start to get boring after a while). Trying to capture the flavors of Fall, I started to stir. To tweak, to spice. A little salt here, a little cinnamon there. Maybe a little cream? Sure! Why not? What I came up with was this, and it’s become a must-have staple in my house:

Rigatoni with Pumpkin & Italian Turkey Sausage

Ingredients

1 pound Rigatoni
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped fine (Vidalia or Maui onions are great for this!)
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon sage
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup pumpkin puree (you know you have at least three cans in your pantry)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
Freshly-grated/shaved Romano or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling**, add a healthy dose of salt to the water and cook rigatoni until just before “al dente” (the pasta will cook a bit more once it’s added to the sauce), about 6 minutes.

**Did you know that adding salt to your pot before the water boils can damage your cookware? It can.

In a separate, deep saucepan, heat olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add chopped onion and saute until it’s translucent & a little bit caramelized. Add chopped garlic & saute until golden, being careful not to let it burn (burned garlic does not taste good … not even a little). Remove sausages from their casings and add meat to the onion & garlic mixture. Brown thoroughly. Add bay leaf, sage and wine and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by about half. Add chicken broth, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir until mixed well. Add heavy cream, Kosher salt & freshly-ground pepper (to taste) and stir to combine.

Add cooked pasta to the sauce, then toss to coat evenly. Serve piping hot with lots of freshly-grated Romano (just my preference — Parmesan is certainly a fine choice!) cheese and a glass of nice, dry white wine (this is complemented nicely by Riesling, but you choose your favorite!) and ENJOY!

Explore the wonderfully wide culinary world of pumpkin. It’s big, it’s bright, it’s orange … but most importantly, it’s DELICIOUS.

When she’s not minding her pumpkin patch (which is among the most sincere out there), Melissa DelGaudio is the principal at Honeybee Consulting, a full-service copywriting, marketing & public relations firm based in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. She can often be found Twitter, where she tries to carve out illuminating conversations. Be sure to pay her a visit!

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