Friday Fun

Thursday

This is a repost of a recipe I posted a few years back - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. So so yummy and I get requests for them this time of year, so I thought now would be a good time to repost the recipe.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat just until blended.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips or chunks and nuts, if using.

6. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

7. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking to ensure even baking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from "Too Busy to Cook?" Volume Two

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.

** notes ** I find this recipe easier to make in the stand mixer than by hand or with the a hand mixer, with the exception of adding the chocolate chips in the end. I also omit the nuts. While I generally love all variety of nuts, I don't care for them in my cookies.

It's Halloween...

I think I post this clip every year. It's of Tim Curry playing The Wizard in The Worst Witch. One of the best Halloween movies ever made - hands down. It's up there with Teen Witch for me. So in honor of the upcoming Halloween night, enjoy!

Monday Daybook

Outside my window ...the sounds of the cars passing on the highway.

I am thinking … that I'm off to Galveston in a few weeks. It's for a conference, but it's at the beach!

I am thankful for …my wonderful, awesome, crazy family

I am reading … Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I need to brush up before I see he movie in a few weeks.

I am hoping …that maybe Grandma will come visit in April. I told her the Red Sox were playing. She said maybe :)

On my mind ... work work work. Lots going on right now.

I'm learning … the winds in Texas can be fierce. When it's so flat, there's nothing to stop it.

Noticing that … I still haven't watched the NetFlix selection from 2 months ago. I think that was a failed experiment. Time to cancel

From the kitchen … pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for the staff potluck on Thursday.

Around the house …I think it's time for another closet purge.

One of my favorite things … A&W diet soda - the root beer or the cream soda. Both are tasty.

O-H-I-O

It is my favorite time of year. Not only is it AUTUMN (although, autumn is considerably lacking in TX - no falling leaves, no crisp wind, no hot apple cider - just 80 degrees...) with the pretty colors and scents that come with it, it is also college football season and we are right smack in the middle of it. My Ohio State Buckeyes had a brilliant weekend, trouncing Purdue, after a dismal outing against Wisconsin last week. Texas lost (again), Michigan State squeaked by Northwestern to remain unbeaten. LSU lost to Auburn. It was a fun, exciting weekend for NCAA-FB, and it's wrapping up now with Alabama beating Tennessee (drat!) and Mizzou currently ahead of Oklahoma (woohoo!). Let's see if Missouri can hold on. I'm all for rooting for the underdog unless they're playing OSU.

Friday Fun

Thursday Recipe

Since the pumpkin has started appearing on the store shelves, I've been searching for pumpkin recipes. Nothing says fall like pumpkin scented things, pumpkin flavored things, and pumpkin colored things, right? I found this recipe from Paula Deen, so you know it's tasty. These are her pumpkin bars, perfect for a fall afternoon.

Ingredients

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 
  

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Wednesday Daybook

Outside my window …darkness, it's getting dark earlier now.

I am thinking … about what to get Kennedy for her birthday. I think I've decided.

I am thankful for …this great opportunity I have here in Texas. It's very rare in higher ed to be able to start your own school.

I am reading … Spoken From the Heart. Laura Bush's memoir, it's an interesting read.

I am hoping … that Ohio State makes up for last week's embarrassment by beating Purdue (sorry Purdue fans).

On my mind ... deciding what to do about Christmas. Go home or stay here. I want to go home, but tickets cost money...

I'm learning … that fall comes really really really late in Texas. It's still not here yet.

Noticing that … I need to reorganize my files. I think that's a November project. I've always wanted a labelmaker...

From the kitchen … maybe whipping up a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies this weekend.

Around the house … I cleaned this past weekend - I love a clean apartment (I just hate the cleaning that gets you there).

One of my favorite things … tap class, it's Wednesday night.

One Month

There's just one month until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 is released. I can't remember the last time I was so excited for a movie. Squeee!!!!!!!!!!!! My favorite gossip blogger, Lainey, compiled the newly released 30 second tv spots for the movie. If you are a fan you have to watch. I'm sorry, but Warner Brothers puts Summit (the Twilight people) to shame. Check out the clips here, then tell me you aren't on the edge of your seat waiting the next four weeks! I should start rereading the book now.

Random Thoughts

- There are days when I look down at my left wrist and can't believe I have a tattoo. I'm not saying I regret it, because I don't. I had been wanting to get one for several years. I just hadn't found the right thing. And if you're going to permanently mark yourself, it better be something you're prepared to live with forever. - I really like Texas. Not as much as North Carolina, but it's a nice state to live in. Lots to do. Cowboys driving down the highway. Flat land as far as the eye can see. It's beautiful. And for the next years of my journey, it's home. And since the Red Sox failed to make the post-season...GO RANGERS!!! - I will never cheer for the Cowboys. - Since fall is here and stores are carrying canned pumpkin, it's time for me to bake my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Yum! - Harry Potter in one month!!!! - I am eagerly awaiting my trip to NC in November. Can't wait to visit with everyone.

Lost in RI

My friend's husband filmed this as part of a contest called "Why RI". I think Ryan caught the essence of the Ocean State perfectly!

Friday Fun

Thursday Daybook

Outside my window …a gorgeous sunset.

I am thinking … that bum shoulder or not, I need to run the vacuum this weekend

I am thankful for … my family. They really are the best - Keith and Amanda's wedding was a blast.

I am reading … Spoken From the Heart. Laura Bush's memoir, it's an interesting read.

I am hoping … that Ohio State has another win this weekend.

On my mind … my NSCU friends - they're taking their comp exam tomorrow. Good Luck!!!

I'm learning … to love Texas. It's not North Carolina, but I like Texas.

Noticing that … it is time to take Jack to have his claws trimmed.

From the kitchen … it's time to go grocery shopping.

Around the house … I am loving my new dining table. I love buying grown-up furniture :)

One of my favorite things … hanging out with my sister! It was great to see her last weekend.

Just Desserts

I've been a fan of Top Chef for a while. Padma is a great host (and so beautiful, I want to look like her when I grow up) and Tom is a fantastic head judge. It's full of great cooking and some dramatic tension - you know those chefs have egos. So I was thrilled when Gail Simmons got her own spin-off, Top Chef: Just Desserts. Oh. My. Stars. The DRAMA. It's all drama all the time. I haven't yet decided if it's just in the nature of pastry chefs to be THAT. DRAMATIC. Or if it's just casting. Every week there is high drama and craziness. More than on any season of Top Chef I've ever seen. I love to bake and cook, so I am just as enthralled with the cooking on TC: JD, I'm just undecided on the crazy.

Already Gone

One of Kelly Clarkson's most stunning videos

Good Buzz

We are entering the time of year when studios release movies that they believe are Oscar-worthy. All the buzz and the hype starts and we start to see front-runners emerge for certain categories. One of the blogs I read mentioned seeing The King's Speech at the Toronto Film Festival and loved it. It's the story of King George (QE2's father). He's a stutterer and therefore scared of public speaking. With war looming he needs to find his voice. Such a cast! Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Timothy Spall, of course it's getting good buzz already. Definitely on my "to see" list.

Wedding!

Keith and Amanda's wedding was beautiful. It was so nice to go home for a few days and have the opportunity to celebrate such an occasion with my family. And I got to hold my little peach pie - Kennedy! I miss her sweet little face so much. I can't believe she's a year old already. Here are some pics from the weekend.















Keith and Amanda at the altar















Cousins!















Melissa and Katie

Friday Fun

Thursday Recipe

Fall was finally in the air this week here in Dallas. Cool breezes, no humidity, and the ability to wear long sleeves and a scarf without melting into a puddle on the sidewalk. Perfect weather for comfort food - something warm and gooey out of the oven. I saw this recipe on the foodnetwork site for three cheese macaroni. Melty cheese and pasta - if that's not comfort food, I don't know what is. I think the only thing that could make this better would be a little bit of bacon...

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)
• 4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

Directions

Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler.

Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth and light (you can also use a regular blender). Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.

Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Who Says You Can't Go Home

I'm back in my hometown for the next few days. There's never enough time for me to get to see everyone that I want to. Fortunately what brought me to town was a wedding, so I know I'll get to see a lot of my family. I love where I grew up, in a town directly north of Rhode Island's capital. North Providence is a long narrow area with a main road that is a bear to travel on a Saturday or a Friday night. Fortunately I still remember all the backroads. I went to the local elementary school. The first of the children of my Dad's family to do so. After having taught my dad, aunts, and uncles, I was constantly asked by the teachers at Marieville Elementary School if I was related to so-and-so. The only teacher I had that hadn't taught any of my relatives was my kindergarten teacher - and that was because we were her first class. For the teachers that had my aunts, they would occasionally slip. Mrs. Miller called me Lorri, to Mrs. Snyder and Mrs. Zona I was Patty. I still remember the first time Mrs. Dresner asked - you're Louie Mancone's daughter? It was interesting to learn from these teachers who had also taught my aunts and uncles. I was the first of their children, and I certainly wasn't the last. The ones who came after me then had to deal with - you're related to Nichole?

That lasted pretty much through my years at MES. I bailed on attending junior high and high school in my hometown, opting instead to attend BayView, a catholic girls school. The thing I loved most about growing up where I did was that my family was all around. I saw them all the time. I wasn't one of those people who had cousins they'd never met, or aunts they never saw. I saw everyone, all the time. I grew up with my cousins. If I was going down the street it was to pop into my aunt's house, or my grandparents'. I have to say, that's one of the best things about living in Rhode Island - you can get anywhere in the state in less than an hour (I wonder how many Rhode Islands could fit in Texas?). All that to say that I love coming home to visit. There's usually something new to see (the wind turbine of 95 anyone?), the chance to eat some of my favorite foods (twins pizza...chowder and clam cakes...), and time see my family.

The Best Show on TV

Currently on tv that is. In my opinion the best show ever is The West Wing. But I digress, the best show currently on air? Castle. The casting is great, the writing is sharp, and Nathan Fillion is a doll. I could watch this every night of the week.

The Social Network

I've heard good things about this movie, so I feel compelled to see it because of all the buzz, but then the other part of me says, wouldn't those 2 hours be better spent on something else instead of 2 hours watching a movie about facebook? Then I watched the trailer. It looks worth the two hours. Now I don't think it's going to be this great generational thing (some critic compared it to Citizen Kane, as if...), but I think it's going to be a good movie.

Over the River...

Not really to grandmother's house, but back home to Rhode Island. Oh I can't wait. I'm trying to remember the last time I was there and I think it was last Christmas. I've seen family since then - mom came to help me move, my sister wad just here last month and I saw Kelly, Korey, and Kennedy all the time. But there's still nothing quite like being home, back where I grew up. Where "real" fall weather exists and the leaves are already changing. I'm sorry but as much as I like Texas, the fall weather here leaves a lot to be desired. Fall is my favorite season. Give me a 55 degree day any day. So back to New England I go, at least for 5 days.

Thank Goodness She Was Prolific

My title refers to Agatha Christie. I've always loved a good mystery, so I don't know what took me so long in picking up one of her books. Once I start, I can't put it down. She wrote A LOT. Thank goodness. My favorites are the ones featuring Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple. But in the attempt to read everything she's written I will read the others as well. I've been reading since I was three when I would read anything I could get my hands on - newspapers, encyclopedias, cereal boxes, if it was in the house and had words on it somewhere I would read it. Nowadays I am a little more discerning, but I still have a wide range of genres that I read. Mysteries being one, also biographies, Russian history, Austenesque fiction, and classics are a few more. I can get so lost in my reading that I tune out what's around me - a blessing and a curse at times. After 30 years of comprehending the words on a page, I still keep books stacked on my nightstand, in my purse, scattered throughout the house, you never know when the mood strikes (or you're stranded somewhere) and you can easily pick up a time and become absorbed in the story.

It's That Time of Year...

One of the blogs that I read regularly is written by a woman named Michelle. Her daughter has Down syndrome (aka Trisomy 21). October is my favorite month of the year as well as Down syndrome awareness month. To raise awareness many bloggers participate in the 31 for 21 challenge. The goal is to write a blog post a day for the whole month of October. This will be my third year participating in the challenge. I don't have a child with Down syndrome, I don't even have children, but I am an educator and one of my dearest friends does have a child with special needs (although it's not Ds), so I do this to help raise awareness and also in honor of her daughter. Won't you join me?

**normally I will have the 31 for 21 badge at the bottom of the post, but blogger is not cooperating this evening...