Pixelated Crumb

Dare I say it? I don’t like pumpkin pie. So un-American, right? People who know me are always shocked. I love all things pumpkin! I love chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bundt cake, and especially pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes. But pumpkin pie? Not so much. That is, not so much until I had my first bite of pumpkin pie from this Cook’s Illustrated recipe at last year’s Thanksgiving.

I guess what I don’t like about most pumpkin pie is that it just comes across as mushy and kind of bland. There’s just not enough going on for me. This pumpkin pie, on the other hand, has all the right things going on. The flavor is deep, warm, and full of pumpkin and the texture more silky than mushy. And it’s not just for the pumpkin pie averse. My sister – a huge pumpkin pie fan – loves this recipe as much as I do. What makes it so superior from other recipes? Well, it starts with cooking the canned pumpkin. But I’ve done that before and it didn’t really do that much for me. The real secret to this recipe lies in a can of candied yams. Yup, there’s not only a full can of pumpkin puree in this recipe, there’s a whole can of candied yams! No wonder it’s so spectacular!

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 It’s that time of year: apple season. One of my all-time favorite times of the year. I’ve talked before about my love of apple season and even Apple Day, a day devoted entirely to devouring tasty meals made from apples. This apple bread was my first foray into apple cooking this fall and it is worthy of repeat performances. Many repeat performances.

I was frankly shocked at how quickly we devoured this loaf of apple cinnamon bread. It’s one of those quick breads that you make for breakfast and then decide to have some for dessert. After every meal.

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OK everyone, put on your game hat and pull out the tequila ’cause it’s game time! What could possibly be better fare for the Super Bowl than this tequila and lime turkey chili? It’s hearty, it’s meaty, it’s easy, it’s boozy, and it is Deeelicious with a capital D (and some extra “e”s apparently).

I found an adaptation of this chili from America’s Test Kitchen a couple of months ago over on Pink Parsley and I was so enamored with it that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Slow Cooker Revolution, the cookbook that the recipe originates from. Based solely on this recipe (well, and my love of all things America’s Test Kitchen of course), we decided to get this book for my sister-in-law. If anyone could benefit from some slow cooker recipes, it’s the parent of a 3-year-old and a 3-month-old. But personally, I think everyone should have a slow cooker and this cookbook, so I was pretty psyched when we got a copy for Christmas as well.

As much as I love the turkey chili recipe that we came up with a while back, I’m kind of obsessed with the tequila lime chili. We’ve made it several times in the last couple of months and every time I lamented the lack of time to take some pictures, because I really wanted to share it with you. It just seemed criminal not to. Yes, it really is that good. And now we’ve finally had some daylight to shoot some photos, and just in time for the big game! Continue reading

Ok, with that streak of six straight cookie/bar recipes interrupted only by a cocktail recipe still weighing on my conscience, I figured maybe it was about time for something, I don’t know, with a little less butter and sugar. First up was the wild mushroom, zucchini and goat cheese frittata, and now, broccoli cheddar soup. Broccoli cheddar soup, you ask? How can that be healthy? Well, rest assured, it’s not by using 75% reduced fat cheese, because I would never allow such a thing in my kitchen. Nope, this recipe uses good ol’ fashioned delicious and very real cheese. It just uses a litte less than some recipes and uses low fat milk instead of heavy cream.

I adore broccoli cheddar soup, but I never make it or order it out because it just seems so decadent and I’d kind of rather save room for some chocolate cake. So I’m thrilled to have found a recipe that tastes good and doesn’t make me have to stay at the gym an extra hour to work off the calories. The recipe comes from Ellie Krieger, dietician and Food Network star, and creator of many other recipes that I love (such as mac ‘n squash, penne with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and white beans, and Chinese chicken salad). While her show isn’t my favorite (I’m sure she’s a lovely person, but she doesn’t have the best TV personality), I love her recipes. They’re healthy, tasty, and don’t rely on weird diet food products.

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