Roast. Sugar and Spice. Puree. Spread. Spread on Everything.

Stretching out the last bit of fall constitutes taking advantage of a trip to the orchard for some apples, and some winter squashes - Jonathon and butternuts to be precise. The Jonathons have another destination, but that squash was going to meet its end in the form of pumpkin butter. And it's about as good as it sounds.  Found on food52, I could barely wait for Friday to come to make it. Crank up your oven, and roast that squash until tender, resisting the urge to eat it hot and steaming straight from the pan with a spoon.  (That can come later, but this squash has a delightful chance to become something better...Shocking, I know.)   Scoop out the flesh and add more than enough cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and brown sugar, and butter for good measure.  Roast again-this recipe really tests your patience. In between reading assignments and writing that big senior paper, be sure to stir that mix every few minutes or so and evenly distribute the caramel color that deepens as time goes by.  Whirl through the food processor and fill a big quart sized mason jar with this spread.  As good as it was on a spoon, a hot-from-the-oven bagel (slathered with the stuff) was a better vehicle.

Note- this is also delicious stirred into oatmeal, shmeared on toast, and I anticipate, nearly anything else. Quintessentially fall, this packs handsomely and was much appreciated by fellow foodie friends...the bit that I was willing to share.                                                                                        

Cheerio, She's London Bound

Goodbyes are such a bother. How to bid adieu to your roommate, concert companion, fellow Beatles enthusiast, and fashionista sister?  18 months is a terribly long time to be away on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but 18 months serving in London, England has to be second best to spending time with her sisters, right?  Today was farewell for Sister S., and was it tough.  Perhaps rougher knowing that she will miss the alt-J concert to hit Salt Lake a month after she leaves, but maybe that isn't the reason we were all tearful.  Though its sad to see her go, I'm thrilled to doodle her letters and hear of her adventures and various culinary escapades (she is rather picky when it comes to food). But most of all, I can't wait to see her next spring...In London, of course.  Why wouldn't this be a good excuse to visit Big Ben?

Front and Center, is that lucky sister missionary, missed dearly by sisters on the right and left, and "cousin" bookends

Smitten With Shashuka

Shashuka. It's breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper, dinner, and delicious.  Just like a chocolate molten lava cake, it's always Shashuka time.  Love for Middle Eastern fare has followed me home from Israel and pervaded my Provo kitchen. Any dish that includes a runny egg is one I'm a sucker for.

I'm also infatuated with Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks, especially the recent "Jerusalem" publication  Gorgeous photos aside, how is it not fun to flip through the pages and exclaim, "I know you! You DO have good falafel"? Though I have yet to undertake many of the tasty selections found in the pages of that work of art, Shashuka is one I'm smitten with. As stated before, I've eaten it at most hours of the day and feel like it's an appropriate item to nosh on for any meal.  Roommates were skeptical but supportive, then moved to astounded post tasting.  Served with some hot pita (that didn't quite pocket, but had a nice chew) made a light supper, as well as fantastic update to my breakfast routine. 

To serve as a main course, I upped the spice and cumin and served the dish with labneh, which is trendy for delicious-with-anything-Middle-Eastern-spiced-yogurt.  Labneh made an appearance on last week's supper, arugula salad with chorizo toast (and runny poached egg...duh).   Top with parsley and try not to eat the whole pan because it is also delicious for breakfast.