This recipe is adapted from this version by the New York Times.
One of the things we have made year after year after year is pecan pie. When I was growing up my mom had us do the laying down of the pecans to create designs in our pies, and we always made two. I still take time to design how I lay out my pecans as you can see below. The first picture is one layer of a total of two.
The following is the final pie, as you can see they shift a tad, but I think it is worth it overall, then again I love the process and I do not mind taking the time to be meticulous
I still in this recipe from her, make two. I also have made some rather large adaptations in the quantity of pecan to filling ratio, much more pecans that originally called for and I have shifted from bourbon to maple syrup, but you do as you see fit. As the fall continues on and I am starting to think about Thanksgiving, I know I will be making this pie recipe again this year as I have in years prior.
Maple Pecan Pie
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I am sure I am late on the bandwagon even though fall only started this weekend. I have to say I have loved trying out different fall foods. Also none of these recipes are originals from me, but they are all tried and true. I do not want to recommend recipes without having tested them and enjoying them. Fall to me speaks of pumpkin and squash. Fall may not speak of salads to you, but these are quite delicious. Also I feel like being healthy in the colder months is not always appealing, but these salads for me are a treat. I have made this Sweet Potato & Cranberry Salad from Love and Lemons for years. Also I find that all the toppings and dressing make this salad really work together. This one does take some time to assemble, so either make the sweet potatoes and wheat berries on the weekend as part of meal prep or make the whole meal a weekend meal. I also love this Autumn Maple Salad from Delish Knowledge. This one I have made with both butternut squash and delicata. If you are using butternut squash be sure to peel it first. This is also one if you want to make the squash ahead of time the salad comes together quickly. I plan on sharing some of my favorite fall desserts soon as well. What do you like to eat in the fall?
One of the things I have learned over the years through my epic cooking failures and cooking wins is that cooking for me is a hobby. I do not define myself by my wins and failures, but I try my best to learn and eat and enjoy a variety of foods knowing that each dish can teach me something even if that something is that I do not enjoy that particular food.
I cook for myself because I enjoy the process and I like eating a variety of food. I also cook for loved ones to show how much I care. I put pieces of myself into the foods I cook, and I have learned over the years that there are many foods that because I know my tastes better than anyone else I can make to my preference whereas I may struggle to find those foods cooked well by someone else. I am not the worlds pickiest eater, but if you can make it better at home than store bought you stop buying things except in extreme circumstances. I cook with all my soul and have been doing so since I was quite young. What hobbies do you throw your whole self and your heart into? Please share below.
What are any tips you have for people in the kitchen? I would love it if you would share them below.
Ever make a recipe and find it bland and boring. Oh the number of times I have done this and been disappointed with all the effort I have put into my meal. One of the things I have gotten good at is what I call doctoring recipes, meaning I adjust the ingredients at the end or add something else to make the meal more delicious. The following are what I reach for when I find my meal to be bland. There are times where a food simply tastes bad and it is not worth eating, but hopefully these tips will help with you budget and help you to enjoy your food. Add SeasoningsI usually reach for garlic salt first, because I find it to be a flavor boost and typically cook with large amounts of garlic. You could also add simple salt and pepper, seasoned salt, everything bagel seasoning, taco seasoning or simply start adding spices from your cabinet. When I was in graduate school and my former boyfriend now husband was living in Florida with all of our belongings. He would make ground beef in a skillet and simply test out all the seasonings. I have always been something of a spice hoarder. In this case, I find it to be extremely useful. Add a SauceYou can use sauces in your fridge to play with the way something tastes. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ketchup, oyster sauce, chili paste, salsa, and simply get creative with what already exists in your pantry or your fridge. Condiments can make a big difference. Add DairyTypically I mean sour cream. I find that if a sauce needs a bit of creaminess you can add yogurt or sour cream to enhance the flavor and give a bit more of a rich taste. I also sometimes to a pasta dish will add a dash of heavy cream to add that richness too. I will also add extra cheese, because I love it and I find the flavor to help most dishes. Add FatFat also adds that richness like dairy, I usually add avocado, a bit of butter or olive oil can do wonders for a dish. Additionally you can use nuts to add a fat and a crunch, which might help if your dish has a more lack luster texturally speaking. Add a CrunchSometimes if what you are eating is too uniform in texture you can find the experience to be bland. If you had a few nuts, a couple crushed up chips, toasted breadcrumbs, all of these components and I am sure more add a textural contrast that can make the eating experience more enjoyable. A crunch of sugar on top of a pie crust or a sprinkle can add a contrast to sweet things too. Add SugarI usually only use sugar to combat a spicy curry, but I find a pinch of sugar makes it taste a bit more edible. Eat With StarchSometimes if a meal is too intense stirring it with some rice, or eating it with pasta or over a potato will make it lose some of its potency because you are spreading it over something milder. Keep in mind though if you do this you are likely to eat it for longer because you will eat smaller amounts at each meal. What do you do with your meals that don't come out as you expect? What are your tips and tricks?
I first stumbled upon a version of eggs in tomato sauce was in Chrissy Teigen's book Cravings, which inspired this recipe. I was an immediate fan, I love the creamy eggs against the bright tomato sauce. I found that at the time I did not go back and try to recreate it until recently. I am working on gathering my favorite recipes from that book into a post, and in the process I am adapting ones that I feel could use a bit of improvement and I finally feel ready for it. I also would be remiss to say that simply cooking an egg or two in extra tomato sauce, if you have any leftover is always a good idea. Below I simply cooked an egg in the sauce and topped it with dry oregano. My version requires a bit more effort, but I believe it is still completely worth it. Saucy EggsLet me know if you have tried eggs in tomato sauce and if you enjoy it as much as I do.
Sometimes, I find breakfast to be the hardest meal to plan. In part, I struggle with knowing if I will even be hungry enough for breakfast. I also don't want to plan anything complicated if I want to eat and get out the door quickly. I typically go in breakfast ruts where I want the same thing everyday for a while, but eventually I get bored and look for a new breakfast thing, to get inspiration I search the web and test out meals only to find them lacking, eventually though if all goes well I stumble onto a breakfast that I love and want to eat everyday. Consider the following to be a log of my breakfast ruts. Scrambled eggs and fruit. Simple and easy, it keeps me full and I love the sweetness of fresh fruit. Toast (or honestly sometimes just a piece of bread) topped with crunchy peanut butter and banana slices. Toast or English Muffin topped with avocado, salt, pepper, and everything bagel seasoning. Kick it up a notch by adding a fried egg, alfalfa sprouts to the toast (before the seasoning), or by using flakey sea salt, I love the crunch it provides. Plain yogurt with fruit, nuts and honey or maple syrup and maybe granola if we have it is another go to breakfast I enjoy. What are your breakfast ruts? I am always on the lookout for new ideas that are simple and tasty.
I love to cook. I find the chopping and cutting methodical. I am finding my ability to identify flavors and create tastes is becoming more and more natural. I find there is peace in the steps, gathering, chopping, cooking, and eating. The entire process calms me and thrills me at the same time. I love everything about it. I love that it is a way to care for others, I love that it is a way to care for myself. I love trying out the new and experiencing all the world has to offer in terms of flavors and dishes. I love that food never gets boring. I find peace in sitting around the table talking and enjoying together. There is a magic to it for sure. I found this is one of the places I do not feel I have to try, I do not have to stress (in most cases, if I am attempting to deep fry something you may want to steer clear of that situation). I find my zen in the creation. As I have continued to cook, I have started to trust myself, to trust my instincts and to learn that I know what I am doing when it comes to cooking. I actually can alter recipes to make them more enjoyable and to ensure I will have a better chance to like them. I love documenting my permutations and new creations. I have always loved cooking, but I did not always take the time for it. Before we moved to Iowa, most of the time my husband and I ate food that was takeout. When we moved, I used that as the impetus for change, and decided we would only eat out once per week and everything else we consumed I would make or would come from a grocery store. I am not yet the most fabulous cook and I still buy store bought mayonnaise and bagels for their convenience. I think it is interesting how a new setting can be the impetus for change. When you experience a big change in life it is easier to change the small things, no habits are yet it place. There is nothing that needs to be broken in order to be replaced. As we have moved to a new place, as we start again there are no habits, we have not even found our go to grocery store. We are starting from scratch both in our food and in our life. As time goes by our habits change, my husband and I have been in a season of eating out more. The reality is though the life giving act of cooking is not something I can now forget. I realize what it is to cook and the joy that brings is not trivial, but rather is vital to me feeling like myself. Again we start over and find our path to cooking from scratch. There is something magical about taking nothing and turning it into something. Starting with a bunch of diverse ingredients and melding them into one, still distinct but part of something greater. Cooking from scratch can really be seen as what we do with life. We connect the dots through our existence. We start somewhere and make connections, strengthen them or break them over time. We start with what seems like nothing and turn it into something. At the beginning there is a daunting nature of trying to find our way. To create in a space where we don't know the rules, where we wonder where to start and fear mistakes. The reality is until we try we won't know the rules, each attempt makes us better, each attempt is an opportunity to learn. We can start again and try again. Each go gives us a chance for something new, a chance to create. In the kitchen I now attempt things that are daunting, for the sheer fact that the task will be daunting. I take up challenges, I try difficult things. There are still days where things do not turn out as I want them to, or where something I thought I liked, I no longer do. I evolve and change and grow and my tastes do as well. While the beginning things always appear scary, I would encourage you to just start. It does not have to be cooking, but take stock of the surroundings and make a step. You can usually backtrack if you need to and if not, you can adjust the product. We sometimes feel like our lives are so static that we must stay where we are for fear of change. Change is coming whether we want it to or not, each step gives us a bit of confidence, a chance to move to try again. So start where you are, take one step and see where it leads
I have become someone who simplifies breakfast. I will occasionally make something new and exciting, but for now my breakfast is typically cereal. I prefer to not have to think when it comes to breakfast. I am looking for something that tastes good, will keep me full for a while and that energizes me. When breakfast comes around and I am looking at other people's recipes the ones I keep tend to be few and far between. I test out quite a lot but am usually disappointed with the results. I am picky when it comes to breakfast and I am also quite hungry at breakfast time, typically I have exercised beforehand and am ready for some food I enjoy both savory and sweet breakfasts, and I expect my breakfasts to stand the test of time. I want them to be recipes I enjoy again and again. The first standout is Quinoa Breakfast Eggs. I have found this recipe to be quite filling which is surprising based on the size of the portion. I also have served it to others who have also enjoyed it. I appreciate the variety in texture and taste. This breakfast is well seasoned and one I return to again and again. Also if you make the quinoa the night before this is a quick breakfast option. The second make ahead meal I love to make are No-Bake Almond Granola Bars. I like these because you can make them ahead of time, they feel decadent, but still have some nuts to keep you full. The one suggestion I would make is use regular oats rather than quick oats, the texture is chewier that way and I prefer that. Along similar lines, another breakfast I love to make are Healthy Homemade PB Energy Bars. This is one recipe my husband disagrees with me, basically because he does not like coconut and I do. These can be made the night before and I have also served them to people, who aren't my husband and these were devoured quite quickly. Another recipe I love are popovers, these are not necessarily quick, but I thoroughly enjoy them and they are a nice decadent treat. Growing up we ate at Jordan Pond House, for tea once each summer and these were a staple. After learning to make them at home, you will never want to go elsewhere. I typically serve these with butter and strawberry jam, but any kind will do. These CANNOT be made ahead, you want to eat them warm almost right out of the oven. My final addition is a recent favorite. On Christmas I typically test out new recipes. I loved this Twisted Sticky Caramel-Pecan Roll. Two notes, one soften cream cheese way ahead of time, second the recipe repeats ingredients so disregard the second half. I used my go to pizza dough recipe the night before and then made it in the morning. I enjoyed it. Only time will tell if this lasts the test of time, but it tasted like a delicious cinnamon bun that had been slightly flattened. What are your go-to breakfasts? Any suggestions of recipes to try?
Friends and FamilyI could probably write about enjoying my friends and family every week, but this week has been family filled. I spent time with family over the weekend and during this week. I have also spent time this week talking to friends and we luckily had a friend who was visiting close by that we were able to get together with. I am glad that we have made connections and I am reminded in moments like this how lucky we are to have people we care about and who care about us. Even if we have yet to have those people locally yet. Breakfast SandwichesThis week I have become a large fan of breakfast sandwiches. I do not think I disliked them prior, but I was just reminded recently of how delicious a simple breakfast sandwich can be. BakingI have started baking regularly again and I have to say I love all of it. I love the process and I am just finding the joy in baking after a brief hiatus. Korean FoodClearly food has been on my mind, but we spent time going to a Korean restaurant recently and I was reminded how much I love Korean food. I am not a connoisseur, but I do enjoy the variety and distinct dishes they have. UNOsI am aware that UNOs is not considered actual deep dish pizza, but it has been a number of year since I ate at a UNOs and I have to say I was surprised at how delicious their food still was. Also the waitress left a note on my box wishing me a nice weekend and I felt really glad the next day when eating leftovers. I am reminded how it is the little things that can make a large impact. My Favorite Sticky BunThis week as we traveled this weekend, I was able to visit the bakery that makes my favorite sticky bun and it was just as good as I remembered. I loved it so much.
These are a few things I am loving this week; what are you loving lately? |
About MeI'm Sarah; a wife, traveler, foodie, and adventurer. Archives
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