I wouldn't say this pregnancy has induced cravings so much as it's induced severe impulse buy susceptibility. Yesterday, I was innocently walking by the freezer cases at Whole Foods when I spied organic crinkle cut fries. My inner Homer crooned "crinkle cut fries" and 30 minutes later I was having fries for breakfast. They tasted really healthy, but I felt good not having gone to Jack In The Box instead, especially since I knew I had a feast coming in a matter of hours.
I decided it would be a grand idea to get a few of my lady chefs together to meet, bond, network, whathaveyou and so I planned a Fall harvest themed potluck. Of COURSE it was 93 degrees in Santa Monica, sans any kind of breeze, so we all lost a lot of water weight preparing our pumpkins and squashes and broccoli. Above are the wet ingredients for my Bohemian Wedding Cake.
The cake part is your basic pumpkin spice. It was good and moist and...good. Not rock your socks amazing. I feel like it needed more zing. Maybe some minced candied ginger or some lemon zest. Something. But totally tasty.
The frosting, on the other hand, was a revelation. This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman and holy God, I think it may have ruined all other frostings for me. It tastes like Twinkie filling, without the crap. It contains flour, which I had never come across before. You must make this, and just put it on anything. I mean it. That's an order.
I also made mushrooms glazed in balsamic/garlicky syrup and stuffed with cheesy polenta. I was reviewing a book for Food Fanatics Unwashed, and thought I would test these babies on my girly chef crew. They likey (I thought the polenta seemed a little undercooked, and they probably did, too, but the flavors were on point).
This was Krista's Farro Salad with Middle Eastern Sour Cream. YUM! Farro is something I've heard of a million times but never tried and I LOVED it. The chew factor is amazing. Krista said the farro must be soaked overnight and then cooked, and it was dressed with lots of garlic, lemon, tomatoes and parsley. It was the perfect way to start a harvest meal.
Tiffany's butternut squash shepherd's pie. Again, YUM! Sweet and savory with squash, corn, beef, cheese and even a tiny bit of Sake (instead of white wine), it was gorgeous.
Krista's slow-cooked broccoli. Redolent with garlic and chilies, it was bursting with umami and just spicy enough. She said she often takes a piece of toast rubbed with garlic, tops it with soft scrambled eggs, feta and the broccoli. If that's not an orgasmic way to eat your eggs, I don't know what is. I think I have to make that in the next few days...
Lisa's BEAUTIFUL chicken pot pie! It was christened with her first homemade pie crust, made with cream cheese and butter. It was flaky and tender and simply scrumptious. My, what a happy day.
The shepard's pie goodness.
The pot pie goodness (mmmmm, baby loves chicken).
We all have to exchange recipes. Today!
I cannot thank you ladies enough. It was so cool to be on the receiving end of such lovingly prepared, amazing food. It made me proud to think THIS is what we serve up for our clients and loved ones. Savvy business women with such talent. I am humbled to know and love and eat amongst you.
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