Grandma's Rice Pudding

Today's post is a tribute to my grandma, Eleanor Mittermaier, who passed away last week after living a beautiful life for 91 years. In the About Me section of this blog, I mention that I was raised among cooks. Grandma Mitt(ermaier) was one of them. In fact, the photograph of me as a kid on that page was taken in her kitchen — she let me lick the beaters! It's no wonder I loved her.

Grandma Mitt had a legacy of her own, and she was special to so many. Among her many talents, she was known for was her ability to whip up a killer rice pudding.

Grandma's recipe and her fabulous retro tablecloth

It was a dish that could often be found in her refrigerator, and I can picture my grandpa enjoying it after a day at work and a home-cooked meal. My grandpa worked in the same building as my dad in the latter part of his life (Retirement? Not for old Joe!). Often, Grandma Mitt would send Grandpa to work with a fresh tray of rice pudding (and maybe a Tupperware of fruit salad that she threw together) to pass along to my dad. She took care of her sons long after they flew the coop!

This rice pudding is a simple, old-school, and delicious dessert. It's consistent and reliable, but surprisingly not too sweet or heavy. It's made on the stovetop, so even your oven gets a break with this one. And the ingredients are easy and cheap too.

Baked Berry Oatmeal

Breakfast is important! We all know that. You know what else is important? Not feeling like you're eating the same boring thing for breakfast all the time. And how about not feeling like you're having a carb fest to the tune of pancakes, bagels, waffles, or toast. That's important too.

You want protein? Check! Fruit? Check! Dairy? Check! A little fat (everyone needs a little fat!)? Check! And grains? Check, friends! It's a well-rounded breakfast delight that shouldn't send you into a carb coma an hour later.

I am in love with this recipe for baked berry oatmeal — something I found on Pinterest, my other new love. It's easy to throw together, and likely with items you already have in the pantry/freezer (assuming you have a bag of frozen berries lying around). I made mine with cranberries I had lingering in the freezer from the holiday season, but the original recipe called for raspberries. I think this is the kind of thing you can experiment with — I suspect any frozen berry will do!

Enjoy this item warm on the weekends or serve at a brunch. Or eat it leftover, as I did this morning at work, and enjoy it at room temp.

Homemade Pretzel Dogs

I have news. I am the proud new owner of a "real" camera, and I am amazed at the quality of the photos. And I don't even know how to use it yet! I'm really looking forward to the challenge of learning how to use it, and I'm acutely aware that I haven't even scratched the surface! So, there's that.

Then there is the whole homemade pretzel dog thing. I made these for Superbowl Sunday. Please know that I'm a lifelong fan of the NY Giants. And that having pretzel dogs as the fuel to get me through that nail-biter was perfection!

You take half a hot dog, sandwich it in homemade soft pretzel dough, and cook up a delicious and simple treat.

Just look at those delicious pigs in their cozy, pretzel blanket.

Chocolate Crack(le) Cookies

'Tis the season to bake cookies. Fa la la la la...la la la la. I wanted to make a crackle cookie, just because I love the way they look.

After doing some research, it seemed that a lot of folks were pretty pleased with Martha's Chocolate Crackle Cookie recipe. Though I modified it, mostly to save time and a couple of dirty dishes.

For some reason, my heart beats a little faster when I whip out the Scharffen Berger chocolate...the good stuff. Do yourself a favor and don't make these cookies with chocolate morsels. They contain additives that do a good job of keeping their shape but not so good of a job of tempering. Go for good old-fashioned baking chocolate (Baker's is probably the most common baking chocolate you'll find in your grocery store).

Homemade Holiday Wreath

I would like to put it out there that this post is not about food. I know. But hear me out.

I saw a blog post on the cutest wreath idea and immediately felt compelled to make it. And after one trip to Spool, a craft night with friends, a couple slices of fig-pine-nut-basil-gorgonzola pizza, and my first ever watch of White Christmas, I had my very own.

I might have to make one for every season.

This wreath really was a snap to make. And raiding the scraps bin at Spool meant that it was inexpensive too. All together, this little puppy put me back about $10. And if you already have a lot of scrap fabric of your own, you're ahead of the curve!

Just a side note that I didn't use thumbtacks, as the directions on the blog post I found suggested. Instead I used long sewing pins (the kind with the little balls on top) — they hold really nice! 

Okay, now back to cookies. I promise! 

Gingerdoodle Cookies

When did Christmastime come around? I was barely keeping up with Thanksgiving, and then suddenly I had mere weeks until Christmas. And I'm not sure why I continue to be impressed each year about how quickly time flies...but I digress.

A great, snappy cookie to add to your holiday line-up are these Gingerdoodles. Soft, chewy, and spicy, with a little extra love. The cinnamon-sugar, groovy kind of love. Hence the "-doodle" portion of their name.

These cookies feature a motley crew of flavors — cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses. But the coating of sweet on the outside softens the spice a little, distinguishing these treats from your average gingerbread treat.

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! What a wonderful time for us to be reminded of all that we have to be thankful for. And this year in particular, I have so much gratitude. I'm so very thankful for:

• My wonderful husband, who I have so enjoyed being married to. Even though we lived together for a few years, there's just something that's a little different now. After all, we put a ring on it!
• Family and friends, especially after seeing the outpour of love and support for our wedding. Our hearts are so full!
• Employment. Enough said.
• My health and my family's health. May we always feel so great.
• Having a well-equipped kitchen! And it might sound funny, but I'm thankful for having the curiosity to continue experimenting and cooking. It's nice having a hobby that will nourish my family! 
• Gingersnap pumpkin pie. It's just so simple; and so good! 

Too obvious of a transition there? Anyway, let's talk about this pie. There is about a month's time each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas where pumpkin pie is relevant. So you've got to maximize on it while you have the opportunity.  

But PIE. Pie can be a little daunting. If you start to get hung up on crust and fillings that need to "set up", you might talk yourself out of making one. But this pie? This pie is a beginner's pie if there ever was such a thing — namely because I've eliminated the traditional dough crust (I was never a huge fan anyway) and replaced it with a gingersnap crust. That means you get a little dose of spicy goodness with each bite you take. (And it also lowers the calories, which is always welcome in my book!) 

Cranberry and Dried Cherry Relish

Turkey time is quickly approaching, and I'm sure that a lot of you, like me, have recipes swirling around in your head in preparation. Here's a simple addition to your Thanksgiving table — and it might just be the simplest item to prepare for the big feast.

Homemade cranberry sauce is a bright, sassy, classic Thanksgiving condiment that is a snap to whip up. Yes it's available in jars and cans. But if you have cranberries and about 30 minutes, you've got great homemade side that is lower in sugar and higher in nutrients than the stuff on the supermarket shelf. Just saying!

There are a ton of recipes out there, so my recommendation is to pick one that accommodates your tastes and uses your favorite flavors. This year, I adapted a basic Martha combination, but in previous years I've also experimented with adding fresh ginger, orange, and spices. Be as traditional (not a cop out!) or as adventurous as you want to be, and get to it!

Roasted Poblano Chicken Enchiladas

I know I'm supposed to be telling you all about my plans for turkeys and potatoes and stuffing of sorts. But what if I just wanted to tell you about these dreamy enchiladas instead? What then? Is that food-blogger blasphemy the week before Turkey Day?

I've always been a rebel.

Well, actually, no I haven't. In fact, when I was getting close to graduating from high school, my dad said to me, "Don't you ever want to get in trouble to see what it feels like? You can get detention if you want!"

So maybe I follow the rules. But there's something that feels a little badass when I'm charring a poblano pepper over an open flame. Yeah, that's right. I meant for that to burn. I meant for the alarm to go off, and for my husband to have to wave a pillow in front of the smoke detector.

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers

These roasted red peppers are the color of autumn here on the east coast. I know this for a fact because we went on a beautiful little hike this weekend on the Wissahickon Valley Trail (part of Fairmount Park). We were amazed that the trail was still within Philadelphia's city limits!

Rather than say goodbye to warmer weather, longer days, and fresh veggies from the garden, I'm determined to preserve at least one of these three things.

Late summer and early fall are actually peak season for these sweeter, more colorful beauties — they flourish in the cooler fall weather after a summer of battling the hot sun and little rain. They also take longer to ripen than green bell peppers — hence their later peak.