Ever eat something at a restaurant and have that dish linger long in your memories? That's how it was when my sister took me to The Helmand in Cambridge, MA, for my birthday. I don't know what food from Afghanistan is supposed to taste like but I loved everything. In particular, I loved the appetizer, Kaddo Bourani, that my sister got. It didn't sound like the sort of thing I would like since it involved a yogurt sauce and pumpkin and I don't care all that much about either of those things. But when I tasted it, I was a convert. The sweet hot pumpkin mixed with the tang of the cold yogurt sauce and then melded with the hot savory ground beef sauce. (They also offered this as a vegetarian option by leaving out the meat sauce.) The blend of flavors, textures, and temperatures made me sigh happily. When I got home, I looked on the restaurant's website to see if they shared the recipe and they didn't. Alas. If you're in San Francisco or Boston, I heartily recommend making reservations to eat at The Helmand.

When I was looking for pumpkin recipes last month, I stumbled upon The Recipe! I read it eagerly and was surprised to see that it required baking the pumpkin for over 3 hours. Not something to make on a whim. Well I finally tried it and it was worth every moment of waiting. The hardest part was preparing the pumpkin. The rest of the recipe is fairly simple and straight-forward. But it did take a long time. I kept going over to check on things. By the time I was done cooking, eating, and cleaning everything up, I lay down and noticed, "Wow...my FEET are sore from all that cooking and cleaning." But you know what? I loved it. I couldn't believe that something that tasted so good had come out of my kitchen. I only regret that the stores around here seem to sell fresh pumpkins only for Halloween. So I guess I'll have to wait until next year to make this again.

(If anyone in Boston or Seacoast New Hampshire knows where I could buy some sugar pumpkins, please let me know!)

Recipe here:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-crisp-ii/Detail.aspx

My friend and I do a monthly booze dinner, which is basically like an Iron Chef night where the secret ingredient is a type of alcohol. Every part of the menu either includes the ingredient or complements it. Previous nights have included basil vodka, chai liqueur, red wine, pumpkin beer, and tequila.

Well, this month is cinnamon. I'm making some more cinnamon vodka, and we'll probably supplement that with cinnamon schnapps or liqueur. What's more, this is going to be a brinner (breakfast + dinner) sleepover for some friends. We're going to cook and watch cartoons all night.

Part of our menu is obvious, as cinnamon french toast and cinnamon rolls are tops. We'll probably also make some cinnamon bacon, though I am not sure that I can stomach bacon for a while after this weekend's bacon party (and bacon explosion). But what I am looking for are savory cinnamon recipes.

Can anyone suggest savory cinnamon dishes. Hopefully they will be breakfast appropriate, but if not I will find a way to adapt. If they are vegetarian, so much the better, but if not some people just won't eat it.

Recipe here: http://www.theklutzykitchen.com/2009/11/klutzy-quickie-white-bean-dip.html

( RECIPE )

This tomato soup is my new obsession, and my roommates and I have been guzzling the stuff like it's the elixir of life. I'm pretty sure that it sharpens the mind, improves the senses, and regulates your digestive system. At the very least it's wonderfully comforting on a cold rainy night. The hummus is a little fancier than the simple version I normally make, really great for garlic lovers.

( recipes behind the cut )

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for a really custardy pain perdu? I had a craving for it last night & made some baked french toast, but it didn't come out right. The leftovers are rock hard & I have them soaking in milk.
I usually think of french toast as something really yummy when it's hot, but that I choke on when it starts to cool & get tough. Is thicker bread the secret?

I made this for dinner tonight, along with some white rice and sour cream. It turned out wonderfully, so I figured I would share. I'll definitely be making it again!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Courtesy Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Serves 8 / Points: 4.25 ww points

* 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
* 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chile peppers
* 15 oz can black beans
* 8 oz frozen corn (I used canned, it worked just as well)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
* 3 scallions, chopped
* 1 tsp garlic powder (I added extra before serving)
* 1 tsp onion powder (I added extra before serving)
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
* salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

I added some shredded sharp cheddar to each serving, along with a blob of sour cream. Yum! If you're not a rice fan, this would also go well with warmed tortillas, or on top of a baked potato. Taste-wise, it's a lot like chicken tortilla soup, but more hearty. Enjoy!

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for a really custardy pain perdu? I had a craving for it last night & made some baked french toast, but it didn't come out right. The leftovers are rock hard & I have them soaking in milk.
I usually think of regular french toast as something really yummy when it's hot, but that I choke on when it starts to cool & get tough. Is thicker bread the secret? I thought it might come out better if I did it in the crockpot.

simple.
honey nut cheerios. clementine. tea.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=library+fight&search_type=&aq=f

A list of videos about "library fights" -- yikes!

What do you do if people start fighting in front of you???

hello all!  first post here ^_^  normally i don't bake at home, only at school, but we had 18 egg yolks from making angel food cake and white cake that i needed to make something with egg yolks

i really wanted to make else but i am a poor college student so luckily i found a recipe that had what i had at home

( cookies ahoy )
also i've never tagged a post before so i have no idea what to do XD..thanks

Today's little rays of bitter sunshine in 140 characters or less

• 00:06 I'm at 14,4452 words for #NaNoWriMo I won't actually say I am a golden goddess, but we're definitely entering noble metals territory. #
• 16:09 @outcastspice Try shouting MEEEERRRRRIIN in order to be sure. #
• 16:35 Researchers hack into cells' Facebook accounts: bit.ly/2wlox5 (via @physorg_com) #
• 17:25 Just passed 16k on #NaNoWriMo #
• 18:53 @outcastspice Well, mesdames *is* the plural of madam. If you're starting with sirs, go all the way in, you know? #
• 19:12 @outcastspice And for extra awesome, Miss Manners explains it all to us: tinyurl.com/yerecsk #
• 20:34 In addition to other awesome, I have to say Avatar has pretty awesome dialogue. "Untie me and I'll fight you right now." "Ah... no." #
• 21:49 My LJ now has a layout with a purple-and-pink squid. Thus, my happiness is complete. #

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