Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie

This smoothie recipe is so yummy!  I made it today and totally wanted another one later in the day.  I restrained myself though. This recipe requires a little preparation ahead of time, but it's worth it. What's really awesome is that this is a pretty healthy treat! I would recommend soaking the oats in almond milk the night before, but you can soak them for a minimum of an hour if you don't have the time.  There are many kind of oats.  Steel cut oats would be most popular.  I've found barley oats and quinoa flakes at stores like Whole Foods Market.  These work well too. In the recipe it also requires the banana to be frozen.  If you break it into about 5 pieces and freeze it, you can do this an hour ahead of time also.  Ice can be added too if the banana isn't frozen.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie
Makes 1 Large Smoothie

1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/3 C Oats
1 Banana, Frozen & Chunked
1/2 C Pure Organic Canned Pumpkin
1 T Molasses
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/2 t Ground Cinnamon
1/2 t Ground Ginger
1/4 t Ground Nutmeg
Dash of Vanilla

Soak the oats in the almond milk for a few hours or overnight.

In a blender or with a handheld stick blender (that's my favorite), mix all of the ingredients together and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

The Ouija Board : Communication with the Dead!

Have you ever used a Ouija board? Do you believe in the occult?

Many people have tried it out when they were kids. In my case, it was at slumber parties. I remember thinking that it might be real, but is it really?  Ouija boards were created in the mid 1800's when spiritualism and channeling the dead were a trend.  This parlor game later gained its highest popularity between 1920-1960.  "Ouija" was a combination of the word "yes" in French and German. The board is typically wooden or wood looking and it contains letters, numbers, "yes", "no" and "good bye".  The players put their fingers on a planchette which is a movable indicator.  In seance fashion, you ask the Ouija board a question and the spirit spells out a message.  In my case, the question usually involved a boy, but you can ask it a more serious question. 

So does the planchette really glide over the board under the direction of the dead?  Could it really be supernatural forces trying to communicate to us?  Or is it just the power of suggestion or nervous energy? We may never know.....

Partake in a little spooky fun and try out this virtual Ouija Board
http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/WebOuija.html

Carrot Soup with Kale, Fig, & Ricotta Filled Ravioli

Fresh pasta is so delicious, especially when making ravioli. It's actually quite easy. There are so many options for filling a ravioli or tortellini. For regular pasta like fettuccine or linguine you can also add other ingredients like sun dried tomatoes, herbs, garlic, or spinach. When I was around 16 years old I asked for a pasta maker for Christmas. I had never made fresh pasta before, but I was determined. The reason I'm telling you this is because even a 16 year old can make fresh pasta. All you need is a little time and patience. I'm going to show you some basic pasta making techniques for you to try at home. If you've really got some big muscles, you can roll this out by hand, however I strongly recommend using a pasta maker. The dough needs to be super thin.

This Recipe in Entirety Serves 4-6 People

Kale, Fig & Ricotta Ravioli Filling
4 Large Leaves of Kale
15 Oz Package of Ricotta Cheese
6 Dried Figs, Chopped
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Salt to Taste
1/2 t Nutmeg

Wash the kale and pull the stems apart from the leaves. Roughly chop this into relatively small pieces. Add about 3T water to a large saute pan and steam saute the kale until the water is gone and the kale is fully cooked, but still green. 

Add in the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasonings if necessary.  Set it aside to cool.


Basic Pasta Dough
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 t Salt
3 Egg Yolks
2 1/2 T Olive Oil
1/3 C Water (to start)

The traditional method is to put the flour and salt onto your work surface or large bowl.  Make a hole in the center, and put the eggs, oil, and water in the middle.  With a fork, start to stir from the center and slowly add in the flour as you pick it up from the sides.  Once it starts to reach dough form, knead it the rest of the way with your hands.  If it's too dry, add small amounts of water to reach a firm dough consistency.  Tear the dough ball in half and reform the balls.  Dust them in a little flour.  Cover one of them in plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out while you use the other one.

Another method is to just stick it all into the food processor and press Start. I like the more authentic method better myself, but you can decide. 

Depending on what kind of pasta your making, the methods can vary at this point. You'll want to have all of your prep done by this time so that you can go right into rolling the dough out. I'm going to give you some general instructions.  Since there are many brands of pasta makers, I can't give you an exact method. 

Flatten the ball into somewhat of  rectangular shape and squeeze it into the maker while cranking it through.  The first run may be a little funky, that's ok!  Keep running it through, 2-3 more times.  It will eventually even out.  Continue this process going through all of the settings.  Usually there are 3 settings.  As you continue tho run them through, you really need to stretch out those arms and be somewhat graceful.  You may want a partner for this part. 

If you're making a pasta like linguine, you'll have an attachment that you'll run the dough through. I would reflour the dough before you run it through.  For ravioli, like the ones that we're making, you can just put the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board or directly into a ravioli press.

Make an assembly line. Cut the pasta dough with a circle cutter and add about 2 teaspoons of filling to the middle of each one. Get a small bowl of warm water and dip your finger into it. Move your finger around the outer edges and then place a blank pasta circle on top.  Press down the edges to "glue" the sides together. Use a little pressure to seal them so that they don't pop open while cooking. 

Cook them immediately or put them onto flour dusted parchment or wax paper.  Make sure that they're not touching or they will possibly stick together. You can make them up to one day ahead.

When ready, boil them in lightly salted water for about 5 minutes or until they float.  You can always taste test one before straining it.

*these would also be great with a brown butter or Alfredo sauce


Orange Carrot Soup
1 Lb Carrots, Peeled & Small Diced
1/4 C Yellow Onion, Small Diced
1/2 t Nutmeg
1T Butter
3 C Vegetable Stock
3 T Brandy
1 Medium Orange, Juiced & Zested
Salt to Taste
1/2 C Pistachios, Chopped
Fresh Basil or Parsley (optional garnish)

Saute the carrots and onion in butter until soft.  Deglaze the pot with the brandy (deglaze- adding  liquid to a sauteed item at the end of cooking releases the caramelizaton left on the pan).  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. 

I happen to have a stick blender, so I can blend it right in the pot.  You can also use a blender or food processor. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Pour the soup into the bowls.  Add the ravioli's on top and garnish with pistachios and basil.