rosie cannolli

...cannollis from lyndhurst pastry shop in lyndhurst, nj are by far the best I've ever had...I was able to experience some of this legendary goodness from the comfort of my own home of yonkers instead of having to traverse to my hometown to pick up the goods...thanks to one of the best people around, rosie, who made her way to the pastry shop @ 7am to procure these delightful treats and train it over here...sometimes in the constant busyness of life, there is nothing as peaceful & comforting than being with an old friend so familiar that it is like being with family...here's to rosie! <3

...pumpkin goat cheese empanadas...

Drizzle a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in pan, once heated add 1 clove of fresh crushed garlic, & one small finely chopped white onion...clean & chop 2 cups of portobello mushrooms& add to pan...toss all the ingredients so everything is coated with the olive oil...once the onion is translucent & the mushrooms have softened, add 1 cup of goat cheese & 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree...stirring slowly until all ingredients have combined & the result is a creamy & the color of a burnt sunset...if you are a carnivore such as I am, you can add shredded chicken now...i like to use chicken breast and thighs, lightly tossed in olive oil & sea salt & black pepper&then roasted...if you are a vegetarian just prepare without the chicken...
...remove from heat....
...you can make your own empanada dough or buy premade in the freezer aisle @ the supermarket....
have your dough ready to fill...you can fill with your dough right away, or refrigerate your filling until you are ready to use...place 1 heaping tablespoon in each dough disc...brush the edges with water, the fold the dough over for a half moon...seal the half moon by gently pressing down on the dough with a fork...
for the crispiest, tastiest option, fry in vegetable oil, until golden brown on both side...for a healthier option, brush the tops with egg whites..bake @ 400 degrees, until crisp & brown...

...makes 10 to 15 empanadas, depending upon how heaping your tablespoons are!...

...feeling blue...

...I used to love being sick...it's true...I'd get to stay home from school, lay around in my pajamas & have Grandma make me pastina & take care of me...now not so much...I mean I still like the laying around in pajamas part, but I'm a busy lady with lists to make & not follow, powerpoint presentations to prepare, libraries to visit, papers to write, & there is always an unending list of things to do @ my job...so now as I lay here in a state of under-the weatherness, thinking of the things I have to do, sounding like a chain-smoking-chipmunk, I have a list of "remedies" that always make me feel better:
1) I reread "the pleasure of my company" by steve martin...one of my favorite books, I laugh out loud & even tear up a bit @ moments
2) coffee...I bought illy coffee...its a little pricier that other brands, but the taste is unbeatable...& i don't really use that word freely...seriously I don't think you'll ever see me use it again
3) Gizmo! my favorite stuffed animal keeps me in good company...
4) Planes, Trains, & Automobiles...one of the best movies ever...laughter is really the best medicine, at least for me...
and........
5) COOKING...I don't care how sick I am...cooking will always make me feel better...
I prepared a pumpkin & sweet potato curry stew & served it to my roommate & myself with crusty whole wheat panella bread...
it was like spooning with a pumpkin, serious goodness, folks...I am all about the pumpkin this fall season...tonight I baked pumpkin-wholewheat-oatmeal-blueberry-honey muffins....little baked cups of nourishing amazingness...
sooo I am still feeling a bit not-so-delightful but amidst my hecticness I have a plan to prepare the following in the next week:
roasted pumpkin, pumpkin goat cheese empanadas...hummus with greek olives...blue velvet cupcakes...homemade granola...

...we had a time...

...dinner party preparations can take everything out of you...in every possible way, it is imperative to know what you are getting into...the importance of having enough food & drink cannot be stressed enough...i would feel like an epic failure if I hosted a fantastic get together & ran out of either...i would probably go hide in a dark corner & recite recipes as if they were hail marys...
this past weekend's get together was a success...we invited a bunch of people through the procrastination tool/distraction that is facebook & had a turnout that included a rotating cast of 24 awesome acquaintances & friends...you can never go wrong with a good time...
...menu & recipes will be posted soon...

...dreaming in coffee...

...sometimes you just wake up & all you can think of is coffee...it makes you forget your dreams from your slumber...it is the first thing on your mind when you grudgingly & clumsily roll out of bed, & it is what keeps you going as you prepare to leave your comfort of home to face the dust of the day...replacing one comfort with another...well, maybe this isn't how it is for you but it is definitely my experience...my cup of coffee is my constant, my push for the day, the life...

...feverishly lost in yonkers...

…so I’m on vacation…in Yonkers...kind of from work, yet I’ve already stopped by my job twice, & have a meeting tomorrow….but still it’s a vacation nonetheless, filled with homework, studying, & preparations for an epic dinner party happening this upcoming Saturday evening…so besides filling myself with endless coffee (French press, espresso, Turkish, iced & everything in between!), & trying to enjoy some of my time off, at some point I find myself cooking…needing something quick & easy to make in between the busyness, I happened upon one of my favorite & simplest dishes to prepare…get ready…it takes no time at all & tastes so ridiculously fantastic I would swear how awesome it is on my life…so here goes…
fire up a frying pan with a few generous splashes of olive oil…
throw in ½ cup chopped yellow onion, 1 large sweet potato, peeled & chopped into small cubes…generously season with coarse sea salt & fresh ground black peppercorn…choose your favorite protein or even tofu…I like to use 1 small chicken breast, cleaned & cut up into teany pieces…& finally add I cup of cooked (brown!) rice…feverishly stir it up & the result is tasty, nourishing, & even kind of healthy…welcome additions would be a handful of peas, or even raisins...sometimes simple is better…it’s true…get into it…