Non-Food Post: Where the Wild Things Are pumpkin carving!

17. October 2011 · 42 comments · Categories: crafts · Tags: , ,

Nate and I went down to PA this weekend to visit his mom. We also went to an open house at the venue we wanted to possibly use for the wedding and loved it. So we put our deposit down and officially booked the venue and have a date! So exciting. I can’t believe we’re going to be married next October!

While there, we went pumpking picking because Nate had decided that I was going to carve a Where the Wild Things Are pumpkin. There were slim pickins at the pumpkin patch this year. I think maybe all the rain we got wiped out their supply?

I did a lot of walking around and comparing, assessing my canvas, until I found one that would be perfect for carving the image I wanted.

Nate found a good one too.

I spent a little while browsing pictures online til I found one I liked:

I then removed the pumpkin top and scraped it out. I saved the seeds and roasted them with some salt, paprika and garlic powder…taaasty! Totally reminds me of carving pumpkins when I was little because my mom would roast the seeds for us.

Next I sketched out the image freehand on the pumpkin with a pen.

Then I used some wood carving tools I got at Michaels to scrape away the image to the best of my ability. I realized that you have to kind of carve a reverse relief. The parts that you want to look the closest have to be the deepest, and hence the brightest. I found putting the pumpkin in my lap made the carving easiest.

And here’s the final product, all lit up on the front porch!…Nate chose to do a traditional Jack-O-Lantern :)

Now, what should I carve next year. Ideas?!

…For a Sweet New Year!

26. September 2011 · 40 comments · Categories: Baking, Brunch, Cake, cooking, Dessert, food, recipes · Tags: , , , , ,

For those of you who don’t know, later in this week is Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year.

The traditional food that one eats at Rosh Hashannah is honey, for a “sweet” New Year. So in honor of the holiday, I made this honey cake that my mom recommended.

Honey cakes are very often  made on Rosh Hashannah so there are a lot of recipes going around out there, but most of them are pretty average. I have to say that all the spices in this one made it really flavorful.

I can’t write too much more because this has been a long day…I got engaged!!!! What a sweet way to start off the new year!

So this short post will have to do. I hope you enjoy this, while I go admire my ring :)

Levana Kirschenbaum’s Honey Cake

Taken from Levana

Print this recipe!

Makes one 10-inch tube/bundt pan

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup honey (see note)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup very strong warm tea (2 tea bags steeped in 1 cup hot water)
1/2 cup ground almonds, optional
3 tablespoons sliced almonds (add only if using the ground almonds)

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon an set aside.

In a food processor, process the eggs with the sugar, honey, and oil, just until combined. Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the tea. Pulse 2 to 3 times after each addition, just to incorporate. Add the ground almonds, if desired.

Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch springform pan or tube pan. Top with the sliced almonds, if using. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a rack to cool. Turn right side up to serve.

Note: If you measure the oil for the recipe first, then use the same measuring cup to measure the honey, the honey will slide out easily.

Yay for a day off with family!

04. July 2011 · 1 comment · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags:

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!

I hope that all my Elephant Eats readers are enjoying their relaxing 3 day wknd. I have the most decadent recipe coming your way later in the week ;)

Fireworks of flavor: 4th of July salsa!

30. June 2011 · 24 comments · Categories: Appetizer, cooking, food, recipes, Savory, Side dishes, vegetarian · Tags: , , ,

I’ve been promising you guys my family’s favorite salsa recipe and I finally got around to making it. As I mentioned in my last post, I visited my friends this past weekend and thought the salsa was a perfect appetizer on a lovely summer day. Plus, I wanted to get you this recipe in time for 4th of July. Obviously, it goes perfectly with any cookout along with some tortilla chips. Although, it’s so good that sometimes I just eat it with a spoon.

There’s nothing particularly special about the recipe, but my family has been making it for years. I’m not sure where it came from originally, but the recipe is called Brad’s Salsa…so thanks, Brad, whoever you are.

The ingredients are pretty standard for a salsa recipe. It uses canned tomatoes instead of fresh though. Is that normal? I’m not sure, but it makes one tasty dip. And for all you cilantro haters out there, I’m sorry, but this recipe contains a lot of it. I guess you could leave it out but it just wouldn’t be the same.

I think what makes it so amazing are that the ingredients are just so fresh. It’s best served after having mellowed out together for a day, giving it all a change to meld togetehr.

Because I made this on the weekend, I was actually able to take some pictures in daylight! I know. Amazing.

So here you go. Enjoy the pictures and the recipe. I hope you make it for this weekend’s festivities!


Brad’s Salsa
Recipe from Brad?

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained (juice reserved), chopped
1 small can diced green chiles (in the ethnic/mexian aisle at the market)
1 Tbsp jalapeno, diced fine (optional)
1 red onion, diced fine
1 clove garlic, diced fine
tabasco to taste
juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients. Add some of the reserved tomato juice if desired. Let mellow for 12-24 hours in refrigerator. It tends to get more watery as it sits, so don’t overdo the tomato liquid.

*Note: if doubling this recipe (which I always do), be careful of doubling the chiles and jalapeno. Be sure to taste before adding more than a single recipe’s worth.

Boxes and baked beans…and more boxes

20. June 2011 · 18 comments · Categories: Baking, food, recipes, Savory, Side dishes · Tags: ,

If you couldn’t figure it out, I’m currently up to my ears in boxes.

I was going to use this post to show you pictures of our new apartment and cop out from baking something and posting about it. You see, my apartment is currently in shambles. Boxes are covering 87.5% of my floor space and there’s barely even room to walk, no less bake.

But then I remembered I baked my family’s favorite baked bean recipe a month ago and didn’t post it because the pictures weren’t much to look at.

But since the 4th of July is fast approaching, I thought this recipe would actually be quite appropriate. Please don’t judge the taste of the recipe by the pictures. Beans just don’t photograph well. I promise you this is the best baked bean recipe you’ll ever have.

This recipe has no annoying overnight bean soaking. No hours spent over the stove stirring. This recipe is so simple, you won’t believe how it could result in such a delectable product.

I hope that this will be an addition to your summer barbeques this year!

And now, I’ll leave you with a picture of Nate thoroughly excited about our new living room…I can’t wait til we’re all moved in!


Minnesota Style Baked Beans
Recipe from a family friend

Print this recipe!

Serves 8

3 cans (16-20 oz. size) beans: lima, butter beans, red kidney, etc., drained
1 can (28 oz.) navy beans, with pork
3 large onions, chopped
½ lb. bacon in 1” squares (plus ½ lb. cooked ham or sausage
if for main dish)
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 ketchup
¾ c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. spicy mustard

1. In heavy skillet, brown bacon on medium flame, stirring constantly. Add additional meat if used. When all meat is browned, push to one side and pour off all fat but glaze at bottom of pan.

2. Saute onions in fat on low heat until soft, about 10 min. Add vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir well and simmer.

3. Add about ¼ of beans to a slow cooker or heavy dutch oven. Add ¼ of meat, alternating until beans and meat used up. Stir well. Cover and bake for 1-2 hours at 300. Add more ketchup if dry.

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