Trick or Treat

Break out your scarf and mittens, crank up the fireplace, and go get yourself a pumpkin. Fall is in full effect, so embrace it. Roasting pumpkin seeds is a tradition that is synonymous with fall so today I diligently toasted up the innards from my jack-o-lantern after carefully carving his mischievous face. With a kiss of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, the seeds were just as crunchy and addictive as I remembered. The only problem was that they left me wanting something sweet. I decided to combine the crispy seeds with my hankering for a sugary delight and pumpkin seed brittle was the result. I referenced a recipe for the brittle from Food Network, poured it over the roasted pumpkin seeds and let cool for 2 hours. The sweet and salty snack satisfied both my cravings and produced a gorgeous amber candy that broke into shards like glass. Beautiful and delicious... what a treat!

Harissa Chips

Sundays mean one thing at my house... football. This is the day when my husband has full reign over the living room and the focus turns to all things pigskin. If there is one thing I know about football, it is that snacks are a crucial element to maintaining the energy level needed of a die hard fan. In addition to the usual fare of chicken wings and soda, today I introduced harissa chips. Thinly sliced red potatoes got a healthy drizzle of Fustini's harissa infused olive oil and then baked in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. I browned them 5 more minutes under the broiler and then set them on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkled with salt, they were a crispy delight. The harissa brought some serious heat to the chips which was a pleasant change in flavor. It was not the kind of heat that burns your lips, but a heat that settles in the back of your throat and makes you feel like a fire breathing dragon. Needless to say, this fiery snack was well received and will make the roster again next Sunday. Who's ready for some football?!

Cure for a Cold

Well, autumn is officially here. It's time for scarves, jackets, and the sniffles. Chicken soup is the undisputed remedy for cold weather ailments, so today I made a big pot of the hearty panacea. I started with a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and picked it clean of all the meat. After setting the meat aside, I boiled the carcass and it's remnants along with a red onion, some celery stalks, three carrots, and several cloves of garlic to create a delicious base for the soup. Once the stock was strained I added in some freshly chopped carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and spinach. With a healthy pinch of pepper, this nutrient packed soup was locked and loaded and ready to tackle any intruding germs. (Sniffles BEWARE!)