Tis the season

...for pumpkin bread!

Good 'n Plenty

While at Stone Barns last weekend we picked up a new cookbook: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. At first we wondered if we really need yet another cookbook, but after flipping through the mouth-watering photographs we quickly decided 'yes, we do!' What we were missing in our collection was a good vegetarian cookbook, one with recipes that inspire us to eat more healthily, but still manage to fill us up.

Last night we made the cover recipe Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce, after all it was the cover image that sealed the deal on our purchase. The ingredients were few and simple, and all together created a very tasty dish. Served alone, the eggplants make a great starter, but for a more substantial main meal we served them over rice. Thinking about it now, next time I'm going to use Israeli couscous which would be an even better compliment to this middle-eastern dish.

Peared Down

This time of year seckel pears make their grand entrance at the farmer's market. Their small size and sweet crunch makes them irresistible. I tend to buy too many knowing that even if I don't get around to eating them, they will at least look pretty on the kitchen table.

Last night I found a recipe for Upside-Down Pear Tartlets . The selling point-- it only calls for only 4 ingredients, all of which I had on hand. Puff pastry, butter, sugar and pears. I substituted seckel for d'anjou so slicing the pears wasn't necessary, just a quick lop in half. I reduced the overall size of the tartlet by using standard muffin tins (the recipe calls for jumbo) and cutting the puff pastry rounds to fit. I found that a 1/2 cup measuring scoop makes the perfect 'cookie cutter'.

Warm and sticky, we ate them right out of the oven... and then of course, the rest for breakfast.