Pumpkin Waffles

I made these waffles for breakfast this morning and David is proclaiming them to be his favorite waffles now. I think they're pretty incredible too. I followed a recipe on Epicurious with a few changes. In fact, as I typed in this recipe with my changes, I realized that I used almost twice as much pumpkin as the original recipe specified. I really liked them this way. I might try them with less pumpkin for comparison, but these were so creamy and pumpkiny on the inside. So, sometimes mistakes work out really well.

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

4 large eggs, separated

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup whole milk

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the butter. Whisk in the brown sugar until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the pumpkin. Gradually whisk in the milk and buttermilk.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.  Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Cook in a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.

Cajun Mac and Cheese

This is so easy and delicious. The most time-consuming part is chopping the scallions and peppers, but it's worth a bit of chopping. We love this. My version of this recipe is based on one from Food Network Magazine.

12 ounces wagon-wheel pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

7-8 ounces uncured, cooked ham, cut into small cubes

2 bunches scallions, white and lighter green parts only, sliced

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cajun spice blend

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and peppers and cook until vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the cajun seasoning and flour, stirring for 2 more minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and continue to stir until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes more.

Add the pasta, cheese, and about 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about a minute or two.

Makes about 4 large servings.

Roasted Pineapple

A little over a month ago I decided that I was a little out of control in my ice cream consumption. So, I've been looking to fruit-based desserts to satisfy my sweet tooth. This is sufficiently sweet and makes me feel just a little fancy as I eat it. It's based on this recipe from bon appetit.

1 medium ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges and slices

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons honey

coarsely chopped pistachios

mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the pineapple on the baking sheet. Roast on a lower rack in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn over the pineapple and roast again on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 minutes.

Whisk together the brown sugar, orange juice, and honey. Divide the pineapple among four plates. Pour sauce over the pineapple and sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the pineapple. Add a spoonful of mascarpone cheese and serve.

Makes 4 servings.