Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

I've always been a planner. I like to cram a lot into each and every day and when things go as planned, I'm a happy woman. Having a baby has obviously thrown such predictability out the window. Now, if I can just squeeze in a shower, it's a good day.

So, imagine my delight when yesterday, everything went as planned. Nico took two naps, on time. I showered. We even ran some errands in the morning before nap #2. All of a sudden, it was 3pm and I had a free hour to spare. So what did I do? I made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares!

When I made this recipe last week for a Thanksgiving potluck at work, they were a big hit. They were just as popular last night when my mom, brother, sister-in-law to be, and niece came over for dinner. Daniel made us a Brazilian feast (shrimp cooked in a pumpkin!) and then we had some berry crumble with vanilla ice cream, and these squares, for dessert.

They're perfect for this time of year and a nice alternative to pumpkin pie or some of the more traditional fall-flavored treats. I tinkered with the recipe a little and used just a cup of sugar (instead of 1 1/4 cups) and only half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The squares still tasted perfectly sweet to me.

If you're searching for an easy Thanksgiving dessert, give them a try. I might just make them again myself in a few days.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares
From Everyday Food
Makes 24
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
4. Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

I've wanted to to tell you about this recipe for awhile. Since I first started this blog, in fact. The problem is, I could never get a decent picture of it.

I promised last week to write more and obsess about perfection less, so here it is. (Of course, I wish the picture above was more enticing, but time to stop sweating the small stuff. Right?)

This has been my go-to tofu dish for a few years. It's the recipe that made me realize I actually really like the stuff. Daniel on the other hand is still not a fan. He happily eats whatever I make, and while tofu is no exception, he insists on dousing it with whatever condiments he can find.

The recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and it really couldn't be easier. You fry up some tofu till it has a nice golden crust, then toss in some broccoli and a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Top with toasted cashews and voila, a vegetarian dish that'll truly fill you up.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry
From Everyday Food
Serves 4
1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cashews, toasted

Directions
1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve topped with cashews.

Ina Garten's White Pizzas with Arugula

In my six and a half months as a mother, I've learned many things.

The one lesson that keeps popping up? The sooner I stop striving for perfection, the happier I will be.

I'm the type of person who pushes myself, sometimes a little too hard, to do things perfectly. Parenthood has only magnified this pressure I put on myself every day.

I'll spare you the psychoanalysis and just say this is why I haven't written in so long.

There have been many things I've wanted to share. A trip here, for one. And the veggie reuben, from here (which was my new favorite sandwich when I started writing this post a few weeks ago, only to be trumped by the one from here this weekend). Or how obsessed I am with the espresso chocolate chip biscotti I seem to eat every Friday from here. And of course I could have gone on and on (and on and on) about how in love I am with my little boy.

I would have loved to write my usual long, detailed posts, complete with photos. But trying to take care of a baby while juggling a full-time job and checking off all of life's seemingly endless to-do's doesn't leave much time for that.

So, I just stopped writing.

That's where this perfection thing gets tricky. It makes me very black or white. I do something full force, with every ounce of energy I have, or I don't do it at all.

It took awhile, but I finally realized that if I kept waiting for the perfect time to write a perfect post, you wouldn't have heard from me for a few more years. At least.

From now on, I'm going to try to write quick posts whenever I can. And for the record, they're going to be far from perfect. Some might just be a few sentences. Or a photo with a blurb. Who knows if I'll ever go back to writing long posts again. Baby steps, ok?

Right now, I want to tell you quickly about Ina Garten's white pizzas with arugula. Daniel and I made them a few weeks ago, and although my memory is hazy these days, I do remember that they're one of the best things I've eaten in awhile. When it comes to describing food, I'm feeling kind of rusty. But these are the words that come to mind when I think of this pizza: golden, crispy, rich, creamy, light, refreshing. You get the idea?

When I told two friends about these pizzas, they were surprised I made the dough from scratch. I promised them, and I promise you too, that this is the best part of the recipe. Do not skip this step! Do not substitute store-bought stuff. This is not the perfectionist in me talking. Really.

Need more incentive? What if I told you that this recipe makes six pizzas? Ina says the dough can be refrigerated for up to four hours, but we had two leftover portions that tasted almost as good when baked the next night. And believe me, you'll want to eat this pizza again the next night (and probably the night after that).

White Pizzas with Arugula


From Ina Garten's Back to Basics

Active: 1 hr 15 min

Total: 1 hr 30 min

Makes: 6 pizzas



FOR THE DOUGH

1 3/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degree) water

2 packages dry yeast

1 tablespoon honey

Good olive oil

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

Kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, sliced

5 sprigs fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes



FOR THE TOPPING

3 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces)

11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet crumbled



FOR THE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces baby arugula

1 lemon, sliced



1. Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.



2. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.



3. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.



4. Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.



5. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.



6. Dump the dough onto a board and divide into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.



7. Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper.



8. Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.



9. Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.



10. When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.