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Pumpkin Pancakes

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It seems Starbucks and Trader Joe’s have done a good job of creating pumpkin season. Pumpkin flavoring in everything from coffee to cereal, pasta to popcorn, even when the food item or beverage doesn’t have any real pumpkin as an ingredient. I get it though! The famed Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL for people in the know) is a signal of fall, of boots and sweaters, of cozy movies by the fire. And it resembles the start of the holidays, of family and friends. I love all of this. And while I have a healthy respect for seasonal spices and ingredients, I’m not really in the “pumpkin everything” camp.

That said, I love to make our family favorite glazed pumpkin cookies and enjoy pumpkin pie or bread pudding at Thanksgiving, but other than that, that’s about all the pumpkin I need. One of my kids, however, has a birthday just days before Thanksgiving and since he was little has been a big fan of everything pumpkin. When he turned 10, I remember his specific birthday food requests: pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, glazed pumpkin cookies as the treat he wanted to share with his 4th grade class, and pumpkin pie for his birthday dessert. Pumpkin everything and I was happy to oblige.

This recipe is one of those pumpkin recipes that I not only enjoy making for my family, I also truly enjoy eating as a fall treat. They are perfectly spiced, fluffy, and are delicious with crispy slices of bacon on the side. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Cheers,

Christina

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Pumpkin Pancakes

These fluffy pancakes have been a fall favorite in our house for over a decade. They have a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup and some added nutrition from canned pumpkin puree and ground flax seed. Our favorite way to enjoy them is with a little salted butter that is melted and whisked with warm maple syrup and drizzled over top – delicious!

Course Breakfast
Keyword pancake, pumpkin
Servings 20 pancakes
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 2¼ cup flour
  • 3 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • a pinch of nutmeg

Wet ingredients

  • 2¼ cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Fold wet mixture into dry mixture.

  2. Heat a nonstick griddle or pan over medium heat. Melt some butter or coconut oil on the heated pan and pour about ¼ cup batter for each pancake. I also find using an ice cream scoop to be super easy for this job. Cook pancakes a few minutes on each side and enjoy with salted butter and warm maple syrup. They are also quite good plain!

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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Many years ago there was a restaurant called California Cafe in Los Gatos and it was a favorite date night spot for my husband and me.  I frequently ordered the seasonal soup because it never failed to impress and satisfy me.  On one particular evening, and with a very pregnant belly (I had our second child weeks later), I may have taken my enjoyment of this soup a little far. Our server saw what appeared to be said pregnant lady licking the bowl clean and passed along the obvious compliments to the chef.  To my surprise and utter joy, the chef brought me a copy of the recipe with his handwritten notes and I’ve been making a version of it for many years.

Fast forward about 15 years, and while I was working on my professional culinary certificate, it was my honor to spend time as an intern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park.  One of my jobs was to make 16 quarts of vegan Butternut Squash Soup a few times a week – my trusty little notebook reminds me that’s a batch that includes about 9 butternut squash and 15 onions! For those months I spent at this wonderful restaurant and several months after, I felt like I could make this soup in my sleep. 

And now, a few years later and combining some flavors from the California Cafe recipe and some solid technique from Flea Street, I’ve come up with my favorite version to serve my family and friends.  It is a perfect soup for a crisp fall evening and pairs perfectly served with a slightly bitter salad or warm crusty bread for dipping. I hope you get a chance to make it this season.

Cheers,

Christina

Roasting cut side up with lots of good flavors
Thinly slicing the veggies is a lot quicker to prep than chopping into similar sizes
Cook until very tender and sweet
Perfectly roasted with very flavorful cooking liquid – be sure to save this!
Very easy to scoop out and toss in the pot
I’m no artist and all I see is a a strange sunburst or alien smiley face
Soup + salad combo: baby kale, arugula, radicchio, apple, pear, blue cheese, toasted almonds, champagne vinaigrette
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Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This delicious fall soup is inspired by one that I had many years ago at California Cafe in Los Gatos. Sadly the restaurant has been closed for years, but I loved this soup so much that the chef kindly brought me a copy of the recipe with his handwritten notes on it to our table and I've been making it ever since. Fast forward about 15 years – one of my jobs during my time as an intern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park was to make 16 quarts of vegan Butternut Squash Soup multiple times a week. I combined many ingredients and techniques from both versions, and this is my favorite way to make it. Due to the addition of cream at the end as well as hints of maple syrup and cinnamon, is a perfect soup to have a cup or small bowl of at the beginning of a meal. It's also great as a soup + salad or soup + panini combo.

Course Soup
Keyword butternut squash, soup
Servings 6 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs butternut squash about 1-2 squash
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2½ cups vegetable or chicken stock homemade or low sodium is best
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin puree
  • ⅔ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

Optional toppings

  • crème fraîche, chive, freshly grated nutmeg, pumpkin oil, olive oil, toasted pepitas

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°. Rinse the outside of the squash (it will sit in liquid while it cooks and you will use in the soup, so you want a clean squash). Cut squash ends off, then in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Place halves in a roasting pan, cut side up. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaf, brown sugar and kosher salt to the top and cavity of the squash. It's ok if some falls off and into the pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with a sheet of parchment paper, followed by a sheet of heavy aluminum. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large heavy pot, melt butter and olive oil over low heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 20-30 minutes total. You are looking for very soft vegetables and only the slightest hint of color. Turn off the heat while the squash finishes cooking.

  3. When the squash has cooked for an hour, remove from the oven and carefully take the parchment and foil off and let the squash cool a few minutes. Be sure to save the liquid in the pan; you should have a little less than 2 cups.

  4. Scoop out the flesh and add it directly to the pot with the vegetables. Add pumpkin puree, stock and flavorful cooking liquid from roasting pan to the pot with the vegetables and bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

  5. Remove from heat and add heavy cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Carefully blend mixture with an immersion blender directly in the pot. For the most smooth texture, use a high speed blender such as a Vitamix, blending in batches and returning soup to the pot to reheat.

  6. Top each serving with any of the following toppings: a spoonful of crème fraîche, freshly grated nutmeg, finely chopped chive, a drizzle of pumpkin or olive oil, toasted/spiced pepitas, coarse flake salt

Quiche with Bacon, Baby Kale and Gruyere

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A good quiche is one of my all time favorite dishes. I frequently order it when I see it being offered on a restaurant or bakery menu and am often underwhelmed, always wanting more flavor. This quiche is nothing like that. It’s deeply flavorful, creamy, flaky, light, and just down right perfection. The addition of cream fraiché as part of the liquid is such a game changer in quiche fillings that I’ve incorporated it in nearly all my variations.

Tart shell ready for the oven

If I have time during the week, I’ll prepare some dough and roll it out in a tart pan, freezing it until I’m ready to make my quiche. I never regret taking a few extra minutes to do this – it makes a lazy weekend brunch so satisfying and easy to pull together. I’ve also pulled a pretty smart parenting move and taught my teenage son how to make pie and pastry dough. He’s almost always willing to take care of this kitchen task and wrap it for the freezer. He makes a few bucks for the chore and we all get treated to a delicious quiche as a result. Everyone wins.

Cheers,

Christina

Extra filling makes a baby crustless quiche – Yum!
Easiest way to remove that rim without losing the whole thing on the kitchen floor
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Quiche with Bacon, Baby Kale and Gruyere

Quiche is a perfect make ahead breakfast or brunch dish. It is equally delicious for lunch or a classy dinner main with a salad and glass of wine. This dish is adapted from Huckleberry, one of my favorite cookbooks, as well as inspired by some tried and true ingredients such as flour and creme fraiché from the famed Tartine cookbook. I hope you love my favorite version.

Course Breakfast
Keyword quiche
Servings 8 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Quiche filling

  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup crème fraîche
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tsp dijon mustard
  • a few dashes of hot sauce
  • ¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese divided
  • 1 cup baby kale or spinach, lightly packed cup, coarsely chopped
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked, coarsely chopped

Flaky Tart Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup butter, cubed, placed in freezer for 10 minutes Kerrygold butter is my favorite for this
  • 5 tbsp ice cold water

Instructions

Preparing the tart dough

  1. Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to food processor, pulse to combine.

  2. Scatter semi-frozen butter on top of the flour mixture and pulse a few times until you see pea-sized pieces of butter throughout.

  3. Add ice cold water through top funnel while briefly pulsing, until water is incorporated. Don't over process.

  4. Dump mixture on a lightly floured board and gather dough together, kneading and gathering until no dry pieces are are left. Form into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  5. Grease a tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll chilled dough out on a lightly floured board and gently lay into a tart pan. Allow the dough to get into the sides and trim excess dough with a rolling pin lightly pressing the edge of the pan. Dough can also be placed into a pie pan with edges folded under and pinched. Place tart pan on a baking sheet.

    If time allows, freeze prepared tart shell for 1 hour. Otherwise, place in the freezer or refrigerator while the oven preheats.

Baking the crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line the tart shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake about 20 minutes, till edges begin to lightly brown, then remove parchment and beans or weights and continue baking until crust is deeply browned, about 20 minutes longer.

Quiche filling

  1. In a medium bowl add first 8 ingredients and whisk until free of lumps. Fold in ½ cup cheese.

  2. Scatter chopped greens and cooked bacon over the cooked tart shell. Fill tart shell with egg mixture as full as you can without overflowing. Carefully top with remaining ¼ cup cheese. Bake until middle is set and cheese is golden, about 25 minutes.

  3. Remove outer rim of the tart pan by placing quiche on a large can (28 ounce can of tomatoes, for example) and the rim will drop to the counter. Transfer the tart to a cutting board or serving plate and carefully slice the quiche. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Any extra filling can be baked in a greased ramekin for a delicious crustless quiche. 

Grilled Brie, Prosciutto and Fig Panini

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These delicious, and incredibly simple panini have been a household favorite longer than I can remember! Something about the crispy buttery outside, melted pungent brie, herby rosemary and sweet fig spread combo that is so satisfying. My family cheers when I make these!

99% of the time I make these sandwiches exactly as the recipe below states and it’s my favorite. In the past I’ve left out the rosemary, it’s delicious. I’ve made them vegetarian for guests by leaving out the prosciutto, still delicious. And for kids, I’ve swapped out the brie for a more child-friendly white cheddar, and it’s beyond delicious!

Thankfully 4 out of 5 of my crew absolutely loves it just the way I make it. Although I’ve never been much of a short order cook, until my youngest develops some more mature taste buds, I’ll keep the white cheddar handy to make everyone happy!

An assembly line makes these really easy to make ahead, refrigerate and press when you’re ready
Salted butter is nice, but so is a smear of mayonnaise or olive brushed on the outside – all make a lovely golden panini
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Grilled Brie, Prosciutto and Fig Panini

A delicious sweet and savory toasted panini that my family has enjoyed for over 10 years. These sandwiches pair perfectly with a bowl of soup or a green salad for lunch or dinner. They also make a great appetizer when cut into fourths and piled on a tray. There's no doubt this one is a hit with family and friends!

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Keyword brie, fig jam, panini, proscuitto
Servings 4 sandwiches
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 8 slices country white bread sourdough is a great option as well
  • 8 slices thinly sliced prosciutto about 4-5 oz
  • 12 slices thinly sliced brie, partially frozen for easier slicing about 4 oz
  • 4 tbsp fig spread
  • ½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped finely optional
  • 4 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted, room temperature mayonnaise or olive oil are excellent substitutions

Instructions

  1. Preheat panini press or griddle. If using a skillet, wait to heat until sandwiches are assembled.

  2. Make an assembly line with all your ingredients. On a cutting board, make 4 stacks of bread, two slices each. Butter outsides and turn each stack on itself so the butter side is facing inward and dry sides are facing outward. Spread about a tablespoon of fig spread on each of the 4 slices on top and sprinkle with chopped rosemary, if using. Then place 2 slices of prosciutto each folded in half, followed by 3 slices of sliced brie. At this point, the assembled sandwiches will keep for several hours in the refrigerator and can be grilled or pressed when ready to eat.

  3. Place sandwiches, butter side out, in a hot press and cook until golden and brie is melted and gooey. If using a griddle or skillet, flip and cook other side. Transfer to a cutting board and to avoid all the deliciousness from oozing out, wait just a minute before slicing and enjoying.

Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

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When my kids see this pumpkin cookie coming out of a hot oven, it is a tell tale sign that Fall has arrived.  It’s a childhood favorite of mine, passed along to my family growing up from our next door neighbor and has quickly earned its place in our list of family favorites as well.  I only make it from October 1 – Thanksgiving, making the possibility of its appearance a timely and much anticipated treat. 

This is the perfect glazed cookie for a sweet treat or unglazed with a cup of coffee for an afternoon snack. I have served a platter of these cookies on a Halloween food buffet, treated hard working teachers during busy fall parent teacher conferences, as well as placed a tray of these cookies at the coveted spot on the Thanksgiving dessert table. Above all, this is my favorite fall cookie to make several batches of, pile on a pretty plate, and deliver to beloved friends and family.  

I hope you find this pumpkin cookie as tasty as we do and enjoy sharing it with your friends and family.  

Cheers,

Christina

Bake these cookies until they have a nice golden color – this vastly deepens and improves the flavor of the cookie
Combine ingredients and stand by ready to whisk
Whisk constantly while the mixture is at a rolling boil – a deep caramel/maple flavor happens in a matter of minutes
Add vanilla, powdered sugar and salt and whisk until smooth – then act fast to frost cookies before the icing firms up
Some plain, some frosted, some with chopped nuts – everybody wins
The most perfect fall afternoon treat
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Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

This little cake-like pumpkin cookie is a fall family favorite! The original recipe came from my next door neighbor growing up. She would be delighted, but certainly not surprised, that this remains a beloved recipe passed between neighborhoods and generations. Here's my favorite version with tweaks I've made over the years to further deepen the flavor. Glazed or unglazed, it's a perfect treat.

Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pumpkin
Servings 3 dozen
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1½ tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped Add an additional ¼ cup nuts for topping, if desired

Glaze

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 5 tbsp milk whole or reduced fat both work well
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted or whisked until free of lumps

Instructions

Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Mix first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

  3. In a stand mixer, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl.

  4. Add egg and mix well.

  5. Add in pumpkin and vanilla. Mix well, scraping the bowl as needed. The mixture may look like it is separating, but don't worry. It will come together into a nice smooth batter when the dry ingredients are added.

  6. Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.

  7. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in ½ cup of the chopped nuts by hand.

  8. Using a small ice cream scoop, about 1½ Tbsp, scoop batter onto parchment lined baking sheets, allowing about 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Unlike many other cookies, they should be set and the top should feel like the top of a baked muffin or cake. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Glaze

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, milk and butter. Heat to a gentle boil, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.

  2. Remove from heat and add vanilla, salt and powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

  3. Working quickly so the glaze doesn't set up, use a spoon to spread a small amount on top of each cookie. Sprinkle some chopped nuts, if using, on top of the wet glaze. Keeps well for days in a sealed container and also freezes well. Enjoy!

Cantaloupe Banana Smoothie

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The most used appliance in our house is our Vitamix… this is not a paid sponsorship, but rather a ode to my favorite appliance for almost 15 years. Each day, this well loved kitchen friend produces smoothie after healthy smoothie, velvety soups and sauces, smooth muffin batter, chunky dips and spreads, and even the best banana milkshake I’ve ever had.

Many years ago, before we had a Vitamix, but still a high quality blender, my husband used some overly ripe cantaloupe and a banana and threw it in the blender with some rice milk (what we drank at the time) and a few ice cubes and produced the most refreshing afternoon snack. To this day, it remains one of our most simple, refreshing smoothies during the summer months when melon is at its peak. Honeydew is an equally delicious substitution and often gets mixed with matcha green tea powder for a great afternoon pick me up – recipe to come!

I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious smoothie.

Cheers,

Christina

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Cantaloupe Banana Smoothie

A simple, refreshing smoothie during the summer months! It's a perfect afternoon snack to cool down and rehydrate after some fun in the sun. Honeydew is an excellent substitution and one we make all the time. Enjoy!

Course Beverages
Keyword cantaloupe, smoothie
Servings 2 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cantaloupe chunks
  • 2 bananas
  • ¼ cup almond milk any dairy or nondairy beverage should work well
  • 5 ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Summer Fruit Almond Cream Galette

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When your favorite summer desserts include all things fruit, you come up with new ways to use all that peak produce! Fruit crisps are one of my favorite desserts- I can never get enough of that sweet, buttery, oat crumble.  But then I remind myself how much I love pie, or anything with a flaky, buttery crust.  Galettes (French), or crostatas (Italian), depending on the cuisine you’re talking about, are the perfect solution to this dilemma.  A sturdy crust, a surprise almond cream that serves as a base for all that juicy fruit, and a sweet oat crumble to top the fruit makes for a very satisfying summer dessert.  A scoop of good vanilla ice cream is highly recommended –  it was very much a recent hit with my family and mother-in-law. 

Don’t be turned off by all the steps! Most can be prepared in advance of the assembly, and the galette itself can be baked entirely and served room temperature.  I did that recently and only popped it in the oven for a few minutes to heat so our ice cream on top would get perfectly melty, but it’s certainly not necessary.  And, store-bought pie crust is a fine substitution – Trader Joe’s is a great choice and makes this recipe even easier.  The goal is to enjoy this delicious dessert! 

Cheers,

Christina

chilled dough straight from the freezer
almond cream and oat crumble
juicy summer fruit
almond cream
spread and leave a 2-inch border
fresh peaches in a circle and blueberries scattered
oat crumble topping
fold, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
bake until deeply golden
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Summer Fruit Almond Cream Galette

This delicious summer dessert is the best of all fruit desserts. It's got a sturdy crust to hold all the juicy summer fruit, a surprise almond cream as a base hiding below that fruit, and a oat crumble on top to give it the perfect crunch. A satisfying pie-crumble-galette combo that will both impress and delight your family and friends.

Course Dessert
Keyword galette, summer fruit
Servings 8 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Galette Dough

  • 1½ cup flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
  • 4-5 tbsp ice water

Almond Cream

  • ¼ cup almond paste
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sour cream

Oat Crumble

  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp old fashioned oats
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds optional
  • pinch of kosher salt

Egg Wash/Sugar crust

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar

Instructions

Galette dough

  1. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt to blend.
  2. Add butter and pulse a few times to cut butter into the flour until you have small pieces of butter throughout.

  3. Add ice water a little at a time and pulse until mixture forms a dough that can holds together when you pinch a bit in your hand. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Gather dough and press into a disc.

  4. Place disc in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a rough circle, about 11 inches in diameter. Place the parchment lined dough on a baking sheet and place in the freezer while you prepare the crumble and almond cream, about 30 minutes.

Almond Cream

  1. Blend almond paste, brown sugar, and sour cream in a food processor. You can also use a hand mixer, but is harder to get the almond paste to blend in completely. Set aside.

Oat Crumble

  1. Add all ingredients, except the butter, to a small bowl and combine. Add small pieces of butter and using clean hands, or a fork, work the butter and mixture together until a crumble mixture appears. Chunks of butter coated with flour and oats is what you're looking for. Set aside.

Egg Wash

  1. Combine the egg, cream or milk, and salt and whisk until mixture is homogeneous. Set aside.

Assembly

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Pull dough out of the freezer and peel the top layer of parchment off. Leave the bottom layer on the baking sheet and let sit out on the counter for a few minutes until it can be easily folded.

  2. Evenly spread almond mixture over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Place peaches in a circle or evenly scattered around, followed by the blueberries. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the fruit. Fold the dough edge over the fruit, pleating naturally occurs as you fold. Brush the edge with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

  3. Bake until crust is golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into wedges. A scoop of ice cream on top is a very good idea.

Eric’s Sipper (House Manhattan)

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I’m not sure if we are the only ones, but the older my husband and I get, the more the old saying, “less is more” seems to apply to our lives.  Be it friends in our orbit, clothes in our closet or alcohol in our system- quality over quantity couldn’t be more true for this couple. Having been together for almost half our lives, I can see how our tastes have become very similar and our Friday night beverage of choice is no different! What used to be the obvious question of red or white, has become the question of rye or bourbon… one drink each seems to be just enough for both of us. Quality over quantity! 

Eric’s sipper was created about a year ago and our first real appreciation and enjoyment of brown liquor.  I have to say, it’s pretty dang good and has become staple ingredients in our liquor cabinet. It’s delicious over ice, but can be served up in a coupe glass as well.  Either way, don’t forget the cherry or orange peel!

Cheers,

Christina

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Eric’s Sipper (aka House Manhattan)

This drink is a lovely mix between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan and is an excellent cocktail to sip while the ice melts, perfectly diluting the drink. It's known in our house as Eric's Sipper, and one that we are more fond of each time we make it. It's a fun drink to experiment with- served up or on ice, less sweet vermouth or more, 2 cherries or 4. Either way- cheers!

Course Beverages
Servings 1 drink
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Whiskey We like High West and Angel's Envy Bourbon
  • 1 ½ ounce Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
  • 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
  • 1-2 cherries, plus ½ tsp juice Favs include Luxardo Maraschino or Fabbri Cherries
  • orange peel garnish

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except cherries and orange peel to shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds.

  2. Add large cube of ice to low ball and pour drink over ice.

  3. Garnish with 2 cherries on a toothpick and orange peel.

Summer Tomato Pie

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Tomato Pie- the best kind of pie there is!

It’s late July and the local farmer’s markets in the Bay Area are overflowing with summer’s bounty.  I don’t usually have a go to list from week to week (depends what is on the meal plan!), but one staple from June until at least late September are tomatoes.  Only three out of my five family members even like tomatoes but that doesn’t stop me from making all things tomato. And as it turns out- it doesn’t stop five out of five from eating dishes with tomatoes in them.  Funny how that works! So many ways to use them: fresh cream of tomato soup, tomato salsa, gazpacho, tomato sauce… but my all time favorite way to eat ripe summer tomatoes is in Tomato Pie. This is my childhood in a pie shell.

Recently a farmer selling me tomatoes asked what I was planning on doing with the tomatoes and because July 4th was just days away- Tomato Pie was definitely on the holiday menu! It’s a summer staple.

There are a few but critical easy steps to ensure a delicious tomato pie!

Step 1:

Roll out dough into a 9″ pie dish and prick all over with fork.  This can be store bought- Trader Joe’s has a decent one or my favorite is an egg and butter based Pâte Brisé that is very easy to work with.

Pate Brisee

Step 2: Blind bake

Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights.  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Blind baking the shell

Step 3

While the crust is baking, slice tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze to remove some juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides.

Salting and draining the tomatoes

Step 4:

Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden.  Let sit while the crust is baking and you prepare the topping.

 Successful blindbaking- golden and no puffed up spots!

Step 5:

Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed.  Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves.

Beautiful local tomatoes

Step 6:

Sprinkle fresh basil and chive over the tomatoes.

Fresh herbs are best, but dried basil would work, too

Step 7:

Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.

Sharp cheddar, mayo, scallion and a few seasonings for a delicious topping

Step 8:

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.

I hope you love this as much as I do!

Cheers

~Christina

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Tomato Pie

This savory pie is the best of summer. Ripe, in season tomatoes seasoned with fresh herbs sit in a flaky crust with a cheesy topping. What's not to love?

Course Main Course, Side Dish, vegetarian
Keyword herbs, pie, savory pie, tomato
Servings 8 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 1 9" pie crust baked
  • 3-4 medium tomatoes thickly sliced
  • handful cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil julienned
  • 1/4 cup chives minced
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Roll out pie dough into 9" pie dish and prick all over with fork. Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights.  Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden.

  2. While crust is baking, slice tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze to remove some juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides.  Let sit while you prepare the topping.

  3. For the topping: Combine cheese, mayo, scallions, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.

  4. Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed.  Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle herbs evenly over tomatoes.

  5. Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.

  6. Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.