Pumpkin please!

I have a confession to make...I might be just a little Pumpkin Obsessed! I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Pumpkin breads, donuts, bagels, scones, cereal, Pop-Tarts, and of course, my original obsession: Pumpkin Pie! When I was a child, my mother used to make two pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving...one for everyone else and one for Heather. No lie.

So of course when I came across this recipe for Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce in Food Network Magazine, I had to try it. Yes, it was a recipe targeted for "kids" but so what?! I am still that little 9 year old that can eat a whole pumpkin pie herself! The recipe itself was so simple a kid really could make it all by themselves too. A few simple ingredients turned a Tuesday night dinner into a rich, warm, comforting fall meal.

Pumpkin Delight

And yes, it tastes as good as it looks! Will I be sick of all things pumpkin by the time Thanksgiving comes around? Maybe. But just so you know, a pumpkin whoopie pie is the key to my heart!

Sunday Funday

What could be better than a Sunday filled with football, family and food? Except a winning game...not much! And when the food is finger-licking good, then all the better!

{BBQ Chicken nachos}

Taken from the Food Network Magazine 50 Nachos, this one will be made again, repeatedly!

{White Chocolate raspberry squares}

Best Quote of the Day: "I thought I'd died and gone to heaven until I realized I was face down in White Chocolate Raspberry square." That about sums it up!

California Dreamin'

This one is simple. When preparing a San Diego themed lunch, one thing and one thing only came to mind. Fish Tacos! Being that San Diego is just a hop, skip and a jump from Mexico, they are abundant in the area. There are many different types, but I prefer the crunchy, spicy, cool combo in my tacos. Luckily I have been holding on to this recipe courtesy of Ingrid Hoffman for Food Network Magazine since November 2008! It combines everything I love about fish tacos and it was simple to prepare to boot!

{Winner, winner, fish taco dinner}

As Ingrid would say: Simply Delicioso!

What I learned from Food Network Magazine

Surprisingly disappointing issue of Food Network Magazine this month. I didn't rip out a single recipe that I wanted to try. Not  single one! I did have some revelations though.

1. In the America's Best Pizzas article, they claim Michael's Genuine has the best pizza in all of Florida. I have not had their pizza yet, but I totally believe they would have the best in the whole state. Short ribs, Gruyere, arugula and caramelised onions? Yes please! Everything they make is perfection. Remember my last blog post about them? There is drool all over the magazine right now!
2. I am addicted to buying cookbooks. There, I said it. I literally got accelerated heart rate when I read that Bobby Flay has a new cookbook, Bar American. Gotta have it. Also Food Network also has a Next Food Network Star Cookbook. OK, I'll get that too then. See, I told you I'm addicted!
3. In the editors note, Maile waxed on and on about the Easy Bake Oven. How much she loved hers, how it is being overhauled and how she got an old one for her daughter for a steal. It got me thinking about how I never had one. Did any of you have one? Did I miss out on a pertinent childhood memory? Should I get one for my yet unborn daughter to enjoy one day?

OK, so that's what stuck with me. What about you? What did you take away from this month's issue?

My Fair Lady

First off, no judgement on this post please. I have not been to a fair in probably 20 years, so I may have gone a little nuts on this visit, but boy was it worth it! I was on fair food sensory overload! It all started when I saw this sign:

Yes, ladies and gents, you read that right... A PORK PARFAIT! Apparently, it was featured in the Food Network Magazine, but I missed it. Needless to say, I HAD to have one!

And it was every bit as good as it sounds! Simple concept: pulled pork, barbecue sauce and mashed potatoes, layered in a cup. De-lish!

Then on to the next guilty pleasure (and this is where I insist on you not judging me!).....the Donut Burger!

A burger patty in between two Krispy Kreme donuts. Yes, a heart attack waiting to happen, but I had to try it in the name of food reporting. ;) And Yes, I have to admit, I kinda liked it! Sweet, salty, soft and crunchy, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Then on to a classic I had not had in a while:

Elephant Ear! I prefer elephant ears to funnel cakes, but that's just my preference. Fried dough covered with cinnamon sugar...can't beat it!

Then for my last hurrah, I had to try something I heard Sunny Anderson speak of on The Best Thing I Ever Ate...the deep-fried Snickers!

The dough was a little to chewy for me, but the inside was nothing but chocolate, Carmel and peanut goodness!

And so went my fair adventures. Good thing I did a 5K in the morning to make up for the gluttony...and I think I'll stay away from fairs for a while....Besides, I think I can make my own pork parfait! :)

I got a panini maker!!

I have been wanting a panini maker for quite some time now, and this year, Santa (IE my sister Jan) came through! Eager to try it out, we consulted our booklet from the Food Network Magazine, 50 Panini. We combined the idea of #22 and #27 and made our own Spicy Steak Fajita Panini.

Fresh Ciabatta, siracha mayonnaise, provolone, grilled flank steak, peppers and onions combined to make the perfect inaugural panini!

The spicyness of the mayo, the sweet of the peppers and onions, the grilled flavor from the steak...perfectly delicious! You can't get this at any sandwich shop!

Tailgate, Take five

I am getting pretty good at this tailgating thing, if I do say so myself! No boring burgers or dogs here! Not that there is anything wrong with them once in a while, but I think keeping it exciting is important. This week, I went with the same theme as last time and did a panini again. This time, the inspiration came from Food Network Magazine and their 50 Great Panini booklet from the October Issue. My partner in crime this week was Amanda, and we went with #20, the Steak and Gruyere Panini.

Curious about what's in that other foil??? Stay tuned! :)

Rain was definitely an issue, and I was very afraid that we would end up sad, soggy sandwiches, but we made friends with nearby tailgaters and shared their tent. I still got pretty wet, but it was worth it for this delicious pre-game treat!

Yes! That's Asparagus! At a Tailgate!! I told you I keep it exciting!

 Not pictured, chocolate croissants I baked the night before. Yes, I am that good!

Bang Bang, Love Love!

Today I tried out another copycat recipe from Food Network Magazine; the Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill.  For those not in the know, Bang Bang is a crispy shrimp tossed in a spicy sauce that is so addictive! I served up a few batches today to a group that has never had it before, and the consensus was..."delicious", "winner, winner chicken dinner", and "can I have that recipe?" Just check out this plate of addictive deliciousness:

For those who do not like the heat, I even made a batch without the sauce.....still delicious!

If you can't make it to Bang Bang Wednesday's at Bonefish Grill, the definitely try this recipe for yourself...you'll be glad you did. (And so will your friends!!) :)

Copy this!

Ever wanted something from your favorite restaurant but were too lazy or too far away to go get it? Well thanks to the Internet and Food Network Magazine, it is now easy to get all of your favorites in the comfort of your own home (or your sister's home in my case!). This week I tried the Bloomin Onion from Outback Steakhouse. Pretty labor intensive, but tasted exactly like the real thing...even if it didn't like exactly like it...

Don't ask why I made 3, because we only ate about this much, but I can tell you
Crunchy + Sweet + Spicy + Salty = Dah-lish-us!
As my girl Sunny Anderson says, You gotta give this recipe a try!