Butterscotch Coffee

When I’m in the mood for a decadent hot beverage as the days get chillier, this is will be it. I don’t know how I came across this recipe, I wasn’t looking for hot beverage recipes, but I’m so glad I did!

There is not much to it, just brew coffee as you normally would. While that’s happening, set a small pot on the stove to melt butterscotch chips together with your milk. Mix and enjoy this creamy caramel flavored coffee.

If you can’t find butterscotch chips (I haven’t seen them in Guatemala), you can substitute for white chocolate chips and add a few drops of caramel flavor (you can find it at Blossom in Zone 10, Guatemala). I’m not making this up, I searched for butterscotch chip substitutes and this is the best alternative I could find, since butterscotch chips are actually a white chocolate compound base with butterscotch flavoring.

Helga

Butterscotch Coffee

Adapted from Taste of Home
Serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butterscotch chips
8 cups hot brewed coffee
1/2 cup milk (whole, 2% or skimmed)
Whipped cream in a can

Procedure:

In a small sauce pan, stir butterscotch chips with cream until it has completely melted.
Pour into mugs, a little under halfway up.
Fill mugs to the top with prepared coffee.
Top each mug with whipped cream

Couscous with Toasted Almonds and Butternut Squash

I spotted this recipe at the Williams-Sonoma site and it seemed like a tasty way to cook couscous for my family. The original recipe includes chopped mint and feta cheese, which I omitted. Feta cheese and mint are not kid friendly, and also… I didn’t have any. I also substituted butternut squash for acorn squash.

According to the recipe, you should roast the squash for 1 hour, which I did. If you want to try this method, go ahead and do it. My friend Edith who also tried this recipe, really likes the taste of roasted squash, but my husband and I prefer cooking it in water. It is not only faster, but the result is a more tender and buttery texture, I find that roasting it makes it too dry for my taste. Next time, I will half cook it in water first, then rub it with oil and spices and let it roast until it is tender. Maybe that way I can get the best of the two methods?

The most important thing I learned from this recipe is that you can peel a butternut squash with a potato peeler! I never really thought about how I would go about peeling one of these babies, but a peeler certainly didn’t come to mind. I looked it up, tried it out and I can confirm that Yes! it works!

Couscous with Toasted Almonds and Butternut Squash

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3/4 cup almonds
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for
drizzling
2 cups couscous
cilantro, for garnish

Procedure:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Place the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Leave the oven on.
In a small bowl, combine the sage, 1 tsp. of the salt, the cinnamon, chili powder and pepper and stir well.
Peel the butternut squash. Cut lengthwise and slice into slices about 1 inch thick and discard the seeds. Rub the cut sides with the 1 Tbs. olive oil. Arrange the rings on a baking sheet and rub both sides with the sage mixture. Roast until lightly browned and easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Cut each slice into cubes.
Cook couscous according to the package’s instructions.
Transfer the couscous to a warmed platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil and gently fluff, separating the grains with a fork. Season with the remaining 1 tsp. salt, then taste and adjust the seasonings.
To serve, sprinkle the couscous with almonds. Turn gently to distribute the ingredients and then fold in the squash. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature.

12:13 PM
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- Baked, butternut squash, Couscous, fall, side dish
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Pumpkin Pie

This foodie has been incredibly busy. I got a contract for my design business and I’m working on location, 9-5 during the weekdays and on the weekends I’ve been trying to catch up with everything else. I’ve been wanting to make this Pumpkin Pie for over 6 weeks now! I was so buried in work I even missed Halloween Movie night at Helga’s. So, after a crazy weekend with no running water during the day (renovations at home) I came home to bake! I was so happy to be able to get around the kitchen as I am used to.

I have to confess, last year I baked a Pumpkin Pie, but first I forgot to add the eggs to the filling and then, after it was baked, it cracked! I was devastated… This time I searched all around and found this recipe by Martha Stewart. Now, after reading it I changed the amount of ginger, cinnamon and cloves… and added a bit of pumpkin pie spice. Seems a bit redundant, but trust me is worth it. Last year I tried filling with pumpkin spice and without it and even though the pie was cracked, there was nothing but crumbs of that one!

One last thing: My mom’s stove is propane (not electric). You can guess what happened. Propane ran out by the end of the baking and the crust came out unbaked! It’s an honest mistake, but make sure you do try it. It is pure (half baked) goodness!

Pumpkin Pie

Based on this recipe by Martha Stewart
Yield: Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree Pumpkin Puree, or canned
3 large eggs lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425º degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, evaporated milk and 3 eggs. Mix together with a whisk – make sure to not over beat to avoid cracks. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. If the dough begins to soften, chill for 15 minutes.
Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º degrees and continue baking for 50 additional minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
This pie is best enjoyed chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.