Welcome Fall!

OK, so it's a bit early and it certainly still feels a good bit like summer 'round these parts, but fall is assuredly on its way in the northern hemisphere.

The children have gone back to school, the New Jersey State Forests Facebook account reassures me that, in many of the inland and northern counties of New Jersey, the leaves have begun turning.

It's also pumpkin and "pumpkin spice" season. 

The latter has been subject to a bit of (nonsensical, in my opinion) debate about whether something that I think clearly highlights the spice and the subsequent evocation of pumpkin pie. Because, when push comes to shove, pumpkin as we know it today in the US is pretty flavorless. (NB: I'm seeing more and more this property of food being described as "tasteless," which bothers me. "Tasteless," in my opinion, refers not to the senses but the sensibilities. So, you'll see "flavorless" here.)

That's not to say I object to the use of pumpkin in other applications. Even if it's not particularly tasty by itself, it's fairly nutritious, and its lack of flavor allows it to be incorporated into everything from chili (purists may disagree) to pasta sauces and various desserts.

Anyway, today's use of pumpkin is in a dessert - the "Pumpkin Pane Pudding" published in the Fall 2015 issue of Wegmans Menu magazine.

Shopping List

This one was easy - all I needed was the fresh bread and whole milk!

Recipe Review

Ease of Preparation

Easy-to-medium.

I do think, however, I cut the bread cubes a bit too large - it calls for half-inch cubes.

My sister might be able to do this

Specialty Equipment Required?

Yes. Cubing fresh bread is much easier with a serrated bread knife. 

That's not to say one couldn't make this if one didn't have a bread knife, but it's certainly a lot easier.

Regular Rotation-Worthy?

No.

I didn't realize the husband didn't like bread pudding, and the kid hasn't tried it.

But I like it fine. Special occasions only, then. 

Recipe Trial - Black Bean Enchiladas

It's Lent and, although I'm not observant, I still feel weird eating meat on Fridays in Lent. (Eighteen years of consistency is a hard habit to break.)

So, I decided we'd try a new vegetarian recipe to see if we could add it to the regular rotation.

The munchkin and I were already out & about, so I whipped out my smartphone to consult my Wegmans app for vegetarian recipes ... and to automatically generate a shopping list from the ingredients list.

I took a peek at the Black Bean Enchiladas and decided they were worth a shot.

Fortunately, I only had to pick up a few things because I've already got garlic (whole heads of garlic, but I don't mind peeling it), olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and AP flour in the pantry. 

Shopping List

• 1 16-oz container "Caribbean Black Bean Soup" (if you're not near a Wegmans, they do have a recipe to scratch-make it)
• 1 16-oz package shredded "Mexican blend" cheese (combination of Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and queso quesadilla cheeses)
• 1 8-oz package shredded "Mexican blend" cheese
• 1 15.5-oz can tomato sauce (store brand is fine)
• 2 15.5-oz cans black beans (again, store brand is fine)
• 1 jar Better Than Boullion brand vegetable base (yes, I know the recipe called for "no-chicken" but my store didn't have any, so I got the vegetable kind)
• 2 10-oz pkgs stone-ground corn tortillas

Recipe Review

Ease of Preparation: 

I think that this recipe is one of the more complicated new recipes I've tried, even when compared to the Ted Allen Belgian Beef Stew I took on for week 1.

I had a sinkful of dirty dishes when I was finished the pre-oven steps, and there were a lot of complicated steps to get there - this involved making a roux (not a problem, as I've done this before - it's a major component of AB Mac & Cheese), ensuring my mise en place were fully "en place" before I started cooking, and grabbing the appropriate blending tools before I could move to the next step.

So, no, it's not easy, but my sister would never try it - it's got too much "spice" for her palate. 

Specialty equipment required?

I needed two 9" by 13" casserole pans (which I do not have, but I do have a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish ... and an oval ceramic baking dish roughly the same size), a "stockpot" (I used a 3-qt saucepan), a large mixing bowl, a non-stick skillet, and a plate (I used a Pyrex pie dish; this, I think, was a stroke of genius.)

It can be a bit of a hassle to get all this stuff out for a single recipe, but it's not as complicated as getting my mini-prep food processor or coffee grinder, which are stored above my fridge. 

Did my husband and daughter enjoy it?

While the kid wouldn't touch it, the husband did.

He likes the flavors, but gave his typical comment to vegetarian dishes I prepare - "it's missing something." 

*sigh* He's a carnivore, no matter how much I try.

Regular rotation-worthy?

Nope.

It's too much work to prepare a dish like this and be the only one happy to eat it.

RECIPE FAIL.