Dinner | Life Tastes Like Food

Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Sage

Baking, Dinner, Food, Holiday, Life, Recipe, Side Dishes 11 Responses »

Nov 212012

Y’all know it’s that time of the year. Thanksgiving is tomorrow (I can’t WAIT!!), the weather is getting chillier, and comfort food is a must.

So whether you’re looking for a last-minute side dish to bring for dinner tomorrow or if you’re simply craving something cheesy, this is your dish. It’s made with whole wheat shells (you can use regular pasta too!) and there are three kinds of cheese.

I had about 10 people taste test this dish, and I think it’s safe to say that this recipe is a keeper. The dish also feeds a ton of people so if you’re going to a big event, this mac and cheese is perfect!

The pumpkin flavor doesn’t over power the dish and the crispy sage that’s thrown into the breadcrumb topping is amazing.

The sage is cooked in butter…

…and then the browned butter and sage are mixed into the panko/bread crumbs.

The breadcrumbs are sprinkled over the cheesy pasta and then the pasta is thrown in the oven so that all of the flavors can combine nicely.

Seriously, if you’re still thinking about what side dish to bring to dinner tomorrow night or what you should make with that left over pumpkin in the fridge, think no further. You won’t regret it!

Here are a few other pumpkin recipes suggestions in case you’re not a fan of mac and cheese:

Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Pumpkin Butter (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Chai Milkshake

Pumpkin Spice “Latte”

But I mean…c’mon, who’s not a fan of mac and cheese?!

I’ll be heading back to Sonoma County for a few days to celebrate Thanksgiving with the fam. I’m so excited! I haven’t seen them in a while so it will be nice to spend some quality time with my big, wonderful family.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, hugs, and lots of food! :)

This recipe was adapted from Jonathan over at The Candid Appetite. Go and check out his wonderful photos!

4.5 from 2 reviews

Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Sage

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 6-8

This makes one 9x13in casserole pan.

Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat pasta shells, or any cut of pasta you like
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup homemade pumpkin purée, or canned
2 cups (loosely) grated sharp white cheddar, plus ¼ cup for topping
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus ¼ cup for topping
¼ cup grated monterey jack cheese, plus ¼ cup for topping
3 tablespoons of chopped sage, chopped, plus more whole leaves for garnish
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
Salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cook pasta as directed on package but then drain it about a minute or so before the full cook time. (This leaves the pasta slightly undercooked so it can finish cooking when we bake the dish.) Set pasta aside.

To Make the Pumpkin Cheese Sauce

In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk the combo until it smells lightly nutty.
Then slowly pour in the milk while constantly whisking the mixture.
Let the milk come to a simmer so it can thicken a bit (you can tell it’s thick enough if it can coat the back of a wooden spoon without running down the spoon).
Once the mixture is thickened, add the the mustard, salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, and crushed red pepper.
Stir in the pumpkin until it is fully incorporated into the mixture.
Turn off the stove and then add 2 cups of sharp white cheddar, ½ cup parmesan, and ¼ cup monterey jack. Mix everything together until the cheese is melted.
Add in the pasta and mix together.
Pour the pasta/cheese mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses.

To Make the Bread Crumb Topping

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and melt 2 Tbs of butter.
Add the chopped sage and cook until crispy.
Stir and move pan constantly so the butter doesn’t burn but develops a nutty flavor (browned butter!).
In a large bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, plain breadcrumbs, and some salt (to taste). Then mix in the butter/sage combo.
Sprinkle he breadcrumb mixture over the pasta evenly and then add a few whole sage leaves to the dish for garnish before putting it in the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recap: Foodbuzz Festival 2012

Cooking, Dinner, Food, Friendship, Life, Restuarants, San Francisco 8 Responses »

Nov 062012

Hi friends :) It’s been a few weeks! This post was suppose to go out about 2 weeks ago but then the SF Giants won the World Series! Needless to say I got distracted and this post was put on hold…Go Giants!

Anyway, 3 weekends ago, Dailybuzz Food (formerly Foodbuzz) hosted the 4th Annual Foodbuzz Fest in San Francisco. Bloggers from all over the country flew out to California to meet other bloggers, explore the city, and eat! This event is really like Christmas for bloggers.

Warning: This particular post is a little long but the event was just so amazing that I had to share details!

Friday – October 19, 2012

The event started on a Friday night. We all checked in at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel and then headed up to the 21st floor around 5pm to enjoy a cocktail reception. There I got to meet a bunch of bloggers I had been in touch with the previous weeks. It was so nice to finally meet these ladies! After cocktail hour, DailyBuzz Food partnered with OpenTable to bring us Dine Around Town. We were given a stipend to use at a restaurant of our choice! So awesome.

From left to right: Gina, Lizzie, Faith, Me, Krysten, and Anjali

Saturday – October 20, 2012

The next day, I missed the early morning Scavenger Hunt at the Ferry Building but then headed to the Metreon for the Taste Pavilion.

The Taste Pavilion was on the 4th floor of the Metreon and the view was incredible! Tables filled the room and vendors were giving out samples of their products, handing us recipe cards, and hosting cooking demos. It was great to learn about the local vendors and hear more about their companies!

We even got to see a fish demo from Chef John Ash! I didn’t even know it was John Ash until after the event (rookie mistake!) but I’m glad I snapped a few pics of him during the demo. For those of you who don’t know, I’m actually from Sonoma County (home of John Ash and Co.) and have grown up knowing the name John Ash very well.

Some pics of the huge halibut are below. The halibut was served with a curry sauce and it was one of the tastiest halibut dishes I’ve ever had! It was melt in your mouth perfect, you guys. Big shout out to Alaska Seafood for participating at the Taste Pavilion!

We also sampled a variety of other foods and beverages! So delicious.

I spent some time catching up with other bloggers to the point where all the vendors had already packed up and security was about to kick us out. I think we could have talked about social media, camera settings, and SEO for days.

Left to right: Kristy, Greg, Me, and Krista

Krista from Budget Gourmet Mom and I met at the Foodbuzz event last year so it was so great to see her again!! I’ve missed that girl :)

For the Taste Pavilion event, I was able to bring a guest so I invited my friend Josh! And guys, he fit right into the food scene (maybe he should start a blog?!). Phone camera out, hashtag ready, and no complaints about how much we ate — he was the perfect guest (thanks for coming, Josh!).

We tasted wines, beers, and sampled copious amounts of food for about 3 hours straight. <– That’s a lot of food! And wine. And beer (go Bison Brewery!). We also had a great time learning about teas at the Numi Tea table. Did you guys know that tea can come in bricks? I didn’t. Below is an example of Numi’s bricks (it looks like chocolate, doesn’t it?). Apparently, you break off a piece and add it to water to make your tea.

The table next to Numi Tea was probably our favorite table. We were really impressed by the dishes that Pollen Ranch created with their products. We sampled pork chops, potato salad, and applesauce made with Pollen Ranch’s delicious spices (fennel pollen anyone?).

Saturday Night – October 20, 2012 – Dinner Gala at the California Academy of Science

After the Taste Pavilion, we had a few hours to rest and then everyone attending the festival got shuttled to the California Acamdemy of Sciences later that night to check out the exhibits. Did I mention that there were hors d’oeuvres, tons of cheese, and bottomless drinks as well? Yes, it was awesome.

Oh yeah, and then we all got to eat a 4 course meal. All of the courses had 2-8 components so we were in heaven. Our table’s goal was to get a taste of everything on the menu but when dessert rolled around, some of us couldn’t eat anymore. Some of us = me.

It was the perfect dinner to end the event. We got to say our goodbyes, exchange information, and shuttle back to Union Square.

Left to right: Me, Melissa, Gabby, and Krysten

It was a fantastic event, and I’m so glad I got to meet so many wonderful bloggers that weekend.

Can’t wait until next year!

Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Pickled Red Onion

Cooking, Dinner, Food, Health, Life, Lunch, Recipe, Side Dishes 5 Responses »

Aug 072012

Panzanella…this summer salad is a keeper! I mean, honestly, what’s not to love about a salad where one of the main ingredients is…bread?! Yes, this is my type of salad.

It’s perfect on a hot day or as a quick and delicious meal. I kept it very simple, and I really enjoyed the outcome. Fresh ingredients are key to this dish!

And the croutons? I absolutely love homemade croutons. You probably didn’t know that. Or have to know that. But now you do. Homemade croutons really are glorious, and I may sound like a crouton snob when I say this…but once you’ve tried homemade croutons, you’ll never want to buy croutons from the store again!

Unless they’re from The Nugget…I approve of The Nugget’s croutons (but only the ones in bags by the salad bar!). I ate those all through college.

Speaking of college, I totally felt like a college student again this past weekend when I went back to Sonoma County (where my parents live) and took a suitcase full of laundry to wash at the house! Does any post-college person still do that? Is lugging your laundry all the way to Sonoma County (on a BUS) better than paying $8 at an SF laundromat? Not sure. But I can assure you that I will do it again. And again.

Anyway, please make this panzanella salad before summer ends. It’s calling your name…

Recipe adapted from: Iowa Girl Eats

Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Pickled Red Onion

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups day old baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup + ⅛ cup red wine vinegar, divided
1 cucumber, cut into 1 inch slices then quartered
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
15 basil leaves (small handful), sliced thinly
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Croutons

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the bread cubes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and coat evenly.
On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, spread the bread cubes on a single layer.
Bake for about 7 minutes, then toss.
Bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until the bread cubes start to turn golden brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Let cool.

For the Salad

While the croutons are baking, in a small bowl, combine the red onions and ¼ cup red wine vinegar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, basil, remaining teaspoon of olive oil, ⅛ cup red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar.
After the red onions have marinated for about 10-15 minutes, add the onions to the salad (reserving the left over red wine vinegar).
Toss in croutons and mix everything together. Taste a cucumber or tomato and then add more red wine vinegar (from the onions) if necessary – I only added about another teaspoon.
Give it another toss and then stick the entire mixture into the fridge for about 15 mins.
Serve immediately.

Notes

If you’re not going to eat the salad right away, you can leave the croutons out of the salad until you’re ready to serve it. About 10 minutes before serving, add the croutons and mix well so that they get a little softer from the dressing. Enjoy!

10 Dishes to Make Before Summer is Over

Baking, Breakfast, Cooking, Dessert, Dinner, Drinks, Food, Friendship, Health, Holiday, Life, Lunch, Recipe 3 Responses »

Jul 242012

Last weekend, the friends and I went on our annual camping and tubing trip at Cache Creek. Cache Creek isn’t really a hard-core-hike-to-your-site-bring-only-what-you-can-carry sort of experience. It’s more of a pull-off-the-highway-and-pitch-tents-on-the-lawn-with-neighbors-five-feet-away-from-you sort of deal. I know that may not sound like that much fun to some, but I love it. Movie projected on a screen under the stars? Got it. Bathrooms and a generator? Check. Steak tips, baked beans in a dutch oven, OYSTERS, grilled corn, hot dogs, burgers, and a bacon lattice (just like last year!)? Done and DONE.

I love the summertime.

Don’t take it for granted! Here are 10 recipes that you should consider making soon because before we know it, it’s going to be Fall and we will be wishing for 100 degree weather and fun weekends to play by the water :)

10 Things to Make Before Summer is Over

1. Red Wine Sangria

2. Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna

3. Grilled Flatbread with Bacon, Artichoke, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

4. Avocado, Mango, and Strawberry Fruit Salad

5. Hash Brown Crusted Quiche with Bacon

6. Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

7. Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Orang Smoothie

8. Strawberry and Feta Salad

9. Spicy Guacamole with Corn and Black Beans

10. Garlic Edamame

davis grad party and taco time!

Dinner, Drinks, Food, Friendship, Life, Travel 3 Responses »

Jun 222012

Last weekend, I drove up to HOT, HOT, HOT Davis, CA to celebrate with 4 of my friends who were graduating. Two of them received their undergraduate degrees and the other two completed their masters programs! I’m so proud of them. Look out, World, here come the grads!!!

How amazing is this card that our friend Rachel MADE for the occasion? (Our school has a huge water tower that you can spot from the freeway and UC Davis is known for having a bunch of cows.)

Best part? Ohhh, ya know…a taco truck catered the graduation event. WHAT. WHAT. I know, amazing. Fresh tortillas, hot meats, and spicy salsas.

Don’t let the sweet looking green salsa fool you either. That “hot” salsa was insanely spicy! And delicious :)

We also enjoyed some homebrew and lots of fresh fruit to keep us cool (did I mention it was around 102 degrees that day?). Oh, and there were delicious popsicles! Strawberries and cream, pistachio, walnut, and a couple more flavors…ALL delicious.

As you can see, everyone loved them…

Cute, naked babies running around, breathtaking sunsets, catching up with friends, delicious tacos, and some good ol’ all-you-can-eat sushi made the entire weekend complete.

Um…I think we also all agreed that these were some of the best strawberries we’ve ever had!

BABY PHOTO BOMB! Can you spot the cute little guy below? :)

And brace yourself for this next pic. Adorable to the MAX.

I also got to spend some time with my old co-workers from Davis. I can’t even begin to tell you how great it was to see their smiling faces. I hadn’t seen them in over 5 months! 5 months too long, if you ask me. That won’t happen again!

‘Twas a great weekend!! :)

Congrats on graduating Sheeter, Nicole, Marcus, and Jaime!