My family has been asking for my holiday wish list.  It's a little hard since I pretty much have everything I "need" and what I really want is Peace on Earth, Continued Happiness & Joy, and a really cool travel experience once a quarter for 2011.  All of those things are challenging to wrap up in a bow and fit under a tree.

If you have a traveler that you're shopping for this holiday season, take a gander at my list below for some some unique things you could add to your list that won't break the bank.

1)  The gift of good directions ... A Compass.  A simple one ... or a fancy one.

I got pretty lost on one of my road trips this year sans GPS.  And when people gave me directions saying, "turn West on ..." and I started squinting at the sky to see which way the sun is setting ... a compass was added to my wish list.

2) The gift of a great tales and stories light enough to fit in a carry on bag ... A Kindle or iPad.

I love to read, but being the multi-tasker that I am, usually there are three books on my nightstand with dog-eared pages and bookmarks half way to the end.  Since airlines are starting to really crack down on luggage weight, this enables me to bring a whole library of reading with me under 10 ounces.

3) The gift of flavors from afar delivered right to the front door ... Exotic Fruits.

My favorite souvenir shopping spot is the local grocery store since you can always find some unique flavor that is unavailable at home.  Chocolate, candies, jams and spices are usually easy to pack and save for later, but fruit is something you have to enjoy on the spot.  Here's a way to bring those fresh flavors home.  (Like the tasty Dragon Fruit I had in Mexico ... Mmm.)

4) The gift of renewal for tired jet lagged eyes ... An Eye Serum.

I received this as a gift earlier this year and it has been a life saver.  At first I wasn't too sure about it because it kind of smells like carrots.  But it really does feels soft and works wonders on fine lines and tired eyes.  A must-have after a long flight.

5) The gift of a good read ... A Handcrafted Journal.

As if an unlimited number of books loaded up on the iPad or Kindle are not enough, re-living a fascinating adventure is sure to put a smile on any home-sick traveler's face.  I actually met the artist that crafts these journals in person when she came to the Mount Dora Craft Fair in Florida.  What I loved about them is that each journal is as unique as the personal stories that can be written inside.

6)  The gift of fragile luggage ... An Ornament.

Besides groceries, the other item on my souvenir list is always picking up an ornament from every place I've been.  And this is one way to enjoy the look and fragility of vintage luggage without having to schlep it through TSA.

7) The gift of style ... A Passport Cover.

Italian leather passport cover?  I'll take one of each color please ...

8) The gift of being organized enough to go through TSA unscathed ... A Messenger Bag

On most flights, I feel like I could use an extra set of hands. Photo ID in one hand, laptop in the other, shoes and luggage being pushed along by my bare feet, and ticket clenched between my teeth.  A bag that I can conveniently throw over my shoulder and toss all the goods in after getting through security is a must.

9) The gift of good coffee ... A Travel Press. 

Because hotel coffee sucks.  Period.  Even if there is room service available.  A plastic travel press is heaven in the A.M.  Now, just don't forget to pack the coffee ...

10) The gift of inspiration for future adventures ... An Experience.

Travelers like to pack light.  So instead of burdening them with more "stuff," try an experience instead.  Such as ... getting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, sailing away into the sunset on a schooner, or becoming a chef for a day.  I've had a lot of fun perusing the possibilities after stumbling this site and I look forward to checking off a few of my bucket list items here!

And for the stocking stuffers ...  

1. Sassy Luggage Tags
2. Airplane Bingo
3. A disguise
4. Stitching Postcard
5. Foldable Flats
6. Paper Tweet
7. Eco friendly map bangles
8. X-Ray ... for carrying your laptop thru TSA
9. Cleansing towelettes
10. Solid Perfume

(courtesy of Flickr creative commons)

"You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars." ~Charles Kuralt

During my trip to NYC for the marathon, I called myself a geek for printing paper directions when I also had everything electronically stored in my phone.  But it seems that my self deprecating comment and confidence in this "mocial" age gave me some false sense of security with technology in my next weekender to Tennessee.

This was a work related trip, but ended up being a full on "un-plugged" vacation when I dropped my phone at the airport and couldn't get it to work again.  No phone meant no email, no Twitter, no Facebook, and the most debilitating ... no GPS.  I had to use hand written directions and a paper map ... what is THAT?!  It is the first time I've used a paper map in almost a decade.  I am so used to seeing where I am in relation to the rest of the world with the blue blinking dot that confirms my current location that no knowing were I was or how to get where I was going was a bit disconcerting.  I got LOST.  Really lost.  Road signs seemed to be a rare luxury in Tennessee.  And if I could find a road sign, and stayed on the same stretch of highway, it would change names 4 or 5 times (naturally).  A beacon of light at the end of a long lonely road ... a gas station where three different people gave me three varied opinions on how to get to where I needed to go from this particular location.  I ended up trusting the Realtor in the group, figuring she would know the area better than anyone.  Her directions were all by landmarks, and thank God too, because the road signs didn't start appearing again for another 20 miles.  ("Turn left at the car wash, right at the church, left at the barn ... if you hit the river you've gone too far ...")

What I found along the way was a pretty good adventure.  I learned a lot about myself; mainly that I can survive without electronics.  I also ran into all kinds of funny situations I would have tweeted.

So, had I had my phone during this getting lost adventure ... this is what I would have tweeted ...

Tweet #1 - "Alone in the mountains and just drove through a cloud, please tweet to let me know I've not just entered the Twilight Zone"

Tweet #2 - "No Starbucks in sight, but I did find some venison jerkey at a truck stop.  Proper road fuel for TN?" #Traveling #NeedsCoffee

Tweet #3 - "Must invest in a compass.  A real one.  Don't tell me Apple has an app for that."  #Lost

Tweet #4 - "Are we there yet?"  #Lost

Tweet #5 - "If a sign says, "turn right," but there is no road going right, which is the right way to go?" #Lost

Tweet #6 - "Billboards ahead. YES! Consumerism tells me I'll reach civilization soon."

Tweet #7- "Must have gone thru the Twilight Zone. Just turned a corner around a mountain and now Titanic is about to hit the highway."

Tweet #8- "Seeing blinged out signs and vehicles with "Just Married" painted on in shoe polish, I'm certain that TN is the Las Vegas of the East."

Tweet #9 - "Yes. That says exactly what you think it does."

Tweet #10 - "A cup of hot cocoa, a rocking chair on a porch, & a view that makes all the stress of being lost worth while"

###

What are your Thanksgiving plans?  Thankfully I'm not responsible for culinary creation of the whole turkey dinner.  I'm dessert girl.  One of my favorite quotes by Jim Davis is "Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie."

You can't go wrong with pumpkin on Thanksgiving ...  it's a classic.  If you're the dessert girl, appetizer boy or just need a yummy breakfast to feed a household of holiday guests, here are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes and one heckuva Autumn Sangria to toast with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

--Rachelle

Spicy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Here's another great pumpkin recipe for the fall coming to us from the B Street House Bed & Breakfast in Virginia City, NV.   There are two things in this recipe that make your taste buds leap off the charts ... it's spicy like gingerbread ... and it has a gooey cream cheese surprise in the middle.   There was one particular spice that I didn't have in my pantry ...  Cardamom.  There was only one brand in our local grocer that carried it and the sucker was 12 bucks.  Sheesh.  Well, if it's expensive, it must be good, right?  This inspired me to do some research. (Read More ... )

Pumpkin Mango Soup
Pumpkin and mango are two ingredients I can handle and I've never had them married together in one dish before ... so this is the dish I tried.  Call it a "brunch" recipe.  It would actually make a great Thanksgiving appetizer so it fits perfectly with the season.

This is a signature dish at the Elkhorn Inn and the ingredients are simple, fresh and it's one of my favorite regional cuisines ... Thai.  Call me a nut for peanuts, but it's pure comfort food for me.  (Read More ...)

One Bowl Pumpkin Bread

Inez with Christopher's Inn gave this recipe to me a few years back.  Her inn sort of becomes a factory for these things in October as she bakes them for her family, friends, church and anyone smart enough to take a loaf.

It has to be one of my favorite recipes because it's so easy.  Mix all the ingredients in one bowl and you've got a rich moist pumpkin bread without a whole lot of clean up.  Once you try this recipe and see how easy it is you'll add it to your seasonal holiday recipes too. (Read More ... )

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream

Chef Jim from the Mount Dora Historic Inn gave me a few extra little tips that gives it a little extra panache.  Follow along and I'll make you the star of your Thanksgiving dinner table.  As long as you have the right pan, every thing else is a piece of cake.  Pun intended.  If you've made cheesecake before, skip down a bit. If this is your first time, then let me introduce you to the springform pan. (Read More ...)

Autumn Sangria

I can't think of a better way to kick off the Fall season than with a glass of spice infused Autumn Sangria.  My good friend, Maranda, gave me this recipe years ago and I always make a batch around Labor Day to celebrate the coming of Fall.

First I'm gonna show you how to make it.  Then we're gonna clink glasses and have a little toast.  Okay ... maybe just clink your glass to your computer monitor ... just be sure to not spill any on the keyboard. (Read More ... )

###

Try the recipe!  Take a look at this post for a list of all the ingredients, directions and some photo inspiration that will have you drooling.  Click the link below for the recipe.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream

I once made this cheesecake on Daytime ... in under 4 minutes!

Now, that being said,  I don't recommend making this in 4 minutes ... you actually need about 45 minutes to put it all together and another hour to bake it.  But, if you've never made cheesecake before, don't be intimidated.  It's actually quite easy.  The hardest part is not eating all the creamy pumpkin-y batter right out of the bowl!

Chef Jim from the Mount Dora Historic Inn gave me a few extra little tips that gives it a little extra panache.  Follow along and I'll make you the star of your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Here's what you'll need ...

As long as you have the right pan, every thing else is a piece of cake.  Pun intended.  If you've made cheesecake before, skip down a bit. If this is your first time, then let me introduce you to the springform pan.

This nifty little inexpensive  dishware can be found at most large-we-sell-anything-and-everything-superstores.  You might also be able to find it at your local grocer.  "What exactly does it do?" you ask.  Well, it has a nice little hinge on the side that, when opened, releases the sides of the pan allowing you to display your cheesecake as a nice perfect whole cake rather than trying to dig it out with spoon. 

(Not that I've ever done that ... ah em.)

Here are the rest of the bits you'll need (full recipe and measurements at the end of the post.)

Some cream cheese, softened to room temperature.  And I do mean room temperature.  If you have a sunny little spot on your counter top, let it sit there awhile and catch some rays while you pull everything else out of your cabinets and refrigerator.  It may take a good hour for it to warm up.

warmed up room temperature cream cheese = easy + creamy cheesecake

cold cream cheese = chunky cheesecake + frustrated baker with sticky bits clogging up their mixer

Catchin my math here?

In addition to cream cheese, you'll need graham cracker crumbs, ginger snaps, butter, eggs, pumpkin pie spices, brown sugar, sour cream, a pinch of salt, and some BOURBON.  (You have to say that last ingredient with your best Southern accent, as if you've taken a swig or two) BOOOOOURBON.

*In my best fake Southern accent*

"Did I say BOURBON?  Why, yes, yes I did say Bourbon.  Pass me some whisk-eh!"

Cooking is always fun in my kitchen.  And while I may laugh and play with my fake Southern accent (as if you could hear me?) I do have a confession.  I don't drink whiskey.  I'm a wine girl.  So walking out of the liquor store with a brown paper bag wrapped around this teeny bottle had me blushing in the same way I did when I was 13 years old and running to the cash register hoping no one saw me buy my first box of "monthly supplies."  Girls, you understand.  Guys, you'll never know, so don't ask.

So, yes, I was blushing and looking over my shoulder to see if any of my small town neighbors would catch me buying whiskey before noon and start spreading rumors that I'd become a "drinkah."

But inviting Jack Daniels into my home for some Thanksgiving baking was the BEST decision I've made this week.  Just WAIT until you taste it.

Now that my confession is over with ... onto the good stuff!  Let's start with the crust, shall we?

For cheesecake, it's really easy.  Just 3 simple ingredients.  Graham cracker crumbs, pinch of brown sugar, and some butter.  Chef Jim suggested a little bonus ingredient. Ginger Snaps.  You can crumble up handful of these spicy cookies in your little food processor.

If you don't have a food processor, you can throw 5 or 6 cookies into a large zip lock bag and crush them with a wooden spoon to make some crumbs.

Now, I have to warn you, if you decide to go this route I will suggest you put the whiskey away.  Unless you want your family to find you in your kitchen with a bottle of bourbon smacking cookies with a spoon.

Just sayin.

Mix them all together ...

Thenn press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan and up to the sides.  Pop it into the oven at 350 for 10 minutes and then let it cool on a wire rack while you mix the filling.

Step 1 is done.  See, wasn't that easy?

Now on to the fall ingredient that makes this cheesecake extra special ... pumpkin.

Pumkin actually holds A LOT of water.  So, if you want to keep your cheesecake firm, you'll need to soak up some of that water.  Chef Jim gave me a little tip for how to do that ... spreading it out on paper towels.  Simple white un-printed plain ole paper towels.  Fancy, huh?

Spread the pumpkin out onto a layer of 6 to 8 paper towels using a spatula.

When you've got it spread over the paper towel like icing, add another couple of layers of paper towels and press softly to absorb more of the moisture.

Next you want to mix or "cream" together the cream cheese and brown sugar.  Then add the pumpkin and mix some more.

Add your eggs, vanilla and spices and you've got your filling!

When it's all mixed together, scrape the edge of the bowl with a spatula ...

don't lick it ...

not yet anyway... and blend some more until it's nice and creamy.

Then, spread it out onto your baked graham and ginger crust.

Then bake at 350  for 45 minutes to an hour.

TIP! In other cheesecake recipes I've done, it usually calls for a "water bath" in which you wrap the bottom of the springform pan with tinfoil and place the cheesecake in a pan half filled with water while baking.  This is a little precarious because it's heavy ... and it's extremely hot water.

The purpose of the water bath is to keep the cheesecake moist and prevent it from getting dried out around the edges.

Well Jim said I could just stick a pan or bowl in separately and have the same effect.  He does this with his cheesecake as well as his souffles.  Well hallelluah!  I (we) don't have to fret over pulling a gigantic heavy hot "water bath" out of the oven.  Just let the pan/bowl full of water cool before removing.  Brilliant!  Wish I would have known this little short cut last time I made cheesecake.

Step 2 is done.  See ... easy!

Now the final step.

BOOOOURBON.

After the cheesecake is done baking, you'll need to let it cool for an hour and then place it in the refrigerator to chill (overnight or for a couple of hours)

These 3 ingredients will be your topping. A container of sour cream. (Why did I go "lite" on the sour cream, I don't know. Nothing else about his recipe is "lite" and the 20 calories I saved in using this one didn't make a lick of difference I'm sure. Thanksgiving is not for diets, after all. That's what New Years Resolutions are for.)

Add to the sour cream about 2 to 3 cap fulls of Bourbon and a whole lot of shug-ah.

Mix.

Taste.

Mmm.

Check out the Daytime Video here ... [video].

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream

(from the Mount Dora Historic Inn)

CRUST

Mix together the following ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cups finely ground ginger snaps

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 - 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened and at room temperature

3 large eggs

1 can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Note for Pumpkin:  Pumpkin holds a lot of water, so in order to make the cheesecake more firm you need to drain some of that water. One quick and easy way to do this is to layer 6 or 7 plain white paper towels and spread the pumpkin over the paper towels.  Next, layer 6 to 7 towels on  top of that and press firmly.  Once the paper towels are soaked through, remove top layer of towels and scrape pumpkin off the bottom layer with a spatula.

Filling: After draining the pumpkin, beat together cream cheese and sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and pumpkin then add spices, salt and vanilla.

Pour your filling on top of crust.  In order to keep the oven "moist" fill a separate cake pan or bowl half way with water and place on the bottom rack of your oven.  BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set.  Let cool for 1 hour, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

BOURBON CREAM TOPPING

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon bourbon (can also use vanilla in place of bourbon)

Beat together sour cream and sugar.  Then add teaspoon of bourbon.  Spread over top of cheesecake or serve on the side.

###

Here's another great pumpkin recipe for the fall coming to us from the B Street House Bed & Breakfast in Virginia City, NV.   There are two things in this recipe that make your taste buds leap off the charts ... it's spicy like gingerbread ... and it has a gooey cream cheese surprise in the middle.

There was one particular spice that I didn't have in my pantry, and while I was shopping for ingredients my jaw it the floor at the price ...  Cardamom.  There was only one brand in our local grocer that carried it and the sucker was 12 bucks.  Sheesh.  Well, if it's expensive, it must be good, right?  This inspired me to do some research.  What's the story behind this pricey spice?  I googled it and found that my $12 bottle was a bargain.  Some spice shops online were charging upwards of $67.  I've just renamed this recipe Fall Harvest Food of the Gods.

Wikipedia says ... "Green cardamom in South Asia is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It also is used to break up kidney stones and gall stones, and was reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom." The spice includes volatile oils such as camphor, eucalyptol, and limonene.  Some sites reported it to be used in Ayurvedic medicine and also an effective aphrodisiac.

Well no wonder it's so dang expensive!  It's a absolute cure-all.  Next time I get sick I'm baking some of these babies instead of taking NyQuil.

On with the recipe ...

Hmm.  After taking a glance at this photo,  it looks like I went overboard with the cinnamon again.  Good thing it wasn't with the cardomom!  No ... wait ... it's the pumpkin pie spice that's the big mound in the middle.  They call it "spicy" pumpkin muffins for a reason!  There is almost as much spice as there is flour.  I have a full list of ingredients with the recipe at the bottom of the post.

The stars of this show ...

Cream Cheese.  Take an 8 ounce block and cut it into 12 little cubes.

And of course, the spices.  They even smiled for the occasion.

Add your dry ingredients to one bowl.  Starting with flour ...

The menagerie of spices ...

A whoosh of dark brown sugar ...

And then add your "wet" ingredients to a second bowl.

Starting with canned pumpkin (plain, not the pie filling)

A little oil.  I had to hold this with two hands as I was starting to get messy and lost my "no slip" grip in my fingertips.

Molasses.  I have a funny confession about molasses.  During my go-green-all-natural-hippy phase (I'm still eco-friendly, but lite) I decided I was going to try molasses instead of syrup on my pancakes.  I had been using maple, which is natural but high calorie.  I thought this would make a low-cal natural alternative.  Buwhahahaahahahahah!

It was my first time trying the tar-like sap.  Took me a year to try it again.  But only in it's proper use as a "blended" ingredient.

Buwwwahhhahahahah!

I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.  Enough with the self-deprecating confession.  Needless to say I didn't lick this bowl.

Add two eggs, a cap full of vanilla and whip together.

Then add to your BIG bowl of dry ingredients and whip together some more.

Spoon into muffin cups.  If you know a non-messy trick to doing this, please let me know!

I usually just wipe down the pan with a wet paper towel to erase the splatter.  I know on TV and in cookbooks it always looks so neat and tidy ... but I bet the reality is there is someone just behind the camera wiping down the messy spoon drippings too.

Press the cream cheese cubes into the center of each muffin cup.  Resist the temptation to pop them in your mouth.  Resist!

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and pop em in the oven at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Voila!  Spicy Pumpkin Muffins. Fall Harvest Food of the Gods.

B Street House Bed & Breakfast

Spicy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 Cup dark brown sugar

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 Cup cooked or canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

2/3 Cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp molasses

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 Cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray with butter-flavored oil spray 12 muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.

2) Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix together the pumpkin and wet ingredients.  Stir into dry ingredients until blended.  Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full.

3) Divide cream cheese into 12 equal portions.  Put one portion in each muffin in the middle of the muffin batter, pressing down.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

4) Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part.  Let cool for a bit then serve!

###

The NYC Marathon is about a month away and the calories expended during our longer training runs (14 miles to 20 miles) has me hunting for more creative and tasty ways to make pasta for dinner. One of my running pals posted on Facebook that she'd died and gone to heaven with a bowl of butternut squash and sage pasta. I asked her what restaurant was serving such a divine Fall recipe to which she replied that it was homemade. Pssshaw!  Butternut squash pasta? REALLY?  At home?  I didn't believe her, so I dared her to share the recipe.  She did.  And my mouth watered.  So now I'm sharing it with you.

It's from the January 2009 issue of  Cook's Illustrated. I love that magazine. I used to have a subscription to it until I had to practically join a 12-step program to overcome my pack rat habit of keeping every magazine I ever read and cluttering my kitchen counter to the point that there was no space to cook. Looks like they now have an online subscription complete with how-to videos. I might have to try that.

Anyway, here are the Fall flavored stars of this recipe ... fresh sage and butternut squash.

The scent of the sage might remind you of your hippy college roommate's nag champa incense.  For that reason, definitely use fresh sage.  Do not be tempted to use dried sage for this recipe. Trust me, follow the instructions and it will taste divine ... kind of smokey and peppery.  Combined with the secret ingredient (to be revealed below) it will give you the same warm and fuzzy feeling that you get from a cup of chicken noodle soup or a fleece blanket on a cold night.  During the Middle Ages, sage was the key ingredient used in making Four Thieves Vinegar which was thought to ward off the plague.  So during the winter months, bring on the sage baby!

If you've never tried cooking fresh butternut squash, I have to warn you, chopping it is a bitch.  It's a tough little cookie, so watch your fingers.  In fact, if you've had a tough day at the office, a frustrating day at home, or if the whole world is just on your last nerve, this is a great recipe to end the day with.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and hack away at Mr. Butternut Squash.  Remember ... just be careful your fingers don't get in the way.

One little tip ... most grocers will sell them already split in half.  This helps with two things.  One ... You will probably only need half of a medium sized squash.  Two ... Having it already sliced in two pieces gives it a flat surface to place on your cutting board that makes chopping a bit easier.  Only slightly.  But at least you won't be chasing a rolling squash around your kitchen with a sharp knife.

Now, let me introduce you to the secret ingredient that really makes the sage flavor pop ... BACON!  Everything tastes better with bacon, right?

Your going to saute the fresh bacon with about 8 sage leaves until the leaves are crisp, but not brown.  Then, strain the bacon and sage and save the grease to add back to the pan to reuse for cooking the squash.  I tried this recipe once with turkey bacon to try and make a "healthier" version.  The turkey bacon just doesn't add the same amount of flavor.  Splurge on the real thing.

Next add your bacon grease back to the pan and cook the squash.  The recipe said to cook until they were "spotty brown."   I  blackened mine.  Oops.  It still tasted terrific though, so don't be afraid if you make the same mistake.

Add butter and allow to melt.  Mmm.  Butter AND butternut squash.  You're taste buds are doing a little anticipatory dance right now, aren't they?  After the squash is browned, add scallions, nutmeg, minced sage, pepper and sugar (I used brown sugar here instead of the recommended refined sugar ... seemed more Fall-like to me). Stir until the scallions are softened and then add broth and bring to a simmer.

At this point you might be thinking, "great, now I've got butternut squash in a chick broth.  I've made soup.  Blah!"  Just trust the recipe ... it get's thick and saucy.  Add the butternut squash and broth mixture to the large pan with the past and stir together with remaining bacon-sage mixture, 2 tablespoons (I used more) of Parmesan,  and lemon juice.  Use the reserved pasta liquid to adjust consistency.

Drool.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta

Ingredients

4 slices bacon cut into 1/4 inch pieces

8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tbsp freshly minced

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 scallions sliced thin (about 1 cup)

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 lb penne pasta

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons lemon juice (one lemon should do)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

1) Cook bacon in 12 inch skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 8 minutes).  Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer into a small bowl, reserving the bacon fat and bacon-sage mixture separately.

2) Return skillet to high heat, add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat (adding olive oil if necessary) and heat until shimmering.  Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize (4 to 5 minutes).  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown (3 to 4 minutes longer).  Add butter and allow to melt.  Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and minced sage.  Cook, stirring occasionally.

3) Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pan over high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta.  Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup cooking water and transfer back to large pan.

4) Add squash mixture to pasta and stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and reserved bacon sage mixture.  Adjust consistency with the reserved pasta liquid.  Serve extra Parmesan and sliced almonds on the side to add to taste.

###

At the Portobello

Each year a group of my friends go camping to kick in the Fall season and this year I tagged along.  Since I live in Florida, the day-long drive to the middle of the Smokey mountains is the best place to get my "chill" on and wear some long sleeves.

I pre-made a bunch of dishes that we froze and re-heated for dinner.  My cooler became my refrigerator.  The campfire, my stove, heater and nighttime entertainment.  On my list of new camping equipment for next year is the gigantic commercial stock pot I spied while doing a shoot at Portobello in downtown Disney with Orlando Brewing company.  Take a look at it to the left ... it's half the size of my body.  That should be large enough to feed a small army.  Though, you'd have to quadruple the size of my recipe to fill that thing!

One of the dishes I pre-made and brought with me was the Smokey Sage & Butternut Squash Pasta.  The other was my chili recipe.  Because you can't chill out by a campfire without some chili and some s'mores for dessert!

The last time I had chili, I just dipped my spoon into the bowl, took a good long look at all the ingredients and committed them to memory.  Then I

Coconut Marshmallows

experimented with it at home, throwing a bunch of ingredients into a stockpot to taste what the results would be.  Over the years I tweaked it a bit, and now it's something I can do with my eyes closed.  Though, making a recipe from memory isn't too helpful to my friends that ask for a copy of it.  So ... here ya go ... my chili recipe in writing.

Chelley's Chili

(serves 4)

Ingredients

1 pound ground meat (turkey, lean ground beef, soy)

1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.

2 15 oz cans stewed tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1/4 cup diced Vidalia onion

1/4 cup diced green bell peppers

1 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons chili powder (nearly half a standard spice bottle)

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Tabasco (to taste)

Directions

1) Add tomatoes, tomato paste and kidney beans to a large stock pot, stir, and set on medium heat.

2)  Saute onions, garlic and green bell peppers in a large frying pan with a little olive oil until almost caramelized.  Add ground meat and cook until meat is done.  After meat has browned, add chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, cloves and Tabasco and mix.

3) Add meat mixture to stock pot with tomatoes and beans and stir together.  Cover and let cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until everything is at the same temperature.

4) Serve with grated sharp cheddar, sour cream and corn bread on the side.

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