Lazy pumpkin gnocchi
Don’t you find yourself needing an ultra quick meal sometimes? Something that is ready in minutes but still flavourful and comforting. Something that doesn’t require tonnes of chopping and slicing and prepping yet hints at complexity. And, preferably, something that only needs few staples. This is how these lazy pumpkin gnocchi with sage brown butter came to be. Obviously, if we had time and needed the effort then fresh pumpkin would be used, but canned pumpkin is great too. Hence all the previous mentions. The “lazy-ness” of these gnocchi is further underlined by skipping the traditional rolling and shaping, which neatly cuts total cook time. But I feel I must stress the difference that fresh sage and freshly grated nutmeg would make to your culinary adventures. Sage is very easy and quick to grow from seeds but if that seems too challenging then I recommend getting a potted plant for your window, they are quite hardy. As for nutmeg, a single seed doesn’t take up much space but can last a long while as it’s used sparingly. Did I mention you could be eating these in 20 minutes?
Guacamole
Yes, there are absolutely too many guacamole recipes out there. Admittedly, I can’t really claim authenticity with this recipe as I haven’t yet been to Mexico. In my search of perfection though, I have attempted many guacamole versions and all were missing something. Obviously, this variation evolved over time. It’s currently at a stage where children who dislike avocados and spicy foods compete to get the biggest scoop. And if opinions of mini-connoisseurs are not enough, there is an added weight of my loving husband. Being Californian means he’s had his fair share of guacamole. Additionally, he is also my biggest critic, despite potential harm to himself. So if he claims I make the best guacamole, I am inclined to believe him.
Whole egg mayonnaise
I have not bought mayonnaise for years. Why bother when the entire process takes minutes? And that’s including mise en place. Truly, it’s more of a hassle to go to a store than to line up 5 staple ingredients and whip them up into a beautiful emulsion. Obviously no store-bought mayonnaise with its array of preservatives and unnecessary additions will ever compare to the freshness and cleanliness of the homemade one. Of course, the simplicity of this method does rely on technology in the form of an immersion blender. If you do not yet own one, I strongly encourage you to reconsider, it’s an absolute must-have and will make your life incredibly easier. In this case, there is no need to be bringing ingredients to temperature, warming up the bowl where you intend to be whipping tiny droplets of oil into an egg fearing it might split and having to rescue it if it does. Instead, just combine all ingredients in a tall glass and push a button. So the biggest challenge here would be cracking an egg or juicing a lemon. In other words, making your own whole egg mayonnaise could not be simpler.
Whole wheat English muffins
There is undeniably something comforting about routine. After all, we are supposedly creatures of habit. The past couple of years have been rather testy around here. And, admittedly, I wouldn’t exactly call myself a morning person even at the best of times. Since becoming a mother, usually an internal autopilot gets me through almost an hour of being awake and attending to others’ needs. Unfortunately, I never trained myself to skip breakfast and therefore sustenance is needed quite quickly. In a sense, I’ve instinctively taken inspiration from the Italian/French where breakfast is typically cappuccino and pastry. Only my adapted version is a cappuccino with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a whole wheat English muffin topped with homemade mayonnaise and a dash of cayenne pepper. Whether you are after English muffins or just easy portioned bread items, this recipe has been tried and tested over and over again.
Pumpkin s’more cupcakes
As previous iterations on this blog indicate, s’mores are great. And seeing how I currently reside in a place obsessed with seasonality, why not cheekily join the trend and unite the beloved s’more with one of autumn’s best symbols – a humble pumpkin? It truly is amazing how versatile a pumpkin can be, easily stepping up to either savoury or sweet dishes. Along with carrot and zucchini, it’s a great way to increase one’s produce intake and make desserts at least a little bit healthier. Obviously – and especially during this time of the year – there are countless inspirations and interpretations all over the web, but here is my take on pumpkin s’more cupcakes.