Pumpkin Streusel Bread

I've never really been a big fan of pumpkin bread.  With the cornucopia of other holiday treats on offer around this time of year, I always thought that most pumpkin breads were kind of dry and boring in comparison.  That is, until I found this recipe for Pumpkin Streusel Bread last week.  A streusel topping and a maple glaze?  Just enough to make pumpkin bread exciting. 


To start, make the streusel topping first and set it aside so that it's good to go when you're ready for it.  You will need:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice, which is what I used)
1/4 cup of butter

Blend all ingredients together in a bowl with a pastry cutter or a fork until you have a well-mixed crumble. 
Put aside and then move on to your bread.  You will need:
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.   Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. 

In a large bowl, mix oil, egg whites, vanilla, and pumpkin until thick and smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and blend until just combined.

Pour the batter into your loaf pan and level the top with a spatula.

Grab your prepared crumble mixture and sprinkle it over the top.

Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Refrain from face-planting into the delicious-smelling bread, and allow it to cool for a while.  You can still stick your face in good and close and take a big whiff, though.

Once it's cool, whip up your glaze.  Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1-2 tsps. of milk, and 1 tsp. of maple syrup.  Stir together until you have a thick glaze (add more sugar if it's not thick enough) and then drizzle over the bread.

Everything is always better with a glaze, right?

Slice up the loaf and then serve it to your hungry friends.  Or just yourself.  No judgement here.

I took the bread to a work potluck last week and it was a huge hit.  It tastes more like a moist cake than a bread, really, which is fine in my book.

If you're looking for a seasonally-appropriate dessert that's easy to whip up quickly and transport to a holiday party or gathering, then this fun spin on a traditional recipe is a great choice.

I hope that today is full of family, good friends, and delicious food (pumpkin-flavored and otherwise) for all of you.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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L.A. Burdick

Okay, I'll admit it.  I'm a coffee addict.  When I first wake up, I need two cups to start my day, and if I haven't gotten them, don't even think about trying to start a conversation with me.  However, while coffee is a morning necessity, there are some afternoons, especially at this chilly time of year, when I want something warm to drink that's a little sweeter, a little more fun, and a little nostalgic, all at the same time. And that's when I turn to hot chocolate. 

When I lived in Boston, GK and I used to frequent L.A. Burdick for our hot chocolate fixes, and I was delighted to discover that they have a New York location as well, on 20th Street.  On Saturday, I needed a pick-me-up while out shopping, so I stopped in to warm up and rejuvenate with a cuppa.  Like the Boston locations, this spot is warmly lit and cozy, but its small size means that you might have to wait to nab a table.  But that's okay.  Take that time to browse the lovely looking chocolates and work up an appetite.

As soon as a table freed up, I sat down with a mug of dark hot chocolate and a piece of Hazelnut Orange Cake.

Sometimes, you just deserve to treat yourself.

 The cake was sadly nothing to write home about.  But the hot chocolate was sinfully delicious, as usual.

Seriously, this is the best hot cocoa that I've ever had.  Rich, smooth, and decadent, it tastes like the best candy bar in the world has melted into your cup.

I always go for the Burdick Blend dark hot chocolate, but GK is a big fan of the Burdick Blend white chocolate, and they also have a house milk chocolate,  as well as many single source options as well.

Word to the wise:  start with a small, even though it may look tiny.  I usually go big or go home with chocolate, but GK and I once ordered large mugs and I don't think either one of us slept for a week due to the resulting sugar high.

On the other hand,  losing a week's worth of sleep may just be worth it if it's caused by overdosing on ridiculously good hot chocolate. 

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Foodie Friday

A dessert I made recently, being all ready for its close up.  Can you guess what it is?  You'll have to wait until next week for the answer and the recipe.

Less than a week now until Turkey Day.  Get those yoga pants/elastic waists ready.

Happy Weekend! 

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Foodie Friday

A bangin' (and healthy!) quinoa bowl that I made this week:  roasted butternut squash, walnuts, sage, parmesan, olive oil and salt and pepper

Dough from the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that I also whipped up this week.  Dangerously good.

Happy Weekend!

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Laut

Often times, I find that the best Thai restaurants are real hole-in-the-walls.  They may have amazing food, but they usually lack atmosphere, interesting decor, or are even downright dingy.  Laut is not one of those places.  I met G here for dinner a few weeks ago, and I've been meaning to tell you about it since then.  As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted by soft, cozy lighting, exposed brick, and colorful paintings on the walls, as well as some fun Halloween decorations.

It had been a few months since we had seen each other, so G and I ordered a round of drinks while starting to catch up.  She went for a beer while I sprung for the Lychee Mojito, which proved to be an excellent choice, and not just because of the cute mason jar in which it arrived.

It was difficult to choose an entree because the menu is extensive and along with Thai dishes, it features Malaysian and Singaporean options as well.  Since Laut means "Sea" in the Malay language of Bahasa Melayu, I ultimately decided to go for some seafood, and chose Laut's Special Noodles (I feel that it's usually a good call to try the house specialty if you're being indecisive with the menu).























Mixed thin rice and egg noodles with bean sprouts, chinese broccoli, and shrimp in a dark soy sauce, topped with a giant shrimp fritter.  Luckily the food turned out to be just as memorable as the ambiance of the place.  Wonderfully flavorful and delicious.

G went for the clear broth noodle soup with chives, carrots, bean sprouts, romaine, cilantro, fried garlic, and an assortment of other veggies.

As we slurped our noodles, we chatted about work, school, love, and feminism. 

We ended the night with another round of drinks, feeling pleasantly full and perhaps just a little buzzed.  Just the right amount of warm comfort food, fun atmosphere, and good conversation that we needed on a rather chilly night. 

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Fries of New York and a Secret Garden

On Saturday, I went to what was probably the most unique exhibit I've ever seen.  There were no Rembrandts and no Monets.  Not even any Picassos.  No, this was a show that paid homage to a different sort of icon, a show that appealed to perhaps a different kind of connoisseur.  This was an exhibit showcasing the Fries of New York.

In a small gallery space in Soho, Sir Kensington's, an all-natural producer of ketchup and other condiments, had collected 100 single French Fries from restaurants all over New York for a two-day pop up exhibition.  The fries were displayed under glass like specimens in a natural history museum, allowing viewers to admire their different sizes and shapes.

Each fry came with a label stating the restaurant from which it came, the type of potatoes involved as well as details of the making process, and the name of the chef who had dreamt it up.

 

Potato specimens and oft-called upon spices lined the wall, as did a timeline detailing the history of the French Fry.

The humor inherent in the act of amassing such a collection for an exhibit, along with the pleas to not eat the collection, was not lost on anyone and many of the visitors could be heard chuckling at the irreverent brilliance of it all.  This was definitely not your typical, stuffy gallery exhibit.

After scrutinizing all of the fine specimens, I realized that I truly had my work cut out for me, since I had not yet tried any of the fries that were highlighted by the show.  With thoughts of new restaurants to visit and delicious fries in my head, I started to walk back to the train.  I was pleasantly distracted however, when, much to my surprise and delight, I stumbled across Elizabeth Street Garden, a tranquil green space full of incredible statuary.  I couldn't resist a walk-through.

A secret garden in the heart of the city (okay, perhaps not so secret, but it was news to me).  What a great spot it would be to retreat with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Don't his eyes look like they have secrets to tell?

After soaking up my fill of the peaceful atmosphere of the place, I went off in search of a certain salty snack.  After all, looking at French fries is all well and good, but I think we can all agree that nothing compares to eating them. 

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