Tag: epicurious

Foolproof Cauliflower Crust

If at first you don’t succeed…listen to the experts and get a pizza stone if you don’t have one.  I got mine at Pampered Chef, but this Weber 8836 with the carrying tray is a great one too:

Next, find a video how-to on Epicurious.com.


Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Tomatoes & Mozzarella

  • 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan (about 3 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup finely ground almond meal or almond flour
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella (about 5 ounces), divided
  • Vegetable oil (for brushing)
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  1. Arrange a rack in middle of oven; place pizza stone or inverted (if rimmed) baking sheet on rack. Preheat to 425°F.
  2. Working in batches if needed, pulse cauliflower in a food processor fitted with the blade, or grate using the medium holes of a box grater, until fine crumbs form and are rice-like in texture. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and tightly squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.
  3. Mix cauliflower, egg, Parmesan, almond meal, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until mixture holds together when pinched.
  4. Line pizza peel or second baking sheet with parchment paper; generously brush with oil. Form cauliflower mixture into a 12″ circle with your hands on parchment. Using a rolling pin, make thickness as even as possible. Carefully slide parchment onto preheated pizza stone or baking sheet.
  5. Bake cauliflower crust until golden brown and firm to the touch, rotating halfway through, 20–22 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups mozzarella. Top with sauce, using the back of a spoon to spread over cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella.
  7. Slide pizza back onto pizza stone or baking sheet and continue to bake until bubbly and browned in spots, 5–7 minutes. Top with basil and red pepper, if using. Let sit 5 minutes, then cut into 6–8 wedges.  #ThisGirlLovesToEat
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Time For Pumpkin Spice Everything

We are well into September and with the month coming into it’s final week, another season begins.  I’m not talking about Fall, I’m talking about Pumpkin Spice Season!

ddpumpkinSoon recipes for everything imaginable made with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, or any combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and ginger will be popping up on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and menus at nearly every restaurant you visit.  Today I had a pumpkin plain cake donut from Dunkin’ Donuts that was unbelievably good!

pslatteAs a girl who adds nothing to her coffee but a bit of skim milk, I’ve never understood it, but people lose their minds when Starbuck’s announces that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back!  In case you wondered, there are 380 calories in a Grande (i.e. Medium sized) Pumpkin Spice Latte.  That’s a lot of calories to commit to a cup of coffee and it doesn’t even have any pumpkin in it!

You can save money, calories and actually include some pumpkin if you use Kitchn’s recipe to make it at home.

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients
 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (add a bit at a time)
2 cups whole milk (You can substitute skim milk)
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

  1. Heat the pumpkin and spices: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper for 2 minutes or until it’s hot and smells cooked. Stir constantly.
  2. Stir in the sugar: Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.
  3. Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
  4. Blend the milk: Carefully process the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.
  5. Mix the drinks: Make the espresso or coffee and divide between two mugs and add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

Substitutions

  • Vanilla: Yes, this recipe calls for two tablespoons (not teaspoons) of vanilla. This sounds like a lot, but it does more than anything else to mimic the intense, even artificial, taste of the syrups used in coffee shops. But feel free to start with less and bump it up as needed.
  • Milk Fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.
  • Canned Pumpkin Substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.
  • Sugar Substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: No pumpkin pie spice? No problem — use our recipe to make it out of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices: Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
  • Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso on hand, you can use strong brewed coffee instead. Increase amount to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Recipe Notes

homemadepslatteMake a big batch of pumpkin spice mix-in: If you like, you can make a big batch of the pumpkin spice base, and refrigerate. To make 8 full servings , cook 1/2 cup pureed or canned pumpkin with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice , 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , and 1/2 cup sugar . Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla extract . Refrigerate for up to 1 week and use as desired. To serve, blend 1/3 cup pumpkin spice mix-in with milk until frothy, and add 1 or 2 shots of espresso. Top with whipped cream and serve.

On a side note, I found out some very distressing news about canned pumpkin today.  Shape Magazine says most canned pumpkin isn’t really pumpkin.  SAY IT ISN’T SO!  “According to a report by Epicurious, the majority of canned “pumpkin” on the market is actually an entirely different variety of fruit. 85% of the canned pumpkin in the world is sold by Libby’s, and they grow their own tan-skinned pumpkin cousin, Dickinson squash, to help meet the demand. The kicker: This squash is more similar to a butternut squash than the bright orange pumpkins you’ll be carving up this fall.”  Not only did the FDA approve this way back in 1938, it’s a common practice among most of the brands.  Hmph!

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