Food
Drizzle Pumpkinseed Oil on Your Meal Autumn air brings opportunity to use harvest flavors. by Elaine Slater-Kogler Community contributor With fall approaching, I have started to think about pulling on sweatshirts, the leaves changing colors, the air being cooler and, of course, fall foods. One of the products I have that makes me think fall is pumpkinseed olive oil. Infused oils are becoming increasingly popular allowing home chefs to become more creative with recipes. And, the ideas are endless – mix and match and let me know what you come up with. Infused oils are basically oils that are permeated with one or more herbs. The cooking possibilities of infused oils are only as limited as your creativity. Here are a couple of suggestions to think about as you prepare meals: try marinating meats; substitute an oil in any recipe that requires oil to create your own, unique flavor; drizzle onto a salad instead of another type of dressing; drizzle onto a warm soup to add a savory flavor; drizzle onto a squash and add salt and pepper and bake it; add to your grandmother’s family Thanksgiving dressing recipe to add a twist and maybe create another family recipe. Above all, get creative and get Infused! Elaine Slater-Kogler brings readers recipes, tips and product reviews. As owner of Infused!, a specialty food store, she embraces flavors and fills her shelves with items patrons have struggled to find.
Photo courtesy of Elaine Slater-Kogler
Send Your Ideas Elaine Slater-Kogler is owner of Infused!, a specialty food store at 37 Fennell St., Skaneateles. In business since 2005, Infused! is all about flavor as well as listening to customers. Contact Elaine at elaine@ infused.com.
Goat Cheese Crostini
Chocolate Chip Muffins
With pumpkinseed oil, pumpkin seeds.
With fall touch of pumpkin flavoring.
1 thin baguette, sliced into rounds 2 tbsp. pumpkin seed oil 4 oz. herb goat cheese Pinch of minced garlic and a dash of pumpkinseed oil added to goat Photo courtesy of Elaine Slater-Kogler cheese to make spreadable 1/4 c. roasted salted pumpkin seeds Pumpkinseed oil for drizzling Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush baguette slices with pumpkinseed oil and place on baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for six minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool. In small mixing bowl, gently stir goat cheese with spoon and add minced garlic and a dash of pumpkinseed olive oil to make spreadable. Immediately before serving, spread baguette slices with generous amount of goat cheese. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of pumpkinseed oil. If you wish, you may brown slightly in the oven before serving or serve once baguette is topped. Serves 8 to 10—Elaine Slater-Kogler
3/4 c. white sugar 1 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter 3 tbsp. pumpkinseed oil 2 eggs 3/4 c. canned pumpkin 1/4 c. water Photo courtesy of Elaine Slater-Kogler 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour muffin pan. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and water to mixture. In separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full with batter using an ice cream scoop. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for five minutes then flip out onto wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 muffins—Elaine Slater-Kogler
12 October 2013
12
11/12/2013 8:28:53 AM