Mango Brûlée

Rarely does Shawn ask me to make something specific.

This was one of those rare occasions.

 If you know Shawn, he LOVES mango.

Ever since our honeymoon in Punta Cana, where he ate mango every chance he got. While mango back here in the US doesn't compare to that of the tropics, it's still a yummy treat when you pick the right one!

So when Shawn came home asking for me to make this super easy mango creme brûlée, I was all about it. Any excuse to use my torch.

Wash a ripe mango (one that will depress slightly to the touch)

Using a good pairing knife, cut circularly around the side of the seed..

This is an example of a mango that is too ripe! But I had another one that was just perfect 

The sides of mango

Sprinkle with sugar...

create a thin layer of sugar across the mango

Torch the sugar until slightly brown. If you don't have a torch turn your broiler on high and broil for 5-10 min

Eat!

Results? Well, I need to try this one again. I used mangos that were room temp, but I think next time I would make sure they are cold. I think that would increase the crystallization of the sugar. It's definitely worth a try though, being that it is such a quick and delish dessert option.

Oh, and FYI, mangos are related to the poison ivy family. So if you are highly allergic to poison ivy, be careful to avoid contact with the outer skin. Shawn gets this gross herpes lips whenever he does. I'm not allergic though. :)

Drying Herbs

This year I grew basil, parsley, and rosemary.

I wouldn't say that I have a green thumb, but something I did this year went right. I ended up with tons of rosemary, parsley and basil. 

I decided to attempt and air dry my rosemary and parsley. FYI, you shouldn't air dry basil, it has a high moisture content and typically will get moldy and yucky. See my blog about freezing basil for more info on that. 

You'll need your herbs, string, paper bags, and a stapler (not pictured)

Wash herbs and pat dry really well (remember, moisture=mold)

Make like a bouquet with your herbs, pinch the ends and tie string tightly around them

Label your bags...

I used a staple to attach bag. You might have another method

Hang in a cool, dry, out of the way spot

Oh, and I didn't realize you're also supposed to poke holes in the bag. So be sure to do that!

I'll check them in a few weeks to see how they are doing. If there is any mold, unfortunately I'll have to throw them out.  Hopefully this works! I'll let you know!!

**Update: Here's a link after they are all dried: http://getmeamenu.blogspot.com/2011/11/drying-herbs-part-2.html

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever have a day where a million things go wrong? Yes, we all have.

Well, Friday I woke up super excited to go shopping for Fall clothes and later doing some baking (two of my fav things). But somewhere in the middle Shawn got sick, my car battery died while I was out shopping, Shawn's direct deposit was messed up so he didn't get paid. That's just to name a few.

I was excited to try this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, but the craziness of the day caught up with me, so I was rushed to put everything together. Even so, I did have a chance to snap a few pics along the way....

Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin mixture

All my spices were whole. I am thankful for one of my fav kitchen utensils, my microplane!

I split the dough in half and mixed in half just chocolate chip...

....and half white chocolate and milk chocolate chips

All baked!

Yum. More of a cakey cookie, but still pretty good!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (foodnetwork)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Results? Well, upon taking them out of the oven I wasn't sure. Because of the pumpkin, they were a bit more dense than your average chic chip cookie. But they were definitely a hit among friends. I think I liked them even better second day-a super moist cookie with a hint of pumpkin. 

Changes I made: I doubled the spices. Reviews said it was a good idea to, so I did. Also, I baked mine for just 13 min, but that's because my oven is super hot. 

So, needless to say, our horrible, terrible, no good very bad day got much better.

Try these for an easy Autumn cookie that everyone will enjoy. What's your favorite Fall dessert?