Saturday, October 15, 2011

Happiness is...My Pet Pumpkin

Every year, for the last 20+ years, I have had a Pet Pumpkin.  Not a pumpkin for carving or eating (well on occasion I have eaten my pumpkin in the end...mmm roasted pumpkin), but a special pumpkin that I will sometimes carry around, take on a trip, put next to my bed, or set on my desk to keep me company...a pet pumpkin.

As soon as I see the pumpkins come out at the grocery store I start to get excited.  I love pumpkin time! I can't wait to pick out the right pumpkin.  Some times I see it right away and other times I've had to sort through huge piles of pumpkins looking for just the right one.  Over the years I've had huge orange carving pumpkins, petite sugar pie pumpkins, lovely white ghost pumpkins, elegant crimson pumpkins, pretty green ones, smooth ones, warty ones, and striped ones.

This tradition started back when I was in college and a friend and I adopted a great big orange carving pumpkin, in October of 1990. We took turns caring for it, taking it to class, out for dinner at The 4B's, it went with us to parties, and even to movies.  One day, in the middle of winter, our beloved Pet Pumpkin developed a a soft spot and toppled out the window where it landed on a ledge a story below and by evening was completely buried in snow.  When the snow thawed that spring, all that was left of our pet was a dark orangey-brown mound of shell that eventually molded over and flaked away in the wind, leaving a permanent black mark that we would check on from time to time.

Now, every year, I get a new pet pumpkin, but none have ever been as special as the sweet little sugar pie pumpkin I got in 2003.  I left my pet pumpkin in the office of the meat shop, where I was working at the time, and when I returned the next morning...

This is Barnes.
I found that magically (or at the hands of some silly sausage making boys) my pumpkin had been transformed into Barnes!

She was the Best Pet Pumpkin a Girl could ever hope to have!

We went to bars (she got me a lot of free drinks!) and parties and ski trips.  Barnes and I went to work together, went on road trips, and met tons of new people. 

She was a fun girl and I think of her fondly every year as the pumpkins are brought out and placed in piles...


Barnes getting candy from my friend Ludmilla


Barnes in her Autumn Finest.

Barnes dressed as a Witch for Halloween.

Barnes out with friends.

Barnes and her Mom.

Barnes with her 3 Aunts.

Barnes with her Brothers and Sisters.

Barnes with her Cousins.

Barnes with her friend Glitch.

Barnes bundled up for a snow day.

Barnes at work on Christmas Day.

Barnes was a Party Pumpkin.


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Happiness is...Figs

Figs always remind me of playing hide and seek.  The neighborhood where my Grandparents lived, in California, was full of fig trees, and when I was young I would play hide and seek with the neighbor kids.

We would jumping over wooden fences into garden beds covered with fallen fruit that would squish between my toes and stick to my hands and knees as I crouched under low hanging branches to hide from the one who was "It".

A sticky sweet mess, my grandfather would spray me off with the hose and I would dry off laying on the grass staring up at the sky looking at cloud pictures.

I don't really remember eating figs as kid in any other form than picked straight from the tree and gobbled up.  No one made fig jam, or put them in salads, or used them in baked goods.
 Growing up in Montana the only way to get a fig was in "Newton" form, so I have never really paid any mind to them (though I do love a "Fig Newton" from time to time).

Figs recently came back into my life, in dried form, when a friend suggested I use them as a pizza topping (really good).  Usually figs are out of my price range.  They can be very spendy, and since I never quite know what to do with them, I don't buy them. But this year, during the peak of fig deliciousness, I came across a great deal and decided I could afford a little figgy indulgence.

I procured two varieties, the Brown Turkey and the Black Mission.  I made a small batch of Fresh Fig Spread with Honey, for making Fig Bars at a later date, and the rest I stuffed with Goat Cheese, wrapped in Prosciutto and oven roasted.  I had never tried this preparation before but I am now in love with figs this way.  Plus it's super easy to make!


First, wash, dry and inspect all of the Figs you will be using.
Make sure there are no bruises and that they are not over-ripe.
You only want the delicious ones.


Assemble all the ingredients;
delicious Figs, Goat Chevre, and Prosciutto
(I used a scrummy Parma Ham).


Depending on the width of you Prosciutto you may
wish to cut the slices in half or even thirds.
The slices should be as wide and the height of the Figs.


Slice off the stem. Make a cut from the top of the Fig
through to the blossom end, but only cut halfway through.
You are making a pouch for the cheese.


Take a pinch of Goat Chevre, a little larger than a raisin,
and stuff it inside of the Fig.  Try to close the Fig
around the Cheese a best you can.


Wrap each Cheese stuffed Fig in a piece of 
Prosciutto.  Like a little hammy blanket.


Place the Prosciutto wrapped Figs on a parchment lined
baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between each Fig.


Bake in a 450˚ F oven for 8-10 minutes, until the Figs are
bubbly, the Cheese is fluffy and the Prosciutto is crispy.

Enjoy hot or at room temperature.

*Let the Figs cool for a few minutes before nomming because the
cheese will be crazy hot.

These Figs make great appetizers for parties, are tasty thrown on a
salad, and make a delicious anytime snack. Loves!

For a little added loveliness drizzle the warm Figs with a 
bit of golden honey or syrupy balsamic vinegar. *slurp*

Baked Goat Chevre Stuffed Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto

12 fresh Mission Figs
12 fresh Brown Turkey Figs
8 oz. Goat Chevre
12 slices Parma Prosciutto (more if slices are small)

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Wash, dry, and inspect your Figs.

Slice your Prosciutto in half.

Cut each Fig halfway down the center lengthwise; you want the Fig to remain whole.

Stuff a plump raisin size piece of Goat Chevre into the slit of each Fig.

Wrap each Fig with Prosciutto and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake the Figs until heated through and Prosciutto is crispy, about 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and enjoy.