Pumpkin Waffles

I've expanded my use of pumpkin and squash this season. I already made [and demolished] pumpkin pastillas de leche (milk candies) and also added mashed cooked pumpkin to yeast waffles. These waffles are really delicious specially with heavy cream sweetened with maple syrup and sprinkled with pumpkin seed brittle. I love pumpkins!

Pumpkin Yeast Waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups mashed pumpkin
½ tablespoon instant yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup water
6 tablespoons light olive or grapeseed oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• In a large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Mix in the rest of ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. Preheat waffle maker and bake according to manufacturer's directions.

Maple Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup pure maple syrup

• Beat together syrup and cream until thick but still pourable. Transfer into a squirt bottle if desired.

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

¼ cup sugar

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

• Cook sugar over medium heat in a skillet until caramelized and golden in color. Quickly stir in toasted seeds and transfer in one layer into a buttered piece of aluminum foil. Let cool completely; break into small pieces.

Grapecicle

For Food Friday this weekend, there is no cooking involved which is just perfect to enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

Have you tried frozen seedless grapes? These tiny champagne grapecicles are a great frozen treat without much work to be done except washing them, then freezing for 2 hours.

champagne or Corinth grapes are cute and tiny

   

White Peaches and Ginger Beer

white peach puree and ginger beer drink

This is my non-alcoholic version of Bellini, a refreshing drink made with white peach juice and Prosecco. I pureed the fruit with a little sugar and added crushed ice, seltzer water, and ginger beer. I also mixed some of the puree with just seltzer water for a stronger peach flavor but I like the one with ginger beer more. You may substitute frozen puree or bottled juice for the fresh fruit puree.

white and yellow peaches

White Peach and Ginger Beer

Ingredients

• 2 ripe white peaches, well chilled
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup seltzer or sparkling water, well chilled
• 1 cup ginger beer, well chilled

Cooking Directions

1. Peel peaches, remove stones and discard; dice peaches and puree with the sugar.
2. Divide puree between 2 tall glasses. Stir in ½ cup ice into puree. Pour ½ cup each seltzer water and ginger beer. Stir gently with a metal stirrer.
3. Serve immediately.

also good with just seltzer water

Cream-style Corn

The vendor at the farmer's market was so generous, he gave me 3 extra white corn cobs; 15 in all for $3.00. I already boiled and ate more than my share of corn and decided to make cream-style with 5 pieces. These white corn are super sweet, starchier too, and sticky just the way I like it. 

I couldn't help myself and took one bite 

out of the uncooked super sweet corn

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