Oh Nuts Holiday Giveaway

I'm back with another gift giveaway from Oh Nuts. Sam contacted me about this opportunity, generously offering one lucky winner the chance to win a $25 gift certificate on behalf of Oh Nuts.

Oh Nuts has always focused on holidays and with the upcoming Christmas and Hanukkah holidays, you'll be able to find a gift for everyone. Their offerings are wide and they have some pretty delicious candies, chocolates, nuts, and fruits. Their products are also certified Kosher.

Their products I've tried in the past have always been top quality and arrived fresh. The dried fruit was moist and the nuts weren't rancid. Great stuff here.

There are three ways you can enter to win:

1. Visit the Oh Nuts Christmas Gift Baskets page and comment, letting me know what your favorite item is.
   
   Or, do the same from the Hanukkah Gifts page.


2. Visit Oh Nuts on Facebook. Comment on their wall with a link to your favorite item, including "I'm here from She Runs, She Eats" (if you're a fan of my blog on Facebook, you can tag me by typing @ - a list will pop down and you can find She Runs, She Eats).


3. Follow Oh Nuts on Twitter and retweet about the giveaway like so, "Win a free Hanukkah (or Christmas) Gift from http://bit.ly/6nIsCi Follow @ohnuts & Retweet to enter."

Comment with each entry so I know.

Non-US residents can enter, but Oh Nuts only ships within the United States, so keep this in mind.

Contest ends Wednesday, December 1. Good luck!

*Disclaimer* I'm receiving a gift certificate from Oh Nuts for hosting this giveaway. In no way does this alter my opinion on their products.

Weekly Mileage

Total: 20

I stuck to my plan from last week to run 4 times. I ended up going 5, 4, 4, and 7. I meant to do 6 and 6, but when I ran the five it was getting dark and I didn't feel like staying out in it for very long.

Pretty much I didn't want to go on any of these runs because I was expecting it to feel worse than it did, so I'm glad I sucked it up. Only a few were cold and windy, with an unusual warm run on 7. And when I say warm I mean that it was 40-ish with 7 mph winds. Not bad for winter. I'm thinking next week I'll run 20 again, but nothing longer than 6. Maybe two five milers, a four miler, and a six miler. I'm still working my way up, but want to make sure I get comfortable running 4-6 milers before I add in anything close to 10 or any form of speed work. And also because, really, who wants to stay out in the cold? I'm also not feeling as tired after a run, though I'm a bit surprised at that for a different reason other than regaining my fitness. Overall, though, things are looking good.

Ramekin Product Reviews and Moltenless Chocolate Cakes

A while back I told you all I'd be doing a product review courtesy of Wayfair. All the products have arrived and I've finally gotten my act together to use them. The three products I'm reviewing are Revol Grand Classique 10.5 ounce ramekins, which can be purchased individually, and Silicone Solutions pinch bowls, four to a set.

I had debated over the size of ramekin to get, knowing most souffles and desserts are baked in smaller, 6 ounce ramekins, but this way I can make individual dinners and the presentation will be cute. Both sets of ramekins are porcelain. The first picture of the Gordon Ramsay ramekins are fully glazed and lightweight. They can be used in the in the freezer and fridge, but can't be subjected to extreme temperature change. That means if I made frozen mini pot pies they'd have to sit outside of the freezer a little bit to adjust to the temperature. These are made by Royal Doulton for Gordon Ramsay, originating in England.

The second picture, of the French Revol ramekins are just slightly bigger than the Gordon Ramsay's. They're porcelain too, but the bottoms aren't glazed. Even though the sides seem thicker, these were actually a little lighter than the others. As far as I know, the same rules apply to these as the others. There was only one set of ramekins on the site that said their ramekins could go straight from freezer to oven, but they were small.

Click through to read the recipe.

The pinch bowls really came in handy to place ingredients in. Each bowl has a 1/2 cup capacity. I found that powdery ingredients didn't do so well in the silicone bowls since it tend to cling to the sides of the bowl, whereas wet or other dry, non powdery ingredients were fine.

For the first test I made "moltenless" chocolate cakes. This is a molten chocolate cake intended to have a soft, runny center when broken into, but was unintentionally fully baked.

The batter for these cakes consisted of melted butter and chocolate, cabernet sauvignon, a trio of spices consisting of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, along with eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Really simple for a last minute dessert.

I noticed the recipe didn't call for salt, so I added a bit of coarse salt to the cakes and sprinkled more on top. It needed more, so I would use at least 1/4 teaspoon in the batter next time.

Since I doubled the recipe and each ramekin was filled a little more than the recipe said, I increased the cooking time to 17 minutes. If I had taken them out then, the cakes would probably have been molteny. But I got scared and cooked them a few minutes longer. Fail.

The cakes still had slightly fudgy and moist centers, though, and the texture was a lighter than a brownie. It definitely needed more salt to enhance the sweetness. Also, I didn't use any of the gourmet spices the recipe said to use. I'm also not sure how much the wine helps the recipe, especially for being part of the title, though possibly it enhances the overall flavor. You could probably substitute it for something else if you didn't have any wine.

They popped out nicely from the greased ramekins. Clean up was a breeze. I simply filled with a bit hot water and wiped out with a non-abrasive scrubber (use the ones intended for nonstick pans). So far I'm happy with my purchases, and probably will continue to be happy. The Ramsay ramekins have a very sleek design and are pretty. The Revols are nice, too, with a more traditional style, though more pricey. Pinch bowls are quickly becoming more and more useful the more I bake and cook with them.

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McCormick Gourmet Collection Molten Spiced Chocolate Cabernet Cakes
From McCormick Gourmet

Ingredients -

4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon, or other red wine
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

directions -

1. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on high for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine, vanilla, and sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs and yolk. Stir in flour and spices. Pour batter evenly into 4 (6-ounce) buttered custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet.


2. Bake in preheated 425°F oven 13 to 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with knife. Invert onto serving plates. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Progresso Giveaway Winner

Hey everyone! Today I'm announcing the winner for the Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko and Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega giveaway. And the winner is, brought to us by random.org... Cheryl! Her favorite Italian dish is beef braciole with gnocchi di ricotta. Sounds pretty delicious.

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Tigger-Proof Pumpkin Pie

Every year for Thanksgiving we make a pumpkin pie, and usually we used a simple recipe with canned milk and spices. One year, though, we tried the pumpkin pie recipe from The Little Big Book of Pooh by Monique Peterson. My older brother gave it as a gift to my mom a few years ago.

This pie recipe features one of the more flavorful pumpkin pie fillings I've tasted. Instead of just granulated sugar, the brown sugar gives the pie a richer flavor as does the sweetened condensed milk in place of evaporated milk (you can't have a 100 Acre Woods recipe without sweetened condensed milk, can you?). This pie is also very spicy and doesn't lack in flavor. There's a crust recipe that accompanies the directions that I've never tried, but I'll include it anyway. Feel free to use whichever crust with which you're most familiar.

The filling can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of time to cut down on prep if desired.

Since I have issues with my pie crusts not completely cooking, I decided to par-bake the crust this year. To do this, I chilled the prepared crust for an hour, then lined with parchment and filled with dried beans (to keep the crust from collapsing). I then baked for 10 minutes at 425°; remove the parchment with the beans and cook for 5 more minutes until bottom is no longer wet. You will need to cover the edges of the crust earlier into the baking time if you do this.

I didn't let the crust cook before filling since it still had to be baked. Maybe the heat sealed the bottom layer and prevented the crust from getting soggy.

So, if you're looking for a pumpkin pie with a smooth, velvety texture that's rich with flavor, stop right here and get baking!

Recipe after jump.

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Tigger-Proof Pumpkin Pie
From The Little Big Book of Pooh

For crust:

1 1/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons ice water

For pie:

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.


2. To make crust, sift together dry ingredients. Using pastry blender or processor, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle water over dough and mix with fork until pastry is moist enough to form into a ball.


3. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14" round circle. Transfer and press into 9" pie pan. Trim overhand and crimp edges. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes.


4. To make the pumpkin filling, whisk all the pie ingredients together in a large bowl until blended. Pour into the prepared crust.


5. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.


6. Serve with whipped cream!

Weekly Mileage

Total: 16

I only ran thrice, 6, 4, and 6. I meant to add another 4 miler in but I wussed out on running in the dark. It's actually not so bad. The good part is that it was probably better to keep the mileage low, so next week I'll do repeat but with the missing 4 miler.

The reason why I could still tell that I'm out of shape, even though the pace wasn't too difficult at all, is that a 6 miler, post run, feels the same as a 10 miler used to. I want to drink nothing but milk, my stomach gets a bit queasy, and I feel tired. Eventually I'll readjust again. (For some reason, I'm reading 'readjust' as 'read and just'.)

One bad habit I fall into during cold-weather running is to start out too fast the first mile. I do this to warm up, and it ends up ruining the run. I need to start warming up indoors first, or going on a short warm up.

Since I run in New Balance 100s, which is a trail racing flat, I'm looking forward to seeing if they work better in the snow than regular running shoes.

Things I want:

A running jacket. I have a fleece zip up jacket that really helps block the wind, but it's shrunk a bit and makes every shirt I wear underneath ride up and bunch. Bothersome. I'd like this.

Running gloves. I bought some from Target, fleece-lined, but it remains to be seen how warm they really are.

Harry Potter and Butterbeer (with Homemade Spiced Coconut Ice Cream)

Don't forget to enter the Progresso giveaway for a chance to win Lemon Pepper Panko and a signed copy of Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega

Harry Potter and Whichever-It-Is... Okay, it's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part one, opens today in theaters across the nation. And the world. Although none of the books ever mention the United States, so we're to assume the only witches and wizards are either British, French, or Russian. And none of the books mention Marmite, either.

Anyway.

I usually celebrate in some sort of way by making a treat, typically pumpkin pasties. I even have a crapton of pictures of the spread I assembled, complete with a jar of Marmite that I haven't since touched, from an "after the Deathly Hallows book release fiesta" that I've never developed. I'm not even a huge Harry Potter fan. I didn't swoon when Robert Patterson decided to eff the wizarding world after being destroyed by Voldemort by becoming a vampire. "Yeah, take that, Harry! Forget your scar -- I sparkle in the sunlight."

So anyway, again, my mom was throwing the idea around of creating a homemade butterbeer centered around our new favorite fall-flavored tea, Bigelow's Pumpkin Spice Tea. The version of butterbeer we make uses vanilla ice cream blended with brown sugar-and-spice mixed in butter, scooped in a mug, and topped with hot apple cider. Well, we had no ice cream. But why not make our own?

And so I did. I could have done that spell Hermoine does where she makes recipes come together. (Doesn't it bother you that this "spell" only works if the ingredients are present -- meaning, they have to originate from in the flesh and be in the same room instead of appearing from thin air? That's not magic, folks.) But instead I used regular cooking skills. Mom had the idea of using a can of coconut milk, as the higher fat content would erase the need of the butter. I quickly cracked and separated egg yolks from whites, whisked with sugar, then added whole milk and a can of whole coconut milk in a saucepan. With a pinch of salt and various spices, the custard was on its way, slowly heating up to a thickened mixture. I debated just using coconut milk, but I wasn't sure if it'd turn out too icy. However, I'll try it again since it'd have been lactose free.

Once that was set, I ended up refrigerating the custard overnight. You can then freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions, or do the caveman version of pouring the custard into a wide container with decently high sides, freeze, and stir in 15 minute increments.

Referencing my old ice cream post, the increments between stirring were longer. Maybe this was because the custard wasn't as chilled, but more room temperature, and then I realized I had followed David Lebovitz' instructions. So check earlier or check later, you decide.

(So during this ice cream venture, I decided to mix the almost frozen mix one time passed when it probably needed it, and instead of being completely smooth it took on a strange texturized appearance, as you can see in my picture. Not sure why this was.)

The ice cream came out incredibly delicious, thought with just a subtle hint of coconut. Not too sweet, yet sweet at the same time. Next step was to brew the tea, sweeten just a tad (1 teaspoon sugar per cup), then pour over the ice cream scooped inside a mug. What you get is a delicious foam as the ice cream melts from the hot tea. Eventually, the entire cup becomes cooler. I liked the way it tasted, though I think the apple cider gave it a rounder taste. Until most of the ice cream had melted, it still tasted a little watered down, but not bad at all.

What I would suggest is to brew the tea at double strength and sweeten more, or steep the tea bags in heated apple cider.

Definitely try this out if you're looking for a fun spin on your Harry Potter party.

(Recipe after the jump)

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Print this recipe

Spiced Coconut Ice Cream
Recipe by Christina Provo

ingredients ~

4 large egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 14.5 ounce can whole coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

directions ~

1. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan until combined. Slowly pour in both milks, whisking to combine. Stir in the spices. Turn the heat up to medium and cook, stirring almost constantly, for 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, which will steep during the remaining cooking time. Continue cooking until the custard thickens, around 5-10 minutes. To test, it'll coat the back of a spoon and won't bleed into a line drawn through the center.


2. Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a plastic bowl. Let cool to room temperature; cover, and refrigerate overnight.


3. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions, or pour into a deep container. Place dish in the freezer. In 20 minutes, take the dish out and stir the ice cream. It'll have begun to freeze around the sides. Make sure you mix thoroughly so the custard is all once consistency.


4. Return to freezer, and repeat every 15-20 minutes, totaling 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cover, and freeze until eaten.

To make butterbeer

Brew a tea bag of Bigelow's Pumpkin Spice Tea in a cup of heated apple cider. Stir in a teaspoon of sugar. Scoop some ice cream into a mug, then pour the tea on top. Stir with your fake wand that is the equivalent of a fake Star Wars lightsaber. Enjoy!

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole

A favorite side dish around here for Thanksgiving and Christmas is Candied Sweet Potato Casserole. My mom found this particular recipe a long time ago from America's Test Kitchen. What she liked was the cooking method and the ability to make the dish, up to a point, ahead of time to help cut down on Thanksgiving Day cooking.

The sweet potatoes are peeled, sliced, and added to a skillet with melted butter along with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water, then covered and cooked until tender.

The lid is then removed and the heat raised so the liquid is reduced to a glaze. Since we usually double the sauce ingredients you can remove the sweet potatoes after 10 minutes and continue cooking down the sauce if it still hasn't reduced enough. I think you're aiming for a slightly thickened glaze as it will continue to cook in the oven. This is the point where you can refrigerate until needed.

Normally you put the sweet potatoes into a casserole dish, but for the sake of now I'm showing two different toppings in small amounts in my ramekins. One is the candied pecan topping and the other is the classic and beloved marshmallow topping. Since the marshmallows get added last, I covered the ramekin with foil. Both should have been covered, and the ramekin with the pecans uncovered for the last 5 minutes. The heat at which the casserole cooks is high and my pecans burnt along the edges. (I also toasted the pecans a bit to help with the flavor, so possibly that's why.) The reason I would suggest covering both is that the uncovered sweet potatoes dried out more and weren't as saucy.

After removing from the oven, turn the broiler on to high. Broiling the marshmallows instead of baking them until toasted is the preferred method for two reasons: Reason 1, it's quicker. Reason 2, since it's quicker, the marshmallows retain their shape longer because the innards haven't yet been heated as much.

We actually prefer the version with the marshmallows because it adds a different flavor when paired with the sweet potatoes and the sauce. It's quite delicious.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

(recipe after jump)

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Print this recipe

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole
from America's Test Kitchen

Serves 10 to 12

For a more intense molasses flavor, us dark brown sugar (Me: we usually use dark brown sugar) in place of light brown sugar. To make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2. refrigerate the sweet potato mixture in a large microwave-safe bowl, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, for up to 20 hours. When ready to bake, poke several vent holes in the plastic wrap covering the potatoes and microwave on medium-high power until hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to assemble and bake the casserole as directed in steps 3 and 4.

Sweet Potatoes ~

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1-inch chunks
5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup water

Pecan Topping ~

2 cups pecan halves, toasted in a hot oven for 5 minutes
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

directions ~

1. For the Sweet Potatoes: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven (Me: we use a large, deep skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are tender (a paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center of the potatoes with very little resistance), 45 to 60 minutes.


2. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove the lid and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer until the sauce has reduced to a glaze, 7 to 10 minutes.


3. For the Topping: Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the topping together in a medium bowl; set aside.


4. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450˚. Pour the potato mixture into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or shallow casserole dish of similar size). Spread the topping over the potatoes. Bake until the pecans are toasted and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately (Me: it can sit for a few minutes if you have any last-minute preparations for other stuff)

Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko & Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega cookbook giveaway, and Turkey Polpettone

As a part of MyBlogSpark and Progresso (aka General Mills), I was given the opportunity to review Progresso's new Lemon Pepper Panko breadcrumbs. Panko is a coarser breadcrumb that gives a superior crunch to recipes. Progresso has teamed up with Chef Michael Chiarello, who has created recipes featuring Progresso products on their website. A very tasty selection, but I ended up trying out the Turkey Polpettone and Radicchio Salad. Turkey burgers have been very popular lately, and this upscale version featuring sage and lemon flavored ground turkey with a fresh mozzarella center, coated in panko and cooked until crispy, is perfect for a special night with minimal mess. The raddichio salad which has a light lemon-honey vinaigrette and Granny Smith Apples has bright flavors to contrast the turkey burgers.

The flavor of the panko was pretty strong, but didn't seem as intense when accompanied with the other ingredients. Also, I misread the instructions and mixed the flour with the panko, though I still followed the steps for coating (dipping in flour-panko mixture before beaten eggs, etc.). I ended up with more coating left over, but I saved it in the fridge for another use.

Look delicious, doesn't it? If you'd like the chance to win a free box of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko to make this recipe, along with a signed copy of Bottega, here are a few ways to enter:

• Leave a comment letting me know you'd like to enter, along with your favorite Italian food


• Reblog this entry with a link back, and comment again


• Become a fan on Facebook (if you aren't a fan already), and comment again

Three ways to enter for a chance to win an early Christmas gift, in a way. Good luck!

Giveaway ends Tuesday, 23 November, and is open to US residents only.

National Split Pea Soup Week with Split Pea Soup with Coconut Milk and Indian Spices

Did you know it's National Split Pea Soup Week? (Sadly, it's the last day for it.) The USA Dry Peas & Lentils Council sent me a bag of split peas (that was actually split, haha) to make a soup. They also sent along a really cute set of measuring spoons, an oven mitt, and a wooden spoon made in France!

I've made this recipe a few times before, though with lentils since that's how the original recipe goes. I figured with a longer cooking time the split peas would work out, and they did. Don't expect them to retain their shape, though, since the split peas won't. It makes for an excellent creamy soup, and you don't even need to puree it if you don't feel like it if the soup cooks long enough. It comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Once Upon A Tart.

The highlight of this recipe is the blend of Indian spices in clarified butter and the rich and creamy coconut milk. Pair the two together with a split pea base and you've got a soup that's unlike any other split pea soups out there. If you're worried about the taste of the spices, don't be, as the coconut milk helps temper and meld the flavors.

To the recipe I added a pinch of kosher salt while the onions and garlic cooked, then 1 1/2-2 teaspoons kosher salt to the soup itself. I noticed the recipe didn't tell you to add salt at all, though I'm assuming they're basing it off the flavor of the chicken or vegetable stock you use. I like to make my own chicken stock. Observe:

One of my best stocks I've made, though I didn't rinse the chicken even after I thought it had a smell. It wasn't bad, I swear, and it didn't ruin the soup. Don't judge me.

Anyway, the flavor of the stock was mild, since I usually adjust seasonings in the soup itself, so don't be afraid to add some salt to the soup; it'll bring out the flavors in the recipe.

Recipe after the jump.

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split pea soup with coconut milk and Indian spices
Recipe from Once Upon A Tart

Makes six servings

ingredients ~

1 big yellow onion, diced fine
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups green split peas, picked through and rinsed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, clarified, or ghee
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
A pinch of nutmeg
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned coconut milk

directions ~

1. Saute the onions and garlic in the butter in a large soup pot over high heat, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. When the onions have begun to reduce in volume, about 5-10 minutes, lower the heat to medium, add the thyme and the turmeric, and continue sauteing, stirring from time to time for 10-15 more minutes, until the onions are tender and translucent.


2. Add the stock and the split peas, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, until the split peas have broken into the broth.


3. Warm the clarified butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper, and saute until the warmth from the butter brings out the aroma of the spices, 2-3 minutes.


4. Add the clarified butter and spices to the soup. Stir in the coconut milk, and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, so the flavors blend together.

pumpkin turkey strata with Lactaid

Took me a while but I finally got around to making this. A few things got in the way, actually.

So a strata is basically a bread pudding, and this savory version combines all the favorites of Thanksgiving, turkey, pumpkin, and stuffing. Using Lactaid, an easy to digest milk, enables those with lactose intolerance to enjoy as well. I used the Lactaid whole milk, which has a creamy taste. There was a little more sweetness than what's typically in milk, almost reminiscent of flavor of half and half.

Usually you would use day old bread cubes for a strata. Instead, I cubed Nature's Pride whole wheat bread, tossed in a mixture of olive oil and butter that was sauteed with ground sage and minced garlic, then placed on a baking sheet to bake until toasted to make sage-garlic croutons. Meanwhile, I browned ground turkey with chopped onions, then mixed together with the finished croutons and mozzarella cheese.

I'm sure the reason why you use day old bread isn't because someone was being frugal, it's because otherwise the bread would turn to mush. Mushy pudding, anyone?

The custard comes together quickly by mixing together softened cream cheese, which adds an extra creaminess to the custard, with canned pumpkin puree, eggs, Lactaid, and some salt and pepper. Simply pour over the croutons and refrigerate overnight. What's great about this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time to suit a rushed schedule.

I ended up ladling the crouton-custard into another pan since it started leaking out of the spring form pan I originally had it in. For whatever reason, I decided to cover the bottom in foil before pouring anything in it so it wasn't too disastrous. Not even Lactaid would have prevented the acids from churning in my stomach over seeing dinner dripping over the floor, and I'm not even the one who's lactose intolerant.

And here is the finished product. About 20 minutes from the end of baking time, I topped with coarsely chopped pecans and grated parmesan cheese, a nice finishing touch.

The strata came out creamy and flavorful, a bit of sage in each bite. The whole wheat bread gives the dish a nice nuttiness, though you can't even tell it's whole wheat at all. If you need dinner options for the hectic holiday season, or a great dish for a get together, try out this Pumpkin Turkey Strata.

This recipe was supposed to be my submission in Lactaid's recipe contest, which unfortunately I missed. Here is an outtake from the video featuring the recipe for you to enjoy:

Recipe after jump

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Print this recipe

Pumpkin Turkey Strata
Recipe by Christina Provo

Ingredients ~

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
pinch salt
1 pound ground turkey
14 cups whole wheat bread cubes (1/2-inch cubes)
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons ground sage
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces neufchatel cream cheese, room temperature
1 14.5 ounce can pumpkin puree
8 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch white pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ground turkey. Season with red pepper flakes and pinch of salt; cook until turkey is browned thoroughly and onions are translucent. Set aside.


2. In same skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter with half the garlic, ground sage, kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for a minute. Place half the bread cubes into skillet and stir to coat. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat the process for the remaining bread cubes. Once all the bread is on baking sheet, bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway, until cubes are toasted and crisp.


3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with pumpkin puree. Whisk in eggs, milk, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.


4. Mix together croutons with cooked turkey and mozzarella cheese. Place into a greased 13x9-inch casserole dish (make sure dish can transfer directly from fridge to oven without breaking). Pour pumpkin custard mixture over croutons. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


5. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from fridge and uncover. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and top with pecans and parmesan cheese. Continue baking for another 20 minutes, then check to see if knife inserted in center comes out clean. If not, continue baking for 10 minutes before checking again. Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.

Featured Review Coming Soon

As you've probably seen on here before, I've reviewed products and hosted a giveaway from Wayfair. Wayfair is an online mega-mall of sorts, featuring many different stores with products ranging from cookware, products to outfit a kitchen, furniture such as bathroom furniture, dining sets, living rooms, etc., and a wide range of other items for every facet of life.

I haven't picked out the product yet, but it will be cooking or kitchen related. I have some thoughts in mind, though I'd like to know what item you'd be interesting in seeing reviewed on She Runs, She Eats.

Let me know your thoughts, readers!