Baby Bell Peppers

Does anyone know what you're supposed to do with these things?  Other than ogle at them because they're so adorable?  (I like mini things.)  I've seen them stuffed before, but that's about it.  Because I had no other ideas, I roasted them (above), diced them up, marinated them in a splash of red wine vinegar and olive oil...  

...and threw them in couscous.  Not the most clever idea but it was tasty.  Do you do anything special with baby bell peppers?  Come on, share, I tell you really embarrassing things sometimes.  

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you say "car-mel" or "care-a-mel"??  The latter seems to waste too many syllables when you could be spending that time chewing.  I wasn't a huge caramel fan as a kid.  Scarred, I think, from the time I lost my tooth in a Rolo.  I did, however, always love a giant-sized, tart apple dipped in the sweet, goeey stuff come fall.  So I think caramel reminds me of this time of year.  And that is why I put it in a cookie.  Hold on to your teeth. 

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes 2 dozen)

Printable Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp course salt

5 oz. chopped caramels (the smaller the pieces the better)

1 pkg. semisweet chocolate chips or 1 large bittersweet or dark chocolate bar, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.  With a handheld or standing mixer, beat together butter and both sugars until combined, a few minutes.  Add egg and egg yolk, beating in between.  Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.  In a separate bowl, sift together bread flour, baking soda and baking powder and then add salt (do not sift).  Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate and caramel.    

Place large spoonfuls on baking sheet, a couple of inches apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes.  (The caramel might cause them to form funky shapes, like mine below.  Top left is Yoda and bottom right is a turkey.  I just cut those weird appendages off and they looked nice and round.)  

Hell yes I put my Halloween decorations up on October 1st.  

Roasted Acorn Squash and Harvest Grains

If you're ever in Santa Monica, California, go to The Market at the Santa Monica Place.  They call it a "market" but really it's just the fanciest food court you've ever seen - with fresh, artisan products, unique beers on tap, cafes, baked goods, A COOKING SCHOOL and this:

That is pancetta, sold to me by an Italian man with a thick accent who told me this particular cut was from the cheek of the pig.  Ok.  He could have told me it was from the toenail, and I would have bought it.  I was too entranced by everything around me.  Not bad, Santa Monica, not bad.  Let's see how you compare to Eataly in New York, which I'll be visiting in just a few days...

Back to the pancetta.  I had no clue what to do with it, but I bought it anyway.  And I went home, and I started browning it.  Hmm, what next...

I found an acorn squash.  I cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, cut it into quarters and roasted it at 450 for 30 minutes, flipping it once...

I started sauteing some shiitake mushrooms (why 2 i's?) in the pancetta fat (of course I added butter) and sprinkled them with sage...

And then I made some Harvest Grains (but you could use any type of rice or pasta), mixed everything together and sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese.

Did I forget to mention the roasted garlic?  Everything in my fridge went into this dish.  One of those 'leaving town for a week' meals.