Halloween Minestrone Soup

Happy Halloween!  I got to spend today with some amazing children who made me feel like a kid all over again.  It was such an incredible experience to celebrate a fun holiday with children gabbing about their costumes and saying how they will be bringing the biggest pillowcase they have to go Trick-or-Treating.  The best part of my days at fieldwork is always walking into the kindergarten classroom and being attacked by kids screaming "Miss Laura! Miss Laura is here!!" as they clamber their way through the group to hug fiercely at my legs and never let go until I pry them off.  We got to break from the usual routine of me playing the OT and them learning sensory-integration skills to being scary monsters at the Halloween party.  Costume choices this year range from the classic Spiderman to the latest Draculaura, a vegan vampire on Monster High.  My favorite; a young kindergartener excitedly told me she will be dressing as Nicki Minaj - yikes!  The party began with Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as the kids ran around fighting for a seat in a frightful game of musical chairs.  We even had a wild dance party where some break dancing kids showed off their moves.  Funfetti cake with Halloween sprinkles was enjoyed and grapes were eaten as though they were tasty eyeballs.  All I could say while I was there, and still have continued to say since I have returned home, is, "This is the BEST day EVER!"  I don't think I could have enjoyed myself more and I will always remember these amazing kids and the thrill of Halloween that sparked such elation. 
To finish off the already perfect day I decided to make a soup that I have eaten for as long as I can remember on Halloween.  Every year my mom has made Minestrone soup for us to devour before we paraded out into the night.  And I couldn't go without it tonight.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Roasted Seeds

As I was preparing these gnocchi I was wondering if squash would really be considered a vegetable or if perhaps it is a fruit.  My Google searches helped to no avail in answering this question, giving reasons that it is a fruit due to the seeds being on the inside and that it comes from the flower, or that it is a vegetable due to it being a member of the Curcurbita family of vegetables.  I say tomato, tomato.  I love all squash; acorn, spaghetti, kabocha, and of course, butternut.  Each has a unique flavor and texture that can't be beat by any other vegetable...or fruit.  I was incredibly excited that my mom gave me not one, but two, butternut squash from her garden this year, and today I have been in my kitchen since 8am perfecting this Butternut Squash Gnocchi recipe.  With toasted squash seeds, that dare I say are more flavorful than pumpkin seeds, this dish makes a great Sunday evening meal with delicious leftovers for the week. 

Pumpkin Bread Muffins with Cranberries and Chocolate

This weekend has been the most successful and productive weekend I have had in a long time.  I have been incredibly motivated to work on and finish all my projects, presentations, and papers for school, clean my whole house, and even bake muffins!  After making Pumpkin Cream Cheese I had a bowl of pumpkin sitting in my fridge just waiting for me to make something delicious.  I was about to make pumpkin bread but it wasn't until I finished making the batter that I realized I don't have a loaf pan!  So muffins they are.  And boy are they delicious.  With the tart tang of cranberries and smooth sweet chocolate, it doesn't get much better.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

It is a very rare occasion that I would choose to put anything other than cream cheese and ham on my toasted everything bagel.  But the other day while my friends and I were at Bruegger's Bagels for lunch I saw a sign for pumpkin cream cheese and it has been on my mind ever since.  I finally had the time to put together the flavors that I imagine are in pumpkin cream cheese, and boy am I glad I did.  My regular cream cheese and ham has been put on hold until further notice.  This Pumpkin Cream Cheese also tastes amazing with apples, pretzels, graham crackers... pretty much anything you can think of!

Pan de Almidon - Ecuadorian Yuca Bread

Two years ago my best friend Mercy invited me down to Ecuador for a month long visit.  It was one of the most amazing trips I've ever experienced.  We stayed with her family in Porto Viejo but traveled the whole country to places like Guayaquil, Cotacachi, Puyo, Quito, Salinas, and Riobamba, and saw breath taking sites from the Pacific Ocean to the Amazon rainforest and even erupting volcanoes.  I truly believe in experiencing different cultures through their food and I ate many different things during my stay, such as cow udder and guinea pig.  I also had the opportunity to participate in many activities that I will never forget, such as zip lining across rainforests, singing with her uncle's mariachi band called Mexico Lindo, and bungee jumping off a bridge down 350 feet over a rocky ravine.  But the best part of the trip was spending time with a beautiful family and sharing in their culture.

While we were in Ecuador we ate a ton of Pan de Almidon, or Yuca Bread (gluten free!).  It is made with yuca flour and fresh Oaxaca cheese.  I have not found Oaxaca cheese in upstate NY but it tastes like a cross between fresh mozzarella and feta cheese, which can be used as substitutes.  Mercy's aunt, who we lovingly call Mami Maria, was kind enough to bring me cheese and coffee on her trip up to NY.  She has also provided me with an authentic Ecuadorian recipe for Pan de Almidon.  Pan de Almidon is great for anytime of the day, and when paired with Ecuadorian coffee it makes it a delightful treat.  I want to sincerely thank Mami Maria and Mercy for sending me these goodies, you two are wonderful and I love you both!