Studio open

Studio, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

I took the whole day Sunday to be inspired and open my studio to wonderful colors like Cadmium yellow, Cadmium orange and Cadmium red. The inspiration came from my garden...pumpkins and squash everywhere...even on the chicken coop roof!!!
It was a great day to do nothing but create.

squash trio, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Galeaux d'Eysines, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Cinderella pumpkin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

This summer in the garden

pumpkin patch, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Any of you that have a garden know that it consumes your time in June and July. Now that summer in in full force the harvest has begun.
Twelve months ago I planted an apricot tree from a 10 gallon container. This year a bounty of a first year. I also have a plum tree with a first crop. I actually like them better before they are completely ripe...I love the tart crisp flavor.
Vegetables have been abundant as well. The kale amazes me. Perhaps I have planted too much. Of course summer squash. Eggplant loves this Denver heat and are now making their way to the kitchen and in to the pot for their part in ratatouille. I have begun to harvest my pear tomatoes but will have to be patient for the rest.
The biggest surprise was the pumpkin patch I didn't plant. Last year the pumpkin "waste" was put into the compost pile which then made its way back to the garden beds and without intent I soon had pumpkin vines everywhere. I pulled all but one since they take so much room and guided the hardy vine over the arbor along with the wisteria and grapes. It is the spot I sit in the evening to have my glass of wine and a few minutes of well earned rest.
Happy harvest!

Arbor pumpkin patch, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

pumplin on arbor, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

hanging from the cieling

pumpkin muffins, gluten free

pumpkin muffins, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

I am down to 4 pumpkins in my cellar. Today I roasted one of them, pureed the meat and used it in this delightful gluten free treat. "Gluten free treat" is rather an oxymoron but with the help of some good basic recipes and some "tweaking" on my own there are such things. My granddaughter, Kate, is gluten intolerant (actually she has celiac disease) so we have had to learn how to bake with flour other than wheat or barley. Annalise Robert's wrote a couple of baking books that contain all gluten free products. This recipe is from her book....tweaked by me. I hope you give it a try:

1 3/4 cup brown rice flour mix (following this recipe)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large fresh eggs from pet chickens
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup + 2 Tbs canola oil
2 Tbs molasses (try pomegranate molasses)
1 cup pumpkin puree (from last summer's harvest)
1/2 cup raisins

Oven on 350 deg
Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in mixing bowl.

Combine eggs, water, oil, molasses and pumpkin in a separate bowl and mix well.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Do not over beat. Pour batter evenly into 12 muffin pan or loaf pans (3- 5" by 3").

Bake for 20-25 mins for muffins or 40-45 minutes for loaf pan or until dry toothpik test

Let loaf pan cool or remove muffins immediately.

Serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese.

Who says G-F can't be yummy?

Brown rice flour mix:
brown rice flour - 2 parts
potato starch (not potato flour) 2/3 parts
tapioca flour 1/3 part

More cooking with pumpkin

Pumpkin, Galeux D'eysines Squash, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Thanks to a great harvest and a very cool cellar I still have about 6 pumpkins to change into something yummy to eat. So yesterday I searched for a new winter squash soup. I chose a recipe by Michael Chiarello. If you know his recipes you know that they are layered...many steps and lots of herbs and spices. First I made the toasted spice rub, rich with spices that include chili and cinnamon, then I roasted the squash with a syrup of spices, vinegar and fresh sage. Finally after pureeing the squash and adding it to the soup base it was ready to serve with Marscapone cheese a pumpkin seeds. The kitchen smelled fabulous all day and it made a great meal for football watching.. How 'bout them Broncos?
Bon Appetit!

pumpkin ready for the oven

pumpkin ready for the oven, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

roasted glazed pumpkin

roasted glazed pumpkin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

roasted pumpkin puree

roasted pumpkin puree, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

pumpkin soup

pumpkin soup, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

November pumpkins

Pumpkin, Galeux D'eysines Squash, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

The pumpkin patch was good to me this year. The GD squirrels ate my neighbors' pumpkins but not mine. I harvested about 15 small to large size squash and am now trying to be creative with what I do with them.
These are strange looking pumpkins called Galeux D'Eysine. They are heirloom French pumpkins with gnarly skin that looks like peanuts or warts. The French named them "Galeux" which means embroidery....so embroidered pumkins from the provence of Eysine. They have thick orange meat that have been delicious in everything I have made: butter, bread and a fabulous pumpkin pie I will call:
Mile High pumpkin pie...with about a mile of meringue on top. I had to do something with all of the extra egg whites remaining from my ice creams and custards.
Pumpkins are so thematic for this time of year and lend themselves to decorating, sketching and painting and even a head for a doll.
What will you do with your pumpkins?

to pumpkin gingersnap ice cream

Recipe for:

Basic vanilla ice cream base:

Ice Cream Base:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

Heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.

Prepare an ice bath by setting a 2-quart bowl over a larger bowl partially filled with ice water.

Set a strainer over the smaller bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow in color and the sugar has dissolved. Gradually pour the warmed milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the same saucepan you used to warm the milk. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Strain the custard into the top bowl of the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Add the heavy cream and stir over the ice bath until cool. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight. Yield: about 3 cups.

1 cup spiced pumpkin butter:

5 cups pumpkin puree

slice a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, light brush or spray inside of pumpkin with vegetable oil, turn upside down on a baking sheet and roast in a 375 deg oven for about an hour. Scoop out cooked pumpkin and puree in food processor or food mill. Place puree in colander for 30 minutes to drain of excess water.

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups apple cider

3 1/2 tsps ground ginger

3 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsps ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Combine in a saucepan and reduce until proper thickness, about 30 minutes

1/2 cup crushed Gingersnaps

2 Tbs Calvados

Combine vanilla base, spiced pumpkin butter and Calvados and place in ice cream freezer. When semi-firm, add gingersnaps. Place in freezer for a couple of hours to continue to harden.

Bon Appetit!!!

pumpkin ginger snap ice cream, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Cinderella pumpkin

Cinderella pumpkin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage sauce

pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage sauce, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

I had dinner with Whitney and Kate last Friday night at our locally owned "Cherry Tomato" restaurant (on Cherry Street). When the server offered this special pasta I couldn't resist. It was fabulous and rich! This gave me a great idea as to what I should do with my sweet pumpkins left over from Thanksgiving just 10 days before. So I roasted my pumpkins with olive oil and herbs including lots of sage. Then I put the cooked pumpkin through the food mill to make a creamy a flavorful puree. Ok then I sweetened it a bit with maple sugar and added a little kick with so pepper spice. I added some eggs to the mixture and cooked it on the stove until the extra moisture had evaporated and the mixture resembled a custard.
Then came the ravioli assembly which follows:
I topped this yummy pasta with brown butter (melted butter cooked until it turns brown but does not burn) and chopped fresh sage added when the butter is oh so hot that it sizzles the sage pieces as you drop them in turning them crispy.
Cooking the ravioli and making the sauce takes about 3 minutes. The pasta from beginning to end in time intensive but very good therapy and worth every minute of time.
My daughter-in-law, Amber is a great fan of ravioli, too. Amber I wish you were here to have dinner with me tonight.
Buon Appetito!

Happy Halloween!

pumpkin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

I hope you all have a spooky Halloween with lots of treats and no tricks. Last week Kate and I spent the day collecting pumpkins for Halloween and painting some of them the colors of the beach....shades of blue. I had seen a tutorial on Alisa Burke's blog and wanted to give it a try. Blue is a favorite color of mine and so I went with sky and ocean blue. The used some puffy fabric paint, including glow in the dark to decorate . I used inspiration from nature: leaves and the pattern of a sea urchin and sand dollar for my design. Kate and Ella painted along with me. It was a fun project. Try it next year! Next week: pumpkin pie!

In the back yard

In the back yard
Originally uploaded by cabanagirl

Here is my sketch view of the photo below.....not very Japanese but it is out of context.

In the Japanese Garden

In the Japanese Garden
Originally uploaded by cabanagirl

We are down to the bones of the garden. All but the chard has been harvested in my tiny backyard garden. It's time to weed and wait for the bulbs and camelias.