pumpkin waffles

I've been looking for other pumpkin recipes since the pumpkin cinnamon roll incident to use up the rest of the canned pumpkin. When I saw this recipe on Skinny Taste, I wanted to try it. However, I only had one egg to work with, so I opted instead to modify my go-to recipe - Martha Stewart's basic pancakes - which I use for both pancakes and waffles. I thoroughly enjoy a waffle. I modified the basic recipe to make room for/include pumpkin and some complementing spices. Here is my estimate of the recipe:

• 1 c all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 2 T sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c milk - I used a little less than 1 c, but more than 3/4 c
• 2 T unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c pumpkin puree
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 t cinnamon
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• I mixed together the dry ingredients, then added the wet ingredients and stirred to combine. The batter was very slightly orange. I poured batter in the waffle maker and left it closed until it stopped steaming. They
  came out tasting like pumpkin, but not too much.
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what i've been wearing lately

The photos are meant to give at least a little visual interest... and an idea of the outfits... but really, this is for people (Robyn) who see me and ask where I got my clothes.

On Thursday:

shirt - Ralph Lauren

skirt - The Limited

shoes - Tory Burch

watch - Michael Kors

earrings - Forever 21

necklace - unknown

hairclip (not pictured) - Ficcare (gift from A.G.)

lovely paintings in the background - my mom

You probably can't tell in the photo, but if you're thinking that my legs are looking a little tan... my mother did not raise me to wear bare legs in late October. I know it's probably not the fashionable thing to do, but I cannot get on board with going to one's "workplace" and trying to look "professional" without pantyhose.

Friday:

scarf - Nordstrom

jacket - Gap

shirt - Ralph Lauren

dress - Lux at Urban Outfitters

tights - Gap

shoes - Tory Burch

watch - Michael Kors

bracelet - hand-me-down from my mom

earrings - gift from B

I hope that I can show that you don't have to spend a lot of money to dress well. I wear a lot of clothes and jewelry that are hand-me-downs from my mom and grandmother. I and my mom also make a lot of my jewelry. I used to go to Goodwill when I had a lot of time on my hands; that's where I bought the skirt in the first outfit. The watch and shoes in these photos are more expensive, but they are what you could consider investment pieces. My parents gave me the black shoes for Christmas and the watch for my birthday, and I wear them all the time! I have worn the silver shoes so much that you can see the shape of my toes in them, gross, I know. Yes, I spend a lot of money on clothes sometimes, but I wear them to death when they're good ones! Another theme in these outfits is the button down shirt. I get these from the outlets, especially when they're on sale. Here, I wear them tucked into a skirt and under a dress. They are also my going-to-class uniform with a pair of jeans and boots.

pumpkin cinnamon roll... cake?

I saw this recipe the other day on Eat Live Run at the same time that B texted me to ask what I was doing. When I wrote back, "looking at a recipe for vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls," his response was "!!!!!!!!!!" so I figured it was a go. B is allergic to dairy, so I get excited about a vegan recipe. However, I did not make this vegan because I used an egg instead of chia seeds. I'm not really sure where you get those chia seeds, but it is the same chia as chia pets. Fun fact.

Well. Fast forward to a couple weeks later. I finally compiled the ingredients, thanks to my mom and Whole Foods. By the way, the new North Raleigh location makes me even more excited to move home in December! I attempted the recipe just in time for my roommate's birthday (she was excited about the recipe too). Then I tried to make them. Twice. Y'all, this recipe says it takes 3 hours, so trying twice cost my busy grad student schedule dearly.

I can't even remember the last time I have made something that didn't turn out right. And I regularly deviate from recipes! Why now?? With attempt 1, I added the yeast to the milk mixture when it was too hot. The dough didn't rise, and I considered that my house was too cold for it to rise, but I knew what I had done. At least I could salvage the ingredients for the filling and the icing. On attempt 2, I let the milk mixture cool for a few minutes and tested it with my finger before adding the yeast. The dough rose! But then I tried to knead it. The recipe gives directions for kneading and for using a Kitchen Aid, so I really wonder how it would turn out with the mixer. Do not turn the dough out onto your counter, even heavily floured, even with extra flour on standby, even with greased hands. Just stir it in the bowl. The dough is way too sticky to knead. No matter what I did, it stuck all over my hands and counter. Clearly that was problematic for making cinnamon rolls. Roll the dough out on the counter, add filling, roll up? Not possible. The dough smelled delicious, and I'd invested about 5 hours, so I was not giving up. I spread half of the dough in a cake pan, then spread the cinnamon sugar mixture, then topped it with the rest of the dough. I baked it just slightly longer than the recipe said to, and what came out was wonderful! It might have been the tastiest thing I've ever cooked. B and the birthday girl agreed.

Lessons learned:

If you see steam, it's too hot to add yeast.

If dough appears sticky, do not touch it with your hands or dump it on your counter.

Improvise. Do not waste ingredients.

I need a kitchen thermometer and Kitchen Aid mixer. (read: I need to get married.)

Until I get a camera, these posts are going to be really anticlimactic.