Fried Pumpkin and Sage Arancini

AKA Festive Balls of Happiness!

That's what these are, and I would love it if I could perhaps insist that you add these to your holiday party menu.

Fried Pumpkin and Sage Arancini is the exact type of recipe we need in our arsenal this type of  year. Indulgent and bursting with flavor. Crunchy yet creamy, salty and a tiny bit sweet. This is the recipe that will take center stage on your buffet table and impress your guests for days after.

About a year ago, we first dipped our toes into the world of homemade arancini. It was a little bit scary, but we learned a lot. We learned that arancini, in any form, is totally delicious and will most definitely fly off the table. We learned you can't eat just one. We also learned that, no matter how much we doubt it, arancini is actually not all that difficult to make. With a little planning and a little patience, we all can do it - seriously, we can!

I should also tell you that you can make these ahead, freeze 'em, and then reheat them when you are getting ready to serve them!  Simply follow the entire recipe below, cool the arancini completely, then store in between layers of parchment paper in a freezer bag. Once frozen, they will keep for about 2 months. When ready to serve, place them on a rack set over a baking dish and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes until hot throughout. See!? As if the golden brown crust and oozing centers didn't convince you, this proves that these really are the perfect party appetizer!

Pearl Cous Cous with Caramelized Mushrooms and Sage Brown Butter

Do you ever get an idea in your head, and you just can't stop thinking about it?

That happened to me recently and this delightful Pearl Cous Cous with Caramelized Mushrooms and Sage Brown Butter was the end result.

The idea actually came to me from a bottle of olive oil. I know, what am I even saying? Well, have you noticed a lot of boutique olive oil shops popping up everywhere? This is a big food trend right now. These local shops brew and infuse their own olive oil and balsamic vinegar and create some of the most unique and delicious flavors. These are great for cooking as well as marinades and salad dressings!

My favorite infusions tend to be herb-infused. I've had rosemary olive oil, basil olive oil, even cilantro-lime olive oil. After a recent visit to the Crushed Olive in Sayville, NY, I fell in l.o.v.e. with their Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil. I KNOW. Too perfect for this time of year!

And so, I became obsessed with this idea of mushrooms and sage...and not just mushrooms, but buttery, caramelized mushrooms. Be still my heart.

P.S. Can we all agree to stop thinking that we don't like mushrooms? I don't know what happened to give mushrooms such a bad wrap. I have to assume these haters just haven't had mushrooms cooked down so perfectly until tender? And bursting with flavor that you simply can't get anywhere else?

Whoops, minor mushroom ramble. Let me tell you some quick things about this amazing recipe because I know that's what you're here for. First is - flavor. Flavor, flavor, flavor. Mushrooms are cooked down in a bit of butter and olive oil and honey (yes! for caramelization!) with a bunch of sage, garlic and lemon zest. If you have neighbors, you should probably apologize now for how amazing your home is going to smell. This gets tossed together with tender, nutty whole wheat pearl cous cous, a big handful of parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice and...and...

Sage. Infused. Brown. Butter!

Enjoy this cous cous as a lunch or paired with a protein for a wonderfully quick dinner. Hosting a Friends-giving this year? Might I suggest adding this to your table? It's sure to be a hit!

Sage Buttermilk Biscuits

Let us once again talk about biscuits. In particular, let us talk about the best biscuits I have ever eaten. THIS IS NOT A HYPERBOLE.

Let me take you back to a time a few months ago. I was sitting at work, and long before it was an acceptable time to have lunch I was having hunger pangs. At the same time my eyelids were heavy and I was craving a warm cup of coffee. What would a woman do in such a trying time!?

Well, luckily I am blessed to work in an office in downtown Boston that is just steps away from the Back Bay location of Flour Bakery. If you live in Boston, I can only assume you already know the joys of Flour. If you have never been, or plan on visiting soon, let me suggest you make a breakfast or lunch stop at there. Freshly baked goodies line the countertop and they have an amazing selection of salads and sandwiches to choose from. Joanne Chang is the genius behind it all. And luckily for us, she has not one but two cookbooks to help us recreate the joys that one can find at Flour.

Back on this day, when things were not going as great as they could have been, I took a quick walk to Flour and came away with a warm coffee and the most delicious Sage Buttermilk Biscuit. Buttery, flaky, golden brown biscuits with flakes of fresh sage all throughout a soft, tender dough. Is your mouth watering yet?

When I found the recipe for Joanne's Sage Buttermilk Biscuits online, I did not hesitate to whip up a batch of my own. And then another 2 or 3 batches after that. Seriously, these biscuits are so addicting--they remind me why breakfast is the best and most important meal of the day.

I brought these biscuits to a brunch with a some good friends--I can't even begin to tell you how impressive our spread turned out to be! The biscuits were very well received by the whole crowd. Even kitties like to get in on a little biscuit action...after all, who wouldn't!

Parmesan and Herb Butternut Squash Sauce

I know what you're thinking...

2 posts about pasta in a row?! (That IS what you were thinking, isn't it?)

Look, let's just set the record straight. Pasta dishes are just delicious. If it weren't for the abundance of empty carbs and the obesity that would ensue, we would eat pasta all day, every day.

Oh...you wouldn't? Liar. J/K I still love you though.

The one thing that isn't always rainbows and butterflies when it comes to pasta dishes is that they can often seem redundant. Pasta. Sauce. Maybe a veggie tossed in. And some variation of protein. Yadda yadda yadda.

Nowadays, people are looking to answer one big question: how can I lighten up some of my favorite pasta dishes? Whole wheat pasta is a great place to start. I really enjoy the texture of whole wheat pasta. It's a little grainy and stays firm even if you cook it a little more than al dente.

I have also seen a lot of foodies out there branching out beyond traditional sauces like marinara, alfredo, and marsala. One trend that has intrigued me most this season is the use of pureed butternut squash as a substitute for sauce. I've never cooked with butternut squash before, but I am really happy that I tried it!

I used whole wheat rotini pasta (the rotini is one of my favorites because the saucey goodness tends to get trapped in the center of the curls) and mixed it up with sweet chicken sausage and baby broccoli. Add a heaping palm-ful of parmesan cheese to pureed butternut squash along with your favorite fresh herbs, and the result is a sophisticated and out-of-the-box pasta dish.

This whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes (extra bonus!) and the flavors are just bursting in each bite! Even my self-proclaimed pasta fanatic boyfriend went back for seconds and thirds, so I know something went right. Next time you want a comforting meal without the expense of a day's worth of carbs, pick up a butternut squash and give this recipe a try!