Fall is Here & Halloween is On the Way!

Here we are in mid October with Fall in full swing, although apparently no one told Mother Nature! Its time for fun fall recipes and the beginning of a chain of holiday parties! Halloween is up 1st, so we thought we would share some great Halloween recipes for all those parties you’ll be having and attending as well as just for fun at home! We all know that pumpkin is king this season, so it’s always fun to find recipes that go along with the trend! Here are a few great recipes to play with this season:

Pumpkin Spice

(put this in your latte’s, on top of some caramel ice cream, in your pancake or waffle mix or even in your cereal for a festive holiday punch!)

4 Tablespoons Cinnamon

4 Tablespoons Ginger

4 Tablespoons Nutmeg

3 Tablespoons Allspice

Candy Corn Martini

(This is an easy cocktail that looks great!)

Ingredients:

2 oz  Candy Corn Infused Vodka (its easy…pour out a little vodka and dump in some candy corn. leave it in until you get your desired flavor.)

2 oz Lemonade

2 oz Pineapple Juice

1/2 oz Grenadine

Whipped Cream for topping

Directions

1. Combine vodka, lemonade & juices and shake.

2. Pour mix into a martini glass.

3. Slowly pour Grenadine into mix so it settles at the bottom.

4. Top with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

3 teaspoons Pumpkin Spice (see above)

1 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Large Egg

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 1/2 Cup Whole Milk

• Feel free to add chocolate chips, nuts or berries in for something a little extra!

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice) and set aside.

Add brown sugar, pumpkin, egg, oil and  milk and blend in a mixer or blender until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk by hand until combined evenly.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and generously coat with butter.

Put 1/4 Cup batter on and flip when edges look dry and there are bubbles forming on the inside.

Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove and add more butter to skillet as needed.

We hope you enjoy these recipes and we will see you soon here at Zazou for our AMAZING Pumpkin Ravioli!

Homemade Pappardelle Pasta

At Zazou we take pride in serving an interesting blend of classic French and Italian flavors. One of our favorite traditional Tuscan dishes is pappardelle pasta. We serve a pappardelle pasta with wild boar ragu and portobello mushroom (pictured above). But pappardelle is a simple and delicious dish that you can cook at home.

We came across this tasty recipe for Homemade Pappardelle Pasta with Mushrooms, Green Peas, and Asparagus. This homemade pasta dish was created by Chris Hastings, renowned chef at Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama.

Below are the ingredients for the pasta portion of the dish. To view the full menu visit myrecipes.com.

Pappardelle Pasta:

• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

The Perfect Margarita

Margarita fans, this is for you. How does one make the perfect margarita? Does the perfect margarita not even include tequila? Epicurious asked 25 bartenders about their method for the perfect margarita. Here were the results.

Do you make a killer margarita? Share your recipe in the comments!

Herbes de Provence

 

We are inspired by cuisine from all over the world, but we must say we have a soft spot from the flavors of Provence. We love the earthy, rustic and simple approach taken by the region. So, we decided to share one of our favorite Herbes de Provence recipe with you! Just follow these incredibly easy steps:

• 4 Tbsp dried thyme

• 3 Tbsp dried marjoram

• 3 Tbsp dried summer savory

• 2 Tbsp dried rosemary

• 1 Tbsp dried tarragon

• 1 Tbsp dried basil

• 1 Tbsp dried fennel seeds

• 1 tsp dried chervil

• 1 tsp dried mint

• 1 tsp dried lavender flowers

Mix well and spoon into a tightly-lidded jar. Store in a cool, dark place up to 4 months.

This mixture is great to season with chicken, fish, or roasted vegetables. Now that you have the flavors of Provence in your pantry, you can travel to France any time you want!

Fennel 101

With fall approaching, we can’t help but get excited about one of our favorite vegetables and all-around renaissance food, fennel, to come back in season! Although it is delicious year-round, this licorice-tasting herb popular in Mediterranean dishes starts shining in the fall through early spring. If you have tried Zazou’s Seared Scallops with Fennel Compote, then you know how glorious fennel can taste! So, we have come up with a few fennel inspirations for you.

First of all, there are number of different ways to enjoy fennel. There is the bulb, which is refreshing and crisp. Then there are the leaves, which have a bright, anise-like flavor which are great for garnish. Then, there are fennel seeds, which can be used in a number of dishes like pasta, pizza, soup, and even breads. Fennel seeds are also delicious crusted onto fish, like salmon or mackerel.

You can also roast or bake fennel, cutting it in half and sprinkling some Parmigiano Reggiano on top and placing in a 400 degree oven for about ten minutes. The sweetness of the fennel paired with saltiness of the cheese is guaranteed to make a fennel fan!

Farro: Ingredient Highlight

Farro may seem like an “up-and-coming” and trendy food but this nutty grain is actually a historical one, dating back to ancient Roman times. Why the sudden farro “movement”? Could be that it is a great alternative for those with gluten sensitivities and is found to aid in lowering cholesterol.

So what are some good ways to prepare farro? The simple answer is: there really is no wrong way to eat the brown rice-like, nutty grain. Farro is firm and chewy, making it a great replacement or substitute  for pasta or rice. So from breakfast to side dishes, there is no wrong time or place to enjoy farro.

Speaking of side dishes, farro is delicious prepared following package instructions, drained with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Another appetizing side idea is to add some kale or collard greens and let the steam of the farro gently cook the greens.

Farro, again, is a great substitute for pasta or rice so it is great in most soups and salads for added heartiness. We love to add some fresh mozzarella and chopped tomatoes to room temperature farro for a quick and delicious meal. Another quick meal idea is to add any sauce of your choice to farro. We like pesto or marinara but you can get as creative as you’d like.

Farro is also great for breakfast! Mix with cinnamon and raisins or add milk and honey for a filling start to your day!

Bottom line here is: farro is great for practically any meal, is virtually foolproof, and it has tremendous health benefits which is why it is one of our favorite foods!