Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Miss F's class is celebrating Halloween by wearing costumes (first time ever for her school) and having a Pumpkin Day. There are going to have all sorts of fun pumpkin themed activities, including tasting all sorts of delicious pumpkin treats. Miss F wanted to make pumpkin muffins and I suggested to add chocolate chips, because, why not? And I suspect the chocolate might break up all the pumpkiness. Happy Halloween everyone! This recipe was based off one from Betty Crocker.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin
1 ½ cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, water and eggs; stir in the pumpkin. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. Use an ice cream disher to scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

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Lemon Dover Sole

I have such wonderful memories of the first time I had Dover sole. I was in Las Vegas at Jean-Georges Steakhouse in the Bellagio and the special was Dover sole. Our server was fantastic and told us whenever Dover sole was on the menu, we should order it. He was SO right. Dover sole is probably my most favorite fish. Back in Houston, I can always get it on Wednesday nights at Brasserie 19, but imagine my surprise when a friend told me she found Dover sole at Costco. They don't stock a ton of it, so it isn't always there, but when it is, BUY IT.  This recipe couldn't be any simpler, my friend made it for me for lunch one day after making the Costco discovery and I was hooked.

Lemon Dover Sole

¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 Dover sole filets
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge the Dover sole filets in the flour mixture. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Dover sole filets to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn over the sole with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Plate the fish and sauce, serve.

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Oven Baked Shrimp Po-Boys

Miss F could eat her weight in fried shrimp. I am tempted to take her to Red Lobster for their endless shrimp special just to see how many she could eat, but the problem would be that she would probably reject the shrimp they serve there. She always hates kids' menu shrimp because "there is more fried part than actual shrimp." I agree. The main issue with frying shrimp at home is that the fried shrimp smell lingers for quite a bit. I had never served a po-boy to Miss F before, but she was a huge fan! She didn't have a single topping, just shrimp and bread, but she loved it. I had all the toppings (and all the shrimp!) These po-boys are generous with the shrimp, a half pound on each sandwich. Feel free to convert the recipe to serve four half sandwiches if you are serving them alongside something else.

Oven Baked Shrimp Po-Boys

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon relish
hot sauce

¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 pound shrimp
2 sub rolls
1 tomato, sliced
½ cup chopped lettuce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish and hot sauce to taste. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. In a third shallow bowl, add the Panko. Grease a sheet pan with cooking spray. Peel and devein the shrimp. Dredge the shrimp in the flour, then dip in the egg-milk mixture and finally toss in the Panko. Place the shrimp on the prepared pan and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until shrimp is starting to brown.

Split each roll; top with half of the lettuce, then half of the tomato and half of the shrimp. Drizzle each with the sauce and serve.

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