too much of you

The breakfast of champions after waking up at 6:00a to vote and returning from an hour-long (could have been worse) line: Persimmon Butterscotch Cookies!

Yes, they are not-loosely based on Joy's Pumpkin Cookies with Butterscotch Chips. The only change is that I peeled, diced and pureed about 6 small Fuyu persimmons to replace the cup of pumpkin puree. Why?

My parents have a persimmon tree in their backyard, and when I expressed interest in a couple, my mom took that to mean that I wanted loads. So 2 weeks after lugging them home, a couple were ready to bite the dust. They were saved by these cookies (and I still have 2 - they'll never go away!) And because I already made the pumpkin version for a Halloween party last Friday.

I also had to make more because we ate the other ones so quickly that I didn't get a chance to photograph them. Both versions are now favorite cookies, but I think I prefer the pumpkin ones slightly more. They're much warmer and fall-tasting. Oh, and since the persimmons were naturally sweeter, I decreased the sugar by about 1/4 cup. The texture of both are unbelievable - more like little cake rounds than cookies. I'm already dreaming about turning them into whoopie pies with a pile of cream cheese frosting in the middle. :)

And by the way, Californians, please vote No on 4 and 8. Thanks!

nothing to do, nothing to lose

You know how sometimes you're more tired when you've done nothing than when you've had a full day of busy? Today was such a day - work was eerily quiet, and the gloomy, chilly weather didn't help. All I wanted to do when I got home was carbo-load and crawl under mounds of blankets and watch episodes of "The Office."

Bittman came to my rescue with Pasta with Spinach and Blue Cheese. I used a pound of penne, 12 oz. of spinach (because that's the size bag it comes in), and 1/4 lb. Danish Blue cheese.

I've made a Macaroni and Blue Cheese before, but this was so much better, in part because it was simpler. Dare I even say healthier - I mean, no cream to speak of, and the addition of spinach! :P In any case, the blue cheese really shone through without the addition of a different cheese, and the spinach cut through the richness and made us feel a little less bad for almost polishing off the entire potful of pasta.