Hello Muggles! I'm just uber-flipping ecstatic to be joining the ranks of the top 24 food bloggers of FoodBuzz's Project Food Blog. Voting for Challenge 8 opens on Monday, November 29 thru Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 6pm (PST). I cannot thank you enough for all your support, so as a gift to you, I'm going to make you go muggle-wild with this post. I hope you enjoy it and here's the link to cast your vote by clicking on the heart!
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I have a confession. I’m a muggle…a Harry Potter-loving muggle! Ever since I wandered into the wonderful world of wizardry and witchcraft, I have been entranced by the whimsy of all that surrounds Hogwarts and Harry Potter. It is a love that was born many moons ago and one that still flourishes today.So, when it came time to create my latest entry for Project Food Blog, is it any wonder that I would turn to Harry for inspiration? Not at all. The task was to bake a sweet or savory dish out of the seasonal ingredient: PUMPKIN!!!
While I must say that this seasonal squash has pretty much saturated all cooking channels during this time of year and though it really made me want to whisk off to the la-la land of muggles and goblins, the other part of me knew that I had to tackle this challenge head on. So off I flew in search of pumpkins at a nearby patch...sooo lovely! I couldn't help but snap pictures left and right.
And I eventually settled on these cute little darling sugar pumpkins. Again, mom also bought over more kabocha pumpkins to enhance my pumpkin recipe.
When Harry Met Spicy
When a little birdie told me that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter had opened this past summer at Universal Orlando in Florida, I nearly choked on my snickerdoodle. I don't care how old I am when I finally visit, but I can only imagine the cheesy grin plastered on my face as I frolick through Hogsmeade chugging down butter beer, gobbling chocolate frogs, and riding on a broomstick (okay, the broomstick might be a stretch, but you know—a muggle can only dream).
And dream I did! For this challenge, the Harry Potter-loving muggle in me threw a little shindig that I felt would happen when/if Harry met Spicy! Yes, if he only met me---oooh, the possibilities are endless! While I really wished I could have honored him with booger- and barf-flavored jelly beans, I realized that I also had a stronger urge to show him what eating with Spicy was really all about, so I threw in my own twist on what I thought Harry would enjoy, while still retaining many important aspects of the wizarding world.
Honeydukes Sweet & Savory Shop – featuring homemade Pumpkin Pot Pie!
Any trip to Hogsmeade would not be complete without a stop at the local sweet spot. As a tribute to Harry’s favorite sweets shop, I nicknamed my smorgasboard of delights Honeydukes, but with a savory twist as an added bonus. I envisioned a festive display of some of his traditional desserts, such as the Cauldron Cakes and then added my own spin on pot pies made with a rich blend of sugar and kabocha pumpkins and Thanksgiving turkey! When most people think of pumpkin, sweet pies and sugary desserts immediately come to mind. But I wanted something hearty and filling for my little wizard, so I imagined that if (or when) Harry met Spicy, he’d conjure up some of my pumpkin pot pies in place of his beloved pumpkin pasties any day!
Other equally pleasing homemade treats in Honeydukes Shop that afternoon were some tasty Gryffindor Grapefruit Bars & Slytherin Snickerdoodles. They were so much fun to bake (from scratch). To layer on another touch of whimsy, I also snagged some Chocolate Gold Coins from Gringotts Wizarding Bank. I know the holidays are around the corner, so I'll be posting my recipes soon because I kid you (NOT!) when I say that every single morsel and sliver of sweetness was licked clean or taken home as parting gifts.
And what Harry Potter party would be complete without a mini Harry on stand-by? How's that for sweet, eh?
Homemade Pumpkin Pot Pies {with Turkey}
(Makes 5 hearty pots of pies)
ESSENTIALS:• ½ small kabocha or sugar pumpkin, cubed (1 to 2 pounds each)
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 6 tbs butter
• ½ cup cream
• 8 tbs all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 carrots, peeled & diced
• 12 pearl onions or ½ cup chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 parsnip, peeled & diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• refrigerated pie crust (recipe here)
• egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash
TO-DO:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice tops off pumpkins. Remove seeds and pulp. Peel and chop pumpkin into bite-sized cubes. Place pumpkins and onions on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until well blended, about 1 minute. Add broth and cream and stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add vegetable & turkey and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add in the roasted pearl onions, pumpkin and fresh herbs. Remove from heat and divide mixture evenly among your pie pans (approximately 1-1/2 cups per pot pie) or in my case, among my mini french onion soup crock pots turned pie pans.
3. Unwrap pie dough and place on lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough and cut into round disk shapes slightly larger than the tops of your pie pans. As an added garnish, use cookie cutters to cut out festive dough shapes to attach it to the tops of your pie.
4. Brush the tops of each pie with the egg wash, making sure to also brush all decorations. In a 375°F oven, bake pot pies for 30 minutes, or until pie dough is golden and filling is hot and bubbly.
One word - CREATIVE! Loved the tie into Harry Potter. The pictures are amazing. I bet the pumpkin pot pie was perfect with the cold weather we have been having. Best of luck with challenge #8! You have my vote!!!
OMG *I* want a HP party catered by you too!!! Good luck!
Wish we could have been there to experience the all wizarding wonder in person!
you made magic. The photographs are lovely, the atmosphere warm and the pies must be delightful. and BTW, how cute is your mini-HP with those glasses???
Congrats! Love your Harry Potter party and the table looks fab!
Omigosh. How cute is your mini Harry Potter?! I could just eat him up. :)
Love how you incorporated the challenge into a Harry Potter themed party. Everything looks too delicious for words, including your pumpkin pot pies. Great job.
I love the whole post and really love that you made something savory, not sweet. Spectacular photos, including mini HP :)
You totally get my vote just for all the HP references! I love love love harry potter, and your pumpkin recipe sounds incredible :)
Wow. I just found your post via the Project Food Blog Challenge. I love every single thing about it! From the recipe to your love of HP to that little cutie in the glasses. Will be visiting again soon!
ok,this is amazing! I actually came over to your sight simply because when i saw "pumpkin pot pies", I was pretty much hooked, since I adore any and all things made with pumpkin/winter squash...And when I realized the full extent of your post, I was simply amazed! How creative and fun. Love it all. Keep up the great work...
love,
cathy b. @ brightbakes
Love how you did a savory dish - because all the others are sweet. The pot pie is creative and sounds very flavorful. Good luck with the challenge. You have my vote!
everything about this is amazing! love the party - love the photos - love the pumpkin pot pie! good luck!
@Lisa: Thank you! I really wanted to have fun with this post and seeing that pumpkin is everywhere, it was great to go above and beyond what I thought was a 1-dish challenge.
@Mardi: Haha...thank you!
@Mark: Hope you feel better, but we definitely missed you and the girls!
@Amelia: Awe, thanks and yes, mini Potter is a super cute little friend of ours.
@high low: Thanks guys!
@Isabelle: Drools...he's a little heart throb for mini Potter. Glad you enjoyed the theme and tablescape--it was really fun to dream up!
@Winnie, Megan, Katie & Brie: Thanks ladies! I love my HP fans!
@Cathy B: Awe, you're so sweet and I'm really happy you're going to try it out!
@Trish: Thanks, my dear! I had too many sweets already, so I figured I'd take a stab at savory and make it hearty for Potter :)
Love the creativity of this post!!! You have my vote!
Oh, wow, you went all out on this! Brava!
Lovely post! And your lil Harry is such a cutie. Nicely done!
THIS is the reason why you should win this whole shebang. I may be biased as a fellow muggle who adores HP, but I love your creativity, and your savory pumpkin creation. Thank you for going savory, it's so refreshing! This is a party both my children and I would love to attend!
@Ashley, Serene: Smiles and hugs to you. Thank you!
@Lisa of Korean American Mommy: I thought about your little guy when I saw this lil Harry. They would have looked adorable together, don't you think?
@Liren: Smiles and blushes to you from muggle to muggle. Next time, you and your kiddies will definitley be getting an invite from Hedwig. I cannot believe that owl missed your home!
Great job Spicy..Stay Super!!
Amazing! You are one creative potter loving foodie! You can cater my parties any day and please bring the little harry stand-in. i LOVE everything about this post! Thank you for going savory instead of the cliche sweet! Well done Spicy Green Mango, well done!
What a fun themed party! Those pot pies look hearty and delicious. I love the "mini-Harry" photo at the end. Priceless!
Pot pies are so comfortingly delicious. I think the creaminess of pumpkin made this a spectacular dish. Love it that you made a savory dish!
Hey Spicy! Great job on your post. Looks delicious as usual! Voting right now:)
YOUR PARTY IS SO ADORABLE that it hurts!! I want to be invited to the next one, missy ;)
Great job creating a fun, amazing atmosphere with delicious food.
So creative! What a joy to read. I also love that you gave us a savory dish--truly to help us broaden our pumpkin options this time of year. Beautiful photos, writing, recipe...all of it. Well done!
This is absolutely cool..I love the way you write..And the pies are so cute...
What a cute party! Love the pot pies as it's great to see a savory dish in the mix. Best wishes!!
Delightful Harry Potter theme. Delicious recipes and presentation worthy of a Hogwarts feast. Please, could you send an owl with samples?
Lol! I heart HP, so this was a great twist. I would have loved to have seen a take on the traditional pumpkin Harry Potter items though: pumpkin pasties, or pumpkin juice! Well, in any event, you've inspired ME to try something new with pumpkin too. Good luck in the rest of PFB!
What a great post! Love the pic of mini harry;) Just cast a vote for you at Food Buzz. Good luck:)
WOW ! Amazing and delicious , good luck but I don't think you need it :)
How cute and creative are you!?! You definitely have my vote. I love, love, love the idea of a pumpkin pot pie. It sounds so heavenly this time of year and really spoke to me since I've been meaning to whip up pot pies. Yum!
Your photography is always beautiful and pot pie is a sentimental favorite. Your version looks so delicious and comforting!
Those look incredible :)
Jenny let me try your pot pie. SO GOOD!!! Also, I love the jars you put them in, reminds me of Winnie the Pooh. Great job!
Terrific entry! So cute and creative! Good luck!
LL
Cute theme! Love your photos :)
Your such a creative person, I really admire your work. Your mini mango(son)is ADORABLE :)
I've been traveling Southeast Asia for the past couple months and haven't had much time to blog, but I've check out your blog a few times and I'm really excited to go back to blogging when I get back home.
Hope all is well and Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Awe, geez..thanks everyone for your heartfelt and words of encouragement. I'm really glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.
BTW: Those kids were my guests...little Harrys on loan, you could say :) They were quite the characters.
i like the post..all your pictures are soo cute...
Happy holidays!!