Comfortable Thanksgiving Dinner

I love Thanksgiving for the challenge. To push my own limits on how many dishes I can ring to the table at the same time, hot and ready. But this year I'm changing it up. Much more relaxed, intimate and comfortable. It will be cool enough for a fire and with games going in the living room, football on in the rec room, and food cooking on the stove - there is time for everyone to enjoy themselves. Keeping the menu small and relaxed but still delicious.


Comfortable Thanksgiving Dinner

Roasted turkey breast stuffed with sausage and apple stuffing
Garlic mashed potatoes and pan gravy
Roasted carrots
Acorn squash with raisins and cranberries
Rosemary rolls
Cranberry and clementine chutney

Traditional pumpkin pie with Bourbon whipped cream
Pumpkin swirl cheesecake with gingersnap crust
Cranberry bliss bars
Espresso bar

End of the night homemade honey wheat bread loaves - for everyone to take to make sandwiches the next day!


Looking for some more tried and true recipes to finish your menu?

Check out past years' menus with links:
An American and Lebanese Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Feast
Autumn Roast Dinner
Black Friday Brunch

Stay tuned for this year's Black Friday Brunch menu, coming next!

Simple Fall Celebration Dinner

When the days run short and the air turns frigid there is nothing better than an excuse to light a roaring fire. With an easy, but celebratory fall menu in mind, it's hard not to come up with an excuse to have people over. Smells of sweet potato pie, fresh bread and a pot of bubbling mulled cider on the stove fill the house with warmth and comfort. Only to be exaggerated by lit candles and warm throws. Your guests will be sure to find comfort in your home, as well as your delicious menu. So call them up, invite them over, and have a simple little dinner of your own.


Simple Fall Celebration Dinner

Fresh mulled cider upon arrival

Balsamic caramelized onion, goat cheese and almond crostini
Mini sweet potato pies with creme fraiche and nutmeg
Artisan cheese plate
Choice of wines

Soft bulgur wheat rolls
Simple fall greens salad

Garlic and mustard seed crusted pork loin roast
Caramelized butternut squash ravioli with toasted walnuts
Fresh market green beans

Chocolate hazelnut tarts with fresh berries
Coffee service

Anniversary cake

Ma'amoul

I love dates. I always have. They are like chocolates for me. That's why this cookie has always been a favorite of mine. Before now, I've always made them in the palm of my hand. A deliciously flaky and buttery pastry formed into a flattened ball around a sweet date puree and rolled in powdered sugar. But this time, it was different. I found a beautiful hand carved mold at the local middle eastern market and I knew I had to make a big batch. I love these cookies because they are not sugary sweet like most cookies are. So they go perfectly for after dinner coffee or on a decorative plate with tea when unexpected guests arrive. And this time of year, a wonderful addition is a small pinch of cinnamon in the dough.

Another great trick, if dates are not in season, you can't find them at your grocery, or you are just inherently lazy, like I am -- you can find packages of "baking dates" at your local middle eastern market. It is a package with no preservatives, no additives, just dates that are already softened for easy baking. I found that they are pretty inexpensive, too. This is also the place you can find orange blossom water.


Ma’amoul
(Lebanese Date Stuffed Pastries)

8 oz. dates, pitted, roughly chopped
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, chilled, diced
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp orange blossom water
2 1/2 Tbsp water
powdered sugar

Directions:
-In a small saucepan over low heat, combine dates and 1/4 c. water
-Cook until softened, mashing with fork as needed.
-Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
-In a large bowl, sift in flour.
-Add the butter pieces and rub the butter into the flour (or cut into flour with pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
-Combine the orange blossom water with the remaining water and sprinkle over the flour.
-Mix into the flour to combine (adding a small amount more if needed to just come together when pressed)
-Cover the dough and rest for approximately 30 minutes.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and like baking sheet with parchment.
-You may press dough into a mold or hand form: Take a spoonful of dough and shape into a round, make a hollow with your finger and spoon a little of the date stuffing into the hollow, then seal the opening and reshape into a round.
-Continue until the dough runs out.
-Place the pastries onto the prepared baking sheet.
-Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on size of your cookies).
-Remove the foil about halfway through the cooking, but keep an eye on them to ensure that they do not brown.
-Remove and cool on wire racks until firm.
-When thoroughly cooled, roll in sifted powdered sugar.

Makes approximately 12 large cookies (2 inches wide, 1 inch high)



One Year Ago: Turkey Sugar Cookies and Apple Pecan Bread

Cranberry Orange Cake

The funny part about this cake is that it originated from a day dream. I was dreaming of a beautiful cranberry studded, orange scented cake with a luscious glaze of orange and vanilla. When I got up this morning it was about making that day dream a reality. So with the right ingredients and a lot of luck I think this is it. Tart, sweet, light and fluffy and perfectly capturing the autumn weather, this cranberry orange cake is hard to beat. Although I'd have to say, I'm a bit biased. It went wonderfully for dessert with our meal, but also served as a great item to serve with coffee for guests the next morning (or, honestly, early afternoon).


Cranberry Orange Cake

Ingredients:
3 c. flour, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. oil
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp orange zest
1 Tbsp orange liquor
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 c. fresh cranberries

for icing:
2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3-6 tsp fresh orange juice

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare basic bundt pan.
-In bowl of stand mixer, add sugar, butter and oil and beat until light and fluffy in texture as well as color, about 5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine 2 1/2 c flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-Whisk to combine well and set aside.
-To sugar mixture, add orange zest.
-One at a time, add egg and beat to combine well.
-Add liquor and vanilla, beating to combine well.
-Add orange juice and buttermilk, mixing to combine well.
-Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.
-With mixer on lowest speed, add flour mixture and mix until almost combined.
-Stop mixer and remove bowl.
-In bowl flour was in, add remaining 1/2 c. flour and cranberries.
-Toss to coat and add to batter.
-Using large spatula, fold cranberries and extra flour into batter just until combined.
-Pour batter into bundt pan.
-Tap on counter to remove air bubbles, smooth top of batter away from center of pan.
-Place into preheated oven on rack in center of oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center of pan comes out clean, about 1 hour.
-Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes.
-Turn cake out onto wire rack and cool completely.
-Once cake is cool, in medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract and orange juice, 1 tsp at a time until medium consistency is achieved.
-Drizzle icing over top of cake, decorate with orange rind and fresh cranberries and serve.




One Year Ago: Celebration Bread

How to Ship Baked Goods

One of my favorite things to do for far away friends and family is to ship them yummy goodies, made with love. Now that the holidays are nearing, I'm sure a lot of you are thinking about the same thing. What a wonderful way to show you care. A packaged of beautiful handmade cookies, deliciously fruited breads, and sweet, sugary fudge are some of my favorites. But when you have to ship them across the country, how do you ensure they arrive intact and are able to decorate the table of your loved one? Well, here are some simple steps I have learned to ensure a safe, and beautiful arrival from your kitchen to your friends' table.


How to Ship Baked Goods

1) Ensure that the goodies you bake are tough - That is, you want to ship baked goods that can rustle a bit. Good ideas? drop or sugar cookies, quick breads, hearty yeast loaves, fudge, brittle, marshmallows. Bad ideas? well, there aren't many of these, but thin and brittle lace cookies and the like, often don't make it.


2) Package each baked item individually - This means, don't just shove them all your items in one bag. Separate sugar cookies into small, pretty bags. Mini loaves of bread can be wrapped, drop cookies are best in a small stack (4-6 cookies), then wrapped together as such. Brownies wrapped separately. This way, the structural integrity of each item stays put.


3) Double wrap for freshness - When it comes to items like breads and cookies, staleness can come on quickly. To ensure the goodies arrive intact as well as delicious, make sure there are two layers of protection. For most everything I package I wrap in plastic wrap (to seal in moisture) and then in a layer of tinfoil (to seal again, as well as provide a more stiff barrier to protect against breakage). Drop cookies are done the same way, but in stacks of about 4-6 cookies together, to form a column. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then

4) Packing for departure - The key in this step is making sure the items in your package are stable. You want to make sure that the items do not move around inside the box, as well as being protected from being moved around a lot outside the box. This is done through two layers of protection. First, you will take your packaged items and arrange them tightly into a large container. This can be a bag, a box, a ziploc container, etc. I prefer a large gallon size bag due to it's size and shape. Make sure there is not room for the items to move around inside the container.


Your second layer of protection is padding around this container and your packing box. This "padding" will be used to secure your backed goods from moving around when the box is tossed around. Using a priority box or a flat rate priority box (these are free from the post office and I use whichever is cheapest to my destination), you place padding material in the bottom of the box, place the container inside, then more padding on the sides and top of the box and seal. Make sure the padding is filled enough so the container doesn't move much inside the box.

I prefer to reuse my daily newspaper, but you can use scrap paper, plain (no butter or salt) popcorn, packing peanuts, or whatever else you have. But I find newspaper to be the cheapest, the easiest and the least messy when your family and friends unpack. (I personally dislike opening a box and having packing peanuts fly out onto the floor).


5) Sending it off - Don't forget to address the box, bring it to the post office and send priority. In a couple of days you will get a great phone call thanking you for the beautiful goodies that all arrived intact. Mission accomplished.

Hummus Awarma

One of our very favorite appetizers we love to make for big crowds is hummus awarma. A great alternative to the regular dip, this appetizer, like most Lebanese dishes, feeds a lot. The fragrant meat topping is warm and hearty. Slightly caramelized onion and garlic give a great comforting aroma along with fresh out of the oven pita. This is a big winner in our house.


Hummus Awarma

Ingredients:
-triple recipe basic hummus
-1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
-1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp za'atar
-1/2 c. pine nuts
-1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
-salt and pepper

Directions:
-In large pan over medium-low heat, add 1 tsp olive oil and bring up to almost smoking.
-Add pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden in color, about 4 minutes.
-Remove from pan and set aside.
-Add remaining olive oil to pan and diced onion.
-Cook stirring occasionally, until just beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
-Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
-Remove form pan and set aside with pine nuts.
-Add lamb (beef), za'atar, a pinch of salt and pepper to pan and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through, draining as needed.
-Drain meat completely, add pine nuts and onion mixture back to pan and toss to heat and combine.
-Remove from heat.
-Plate hummus, top with meat mixture, and flank plate with fresh pita to serve.

One Year Ago: No Knead Bread

Simply Delicious Cranberry Nut Bread

Simple because it's all made in one bowl with no chopping or prepping. Less to clean and quick to throw together. Deliciousness comes naturally to this light loaf that is fragrant with orange, full of tart cranberry flavor, and simple crunch of delicious walnuts. All contained in a beautifully smooth, slightly cinnamon flavored loaf. Pop this bread in the oven for company for a wonderful treat and a house full of wonderful smell.


Simply Delicious Cranberry Nut Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp orange zest
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans).
-In a large bowl, add sugars and oil and mix until very well combined.
-Mixing while incorporating, add milk, zest, egg, and vanilla.
-Mix to combine well.
-Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt over wet ingredients.
-Fold dry ingredients in until half way combined, about 5 full strokes.
-Add cranberries and walnuts and fold in. (Batter should be just barely combined)
-Spoon batter into loaf pan(s) and tap to release air pockets.
-Place pan(s) into oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes for regular loaf and 25-30 minutes for mini loaves.
-Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.
-Turn loaf out onto wire rack and let cool completely before slicing.



One Year Ago: Savory Maple Glazed Carrots

A Baseball Kind of Day

With a great season ending, what better way to say thank you to players, coaches and parents than cookies? Not any I can think of!





One Year Ago: Fresh Pear and Cranberry Pie

Turkey Sausage Pasta

There are some recipe sites you just love because they always seem to post recipes that fit you perfectly. May be because they have the same tastes as you, or because they are genius. When I read Proceed with Caution, I prefer to think both. So when this Turkey Sausage Ragu post when up, and I said I had to make it, I meant it. I had all the ingredients except the turkey sausage and I knew my husband would love it.

Well, not only was it better than expected, but I ate the whole batch in two days. The chili flakes give a wonderful tiny bit of spice that just plays up the fresh garlic flavor. The sweet canalization of the onions and balsamic with the tomatoes and the lovely addition of spinach make all the difference. A definite winner and now a voted staple in our house, I hope you like it as much as we did.


Turkey Sausage Pasta
adapted slightly from Proceed with Caution, originally from Clean Eating

Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. smoked lean turkey sausage, sliced
1/4 tsp chile flakes
3 cloves fresh garlic, diced finely
1/4 c. low sodium chicken stock
1- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1- 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, torn
3 c. fresh spinach, thick chiffonade
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb penne, or pasta of choice
1/2 c. flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for garnish

Directions:
-In large stock pot over high heat, bring water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions.
-Meanwhile, in large pan over medium heat, add oil and bring up to almost smoking.
-Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
-Add thyme and sliced sausage and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
-Add chili flakes and garlic and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan.
-Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, stirring to combine well.
-Add oregano, spinach, and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil.
-When pasta is finished cooking, drain well and place into pan with tomato sauce.
-Toss and remove from heat.
-Let cool slightly, mix well, plate and garnish.
-Serve immediately.

One Year Ago: Autumn Roast Dinner

Fall Cookies

Now that November is here (can you believe it!?), we are really in the midst of fall here. The weather is chilly, the leaves are all falling and football takes up my entire weekend. I love fall. So while football is on the television this weekend I baked up a ton of goodies for my friends. Among some of my favorite cookies and breads, i love shipping sugar cookies. This time I made pumpkins and leaves. Vibrant in color and full of the fall spirit. I hope the lucky ones who get these boxes like them!


These cookies were made with my favorite sugar cookies recipe and decorated with basic royal icing.


And my favorite way to use beautiful cookies? As place settings! Pipe on your guests' names, wrap in a cookie bag with a cute raffia ribbon bow and you'll wow all your guests this season.



One Year Ago: Mama H's White Chocolate Cranberry Bars

Caramel Corn

Haven't had time to make any fun treats this week for Halloween? Not to worry. I have the yummiest and easiest recipe for you. Made with rel pantry staples, pop three bas of popcorn and put this stuff in the oven while you eat dinner. You'll have a huge bowl of snacks for your Halloween evening. Goes perfectly with hot chocolate or spiced cider. Happy Halloween!



Caramel Corn
adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 bags microwaved popcorn
1 1/2 c. honey roasted peanuts, or addin of choice

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees
-Pop popcorn and place popcorn and peanuts in a very large bowl.
-In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
-Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
-Boil without stirring 4 minutes.
-Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
-Pour over popcorn and stir to coat.
-Place popcorn in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes.
-Remove from oven, stir one more time and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

How to Perfectly Decorate a Cookie

One post I often get requests for is my old "How to Decorate Sugar Cookies" post. Well, not to fret. I'm reposting, and in doing so, starting a new theme for the upcoming holidays. On most Fridays this fall and winter season, I'll be posting "how-to" posts for your cooking, baking and decorating questions. I hope I can share with you the little bit I know as much as I love reading what others know. Happy hosting!


How to Perfectly Decorate a Cookie

What you’ll need:

-Basic royal icing (recipe below)
-Small bowls for colors
-A spatula
-Toothpicks
-Gel food coloring
-#2, #3, or tip of choice
-Decorating bags


#1 – Making the icing

Basic Royal Icing

Ingredients:
1 lb (4 c.), powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp meringue powder
4-6 Tbsp water *

* There is a star here because the amount of water you will need to add to the icing is very much dependent on temperature and humidity of the place you are and the day you make it.

Note: All tools (mixer, bowl, spatula, paddle) must be completely free of any grease/fat or the icing will turn to water and you will have to start over.

Directions:
-In bowl of large stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, add powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 4 Tbsp water.
-Turn mixer on medium speed and slowly add more water as necessary for icing to just come together (about 1 more).
-Turn mixer on high and beat for 7-10 minutes, or until the sheen comes off of the icing.
-Use immediately and place a damp towel over any remaining icing as this stuff dries quickly!


#2 – Coloring and Outlining

-In a small bowl, place some of your royal icing.
-Take a toothpick, swirl it in your gel coloring and pull out the amount of food coloring you’ll need.
-Place the toothpick end into the icing and swirl to incorporate the color into the icing.
-Use your spatula to mix the icing until the color is fully incorporated.
-If you need more color, use a new toothpick, as not to contaminate the food coloring.

-Prepare a decorating bag (I like the disposable ones for less mess), by snipping the end and placing the decorating tip (#2, #3, or tip of choice) into the opening.
-Use of a coupler is optional, and recommended if you are going to be adding detail to the cookie, but you don’t need it.
-Squeeze down to make sure the tip is against the opening securely.

-Fold back the opening of the bag against your hand, and using the spatula, place about 1/2 c. of icing in the bag (or less if you are only making a few cookies).

-“Burp” the bag by holding the bag above the icing closed, and pressing the icing down into the bottom of the bag with your thumb and forefingers.
-Twist the bag closed just above the top of the icing and squeeze a little of the icing out to ensure it is at the bottom of the tip.

-Holding the twisted portion of the decorating bag in skin between your thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand, wrap your hand around the top of the bag as pictured above.
-Stabilizing the tip/coupler with your other forefinger (this is helpful for any unsteadiness of the hand), apply even pressure and pipe the icing outline around your cookies.


#3 – Flood-Filling

-With icing color if choice (usually the rest of the icing I colored for the outline), using your fingers or a small spoon, slowly add drops of water (at least a teaspoon from stiff consistency) and incorporate until desired consistency is reached.
-The consistency you are looking for is: when you pick up the spatula and drop some icing back into the bowl, the outlines of the drop should disappear by the time you count to ten (10 seconds).
-This will ensure the icing is thick enough to cover the cookie, opaquely, but will not leave you with marks on your icing.

Note: If your icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar and stir in well. If it’s too thick, just add more water, and stir in. You can keep altering the icing in this manner, all you need.

-Fill an un-cut disposable decorating bag with about 1/2 c. of icing and snip off the very end.
-Working quickly, squeeze some icing haphazardly into the middle of the cookie, between the outlines.
-Using a toothpick (or small tipped spatula), spread the icing to the edges of the outlines on all sides.
-Let dry and move on the the next cookie, until all are complete.
-Let these dry well.


#4 – Detail Work

-To decorate on top of cookie – Using the rest of your icing you made in the beginning (not the thinned kind), color using gel colors (the liquid food coloring can be used but will change the consistency of the icing), and place into decorating bags with desired tips.
-Working carefully on a dried, filled cookie, pipe decorations.

-To decorate within the cookie icing – (usually done in dots or swirls like the spiderweb cookies, shown above) as soon as you fill the cookie, do not let the icing dry.
-Dip the tip of a toothpick into some thinned icing and drop into wet icing. This will for a dot.
-To swirl, make sure you have a lot of icing on the toothpick and swirl the color into the wet icing. The thinned icing will smooth out and produce an inset color decoration within your filled cookie.


Hope these directions were helpful! Now on to decorating!

One Year Ago: Quick White Chocolate Pops

Fall Harvest Bread

One of the things I love about the cool weather is baking. And when I got an email from a reader asking about fresh cranberry recipes I totally forgot I had yet to bake with them this season. So I picked some up at the store and started baking. One of my very favorite recipes for quick bread has always been my fall harvest bread. Well this time I decided to spice it up and add some cranberries and pecans to the mixture. This delicious bread is not only very soft with lots of flavor, but not has the sweetness of apples, the tartness of cranberries and the smooth meatiness of fresh pecans. Now this is surely a true reflection of the fall harvest in a loaf.


Fall Harvest Bread
an updated version of this recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 can (or 7.5 oz) pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. applesauce
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium apple (I like granny smith) peeled, cored, and diced
1 c. fresh cranberries
1 c. chopped pecans

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Prepare 9x5 loaf pan or 5 mini loaf pans(or can sub muffin pan or double recipe for cake/bundt pan).
-In large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and whisk to combine.
-In another large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla and stir to combine well.
-Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just barely blended..
-Fold in apples, cranberries and pecans.
-Spoon batter into prepared pan (it will be all lumpy - don't worry).
-Bake for 60-70 minutes (35-40 minutes for mini loaves) or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
-Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
-Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack completely (makes the slices much more clean.


Don't forget, this bread is not only great in the mornings, but a perfect after meal presentation with coffee for meetings, clubs, or unexpected company!




Looking for more fresh cranberry recipes? Try some of my favorites:
Cranberry Orange Bars
Fresh Cranbery Orange Cookies
Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
Mama H's Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
Cranberry Orange Muffins

Little Lady's Shower Cookies

One of my good friend's baby shower is today! And even though I am so very excited for her, I was pretty bummed I couldn't fly out for her shower. So what to do to show I care? Send cute little, nursery-matching cookies for her and the guests. It makes me happy thinking that they will match the shower and I hope they enjoy them. A great way to say - Congratulations!


Little Lady's Shower Cookies



One Year Ago: Rustic Chicken and Bacon

Chocolate Witch Hats

Sick of seeing all these cute cookies that are so hard to decorate? Well you are in luck! You can make the cutest Halloween cookies on the block with very little effort. Three components, one piping bag and some cute ribbon to wrap the bags and you have treats for everyone. And a chocolate treat is the best kind.


Chocolate Witch Hats

Ingredients:
1 batch soft chocolate cookies, cut into witch hats, baked and cooled completely.
1 1/2 c. chocolate of choice
10 orange candy melts

Directions:
-In large heat proof bowl over double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth.
-One by one, dip "brim" of witch hat cookie into chocolate, tap to remove excess and place on wax paper to dry.
-Repeat with remaining cookies.
-Place candy melts into piping bag and microwave until smooth (about 60 seconds).
-Cut bottom of bag to pipe.
-Pipe orange candy melt "belts" around "brim" of hats.
-Let cool completely before packaging or serving.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Spider Web Layer Cake

Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

When I first made this recipe I did not feel like measuring out a weird amount of butter, so I used a bit extra. I added a bit more oatmeal because I love it, some vanilla extract and cinnamon because they both give a wonderful flavor, and upped the mix-in amounts to this basic recipe. Let me just tell you - I've made a batch of these cookies every day since the weekend and I can't seem to hang on to them for very long. Lunches, guests, and requests - these fly out of the cookie jar. And rightfully so.

These cookies stay nice and soft, have a wonderful tart flavor with the cranberries (I LOVE Whole Foods bulk dried cranberries that are sweetened with apple juice) and a sweet and creamy flavor of the white chocolate chips. Letting the cookies cool completely ensure a great soft to crunchy ratio and really smooths out the flavor of the added cinnamon. Enough of the babbling...onto the cookies!


Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from recipe on the back of Craisins

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
a little more than 1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c. dried cranberries
2/3 c. white chocolate chips

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and brown sugar and beat on medium high until light and fluffy in texture and color, about 3 minutes, while you gather other ingredients.
-In large bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stirring to combine.
-To butter and sugar add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine well after each addition, then add vanilla.
-Stop mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn back on lowest setting.
-Add oatmeal mixture, then cranberries and white chocolate, beating just until barely combined.
-Remove bowl from stand mixer and bring over to baking sheets.
-Best way to do this is with your fingers (albeit messy) - pick up loose balls of dough about 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter and place onto baking sheets at least 2 inches apart (I place 11 cookies on each sheet, dividing dough into 22 cookies total).
-If you have leftover cranberries and white chocolatre chips, top cookies with a couple of each.
-Place in preheated oven and bake for exactly 10 minutes.
-Remove from oven, cookies will be slightly golden around edges and middles look a bit underdone.
-Let cool 5 minutes on cookies sheets and then place on wire racks to cool completely before serving.



One Year Ago: Chilly October Evening Dinner Party

Pumpkin Pecan Swirl Bread

I can't tell you how excited I am to share this bread recipe with you. The pictures certainly do not do it justice - only the smell would. This weekend I took a risk and experimented with this bread recipe. Not only did it turn out well, but I think this is possibly my favorite bread I've ever made.

Waiting until it's completely cool to cut into it is hard, but it ensures all that flavors come together perfectly. The bread is not predominantly pumpkin flavored, but rather, the pumpkin adds to the moisture of the bread and compliments all the wonderful fall flavors. The cinnamon swirl is to die for and ends up caramelizing a good amount of the crunchy pecans. Although sweet, it ends up being not too sugary for a wonderful breakfast with coffee and definitely a favorite for after a meal. Certainly worth trying, as this bread is proven to go quickly.


Pumpkin Pecan Swirl Bread

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. warm water (115 degrees)
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. milk
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 c. all purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
1 c. pecans, halved or pieces
1/2 c. raisins

for the filling:
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
-In bowl of stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the granulated sugar over 1⁄2 c. of the water (make sure it's 115-120 degrees).
-Let stand until foamy, about 10 min. (If mixture does not foam, toss out and try again)
-Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine the remaining pumpkin puree, milk, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, stirring to combine.
-Bring up to 115-120 degrees over medium heat.
-Once yeast is foamed and pumpkin mixture is up to temperature, add pumpkin mixture to bowl, stirring to combine.
-Add the remaining granulated sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and 2 c. of the flour.
-Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
-Add 1 c. more flour and beat for 1 minute.
-Add the pecans and then raisins, stirring to combine.
-Beat in the remaining flour, 1⁄2 c. at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
-Switch to the dough hook or place onto floured work space to knead by hand (my personal preference)
-Knead on medium-low speed, adding flour 1 Tbsp at a time if the dough sticks, until elastic but still a bit sticky, about 4 min.
-Transfer the dough to a greased deep bowl and turn to coat it.
-Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1.5 hours.
-Lightly grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.
-Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board.
-Divide the dough in half and roll or pat each half into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle.
-Lightly sprinkle each rectangle with half of the filling, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
-Beginning at a narrow end, tightly roll up each rectangle into a compact log.
-Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal in the filling.
-Place each log, seam side down, in a prepared pan.
-Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, 1 to 1.5 hrs.
-Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
-Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, 30-35 minutes.
-Turn the loaves out onto wire racks and let cool completely.



One Year Ago: Army Spice Cake

Soft Chocolate Cookies

When I first saw Audrey and Joan post these cookies, I knew I had to make them! These spooky spiderweb cookies are not only easy on the eyes, but surely easy on the taste buds as well.

I surely don't have as steady of a hand or a much as creativity as these ladies do, but I had been thinking about making my regular sugar cookies into chocolate, and this was the perfect design to try with. This chocolate version of my go-to sugar cookies ended up turning out better than expected! Under cooking the cookies by just 60 seconds (before fully cooked through) makes all the difference and yields a brownie-like taste. Not to mention the thick dark color is the perfect background for this spider's web. Don't let the scary green eyes scare you - he's delicious going down.


Soft Chocolate Cookies
adaptation of my favorite cookies originally from Ashlee

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 c. flour
1 c. cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
-In bowl of stand mixer, add butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy in texture, about 3 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla extract, beating to combine
-Sift in flour, cocoa powder baking powder and salt a little at a time.
-Be careful not to over mix, this process should take about one minute.
-Place dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to a week.
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.
-Roll cookies out to 1/2 inch thickness, cut to desired shape and place on parchment.
-Place baking sheet in oven bake cookies for 7-8 minutes (8 minutes for 3.5 inch circles and 4 minutes for mini ones).
-Wait until cookies are cooled completely before icing.

For Spiderweb cookies:
-Make batch of plain royal icing to medium consistency.
-Using #2 tip, pipe white circle around perimeter of cookie.
-Melt 1/2 c. of dark chocolate or dark candy melts in piping bag.
-Using 1 c. of royal icing, slowly add drops of water to icing to fill consistency (when you drop a drop of icing into the bowl and the outline of the drop disappears in less than 10 seconds.)
-Using small spatula, place fill consistency icing into middle of cookie and spread to edges.
-While filling is still wet, pipe 3 concentric circles of dark chocolate onto fill icing.
-Drag edge of toothpick from center of circles to outside edges to form spider wed icing effect.
-Let icing cool completely.
-Pipe small spiders of chocolate onto cookies.
-Add green icing eyes for a spooky effect.
-Let cool completely before packing or stacking.


One Year Ago: Ale-Braised Sausage and Peppers

Scary Good Cupcakes

Unfortunately there is no big dinner party, event, or fun story behind these little cupcakes. I found these darling pumpkin sprinkles at the store and had to make something with them. And with Halloween just around the corner, this was the perfect time.

What better than cupcakes? I was thinking pumpkin with maple, spice with blackberry, all I could think of. And you know what happened? I succumbed to the request of my husband and made chocolate and peanut butter. So glad I did too because they were a huge crowd-pleaser. The whole family loved them. And when they are this festive - who wouldn't?


Scary Good Cupcakes
cupcakes adapted from Hershey's

Ingredients:
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa powder
1 packet chocolate pudding mix
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

1 stick butter, room temperature
1 c. creamy peanut butter
5 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 – 1/3 c. milk, divided

sprinkles
white candy melts

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two standard cupcake pans.
-Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
-Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
-Stir in boiling water until just combined.
-Using cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared pans, distributing evenly.
-Bake about 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
-Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
-Cool completely.
-Meanwhile, make frosting:In bowl of stand mixer, add butter, peanut butter and 1/8 c. milk.
-Mix on slowest setting to combine well.
-Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing on slowest setting.
-1 Tbsp at a time, add remaining milk, just until desired consistency is reached (you may not need all of it depending on climate and temperature).
-While cupcakes cool, place candy melts into piping bag and microwave until melted.
-Snip end off and pipe a backwards "boo" onto wax paper.
-Let cool completely (placing in fridge will do this quickly).
-Frost cupcakes when completely cooled and top with sprinkles.
-Top each with piped "boo" decoration and serve.



One Year Ago: Spiced Lemon Chicken and Rice

Pumpkin Nut Loaf

Every one's favorite fall loaf - a good pumpkin bread is irresistible. After years of trying to find the perfect pumpkin bread, I think I've found what I love best. A soft and airy loaf with great pumpkin taste, a spice flavor that makes a statement but does not overpower, and studded with the crunch of meaty walnuts. I can't resist. So I make lots of these beautiful mini loaves and give them away as soon as possible. Otherwise my resistance is futile.


Pumpkin Nut Loaf

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 c. milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. chopped walnuts, plus more for topping

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan (or mini loaf pans)
-In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, salt, spices and whisk to combine.
-In large bowl of mixer beat oil, butter and sugars until creamy until lightened in color and texture, about 3 minutes.
-Beat in eggs one at a time.
-Add pumpkin puree and beat until combined; scrape down sides of bowl.
-Add milk and vanilla and beat until combined; scrape down sides of bowl.
-With mixer on lowest setting, add flour mixture just until barely combined.
-Remove bowl from mixer and fold in 1 c. walnuts.
-Scrape batter into pan(s) and spread evenly.
-Top with extra chopped walnuts and place into oven.
-Bake about until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour for regular loaf and 35-40 minutes for mini loaf.
-Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes.
-Turn out onto wire rack and let cool completely.

One Year Ago: All Fig Preserves and Spiced Apple Fig Muffins

Ginger Spice-a-roos

One of my very favorite fall cookies is this deliciously soft, sweet and spicy cookie. I make them on the weekends and they fill the house with a wonderful scent - and much cheaper than a silly candle. Chopped, candied ginger gives these spice cookies a kick as well a wonderfully chewy suprise. Bake a batch of these and you are sure to gather a crowd in your kitchen this week.


Ginger Spice-a-roos
adapted from ATK recipe for molasses spice cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus 1/3 c. for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. dark molasses
3/4 c. candied ginger, finely diced

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
-In medium bowl add flour, baking soda, spices, pepper, salt and whisk to combine.
-In bowl of electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar and 1/3 c. granulated sugar.
-Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Reduce speed to medium low and add yolk and vanilla, increase speed and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
-Stop and scrape down sides of bowl.
-Reduce speed and add molasses beat until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the bottom and sides once with rubber spatula.
-Reduce speed to lowest setting and add flour mixture, then diced ginger.
-Beat until just incorporated, scraping the bottom of bowl.
-Give the dough a final stir by hand. (dough will be soft and barely coming together)
-Place 1/3 c. sugar in shallow bowl for rolling.
-Roll large balls of dough about 2 inches in diameter.
-Drop balls of dough in sugar and roll to coat.
-Set on prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
-Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, removing immediately.
-Cookies will look underdone, but will firm up as they cool - do not overbake.
-After slightly cooled, press down to flatten cookies with fingers.
-Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and trasfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
-Serve warm or cooled.

One Year Ago: Sweet Potato Biscuits

Apple Spice Muffins with Almond Oat Struesel

So great for a chilly fall morning, these muffins are full of flavor. A warm apple cinnamon with the crunch of oats and the meal of almond flavor. Very simple to make, this muffin can be even better for you if you use different flours. The heft of the apple preserves will carry whole wheat or gluten free flour very well. Whichever way you chose to make these, they will certain be a treat.


Apple Spice Muffins with Almond Oat Struesel

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2/3 c. apple preserves (or no sugar added applesauce)
1/3 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large apple, diced small

½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. flour
¼ c. oats (or museli of choice)
1 Tbsp raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ c. ground almonds
¼ tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cups.
-In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk to combine.
-In medium bowl, combine preserves, milk, egg, extracts, and whisk to combine well.
-Mix wet ingredients into dry until just combined.
-Fold in apple pieces and spoon equally into 12 muffin cups. (Don't be afraid to fill them up!)
-In small bowl, add remaining ingredients.
-Cut butter into mixture using pastry cutter or two knives, until all pieces of butter are smaller than a pea.
-Top each muffin with streusel mixture.
-Place muffins into oven and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
-Let cool completely before serving (or the muffins will stick).

One Year Ago: Pink Ribbon Chip Cookies

Caramelized Onion, Thyme and Gruyere Paninis

In my mind, there just isn't anything better than a warm grilled cheese and bowl of tomato soup for dinner. Well why use boring canned soup and American "cheese food". This dressed up basic is sure to please. The sweet caramelized onions play wonderfully with the smooth nuttiness of melted Gruyere and the soft, fragrant flavor of thyme. It'll be hard to only eat one of these.

You have permission to drool.


Caramelized Onion, Thyme and Gruyere Paninis

Ingredients:
1 loaf Tuscan style bread (crusty), sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 very large, sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
8 oz provolone, sliced medium thickness
8 oz good quality Gruyere
8 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for plating
3 Tbsp butter, softened

Directions:
-In medium pan over medium heat, add oil and heat until almost smoking.
-Add sliced onion and salt.
-Stir to combine well.
-Cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned and smells sweet of caramelization, about 25 minutes.
-Add small dash of balsamic vinegar, stir to combine well and heat through, about 1 minute and remove from heat (this can be done 1 day ahead of time).
-Preheat panini pan (or press) to medium heat while assembling sandwiches.
-On one slice of bread, add one slice provolone.
-Remove leaves from sprig of thyme, sprinkle over cheese.
-Top with a good helping of caramelized onions, then top with Gruyere slices.
-Place second loaf of bread on top.
-Spread softened butter lightly over top of bread slices and place onto panini pan.
-Repeat with remaining ingredients.
-Cook on panini press until cheese is melted and bread is turning golden brown and crunchy (this depends on the press you use, but about 3-5 minutes).
-Remove from pan, slice in half on diagonal and serve warm.

Makes about 6 sandwiches

One Year Ago: Kick Cancer's Bum Cookies

Ginger Pear Walnut Bread

I love candied ginger in baked goods and it turned out to be quite the star in the bread. The pears are sweet and juicy, the ginger gives a smooth sweet kick and the walnuts are perfectly crunchy among the delicious spiced bread. My new favorite bread for fall, this bread is great out of the oven, but patience pays off. It is at it's best after being cooled and wrapped for one day. It makes all the difference, bringing the strong flavors in the bread together perfectly into a smoothly spiced bread. The top still yields a crunch and the bread so moist it almost falls apart as you slice.


Ginger Pear Walnut Bread

Ingredients:
1 c. all purpose flour
½ c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. ripe pears (about 2 small), peeled, cored and diced
½ c. candied ginger, diced
1/2 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans).
-In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and whisk to combine thoroughly, set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine oil and sugar and beat to combine thoroughly.
-Add egg and yolk and beat to combine thoroughly.
-Beat in vanilla.
-Turn mixer to low and add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating until just combined.
-Stir in pears, ginger and walnuts.
-Scrape batter into prepared mini loaf pan (batter will be quite thick) and spread evenly.
-Place loaf pan into oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 minutes.
-Let cool before serving.

Makes about 3 mini loaves.


One Year Ago: Autumn Apple Pie

Fresh Spiced Pear Preserves

An extremely simple recipe, I love making really fresh jams and preserves for company. All preserves aren't meant to be canned, and these are one of them. You can pour these preserves right into your serving bowl, refrigerate over night and use for brunch, tea, or a meal the next day. Very simple and a lovely addition to any menu, these pear preserves have a little spice, a wonderful kick of ginger and taste of the fall's sweetest fruit.


Fresh Spiced Pear Preserves

Ingredients:
6 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 small pinch salt
1 packet gelatin

Directions:
-In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine pears, sugar, spices and salt.
-Mix to combine well and cook, mashing larger pieces with stirring spoon.
-Cook, stirring occasionally until fruit has broken down well, boiling for about 15 -25 minutes.
-Sprinkle gelatin over mixture, stirring well to combine.
-Bring back up to a rolling boil, stirring as it cooks, for at least 60 seconds.
-Remove from heat and pour into your container (jar, serving bowl, etc) and cover.
-Let cool on counter until luke warm.
-Place in fridge overnight and up to a week.



One Year Ago: Chicken Poppers

Casual Wine Country Evening

A cool evening in fall. A celebration in the fields of the wine harvest. Friends gather to help with the work, on in my case, just getting together for a project. Tables are set with plain dishware on a burlap cloth for grazing. Smells of cinnamon, vanilla and spiced candles fill the house. The menu is very simple to throw together as people arrive with very little prep. Waste the night away with crisp fall breezes and a plethora of new wines to enjoy.


Casual Wine Country Evening

Canapes of spiced pear preserves and camembert on walnut wheat bread
Cheese plate accompanied with toasts, herbed crackers, sweet black grapes and apple
Bowls of olives, prezels and cheese straws
Mini caramel apples

Roasted tomato, basil and wild rice soup
Caramelized onion, thyme, and gruyere paninis
Fresh greens salad with roasted beet, cherry tomato, walnut, goat cheese and a white wine vinagrette

Country pear and fig gallete with cracked pistachio crust
Fresh churned vanilla bean ice cream

Sugar and Spice Cookies

I'm sure by now, you all know my very favorite sugar cookie recipe. But what about changing it up? I wanted to make some sugar cookies, but have been a little bored of the same old thing. So for the fall approaching, I added some spices and delcious fall ingredients to the recipe and came up with these gorgeous little things. I made some regular sized cookies and some cute little mini ones. I love the mini ones for lunches or parties. The cookie is sweet without too much flour or sugar taste, the spices give them a lovely aroma and a delcious taste and the orange zest and almond extract give it a rounded fall flavor. Finish with a simply drizzled glaze of powdered sugar, vanila extract and milk and you've got a winner for your table this fall.


Sugar and Spice Cookies
adapted from my favorite cookies originally from Ashlee

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp orange zest
5 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp allspice
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla, almond, and zest.
-Sift in flour, baking powder, spices and salt a little at a time.
-Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
-Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes (4 minutes for mini ones).
-Wait until cookies are cooled before icing.


One Year Ago: Fall Harvest Salad

Apple Biscuit Bars

An alternative to apple pastry bars and a less messy version of an apple cobbler, these apple biscuit bars are quite a treat. Slightly sweet, soft biscuits contain a delicious and aromatic baked apple center. The perfect solution to a party dessert that has all the delicious homemade taste of cobbler or pie but in an easy to hold design that will leave your taste buds happy and your white carpet clean.


Apple Biscuit Bars

Ingredients:
2 ½ c. flour
½ c. sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter, chilled.
¾ c. milk
1 tsp vanilla

6 small apples, peeled, cored and diced
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 packet gelatin

1 egg white
raw sugar

Directions:
-In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
-Whisk to combine and cut butter into dry ingredients until pieces about pea-size.
-Add milk and vanilla and mix lightly until combined into a soft dough.
-Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice in saucepan over medium heat.
-Cook, stirring occasionally until apples soften well, about 20 minutes.
-Stir in gelatin, boil for 30 seconds and move from heat and set aside to cool.
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare an 8x8 pan.
-Remove dough from fridge, divide in half, and spread half of biscuit mixture into bottom of baking pan.
-Spread apple mixture over top of biscuit mixture.
-Roll out remaining biscuit dough, place on top of apple mixture.
-Brush with egg white, sprinkle with raw sugar and place into oven to bake.
-Bake until biscuit top turns slightly golden brown and center is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting and serving.



One Year Ago: Braised Beef with Mushroom and Cabernet Sauce

Roasted Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

Not all baking has to be sweet. And when I made my most recent trip to the farmers market and saw all the squash and pumpkins in - I knew what I'd be baking. Root vegetables are my favorite. But when I saw these cute little sugar pumpkins, I just couldn't resist. Butternut squash is my favorite, so the main flavors are of the smooth and slightly nutty butternut with a familiar pumpkin accent. Nutmeg plays it up perfectly. The blended roasted vegetables give a creamy, thick consistency without added cream.

I don't often make soup, but this is surely a new favorite. Perfect for lunch on a cold day or top with some shaved pecorino and fresh croutons for a a wonderful dinner with your girlfriends. A great way to warm up the house on a weekend, and a soul on a chilly evening.


Roasted Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
½ large butternut squash, seeded, peeled and diced
4 small sugar pumpkins, top cut off and seeded
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
4 c. low sodium chicken stock

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking pan with parchment.
-In large bowl, combine diced squash and carrot.
-Using serrated melon baller, scoop excess flash out of sugar pumpkins, leaving just enough for “bowl” shape intact.
-Add scooped pumpkin flesh to bowl along with 2 tsp olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper.
-Toss to coat well and add mixture to baking sheet, spreading out evenly.
-Place into oven and roast until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in a large stock pan over medium high heat, add remaining olive oil.
-When olive oil is heated, add diced onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg; toss to coat.
-Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is just beginning to turn golden in color, about 15 minutes.
-Add minced garlic and heat, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-Add pumpkin puree and stir until fragrant and pumpkin is beginning to adhere to the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
-Add 2 cups of chicken stock and scrape bottom of pan to release any browned bits.
-Turn off heat and let cool slightly while root vegetables finish.
-When vegetables are complete, remove from oven and let cool slightly.
-Place stock pan mixture into blender (or use immersion blender) and blend until smooth.
-Return to stock pan over low heat.
-Place roasted vegetable mixture into blender with remaining chicken stock and carefully blend until completely smooth.
-Place mixture into stock pan, combining both mixtures, and heat through.
-Season with salt and pepper as needed and serve in sugar pumpkin bowls.


One Year Ago: Roasted Garlic and Herb Dip

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

When my sister was in town visiting, I gladly made some her her favorite treats. One being chocolate chip banana bread. When I went to reference my recipe for it I found out that I had perfected the recipe exactly one year ago today. Oddly enough, in the years of posting recipes for you, this has never happened. I figure it was worth sharing my favorite recipe for this, once again, since it is now a certain family favorite.


Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 heaping c. chocolate chips
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. shortening
2 eggs, room temp
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 large extra ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan.
-In medium bowl, combine all flour but 2 Tbsp, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix.
-Whisk to combine and set aside.
-In small bowl, combine remaining flour and chocolate chips, tossing well to combine and set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter, shortening and sugar.
-Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
-Add eggs, one at a time until thoroughly combined.
-Add milk and vanilla, then banana to mixture and combine well.
-With mixer on low, add flour mixture until just combined then fold in chocolate chips.
-Spread into loaf pan, tap to remove air pockets, and place in oven to bake.
-Bake loaf in oven for 1hr or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
-Let loaf cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely (or serve warm! Yum!)