The winter funk is still here. The few days of sunshine that we did have the last week was wonderful, and I even got to get out and do some shooting which was nice. Baking-wise, I have only done a few things this week. Regardless, they all tasted great, and I have to restrain myself from eating three scones a day! This week I am excited cause I am making my hubby some homemade chocolates for Valentine’s Day (he doesn’t know this yet, so don’t tell him!), and I will be trying to make candy for the first time. Caramel? I’m a little nervous I must say. I will definitely be posting about this as well as our food adventure up to Seattle this weekend for the sweet holiday. Now, on to the good stuff….
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
(I made my version a little healthier with applesauce and egg sub. You can use butter and whole eggs if you wish)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 Tbs sugar/splenda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or any finely chopped chocolate of your choice
1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 large eggs)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the chocolate.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg substitute and milk. Add the mashed banana and whisk to combine.
Add the peanut butter to the flour mixture and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until you have a coarse, sandy texture. Add the egg mixture and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dough will be quite wet. Sprinkle lightly with flour and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into two sections, and flatten each ball and shape into a disk, about 1 inch thick. With a large, floured chef’s knife, cut dough into 6 wedges, depending on the size scone you want (the size you see in the pictures are from a 13-scone batch).
Keep flouring your knife and slide it under the wedges like a spatula, then carefully lift them onto the prepared baking sheets. Again, the dough will be wet–just pat any misshapen scones back together with your fingers. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until scones are lightly browned and a cake tester comes out clean. If you using 2 baking sheets, swap their positions halfway through. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.
Today I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Hollie who just gave birth to her first son, little Johnny Junior! He is seriously one of the cutest babies, and I am so happy for Hollie and Johnny. Instead of showing up with a bouquet of flowers, I thought I would take her a bunch of her favorite cupcakes. They smelled AMAZING as I was making them, and it seriously took everything inside of me to resist totally pigging out on them. The recipe I used is from MarthaStewart.com, for Devil’s Food Cupcakes. I then added a Vanilla Buttercream frosting to top it off. I think I might just make these again VERY soon, they looked so yummy.
Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream
Taken from MarthaStewart.com – I halved this recipe to get 13 cupcakes.
- 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
- Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
- To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting- this recipe makes 5 cups, but I halved it and had more than enough frosting for my 13 cupcakes.
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Combine sugar and egg whites in mixer bowl. Place bowl over pot of simmering water; whisk until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on high until cooled, about 15 minutes.
- Using paddle attachment, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until completely incorporated. Stir in vanilla. If not using immediately, refrigerate in airtight container up to a week, or freeze up to a month. Bring to room temperature, and rebeat or stir vigorously before using.
From Martha Stewart Baby, Spring 2001
Here are some snapshots I took during the visit:
I am ready for spring. I don’t know why, but this year I have gotten so sick of the cold weather and rain. I never really understood why the rain could make people depressed, I have spent most of my life in Oregon and just gotten used to rain. But something is different this year. I find myself tired, lazy, bored and just in a funk. And I think its largely due to the holidays being over, getting back into the work grind (or lack of work right now), the cold and ugly weather, and just being overall unmotivated to do anything. So I am hoping that come February 2nd the little groundhogs will fail to see their shadows, thus signifying that winter is at its end. I can’t wait for the beautiful spring light and the cherry trees to bloom!
This winter funk has also begun to affect my baking and blogging. I have been making some things, but by the time I am finished with the project, the thought of getting out my big camera bag, loading the card and battery, setting up shots, and then uploading them seems like a daunting task. Sad, I know, especially since photography is my way of making a living. So instead, I might snap one or two shots (sometimes with my Iphone, which is a sad excuse for a camera) and call it good while I indulge in whatever goodie I just made. I will say that the things I have made have all turned out fantastic, and I have new favorites that I will replicate over and over in the future.
Because of the heightened sense of laziness, I started a conquest to find a universal online “recipe box”, a place where I could manage and store all of my online recipes. I was getting very annoyed when I had saved recipes at 4 different recipe sites, random bookmarks in my Firefox browser, and countless recipes that I had emailed to myself over the last year. I wanted somewhere that I could organize all of them at once. This brought me to a great discovery, www.Delicious.com
If you don’t have an account with the, GET ONE! Its pretty cool, and is saving me SO much time and energy when I am searching for recipes. It pretty much works like this:
You sign up for an account and you can save all your bookmarks in here. You can download the toolbar that is integrated into your web browser, which allows you to add a webpage to your bookmarks with the click of one button.
Once you have added bookmarks, you can “tag” them with keywords that describe that page. For example, my Coconut Banana Bread recipe page has the following tags: Banana, Bread, Breakfast, Coconut, Fruit This means that I pull up any of these tags, this recipe will be in those categories. Its really cool because then you can do searches for say, coconut, and it will show you all your saved recipe pages with coconut in them.
The last, and possible the COOLEST part of it, is that you can share your bookmarks with other people! So if you have an account, I can give you my delicious user name, and you can add me to your friends list. Then you can go and see all of my bookmarks, and copy any of my recipes that you want! I love this feature, but I need to get some friends that use it as well! SO, if you get a Delicious account, Facebook me and we can exchange info. Then we can see each other’s recipes!
Here’s what I’ve been up to in my winter blues….
Lemon-Scented Coconut Macaroon Bars
Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine and Myrecipes.com
Yield: 32 servings (serving size: 1 bar)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Cooking spray
- 4 large egg whites (preferably at room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut (I toasted mine before adding, this enhances the flavor of the coconut)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare crust, place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour to sugar mixture, beating until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press into bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned; cool on a wire rack. Set aside.
Lower oven temperature to 325°.
To prepare topping, combine 4 egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut and 2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind; spread evenly over prepared crust. Bake at 325º for 40 minutes or until top is dry and lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 32 pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 48 servings (serving size: 1 bar)
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups butterscotch morsels (about 8 ounces)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and egg. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture; stir with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Place 3 cups oat mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Set aside.
3. Place sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch morsels, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until butterscotch morsels melt, stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in walnuts. Scrape mixture into pan, spreading evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture, gently pressing into butterscotch mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Place pan on a cooling rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely.
- Calories: 110
- Oat Bran Muffins
- Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
- I know that these sound really gross, but I promise they are good. I wanted to make a bran muffin that was fililng and healthy for breakfast. This was the perfect fit. You can freeze them individually and then just warm up in the oven for a few minutes before eating.
-
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp oat bran
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup chopped apple
- 1/2 cup fat-free milk
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 thin-skinned orange, unpeeled and quartered
- Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375°.
Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and the next 6 ingredients (all-purpose flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in carrot and apple.
Combine milk, applesauce, vanilla, egg whites, and orange in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture; stir just until moist.
Spoon 3 tablespoons batter into each of 14 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake in batches at 375° for 17-20 minutes or until muffins are browned and spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove the muffins from pans immediately, and place on a wire rack. Makes 14 muffins
- Calories: 87 each
I am the worst blogger. Seriously, its been what, 6 weeks since my last post???!!!?? I would like to think that it was due to all the holiday baking I did over the last month, but I must admit that it is also somewhat just due to my laziness. I tried as hard as I could to photograph what I made, but I made way too much to be able to photograph everything. I did, however, find some awesome recipes that will forever be in my holiday baking routine. I figured to get caught up and start fresh with 2010, I would just do one big “December” post that has all the recipes I experimented with!
This year I decided to host my first Cookie Exchange. I will fully admit that I went way overboard, and I am now learning to accept the fact that I am becoming an “old lady”. I had so much fun collecting decorations, making recipe booklets, searching for different/unique cake stands and plates, and planning the party. The night itself seemed to go by so quickly, but it was great to see all my close friends and family together for one night before the holidays made everyone’s lives so busy. I also got to try out a number of new recipes for the party, and I think everyone (including myself) left the party totally overloaded on sugar 
I definitely think that I want to do this every year now!
I’ll start off the recipes with the cookie exhange ones. Unfortunately I didn’t take my own pictures of these, but here is what I made:
White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops
Taken from Better Homes and Gardens
- 8 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup finely crushed chocolate-filled peppermint candy canes
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Chop 4 ounces of the white chocolate; set aside. In a small saucepan, cook and stir the remaining 4 ounces white chocolate over low heat until melted. Set saucepan aside to cool chocolate slightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in melted white chocolate. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the chopped white chocolate and crushed candy canes.
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 50 cookies.
TO STORE: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Coconut Orange Snowballs
These are my new all time favorite cookies. They are so light and melt in your mouth yummy! Please, if you try any new cookies this year, let it be these ones! They are to die-for, especially if you like coconut and orange flavors.
Taken from Bon Appétit | December 2003
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well.
Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls.
White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
Taken from Better Homes and Gardens
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup cold butter
- 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 2 teaspoons shortening
- White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.
6. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories 87,
- Total Fat (g) 5,
- Saturated Fat (g) 3,
- Cholesterol (mg) 9,
- Sodium (mg) 28,
- Carbohydrate (g) 9,
- Protein (g) 1,
- Calcium (DV%) 1,
- Iron (DV%) 1,
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Bon Appétit | April 2009
by Abigail Johnson Dodge
Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan overmedium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low;boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
For cupcakes:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter inlarge bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack;cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting. Using small offset spatula, swirl frosting over top of cupcakes, leaving 1/2-inch plain border.) Sprinkle withcoconut. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight containers; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
This sangria is delicious and SO easy to make!- 1 (750-milliliter) bottle merlot or other red wine, chilled and divided
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 sachet Mulling Spice Blend
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange)
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen unsweetened strawberries
- 1/2 orange, thinly sliced and cut in half
- 1 (12-ounce) can club soda
Combine 1 cup wine, sugar, and sachet in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Discard sachet. Pour mixture into a pitcher; add remaining 3 cups wine. Chill thoroughly. Add juice, strawberries, orange slices, and club soda.
I am now going back in time a little bit, but I wanted to post on here my recipes from Thanksgiving, because there were some great ones. My personal favorite was the Gingerbread Cake with Candied Pistachios. Here they are!
Gingerbread Cake with Candied Pistachios
This cake is really made by the frosting and candied pistachios, so whatever you do, don’t skimp on these!
Taken from Bon Appétit | November 2002 and epicurious.com
Cake
- 1 cup Guinness extra stout or dark beer
- 1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
Candied pistachios
- 1 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Cream cheese frosting
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
- 2 cups powdered sugar
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Bring stout and molasses to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Let stand 1 hour to cool completely.
Whisk flour and next 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk eggs and both sugars in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in oil, then stout mixture. Gradually whisk stout-egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir in fresh ginger.
Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers of cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake separately in plastic and keep at room temperature.)
For candied pistachios:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line large baking sheet with foil. Mix pistachios and corn syrup in medium bowl. Add sugar and toss to coat. Working quickly so sugar doesn’t melt, spread pistachios on prepared baking sheet. Bake until pistachios are pale golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
For cream cheese frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Chill frosting 30 minutes.
Place 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, rounded side up, then spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, flat side up. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle top of cake with candied pistachios. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut cake into wedges and serve.
Candy Cane Thumbprints
Another one of my new favorite holiday cookies. I could eat a dozen of these.
Taken from Better Homes and Gardens
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Peppermint Filling
- Peppermint candy canes, finely crushed
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover; chill dough about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and make a small indent in the center of each cookie using the bowl of a small measuring spoon or melon baller. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
3. Just before serving, use a decorating bag fitted with a star or round tip to pipe Peppermint Filling into the center of each cookie. Sprinkle filling with crushed candy canes. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Peppermint Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, beat 1/4 cup softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Gradually beat in 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make a filling of piping consistency.
TO STORE: Layer unfilled cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Fill before serving.
Amaretto-Almond Streusel Pumpkin Pie
This is a great twist on the classic pumpkin pie. Simply use your own recipe for pumpkin pie, and add the streusel, or you can use the one I did here.
Adapted from Bon Appétit | November 2006
- 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
- Pumpkin Pie
- 20 Amaretti di Saronno cookies (about 4 1/4 ounces), crumbled into pieces that are 1/2 inch or smaller
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Replace 2 tablespoons cream with amaretto liqueur in Pumpkin Pie.
Mix cookie crumbs with almonds. Sprinkle over filling just before baking. Bake and cool pie as directed.
DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Ooey, Gooey, Chewy S’mores Bars
I know that these were well received when I couldn’t keep Kirk, Rachel, or Jennee out of them! A perfect blend of oats, graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallows.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2-1/2 cups tiny marshmallows
- 1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate baking chunks or milk chocolate baking pieces
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9x2-inch baking pan with heavy foil, extending foil over the pan edges. Lightly grease foil. Set pan aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. Stir in oats and graham cracker crumbs.
2. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture. Spread remaining oat mixture into prepared pan.* Bake in the preheated oven about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over warm crust. Top with chocolate chunks. Dot remaining oat mixture atop chocolate and marshmallows.
3. Bake bars about 20 minutes more or until top is lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes 24 bars.
*Tip: Wet the back of a large spoon and use to spread oat mixture in pan.
To Store: Place bars in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
There are just a few more recipes worth mentioning here, and then I promise to stop! One of my absolute favorite things during Christmas is my mom’s caramel corn. I could sit and and eat a whole bowl of it in one sitting, that is how addicting it is. This year I added my own twist and put some pumpkin pie spice into the mixture, wonderful! This is a very quick and easy recipe, and really is good anytime of the year.
Caramel Pumpkin Popcorn
4 quarts popped popcorn-put this in a large paper bag
Microwave together the following ingredients until boiling, about 2 minutes. Then boil in microwave for 2 minutes.
1 cup b. sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 cup. karo syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
If you want, stir in 1.5 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice. Then add 1/2-3/4 tsp. baking soda. Stir until completely dissolved, this will foam. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn and shake well. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes and then shake bag very well. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes again and shake well. Pour into a large bowl or dish and allow to cool. Break up into pieces using a spoon or knife. Enjoy!
Coconut Banana Bread
Taken from Cooking Light Sept. 2007
And last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, my personal favorite is the Coconut Banana Bread. If you like banana bread, you have to try this recipe! I made three mini loaves with this recipe.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
- 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used half coconut pineapple yogurt and half plain)
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I also added a tiny bit of coconut extract)
- 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut (if you want to really boost the flavor of coconut, you can toast it beforehand in a 350 F oven for a few minutes until golden brown.)
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack. If you make it in mini loaf pans, you want to bake them for 45 minutes.
So its my personal goal to be a lot better at blogging this year. I hope that I can do it once a week, with a new recipe. That is my goal, we will see how long it lasts! Happy New Year everyone!
If you need a cookie that will impress a crowd this one will definitely do the trick. Deep dark chocolate flavor in the cookie rolled in toasted hazelnuts, and a delectable filling of Nutella in the center: YUM! Everyone raved about these. They came from the December issue of Cooking Light. I must say, there are a lot of recipes in there this month that I can’t wait to try. These ones really stuck out to me as I am trying to decide what to make for my holiday cookie exchange, and even though they were wonderful, I think I might have to try a few more recipes out before I make the final decision.
Yield: 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)
Ingredients
- 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.
3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 104
Yesterday I went in to do some product shots for Pudding on the Rice. If you didn’t check out the last session I did for them, you can view it HERE. The more I work with Jessica over at POTR, the more I love their product and their business. They are the nicest family to work with, and have such a unique product I know they will be so successful. These shots were taken for the rice pudding that will hopefully be hitting groceries stores nationwide sometime next year! Again, if you haven’t tried their rice pudding or frozen yogurt yet, you need to get your butt over there asap! My favorite is the Smashing Pumpkin rice pudding
I know that I am going a little overboard this year with the pumpkin recipes. But I just LOVE it so much! And I am still planning a few more for the holidays, so don’t get sick of it yet! This recipe is definitely a keeper, Kirk even said it was his favorite of all the pumpkin things I have made so far. The cream cheese frosting definitely put this over the top, and made it oh-so-delicious
This recipe was taken from the most recent issue of Cooking Light magazine. Instead of making it in a baking dish, I made it in two cake rounds, then used 3 inch cake rings to cut out mini layers. I then make miniature cakes with two layers held together by the cream cheese frosting. It was SO good!
Taken from November 2009 issue of Cooking Light
Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)
Ingredients
Cake:
- 10.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- Cooking spray
- Frosting:
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.
- Calories: 178 per serving
I had such a good time last night making a full Italian dinner with my close friend Nadine. We decided that since we both would like to widen our cooking skills, we would meet 1-2 times a month with a menu of an appetizer, entree, and dessert that we want to try out. Last night was our first dinner date, and it was Italian night. Figured Italian was one of the easiest things to start with. All of the recipes turned out wonderfully, and I can’t wait for our next dinner! We chose everything out of the cookbook Giada’s Kitchen with recipes by Giada De Laurentis. I grabbed the recipes from the Food Network website and modified it to what we did. Hope you drool over these photos of our dinner as much as we did when we are cooking it!
On the Menu:
Baked Artichokes with Gorgonzola and Herbs
Orecchiette with Mini Turkey Meatballs
Orange and Chocolate Zeppole
Baked Artichokes with Gorgonzola and Herbs
Ingredients
- Salt
- 4 artichokes
- 3 lemons
, plus 1 lemon - 10 ounces mild Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the artichokes by cutting off the top 1-inch or so. Cut the stem close to the base of the artichoke so the artichoke can sit up straight, and remove some of the bottom leaves. Using kitchen shears, trim the sharp points off of any remaining outer leaves. Add the artichokes to the boiling water. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into the boiling water. Toss in the lemons. Cook the artichokes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the artichokes and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the Gorgonzola, cream, thyme, 2 teaspoons parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. In another small bowl stir together the bread crumbs and remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the center choke of the artichokes using a small spoon. Stuff the cheese mixture into the center of the artichokes. Place the artichokes into a baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the artichokes. Drizzle the tops of the artichokes with olive oil. Bake until the artichokes are heated through, the cheese is melted, and the bread crumbs are crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish and serve.
Orecchiette with Mini Turkey Meatballs
cooking and smelling amazing!
and the finished product….
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 3/4 cup grated Romano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.
Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.
In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add the Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.
and for dessert, the most amazing donuts…
Orange and Chocolate Zeppole
Ingredients
Orange Zeppole:
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Orange Sugar:
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup sugar
Chocolate Sauce:
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 cup (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips
For the Orange Zeppole:
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, sugar, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return the pan to low heat and stir continuously until the mixture forms a ball, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Add the orange zest and beat until smooth. Set aside.
For the Orange Sugar:
Place the orange zest and sugar in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the mixture is blended. Set the sugar into a wide and shallow dish. Set
aside.
Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
Using a small ice-cream scoop or 2 small spoons, carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot oil. Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked zeppole to the dish with the Orange Sugar. Roll to coat in the sugar. Continue frying the remaining dough.
For the Chocolate Sauce:
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour cream over the chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the Chocolate Sauce into a dipping dish. Serve the zeppole alongside the Chocolate Sauce for dipping.
These are one of our new favorite dinners. It is so easy to make ahead and freeze the dough, and then throw together the dinner.
The Dough
The Sponge:
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 80 F)
2 TBSP olive oil
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Place the yeast in a medium bowl (you can use the bowl from your mixer) and add the water, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Allow the yeast to rest for about 5 minutes, until it turns creamy. Stir the oil into the mixture and then gradually stir in the flour, mixing until well incorporated.
First Rise: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and let the sponge rest in a warm place (about 85 F) for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the sponge is very bubbly and has risen to about double its volume.
The Dough:
The sponge from above
2 to 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 to 3 tsp salt
If you didn’t make the sponge in your mixer bowl, transfer it to that bowl now. Use a rubber spatula to deflate the sponge, which will be sticky and loose, and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of flour and the salt to the sponge and mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and, if the dough isn’t coming together nicely and cleaning the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in a little more flour by spoonfuls. Continue to knead on medium speed for another 4-5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Second Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turn the ball of dough over so that its entire surface is moistened with oil, cover, and allow to rest in a warm place for 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk and holds an impression for a few seconds when you prod it gently with your finger.
Divide the dough in half. You can freeze the dough for a few days if you are not using both pieces right away. To defrost, simply put in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours before using.
To make the pinwheels:
1/2 of the pizza dough from above
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
8 slices of deli ham or prosciutto
1 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach
1 -2 TBSP of chopped fresh basil
1/2 TBSP olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough into a 12×14 inch circle, about 1/4 in thick. Sprinkle half of the mozarella chees over the dough. Arrange the meat over the cheese in a single layer. Sprinkle with the chopped spinach and basil, and then top with the remaining cheese.
Roll the dough into a thin cylinder, gently tucking in the ends. Brush the entire roll with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the dough, seam side down, on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Cool for 3-4 minutes, then use a serrated knife to cut it into 3/4 in wide slices.
So I have totally failed in my TWD commitment. I really wanted to believe that I would have the time to bake something from this wonderful cookbook every weekend, but with the busy holiday season upon us I am finding myself with no free time left at all! I actually made all three of these pie/tarts like 3 weeks ago, but just have not had any time to post about them. They are definitely some of the prettiest things I have made, the Baci Tart I think was my favorite. Enjoy!
Chocolate Crunched Caramel Tart-Tuesdays with Dorie
Because it is part of Tuesdays with Dorie, you will have to go HERE to get the recipe. This turned out AMAZING though, and if you like incredibly rich chocolatey goodness, you should make it!
Baci Tart
This one was my favorite….it was just so pretty to look at! I didn’t want to cut into it….
This was taken from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet
Ingredients
Tart Dough:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup flour
2 1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth and creamy. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. If there are any lumps of hard butter still visible, beat for another minute to completely blend them into the mixture. Add the egg yolk and beat well. Scrape down the bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture all at once. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and blend just until the dough comes together and looks moist, with a dark, uniform color. Scrape down the bowl. If there are any patches of flour unincorporated butter, finish mixing the dough by hand with the spatula. If you beat too long, you will have a smooth, batterlike dough, which will be harder to press into the pan because it is sticky. If this happens, chill the dough for 15 minutes before continuing.
Scrape the dough clumps into the tart pan. Use the heel of your hand to press the dough into an even layer across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Press from the center of the pan outward, building up some extra dough where the bottom meets the sides. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Filling:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup water
2 TBSP light corn syrup
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 1/2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Frangelico cream
Bake the shell: Preheat oven to 350 F and put the oven rack the center of the oven. Bake the tart shell for 15 minutes. Check for cracks, repair any if necessary. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 17 minutes. Remove and place on a rack to cool while you prepare the filling. Leave the oven on.
Filling: Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and heat just until the cream begins to simmer and the butter is fully melted. Remove from the heat and let the mixture sit while you make the caramel.
Combine the water and syrup in the medium saucepan. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heatproof silicone spatula, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Turn the heat to high and boil rapidly, swirling the pan occasionally (do not stir) to cook the sugar evenly, until it turns a golden honey color. When it is honey-colored (think of the amber-colored honey at the supermarket), remove from the heat and immediately add the warm cream and butter mixture. The caramel will rise dramatically in the pan, so you may want to wear an oven mitt while doing this.
Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to blend the caramel and cream. If there are any bits of hardened caramel floating around, put the pan over the lowest possible heat and stir gently until the caramel melts. Add the hazelnuts to the caramel and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel turns a light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. It should be the color of those chewy square caramel in the supermarket. Immediately pour the filling into the cooled tart shell.
Bake at 350 F for 17 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.
Finish the tart: Bring an inch of water to boil in the bottom of the double boiler. Turn off the heat. Place the chopped chocolate in the top of the double boiler and place over the steaming water. Stir occasionally with the spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Place a resealable plastic bag in a cup and fold the top of the bag over the rim of the cup to hold the bag in place. Scrape the chocolate into the bag, and squeeze the chocolate into one corner. Cut off the very tip of the corner, and squeeze the chocolate through the hole and stripe it over the entire surface of the tart in any pattern you like.
Lattice-Top Nectarine-Blueberry Pie
Ingredients:
2 recipes of your favorite pie crust dough, one for the pie and one for the lattice top
6 medium nectarines
6 ounces of blackberries
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 to 2 tsp for sprinkling
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 large egg yolk
2 TBSP milk or cream
Roll out one recipe of the pie dough. Transfer to a 9 inch pie pan and chill until ready to use. Firmly shape te other recipe of dough into a small rectangle, then roll it into a 14 by 12 inch rectangle that is about 1/8 inch thick, trimming if necessary. Carefully fold the dough into quarters, transfer it to a baking sheet, unfold, and chill until ready to use.
Rinse the nectarines and pat dry. Use a paring knife to cut each in half, remove the pit, and cut into 4 or 5 slices. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the blackberries to the nectarines. Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice and gently toss with a spatula until the fruit is evenly coated. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell. From the chilled rectangle of dough, create a lattice. REfrigerate the pie for 30 minutes but no longer than 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 F and put the oven rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Beat the egg yolk with the milk or cream to create an egg wash, then use the pastry brush to lightly glaze the lattice and outside edge of the pie crust. Sprinkle the top with sugar and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling and tender. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the pie to cool for 40-60 minutes.
Pumpkin Patch Biscuits
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cold butter (I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup Smart Balance)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine pumpkin and buttermilk; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Pat to a 1-inch thickness; cut with a floured biscuit cutter. Place 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 425 F for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes roughly 12 biscuits. Each biscuit is 118 calories.
