Pumpkin Perfection

 You know it's Fall when the Pumpkin Spice Lattes start to appear in coffee shops all over the country.  I recently had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season (decaf of course) and I must say that it hit the spot.   I don't know what it is about the pumpkin flavor that makes these lattes so much better than regular lattes but for some reason they're irresistible.  I don't drink lattes at any other time of year.  I thoroughly enjoyed my pumpkin spice latte and I'm sure it won't be my last one of the season.

My super great latte put me in the mood to bake with pumpkin so I pulled out my Fall baking magazine from Taste of Home and searched for a recipe.  I found a recipe for Oatmeal Surprise cookies.  It was a basic oatmeal cookie recipe with chocolate covered raisins baked inside.  Why have I never thought of this idea before?  Pure genius. 

Oatmeal Surprise Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 3/4 cups oats

1 1/2 cups chocolate covered raisins

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs.

Combine flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.  Gradually add to creamed mixture.










Stir in oats and chocolate covered raisins.


Drop by scoops onto a silicone baking sheet.  Bake 13 minutes at 350.








I packaged some of these cookies and delivered them to some of my wonderful neighbors.











These were some pretty impressive cookies.  My daughter still picked put the raisins and then tried to lick the chocolate off but the rest of us enjoyed them just like this.




















Last week I was wandering around the garden center when I found these super cute pumpkin decorations.  The store was selling these little wooden cutouts in kits that you could use to decorate a pumpkin - no carving necessary. 

Happy Fall.

Bon Appetit!

Fall in Full Swing

 

Last Sunday was a perfect day to be at the park.  The weather was cool and the leaves were just starting to change.  The kids rode their bikes and Mia and I walked around the lake. 

I love Fall.  There is nothing better than spending an afternoon outside in the cool Fall air and then warming up with a warm bowl of chili for dinner.  Crock Pot turkey chili is one of my favorite recipes to make when we have a busy day planned.  I put all of the ingredients in my crock pot, turn it on and walk away for 5 hours.  This is a super simple dinner that lets me spend more time outside with my family and less time in the kitchen.

Crock Pot Turkey Chili
2 cups shredded turkey                                       1 celery stalk
2 cloves garlic                                                        28 ounces whole tomatoes
15 ounces red beans, undrained                        15 oz black beans, undrained
15 ounces white beans, undrained                    6 ounces tomato paste
2.25 ounces black olives, sliced                         1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon oregano                                           1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar                                              1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder                                      1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes                         1/8 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon paprika                                           1 bay leaf
3 dashes hot sauce                                                3/4 cup buttermilk
cheddar cheese, shredded

Stir together all ingredients except buttermilk and cheese.  Add to crock pot and cook on high for 5 1/2 hours.  Stir in buttermilk and cook 30 minutes.  Serve with cheese.

I served this chili to my husbands parents.  We all really liked it.   It's not very spicy so it's super kid friendly.  It's also a great way to use up leftover turkey or chicken.  I love that it's loaded with vegetables and my kids still eat it.  (Please don't tell them its healthy.)


My suggestion for a great warm up meal on a cool Fall day - Turkey Chili.

Bon Appetit!

Red Neck Chicken

Remember when I promised photos of our newly landscaped flower beds?  I'm happy to report that this was the weekend that we decided to work on our yard improvement projects.  After a busy weekend of yard work, it's starting to look much better.  (It's amazing what 15 yards of mulch can do to spruce things up.)  We turned the mulching into a family affair so it went pretty quickly.  We also transplanted a couple of plants and pruned back lots of overgrown shrubs and roses.   By Sunday night, we were all pretty tired but we accomplished a lot this weekend.  Here are some of the highlights of our weekend work. 

Even though we were busy with yard improvements, I made Beer Can Chicken on the Big Green Egg on Saturday night.  My son though it was a very redneck way to cook a chicken but I've got to tell you - red neck or not - it was a beautiful chicken.

I made this chicken to give away to some friends but I had made the same chicken earlier in the week for us to eat.  (A test chicken)  This was one juicy chicken.  









Let me start by saying that I am NOT a beer drinker.  I hardly ever buy it so needless to say, I headed into the grocery store blindly.  The recipe that I was using recommended using a 16 ounce beer can to support the weight of the bird so I bought the first 6 pack of 16 ounce beers that I found.  Good thing my dad is coming for a visit soon to drink up the rest of the beer. 





This recipe came from the March/April 2009 issue of Cook's Illustrated.  I've never tried to cook a chicken like this before so I thought I would give it a try.  (hense the test chicken)  I modified the recipe a little so I could cook it on the Egg but I thought it worked out pretty well.  The hardest part was getting the chicken off of the can. 

Glazed Roast Chicken                               Glaze
1 whole chicken                                        1 teaspoon cornstarch
5 teaspoons kosher salt                          1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon baking powder                     1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon black pepper                         1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 16 ounce can beer                                 1/4 cup cider vinegar
                                                                    2 Tablespoons butter
                                                                    2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
                                                                    1 teaspoon black pepper

Cut 4 1” incisions in chicken breasts.  Use metal skewer to poke holes in breasts and thighs.  Combine salt, baking powder and pepper.   Pat chicken dry with paper towels and rub with salt mixture.  Refrigerate uncovered 30-60 minutes.  Heat Big Green Egg or oven to 325.  Open beer and pour (or drink) 1/2 of the beer out of the can.  Spray can with cooking spray.  If using a Big Green Egg,  put the plate setter over the grate, upside down.  Center a disposable aluminum pan over the plate setter.  Put the can of beer in the middle of the pan.  Slide the chicken over the beer can.

Roast until chicken breasts reach 140.  (about 75 minutes)  Increase the temperature to 500.  Combine cornstarch and water.  Bring remaining glaze ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook 6-8 minutes until reduced to 3/4 cup.  Slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture.






When Egg (or oven) reaches 500, pour 1 1/2 cups water into the bottom of the aluminum pan.  Cook until breast reaches 175.  (about 30 more minutes)

Brush chicken with 1/4 cup glaze and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat.  Remove chicken by sliding it off the can, transferring it to a platter and covering it with foil.  Let chicken rest for 20 minutes.  Brush with remaining glaze and serve. 

This chicken smelled and looked fabulous.  I can't give you my opinion on taste because I gave this chicken away but I can tell you that the test chicken that I made earlier in the week was delicious.  I didn't add the glaze to the test chicken because I ran out of time but after making this chicken with the glaze, I definitely think it was worth the extra effort.  The glaze really made the skin crispy and golden brown.  This recipe is definitely on my list of recipes to make again soon. 

Bon Appetit!

The Help

I recently finished reading "The Help" and I loved it.  If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.  It was so good that I had a hard time putting it down.  Now I can hardly wait to go see the movie.
For those of you that haven't read the book, the author describes a very special caramel cake made by the character Minny.  It's probably because I was reading it late at night but I could hardly get through the chapter without getting up and making a batch of caramel cupcakes.
I first came across a recipe for salted caramel cupcakes last spring in a book that my mother in law gave me as a birthday gift.  The book is called Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski.  (A great cupcake cookbook by the way.)

 

 Salted Caramel Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour                  
1/2 cup butter
3/4 teaspoons baking powder              
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt                  
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dark brown sugar       1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar                      

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat sugars and butter together.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add flour mixture alternating with milk.  Divide batter between 12 muffin cups and bake 20 minutes at 350.  Cool 1 hour.

Caramel Buttercream
10 Tablespoons butter
½ vanilla bean
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
24 kraft caramels

Beat butter until smooth. Scrape seeds of vanilla bean into butter.  Add powdered sugar and beat 45 seconds.  Add extract and cream and beat 4 minutes.  Melt caramels in microwave.  Fold caramel into buttercream until swirled slightly. 


I have been looking for an excuse to make Salted Caramel Cupcakes ever since I finished The Help.  Yesterday was my turn to bring snack to my daughter's soccer team.  I decided to seize the opportunity and make soccer themed salted caramel cupcakes.


I made the soccer ball decorations from marshmallow fondant.

  

It was a great game.  My daughter scored 2 goals to help lead her team to victory.  We're so proud of her.  She and her teammates enjoyed the cupcakes - they deserved them.   

Bon Appetit!

Are they edible?

We took my daughter and her friend to a UGA women's soccer game last night.  We had a lot of fun cheering for the team.  They ended up winning 4-3 in the second overtime period.   It was an exciting game.  This afternoon we get to watch my daughter's soccer team play.  It's a great weekend for soccer. 

Ever since I planted sweet potato vines in my front yard, my family has been wondering when we're going to dig the potatoes and eat them.  I'm pretty sure that these particular vines are mainly for landscaping purposes and that is why I planted them.  I would like to know however, if these potatoes are edible.  If you know anything about harvesting these sweet potatoes, please send me a comment. 

Sweet potato bread

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup warm milk

1/4 cup canola oil

3 Tablespoons honey

1 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoons cold milk

Dissolve yeast in warm water in bowl of standing mixer.  Add sweet potatoes, milk, oil, honey, flour, cornmeal, salt, thyme and 2 cups of whole wheat flour.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining whole wheat flour to form a dough.  Knead 6-8 minutes. Put into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for an hour.  

Punch dough down and divide into 6 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a 20" rope.  Place 3 ropes on a silpat lined baking sheet and braid.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Cover braids and let rise 30 minutes.  

Brush loaves with cold milk and bake 35 minutes at 350.  

My husband said that this bread reminded him of Thanksgiving stuffing.  (I think it was the thyme.)  I have to agree with his analysis so I wrapped the second loaf and put it in the freezer to save for Thanksgiving dinner. That's one less thing to bake on Thanksgiving day when my oven is already running in overdrive. 

Have a great Saturday.

Bon Appetit!

Healthy in a hurry

The kids and I went for a run/hike in the park yesterday.  It was a beautiful day and I'm so glad we were able to be outside enjoying the nice weather.  What a great way to get our exercise.

I am sticking with the theme of quick and easy dinners for today's recipe - roasted shrimp and broccoli.  I threw together a side of couscous and dinner was ready in under 30 minutes - perfect. 

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli
5 cups broccoli               
1 1/2 pounds shrimp
1 Tablespoon lemon zest       
2 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon lemon juice



 





Cook broccoli in boiling water for 1 min.  Drain and dip in ice water.








Combine 1 1/2 t. zest, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper  and shrimp in bowl.  Arrange broccoli and shrimp on a jelly roll pan coated with Pam.  Bake 8 min. at 425.







Combine oil 1 1/2 t. zest, 1/4 t. salt and red pepper flakes.  Add broccoli and toss to coat.










Served with a side of couscous, this is a great healthy meal that I can make in under 30 minutes.  Perfect.











Look at the beautiful flowers that my wonderful husband brought home this week.  Isn't he the best?  I think so. 


Bon Appetit!