Taste of Home - Ultimate Halloween 2011

I picked this up the other day at Sweetbay.  The caramel apples on the cover pushed me over the edge.  Anyway there are lots of yummy looking recipes and not just for Halloween, but also a lot of "fall" recipes.  Hey I might even make a turkey meatloaf and different kinds of chex mixes.

Contests/Giveaways

The other day I was going through my Google Feed and spotted a very interesting post at Merry With Children.

I found the article on Social Media, Promotions and the law really interesting.  After reading it, I definitely look at all the contests/giveaways very differently.

I think I am just going to stay away from hosting them and will think twice about entering them.

What are your thoughts on the links above, and/or contests in general?

Mum's Pumpkin Bread

I feel like I haven't baked anything in a while, so this morning I am making my Mum's Famous Pumpkin Bread. I am only making one loaf. This recipe doubles very easily.

2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped


1. Heat oven to 350
2. Mix eggs, sugar and pumpkin until well blended
3. Mix dry ingredients
4. Alternate mixing wet and dry ingredients
5. Pour into loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 and 1/4 hours

Crumb Cake from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

When I first looked through this book at the library, I knew that I wanted to make the Crumb Cake.  Well the perfect opportunity came up when I need to bake some things up for a Boo Hoo/Woo Hoo Breakfast.

I didn't take pictures of the process, just snapped a quick picture after I cut it up.

2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for pan
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


Place rack in center of oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch baking pan with canola oil, dust with flour, and tap to remove excess. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.

Transfer pan to oven, and bake, rotating pan after 10 minutes. Continue baking until a cake tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.

Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut into 3-inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Black Bean Chicken with Rice

Sunday we were at Sweetbay and I picked up a new issue of Taste of Home, Southwest Cooking.  I spotted a recipe that I wanted to try right away.  It was Black Bean Chicken with Rice.  It says it serves 4 but we do not consider a chicken breast as a serving, I believe it would be 2 servings.


3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
2 cups cooked brown rice

Combine the chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt; rub over chicken. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken in oil on both sides. Stir in the beans, corn and salsa. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.
Slice chicken; serve with rice and bean mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

This was a great dinner last night.  It was a bit spicy for Victoria so she had some left over pork loin.

Pear Spice Bundt Cake

This was the other recipe that I chose for the goodie tray.  I am not making the pear crisps to go with it.

1/3cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 lbs (about 5) ripe Bartlett pears (I used Anjou), peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cardamom (I didn't have any, so I used 1/2 tsp clove)
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1-3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (used light brown)
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk

Begin by making pear sauce in a medium saucepan. Spread the granulated sugar in an even layer. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar begins to caramelize. When the color starts to turn from pale gold to brown, stir with a wooden spoon. Add the pears and stir to coat with the caramel. Cover and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally. Mash using a fork or a potato masher and cook for 5 more minutes uncovered, stirring frequently. If necessary, mash again to break down the pears.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, baking soda, pepper, and nutmeg. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter with the brown sugar and honey on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Turn the speed down to low, then add the flour mixture in three parts, intermixed with the addition of the milk. Add the pear sauce and mix for one minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and rest on a wire cooking rack. After a few minutes, invert the cake over a drying rack lined with parchment paper. Once cool, pour the glaze over the top, letting some drip down the sides. In lieu of the glaze you can dust with confectioners’ sugar. Garnish with pear chips, if using.

I am going to make the glaze in the morning.
yields enough glaze for one 10-inch cake

4oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbs lemon juice
3 tbs milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed for 4 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add the salt, lemon juice and milk; and mix on low speed until smooth. If the glaze is too thick to be pourable, add some milk a tablespoon at a time

Pear Crisps (skipping)
1 cup sugar
1 small under ripe Bartlett pear
1 lemon, halved

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Lie a large baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook until the sugar is dissolved. Stir occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and keep the mixture at a simmer. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the pear lengthwise as thinly as possible. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pear slices, coating each side. Put the slices in the syrup to cook for 2 minutes. Remove the slices with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the slices until they are dry to the touch, about 2 hours. Using a small spatula, carefully flip the slices and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The chips can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days

EDITED 8/24/11 to add pictures of the finished cake and the goody tray that was sent to school.



SHARED HERE:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies - Sweet for Saturday #32
Make Ahead Meals, Melt in your mouth Monday #30

Plum Coffee Cake Muffins

Last week I picked up Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook at the library.  I was a bit mad when I found out that a lot of the pages were ripped out.

Anyway a school friend asked if I would like to add some baked goodies for a breakfast tray.  Sure!  I flipped through the book and settled on a couple recipes and then did an inventory on my pantry and fridge.

I had all the ingredients for these wonderful looking muffins.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
3 ripe red plums (about 1 lb), pitted and cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 375F. Generously butter all cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin; set aside. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk in the melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

Dividing evenly, fill each of the 12 muffin cups halfway with batter. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula. Distribute the peach pieces evenly among the cups (about 3 tablespoons per muffin), scattering them over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter on top, dividing evenly. Sprinkle tops with reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffins are puffed and golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Turn out the muffins onto the rack to cool a few minutes. Serve warm.

It does make 10 muffins which is a bit odd to me.  So I sampled one and it was really good.  It was sweet but not to sweet with just the right amout of cinnamon.

Teryiaki Shish Kabobs

Here is the dinner Victoria picked out of her YCA binder.

Marinade
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbs garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ginger grated or ginger powder (Victoria likes fresh ginger)

Kabobs
Choose 1 meat, the pineapple and 2 or 3 vegetables from the following list:
Pre cooked shrimp, ham, chicken or kielbasa

Pineapple chunks, fresh or canned (drained)

Broccoli florets
Yellow squash, cut int 3/4 inch slices
Mushrooms
Cherry Tomatoes
Red onion, cut into wedges
Green Peppers, cut into wedges

4 (10 to 12 inch) wooden skewers

Soak the wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes

Prepare marinade by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk until brown sugar dissolves.

Prep pineapple and selected meat/vegetables.

Each person can prepare their own kabob by placing their chosen ingredients and 2 tbs of the marinade in a zipper baggie.  Allow to marinate in the refrigerator to 20 to 30 minutes. (We just placed everything in one large zipper bag)

Preheat grill and coat with cooking spray.

Remove the baggies and carefully skewer meat, vegetables and fruit alternating colors.

Grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until done.

Make 4 large kabobs. (We ended up with 5)

S'Mores

Victoria was in charge of dinner and dessert last night.  Here is the dessert that she picked out of her YCA binder.

1 baguette, cut into 12 1/2 inch slices
1 1/2 tbs butter melted
1 1/2 tbs sugar
3 chocolate bars, broken into 12 equal pieces (Victoria likes Hershey's Special Dark)
12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

Arrange the bread slices on the baking sheet and generously brush melted butter on one side of each slice of bread.

Sprinkle the buttered bread slices with sugar.

Bake the bread until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes.

Change the oven setting to broil at this time.

Once the bread has been removed from the oven, immediately place the chocolate pieces on the warm bread.

On top of the chocolate, place one large marshmallow.

Immediately return the baking sheet to the oven for 1 minute to broil.  Watch carefully, they marshmallow can burn very quickly.

Serve warm, makes 12 servings.  (We only made a half batch)

SHARED HERE:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies - Sweet for Saturday #32

Pumpkin Biscotti

I made these yesterday as a test.  They came our really good.  On half I did drizzle some white chocolate over them.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl.

In another bowl mix together eggs, pumpkin, sugar and vanilla.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and add nuts and raisins. Stir until combined.  The dough will be crumbly.

Flour a clean surface and knead the dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form the dough into a large log.  The loaf should be somewhat flat.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the center is firm.

Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Lower oven temp to 300.  After cooling cut the biscotti diagonally with a serrated knife into 1 inch slices. 

Place the slices back on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn slices over and bake for another 10 minutes.

Let cool completely.  You may also drizzle them with white chocolate.  They may still be a bit chewy in the center, you may leave them uncovered for a few hours and they will crisp up nicely.

Makes about 14 cookies.

Kids in the kitchen and grocery shopping

One of pet peeves is when people say they hate when their kids are in the kitchen and make a huge mess or they hate bringing them to the grocery store.  To me it is a learning experience. 

So what is a little mess?  Teach them to clean up after themselves.  Victoria knows that if she makes something she cleans up the counter and puts dishes in the dishwasher or she will hand wash items that do not go in the dishwasher.

She loved to be in the kitchen even before going to cooking classes.  She took classes for a few years and even became a Master Chef in 2009.  Unfortunately the cooking school closed and I make it a point to encourage her to keep cooking and learning new recipes and kitchen facts.

Today we decided that she could look through her old binders and pick dinner and dessert.

She picked her recipes and then made her shopping list.

Then we headed out to Publix.

She knows how to pick out ripe fruits and veggies.

She also knows to look for what is the best price for items.

And when she does her own shopping, she likes to push the cart.

S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookies for National S'mores day!

This is an old post from 8/10/09.

Happy National S'Mores Day!!

Today is National S'Mores Day and also National Banana Split Day, so of course we need to celebrate, right? (shake your head yes.....)
I found a good looking recipe on the Hershey's website for S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookies.
Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55 oz. each), unwrapped
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Beat butter and sugar until well blended in large bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough in prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
3. Arrange unwrapped chocolate bars over baked layer, breaking as needed to fit. Sprinkle with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. 16 bars.

Yes her adorable t-shirt from Justice does say Friends have S'more Fun!  Good thing she had it in her closet already.



If those just don't do it for you, check out my other recipes below:

S'mores bars
Magic S'mores Cresent Puffs
Don't feel like cooking, try some Ben & Jerry's S'mores ice cream!

Bread Bowls

Yesterday it was a rainy and gloomy day here in SW Florida and as much as I know the calendar says it is August, Miss V was asking for chili for supper.

I found the recipe for the bread bowls on BreadWorld.  We didn't actually use them for our chili.  I sliced one up and had it on the side.  They didn't come out exactly like I was thinking.  I was hoping for a crispier crust.  Maybe next time I make them I will have to use and egg white wash.  Also when I slashed one of the bowls, it deflated a bit.

Makes 2 (6-inch) bread bowls

3 / 4 cup + 1 tablespoon water
1 / 2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 / 4 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons Fleischmann's® Bread Machine Yeast

Directions
Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough/manual cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine to lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions; shape each into smooth ball. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

With sharp knife, make 4 (1 / 4-inch deep) slashes in crisscross fashion on top of loaves. Bake at 375° F for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack.

Cut off 1 / 3 of loaf; hollow out loaf to form 1 / 4-inch thick bowl. Fill bowl with soup.

Another thing, is they are huge!  I think next time I will just make four small bowls.