Pumpkin Biscuits with Citrus Honey Butter

Oh wow!! These biscuits are delicious on their own, but the citrus butter makes them! I've got leftover butter in my fridge and am scheming ways to keep eating it. Try this soon and it will get you in that fall spirit first thing in the morning!

Pumpkin Biscuits with Citrus Honey Butter

Adapted from www.thepioneerwoman.com

Ingredients

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c cold butter, cubed

3/4 c milk

3/4 c pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Butter:

1/2 butter, softened

3 tbsp honey

1 tbsp orange or lemon zest (I used grapefruit and lemon because that's what I had)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Using a fork or pastry cutter, blend cold butter cubes into dry ingredients until it is similar to coarse corn meal (I use my fingers and break the butter up). Stir in milk, pumpkin and vanilla, until all ingredients are equally moist and flour is Incorporated.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bottoms are browned lightly.

While biscuits are baking, make the butter. Whip butter, honey and zest together until smooth and light in color, about 2 minutes. (I think an electric mixer does this the best).

Serve warm with butter. Go to heaven. Seriously, they're that good.

Apple Pie Muffins

Delicious muffins topped with a crunchy apple pie crumble topping! These were a huge hit at work! I think because of the pumpkin pie spice and diced apples, if gave everyone a lovely fall feeling!

Apple Pie Muffins

Adapted from MyBakingAddiction.com

Ingredients

2 1/4 c flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extra

1 1/2 c packed brown sugar

2 c peeled, chopped Granny Smith Apples

Topping:

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/3 c flour

1/4 c oats

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 c melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 c brown sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

Pour butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples. Use a large ice cream scoop to fill each muffin well.

In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for the topping. Drizzle 3 tbsp butter, mixing until blended. Sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffin spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool on a wire rack and store at room temp.

Blackberry Peach Crumble

I'm not sure there's anything better than warm sweet baked fruit with a crunchy buttery topping? If I had to pick a dessert, I'll pick something with fruit every time and this totally satisfied all of my requirements for a fruit dessert. And it's a great way to use up that end of summer fruit you might have laying around. Sub any combination of fruits you have!

Blackberry Peach Crumble

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine Sept 2010

Ingredients

3/4 c chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans etc)

1/2 c rolled oats

3/4 c flour

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar

Salt

8 tbsp butter, softened

4 peaches, pitted and sliced

2 c blackberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Chop your choice of nuts. Set aside.

Combine oats, flour, salt and brown sugar. Add nuts and 7 tbsp butter. Combine with your fingers, breaking up the butter into pieces. Set aside.

Combine sliced peaches and blackberries with 1/2 c white sugar and 1 tbsp flour.

Transfer the filling to your prepared baking sheet and dot with the remaining butter. Squeeze handfuls of the crumble mix on top of the fruit. Bake until golden and bubble, about 45 minutes. Let s it 10 minutes before serving.

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

Doesn't this sound interesting? This recipe has been sitting on my self for almost 4 months and today finally was the day to pull it out. I had strawberries and bananas that needed a purpose before they hit the trash and so the stars aligned. Plus, Eric is coming today and I like to have something baked because he eats out all the time and only makes PB sandwiches when he's home. That doesn't say delicious to me but this will definitely give him that feeling!

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

Adapted from www.JoytheBaker.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 c butter

2 c flour

3/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 c plain yogurt or buttermilk

1 1/4 c mashed banana (I used 3 bananas)

1/2 c diced strawberries (heaping), plus 2 sliced strawberries for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and crackles as it melts. When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown (this takes longer than you think, so be patient). When brown, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl so the butter stops cooking. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk or yogurt, vanilla. Whisk in the mashed bananas. When butter is cool, add to the wet mixture.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once. Fold together and add the strawberries. Fold in completely but try not to over mix.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with the sliced strawberries. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove from pan and let finish cooling on a wire rack.

Can't wait to enjoy this one!

Zucchini Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

I was given a 2 foot zucchini by a coworker who has an abundance in her garden. What do you do with that much zucchini? I'm not sure. I shredded the whole thing figuring the best bet was to bake with it. I've now got 9 cups of shredded zucchini in my freezer.

This was an excellent use of that zucchini. I can't believe how moist this cake is and I'm not quite sure why, but I'm enjoying it all the same!

Zucchini Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

*Martha used orange in this recipe, but I sub'd lemon, FYI)

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

2 1/2 c flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground anise seeds (I left this out cause I don't have such a thing)

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (also left this out, sub nutmeg or clove or something)

Pinch of salt

2 medium zucchini (about 2 1/2 c shredded)

3 eggs

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour your bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt.

Grate zucchini and squeeze dry in a kitchen towel or fine mesh strainer.

Stir together eggs and sugar, then stir in melted butter, zucchini, zest and juice. Stir in flour mixture. Transfer batter to your prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Lemon Glaze

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

1/4 tsp lemon zest

3 tbsp lemon juice

Milk or heavy cream, for thinning

Combine ingredients above minus the milk with a whisk until smooth. Add milk until you get the desired consistency. Spoon onto cake and let set for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Lime Coconut Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Lime Glaze

My friend Jesseca taught me long ago that if you want to fancy up something, put it in a bundt pan. She's right. It immediately makes any cake look prettier because of the shape. Girls, go get yourselves a bundt pan, ok?

Lime Coconut Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Adapted from MyBakingAddiction.com

Ingredients

1 c butter, softened

1 1/2 c sugar

zest of 3 limes

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 c sour cream (or plain greek yogurt)

1/2 c sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (if you have that), cream the butter until smooth.

Combine the sugar and lime zest and mix with your fingers until combined. Add this mix to the butter slowly, mixing until combined. Add vanilla.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, until completely combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and baking soda. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut by hand.

Spoon mixture into prepared pan and level with a spatula, if needed.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack.

Lime Glaze

1 c powdered sugar

5 tbsp heavy cream (or milk)

1/2 tsp vanilla

zest of 1 lime

Combine all ingredients, except milk. Add 1 tbsp milk at a time until you get the desired consistency (less milk for a thick, white glaze or more milk for a thinner glaze). Spoon over cooled cake.

Fresh Peach Cake

One of my favorite things about summer is all the good fruit we get to eat! Peaches and nectarines being one of my very favorite. I'm all about desserts that involve fruit too. I'd much rather have a pie, cobbler or fruit based dessert than chocolate any day. Unless, it's fruit and chocolate... then I'm toast.

I made this for a family BBQ over the weekend and it was a huge hit! It's like a combination between a cobbler and a cake. Serve with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and you've got it made.

Fresh Peach Cake

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1/4 lb butter, at room temperature (1 stick)

1 1/2 c sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 c sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 c chopped pecans (or any nut you like)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. (I don't have 9 inch sq, so I used a random one I had).

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar for 3-5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixture on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches then sprinkle with two thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange remaining peaches on top and sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture and pecans.

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took about 60 min).

Enjoy!

Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious!!! Moist, slightly sweet, and fruity cupcakes with smooth cream cheese frosting- hits every craving you might be having! Plus, this is a pretty low fat cupcake. No butter involved and only 5 WW+ points, if you're counting.

Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Ingredients

3/4 c whole wheat flour

3/4 c white flour

1 c white sugar

1/2 c flaked coconut

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch of ground ginger (optional)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 whole eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 c grated zucchini (squeeze out extra moisture in a dish towel or in a mesh strainer)

20 oz can crushed pineapple, juice discarded (squeeze out extra moisture like above)

Frosting

1 c powdered sugar

8 oz low fat cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners (I ended up with 20 cupcakes).

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, coconut, salt and spices. Mix to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, vanilla and oil. Mix well. Fold in zucchini and pineapple.

Add wet ingredients to dry. Mixture will be dry, but continue to mix until everything is evenly incorporated. Use a cookie/ice cream scoop to scoop cupcake batter into liners (this will give you perfectly even cupcakes). Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire baking rack.

Combine frosting ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Frost cupcakes using your desired method (I like an offset spatula because I haven't mastered piping frosting, yet). Enjoy!!

Strawberry and Oreo Parfaits

Eric was visiting recently and it was so hot outside, I didn't feel like cooking much. We had fajitas, which were delicious, but I needed a dessert that I didn't have to bake. I'd seen this idea used all over the magazines and websites I follow, but hadn't tried it myself.

I didn't have any graham crackers but had oreos that I'd crushed for another recipe and then frozen the leftovers. I sliced and macerated strawberries in a little sugar. A little heavy whip cream, Amaretto liqueur and powdered sugar made the perfect homemade whipped topping. Assemble in layers in a glass (I used stemless white wine glasses) and enjoy! They were a big hit and so easy!

Blueberry Brown Sugar Cookies

I've got a small obsession with blueberries lately! Mostly, I eat them by the handful, but I decided to bake with them and take them to my Aunt and Uncle's as a gift for watching Dixie Lou. I stole a couple before I wrapped them up and they were good!

Blueberry Brown Sugar Cookies

Adapted from TastyKitchen.com

Ingredients

1 stick butter, at room temperature

3/4 c brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp milk, more if needed

3/4 c fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer, until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well until combined, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon with the mixer on low speed. Mix until dough comes together. Add in milk. If dough is still crumbly, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until it comes together. Fold in the blueberries gently with a spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls or scoop with an ice cream scooper. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

"The Boy" and Blackberry Honey Wheat Scones

So, the boy found out that he has been referred to as the boy on this blog. He wanted an identity to I thought I'd introduce him to you. This is Eric. Well, me and Eric wine tasting. He's a foodie like me and thinks I'm a pretty good cook. I like it... and him.

K, enough of that. Here's some delicious scones! I've made these 2 weekends in a row because they are excellent! This recipe is now a go-to favorite and will be a staple in my arsenal.

Blackberry Honey Wheat Scones

Adapted from TheSavorySweetLife

Ingredients

1 c whole wheat flour

1 c all purpose flour

4 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

3/4 c heavy cream

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c frozen blackberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, add both flours, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. Pulsate the dry ingredients for a couple seconds to mix everything. Add the butter. Pulse again until a coarse meal forms. Transfer everything to a large mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream, egg, honey and vanilla and knead the dough insight the bowl until it comes together. Add the frozen berries and work the dough as fast as you can into a large ball. The less you handle the berries, the better.

On a floured surface, flatted the ball into a disk about 1 inch think. Cut the disk into 8 equal pieces. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Shortcake Royale

This is the easiest, but most impressive dessert ever!!! I'm not kidding. You buy 4 ingredients and assemble it. Normally, I like to make things but recently needed to bring a dessert to a dinner and just didn't have time. I pulled this out of my recipe book and it was great!!!!

Shortcake Royale

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 store bought pound cake (found in freezer section at your grocery store)

1 container strawberries, washed and sliced

1 container blueberries, washed

1 container whip topping, thawed

Cut pound cake into 3 slices horizontally, so you'll have 3 thin rectangles. If your berries don't look very ripe or juice, toss with some granulated sugar and let sit for 30 minutes. Now you're reading to assemble.

Lay bottom slice of pound cake on your serving plate. Top with a layer of whipped topping. Spread the berries across the whipped topping. Lay the middle piece of pound cake on top of your first layer and repeat 2 more times. Ta-Da!!!! So amazing!!

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

I love strawberry season! Mainly because I love strawberry shortcakes!!! I served this alongside the fish recipe below to further impress 'The Boy.' It worked.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

For the cakes:

1 c flour

1/3 c sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

3 oz milk chocolate, chips or roughly chopped from a bar

2 eggs

1/4 c heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the toppings:

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/2 c sugar

1 c heavy cream

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the shortcakes: whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mix until sandy. Add the chocolate. Whisk 1 egg, cream and vanilla in another bowl. Stir into the flour mix with a fork to make a shaggy dough (there will be some dry bits). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; pat flat until 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 rounds with a cookie cutter or glass.

Place the rounds on the baking sheet; freeze for 20 minutes. Beat the remaining egg; brush onto the cakes and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the toppings. Toss the sliced strawberries with 1/4 c sugar and set aside to macerate. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream and other 1/4c sugar to make whipped cream. Continue beating until the mix forms stiff peaks.

When ready to serve, slice the shortcakes horizontally. Top with macerated strawberries and whip cream and enjoy!

* no picture... impressing boy... lost track of purpose...*

Cranberry Coffeecake

If you have to work New Year's Eve, you should bring your coworkers treats. I think it's only fair... you'll feel better and so will they. It helps when the treats you bring are scrumptious, fluffy, sweet, crunchy coffeecake with tart cranberries. Just sayin...

Cranberry Coffeecake

Adapted from JoytheBaker

Ingredients

4 c flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks butter, softened (Not a typo... this makes A LOT of cake)

2 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

4 eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract (or use vanilla, I did)

1 c sour cream mixed with 2 tbsp milk

4 c cranberries, roughly chopped

Topping:

1 1/3 c flour

1 1/3 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 stick butter, well-softened (again, not a typo... deal with it)

2/3 c chopped nuts of your choosing

1/3 c quick cooking oats

Directions

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Combine butter and sugars into a large bowl and beat with electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in extract. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and sour cream mixture, alternating additions, beginning and ending with flour mix. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into baking dish and spread evenly.

For the topping, place the flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and oats in large bowl and stir well with wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed. Take two handfuls of the topping and spread over the cake batter. Use a knife to swirl the topping into the batter. Spread the rest of the topping mix over the cake.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, above 1 hr to 1 hr and 15 min. Cool slightly before cutting.

Spiced Apple Cake

This was my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Normally, I'm in charge of Cherry Cherry crunch (a yummy cherry dessert), Broccoli Cheese Casserole (must have), and I always make some kind of apple dessert because it's kinda my favorite. However, I had to work this year so I couldn't contribute as much as I would have liked. Regardless, this cake was really yummy and went great with the homemade whip cream my Gram had prepared.

Spiced Apple Cake

Adapted from JoytheBaker

Ingredients

Sauteed Apples

2 tart apples (about 1 pound)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sugar

Cake

12 tbsp butter, at room temp

1 c packed light brown sugar

4 egg yolks, at room temp

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 c plus 1 tbsp sour cream

1/4 c sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a bundt pan or a spring form pan.

To saute apples: peel, core and dice the apples into 1/4 inch cubes. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium head until the butter begins to bubble. Add the diced apples and cool for 1 min, stirring. Add the sugar and continue to cook for 2 min. Turn the heat to low and cool the apples, uncovered, for 4-5 min until they are softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To make cake: cream the butter, sugar and spices in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light in color and fluffy. Stop mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add the egg yolks one at a time until incorporated.

Measure out the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients. Once incorporated, add the sour cream all at once. Once that's incorporated, add the other half of the dry ingredients. Fold in the cooked apples (the batter will be thick).

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and distribute evenly. Take a knife and run it in a singular circular motion through the batter 1 inch from the edge of the pan (this will help the cake rise evenly). Sprinkle the cake with sugar and bake for 60-70 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 min before turning out onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Today was our first snow day of the winter! Schools were closed, roads were icy- it was lovely! And in honor of our first snow day, I decided to make pumpkin pancakes (wouldn't you?)!

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1 1/4 c flour

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

a pinch of ginger

a pinch of cloves

1 c milk (more if needed to thin the batter)

1/2 c pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 egg

2 tbsp butter, melted

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Combine the two mixtures together. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt some butter in there. Add the pancake mixture by 1/4 c measurements. Cook on one side until bubbles start to come up, then flip. You know when they're done when you touch the middle and it springs right back. Enjoy!

Cranberry Pumpkin Apple Pecan Bread

That's a mouthful! This is a bread recipe that I found and despite it being vegan, decided to try. It's so moist from the pumpkin and tart from the cranberries. You'll love it. The trick to this vegan bread is to let it cool completely before you cut it because there is no butter or eggs to hold it together. If you cut into it too soon, it can be crumbly.

Cranberry Pumpkin Apple Pecan Bread

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 c flour

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

2 c brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cloves

1 15oz can pumpkin (about 2c, and not pumpkin pie mix)

1 c vegetable oil

1/3 c maple syrup (not pancake syrup, please)

1/3 c water

1 c chopped pecans

1 c cranberries

1 apple, cored and diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

Whisk flours, sugars, baking soda and powder, salt and spices together. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, oil, syrup and water.

Combine the two mixtures together and fold in the cranberries, pecans and apples. Bake 1 hr 15 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes then turn out onto a baking rack. Cut when cooled completely!

Apple Walnut Galette

I've always wanted to make a galette. They're so pretty in bakery windows and look so fancy to eat. And I thought it might be easier because it's supposed to look rustic, i.e. if you screw it up, you can say you meant to. That was totally the case! I was a bit intimated by making pastry dough, but it really wasn't so bad. I used my KitchenAid mixer, but the recipe called for a food processor. (Grandma, I don't have a large food processor. I'd like one. Hint Hint.) Anyway, you can totally handle this recipe!

P.s. if you didn't want to make your own pastry dough, you can totally use store bought pie crust!

Apple Walnut Galette

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

Dough:

1 1/4 c flour, plus more for dusting

2 tsp sugar

Pinch of salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large egg

Filling:

1 c walnuts, toasted

1/4 c plus 1 tbsp sugar

1 lrg egg

3 tbsp butter, diced

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

3-4 firm baking apple (I used Granny Smith)

1/4 c apricot preserves

Directions

To make the dough, pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter, pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Beat the egg with 1 tbsp ice cold water in a bowl, then add the to mixture. Only mix or pulse to combine. Stop before the dough gathers into a ball. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap up and refrigerate for at least 1 hr.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet, 7-8 min, then let cool. Process the nuts, 1/4 c sugar, the egg, 1 tbsp butter, the vanilla and salt in a clean food processor to make a creamy paste.

Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. I actually made 3 small galettes, so just make it whatever size you want, but it needs to be round. Place the rolled out dough on your baking sheet. Spread the walnut filling over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border around the edges. Put back in the fridge while you prepare the apples.

Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Peel, core and halve the apples, then cut each apple into 8 wedges. Arrange over the filling in a circular pattern, slightly overlapping. Fold the edges of the dough inward, pleating it. Sprinkle the apples with the remaining 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp butter.

Bake until golden, 40-45 minutes. Cool on a rack. Whisk 1 tbsp water and the apricot preserves in a bowl, then brush over the galette. Serve and impress!

Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Muffins

During fall, I'm always wanting to make things with pumpkin in them. Now, I do not like pumpkin pie so I don't quite understand. Perhaps it's because I don't partake in pumpkin pie mania, so I have to get my fill elsewhere. Anyway, these muffins were great! Not too sweet and smelled delicious.

Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Muffins

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking.net

Ingredients

2 c flour

3/4 c sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1 c canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 c dried cranberries

1/2 c chopped pecans

Coarse sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray or put in liners.

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, oil, eggs, cranberries and pecans. Mix the two until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. (My new trick is to use an ice cream scoop and they come out all perfectly sized). Sprinkle coarse sugar over each cup.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes (mine actually baked faster, so keep an eye on yours). Insert a toothpick into the middle and see if it comes out clean. Cool on a rack and then ENJOY!

Blackberries!

Here's a huge perk of living on 6 acres... blackberry bushes!! I've been meaning to go pick some for weeks and finally did today. I found tons and tons and will probably be picking them everyday this week to fill my freezer. I have visions of cobblers, muffins, breads, pies, cheesecake topping, and stained fingers in my near future!!