Maple Cake with Brown- Sugar-Maple Frosting

Hello. Why hello.

It's been a scanty few weeks for me in the blogging world! Please excuse moi- holidays, turkey, decorating, family, friends... you know how it is.

I hope you had a truly warm and memorably wonderful Thanksgiving. This is a holiday really worth celebrating- it's a chance to spend every day of the month thinking and pondering on all the many blessings you have in your life- because all we have more than we can count- really, we do. And secondly, it's a day you can pull together with people you like/love, and stuff the heck out of yourself as much as you'd like, practically till you're unable to move, without feeling any real pangs of guilt (if you are counting calories on turkey day, knock it off:)) . And guess what? You'll never guess the startling discovery I made Thursday night around approx 5 pm.......

... I.LOVE.PECAN.PIE.

Love. Not even just "semi-fond of". Love it to the moon and back. Oh it was luxurious and sweet and nutty and flavorful and beaming with every taste that resonated within my palate. We should all feel that way about something on the Thanksgiving dessert menu- I know that many are piously religious about eating a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and I happen to NOT be one of them. I sample everything else. And this year, I took a stab right off the bat at the seemingly unpopular pecan pie sitting there in despair loneliness. From here on out, I could care less about any other dessert that garnishes the table. There, it's off my chest. Pecan pie and me are like long lost friends.

Recently too, I made a maple cake with maple frosting for a Sunday dessert. It was also a major smash within the walls of my junk-food-inclined palate. A very appropriate cake for the time of year. My only major regretful affliction with this baking attempt was overcooking it. Truly, blech. Who in the universe enjoys a bone-dry, arid, barren cake, I ask?

Luckily the frosting came to the rescue and together, it was great. If you can keep your eye on this cake while it bakes and remove it the minute the center of the cake springs back via touch of the index finger, then it will be golden.

You will need to invest in the real maple syrup, however, if you plan on baking this. As much as I love my generic-style maple syrup that only costs a couple green stubs, you know the kind that your kids drench waffles in, it won't do and you'll end up with a really odd cake. So, find the most inexpensive real, grade A Maple syrup out there and then make sure to really enjoy every bite of this kinda-more-lavish cake.

Peace, hope, and joy to you and yours this weekend.

Maple Cake with Brown Sugar/Maple Frosting

{Everyday Food, November 2011}

Nonstick cooking spray

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup chopped walnut halves, toasted

For The Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp maple extract (this was a Kate addition- I needed a little more maple flavor)

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with cooking spray. Flour parchment and sides (tapping out excess); set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on medium-high, add maple syrup in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in walnuts (Kate note: we left these out and used a few only for garnishing the top of the frosted cake).

Divide batter between pans; firmly tap pans on a flat surface several times to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks, 15 minutes, then invert onto racks; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on racks. With a serrated knife, trim domed top from each cake to make a flat surface.

Make frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Assemble cake: Place one layer, top side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread top evenly with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with second layer, top side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and around sides of cake.

Witches' Finger Cookies

WITCHES FINGERS..

Disgustingly delicious. Creepy and sinister. Freakishly fun.

Seriously, I had way more fun making these than I’d like to confess. Crushed oreos for the dirt is the icing on the cake in terms of presentation! My green and black food coloring was out- so I used a dark blue for the "fingernails" and purple for the flesh. I think it turned out pretty cool!!

You still have 12 hours to knock these out- just sayin’!

Go here for how-to and recipe.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Pumpkin Cornbread

I invite you to try this recipe as soon as humanly possible. Make sure your pantry is stocked with pumpkin, cornmeal, flour, and molasses and go to work. Really. I am certain this recipe is new to you. How have I lived 29 autumns already without having this gem of a recipe?? This is what my mystified mind is contemplating and pondering.

It's complicated to find exact words for describing this. It's not dry like most cornbreads- so if that's your qualm, then fear no more. And I know adding molasses to your cornbread mixture seems absolutely goofed and inexact, but you barely taste it- all it does is add slight flavor but big moisture and subtle color. The pumpkin acts similarly too- moisture, color, and slight flavor. The "cornbready" texture is really diffused by so many layers of ingredients.

If you can't already tell then, I think it's sensationally delicious, very tasty, and wildly moist.

Eat with chili, on Halloween night, and you will be spooked-out happy.

Pumpkin Cornbread

{Two Peas and Their Pod}

1 cup flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg

½ cups brown sugar

1 cup cornmeal

2 whole eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

¼ cups olive oil

1 TBSP molasses

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top as much as possible. Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

So... evidently, my one-week pumpkin week didn't suffice. Still in my image files are pictures of more pumpkin recipes I've been experimenting with lately. Good news for me, bad news for you?? Pumpkin week continues!!!!!

Have you ever had pumpkin snickerdoodles??

Me neither.

But I am sure glad that I can now say YES with complete bliss streaming from my breath. They are delicious and moist and a perfect little cookie. I personally found that they taste best after you allow them to cool for a few hours. AND... under bake them by a minute or so-- I found they were better if I did that and allowed them to finish their baking on the cookie sheet out of the oven.

One more thing: immediately upon removing them from the oven, use the bottom of a glass to kind of "smash" them down again-I don't love "cakey" cookies.. so under-baking them and then smashing them with a glass out of the oven helps seal the moistness and denseness of the cookie.

Oh you love them.

Ta ta!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

{Annie’s Eats}

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour ( I used just a bit less so they wouldn’t be so cakey)

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through (kate note: I baked them for about 8 minutes, then let them bake longer on the cookie sheet once they had been removed). Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Are You Sick of Pumpkin Yet? (please say no)

Today I lovingly bring to you an assortment of delicious pumpkin, tried and true recipes. Each one has been wildly successful with happy after thoughts and comments. Hope you enjoy!!

1. Pumpkin Granola (different, fun, different, and fun)

2.Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (cookie)

3.Dinner in a Pumpkin (the ultimate comfort food)

4. Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Muffins

5. Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake with Glaze (rich with flavor and insanely moist)

6.Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (there are just no words to even explain)

7. Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter

8. Pumpkin Scones with White Chocolate Chips (yes, very good)

9.Pumpkin Roulade (one of my ultimate favorites)

10. Pumpkin Soup (holy smokes)

Pumpkin Honey Cake

You've never had a pumpkin cake like this before. At least, I don't think you have. It's teeming with honey and spices and sour cream...and let me assure you, it is instantly addictive!

I took my liberties seriously and decided to use a bundt cake pan instead of what the recipe suggested and after one slice of the cake, me, of all people, decided to also FORGO the frosting portion of the cake. Part of the reasoning behind this was that we ate it too quickly when it was warm to even have time to make the frosting. A likely situation.

But attached to the cake recipe is also the frosting and I can't imagine you'd go astray by adding it!!!!

I truly hope you like this one! It's going down in history as a favorite autumnal cake.

Pumpkin Honey Cake with Frosting

{via Epicurious}

For the cake:

2 1/4 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

For frosting

1 pound Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

1/4 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon (scant) ground allspice

1 cup chilled whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil, leaving overhang on short sides; butter and flour foil ( Kate note: I used bundt cake pan and it worked wonderfully!). Sift 2 1/4 cups flour and next 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Whisk pumpkin, sour cream, honey and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.

Make frosting (Kate note: I DID not make this frosting, but here are the instructions if you are interested!)

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1/3 cup pumpkin, honey and allspice in large bowl until fluffy. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in 2 additions. Spoon 1 1/2 cups frosting into small bowl to use for decorating; cover and refrigerate.

Using foil as aid, lift cake onto work surface. Cut cake crosswise into three 10 x 4-inch rectangles (reserve remaining cake for another use). Slide spatula under 1 rectangle; transfer cake to platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third cake. Spread 1 cup frosting in thin layer over top and sides of cake to anchor crumbs. Chill 1 hour.

Spread remaining frosting from large bowl decoratively onto sides of cake. Spoon 3/4 cup reserved frosting from small bowl into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe frosting in diagonal lines on top of cake, spacing about 3/4 inch apart. Squeeze frosting from pastry bag back into small bowl of frosting. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin. Spoon pumpkin frosting into pastry bag and pipe lines of shells or rosettes between frosting lines on cake. Refrigerate until frosting sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with foil dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.)

Pumpkin Trifle

Could there be anything better than a pumpkin trifle?? Let's talk about this.

There isn't anything better. Conversation over.

If having Heath-bar bits, pumpkin cake, AND butterscotch pudding all together in the same bite is too much for you, then swap out the Heath bar bits for something else.

But how could it be too much? This dessert screams autumn.

Enjoy. I know there won't be a problem doing so!:)

Pumpkin Trifle

1 recipe pumpkin cake, baked and cooled (recipe follows)

1 carton whipped cream, whipped, OR 1 big tub cool whip

2 smaller packages butterscotch-flavored pudding made according to package directions

1 bag Heath toffee bits

In a trifle bowl, layer as follows: chunks of pumpkin cake, butterscotch pudding, whipped cream and toffee bits. You should have two of these layers. Finish with toffee bits on top of whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves a LOT.

Pumpkin Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup canned, mashed pumpkin

1 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp all cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix on high speed for at least 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass dish (or a bundt cake pan works too), and bake until done.

First Up: Pumpkin Doughnuts. For Reals.

Welcome to Pumpkin Week...where all your greatest pumpkin recipes will hopefully/maybe/maybe-not come true!

Today’s first recipe will make you fatter and happier than life itself: pumpkin donuts (yes, slang spelling, I know I know)... and yes they are as good as it sounds.

These taste like pure Autumn in the most casual way possible. I have no other idea of how to explain it. You know how good a donut from the local joint can taste straight from the mill? Try a homemade one, spiced with fall’s essences and pumpkin, fried up before your eyes, then mercilessly dipped in either sugar/cinnamon or a delicious glaze. I really had to stop myself cold from eating more than I was.

Our niece and nephew, S & C, came over to help us. Oh we had so much fun making these. Perhaps too much. And it further concluded in my mind that if you make these in your home, please have people around to help you and to laugh with joy along with you when that boiling oil gives birth to your first homemade pumpkin donut. It’s a memory you won’t want to relish alone. Homemade donuts are made for people who love each other and want to spend time with each other. This recipe is, no doubt in my mind, going down as a Halloween tradition from this time forth. You heard me!

Here’s a few pointers to hopefully assuage any anxiety about making these:

+You don’t need a fryer. Use a large saucepan and leave the oil only 2-3 inches deep.

+You will want a candy thermometer. Promise. It’s the only way to determine if the oil is at the right temperature- believe me- if it’s too hot, you’ll not just fry the donut, you’ll kill it, but if it’s too cool, the donut won’t fluff up properly. And you don’t wanna do the “finger” test to see if the oil is hot. You’ll need that finger in the future!

+The cinnamon/sugar topping as well as the glaze are imperative. They MAKE the donut what it is. And they are both winners. I highly recommend preparing both and seeing which one you like best. Personally, I found the sugar mix was fabulous with the donut holes and the glaze fit perfectly with the actual donut.

+You don’t need fancy biscuit cutters or fancy cookie cutters to make these- you may use the rim of a drinking glass to cut out donut shapes from your dough (which is what we did). You may also use the edge of a frosting tip to cut out the middle of the donut hole… this worked wonderfully- then use those little dots for donut holes. Yum!

+Don’t wimp out! Try it! Try it! Try it! The oil burning at 350 degrees is nothing to be too scared of!

Pumpkin Doughnuts

For the doughnuts:

3½ cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

Canola oil or peanut oil, for frying

For the cinnamon-sugar:

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the spiced glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of ground ginger

Dash of ground cloves

2 tbsp. milk

To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat until well blended. Stir in the egg, then the egg yolks, and then the vanilla until incorporated. Combine the buttermilk and pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup and whisk together. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Once the dough is mixed, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or until firm.

On a well-floured work surface, roll or pat out the dough to a ½-inch thick round. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Using a 2½ to 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Use a smaller cutter (or a wide pastry tip) to cut a hole out of the center. Reroll and cut the dough scraps as necessary.

Add oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2-3 inches. Attach a thermometer to the side of the pan and heat the oil to 365-370˚ F. Add the rings of dough to the hot oil so that they are in a single layer and not touching. Fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and doughnuts are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes total. Use a skimmer/strainer to remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack. Bring the oil temperature back up to the target range before repeating with the next batch of doughnuts. Use the same process for the doughnut holes, frying for a shorter time.

To make the cinnamon-sugar, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and whisk to blend. When the doughnuts are just cool enough to handle, dip half of them in the cinnamon-sugar to coat completely, shaking off the excess.

To make the spiced glaze, combine the powdered sugar and spices in a small bowl. Add the milk and whisk to combine, until a thick glaze is formed. If necessary, add a bit more milk to thin the glaze out. Dip the remaining half of the doughnuts in the glaze. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Ahhh... can't wait to make them again. See ya in '12 beautiful pumpkin pastry!

Sweet Potato w/ Butter, Syrup, and a Host of other Goodnesses

If life has something better, in the edible world that is, than a soft, mushy, starchy, sweet potato drowning for help in real maple syrup, real butta' (sorry, just spent some time in Boston), and sage leaves, let me know. Because this is a fall dinner/fall side dish ( I absolutely renounce any claims that sweet potatoes could potentially be a 'dessert'. Bosh!) you will not want to miss out on. Your taste buds will pick out every flavor it senses of how butter really tastes, each sweet little molecule from the syrup, and each speck of sage-flavor sageness from that leafy herb and somewhere in the impeccability of that, you may also have spicy sensations ringing in your cheeks from the crushed red pepper.

And do you know what maple syrup and butter and sage leaves do when they are all combined and compressed between two thick and extremely hot flaps of potato??

Absolutely nothing.

That, is why it is sooooo good.

Sweet Potato with Butter and Maple Syrup and Crushed Red Pepper and Sage Leaves. OH, AND Cumin.

{Inspired by Good Housekeeping October 2011}

2 sweet potatoes-or yams, or whatever the thingies are called that are orange fleshed inside- let’s also not talk about how I much I shun at the word “flesh”.

½ stick of butter (yes it’s a lot of lard for only two people, but worth it my darlings..), softened

½ cup PURE maple syrup (seriously, don’t even bust out the sugar free-wanna-be stuff for this one)

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Sage leaves, minced (fresh sage leaves, people, fresh)

Cumin

Kosher salt

Pam OLIVE OIL spray

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub the potatoes very well, using all your wrist power. Pat them off with a towel, and lay them on a cookie sheet. Prick them with a fork all over. Spray each one well with PAM spray and then rub salt and cumin all over its surface. Stick in oven and cook baby cook!

Meanwhile… nope, no resting yet.. meanwhile, mix the softened butter, maple syrup, and crushed red pepper together in a bowl until it’s all nicely combined and “whipped”. Refrigerate until the potates are soft.

Once the potatoes are somewhat cool enough to handle (i.e. your fingertips aren’t scorched off)… slice halfway down, and squish some potato flesh up and out. Take the largest butter knife you can possibly find, scoop up at least ½ cup of the butter mixture, and throw it down into the potato. Sprinkle some minced sage leaves over the entire thing and watch everything melt and glisten before your very eyes.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Creme Fraiche, Bacon, & Basil

I gotta be as blunt as possible with you: this is not a perfect recipe. I was the lucky reciptent of a grocery bag's worth of just-picked garden tomatoes, one of life's grand pleasures if you ask me and a few hours later I gave birth to this recipe which probably needs a bit of tweaking and twisting. But keep reading. I have a point.

Being the soup jockey I am, I opted to make a homemade roasted tomato soup. It just sounded delectable. My mind began soaring into different horizons of possible add-in's and potential garnishes- bacon came rolling instantly into my culinary brains because tomatoes and bacon are a perfect duo in one of my favorite sandwiches, the BLT. Then I thought of whipping cream because the best tomato soups I've ever slurped down in this world involve some kind of dairy thickening agent- creme fraiche in my opinion is step above sour cream and whipping cream, and so there we have it. Lastly, and I hope this doesn't need much elaboration, the meshing of tomatoes and basil is probably one of the most popular and outstanding combinations known to man. From that, I knew I wanted a soup with the dominating role of the garden tomato with assistant key players like bacon, creme fraiche, and basil.

As I said, this recipe, it is NOT perfect. You may find that it needs a heckuvalot more pepper, or some more chicken broth, or less of it. I am usually rushing my brains out to get dinner made all while trying to keep two little cutie pie's happy and thus, my precise note-taking abilities for recording what I've done just gets drowned out in the moment. Apologies if you make this and the measuring seems off. The great thing about soup is that you can keep experimenting with flavors until you reach the pinnacle. Soups are quite flexible and accommodating for mistakes.

I hope, if nothing else, this recipe will give you a base of ideas of which to spring from. I know that we certainly enjoyed the outcome- and it tasted even better the next day. Leftovers, you have saved me more than once.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Crème Fraiche, Bacon, and Basil

3-4 lbs of garden tomatoes, diced into fourths

Olive oil

Salt and pepper-lots of it

1 onion, diced very small.

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1-2 cups chicken broth

1 handful of fresh basil, chiffonaded- a little reserved for garnish

1 cup crème fraiche*

1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Over a large jelly roll pan, place all the tomatoes and using your hands, drizzle olive oil all over. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Mix it all together on the sheet pan, and then throw it in the oven. Roast until tomatoes are juicy hot-they will be bubbling, leaking, and the edges will be nice and crispy golden brownish. Take them out and let them cool for 30 minutes or so.

Dump (such refined cooking vocabulary!:) the entire jelly roll pan full of tomatoes and all their oily juices into a blender or food processor. Process until it reaches a consistency you are happy with- you can have it as chunky or as smooth as you wish. I am a total fan of rustic textures, so I left it chunky.

In a large saucepan, drizzle some olive oil and over medium heat stir the onion and garlic cloves until tender. Add the tomato puree and 1 cup of chicken broth (you can add more if it’s not thick enough, or leave it at that if it’s too much liquid). Add tomato paste and bring this mixture to a boil for 20 minutes, adding more liquid if needed. Taste and make sure it’s flavorful enough- you may wish to add more salt and pepper (if adding more salt use caution because chicken broth isn’t exactly known for its dearth of sodium). Reduce the heat to low. Add the fresh basil and a ½ cup of crème fraiche, stirring to incorporate.

Ladle into bowls, garnishing with more fresh basil, bacon, and a dollop of crème fraiche.

*Creme fraiche unfortunately, carries an ugly- high price tag with it. So I make my own- always. And it's seriously just as good. I take 1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped though) and a 1/2 cup of sour cream and combine them. In a perfect planning-ahead world, I would let them sit at room temperature for at least 12-24 hours, stirring every so often. In a not-so-perfect-planning-world, I still make it and allow it to sit at room temperature (preferably a warmer spot of the abode) for an hour, stirring once or twice in that time. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies. Triple Yum.

I have a really cute 3 year old who is pressing me to watch "Curious George" right this very second and so, I must be concisely brief right now and save the rambling for another post.

But.

Let's just say this.

Pumpkin + butterscotch chips = dynamite- out- of -this- world glorious perfection of autumnal blissful raptures.

Do it. I may never use chocolate chips again in my pumpkin cookies.

Ever.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
{Annie’s Eats}

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend. In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute. Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Zucchini Sandwich Cookies

{via}

My camera broke this week (hence the borrowed image).

Double sigh, double groan.

But it's hard to stay sullen for very long when cookies spiced with zucchini and piled high with cream cheese frosting are around. Yum. They remind me so much of a miniature carrot cake- same kind of texture, very similar flavors, and comparable colors. And if you love carrot cake, you will go ga-ga for these.

It's been a fun week using zucchini! I hope it's been helpful for you in expanding your zucchini recipe repertoire.

Till next week.

Ta ta!!!

Zucchini Sandwich Cookies

{Martha Stewart}

Coarse salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup finely grated zucchini

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (kate note: ugh, no thank you for me)

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the sugars until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix in zucchini, oats, and walnuts. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Beat together remaining 1/2 stick butter, the cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon filling onto the flat side of 1 cookie, and sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies.

Carrot Cupcakes with Dulche de Leche Buttercream

Every time I weasel a bite out of carrot cake (or cupcake, as it were), I am struck dumb-speechless with utter amazement. How can anything so typical, so every-day tasting, be mixed with spices, sugar, oil, flour, and (usually) pineapple and then result in something superbly extraordinary? My heart goes out to you if by some tragic misunderstanding you have come to abhor anything carrot-cake related, for truly you must’ve been mistaken. No one can NOT just love carrot cake; to me, carrot cake is really no different from a beach vacation. Who doesn’t adore the relaxation that comes from lounging your feet into warm sand while inhaling that salty, balmy smell that comes from a warm sun and loud, violent ocean waves? Preciously.

And carrot cake, may I remind you, doesn’t taste like those long, orange, fibery veggies we see packaged up in the store. No no. Rather, carrot cake tastes moist (excuse moi if that word makes you shudder with disgust). It tastes warm and welcoming, inviting and friendly. The aroma from those subtle spices will bring only pleasant thoughts to your mind as you guiltlessly work your way through its crumby and yummy ness. Carrot cake tastes like autumn and Easter to me, all in the same moment.

Perhaps like you, the one and only appropriate yet perfect frosting for carrot cake in my mind was a traditional cream cheese (or if you’re really going for the big guns, mascarpone frosting)…. until about 36 hours ago when I took a leap of faith on something new: dulche de leche frosting. Fancy talk for caramel frosting.

And ohhhhhh… what a sweet, sweet conversion it was. Trying out this very uncomplicated, but extremely rich frosting will heighten your carrot cake consumption and your adoration for delicious frostings. If you can’t tell, these might just be an all time favorite cupcake. Ever. Ever. Ever.

(If you opt for a cake instead of cupcakes, I recommend googling an actual carrot cake recipe instead of a cupcake recipe, because the leavening agents may differ in measurements from what is listed here. But proceed with the frosting recipe as follows- it will make enough to frost a normal sized cake- the thought continually crossed my mind what a rich and decadent cake this frosting would make any carrot-flavored one. YUM!)

Carrot Cupcakes with Dulche de Leche Buttercream

{recipe via; makes about 28 cupcakes}

4 cups peeled and finely grated carrots

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use (or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla seeds, and coconut, pineapple and nuts if desired. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted into centers come out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks, 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months in airtight containers.

Frost cupcakes with dulce de leche or cream cheese frosting. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature, and sprinkle with toasted coconut (press gently to adhere) before serving.

Dulche de Leche Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

3/4 cup prepared dulce de leche (any good-quality and thick prepared caramel sauce)

Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate. Frost cooled cupcakes using a knife ( Kate note: knife is my way of frosting- I suppose I enjoy that "rustic" look-but either method is great!) or a pastry bag and tip. Top with toasted coconut.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

We have finally settled into our new abode. I mean, define "settled" how you wish, but things are getting into their places and the cardboard boxes are disappearing, one by one.

And ever since we got the kitchen boxes mostly unpacked (now we just have to decide how we want to finalize the placement for each tool and utensil), I've been afflicted with a suffering to make pumpkin ice cream. You have to understand, that our little ice cream machine is our culinary sanity in any season of the year. And in this year, more than any other, we've been crazy superfluous with the Libby's canned pumpkin. Really. I think we've had more than our fair share and although I think we could happily continue to indulge in pumpkin-made anything, something tells me this is our last recipe involving the orange squash until '11. It's the ethical thing to do.

Anyway. So, ice cream. In the middle of winter. Seems a bit counter-intuitive, what with hot chocolate and hot cider abounding everywhere, but no snowfall or cold forecast could eschew us from gluttonizing in this rich concoction.

I should warn you too, that it doesn't make an awful lot. Perhaps I had too many spoonfuls of the custard ( you know how we always "have to make sure it tastes good") and depleted the outcome, but I would double this next time, for sure.

And the tots really like it too. I believe you are looking at my kid's third bowl.

Here you go. Recipe for all.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

{Williams Sonoma}

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned, unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

5 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Makes about 1 quart

New Way of Eating Them Spuds!!

One of my favorite side dishes this year for Thanksgiving was mashed potatoes with celery root. For quite a few years now I've seen and/or heard about this combination being absolutely majestic together and so finally, my mom and I broke it out and gave it a whirl.

I am hooked. It is really quite a unique but subtle fusion of the two textures and flavors. We added about a 1 tsp of minced fresh thyme to it (chives are also a good option) and it sealed the deal! The celery root, much to my surprise, is totally easy to work with- treat it like any other root vegetable with only requiring a tiny bit of TLC in it's prep- say, some peeling, some chopping, and wala!!! Use a chef's knife too in cutting.

At any rate, this recipe from Martha Stewart is a good guide to follow, though we kind of winged the measurements in our kitchen. Whipping cream is a desired preferable option, not make or break deal. The butter, however, is a must. What are any mashed potatoes without it? Bland and lackluster.

And don't shy away from making this for your Xmas holidays party. I think this is perfectly winter-appropriate all season long!

Mashed Potatoes and Celery Root

{loosely adapted from Martha Stewart}

4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

1 pound celery root

1 cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Fresh thyme, minced (Optional), or Chives, chopped

Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Peel celery root using a paring knife, following the shape of the root. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place potatoes and celery root in a small stockpot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, return to pot; place over low heat to dry out.

Combine cream, butter, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan, and place over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture comes to a simmer. Pour over potato mixture, and combine, using a potato masher, until fluffy and smooth.

Add choice herb for garnish.

Cranberry Orange and Gingersnap Cheesecake Parfaits

For some inexplicable reason, my mind has always associated baking cheesecakes with some formal event. Nay....not formal, per se, but special...

Recently however, I've been thinking about how poorly some of my past cheesecakes in life have turned out but how much I would really like to improve upon that. I had the common cheesecake troubleshooting errors: the center was undercooked, the filling had lumps in it, you know. Minor, but major things like that.

Thus, when a friend of mine recently had baby number 3, I thought taking her a cheesecake would be appropriate. Celebrating the birth of a baby must warrant at least that.

So in my excitement I got straight to work beating the cream cheese and sugar for minutes on end with my hand mixer and oh, how creamy and smooth was I able to get this texture. I beamed with pride. Being patient and allowing the three blocks of cream cheese to sit at room temperature for an hour had paid off!!! In fact, my excitement proliferated so much in such a short amount of time that I thoughtlessly poured this lovely filling into the crust, and almost into the oven when it dawned on me that I forgot the eggs.

Eggs. How on earth does a cheesecake survive without them? It doesn't!

Well. I very gingerly attempted to spoon the filling out of the crust and back into my mixing bowl, hoping so desperately that I could salvage this filling. It proved to be a debacle, as bit after bit of crust crumbled right into the filling. A cheesecake with crust bits in the filling.... not pretty.

I was about the throw away the entire thing with disappointment smeared all over my apron when the two syllable word, parfait, came flying through my head.

I guess it wasn't a total failure after all. And best of all, this recipe is safe to give children or lactating mothers because the cheesecake filling part is raw-egg free!

My husband and I both really enjoyed some for ourselves! They are yummy and the topping and crust are very interchangeable (you could swap crushed chocolate wafers for the gingersnaps and do candied oranges on top, etc).

Enjoy!!

Cranberry-Orange & Gingersnap Cheesecake Parfaits

3 cups ground gingersnap cookies (I used a food processor for this part- blender would work too, or a heavy hand smashing tool)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted and slightly cooled

3 8-oz bars of cream cheese, at room temperature (low fat works fine)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup sour cream (you can use the low fat stuff here too)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 package fresh cranberries

Zest of 1 orange

1/2-3/4 cup sugar (just depending on how sweet ya like it)

1/2 cup water

Make the topping: In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, orange zest, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until the berries "pop" (or, open) somewhat and is thickened slightly (I think it takes about 10 minutes). Remove from heat, transfer to another dish, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until cooled.

Make the crust: in a large bowl, combine the ground gingersnap cookies and melted butter. Stir until the cookies are moist (although I shun to use that word).

Make the filling: in a large bowl using a hand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream. Blend in the vanilla.

To assemble, place crust in the bottom of a clear glass. Spoon filling (1 or 2 big spoon fills) of filling on top, then the cranberry mixture on top of that. Refrigerate leftovers.