What to do with a mountain of zucchini

A few years ago I spent Christmas in Paris as a missionary. Even though being away from home at that time of year was super tough, I lived with two GREAT girls and we had an amazing time celebrating the holidays. One, in particular, loved to cook almost as much as I did, so before she left the area we had what we lovingly dubbed Our Couscous Christmas Dinner. A friend of ours had given us a huge leg of lamb and we roasted it and served it with spiced couscous, and for dessert my friend shared her recipe for lemon zucchini bread. Not your typical Christmas dinner, but this adapted version of the original zucchini bread recipe has remained one of my favorites year-round! Pour the batter into muffin liners for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Wendy's Zucchini Bread (or muffins)

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt (I like kosher best)

Whisk these ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

In a larger bowl combine:

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. canola oil

1 egg

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Whisk well, then stir in

1 c. shredded zucchini

Pour in the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Pour into loaf pan or sprayed muffin liners. Bake at 350 for 1 hour (loaf) or 20-24 minutes (muffins). Loaf/muffins should be golden brown and feel springy when touched. Or insert a toothpick and wait for it to come out clean.

Adventures in Breadmaking

I tend to get on these ultra-focused quests in cooking, and the last few months have been bread. I found this excellent book called Baking by James Peterson and have pretty much been loving everything I've tried. A few months ago a made my own start using this recipe from the Fresh Loaf site and have been loving playing around with that too. It is fabulous. A few years ago I tried making my own start and it was a miserable, rank failure. But this, this recipe has great flavor- just like a good sourdough should taste!

While the book explains and offers recipes for a myriad of cakes, cookies, tarts and the like, I have been so fascinated by the bread chapter I haven't tried anything else. The thing I love most about this author is what an awesome teacher he is! He explains food science without losing me in a fifty-page tangent, all the while keeping it really interesting. The recipes are awesome and here are a few of my favorites.

I know I just posted our favorite sandwich bread the other day, but this one is- do I dare say it- possibly a bigger favorite. Simpler recipe, more time, so it's a toss-up which one I'll stick with or if I'll just use both on a regular basis. Amazing how great the texture is, though- YUM!

White Bread (Sponge Method)

4 c. flour

3/4 c. plus 1 Tbs. barely warm water

2/3 c. warm milk

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

oil for the pan

Making the Starter: Put 1 1/2 c. flour, the water, and milk in a bowl. Stir to combine with a whisk and sprinkle the yeast over. Wait about 3 minutes, for the yeast to moisten, and stir again until the mixture has the consistency of a thick batter. Cover the starter with plastic wrap and let rise for 1-2 hours, until doubled in volume, or even tripled.

Mixing: Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and the sugar with the sponge. Cut off one fifth of the dough to reserve for the next batch. You can save this for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer. The next time you bake bread knead this into the milk/flour mixture just after you add the milk.

Kneading: Mix the dough by hand for 3 minutes or with a mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed for 2 minutes. If you're using a food processor, process the dough for 1o seconds. Cover the dough with a moist towel or with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. Add the salt to the dough and knead again by hand or with the mixer on medium speed for about 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed if necessary to get the dough to slap against the side of the bowl. If using a food processor, process for 1 minute and then knead by hand for 1 minute to get the broken-up dough to come back together.

Fermentation: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel. Leave the dough for about 2 hours at warm room temperature for the fastest rise, or 30 minutes at room temperature and then overnight in the refrigerator for the slowest.

Shaping: Punch down the dough. Shape it into a loaf and place in an oiled 8-cup loaf pan.

Proofing: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until about twice its original volume.

Baking: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place a sheet pan on the floor of an oven or on the bottom rack and pour in enough hot water to over the bottom of the sheet pan. Slide the loaf onto an oven rack over the pan of water and immediately spray the oven walls with water; wait for 30 seconds and repeat. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap it. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack and let cool.

Makes 1 8-cup loaf, 2 baguettes, 1 boule, or 1 batard

Love, love, love this sourdough bread! I usually do the 'mixed method' and get a great rise out of my start. Perfect for panini, other sandwiches, and makes oh-so-delicious french toast.

Sourdough Bread

5 c. flour

1 1/2 c. water

2 c. expanded sourdough starter (explained below)

1 /4 tsp. active dry yeast proofed in 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. barely warm water (this is the 'mixed method')

1 tsp salt

Expanding the Starter: The night before you plan to make sourdough bread, begin by building the natural starter into a finished sourdough starter by adding flour and water. If your starter isn't as vigorous as you'd like- it takes longer than 8 hours to double in volume- consider adding a bit of yeast to help things along (mixed method). Combine 1 c. starter- don't use it all, you want to maintain some for future projects- with 1 c. flour and 1 c. water and allow to rise at room temperature for 24 hours. If you don't have a cool place for it to rise, let rise for 4 hours at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge for 20 more hours.

In a bowl, mix the flour, water, and sourdough starter. If using the mixed method, add the yeast and combine. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Add the salt and knead by hand for about 12 minutes or in a standing mixer with a dough hook for 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed if needed to get the dough to slap against the side of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 4-8 hours, until doubled in volume.

Shape the dough and allow to proof, covered with plastic wrap at room temperature or uncovered in a proofing box for 2-4 hours, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Slide a sheet pan on the floor or bottom rack of the oven and allow to heat for 10 minutes. Pour enough hot water to just cover the bottom of the sheet pan. Immediately spray water in the oven and close the door. Wait 30 seconds and repeat. Turn down oven to 425 F. Bake about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a thermometer stuck in the bottom registers at least 205 F. Let cool on a cake rack.

Makes 1 8-cup loaf, 2 baguettes, 1 boule, or 1 batard

The walnut-raisin variation of this has become one of our favorite breads for toast in the morning. SO yummy- you have to try it!

Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

2 1/4 c. stone-ground whole wheat flour

2 1/4 c. bread flour

1 1/2 c. barely warm water

2 c. expanded sourdough starter

1 tsp salt

oil for the pans

In a bowl combine the whole wheat flour and bread flour with the water and add the starter. Mix for 1 minute and then add the salt. Knead the dough with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 7 minutes or 12 minutes by hand, or until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed, if necessary, to get the dough to slap against the sides of the bowl. Allow to rise, covered with plastic wrap or a moist towel, at room temperature for about 6 hours or in the refrigerator for about 15 hours or until doubled in volume.

Form 2 loaves and put into 2 oiled 6-cup loaf pans or shape the loaf into a boule. Allow to proof, covered with plastic at room temperature for about 3 hours or until doubled in size. Score.

Preheat the oven to 500 F. Slide a sheet pan on the floor or bottom rack of the oven and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Pour enough hot water to just cover the bottom of the sheet pan. Immediately spray water in the oven and close the door. Wait 30 seconds and repeat. Turn down oven to 425 F. Bake about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a thermometer stuck in the bottom registers at least 205 F. Let cool on a cake rack.

Variation--

Sourdough Whole Wheat Raisin Bread

Knead 1 c. coarsely-chopped walnuts and 1/2 c. raisins into the dough and allow to rise for about 4 hours, or until doubled in volume. Oil 6-cup loaf pans. Punch down dough, shape into 6 small loaves, and put into prepared pans. Allow to proof for 1-4 hours or until doubled. Bake at 450 F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on rack.

Our Daily Bread

One of my new year's resolutions this year has been to make our own bread. I'm not a fan of preservatives, and I'm all about the savings of the homemade loaf compared to what local stores have to offer, especially the kind of bread I gravitate toward. I do so love a good 7-grain! That being said, I'm still working toward making our own bread 100%- this is definitely the kind of goal that takes organization and planning, and I'm getting a handle on that slowly but surely.

Anyway, in the process I've discovered some killer recipes that my family just LOVES so of course I have to share. Having the husband approve of homemade bread is a big deal since he is quite the connoisseur (read: picky), and tends to pick a soft, fluffy store-bought loaf of white bread over anything I have made in the past. However, this white bread recipe from The Blue Bible has won his heart and I have to admit I'm beaming with pride that I finally nailed one he loves better then Granny Sycamore's.

I do still have a few issues though. I'm not a newbie, but i'm still trying to work out a few kinks in the rising of this loaf. When the dough looks perfectly proofed and domed in the loaf pans I get so excited, but each time I open the oven only to find the finished product deflated and somewhat flat across the top. They still slice beautifully and taste delicious, but I want to figure out what's going on there. Hmm. Anyway, if any of you reading this can help me troubleshoot I would LOVE the extra insight and help. That being said, on to the recipe!

Perfect White Sandwich Bread

(or toast, or warm with butter and jam, . . . you get the idea!)

adapted from Land o' Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes

Yields 2 loaves

2 c. milk (I use reconstituted powdered milk-- 2/3 c. pwd. milk + 1 1/2 c. warm water)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

5-6 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp salt

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in 1/4 c. warm water with 1 Tbs. of the sugar. Add milk, sugar, salt, and half of the all-purpose flour. Mix, scraping bowl often, until smooth and elastic. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that is easy to handle. Be careful not to knead too much into it though, or your bread will be too dry when baked.

Turn dough out onto lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, kneading at least 5 minutes after last addition of flour. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Dough is ready when an indentation remains when touched.

Gently punch down dough; divide and shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover, let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 F. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow on bottom when thumped. Remove from pans immediately. If desired, brush tops with butter.

Delightful Dinners!

I've been so busy teaching pastry and cake decorating classes the last few months that I've neglected pretty much everything I possibly can and get away with it. But no more-

Sweet Freedom!!!

So here I am, getting back to the increasingly-long list of catching up I need to do.

Task number 23. . . return to blogging.

I'm starting to think that maybe I should have chosen a different name for this blog, seeing as how the majority of my recipes on my mind are turning toward savory instead of sweet and 'baked'. Oh well, good food in any way shape or form makes life amazing. That being said, let's jump into the first of several comin'-at-ya dinner posts.

We picked up a Sunset magazine the other day, more interested in the 'plan your summer' travel articles than anything, and happened upon this delish- and I really mean it- recipe for

Halibut Parchment Packets with Almond Coconut Rice.

Perfect for the time of year when I'm longing for spring and all of the favorite fresh vegetables that come with it, packets are filled with asparagus and sugar snap pea pods and served over curried coconut rice. SO yummy! The recipe calls for Halibut, a fish that depending on where you live can be a little pricey, but rest assured you can use any other good-quality white fish in it's place with good results.

One more note, the specified amount of red curry paste is a MUST! Being the nursing mommy that I am I wasn't sure about it- wondering if it might bring too much spice to the dish and cause a needless and oh-so-unpleasant sleepless night for little Sam, but this curry is all about flavor, not heat.

And so, without further ado, I give you-

Halibut Parchment Packets w/ Almond Coconut Rice

taken from Sunset Magazine March 2011

• 3/4 teaspoon red curry paste*

• 3/4 cup canned coconut milk (I used Lite Coconut Milk)
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup basmati rice ( I used Calrose Rice)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 4 halibut fillets (6 oz. each)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-in. pieces on the diagonal
• 1/4 pound sugar snap peas
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk curry paste, gradually adding coconut milk. Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to another bowl; set bowls aside.

2. Toast almonds in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden, 3 minutes. Stir in rice, reserved 1/2 cup sauce, 1/2 cup water, the coconut, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.

3. Season halibut with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and the pepper while rice cooks. Cut 4 pieces of parchment, each 12 by 14 in. Set a fillet in center of each, then mound asparagus and peas on top (some may roll off). For each packet, bring 2 opposite sides of parchment up over ingredients and fold several times to seal. Bring other sides up and fold to seal. Place packets, folded sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fish is just opaque (poke with a sharp knife to check), 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Microwave remaining 1/4 cup sauce to warm. Divide rice among 4 plates and top each with fish and vegetables from a packet, discarding extra liquid. Drizzle sauce over dishes and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

*Find in grocery stores' Asian-foods aisle.

Crockpot Steelcut Oats

I love oatmeal. Seriously love it. Which is kindof miraculous considering my entire childhood of breakfasts consisted of a revolving variety of Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, and a cereal that I love but makes my siblings cringe, called Zoom.

Anyway, back to the oatmeal. I'm a huge fan of crockpot recipes, and this one is awesome- put it together the night before and breakfast is waiting for you when you wake up- warm, yummy, comfort-in-cold-weather food that's oh-so good for you. And all those antioxidants. . . hey, I may look like I'm 18 now, but when I hit 40 in a few years-- oh the looks of envy that will turn my way!

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats

4 c. water

1 1/2 c. apple juice

1 c. steel cut oats

1/2 c. barley (not quick)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

2 medium apples, coarsely chopped

In a crockpot combine water, juice, oats, barley, spices, and salt. Cover, and cook on low 6-7 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in sugar, nuts, and apples. Serve with honey and milk.

You Beautiful Butternut!

I know this is the 'bakeshop', but since I'm the boss around here it's only right that I post anything that I want. :) And tonight I want to tell you about the amazing frittata I enjoyed with my three-year-old daughter as we picnicked on the kitchen floor. Because it was that delicious.

Knowing, as you do, that I am a HUGE fan of cooking seasonally, you'll understand my nod to the fall/winter season by using Butternut Squash. I have baby weight to lose, so I've been looking recently for more ways to incorporate veggies into the diet without lapsing into the old standby- salad. Yawn. Cold weather calls for heartier things and my tummy wants something substantial and delish.

Mission accomplished.

And while we're on the subject of healthy & hearty, be sure to check out this soup, and this soup. Both stellar.

*This recipe includes bacon, but leave it out for a great vegetarian dish.

Butternut Squash Frittata w/ Sage and Bacon

4 slices thick bacon (cut off any large chunks of fat and discard), diced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 c. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces

3-4 fresh sage leaves, torn (or 1/2 tsp dried, rubbed sage)

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. shredded parmesan

salt and pepper TT

Combine eggs and parmesan. Whisk lightly; set aside.

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until browned and just starting to crisp, add onion and squash. If using dried sage, add it now. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion and squash are tender, about 20 minutes. Add sage; season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the egg and cheese mixture, stirring gently to mix. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until almost cooked through. Finish by placing the pan in a 475 F oven. If your pan has a plastic handle, turn oven to broil and hold pan under the heat for a few minutes until the top of the frittata is set. Turn out onto plate immediately and cut into wedges. Serve. Leftovers are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast! :)

A little Nutella & one tough cookie

I've been sitting here tonight, having put the kids down after another wild day, just letting my mind drift. And, of course, because I'm me, it naturally drifts to food. Isn't it interesting just how closely linked are our memories and our senses of taste and smell? I don't even know what reminded me of it, but I started thinking about one of the very first things I ate when I arrived in Paris. I would be living there for the next year-and-a-half as a missionary for the LDS church, and so my companion, a tough cookie from Vermont named Marissa, showed me the ropes. On our way back from an appointment my feet were sore from the unexpected experience of learning how to walk on cobblestone streets in dress shoes; I was tired, and it started to rain. And the thick crepe was warm in my hand, the nutella inside slightly melted. It was amazing.

Marissa and I didn't get along at first. In fact, I distinctly remember several nights, and mornings (and afternoons for that matter) scribbling with a furious hand in my journal, sure that either she or I would not last the day. I think I made the first crack through her shell when I insisted that at the end of our long workdays I would love nothing more than to cook her dinner. She jumped right on that one- this was someone that, until my arrival, had dined on shredded carrot salad or perhaps a bowl of fromage blanc swirled with nutella at the end of a hard day. Living in Paris deserved much, much better in my opinion, and since one of the things I missed most, aside from my family, was being able to cook more often, this was pure joy for me.

I think I'd always believed that food could mend, and lift, and change people before this, but experiencing it was completely different. We ate a lot, and laughed a lot and our friendship became a very strong one. Some of my favorite memories are the ones the two of us made in our three months together, teaching and talking and eating. Food does incredible things.

With that, I'll pass on my recipe for French Crepes, although I don't know if any crepe can taste as good as one bought from a tiny stand in the rain, on a busy Paris street. The first is always the best!

Crepes

2 c. all-purpose flour

pinch sea salt

1 tsp. sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 c. milk, warmed slightly

1 Tbs. melted butter

butter or oil for pan

Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the center. Mix the eggs and milk together with 1/2 c. water and pour slowly into the well, whisking all the time to incorporate the flour until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30-45 minutes. If not using the batter for several hours, you may refrigerate it, but be sure to pull it out to come up to room temperature at least an hour or so before you cook them.

Heat a crepe pan with a little butter or oil on a paper towel. Pour in enough batter to coat the base of the pan in a thin, even layer, about 1/3-1/2 cup, depending on pan size. Cook over moderate heat for about one minute, until the crepe starts to come away from the edge of the pan. Turn the crepe (flip it if your brave or feeling 'chef-y') and cook on the other side another minute or until lightly golden. Place on a plate, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top before stacking another crepe. Repeat with remaining batter. Eat them spread with Nutella, lemon juice and sugar (my personal favorite), jam, applesauce, you name it.

Bon Appetit!

Something Fancy

In my recent personal pumpkin quest I decided that sweet stuff was not enough, and there was a wide world of savory pumpkin recipes to be explored and tasted. While perusing the cookbook aisle (the one place you're sure to find me in any bookstore) the other day I happened upon one of Giada's with a recipe for Pumpkin Ravioli. Since the recipe called for a pound of pre-made ravioli I was enticed by the prospect of creating my own. A little help from Martha, and voila!

Pumpkin Ravioli.

I have to say that after all my efforts in the pasta preparation, I was a little nervous to actually make these for dinner, knowing my husband, his taste, and his need for 'meaty' dinners. So the ravioli actually hung out in a ziplock bag in the freezer for about 4 or 5 days before I finally donned my apron and whipped this dinner up. The verdict? One amazingly happy husband. We mmm-ed and ahh-ed over each bite and decided that this was a definite keeper; we also concluded that this was either the perfect appetizer (three or four to a person?), or an equally perfect accompaniment to a beautifully-grilled, maple-glazed porkchop. Oh dear, how autumnally delicious!

Pumpkin Ravioli w/ Sage Butter & Toasted Hazelnuts

combined & adapted from Giada & Martha Stewart

Ravioli:

1 3-lb sugar pumpkin

4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. light brown sugar

1 lg egg

1/4 c. grated parmesan (I prefer shredded to the powder)

2 Tbs. ricotta cheese

1 tsp. shallot, chopped fine

pinch nutmeg

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 lb fresh pasta (I used wonton wrappers- seriously awesome! Such a time-saver!)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and strings, discard. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Drizzle olive oil over each half; rub 1/2 tsp brown sugar into each. Roast, cut-side down, until pumpkin is easily pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.

When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh with a spoon. You'll need about 1 1/2 cups of puree, if there is excess refrigerate it and use in one of these recipes. Transfer flesh to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and wring our excess liquid (mine wasn't excessively wet, so I just skipped this step). Place flesh in bowl of a food processor along with egg, parmesan, ricotta, shallot, and nutmeg. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay 1 pasta sheet on work surface. Place 1 Tbs. filling every 3 inches. Place another sheet on top, pressing to seal between filling. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut each ravioli into a 3" by 3" square. If using wonton wrappers, lay 8 out on work surface. Have a small cup of water handy for wetting the sides. Place 1-1 1/2 tsp in the center of each wrapper. Wet edges and top with another wrapper. Repeat. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat and freeze at least 30 minutes. At this point the ravioli may be stored in a ziplock bag or airtight container and kept frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Make the Ravioli w/ Sage Butter & Toasted Hazelnuts:

1/2 c. peeled, toasted hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 lb pumpkin ravioli

1 stick unsalted butter

6 fresh sage leaves

1/2 c. grated parmesan

2 amaretti cookies

grated parmesan

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the vegetable oil to prevent the ravioli from sticking to one another. Add ravioli and cook for 4 minutes or until the float to the top. Using a spider strainer, carefully remove the ravioli to a large platter in a single layer and tent with foil to keep warm. Be careful removing the ravioli, especially if you used wonton wrappers, so as not to cut them open. They're a little more fragile than normal pasta dough.

In a small saute pan, melt the butter. When butter is sizzling and starts to brown, tear sage leaves into the pan and fry for about 20 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg. Pour butter sauce over ravioli and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts. Grate amaretti cookies over the dish and serve immediately with extra shredded parmesan to top if desired.

Soooorghum Moh-lasses: A Family Tradition.

This is my husband's family recipe for Old-fashioned Molasses cookies- passed down for generations. They're simple, but they totally speak to me in that "Hey-there-welcome-home-where-people-love-you" sort of way- I just love recipes that come with a story. That, and this one makes we want to seriously expand my cookie cutter collection- you should see what my mother-in-law busts out when it's cookie time at their house!

Molasses Cookies

1 c. sugar

1 c. shortening or butter

1 c. molasses

2 eggs

1 c. warm water

1 heaping tsp. baking soda (dissolved in water)

1 heaping tsp. each cinnamon, ginger

6 c. flour, plus more while kneading

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. powdered milk

Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening, scraping down sides occasionally until well-combined. Add molasses, eggs, and soda water. Mix on low until combined.

In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Pour into wet ingredients and mix until combined, adding extra flour, if necessary to make a soft dough. Be careful not to add too much flour, you want a very soft dough, only just able to be handled. Roll out to between 1/4-1/2", cut out with cookie cutters. Bake on greased cookie sheets 8-10 minutes, or until just barely browned around the edges. Let cool completely cool on rack, but be sure to eat a few while they're still warm!

These cookies freeze really well- if they don't all get munched before you get a chance to wrap them up. :)

It's Soup!

Think chili, but with a Harvest twist here. This recipe comes from a great fellow foodie friend of mine and is perfect for warming up on cold nights or entertaining. Absolutely delish!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

taken from Steph's Kitchen, adapted from Gourmet Magazine

three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
6 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
a 15-ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 c. P.O.M. juice

Topping: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds

In a food processor coarsely pureé beans and tomatoes.In a large pot cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean pureé. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve w/ with sour cream, sliced green onions and toasted pumpkin seeds.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

I told you that there was bound to be pumpkin overload, and here it comes. Several years ago, before my family scattered to the four winds, my mom hosted an annual Great Pumpkin Dinner. Delicious food, a table full of bikers and vampire princesses, and trick-or-treating with the nieces and nephews at bedroom doors. It was a perfect way to kick off the fall season, and is a large contributor to my yearly pumpkin obsession. This ice cream was one of our favorite Pumpkin Dinner desserts, and now I'm thinking, how good would this be sandwiched between two double chocolate cookies? Mmm. I know I'm a fan!

The Great Pumpkin Ice Cream

14 oz can pumpkin

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 c. pure maple syrup

1 c. milk (either 2% or whole)

2 c. heavy whipping cream

Whisk together ingredients, chill at least 8 hours or overnight, pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

A few years ago my mom gave me this adorable little holiday book full of recipes and craft ideas for the Autumn season. That's where this one comes from (with a few tweaks). It's much more of a spice bread than your typical sweet one, and the orange juice gives it a great almost caramel-y taste.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

adapted from Fall, Family & Friends by Gooseberry Patch

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/4 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 c. canned pumpkin

2 1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 c. oil

1/2 c. orange juice

1 c. sweetened dried cranberries (optional) or 1 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line bottoms of 2 large or 6 small loaf pans with parchment rectangles.

Combine flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachement combine pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, and juice; beat just until blended. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing just until moistened; add cranberries or chocolate chips. Spoon batter into loaf pans. Bake immediately for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on wire rack.

Everything a Muffin Should be!

If you love muffins for breakfast, but want a faster way to have 'em hot out of the oven this little mix is perfect! It's adapted from Homejoys , an awesome blog written by a Mennanite woman who is an amazing cook- definitely check it out, especially all of her homemade bread recipes!

Mix up a batch of the Master Muffin Mix.

6 cup whole wheat flour
6 cup white flour
3 cup sugar
4 T baking powder
3 tsp salt

Store your master mix in an air tight container. When you want to make muffins, choose one of the liquid ingredient options.

Option #1
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Option #2
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup milk or buttermilk

Option #3
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup yogurt

Option #4
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk

Next choose the additional ingredients you desire. The sky's the limit but here is a few variations to get you started.

Almond Poppy Seed
2 tsp almond flavoring
2 T poppy seed
1/3 cup chopped or sliced almonds (optional)

Cheese Onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Berry
1 cup blueberry or strawberry, fresh or frozen
2 tsp grated lemon rind, optional

Cinnamon Apple
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped apple

Breakfast
3 slices chopped bacon
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Banana Nut
1 large banana, mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Chocolate
3 T cocoa
1/3 cup additional sugar
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine: First mix the liquid ingredients. Then stir in 2 3/4 cup of the dry master mix and the additional ingredients. Combine until just barely moistened.

Bake: Spoon batter into muffin pan. Makes 12 large muffins or 18 smaller muffins. Baking time will vary depending on variation chosen. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Check to see if additional baking time is needed. Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to sit for a few minutes before removing from muffin pan.

Here are a few holiday variations on the Master Muffin Mix-

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

2 3/4 cup master mix
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Stir together egg, milk, oil and pumpkin. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake as usual.

Gingerbread

2 3/4 cup master mix
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup yogurt or milk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Mix together molasses, eggs, yogurt, milk and oil. Stir in dry ingredients. Bake as usual.

Pick a Peck of Pumpkins!

I tend to get a bit obsessive about cooking, or so I'm told by my doting husband. Mostly when it comes to certain seasonal ingredients. I can even think back over the years and say to myself, "Ahh, that was the lemon spring," or "Yep, that was candied ginger season." I absolutely LOVE cooking seasonally- for so many reasons I'll write a book about that someday. For now it sufficeth to say there is no better way to live in the moment, appreciate nature, or enjoy better quality food. This fall I'm fixating on an old classic, pumpkin.

So many possibilities- Sweet. Savory. Healthy. Decadent. So here we go, folks. Carpe diem.

Pumpkin Flax Breakfast Muffins

adapted from Land O' Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes aka, "The Blue Bible"

makes 1 doz. large muffins

2 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 c. or 1 stick butter

heaping 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/3 c. buttermilk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 c. raisins, plumped in a bit of hot water (discard water)

1/3 c. chopped pecans

1 Tbs. flax seeds

Heat oven to 400 F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, soda, and ginger. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. In separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, and eggs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet, and mix just until moistened. Do not overmix! Fold in raisins, nuts, and seeds.

Scooping from the outside edge (don't stir anymore), spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 to almost full. Bake immediately for 12-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and spring back slightly when touched. Let cool in pan for 5-8 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

THE Banana Bread

This isn't one of mine, I am simply passing this little treasure on to the rest of the world! This recipe comes from a fabulous food blog I have come to adore over the last year:

Orangette.blogspot.com.

Check it out and you'll fall instantly in love with both the recipes and her charming writing style. This banana bread is one of our absolute favorites, in fact is now officially the family's #1 banana bread.

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping
Adapted from Bakesale Betty and Bon Appétit, September 2008

For bread:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup water

For topping:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 ½ Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9- x 5-inch metal loaf pan. Alternatively, you can spray the pan lightly with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the sides. That’s what I did, and it made it very easy to remove the finished bread from the pan; I just grabbed the parchment and lifted.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the banana, eggs, oil, honey, and water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir well. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over the batter.

Bake the bread until a tester inserted into its center comes out clean, about 1 hour, give or take a little. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove the bread from the pan, taking care not to dislodge the topping. Cool completely before slicing.

Yield: 1 loaf

Maple-Pecan Drops

Maple is one of those flavors that simply must be a part of the autumn baking ritual- it virtually screams (but in a pleasant way) homey, cozy comfort. These cookies get a double shot of the good (read: pure) stuff in both the cookie and the frosting, however, if you don't have pure maple syrup on hand, or want to keep things under budget, you can substitute some Log Cabin with tasty results. ;)

Maple-Pecan Drops

adapted from The Cookie Bible

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. quick oats (if you have old-fashioned, throw them in your food processor and pulse a few times before adding)

1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 c. raisins, currants, or chopped pitted dates

Frosting

2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 Tbs. butter, room temperature

2 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar

1/3 c. finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, soda, and salt in small bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in maple syrup. With the mixer on low, gradually mix in flour mixture, then oats. By hand fold in pecans and raisins.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.

For Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in maple syrup and gradually beat in sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cookies. Top with a sprinkle of chopped pecans.

Falling into the Blue

There's just something about pastry. The fall-infused air that made its way into our apartment this weekend called for turnovers. Warm, sweet, flaky turnovers bursting with addictive fillings. Usually I think of blueberries as a spring treat, but this weekend I was inspired by two gorgeous, freshly-picked bags supplied by my sister. I never liked fresh blueberries as a kid, and I have now figured out why. Fresh blueberries from the store are entirely different from their preferred picked-straight-from-the-bush sisters. Taste, texture, sweetness. . .mmm. I could eat the latter until I looked like the girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

Sour Cream Blueberry Turnovers

filling adapted from Epicurious, dough from Alice Medrich's Caramel-Glazed Cardamon Palmiers

Makes 2 dozen 3 1/2" turnovers

Dough

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. fine salt

8 oz. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

8 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to blend. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add cream cheese and pulse until dough starts to cling together. Form into a square and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 4 hours (or place in freezer about 1 1/2 hrs). Flour counter and roll into a 10" by 20" rectangle, short side toward you. Fold bottom third up, and top third down over top, puff pastry style. Turn, with the open side facing the right, like a book. This is one 'turn'. Repeat 2 more times. Refrigerate dough for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make the blueberry filling.

Filling

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

generous pinch salt

1 1/2 Tbs. flour

1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

3 c. fresh blueberries

In a medium bowl whisk together first seven ingredients. Fold in blueberries.

On a floured surface, roll dough out 1/8" thick. Cut out rounds with desired size cutter (I used a 4" round). Starting with one round, brush edge with egg wash. Place 1-1 1/2 Tbs filling in center, and fold edge over, pressing out any air bubbles and sealing firmly with fingers. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat. Repeat with remaining dough rounds. Once finished, place baking sheet in freezer at least 15 -20 minutes to let the turnovers firm up.

Move oven rack to top third of the oven and preheat to 400 F. Before baking, brush each turnover with egg wash and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Using a paring knife cut three slits across top of each turnover. Bake 18 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time, until golden brown and slightly dark around the edges.

Let cool on baking sheet. Enjoy!

Lemon Mousse Crepe Cake

This is the cake that my sister whipped up for my garden baby shower a few months ago and it was such a hit! Use your favorite recipe for crepes or this one.
If you want some great height I'd recommend using at least 35-40 crepes.

Lemon Curd
(You'll need to double this recipe for the cake- one recipe for the Lemon Mousse, one recipe to layer)

6 large egg yolks
3/4 c. granulated sugar
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (about 2 lg. lemons)
2 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
Generous pinch of salt

In a saucepan over medium heat whisk together yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and butter. Whisk constantly until butter melts. Turn heat to med-low and stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, and press through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any lumps. Stir in lemon zest and salt. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing against curd, and refrigerate until completely cooled. Curd with thicken as it cools.


Lemon Mousse

1 recipe Lemon Curd
8 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream


35-40 homemade crepes
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped to firm peaks and sweetened (for cake topping)


Mash a little of the chilled curd into the cheese until completely incorporated. Add a little more at a time, making sure to mix it in well and get rid of any lumps, until it is all incorporated.

In a seperate bowl or standing mixer, whip cream to firm peaks. Fold whipped cream, a little at a time into curd-cheese mixture until completely incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Make the Cake-

Place a crepe on cake stand or serving dish. Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over the top. Place another crepe on top; spread thin layer of lemon mousse, then another crepe. Remember to keep the layers thin here because there's going to be a lot of them. Continue, alternating lemon curd and mousse between the layers until desired height is achieved.

Refrigerate at least an hour. Top with sweetened whipped cream and candied lemons or other garnish, slice into wedges and serve.


*Sky's the limit with this concept! Try chocolate mousse (ooh, or how about chocolate crepes?), plum or peach preserves, caramel sauce- you name it, it's going to taste Fab!