Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

12 oz flank, skirt, or sirloin steak Salt and black pepper to taste 1 Tbsp hot sauce 2 Tbsp fish sauce Juice of lime, plus wedges as garnish 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced ½ red onion, thinly sliced ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 carrot, grated 1 head Bibb lettuce, leaves separated Heat the grill to hot or heat a grill pan over high heat for at least 5 minutes. Season the steak with salt and pepper and toss it onto the grill. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until it’s firm but yielding to the touch. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Combine the hot sauce, fish sauce, and juice of 1 lime in a small saucepan over low heat. Slice the steak thinly (if it’s flank or skirt steak, be sure to cut across the grain) and drizzle half of the warm sauce over it. Set out the jalapeno and onion slices, cilantro, carrot, and lettuce, along with the lime wedges and sauce. Use the leaves like tortillas to wrap up the steak slices with the other ingredients. Recipe Found HERE

Salmon with Lentils and Mustard-Herb Butter (Saumon aux Lentilles)

Salmon with Lentils and Mustard-Herb Butter (Saumon aux Lentilles)

Right now I'm in the process of trying to incorporate more protein into my diet and cutting out some of the carbs that are so prevalent. Now, I'm not going super crazy, but I just don't want every meal we make to have a pasta, rice, or bread base. I am also trying to incorporate more fish and vegetables into my diet. I found this recipe on Epicurious and it had awesome reviews. It has a little more butter in it than I prefer, but I'm also trying to get over my fear of butter. It is not the end of the world to cook with butter. Both Spencer and I were a little sceptical about the lentils being good, but they really were delicious. It was a winner and I think will be added to the fish recipes that we both like.

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffle

INGREDIENTS
makes 4 round “Belgian” style pumpkin waffles
Click here for the metric version of the recipe.

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

*Grated and lightly packed into the spoon, use 1/2 tsp. Grated and loosely scooped, this is about 1 tsp. of nutmeg. If you have to use pre-grated, dried nutmeg, use 1/4 tsp.

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.

2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.

9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter! In my Presto FlipSide waffle maker, cook time is exactly 2 minutes 30 seconds.



*Recipe found here

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

Even my sister's super picky kids liked this recipe.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 pt. whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup Homemade Pumpkin Purée* recipe at bottom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Preparation

1. Whisk all ingredients except gingersnaps and bourbon in a bowl to blend. Strain into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Scrape ice cream into a bowl and stir in gingersnaps and bourbon. Freeze, covered, until scoopable, 2 1/2 hours and up to 1 week (gingersnaps soften somewhat after 1 day).

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients

1 Sugar Pie pumpkin or other deep orange-fleshed squash, about 2 lbs. (or larger)
1 to 2 tsp. vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut pumpkin in half, using a large, heavy knife and a mallet to tap knife through flesh. Scoop out and discard seeds. Rub inside of pumpkin with oil. Set pumpkin cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Bake until very soft when pierced, at least 45 minutes (up to 75 minutes for a very large squash). Scoop out flesh into a food processor and whirl until smooth. If purée is watery, drain in a fine strainer about 30 minutes.
Make ahead: Chill up to 3 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

*Recipe from Sunset Magazine

Pumpkin Soup

Sorry for the lack of posts. My cooking has been a little lack luster for the past couple of months. I'm hoping to have some great new recipes soon. In the mean time, I'll post some recipes we have made and really enjoyed. They are very fallish, and I love fall food.

Pumpkin Soup with Pumpkin Seed-Mint Pesto

Ingredients

SOUP
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
4 1/2 cups peeled, 1-in. chunks pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash (from a 2 1/2-lb. squash)
4 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
PESTO
1 small garlic clove
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus slivered leaves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. Make soup: Sauté onion and ginger in oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until golden, 5 minutes. Add garlic and coriander and cook until softened, 1 minute, then add pumpkin, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, until pumpkin is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Purée in batches in a blender until very smooth.
2. Make pesto: Pound garlic, whole mint leaves, salt, and 1 tbsp. oil in a mortar into a coarse paste (or use a food processor). Add remaining oil and pumpkin seeds and pound until coarsely crushed.
3. Drop small spoonfuls of pesto over bowls of soup, garnish with slivered mint, and serve remaining pesto on the side.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1 1/2-cup serving.

*Recipe from Sunset Magazine

Indian Butter Chicken

Love this recipe. I think it is a little more of a fall/winter meal, but it is still delicious.

Ingredients

1 onion (1/2 lb.), peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter
2 cups basmati rice, uncooked
Lime wedges
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a large saute pan, combine onion, ginger, chili, and oil. Stir often over medium-high heat until onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.

Scrape mixture into a blender or food processor; add tomato paste and chicken broth. Whirl until very smooth. Pour mixture back into pan, add half and half or cream and crushed bay leaves, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat (mixture is inclined to spatter). Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until reduced to 3 cups, about 5-7 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl. Rinse and dry pan.

Pat the chicken dry. Mix chicken with salt and pepper. Set pan over high heat; add 1 tablespoon butter and the chicken. Stir until chicken is no longer pink on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sauce and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into chunks and stir into sauce until melted.

Spoon chicken and sauce onto rice. Squeeze lime juice over portions and garnish with cilantro.

*recipe found here

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza) Recipe

I'm still hunting for good recipes to use up the veggies I get in my CSA basket. I've really been enjoying trying out new recipes and have been impressed with most of them. I met a lady while I was picking up my veggies that gave me the name of a website that is great for CSA veggie recipes. I especially liked this recipe because it was low on prep and cook time.

You can find a pictures and more info about this recipe at this website.

Ingredients
2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup leeks, well washed and chopped (see head notes)
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)
a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt
2 eggs, beaten
1+ tablespoon olive oil

Garnish: toasted slivered almonds, chives/ herbs

Combine the cabbage, leeks, flour, and salt in a bowl. Toss until everything is coated with a dusting of flour. Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan, and using a metal spatula press it into a round pancake shape, flat as you can get it. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. To flip the okonomiyaki, slide it out of the skillet onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip both (together) over. If you need a bit more oil in your skillet, add it now, before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the skillet. Again press down a bit with a spatula and cook until golden on this side - another 3 -5 minutes.

When you are finished cooking, sprinkle with toasted almonds and chives, and slide it onto a cutting board to cut into wedges. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 1 - 2.

Lamb Keema with Potatoes and Peas

Spencer and I both loved this recipe. It has a delicious Indian flavor and the ground lamb is just perfect. I am not usually a ground meat person, but the flavor of this was very worth it. I was also surprised that Smith's(local Utah supermarket) carries ground lamb. I thought I was going to have to search for it. I was also able to buy the garam masala in the bulk spice section, which was nice. I hate buying huge amounts of spices when I know I won't use them before they go bad.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small serrano chile, minced
About 1 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup frozen peas
Hot cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic, chile, 1 tsp. salt, and the spices; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato paste.
2. Add lamb and cook, breaking up large chunks of meat, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes, yogurt, and milk to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until mixture is simmering vigorously, cover, and cook 10 minutes.
3. Stir in peas and cook 5 minutes longer, until peas are cooked through and mixture has thickened. Serve over rice with cilantro sprinkled on each serving. Add more salt to taste if you like.

via Sunset Magazine

Curried Carrot Coconut Soup

While my husband and I both agreed that we like curry squash soup a little more, this was still a delicious recipe and we have now made it a couple of times. It takes a lot less time than squash soup and feels a little less fallish since it is just made with carrots.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons yellow curry paste*
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound baby carrots, chopped
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 oz.) coconut milk
1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Cook onion, garlic, curry paste, cayenne, and salt until fragrant, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and broth and cook, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Purée soup until very smooth, using a blender and working in batches. Stir in coconut milk and heat until hot. Mix yogurt and cilantro in a small bowl. Serve bowls of soup with a dollop of yogurt.
*Find in grocery stores' Asian-foods aisle.
serves 4

*recipe from Sunset magazine

Zucchini Rice Gratin

My CSA delivered a whole ton of zucchini and yellow summer squash this last week. The first recipe I turned to was my tried and true zucchini, goat cheese and walnut pizza. After that I needed some help. My sister in law recommended this recipe from Epicurious and it was a winner. I did make some changes after reading some of the comments on the website though. I'll post the original recipe first and my changes at the bottom.


Ingredients

1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
6 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

While rice cooks, toss zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow baking pan. Toss tomatoes with 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another baking pan.

Roast zucchini in upper third of oven and tomatoes in lower third, turning vegetables once halfway through roasting, until tender and light golden, about 10 minutes for tomatoes; 20 minutes for zucchini. Leave oven on.

Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir together onion mixture, cooked rice, eggs, thyme, 1/4 cup cheese, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread half of rice mixture in a shallow 2-quart baking dish, then top with half of zucchini. Spread remaining rice mixture over zucchini, then top with remaining zucchini. Top with tomatoes and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake in upper third of oven until set and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

*My changes-
I used about 1 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice and it probably could still have had some more. This recipe is pretty wimpy on the rice. I used the brown rice purely because I do not keep white rice on hand. If I was to make it again, I would still use brown rice just more of it.

I also used less oil than it calls for. I calls for a quite a bit of oil at every stage and it just seemed like a lot. I probably cut the oil in half.

I am a garlic nut, so I used 3 large garlic cloves and one smaller one and while the dish was quite garlicky, I thought it was wonderful.

And last but not least, I sprinkled some fresh basil on top of it. My basil plant has gotten quite large and I pretty much add basil to everything now.

Lemon Ginger Frozen Yogurt

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Preparation

Bring water, sugar, light corn syrup, and grated ginger to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 2 minutes. Strain into medium bowl and chill until cool. Whisk in yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions; cover and freeze.


*I made this almost exactly according to the recipe and it tasted great. I used greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. It has a very lemony taste and the ginger is much more subtle. The texture is more like sorbet. I topped it with fresh raspberries. Next time I may try it with less water and more yogurt to make it more creamy. My family all really liked it though.

Beef, Snap pea and Asparagus Stir-Fry

I made this for the first time tonight and was impressed. Hopefully you enjoy it too. Sorry only half the picture shows up. I'm not sure why, but hopefully you can still see enough to get a feel for the food.

Beef, Snap Pea, and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 pound boneless New York strip steak, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch asparagus (14 ounces), trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
6 ounces snap peas
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves


Directions

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Season steak with salt. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over high. Cook steak, undisturbed, until brown on one side, 2 minutes (do not overcrowd pan). Flip and cook until cooked through, 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl.

Add asparagus, snap peas, garlic, and ginger to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly (add a little water if pan gets too dark), until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add soy mixture and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice and basil. Toss steak with vegetables; serve with rice and lemon wedges if desired.

* recipe from Martha Stewart Food

Blueberry Muffins

This is an amazing blueberry muffin recipe. If you read some of the additional notes on the website, you'll see that you can substitute all sort of other fruit for the blueberries and that you can refrigerate the batter for up to a week and just make a couple of muffins each day. I've also made it with half whole wheat flour and they were really good. Seriously, give them a try.

Here is the website where I got the recipe.

Blueberry Muffins
Ingredient Section

2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
coarse white sparkling sugar for garnish (optional)

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with papers, and grease the papers.

2) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

3) In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand-held or stand mixer, until light, fluffy, and almost white in color. Start the mixer at low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, then gradually increase speed to medium-high until the desired color and texture are reached.

4) Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the butter is incorporated, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5) Add the vanilla and sour cream or yogurt, and mix until incorporated.

6) Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth. It will be thick.

7) Fold in the berries by hand.

8) Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, using a heaping 1/4-cup for each. Sprinkle with regular granulated or coarse white sugar, if desired.

9) Bake the muffins for 18 to 24 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove them from the oven, cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan to finish cooling on a rack.

Blackened Tilapia

4-6 tilapia
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried, crushed basil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Heat iron skillet on high 5 minutes. Mix all seasonings in a bowl. Dip fillets in melted butter and coat with seasonings. Place fillets in hot skillet and cook 2 minutes on each side.


My Notes:
I've also dipped them in olive oil instead of butter. Not quite as good as it is with butter, but still really good
I typically serve this with some sort of salad and rice, but it is delicious actually in a salad or in fish tacos.

Strawberry Asparagus Spinach Salad

I love spring produce. Right now the strawberries are beautiful and the asparagus is fresh and crisp. Around Easter I always start craving this salad. It is amazing. Oh how I wish I had a picture of it right now. If you saw how good it looks, you would go to the store right this minute to buy the ingredients, and you would not be disappointed by how it tastes. It is so incredibly good.

Strawberry Asparagus Spinach Salad

8 cups torn lettuce (spinach, romaine, butter, red)
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1 lb. steamed asparagus
2 c fresh strawberries cut into slices
1/4 c. pecan halves, chopped
1 sliced cucumber
1/4 c. blueberries

Dressing
1 pkg. good seasons Italian dressing seasonings
1/4 c. raspberry flavor vinegar
1 T. fresh orange juice
1 t. grated orange rind
1 T. water
1 t. poppy seeds
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 T. sugar

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cakes

*recipe from Good Housekeeping Magazine
Ingredients
1/3 cup(s) sugar
1/4 cup(s) sugar, plus additional for ramekins
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
2 Meyer or regular lemons (up to 3)
3 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, melted and cooled
1 cup(s) whole milk
1 pint(s) raspberries, for garnish
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease eight 4- to 5-ounce ramekins; sprinkle with sugar to coat bottoms and sides. Shake out any excess.

On sheet of waxed paper, with fork, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. From lemons, grate 1 1/2 tablespoons peel and squeeze 1/2 cup juice. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg yolks and lemon peel and juice. Whisk in butter and milk. Gradually whisk in flour mixture.

In another large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add one-third beaten whites to yolk mixture and, with rubber spatula, stir gently until incorporated. Gently fold in remaining whites until just incorporated. With ladle, divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins.

Arrange ramekins 1 inch apart in large (17-inch by 13-inch) roasting pan. Fill pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Carefully transfer pan to oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cakes are golden brown and tops rise 1/2 inch above rims.

Cool cakes in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. With sturdy metal spatula, carefully remove ramekins from pan with water and transfer to wire rack to cool 15 minutes longer.

Run thin knife around edge of 1 ramekin. Place small serving plate on top of ramekin and invert plate and ramekin together; remove ramekin. Repeat with remaining ramekins. Garnish each cake with a couple of raspberries and a mint sprig; serve warm.


*My Notes
If you like citrus desserts, try this and you won't be disappointed. Made this last night and it was absolutely delish. I dirtied a lot of bowls, but now that I know how everything goes together, I could easily whip this up in two bowls and very quickly. We used strawberries instead of raspberries and really, I think you could probably use any fruit with it. I would recommend waiting for the cakes to cool until they are just above room temp. We started eating them before they were really cool enough. And while they were yummy, the last bites of it were better tasting than the first because it had cooled to the right temp. I think you could served it chilled and it would be good too.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

***I really want to give these a try. I've been searching for excuses to make them. It is too bad that I am going to a cookie exchange and not a cupcake exchange.


Romina's Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) solid-packed pumpkin (about 1 3/4 cups if you're making your own puree)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick of butter, cubed and cold
8 oz. cream cheese*
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon spice mix (see below)

Spice Mix**

1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

**you'll only need to use 1/4 teaspoon of this mix for the frosting so keep the remaining mix as a reserve for something else yummy or for the next time you make this recipe.

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Line three 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.

To make the cupcakes, in a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and salt.

In another, larger bowl whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the flour mixture in three additions, stirring with a large wooden spoon until just combined.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake until the cupcakes for 20 minutes. Transfer the tins to a wire rack and let cool for ten minutes; then remove the cupcakes from the tins and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, cream the butter until fluffy, but still cold. Add the cream cheese in small chunks. When completely combined (no lumps of either butter or cream cheese), add the powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla and then 1/4 teaspoon of the spice mix before blending one last time.

* make sure you use Philadelphia Original; I've found that anything else compromises the texture and flavor.

Magnolia Red Velvet Cupcakes

This week we celebrated one of my work/school friend's 30th birthday. Since I'm now known as the baker, I was put in charge of the yummy treat. After thinking about it for way to long, I finally decided on red velvet cupcakes. Now, I know that they are probably not the true Magnolia recipe, but it is still a pretty good recipe. I got a whole lot of compliments and one of the New Yorkers that had one said it was actually better than the Magnolia recipe.

Ingredients
3 ⅓ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼ cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons red food coloring
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Frosting: 1 pound (two 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and lightly flour three muffin tins. Place cupcake papers in the tins.
To make the cake: In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overheat.

In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake each tray for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate icing for 2 to 3 hours, but no longer, to thicken before using. When the cake has cooled, spread the frosting liberally on the cupcakes.

Makes 36 cupcakes.

Pizza Dough

One of my favorite wedding gifts was my pizza stone and I used it to death. I recently got a new one and have been working on getting it seasoned. I know some people are just not that into making homemade pizza and I totally understand. If this is you, just ignore this post. For the rest of you, this is the pizza dough recipe I use. It is from the Williams Sonoma Pizza cookbook. I'm going to post the recipe as I make it, because I have made alterations from the original recipe.

1 T. active dry yeast
1 c.. lukewarm water
2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 T. olive oil

Pour yeast into water in small bowl and set aside.

In a food processor(with metal blade) or Kitchen Aid mixer(with dough hook, combine flour and salt. With the machine running, slowly pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and continue to mix until the mixture forms a ball of dough and the dough rides around blade or hook on the mixer.

Move dough to lightly floured counter and kneed with the palm of your hand for 2 minutes.

Brush two medium sized bowls with oil. Cut dough in half and place each half in one of the oiled bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled.

Once dough is doubled, preheat oven to 450. place pizza stone in oven while preheating. For a crusty dough, you will want the stone to have been in the oven for at least 15 minutes at 450.

Turn one ball of dough out onto a flour dusted surface. Press and stretch mixture out into desired shape , flipping the dough over from time to time as you work with it. (I use a rolling pin) For a crusty pizza, roll until 1/4 inch thick. For a softer pizza roll until 1/2 inch thick.

Transfer dough to corn meal dusted pizza peel. Let dough rise again for 5 minutes. Top and transfer to pizza stone. Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is lightly brown and cheese is starting to brown and bubble.

Repeat procedure with second ball of dough.

My notes

1)I use Quick Rise Bread Machine Yeast in order to speed up the rising process. If you use the regular yeast, it usually takes 1-2 hours to rise. With the Quick Rise yeast I usually let it rise for 30-45 minutes, depending on the temperature and humidity.

2)You can play with the amount of white flour to wheat flour ratio. I like to make mine with at least half wheat flour. I like a finer ground wheat flour. It makes for a fluffier crust. Trader Joe's wheat four works well. I've also ground my own wheat to a very fine flour and that works well too. You can also make this recipe using just white flour.

3)For an herbier crust, you can mix dried or fresh herbs right into the dough.

I hope this recipe is written clear enough. If you have questions, let me know.

Summer Squash, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 garlic clove, minced
All-purpose flour, for dusting
6 ounces pizza dough
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded part-skim-milk mozzarella
1 teaspoon chopped summer savory
1/4 pound summer squash, thinly sliced on a mandoline
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 500°. Preheat a pizza stone. In a small bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the minced garlic and let stand. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to form a 12-inch round, 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the round to a lightly floured pizza peel.
Leaving a 1/2-inch border of dough, brush the round with the garlic oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Scatter the onion slices over the round; top with the mozzarella and savory. Arrange the squash slices on top in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Dot with the crumbled goat cheese.
Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is crisp and the squash is slightly browned. Transfer the pizza to a work surface. Sprinkle with the walnuts and drizzle with olive oil. Cut into wedges and serve.

*This recipe is from Food and Wine Magazine

My Notes

I make my own whole wheat pizza dough. I'll post that recipe next. I divided my pizza dough in half and made 2 pizzas. I split this recipe's toppings between the two pizzas and it turned out great. As for the toppings themselves, I used dried savory and used about and 1/8 tsp. per pizza. I do not own a mandoline, so I just sliced the squash thinly. And the goat cheese I bought from Trader Joe's was coated in herbs and ended up tasting incredible with the pizza. I'm sure that just plain goat cheese would be fine, but I think I'll make a point to buy the herbed stuff again.