peppermint brownies

Christmas time is here and I've been absent I fear. Firstly, I'm terribly sorry for the lack of posting.  Between surviving finals and falling into a relaxation coma, induced by my California Christmas break, I haven't been cooking.  During finals week I played the nightly game of what-can-I-create-from-the-contents-of-my-fridge, which took mostly all of my creative juices.  I travelled home in need of nourishment & refreshment.  I found that the lack of studies (which is the trigger for my baking addiction), and living with another chef (my mom), led to a recipe research pause. 

Secondly, it's officially the Christmas week and I hope you have a few parties to attend or relatives to smother, with love, that is.  And what better way to say, "Thanks for inviting me" or "I figured you would love this seeing as how you have great taste," then with peppermint brownies.  Brownies are always considered a classic, but these brownies with their gooey glaze and peppermint pieces instantly became a Christmas classic in my book.  So spread some good cheer and bake for ones who are near!

Thirdly, I hope you are having a wonderful weekend wherever you are and whoever you're with. I hope you feel blessed and not burdened by the commitments of this week and the to-do list on your desk.  I hope this recipe leaves you feeling festive.

Merry Christmas!

You Will Need:
3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy, divided

• 
  
• For the Glaze:
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 
  
• 
  
• What to Do:

1. Grease a 13 x 9 pan and preheat oven at 350. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat oil and sugar. Stir in vanilla. Add eggs (one at a time) and beat well after each addition.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to oil/sugar/egg mixture. Stir until smooth.  
4. Set aside 2 tablespoons peppermint candy for garnish.  Take the remaining candy and add it to the creamed mixture. (It took 3 medium crushed candy canes for the brownie toppings and about 4 for the mixture.)   
5. Once the peppermint candy is added to the batter, spread brownie batter into the pan evenly.  

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the glaze: melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave or heavy saucepan. Stir until smooth. Spread the glaze over brownies and top it off by sprinkling with the remaining peppermint bits.

*Instructions adapted from Allrecipes*

Wish List

Dear Santa,

I saw this little wonder on Tidy Mom's blog.  It would make my life easier and my kitchen much neater. (Just incase you were looking for ideas.)

PS. I've been really REALLY good this year.  Didn't start a kitchen fire once!

pumpkin doughnut muffins

I told myself that I wouldn't post another pumpkin recipe this year.  Then I tasted these moist morsels of pumpkin perfection and  I simply couldn't resist sharing!


  I can boldly testify to their goodness because I was not the main chef on this one.  I assisted Emily's mom, the incredible Tammy Circeo, with this recipe from Martha's Everyday Food Magazine. After this discovery, I think subscribing next year is a financial decision in need of no justification.

These cake-like muffins with a cinnamon, sugar-coated, doughnut exterior are now on my annual must-make list. This time of year is busy and generally feels rather rushed.  With all the office parties and family gatherings, who has time to call grandma and wait while she looks for a recipe that you may or may not have all the ingredients for?  Do yourself (and your co-workers and relatives) a favor! Save this recipe into your cooking files.  It will take about an hour to create these comforting, fall-flavored, doughnut muffins.  Trust me,it's worth it.

You Will Need:

· 10 Tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted, room temperature

· 3 cups all-purpose flour

· 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

· ¼ teaspoon baking soda

· 1 teaspoon coarse salt

· ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

· ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

· ⅓ cup buttermilk

· 1 ¼ cups pure pumpkin purée

· ¾ cup light-brown sugar

· 2 large eggs

For the sugar coating: 

· ¾ cup granulated sugar

· 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

· ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 24 standard muffin cups. (The original recipe said to prepare 12, but I ended up with 24 muffins!)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the pumpkin purée. 

4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the pumpkin mixture, and beat

to combine, scraping the bowl as needed.

6. Spoon about ⅓ cup of batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. 

7. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Melt the butter. 

8. Working with one muffin at a time, coat them in melted butter (either brush it or dip it), then toss in the sugar mixture. Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.  

Thanksgiving

Turkey Time.

How are you spicing up your leftovers?  Turkey soup or the classic sandwich?

oatmeal cookies

Taking a bite from a homemade cookie reminds me of the first day of school. It takes me from my studio in Seattle to my mom's kitchen in California.  I'm brought back to an afternoon in my childhood (that I took for granted because it was just a Tuesday).  I taste the same sweetness and I now know the specialness of it all.  Mom was telling us she loved us by having warm cookies waiting when we got home.  

I love that our senses have the power to evoke memories.  We can taste something familiar and it takes us to another time.  We can feel what we felt.  We can be where we were.  These oatmeal cookies took me home.  To me, their taste is a reminder of love.

(A big thanks to Em for baking the love and sharing it with me!)

Turn on your oven to 350 and start mixing.  Put the cookies in and give someone a call.  Tell that person how thankful you are that he/she is in your life.  Take out the cookies and let them cool.  Eat & cherish the memory it brings.

What You Need:

1 cup margarine, softened

1 ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

What to Do:

1.  Beat margarine and sugar until creamy.

2.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla and beat well.

3.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.

4.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool one minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.  Cool completely and then enjoy!

Share them with someone special!

apple-walnut bundt cake

"It tastes like fall!" 

That was the conclusion we came to after eating half the bundt. We  then gave the rest of the cake away because it was too dangerous to keep in the kitchen.  And by dangerous, I mean dang delicious.

Who thought of combining apples and walnuts? Genius, I tell ya!

The apples keep the cake moist and the walnuts add some tasty texture.  

This was my first time eating bundt cake,

but the caramelized apples made certain that it won't be my last! 

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

(Recipe from Martha Stewart)

You Will Need:

FOR THE CARAMELIZED APPLES

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon water

3 tart green apples, such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks [I suggest smaller.]

FOR THE CAKE

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

coarse salt

1-3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

FOR THE GLAZE

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons apple cider

What to Do:

1. Make the caramelized apples: Cook granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, without stirring, until sugar caramelizes, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in apples. Cook, covered, until softened, about 6 minutes. (Emily says false! They took a wee bit longer than 6 min. to soften). Slightly mash apples with a fork until broken down but still chunky. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. Make the cake- Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt into medium bowl.

3. Beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer (or a very strong arm) on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low, and add in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in caramelized apples and the walnuts.

4. Transfer batter to pan. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and let cool completely.

5. Once cake is cool, make the glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and cider. Drizzle over top of cake, letting it drip down the sides.

[Storage- Can be stood at room temperature for up to three days]

bourbon-bacon-pecan sticky buns

Sometimes you just need yummy, gooey, warm & sticky comfort food.  Today was one of those times.  I'm spending the weekend with my friend Kati.  After getting to bed late last night, we were moving at positively glacial pace this morning.  

It was 1:00 pm and the only thing in our stomachs was coffee.  I asked Katrina if she wanted to cook something.  She looked at me and said, "Sticky buns!"  An hour or so later we were in the kitchen baking these little morsels of delight.

I give Kati full credit for the genius addition of Bourbon and bacon. They give the buns a certain something. That something is a new level of perfection. 

[Recipe Makes 6 Buns]

You Will Need:

1 6-cup muffin pan

1 Sheet Puff Pastry- thawed but chilled. 

1/2 Stick Butter- room temperature

1/6 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Bourbon

1/4 Cup Pecans – roughly chopped

4 pieces of bacon.  (*You may end up eating the bacon before the buns are ready so I recommend cooking 7 pieces).

1 Tbsp Butter, melted

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a small bowl, beat together 1/6 brown sugar and ½ stick butter.   Then add the bourbon and set aside.

3. Cut the pecans.  Portion and place them between the six muffin cups.  Pour 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar/butter/bourbon mixture over the pecan pieces.

4.  In another small bowl, mix 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside.

5. Sprinkle work surface with flour and unfold puff pastry onto work surface.  Work perpendicular to the creases (have them open like a book).  Brush melted butter onto puff pastry.  Sprinkle the mixture over the pastry and spread it out evenly. 

6. Starting with the edge closest to you, tightly roll up the puff pastry sheet into a long tube.  With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 6 pieces.  (Cut in half and then cut each half into thirds).  Place each piece into the prepared muffin tin, pressing them lightly into the brown sugar/butter/bourbon/pecan mixture. 

7.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. 

8. Cook the bacon and cut into small bits.

9.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Flip them onto a parchment paper lined cooling rack.  Scoop out any pecans/glaze that remains in the muffin cups and place a top the buns.  Let cool completely and then add the bacon!

pumpkin scones

These are a few of my favorite things:

pumpkins

sunrises

coffee

Christmas music 

scones

All these things came together on Sunday morning to create one glorious experience.  

As I drizzled the pumpkin spice frosting on the perfectly moist creations of delicious holiday goodness, joy came into the kitchen.  I didn't cut them into perfect triangles.  I also didn't wait until they finished cooling before putting on the frosting.  The presentation wasn't perfect, but the taste was just right.  

If you are hungry for the holidays or you need another pumpkin recipe to your file, look no further! These simple spiced pumpkin scones that are HANDS DOWN better than Starbucks scones.  I say this having eaten a pumpkin scone from Starbucks every year since they came out.  But NEVER again.

Homemade scones make the difference I tell ya! There is simply no comparison.  Thanks to Brown Eyed Baker there is no going back.

What You Need:

2 cups all-purpose flour


7 Tablespoons granulated sugar


1 Tablespoon baking powder


½ teaspoon salt


½ teaspoon ground cinnamon


½ teaspoon ground nutmeg


¼ teaspoon ground cloves


¼ teaspoon ground ginger


6 Tablespoons cold butter


½ cup canned pumpkin


3 Tablespoons half-and-half (I used hazelnut coffee-mate creamer)

1 large egg

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:


1 cup plus

1 Tablespoon powdered sugar


2 Tablespoons milk

For the Spiced Glaze:


1 cup & 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar


2 Tablespoons milk


¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon


1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg


1 pinch ground ginger


1 pinch ground cloves

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in a large bowl. Use a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious; set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 3 times as long as wide. Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

4. To make the powdered sugar glaze, mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone.

5. To make the spiced glaze, while the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).