Pumpkin Bread

Fall is here! Well, maybe not today…today it is going up to 97, but last weekend, it was fall, I swear. There was a cool, crisp breeze in the air, and it felt amazing. This time of year means 2 things in my household (1) time to put away our summer whites and try and remember where I managed to store all of our winter clothes (living in an apartment means being very creative with storage space, and sometimes I forget just exactly where I stored things 6 months ago) and (2) pumpkin bread. Actually, not just pumpkin bread—pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin flan, pumpkin soup, and the list goes on. Pumpkin bread is my favorite though. I absolutely love how the smell fills the entire apartment for days. My goal this fall is to learn how to use real pumpkin, but I haven’t seen any pumpkins at the grocery store yet, so for now, I’m sticking to the canned stuff. If anyone has any helpful tips on using real pumpkin, please feel free to share!


This recipe makes 2 loaves. Sometimes I throw in a cup of walnuts or chocolate chips, depending on the audience. I should add that this is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, and I have my high school senior cookbook to thank. I believe this recipe was originally published in bon appétit magazine, and it became a favorite at potluck brunches.



Here is what you will need:

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-in. or 8.5x3.5x3-in loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend.

 Step 2: Mix in eggs and pumpkin.

Step 3: Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in another large bowl.

 Step 4: Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions.

Step 5: Divide batter equally between prepared pans Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

***Now rather that divide the batter into 2 pans, I used the other half of the mixture to make pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins. I added a little less than a cup of chocolate chips and cooked the muffins for around 17 minutes (I made them small). Keep an eye on them.

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1(16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-in. or 8.5x3.5x3-in loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter equally between prepared pans Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.* Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges of the loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

*if making muffins, cook 16-20 minutes and test with toothpick.

Whole-Wheat Brownies

So one of the reasons I started this blog was not only to force myself to constantly try new recipes but to also try recipes I might ordinarily shy away from. Well, this past Sunday, I finally got past my bizarre fear of yeast, and tonight, I finally tried two healthy baking alternatives that I had been curious about for a while now.  This recipe substitutes whole-wheat flour for half of the white flour and applesauce for the oil. I wasn't very confident that I would be blogging about this recipe with positive reviews, but actually, the brownies turned out really well. I couldn't get over how moist they were, and the chocolate chunks sprinkled on top really add a nice touch.

Now, I'm going to break it down: these are not the ultra-rich fudgy brownies you might find at a gourmet bakery, BUT they are a  great weeknight treat that you can eat without feeling super guilty. And the greatest test of all, I didn't reveal to my husband that these were made with whole-wheat flour and applesauce until after he took his second brownie. He genuinely liked them, and he never likes any of the random organic low-fat cookies I bring home from the grocery store.

The final verdict: I probably wouldn't make these for guests or a party (my mom passed on the belief that you don't invite people over to put them on a diet), but I will definitely make these again for myself...and maybe my husband if I decide to share. :-)

(and yes, I am still working on the new website....this may take a while, ha)

THE RECIPE

Here is what you will need:

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-in. square baking dish; line with parchment paper leaving a 2-in. overhang on all sides. (note: I do not have an 8-in. square baking dish, and I was running out of parchment paper....so this isn't the greatest example, but it did the trick! This makes cutting perfect brownies MUCH easier). Also, go ahead and start boiling water for Step 4.

Step 2:  In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Step 3:  In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg.

Step 4: Place butter and 6 ounces of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. (Note: No need for a fancy double-boiler...just a heat proof bowl over hot water.)

Step 5: Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture.

Step 6: Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

Step 7: Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment paper to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart in her Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-in. square baking dish; line with parchment paper leaving a 2-in. overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Step 2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg. Place butter and 6 ounces of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

Step 3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment paper to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares. (Store in airtight container, up to 5 days) Makes 16.

CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza

My first homemade pizza crust!

So this is not counting as my post for the week,* but I could not go to bed without posting about my meal tonight. I am HIGHLY HIGHLY recommending this recipe for California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pioneer Woman. If you don't know who the Pioneer Woman is, you've been living under a rock far far away from any food bloggers. When I first came upon her website for last year, "food pornography" was the only way I could describe it. I would love to make all of her recipes, but I'm not quite sure how many hours that would require I spend on the treadmill (they are a bit butter/cream/carb heavy). She does have some "cowgirl" food that is a bit on the healthier side that I have really enjoyed, and of course, her desserts never ever disappoint.

When I saw this recipe for CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza, I HAD to try it. I was a little bit intimidated because I have never made homemade pizza dough. The idea of using active yeast somehow seemed really complicated to me. It was so incredibly easy though. I honestly can't imagine going back to my store-bought ready-made crust.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I should add that I made this meal tonight for my husband because tomorrow is his "first day of school." Good luck, Big Guy!!

*I thought it would seem silly for me to document how to make this recipe since Pioneer Woman does such an incredible job herself. The only comment I will make is that I did not use 16 ounces of mozzarella. I just put enough to cover the entire pizza. Otherwise, it felt like it would have been way too much to use all of it.

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

Hi friends!

I am sure you have been wondering where I have been, and I promise I have not abandoned my blog. Actually, exciting changes will be coming soon, so I am busy trying to work on my new website. Blogger has been good to me, but now that I feel more comfortable in the blogging world, I am beginning to feel a bit limited with blogger’s capabilities. So have patience with me because I think it will be worth it. I have also been savoring the last bits of a summer. Between weddings, baptisms, and family reunions, I am a little behind on logging all of my recent meals, but I am going to try hard to catch up.

I made this recipe for Pork Tenderloin and Mango Salsa a few weeks ago for a going away dinner that I hosted for a couple of dear friends who we were sad to say goodbye to, but HOPEFULLY they will be back soon ;-).

In the summer, I love complimenting meat and fish with fruit salsas. The mango salsa in this recipe can be made a day ahead, and the marinade can be made the morning of, so this doesn’t require too much last-minute preparation which makes it an ideal dinner party go-to recipe. I usually grill it on the stove top just a few minutes before guests are expected to arrive, and then while it cooks in the oven, people have had plenty of time to enjoy a few appetizers and sip on some wine.

For the Mango Salsa....

Step 1: Prepare the mango salsa. As I said in the introduction, this can be done a day in advance. Chop the  mango, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Combine in a bowl.

Step 2: Add lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Season with black pepper. Allow to sit for at least 45 minutes before serving.

Next, prepare the marinade for the tenderloins...

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree.

Step 2: Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but ideally, I let it sit for 4 hours and rotate the bag ever so often (there are no pictures of this step, my camera battery died, but this is pretty simple).

 

Time to Prepare the Tenderloins!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Step 2: When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes.

Step 3: Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients for the Tenderloins

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 pork tenderloins trimmed (about 2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree. Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 4 hours).


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Ingredients for the Mango Salsa
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced mango

1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a non-reactive medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the salsa to macerate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and serve with the tenderloins.

Easy Appetizers: Prosciutto with Figs and Mascarpone Stuffed Dates

I absolutely love hosting people for dinner. I grew up watching my mother host dinner parties, and as soon as I started learning to cook, I began hosting little gatherings. They started off kind of simple in college---paper plates, red solo cups, and friends scattered over my tiny dorm using any available surface as a chair. I still remember the first time I had my husband (then boyfriend) over for dinner. I made him chicken fingers and rice-a-roni. I think I spent the entire day panicking over how to perfectly time the cooking process. Luckily, since then, I have had a bit more practice, and I don’t spend the entire day panicking. Now that I have a few solid “dinner party recipes,” I have time to think about other details like table settings (see flowers below) and of course, appetizers. I am always on the hunt for easy (emphasis on the easy) appetizers, so just in case I am running around at the last moment putting together the salad, etc., my guests have something to munch on.

Recent Flower Arrangements Using Lime Slices

If I am putting together a fancy meal, I don’t like to add any extra stress, so these two appetizers are really simple to put together and can be done in advance (just take them out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving them). The figs stuffed with prosciutto are about as straightforward as it gets. Unfortunately, figs are seasonal, so you can’t count on them being available when you need them. The stuffed dates take a few extra minutes, but they are worth it. There are several different ways to prepare dates as an appetizer—the most popular being bacon-wrapped dates—but I wanted to try something a little different, and you can never go wrong with mascarpone cheese.

Recipe for Figs Stuffed with Prosciutto

Delicious Fresh Figs

Step 1: Using a sharp knife, make a cross-shaped slit in each fig, cutting only three-fourths of the way through the fruit.

Step 2: Roll a slice of prosciutto and tuck it into the slit of the fig. Repeat until all the figs are stuffed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.

Recipe for Mascarpone Stuffed Medjool Dates

Step 1: Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.

Recipe Courtesy: Gourmet Girl

 Step 3: Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before you are ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Figs Stuffed with Prosciutto

Figs (at least 2 per guest)

Prosciutto (1 slice per fig)

Directions
Step 1: Using a sharp knife, make a cross-shaped slit in each fig, cutting only three-fourths of the way through the fruit.
Step 2: Roll a slice of prosciutto and tuck it into the slit of the fig. Repeat until all the figs are stuffed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.



Ingredients for Marscarpone Stuffed Medjool Dates
1 8oz container Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 lb. Medjool Dates
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 lb. toasted pecan halves ( 350F on a cookie sheet- watch carefully, about 15 min.)

Directions
Step 1: Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.
Step 2: In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.
Step 3: Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture for large dates and 1 teaspoon for smaller dates. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove 1 hour before you are ready to serve.