Wednesday, October 21, 2009
What will I do when it’s not fall anymore? I’m really not sure… I’m filling my days with flavors of pumpkin and maple, and I am one happy lil gal. This recipe actually came together as a mistake. You see, I wanted to make the pumpkin pie fudge I made last year to take to two housewarming parties I was going to (in one night). The first time I made it I didn’t have a candy thermometer, and just went by instinct, and it turned out FABULOUS. This go-round, I was now the owner of a candy thermometer to correctly monitor the candy-making. The only problem was, it seemed like it was taking FOREVER to reach the recommended temperature. Instead of following my instincts, I followed the instructions. And that’s where I went wrong. Sure enough, much to my chagrin, I ended up with fudge that was a bit on the dry side. The flavor was still awesome, and I gave the best pieces to the intended parties, but I had all of the driest pieces still at home. I’m never one to trash something so I pondered what to do with it. I also realized it had been a while since I made ice cream, and I happened to have space in my freezer to freeze the bowl, so I wanted to come up with an ice cream to mix the fudge into.
I didn’t want to put the fudge in pumpkin ice cream, because that’s just too much, even for me; but mainly because I still wanted the pumpkin pie fudge flavor to shine through. So… I turned to my number two favorite flavor of fall (remember me mentioning this in my last post?), MAPLE! I also happened to be hoarding reading David Lebovitz’s Perfect Scoop from the public library. He’s sort of like the KING of ice cream recipes, if you don’t already know that. So if anyone would have a maple flavored ice cream, it would surely be in there.
This ice cream is truly serendipitous, or a fortunate accident. As it turned out, the slightly dry fudge crumbled perfectly. Once frozen in the ice cream, it was the ideal counterpart in texture and flavor in contrast to the thick creamy ice cream. The maple flavor is there, but not overly sweet or overpowering.
This just might be the very best thing that’s ever came out of my ice cream maker. I think this would be an amazing dessert to share on Thanksgiving, as there’s always going to be someone who unimpressed with the usual pie, or cake, or cookies.
I really cannot urge you enough to try this. I knew I had something dangerous on my hands, so I brought it to work to share with my fellow night-shifters, and I’m already regretting that. I could have happily eaten this all, but… perhaps my waistline will disagree!
Maple Ice Cream with Pumpkin Pie Fudge
Ingredients:
For the fudge:
3 cups sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tbsp. corn syrup
2 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
9 oz. white chocolate, chopped
7 oz. jar marshmallow crème
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (I used pecans)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the ice cream:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup dark maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
For the fudge:
Stir together first six ingredients in a 3 ½ - quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage).
Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.
(Note: You do NOT need to put the entire batch of fudge in the ice cream!!! I only put about 1/3 a batch of the fudge in the ice cream, the rest I shared with friends, and I suggest you do the same!)
For the ice cream:
Warm milk and sugar in medium saucepan. Pour cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Add the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and stir over ice bath until cool. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. (I like to chill it overnight to be sure.)
Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add fudge. Freeze until solid & scoopable.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
As much of yall know, pumpkin is my favorite fall flavor. But coming in a close second, is maple. It just exudes warmth and coziness; a little welcome into cooler temperatures and hibernation. Combined with dijon mustard to make the dressing on this salad, it is a great mix of rich, spicy, and sweet. The same can be said for the spiced pecans. In fact, I knew The Boy & I would love the pecans, as we had just enjoyed something similar at the taproom of our local brewery. So just to be safe, I doubled the amount of pecans! They make for a delicious snack all on their own.
I love recipes like this, because it’s just like something I could get at a local cafe. Don’t get me wrong I love to eat out, but even more I love being able to save money, and still eat well. One of my Nashville “foodie” friends shared this recipe on her blog, and I knew I needed to make it! Food-wise Beth likes a lot of the same stuff I do, so I was pretty sure this would be a winner. She has great “taste” what can I say?
Spiced Pecan Pear Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
Spiced Pecans:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pecan halves
Maple Mustard Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 small shallot, minced
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salad:
8 cups Mixed Salad Greens
6 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 Bartlett Pears, cut into 1/4" slices
Black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Spiced Pecans:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; add oil, and stir. Add pecans and toss until well coated. Bake at 350 on a sheet for 12-15 minutes. (You might want to stir/toss them at the half way point.) Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Dressing:
Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside.
Salad:
Combine salad greens and dressing in a large bowl and toss. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates. Sprinkle each with cheese, pecans, and black pepper. Top with pear slices and serve.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The problem with Facebook is, you let everybody know your business. And most of the time, I am fully aware of this, so I don’t post anything I don’t want my 392 “friends” to know. But, today, it put a little pressure on me. Here was the status update that got me “…homemade bread, pumpkin muffins, chili (with PUMPKIN secret ingredient), and cornbread… it’s been a pretty productive day!” That got one of my friends interested, and she INSISTED I publish the chili recipe TODAY! TODAY!?! Doesn’t she know I’m like a week or two behind on all my posts?!? So… I had to work in WARP speed to get the photo taken, edited, and then get this written. It’s all for you Kristen!
Now, to tell you about this chili. It was SUPER delicious! While I usually use beer as a secret ingredient in my chili, I understand not everyone wants to do that. This is an awesome, very healthy twist on chili. And don’t worry, the pumpkin flavor is very subtle. In fact, The Boy (who is wary of all pumpkin goods) did not even notice it was there! He thought the chili was very good, good enough to eat two helpings of it. I could taste the pumpkin, but then again I knew it was there, and I have a more sensitive palate to the most wonderful ingredient in the universe. Pumpkin is not just good in baked goods people! If you’re looking for a way to add extra nutritional kick to your chili, or just ready to try something new, this is a route I highly recommend!
If you’re still not convinced, go here and read some of the health benefits of pumpkin!
Turkey Bean Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 14.5oz can diced tomatoes (one of mine was fire-roasted)
1 14.5oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) pumpkin puree
1 12oz can tomato juice (or light ale beer)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
fresh cilantro (not in my house! But you might like it)
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes. Make room in the center of the skillet, add turkey, and brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans, pumpkin, and juice. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and cayenne.
Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Stir in fresh cilantro (again, not in my house!). If preferred, serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream, and a hearty slice of Beer Bread.
***Alternate Method***
I have since made this again, using The Boy's great suggestion for adding beer. I used a pumpkin ale, because I that's what I had on hand, but any light beer would work. For this method, I suggest reducing the tomato juice to 1/4 cup, and adding in up to 1 bottle of beer. When you make it, make it YOUR chili, so make adjustments according to your tastes.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Recently an annual family reunion was coming up. I think I was feeling guilty over the decision to bring not one but TWO desserts (cupcakes, to appear on the blog later; and these INCREDIBLE Caramel Cocoa Crispy Bars), and I felt the need to come up with a healthy side.
I had a butternut squash remaining from my most recent CSA box, and I was determined to do something with it. I wanted to find some kind of healthy salad that would showcase the squash. After much recipe searching, and some discussion with an incredibly talented and nice blogger, I decided to make this recipe I found on TheKitchn. The Kitchn has yet to steer me wrong. It was there I found the recipe I adapted for my much-loved Broccoli Slaw, as well as these super yummy Ginger Glazed Pear Muffins.
I was unsure of a couple things. First I wasn’t sure how good this recipe would turn out. I mean, I thought it would be good… but I didn’t know it would be THIS good! Even after I discovered how delicious this was, I still wasn’t sure if my family would like it. It’s a little out there from the kind of stuff we usually eat at the reunion. But I am happy to report that every seemed to love it! (Well.. technically my mother thought it had too much orange zest…) Lots of people inquired about all the different flavors in this.
The squash and cranberry are both traditional, seasonal fall flavors. The dressing you mix together then combine with the cous cous, squash, beans, and berries. It has such a welcoming autumn flavor, with an extra kick from the cumin and coriander. The orange gives it a surprising, refreshing zip; and the white wine vinegar gives it a tang. This went over so well, my mother requested I bring it to her side of the family’s Thanksgiving potluck! I was bummed there was barely a single serving left when it was time to go. I had been anticipating lots of leftovers! In fact, I quickly snapped these photos before we left for the potluck because I was assuming I could do a photoshoot after we got back. Perhaps next time I make this I can get photos that are up to my standards! I just wanted to hurry and get this posted, because YOU might want to serve it for Thanksgiving too!
Cous Cous Salad with Butternut Squash and Cranberries
adapted from TheKitchn
Makes about 5 servings
1 medium butternut squash (or other hard winter squash), peeled* and cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup uncooked cous cous
1 cup water
1 onion, diced
4-5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin
1-3 teaspoons salt–to taste
1 can garbanzo beans–drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss squash with a bit of olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast squash, stirring occasionally, until tender – -about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before combining with other ingredients.
Heat water in sauce pan to boiling. Add cous cous and stir. Remove pan from heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for about 15 minutes until the cous cous has absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Saute onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until translucent. Set aside and allow to cool
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, zest, spices, and 1 teaspoon of salt. In a large bowl, combine squash, cous cous, onions, garbanzo beans, and cranberries. Pour on the vinegar-oil dressing and stir to combine. Taste to check seasoning and add salt if needed. This salad can be served room temperature or cold.
*Wanna know a secret? I sliced my butternut squash in half, scooped out the seeds, and roasted it like that. THEN I sliced and cut it into chunks. As you may or may not know, the skin on an uncooked butternut squash is quite thick! This made it MUCH easier, and I’m definitely doing it like that again!*
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
We don’t eat pizza often, and we especially don’t order pizza often. If I’m going to indulge a little I still like to exert some control over it. That’s why I’d prefer to make my own pizza, and top it with WHATEVER I want! Not only do I like the health benefits of a wheat crust, I prefer a good wheaty pizza crust. I’ve tried a couple other recipes, but this one is definitely the best one so far. This recipe is from All Recipes, and I read a couple of the reviewers’ advice and used all whole wheat flour. I actually used white whole wheat flour, as I’ve found I really like the flavor and texture of it for bread recipes. I also split this dough into two balls. One I wrapped and froze for later use, and one I baked immediately. Both made delicious Sunday dinners!
Because I split them into two portions, I was able to roll them out thin. These baked up perfectly on my pizza stone. The crust was crisp on the outside but definitely still chewy. You could always not separate this, and use it for one pizza if you want a thicker crust. First I’ll give you the dough recipe, then I’ll explain the various toppings I’ve done.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in 3 cups of flour, italian seasoning, and fennel seeds until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining 1/2 cup flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.
And here are some different flavor combos I’ve done:
Fennel Pancetta Pizza
(pancetta and fennel sauteed until soft, along with Roma tomatoes and provolone cheese)
Eggplant and Goat Cheese Pizza
(Eggplant sliced and roasted, along with soft goat cheese. I used a local, peppercorn goat cheese from Noble Springs, the same I raved about in this post.)
Pepperoni and Cheese
(A basic pizza to suited for The Boy’s tastes. Pepperoni, mozzarella, and tomato sauce.)
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