Pumpkin Bread

Using up more canned pumpkin.  Trying to find the perfect pumpkin bread recipe.  This one is excellent.  It is a little lighter than I want, but the spice mixture is perfect as well as the moisture.  I think I need to add sour cream or Greek yogurt to make a little more dense bread.
Anyway, this is a fabulous recipe.  It is adapted from allrecipes.com and it has over 4,000 reviews and gets a perfect 5 stars.  I upped the spices a little because I like cinnamon and ginger and pumpkin pie spice.  Other than that, it is the same.  Great recipe!

PUMPKIN BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used drained applesauce for 1/2 cup)
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 11/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare 2 bread pans with grease and flour  or baker's spray.  Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, spices, sale and baking soda).  Whisk together sugar and wet ingredients. Dump dry ingredients into wet and mix with spatula until dry ingredients disappear.  Pour into pans.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar or pumpkin or sunflower seeds if desired.  Bake 45-50 minutes.  (I made 2 loaves and 7 muffins, muffins cooked for 15 minutes ish?)  Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Lettuce Wraps (like PF Changs)

My sister-in-law got me started on PF Chang's lettuce wraps.  I adore them.  My problem with them is there are never enough for the table to share.  Last night I decided to make them for dinner.  I was not sure how the kids would do with them.  They made me proud!  From age 2 to age 7 they pounded them.  My older 2 both asked for seconds. 
I think they are every bit as good as PF Chang's version and are pretty easy.  They come together very quickly and we made a meal out of them.  The key is chopping up everything before you start cooking because they cook quick once that skillet gets turned on.  Enjoy!


TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1.5 lbs. ground turkey
• 1-2 TBSP sesame, peanut or walnut oil
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 3 scallions chopped
• 2-3 med sized button mushrooms- finely chopped
• 1/2 can finely chopped water chestnuts
• handful finely chopped peanuts (opt)
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• spoonful minced ginger (I use jarred or tube)
• 2 tsp cornstarch to thicken
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 3-4 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
• 3-4 TBSP brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Chop all the ingredients that need chopping.  Also, prep lettuce.  Tear leaves off whole and wash gently and place on paper towels to dry. 

This is so you can gauge how much of each. But I am sure it is forgiving.

Preheat skillet and put in oil.  Place in ground turkey and use wooden spoon to chop up.  When turkey starts to brown (4-5 min) add scallions, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger.   Cook until turkey is no longer pink.  Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, water chestnuts and cornstarch. Stir in. Add brown sugar and stir in.  Add chopped peanuts and stir in.  DO NOT OVERCOOK TURKEY!  Let sit for a few minutes off heat  to thicken and let flavors meld.  Serve warm with lettuce like a burrito. 

Coconut Cake and Custard Frosting

So, I was so excited to try this cake.  I saw it made on America's Test Kitchen, and Chris Kimball said it was the best things they have ever made. I have had the ingredients forever, but was looking for the occasion.  My parents and brother were in town this weekend for Easter and it seemed the perfect time for it.  So, I made it for my little boys 4th birthday party.  I was so dissappointed.  The cake was truly delicious.  A very lovely coconut flavor and the toasted coconut was just to die for.
My problem was the frosting.  It was like sweetened butter.  I could not even bring myself to eat it.  It was 4 sticks of butter.  Yes, you read that right, 1 lb. of butter in this icing.  Glorified sweet butter as frosting.  So, I refuse to post the recipe for the frosting because I found it offensive.
But I will post the cake and I will make it again.  It was so tender and had a great crumb.  This is not the normal white cake that you find with a coconut cake.   It is truly a coconut cake.

I will post my preferred icing, and also tell you the cream of coconut is used to make pina coladas, found in the mixed drink section.

COCONUT CAKE
by: America's Test Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1TBSP baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 12 TBSP softened unsalted butter, cubed
• 5 large egg white
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 3/4 c. cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk)
• 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS: 
Preheat oven to 325.  Prepare 2 round pans with parchment on bottom and baker's spray.  Or try your luck with baker's spray only.
Mix dry ingredients on low speed.  Add cubed softened butter one at a time and continue to mix for about 2 minutes until it looks like pea crumbs.  In separate bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, coconut extract, cream of coconut and water.  Add 1/2 of wet ingredients to dry and mix for a minute then add the rest.  Mix until well combined.  Pour evenly into 2 prepared round pans.  Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  (they said 30, but mine was still soupy in middle).  Let cool for 10-15 minutes.  Loosen cake from sides of pan with a small knife.  Carefully flip onto flat surface to finish cooling.  Cut cake in half so you will have 4 equal layers.

CUSTARD FROSTING 
from Ann Czyz


INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup crisco (veg. shortening)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 TBSP Flour
• 3 tsp vanilla (can sub. one with coconut extract for coconut cake)
• 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

Working with a mixer, beat butter and vegetable shortening until well combined.  Add sugar and beat another few minutes.  Add flour one TBSP at a time until incorporated.  Slowly add vanilla extract and milk and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.  NOTE:  It will look greasy and taste grainy at first.  Adding the milk will help, but whipping it will cause it lose all graininess and become smooth and light.

Roasted Cauliflower

Think you don't like cauliflower?  Think again!  This is so yummy and sweet and barely resembles the veggie your used to.  And it is not covered in gooey cheese to transform it.  Healthful and delicious!

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch cauliflower
• evoo- extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic or Tbsp minced from fridge
• salt and pepper
• handful Italian bread crumbs
• small handful parmesan cheese (couple TBSP)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400.  Clean cauliflower and cut into bite sized pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil to coat.  Salt, pepper and garlic and toss to mix.  Place on baking sheet pan.  Let bake for about 20 minutes, turning after about 10 minutes so it will brown evenly.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese and place in oven again for another 10 minutes or so, until browned and tender.

Pumpkin French Toast

A weird Easter brunch choice I realize.  We are moving in a month and due the great pumpkin shortage last fall and my obsessive canned pumpkin buying, I have to use up some pumpkin!!  So, why not?
I kinda made this up on the fly.  Turns out there are similar recipes out there.  This was very tasty and would make a wonderful holiday treat.  There are those mornings where I forgot to prepare a baked french toast the night before,or was too tired.  Have guests and want to impress?  This is a great solution.  It is kinda like my pumpkin bread pudding.   Very yummy!



PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• pinch fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 12 slices bread (I used 3/4" slices of raisin Challah bread)

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all but the bread together.  Let bread sit in mixture for 2 minutes on each side.  Pick up and hold over and let excess come off bread.  Place in buttered hot pan.  Fry until golden on each side.  Pick up and sear sides of bread too (I do this to ensure no raw eggs are going to be consumed and so it won't be soggy on the sides).  Serve with warm syrup.

Poached Pears

Last Christmas we made these and I failed to post them because I lacked a decent picture.  They were the hit of our Christmas brunch for sure.  So, I made them again for Easter brunch.  This recipe is my own, made up from a bunch I looked at online. 
This is a sweet and slightly spiced pear that is so tender, it about melts in your mouth.  They are super easy and look so pretty and elegant.  Add to that the fact that they are delicious, it becomes is a must make!



POACHED PEARS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pears, peel, cored and halved*
• 1 1/2 cups red wine (like Merlot)
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• cinnamon stick (or 2 tsp. cinnamon)
• few cloves
• some lemon peel
• 2 tsp vanilla 

DIRECTIONS:
Place sugar and liquids in pan and mix.  Add everything else.  Turn heat on high until boils and turn down to medium.  Keep liquid in a light boil turning down if to vigorous.  Leave it and let it cook for 45min-1 hour.  Make sure there is liquid in pan at all times and doesn't go dry.  The liquid will get thick and syrupy.  This is what you want.  Serve warm or room temp with some syrup from pan over them and some whipped cream.

*can peel and leave whole with stem for a very elegant dessert.  After peeled, take a new plastic spongy (soap free of course) and scrub the pear to remove peel lines.  Can cut bottom off slightly so it will be flat and stand up on plate.  Can even core bottom if desired and when serving, fill it with some marscapone or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookie

When I first saw these in my cookbook, they did not appeal to me.  I am not sure if it was the photo that turned me off, or just the idea.  My husband asked me to make them, so I did.  That was many years ago and I have made them a ton of times since.  They are fabulous.
They are like a raisinette with cookie.  The difference is the semisweet chocolate makes them a little richer.  So, that gave me the idea, to maybe try them with milk chocolate chips next time.  And then also to make a raisinette cookie sometime too.  Yum!
These are not at all like a oatmeal raisin cookie.  Lighter and almost delicate.  They have a slight crunch on the edges and are chewy in the middle.  A really great cookie!


CHOCOLATE CHIP RAISIN COOKIES
from Mrs. Fields- Best Ever Cookie Book!
yield:4-4.5 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks salted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: 
Preheat oven to 300.  Whisk flour and baking power together in small bowl and set aside.  Whisk sugars together and add butter.  Beat until grainy, scraping down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and beat at med. speed until smooth and fluffy.  Add flour, chocolate chips and raisins and blend on low until just combined.  Do not overmix.
Rounded TBSP's and place 1.5" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Longer because they are cooking at a lower temp.  They will not brown much because it is a low temp.  Transfer to cool flat surface to cool.