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Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies

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Fall is here! Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect fall treat. Gather-up the following ingredients and let’s start baking…

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl: mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in pumpkin.

Add dry ingredients to wet and fold to combine. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2″ apart onto baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and push thumb gently into cookie to make indention. Pop back in the oven and continue baking until edges are golden, about 7 minutes.

Let cookies cool slightly. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Fill the thumbprint indention with frosting of choice. I chose to make a vanilla frosting.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a29131372/pumpkin-cheesecake-thumbprints-recipe/

Elegant Apple Rose Tart

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I saw a photo for an apple rose tart and was blown away. It looked so pretty! I decided to make one for my family.

Looking at the photo I must say I was intimidated. Swirling sliced apples into roses could not be easy. This would surely be a show stopper if I could pull it off.

The recipe, which can be found at: http://www.purewow.com/recipes/gluten-free-apple-rose-tart?media=print, is officially called Gluten-Free Apple Rose Tart. I changed the crust from a pecan crust to a Graham Cracker Crust. The crust recipe I used can be found at: http://www.crazyforcrust.com/perfect-graham-cracker-crust/. I made the baked version of the crust.

The graham cracker crust was super easy. The cinnamon custard for the apple rose tart was also super easy to make. The apple roses were a little challenging but not impossible. The main advice I would give for making the roses is to be sure the apples are sliced super thin. Also, I poured off all the lemon water from the soaking apples and made two batches of 1 cup each to heat instead of just one cup. In this way, I split the apples in two batches so they could be fully covered in the liquid and soften faster.

If choosing to make this dessert, the roses will look their freshest if made not too far in advance of serving. The crust and custard can be made, assembled, and chilled in advance. A topping of whipped cream might also be a nice touch. As always, Bon Appetit!

Leftover Banana Treat

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This may seem weird but sometimes I only want to eat half a banana. The problem is what to do with the other half. It can be stored in the fridge for a little while, but the very end usually turns brown. It can be frozen and added to a breakfast shake or made into banana bread. Why not make it into a little after dinner treat?

I left my banana half in the peel while making my treat. The peel served the purpose of keeping my hands clean. I then dipped the banana half into melted chocolate chips and spread the chocolate around evenly with a knife. I thought I would add a bit of color and shake some sprinkles on top. Then I popped it out of the peel and onto waxed paper, poked a stick in the bottom and set it in the freezer.

Of course the topping options are endless. Coconut, nuts, Rice Krispies, graham crackers, etc. would all be good toppings. This would be a semi-healthy after school treat as well. The banana is not wasted and can be enjoyed at a later time in the day. Oh Yum!

A Sticky Situation

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As Charlie Brown would say, “Aaugh!” I did it again. You would think I would have learned by now, however, that never seems to be the case.

I decided to make dinner rolls. Yum! However, I did not really want all sixteen rolls that the recipe would yield. Easy enough. I proceeded to cut the recipe in half.

Everything was going great and then I added the flour. “Why is this dough so gooey?” I wondered. Then it dawned on me. While I cut all the ingredients in the list portion of the recipe in half, I did not cut the water (which was listed in the instructions) in half. Rats!

So in I throw in the rest of the ingredients to make it a full recipe. Now I am hoping I have not ruined everything as the ingredients are mixed in all out of order. We will be having those sixteen rolls, good or bad, after all.

Well, I have done this sort of thing before. I will be sailing along just fine and then I mess up on one of the ingredients. Some times it is not a big deal. Other times, it is a huge problem. Am I the only one who ever does this?

Learning from my mistakes, I would like to offer home cooks a bit of advice. Write down the altered ingredient amounts on a sticky note and place over the top of the original amounts on the recipe. In this way, the old noggin does not have to think to hard. If a distraction occurs one will not forget to cut the ingredients.

Speaking of sticky notes, I also like to use the sticky note page flags to mark my spot in recipe books. When I am going through a book and making out my shopping list, I stick a flag on the page so that when I am ready to make the recipe that week I do not have to search for it again. The flags can be reused many times before they lose their stick.

By the way, in case anyone was wondering, the sixteen rolls turned out beautifully. A bit more than we needed but they are almost gone.

Making Gravy

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Gravy has a reputation similar to that of macarons…difficult. Home chefs are always complaining of lumpy gravy. But is gravy really that difficult to make?

I do not normally make gravy, as I think it tends to be strong and overbearing. However, I was making a roast in the Crock Pot last night and had the urge to top it with gravy. Was I ever glad I did! Yum!

I chose to make my gravy with the juices from the roast in the Crock Pot. Gravy does not take long to make…about five minutes was all I needed. I gathered my ingredients…a tablespoon of margarine (or butter), two tablespoons of flour, and I ladled out one cup of broth, which had made with beef bouillon cubes and water, that had been cooking all day with the roast and seasoned with sage, thyme, and rosemary. I then got a small pot, a sieve, and a whisk and it was time to get started.

First, I strained the broth through a sieve to get rid of any fat or herbs that could cause lumps and set it aside. Next, I melted the margarine over medium heat and whisked in the flour until incorporated completely. Consistency of a light cookie dough. Then I poured in the broth and whisked constantly until smooth and creamy. Voila! It was as easy as that. This recipe was not strong and overbearing as those I have scraped off my food in restaurants. I was in love!

Put aside the canned version of gravy and give it a go. It takes little time and is not hard at all. Mine did not have a single lump. Bon Appetit!

Puff Pastry Apple Pies

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Feel like apple pie but want it now? Get out the puff pastry. I’ve got another fast and easy recipe, this time for dessert.

Set the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take one sheet of puff pastry dough and thaw on the parchment paper. While that is thawing, peel, core and slice 3 apples. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a saute pan and add the apples. Saute until soft. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of sugar (or to taste). (Could also add nutmeg, allspice, raisins, etc…) Set aside.

Once thawed (but not too tacky), roll out puffed pastry a bit with a rolling pin (just a bit). Spread apple mixture on half of pastry. Using a pastry brush, brush water around edges of pastry.

Fold pastry over apples and crimp the edges of pastry top and bottom together with a fork. With a knife, make a slit in top of pie.

Pop in oven and bake for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. (serves 3-4 persons) Bon Appetit!

Fast and Easy Pizza Using Puff Pastry

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Want a quick and easy week night meal? No time to let pizza dough rise? Sounds like a night for Puff Pastry Pizza!

Set the oven to 400 degrees F and gather the following ingredients, it’s pizza time! What is needed: package of puff pastry dough (find in the freezer section), jar of pesto (or tomatoe sauce, or fresh tomatoes), green pepper (cut into slices), Italian sausage (cooked), onion slices, oregano, basil, garlic, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.

Let the puff pastry dough thaw enough to work (but not to the point of being tacky). Place the puff pastry on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll the dough slightly, especially at the folds to flatten. Top pastry with pesto or sauce of choice leaving a border around the edge for the “crust” to form. Add toppings and herbs. Sprinkle with cheese and pop in the oven for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden.

This is a very light pizza as the puff pastry is nice and flaky. One sheet of puff pastry will serve about two persons, at four sliced squares total. If additional servings needed, use more puff pastry. Serve with a side salad if desired. Fast, easy, and quite tasty indeed!

Puff Pastry Pizza

Having a Bad Day? Serve Chicken

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Is it important to pound chicken breasts before cooking them? Indeed it is! Why not just cook it as is? Will anyone be able to tell the difference? A Master Chef will!

There are several advantages to pounding chicken breasts before cooking. The chicken will cook more evenly as it will be the same thickness. It will also be thinner and in turn will cook faster. Also, by pounding the chicken, it is being tenderized.

Pounding chicken is very simple. Place the chicken on a cutting board meant for meat and cover with plastic wrap. Grab a meat mallet and start pounding in the center working to the edges of the piece of chicken. The goal is to pound to 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick.

So, if having a bad day, why not serve chicken? Get out some frustration by pounding that chicken. The results will be delicious! Bon Appetit!

Baked Brie Puffed Pastry with Raspberry Jam

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Want a quick but elegant appetizer? A baked brie puffed pastry with raspberry jam may be just the ticket. Savory and sweet wrapped up in one package. Let’s get baking…

Ingredients:

  • One sheet of puffed pastry dough (thawed and ready to go)
  • One wheel of brie cheese (8 oz)
  • 4 Tbsp of Raspberry Jam (or jam of choice)

Also Needed:

  • Parchment paper
  • Baking dish

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Roll the puff pastry out just a bit with a rolling pin. ( Note: Do not let puff pastry dough get to warm or it will be sticky. Thaw only until it is workable – no longer.)

Put the brie wheel in the center of the dough.

Spread 4 Tbsp of raspberry jam evenly over the brie.

Fold up the puff pastry dough around the brie to form a little package.

Place on a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and has good coloring.

Cut (into approximately 6 pieces) and enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Making Macarons…Round Two

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My first attempt at making macarons was such a hit with the family that I did not waste any time at giving it a second go. This time I had two goals in mind. The first, to accomplish the perfect bake time, second, to try a new flavor.

For my macarons, I chose a pretty pink color with a raspberry butter cream filling. (The raspberry butter cream filling can be found at https://delishably.com/desserts/Macaroon-Fillings-Easy) The recipe I chose would work well with just about any jam flavor. I really enjoy adding the different colors to match the flavors of the macarons. They are a joy to look at as well as to eat.

I baked my macarons for about 10 1/2 minutes this go around. I found this to be a perfect bake for my oven. First goal accomplished!

My family liked the raspberry butter cream filling. I think next time I will try a chocolate ganache; a lemon curd could also be nice. The possibilities seem endless.

Macarons with Raspberry Butter Cream

I must say that making macarons is easily becoming an addiction for me. I do not find it as difficult as people make it out to be. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole process is sifting the almond flour. So do not be intimidated to give macaron baking a try. Bon Appetit!