In case you are still trying to decide what sorts of spooky treats you want to make for Halloween, I thought I would share some of my favorite ideas both from my own blog as well as other websites.  This may actually make the decision even more difficult – there are just too many awesome ideas out there!

These brain with blood clot cupcakes are probably the grossest thing I have ever posted, and I still love them dearly for all their disgustingness.  So perfect for a Halloween party, though people may be a little creeped out about eating them!

The Halloween sugar cookies I made last year were fun and festive.  They would make wonderful favors for a Halloween party.

I originally made these vampire cupcakes for a die-hard Twilight fan, but they are equally suitable for Halloween.  If you really want to make them Twilight-esque, you could sprinkle with some shimmer dust ;)

Of course, if you’re more on the werewolf side of things, you might enjoy these werewolf cupcakes instead.  They are time-consuming, but the end result is pretty spectacular.

Another stomach-turning sweet treat is these eyeball cupcakes.  If you can bring yourself to take a bite, they are actually delicious – red velvet cupcakes dressed up to look icky.

Every year I can’t resist buying at least one bag of candy corn.  And then inevitably I eat a few pieces, and sort of forget about it (how can you blame me with all these mini Twix bars around?)  I always love the look of layered desserts and these candy corn parfaits from Baked Bree are not only gorgeous, they are a great solution to the problem of left over candy corn.

These dead ladies’ finger cookies are so awesomely creepy.  It seems dismembered body parts are integral to Halloween decor.  I’ve seen these cookies all over the web but I particularly like this presentation from Martha Stewart.  This year I went a little more on the cutesy side of things with my treats, but these are just too cool to miss.  I think I’ll go back to gross next year.

Most everyone loves devil’s food cupcakes, but what I really love is this clever little decorative spin from What the Fruitcake? making them even more devilish just in time for Halloween.

These graveyard pots de creme from lol foodie are a creative variation on the old childhood favorite dessert dirt pudding.  I think kids and adults alike would really enjoy these, and they would be a lovely yet morbid ending to a Halloween meal.

I think these wicked witch cupcakes from Martha Stewart are waaay too cute.  I almost made them this year and just didn’t get around to it.  Maybe next year!

Finally, here is a quick recap of the other Halloween treats I have posted this week:

Boo-tiful Ghost Cake

(more) Halloween Sugar Cookies

Halloween Candy Bark

Monster Cupcakes

Have a creepy fun weekend everyone!

These aren’t the scariest Halloween treat, but they were so cute I just couldn’t resist making them for our pumpkin carving party this past weekend.  Cupcakes disguised as colorful furballs with crazy eyes?  I love it!  The kid in me had a wonderful time putting these together, so I can only imagine how what a fun project these would be to make with kids helping.  They may look complicated, but these are one of the easiest decorative cupcake designs I have tried.  There is so much room for creativity – different colors and textures of the “hair”, different colored candies for the eyeballs, adding optional noses, maybe adding some antennae…the  possibilities are endless.

Monster Cupcakes
What you’ll need:
Standard size cupcakes in colored liners (any flavor)
Equal number of mini cupcakes, liners removed (any flavor)
Vanilla (or other white) frosting (I used easy vanilla buttercream)
Icing colors
Piping bags fitted with desired decorative tips
Small round lollipops (such as Dum Dums)
Gummy peach or green apple slices
Small round candy-coated chocolates (such as M&Ms)

Start out by baking your desired flavor of standard size cupcake in colored paper liners.  (I like the look of the monochromatic monster so I went for solid liners.)

Pipe or spoon a small blob of frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.

Place a mini cupcake upside down on top of each standard cupcake, using the the frosting to help them adhere.

Fit piping bags with decorative tips that will achieve whatever sort of “hair” you want your monster to have.   Divide your frosting into small bowls and tint with icing color to match the colored cupcake liners.  Fill the piping bags.

Go to town covering the cupcake in frosting hair.  (I used a Wilton #3 tip for the purple guys.) 

Note: If you are using a buttercream type frosting, particularly homemade, the heat from your hand can melt the frosting slightly if you are holding the piping bag for a long time.  If you notice this happening, just pop it into the fridge and let it firm up again before continuing.  Work with another color in the meantime, if you are making more than one shade.

Repeat with the other cupcake colors.  (Wilton tip #352 here.)

(Wilton #21 tip, I think.)

If you want the centers of the eyes of each monster to be the same color, match up your lollipops by flavor.  (By the way, there are a lot of weird flavors of Dum Dums!)

Fit a gummy peach or apple slice around each lollipop.  Pipe a small dab of frosting onto the front of each sucker.  Place an M&M on each as a pupil, using the frosting to adhere.  (Side note: I looked at two stores before I found the gummy peach slices, and never found the apple flavor.  What is up with that?!  I love gummy peach slices!)

Insert the lollipop sticks into the top of each cupcake so that they look like crazy awesome eyeballs.
Voila!

These are some cute and tasty furballs.

Source: What’s New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson

I would like to thank the person that came up with this genius recipe.  I was flipping through the October issue of Bon Appetit and I’m not sure I’ve ever dog-earred a page so fast.  It’s chocolate with candy and more candy and more candy!   As I started making it, I (as in me, Annie, who does not comprehend the phrases “too rich” or “too sweet”) started wondering if this was going to be just, well, too much.  But the smarty pants who thought this up made sure there was a good balance of sweet and salty.  With chopped up Reese cups, Butterfingers, honey roasted peanuts and peanut M&Ms, salty is definitely there.  Believe me, it’s still a very sweet treat, but I think the end result is nicely balanced.  This recipe may be most useful to some people after Halloween, when leftover candy abounds but it would certainly be a welcome addition to a Halloween party spread as well.  I think it goes without saying, but this is obviously extremely adaptable to whatever candy you prefer and what you have on hand.

Halloween Candy Bark
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Ingredients:
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Butterfinger candy bars (or 8 fun size bars), roughly chopped
3 toffee candy bars (or 6 fun size bars), roughly chopped
8 Reese cups, cut into wedges
¼ cup honey roasted peanuts
3 oz. yellow and orange peanut M&Ms, coarsely chopped
3 oz. good quality white chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the foil and smooth into a thin layer with a spatula.  Evenly sprinkle the chopped candy bars, Reese cups, honey roasted peanuts, and peanut M&Ms over the melted chocolate.  Press gently to adhere the candy to the melted chocolate.  Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate, again using the double boiler method, until smooth.  Drizzle over the chilled candy bark.  Return to the refrigerator and let chill again until the white chocolate is set, 3o minutes more.

Peel the sheet of chocolate away from the foil and break into irregular pieces.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: Bon Appetit, October 2010

I simply can’t let a holiday pass by without making decorated sugar cookies, especially in the case of Halloween!  There are just too many possibilities and fun designs.  I really loved the cookies I made last year but I also had lots of new ideas.  I ended up making a couple old favorites as well as some new designs.

The mummies are definitely my favorite of this year.  They were so easy to do and I loved the end result.  (I used a Wilton #45 tip to make the bandages.)

Of course, the spiderwebs were the popular favorite last year so I had to make them again.  Ben still thinks they look like something I bought at the store and stuck on the cookie, so this year I made him watch me so he could see that it is, in fact, made of royal icing.  See this step-by-step photo guide on making your own spiderwebs.

I couldn’t resist doing a black cat cookie since my wonderful cat Zoe is a black cat.  (I already have more black cat ideas for next Halloween.  I really do have a problem.)

The tombstones are a good example of being resourceful with your cookie cutters.  I didn’t want to purchase new cutters for this Halloween(and also didn’t have time), so I went through my collection to see what I could use.  I found one that is supposed to be a gift tag with a pretty scalloped edge and used that as a starting point.  Then I just cut off the edge to get the mound at the top of the tombstone.  I did most of these with cracks in the stone but I also did one with a cobweb.  I like them both ways.

The pumpkins were easy and added a pop of color to the overall cookie display.  Plus Andrew had a ton of fun watching me sprinkle the orange sugar on, and then “coloring” with the leftover icing bags on a paper towel :)

Hopefully these provide some fun cookie inspiration if you are searching for ideas.  My go-to sugar cookie recipe is here, and my step-by-step royal icing tutorial gives the basics on decorating cookies.  Enjoy!

Hello, Halloween!  I see you just around the corner and I can’t wait.  I’ve been baking up some festive Halloween-inspired treats for a couple of weeks and I hope this week’s posts provide some inspiration if you need some.  I’ve seen quite a few variations on ghost cakes and cupcakes similar to this one many times, and I think they are all equal parts impressive and adorable.  This was the first thing on my baking list for this year.  (Speaking of which, I’ve already started planning my Halloween baking for next year.  I think I may have a problem.)  My biggest problem was deciding which of the gorgeous variations to try.  Finally I settled on this one and I am so glad I did.  The finished product was visually stunning and everyone who saw it displayed throughout the day was commenting on how cool it looked.

I’m not even going to post a specific recipe for this cake because really, you could make it a gazillion different ways.  I opted for a chocolate cake with raspberry filling, frosted with vanilla buttercream and glazed with dark chocolate ganache.  Finally, I made the ghosts with a marshmallow frosting and made a black powdered sugar glaze for the faces. (I used an Ateco 809 tip for the larger ghosts, and a smaller unlabeled round tip for some size variation.) With all the cake, filling, frosting, etc. this is obviously a sugar overload so a very small piece is plenty and even then, I scraped most of the ghosts off.

Though I didn’t try it this time around, I think this similar cake from Martha Stewart is really cute and would be even easier than what I did since it uses full marshmallows rather than frosting for the ghosts.  I have also seen mini-cupcakes with a single frosting ghost on top.  Both ideas are super cute variations.  I do think a tube of black decorating gel would have been easier to use than a homemade glaze applied with a toothpick (what I did), so next time I would go that route. If you have any sort of Halloween party or pitch-in coming up and you want a dessert to impress, this is a great choice.

Source: inspired by I am Baker

Trick or treating was like, a mega big deal for me.  My friends and I took it pretty seriously.  We used pillow cases to carry our candy because none of the cutesy little buckets were large enough for our haul.  We weighed our loot at the end of the evening – I believe once I had nearly 10 pounds!  When we all got home, my brothers and I would set out our candy and begin the very serious business of candy trading.  I would divide my candy into categories – mini candy bars,the few good fruity candies (Starburst, Nerds, etc.), the gummy types (Dots, Mike and Ikes, and other yucks), and always that sorry miscellaneous pile that includes the mysterious black-and-orange wrapped awful chewy things.  Once in categories, I then divided things up further into even stacks of each individual type of candy. When I was younger I weirdly did not like Reese cups, and those were as good as money in the candy trade.  One of my favorite things to trade for?  Butterfingers, baby.

When my fabulous friend and coworker Shanon mentioned Butterfinger as a potential cupcake flavor for her birthday, I was all over it.  I browsed a few ideas around the interwebs but nothing struck me as “the one”.  I knew that I definitely wanted the candy bar to be the shining star here, with the cake and frosting complimenting but not overpowering it.  I toyed with the idea of chopping up the bars and adding them to the cake batter, but then they would lose crispiness which is one of the best things about Butterfingers.  Eventually I opted for a banana cupcake base since banana and peanut butter are such a classic pair.  (I think they would also be good with a basic vanilla cupcake base.)  These particular cupcakes bake up with flat tops, so I cut fun-size Butterfinger bars in half and placed one half on top of each cupcake.  Then I covered them with my favorite peanut butter frosting (ohmygoshiloveit) and finished off with more crumbled candy bars.  The result was perfect.  I absolutely loved the surprise of the candy bar hiding under the frosting, and the overall balance of the flavors was just right with Butterfingers as the star.  I hope someone asks for them again soon!

Note: Some of the measurements in the cupcake recipe may seem a bit odd, but I made a 2/3 batch of my favorite banana cupcakes which made for some funny math.  But, it also made the exact number of cupcakes I wanted (24).  If this bothers you, make the full recipe as in the link above with additional frosting and extra candy bars.

Butterfinger Cupcakes
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Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
4 eggs
Scant 1 cup mashed ripe banana
2/3 cup buttermilk
12 fun size Butterfinger bars, cut in half

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

For garnish:
4 fun size Butterfinger bars, coarsely chopped

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix in the mashed banana until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes, place a candy bar half on top of each cooled cupcake.  Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cupcakes, covering the candy bar completely.  (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.) Sprinkle with chopped candy bars for garnish.

Source: cake adapted from Half Baked via Blake Makes, frosting adapted from Proceed with Caution, originally from Good Housekeeping

It is already a month into football season and I can’t believe this is the first game-watching type of snack I have shared.  Shame on me.  Of course, I’m referring to NFL football here.  I mean, I went to IU so college football just doesn’t get me that excited.  I think I’ve been subconsciously avoiding the topic because I haven’t been that thrilled with my team’s performance this year.  Sure, they have a winning record so far but I think only one of their games has showed them playing as the Colts I know and love.

I made this dip a few weeks ago to enjoy during a game and it was a major hit with the fam.  My dad must have commented nearly ten times on how much he loved it.  The fact that the bowl was scraped clean was pretty telling too.  This really does have the flavor just like that of jalapeño poppers.  There is nothing even remotely healthy about it, which is why I chose to serve it with a huge plate of veggies to a large crowd.  Of course, I preferred it on the baguette slices – go figure.  I know everyone seems to have a different threshold for spice, but I thought this was just right – definitely hot enough to call spicy, but not so much I was gulping water.  I’m sure this will make more game day appearances before the season is over.  I hope the Colts do too.

Jalapeño Popper Dip
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Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeño peppers, drained
½ cup shredded Mexican style cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green chiles, jalapeños, and shredded cheeses.  Mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until smooth and evenly combined.  Spread the mixture into a baking dish (approximately 9 x 9-inches).

In a second bowl, combine the Panko and Parmesan and stir with a fork until combined.   Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is golden.  Serve warm with baguette slices, vegetables, etc. as desired.

Source: My Baking Addiction

Warning: it’s going to get all Halloween-y around here next week.  This is a little preview.  I am a total sucker for Halloween stuff.  Normally various holiday displays at stores don’t have quite such an effect on me, but make it orange, black and maybe purple, and I’m all over it.  Which is exactly how I ended up with one of those giant containers of various Halloween sprinkles and sugars.  Really, I could browse the Halloween aisles forever.

I first made these pumpkin cupcakes a few years back and they have been my staple recipe ever since.  The cake is light and tender, with the perfect balance of pumpkin and fall spices.  I have made them with white chocolate cream cheese frosting before but I think I prefer them this way, with just a thin spread of classic cream cheese frosting so the cake is really the star.  I most recently made these as a coworker birthday request and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use up some of the fun sugars and sprinkles.  Just about 15 more Halloweens and then I’ll be ready to buy another enormous jar.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes
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Yield: about 24-30 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract (I prefer clear)
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full.  Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: Williams Sonoma, frosting adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

If you’re looking for a healthy meal, keep on looking.  But if you want to see one of my very favorite dinners, look no further.  Since this is essentially fried chicken in a sticky, sweet sauce over a bed of refined carbs, I only make this a couple of times a year.  But I enjoy it immensely every.single.time.  (I also guard the leftovers fiercely.)  Actually, I had only every tried orange chicken making this version at home.  This is supposed to be a knock-off version of a popular take-out meal.  When I finally got around to trying the “original”, I was sorely disappointed.  It doesn’t even compare.  So if you happen to like that take-out dish, then I think you will really enjoy this.  I particularly love how the cayenne pepper provides slight spicy counterbalance to the sweetness.  Can’t wait for the next six months to pass so I can justify eating this again :)

Orange Chicken
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Ingredients:
For the marinade and sauce:
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1½ tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 tbsp. white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1½ lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut or canola oil (I like a combination)

Directions:
To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well.  Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well.  Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.  Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.  Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce.  Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy.  In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend.  Drain the chicken of the marinade in a colander or large strainer; pat dry with paper towels.  Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat.  Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a 11- or 12-inch round Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan until the oil reaches 350˚ F.  Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking.  Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Return the oil to 350˚ F and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce if necessary and toss with the cooked chicken pieces.  Serve over rice, if desired.

Source: Joelen’s Culinary Adventures, originally from Cooking at Home With America’s Test Kitchen

I’m not much of a coffee drinker.  I have a cup maybe twice a month, more as a treat than anything.  And I really, really don’t like tea.  I wish I did, but I just don’t.  With all the flavor possibilities of homemade biscotti, it makes me wish I drank coffee or some warm breakfast beverage more often.  They are a very low maintenance cookie, and thankfully they keep very well for gifting to friends and family who are coffee and tea drinkers.  This particular variety is essentially a biscotti version of a snickerdoodle, and since I think cinnamon sugar makes just about everything better, I found these to be pretty wonderful.  I couldn’t stop myself from nibbling one with my glass of OJ during brunch, and my in-laws were happy when I surrendered the rest of the batch for their enjoyment.  If you’ve only ever had biscotti from a coffee house or someplace similar, I encourage you to try making your own.  These aren’t the sort that will require an emergency dental appointment after eating, they just have a nice crunch and leave you with a happy tummy.

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
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Yield: about 20-24 cookies
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until lightly and fluffy, 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the egg and then the egg yolk, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated and a dough is formed.

Divide the dough into two halves.  Shape each half into a log 9 inches long by 1½ inches wide on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the logs at least 3-4 inches apart.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and stir to blend well.  Lightly brush the tops of the logs with the beaten egg, and sprinkle generously with some of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.  Remove the pan from the oven but maintain the oven temperature.  Once the logs are cool enough to handle, slice on the diagonal into 1½-inch slices (about 10-12 per log).  Place biscotti cut side-down on the baking sheet and sprinkle with more of the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Source: Joy the Baker

Well you must have known it was only a matter of time before I made a pumpkin cheesecake.  Cheesecake is my favorite variety of dessert (if you are forcing me to choose, that is) and I love all things pumpkin, so this is a natural choice.   Of course I never let myself bake a cheesecake unless I have a crowd to serve it to because the will power I possess loads of around other baked goods flies out the window when cheesecake is involved.  I posted a version a couple of years ago but I decided to try a new one this time around.

I liked the previous version alright but the one thing it was missing was height.  One of my personal requirements for great cheesecake is that it should be at least 2-3 inches tall.  This has a smooth and surprisingly light texture, and the spiced graham cracker crust is an ideal compliment.  The one thing I did love about the old recipe was the use of candied pecans for garnish.  Since I was hosting a dinner party, I just didn’t get around to making the pecans this time but have included them in the version below because I think they add  a really nice touch.  A drizzle of caramel sauce certainly wouldn’t hurt either.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
5 oz. graham crackers, broken into large pieces
3 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1 1/3 cups (10 1/3 oz.) sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream

For the candied pecans:
½ cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped (or left intact)
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F and place an oven rack in the lower-middle position.  Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with two pieces of foil.  Spray the inside of the pan lightly with cooking spray.  To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and spices in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to process until evenly and finely ground.  Add the melted butter to the bowl and pulse again until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Transfer the crumbs to the prepared springform pan and press firmly into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.  (I like to use the bottom of a ramekin or measuring cup to do this.)  Bake until fragrant and browned at the edges, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes.  Set the pan inside a larger roasting pan.

Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil; maintain at a simmer.  To make the filling, combine the sugar, spices and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend and set aside.  Line a work surface with a triple layer of towels.  Spread the pumpkin on the towels and cover with a second triple layer of towels.  Press firmly until the towels are saturated with excess liquid.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and softened, about 1 minute.  Add about a third of the sugar-spice mixture to the bowl and beat at medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.  Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and repeat, adding the remaining sugar mixture in two additions.  Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla and lemon juice; beat at medium speed until blended, about 45 seconds.  Add 3 of the eggs and mix on medium-low until incorporated; repeat with the remaining two eggs.  Add the heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds.  Use a rubber spatula to give the mixture a final stir by hand.

Pour the filling into the springform pan, over the crust.  Smooth the top.  Pour enough simmering water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.  Bake until the cake is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken and the center reads 150˚ F on an instant-read thermometer, about 90 minutes.  Transfer the roasting pan to a wire rack and cool until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes.  Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.  Cool until barely warm, about 3 hours.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.

To make the topping, set aside 10 pecan halves and coarsely chop the rest. In a small fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add all of the pecans, sprinkle with the granulated sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts and the nuts are toasted and caramel coated. Transfer the nut mixture to a plate and let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan.  Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Garnish with candied pecans as desired.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Baking Illustrated and Williams Sonoma

I was one of the rare kids that wasn’t crazy about s’mores.  I’m not completely sure why, but I think it may have been the messy process of eating one, or the frustrating process of toasting a marshmallow just so over a bonfire rather than charring it.  Whatever the case, for years I thought I didn’t like s’mores.  Silliness, I tell you.  I have since realized that I am crazy about the chocolate-marshmallow-graham cracker flavor combo in all sorts of fun treats.

These s’mores bars are a recipe from the early days of the blog that needed to be reintroduced.  I love them for a few reasons.  Most importantly, they taste fantastic – you just can’t go wrong with s’mores.  These are no bake treats that come together in less than 15 minutes and require very few dishes.  And of course since they are bar cookies they are easy to serve anywhere since no utensils (or even a plate) are necessary.  These would be a fun treat to make with the help of kiddos, but until my guy gets a bit bigger he’ll just have to enjoy the finished product.

Other s’mores treats:
S’mores Cupcakes
S’mores Cheesecake Bars
S’mores Layer Cake
S’mores Oatmeal

S’mores Bars
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Yield: 12-16 bars
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 whole graham crackers

Directions:
Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil.  Lightly butter the foil.  Place the butter in a heatproof bowl and microwave until melted.  Mix in the graham cracker crumbs and stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Pour the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.  (I like to use the bottom of a ramekin to do this.)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the condensed milk and chocolate chips.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and salt.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the graham cracker base.  Working quickly, spread the chocolate into an even layer and smooth with a spatula.  Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the chocolate.  Gently press down so that the marshmallows become partly embedded in the chocolate.  Break the whole graham crackers into small pieces and stick into the chocolate mixture between the marshmallows.

Cover and refrigerate the bars until firm, about 4 hours.  Use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.  Use a large sharp knife to cut into squares or rectangles.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Williams Sonoma

I found this recipe a couple of weeks ago and was really looking forward to trying it.  All day at work that day I couldn’t wait to get home and make it.  And then that evening, on my drive home, I turned onto the street that leads to our neighborhood and was hit by a very serious pizza craving.  I was thisclose to throwing the dinner plans out the window, making a right instead of left turn and picking up pizza.  Instead I persevered.  I couldn’t be happier about my decision because I ended up with a meal I am nuts about and will be a frequent repeater on our menu.  It also tasted remarkably like pizza.

How many great things can I say about these sandwiches?  Let’s see – for starters, they are easy and low-maintenance.  Also, these are loaded with veggies.  Sure, there is a bit of cheese and mayo but veggies definitely rule here.  Another bonus – this recipe also requires very few dishes.  Basically all you need is a baking sheet and a cutting board.  While the broccoli roasts, you can prep the other veggies, and when they roast you can prep the other ingredients so the time from start to “yum” is very short.  The thin spread of garlic mayo on the bread adds a lot of flavor, and melted cheese of course makes everything better.  I opted for provolone because I had some on hand and I think it was a perfect compliment, but I’m sure many varieties would work well.  This is clearly a very flexible recipe that can be adapted to veggies, bread and cheese of your preference but I am so smitten with this particular combo, I doubt I will stray from it.

Portobello, Broccoli and Red Pepper Melts
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Ingredients:
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced ½-inch thick
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 thick slices country bread
2-4 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:
Preheat a broiler with a rack placed 4 inches from the heat source.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the broccoli on the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Broil until the broccoli begins to brown, tossing once or twice, about 4-6 minutes.

Add the sliced mushrooms and peppers to the pan with the broccoli and toss to combine.  Broil, tossing once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes more.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Place the slices of bread on a work surface.  Spread each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-mayo mixture.  Top with the cooked vegetables, then the cheese.  Line the baking sheet with a new piece of foil.  Transfer the assembled sandwiches to the baking sheet.  Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Source: Everyday Food, March 2008

I always jump at the chance to bring dessert when having dinner with friends.  Thankfully my friends are all understanding of my compulsive desire to cook, bake, and blog about it so they happily oblige.  But once committed, I often do this thing – I make the decision of exactly what to bring into a life or death decision.  I pore over my cookbooks, bookmarked recipes online, etc. and I am unable to make a choice until the last possible second.  It sounds silly but the reason makes sense – too much inspiration, too little time.  The number of recipes I have saved to try is enormous (I really don’t want to know the exact number) and the vast majority are desserts.  It’s the same reason I resist buying all (okay, most of) the new cookbooks I want – that would only make the problem worse.

Most recently I was going through the usual hemming, hawing and second-guessing when I flipped over this page in a cookbook.  Problem solved, case closed, my tummy decided for me – I needed this cake stat.  Incidentally it worked out perfectly because one of our friends recently celebrated a birthday so this classic cake-frosting combo seemed ideal.  Well let me tell you, in the process I have found the yellow cake that I will use as the yellow cake.  It is sturdy but still moist and has exactly the flavor I like in a yellow cake.  Additionally, the steps of mixing up the batter are as simple and basic as any other cake.  No separating eggs, folding in egg whites, etc.  If I can get a  cake with a few less steps, I’m all for it.  And the frosting….oooohhh my.  It’s finger-, fork-, and plate-licking good.  Silky smooth, chocolatey and not too sweet.  Importantly, it also has an strong irresistible scent that wafts from the platter tempting you to take a slice.  One down, hundreds (thousands?) to go :)

Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
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Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pans
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1½ cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1¾ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cups milk

For the frosting:
1 lb. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
6 tbsp. boiling water
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt

Directions:
To make the cakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.  Butter and flour the edges of the pans, tapping out the excess; set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk together to blend well and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk.  Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.  Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the pans to help remove the cakes.  Invert the cakes onto the rack and peel off the parchment.  Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.  Level the cakes if necessary.

To make the frosting, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 25-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until the cocoa is dissolved.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the melted chocolate; beat on low speed until combined, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the cocoa mixture until well blended.  (Note: My frosting was still a bit runny for decorating at this point.  I let it cool longer before frosting the cake so it could firm up slightly.)

To assemble the cake, place one of the cake layers on a serving platter.  Top with 1 cup of the chocolate frosting and smooth over the top of the cake.  Top with the remaining cake layer.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting as desired.  Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.  Let come to room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Foods can evoke memories in a major way.  Every single time I smell this dish cooking, I’m immediately transported back to our kitchen in my house growing up.  I can hear “All Things Considered” on NPR coming from the radio as my dad prepared dinner for us.  My mom died when I was 10, and my brothers were six and four.  Somehow my dad still cooked well balanced meals for us pretty much every night as we grew up.  Sure, sometimes it was semi-homemade things like Hamburger Helper but looking back with only one child of my own and an extremely helpful husband, I truly don’t know how he did it.  When Mom found out her illness was terminal, she started planning and preparing and doing things to help us after she wasn’t around anymore.  One of those things was to go through all our family cookbooks and put notes on the recipes that we kids liked.

This recipe comes from a now out of print cookbook that our family enjoyed.  It still has Mom’s post-it taped to the cover (as many of our cookbooks do).  The author hosted an old popular cooking show called The Frugal Gourmet that my mom found very amusing.  I remember watching it with her even though I had no interest in cooking at the time, and I thought it was funny too.  I had never considered sharing this recipe before because it didn’t seem blog-worthy.  I mean, it takes about 15 minutes and uses canned clams for Pete’s sake.  But, this is where I share all the recipes I love, easy and complex, fancy and decidedly not so, so I’m sharing it here.  We love this dinner in our household, it holds a special place in my heart, and that’s all that matters to me!

Linguine with Clam Sauce
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Ingredients:
12 oz. linguine pasta
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, juices reserved
½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook pasta according to the package directions until al dente.  Drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter is completely melted.  Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the reserved clam juice to the pan, bring to a simmer, and reduce by about half.  With the heat on medium-low, stir in the clams and the heavy cream.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Portion the pasta into warmed serving bowls.  Spoon some of the sauce over the pasta and top with grated Parmesan, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Source: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine by Jeff Smith

If you haven’t noticed, I make a lot of breakfast treats.  Muffins, scones, bagels, etc.  I bake lots and love ‘em all.  But these – these are my favorite of all.  The reigning champ of breakfast treats.  These are definitely one of the main food-related reasons I look forward to fall.  Sure, I can make them anytime but they seem to taste best on a crisp fall morning when the sun rises a little later than the days before.

I believe originally these were meant to be a knock-off of a Starbucks bakery item.  I’ve never had the original so I have no basis for comparison, but it’s hard to imagine them being better than the homemade version.  The streusel topping is not as chunky as some, and instead sort of melts during baking to create a crackly cinnamon-sugar topping that gives these an extra little something.  Be sure to mix and freeze the filling in advance so that it is ready to go when you want to make the muffins.  They may take a bit more time than your average muffin, but are totally worth it in the end.  This is not a new recipe to the blog, but one that needed a little updating with better pics and a printer-friendly version.  I hope you’ll enjoy rediscovering this recipe, a true favorite of mine.

Lately I have been torn on the topic of Sunday dinner.  Normally I tend to take advantage of the opportunity to make more involved meals that wouldn’t be suitable for a weeknight, but for the past month I have only had one day off each week – Sunday.  Which means when Sunday finally rolled around, I would be too busy taking care of things around the house and just generally so exhausted that high maintenance meals were not in the cards.  It turns out though, this meal is a perfect compromise.  It requires literally less than 10 minutes of prep time but the end result is a delicious roast chicken topped with crisp caramelized shallots.  Paired with some mashed potatoes, this is total comfort food with minimal effort.

The simplicity of this recipe is great, and I think it would lend itself well to variations.  I did think it was a tad on the vinegar-y side for me, so next time I may sub part of the vinegar with lemon juice, or just use a less harsh vinegar such as white wine vinegar.  But there most definitely will be a next time because when a recipe is this quick and this tasty, it’s too good to pass up.

Roast Chicken with Caramelized Shallots
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Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
4 large shallots, peeled and minced
8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken (I used thighs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  In a baking dish large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer, combine the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce and shallots; whisk to combine.  Toss the chicken in the mixture, coating with shallots.   Season with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken pieces in the pan so they are skin-side up.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the chicken pieces begin to brown on top.  Turn the pieces of chicken over and spoon some of the juices and shallots over the top.  Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the shallots are caramelized.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with fresh parsley.

Source: adapted from The French Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann, via David Lebovitz

Sounds fancy, doesn’t it?  Believe me, this is one of the easiest and most irresistible appetizers on the planet.  Last week I hosted a small dinner party for my friends and was looking for a starter that complimented the menu.  I had a left over block of homemade puff pastry in the freezer and used that as a starting point.  It didn’t take me long to think of baked brie which, surprisingly, I have never made before though I have eaten and loved it many times.  The apple compote can be made in advance if needed.  This takes next to no time to assemble and the most difficult part is waiting until it comes out of the oven to dig in.  My puff pastry unfolded a little bit during baking but I actually liked it that way because you could see the warm, gooey brie layered with apples.  This was demolished by the end of the evening, and is a fantastic recipe to have in your repertoire.  I’m fairly certain this will make an appearance on my Thanksgiving appetizer table this year.

Baked Brie en Croûte with Apple Compote
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For the apple compote:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut to ½-inch dice
¼ cup sugar
Pinch grated nutmeg

Ingredients:

To assemble:
10-inch round puff pastry, rolled to ¼-inch thickness
1 round Brie cheese, 6-8 oz. and about 4½ inches wide, chilled
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Water crackers, for serving

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the diced apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have released most of their juices, about 5-7 minutes.  Mix in the sugar and nutmeg, stir well to combine, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 12-15 minutes longer.  Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Transfer the round of puff pastry to the prepared baking pan.  Using a sharp knife, cut the disc of cheese in half horizontally to create two thinner discs.  Place the bottom disc in the center of the puff pastry round.  Spread about half of the apple compote over the surface of the cheese.  Top with the remaining cheese disc.  Layer with the remaining compote.  Bring the puff pastry up around the edges of the brie-apple layers.  Fold and pinch the edges so that only a small portion of the top surface is exposed.  Brush the surface of the puff pastry lightly with the egg wash.

Bake until the puff pastry is golden all over and crisp, 40-45 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter with a knife and crackers.

Source: Williams Sonoma

As soon as I feel that fall chill in the air, I get a major urge to bake bread.  All kinds of bread.  Rolls, loaves, baguettes, etc.  I love the smell of the yeast as the dough rises, the wonderful aromas that fill the house as the bread bakes and of course, getting to enjoy the finished product warm from the oven.  At least for me, cinnamon raisin swirl bread is one of those foods that immediately brings me back to my childhood.  Despite the fact that it always came from a store bought loaf, a piece of cinnamon raisin toast spread with a thin layer of butter was a special breakfast treat.

I’ve made a few different versions of this recipe in the past, but this one finally has everything I’ve been hoping for.  A tender, lightly spiced dough with a sprinkling of plump raisins, and a cinnamon sugar filling that oozes out of the swirls while the bread is still warm.  I only made one loaf, but this recipe can be easily doubled to make an extra loaf for freezing or gifting to a friend.  If you still feel intimidated by working with yeast, this is another recipe that would be good for a beginner.  Remember, there is nothing to be scared of, it just like following any other recipe.  Hopefully the step-by-step photos will also help you feel more confident.  Let’s get cozy and bake some bread!

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
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Yield: 1 9 x 5-inch loaf
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 1/8 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
1 cup warm milk (105-110˚ F)
17 oz. (3¼ cups) all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
1¼ tsp. coarse salt
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins
Vegetable oil

For the filling:
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. water
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer*, combine the yeast, warm milk, flour, butter, sugar, egg, salt and cinnamon.  Mix briefly until a dough forms.  Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is mostly smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes.  Add in the raisins and allow to continue kneading about 3 minutes more, until the dough is smooth and supple and the raisins are evenly incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Pat into a round.

Fold the bottom third of the dough up and fold the top third down, in business-letter fashion.

Then fold the right and left sides into the center in thirds, forming a rectangle. Press down to seal.  Return to the bowl, cover and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Generously butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.  To make the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.  Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle.  Brush lightly with the beaten egg.

Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving a thin border around the edges.

Fold in the edges of the long sides of the dough about 1 inch.

Beginning with one of the short ends, roll the dough up into a tight spiral log, gently pressing as you go.

Pinch the seam shut, and place the loaf seam side-down in the prepared baking pan.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise until the dough rises just above the edge of the pan, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  When the loaf has risen, brush the top of the loaf lightly with the remaining beaten egg.  Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the loaf is golden brown, about 45 minutes.  If the surface seems to be browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil (I did this halfway through baking).  Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

*This dough can be made by hand and a stand mixer is not required.  Mix the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and once the dough comes together, knead on a lightly floured surface until the desired texture is achieved.

Source: Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Filled with chicken, veggies, or straight up cheese, enchiladas are always an awesome meal.  This version in particular is one of my favorites and I’m excited to have revamped the recipe a little bit.  Why?  I found a way to make this meal more efficiently while using less dishes.  I think that’s cause for celebration!  I also played around with the filling to add a few more veggies because that never seems to hurt.  Now, I’ve never been one of those that thinks enchiladas must be covered in sauce before baking to be delicious, but if you are of that camp, you can increase the quantity of sauce and reserve some for pouring on top.  I love these as they are though – creamy, just a tad spicy and packed full of flavor.  I actually think they would be too much with additional sauce on top.  Depending on how quick you are in the kitchen, these can definitely be suitable for a weeknight meal.  The process goes much faster with assistance from my helpful shrimp peeler, Ben.  These also make excellent leftovers and make a lunch I can really look forward to.

Shrimp Enchiladas
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Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter, divided
1 lb. medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 red bell pepper, diced
¾ cup onion, diced
¼ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. salt
Dash garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. heavy cream or half-and-half
¼ cup sour cream
6 oz. shredded cheese (such as Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, etc.), divided
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
8-10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray

Directions:
In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and let cook without moving, about 1 minute.  Flip the shrimp over and continue to cook until just pink and opaque, 30-60 seconds longer.  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.  When the shrimp is cool enough to handle, roughly chop into bite sized pieces, if desired.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan.  Add the diced bell pepper and onion, and cook until just tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the oregano, salt, garlic powder, cayenne and flour to the pan; stir well and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.  Lower the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream to the pan, stirring to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook just until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the sour cream, half of the shredded cheese, and the tomatoes.  Return the shrimp to the pan as well, and mix everything together until the sauce is well blended and the cheese is melted.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Scoop 1/3 cup of the filling and sauce mixture down the center of a tortilla.  Sprinkle lightly with some of the reserved cheese.  Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place seam side-down in the  prepared baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining filling, tortillas and cheese.  Spray the tops of the finished assembled tortillas lightly with cooking spray.  Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let cool at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Source: adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

These cookies will never win in a beauty contest.  They are monochromatic, many are misshapen and the chips have a sunken in appearance.  But as they say, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.  And that means that these cookies are a major winner.  You can see why just by the title – pumpkin and butterscotch, two ingredients that are already wonderful on their own, come together to make magic happen.  The resulting cookies are quite addictive.  Normally I have fantastic willpower when it comes to sweets, but I found these irresistible and ate way too many in one day (so did Ben).  I’ve made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies before and while those are good, it is no contest – these are the best.

Other great pumpkin butterscotch treats:
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin Cake with Butterscotch Filling
Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
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Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend.  In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute.  Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart.  Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: Joy the Baker