Fall

#MuffinMonday: Butternut Squash Raisin Mini Muffins

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

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It’s time for another Monday filled with muffins!

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins to brighten their Mondays. There isn’t a theme to #MuffinMonday posts so anything goes, as long as it’s a muffin! (A big thank you to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for helping organize everything this month.)

You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Recently, my husband and I have been getting in the money saving habit of constantly making breakfast burritos. He takes these burritos to work with him on mornings he’s hitting the gym. An act which is saving us about $9 every other day!

He likes filling his burritos with meat (I’ll use leftover chicken/steak from the week or the typical breakfast sausage or bacon), cheese, eggs, and some sort of vegetable medley. The latest vegetable inclusion has been butternut squash. I grab the pre-cut squash from the produce section of the grocery store.

We used about half a tub for his burritos and the other half I used to make mini muffins. And guess what, Firecracker inhaled them! Hooray for sneaky veggies. These muffins were perfect for rounding out a balanced breakfast.

I think next time I’ll try freezing the leftover squash and toss it into their smoothies.

This recipe makes 4 dozen mini muffins.

Butternut Squash Raisin Mini Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 C flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C canola oil
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1 3/4 C mashed butternut squash
  • 3/4 C raisins
  • cinnamon sugar, for topping

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and milk together. Add in the squash until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in the raisin.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, 3/4 full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with cinnamon sugar. Bake 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a cooling rack.

*This recipe is adapted from Becky at http://www.thetwobiteclub.com/2015/01/cinnamon-crunch-butternut-squash-muffins.html*

Butternut Squash Raisin Mini Muffins for #MuffinMonday from Sew You Think You Can Cook

And don’t forget to check out these other muffin recipes:

Ackee and Saltfish Muffins from Passion Kneaded

Apple Cinnamon Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts

Bacon Gruyere Muffins from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Butternut Squash Raisin Mini Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Lemony Olive Oil Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Swiss Almond Vanilla Muffins from Food Lust People Love

Zucchini Walnut Muffin from Palatable Pastime

#BundtBakers: Pears

~ lk529 ~ 24 Comments

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This month’s edition of #BundtBakers is a little different. No, you won’t notice anything unique about this month compared to any of the previous #BundtBakers events but behind the scenes I’m the one hosting! #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.

I’ve selected a theme of Pears for November 2016. When I told my mom she said, “but you made a pear cake last month.” Yes, yes, I did. I’m that much obsessed with pears this fall.

How did this pear obsession begin?

Friends of ours brought over a fruit salad one evening and there were pears in it. These pears were perfectly ripe and reminded me how delicious a pear can be! I’ve since been buying them when I can get decent ones at the grocery store. Treat loves them, too. They’re such a perfect late night snack.

My favorite pear variety of choice is the boring ole Bartlet. I went rogue and bought a Bosq for a salad (but my husband ate it). We didn’t care for it as much.

The pear cake I’m sharing today varies from the my previous one because the pear is shredded! The shredded pear almost disolves into the cake batter as it’s baking, but you still get that bit of pear texture. I decided to pulse some walnuts instead of using almondmeal and I love the flavor it gives to the cake. Another change I made from the recipe of inspiration was to use honey instead of maple syrup. Pear, honey, and walnuts, are a perfect flavor combination and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It had me thinking of a cheese platter and I decided to use mascarpone cheese in the frosting again, too.

My husband perfers just about every cake to be warmed up in the microwave. I’m the opposite and like my cake at room temperature, even cold for some recipes! For this bundt cake, though, I am 100% on board with warming it up. Yum.

Honey and Walnut Pear Bundt Cake

Ingredients for cake:

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1/4 C honey
  • 1/2-1/2 C walnuts
  • 1 1/3 C flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 pear, shredded

Ingredients for frosting:

  • 4 tbsp mascarpone, softened
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • milk, as needed
  • pinch of salt, if desired

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease a bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at at time, mixing until incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and honey.
  3. Put walnuts in a food processor and pulse until fine – should yield 1/4 C.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 C of the walnut crumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix until combined. Add the milk, mix until incorporated. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients. Add the shredded pear and mix.
  6. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool before unmolding.
  7. Make the frosting: Place mascarpone, butter, honey, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk with a hand mixer until combined. Add in the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated. Add milk as needed a teaspoon at a time. If desired, stir in a pinch of salt. Pipe frosting over cooled cake.

*The cake recipe is modified from Tessa at http://thecakeblog.com/2015/12/maple-pear-cake.html*

Honey and Walnut Pear Bundt Cake for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Almond Pear Bread Pudding from Food Lust People Love

Fresh Pear Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze from The Queen of Scones

London Fog & Pear Bundt Cake from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Orange Pear Bundt Cake from Basic N Delicious

Pear and Date Bundt Cake with Caramel Mascarpone Sauce from kidsandchic

Pear and Hazelnut Bundt from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Pear and Port Bundt Cake from Palatable Pasttime

“Pear”fect Rum Raisin Cake from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Pear Pecan Coffee Bundt Cake from Patty’s Cake

Pear Spiced Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes

Pear Streusel Crunch Cake from Noshing with the Nolands

Pumpkin Pear Bundt Cake from Making Miracles

Roasted Pear & Walnut Spice Cake Bundt from Brooklyn Homemaker

Salted Caramel Pear Bundt Cake from Tartacadabra

Spiced Pear Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm

This recipe was my personal favorite of November 2016. I’ve added it to An InLinkz Link-up celebrating monthly favorite recipes on Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking. 

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Autumn Salad

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

After a few weeks of less than healthy eating I was craving a good salad. A salad that would qualify as dinner.

I immediately went to my vegetarian/vegan cookbook,  The Vibrant Table. Most of the recipes I was itching to make were better suited for spring and summer produce, but I found a beautiful autumn salad that caught my eye.

Autumn Salad | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

This salad involved a lot of ingredients that we love – beets, Brussles sprouts, apples and pears. I had to swap the use of squash for sweet potatoes due to my allergy, but it worked perfectly, and also falls under the favorite food category. Persimmons were called for as an optional ingredient for adding to the salad and conveniently I had one sitting on my counter from the farmer’s market.

If you’ve never worked with a persimmon, I suggest you find one while they’re readily available this fall. It’s a fruit (berry, technically) that looks like an orange tomato. I thought it had a taste vaguely similar to a sweet apple but with a texture of a grape without the “pop.”

I was bummed to omit the pear as my husband grabbed the last one for his mid morning snack, but honestly, there was enough going on in this salad that it wasn’t missed.

As mentioned, there’s a lot happening in this salad. It’s not one to be whipped up 15 minutes before you’re hungry.

The night before I cleaned and prepped the Brussels sprouts, toasted the pecans, and roasted the beets.

Day of, I roasted the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, and apples. Made the dressing. Warmed up the beets. And assembled the final product on a bed of spinach and arugula.

Autumn Salad

Ingredients for salad:

  • 1/2 C pecan halves
  • 2-3 mini red beets, quartered
  • 4-5 mini candy beets, quartered
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
  • 2 apples, sliced in wedges
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 pear, sliced (optional)
  • 1 persimmon, sliced
  • 3 handfuls baby spinach
  • 2 handful baby arugula

Ingredients for dressing:

  • 1/2 C roasted apples
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  4. Put red beets in a foil pouch, toss with 1/2 tbsp olive oil, S+P. Put candy beets in a separate foil pouch, toss with 1/2 tbsp olive oil, S+P. Roast 35 minutes, until tender.
  5. Place apples in a baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.
  6. Toss Brussels sprouts and sweet potato with remaining olive oil, S+P, and paprika. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 10 minutes, flip, roast another 10 minutes, until tender.
  7. Make dressing: Blend 1/2 C roasted apples, molasses, vegetable oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. If needed, add up to 2 tbsp water to thin the dressing.
  8. Assemble salad: Place roasted veggies and fruit, nuts, and fresh fruit over a bed of spinach and arugula.

*This recipe is modified from The Vibrant Table*

Autumn Salad | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Fall Quinoa Bowl

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

You know how smoothie bowls hit the food scene over the past year or so? Well, I have yet to try one myself.

Grain bowls are also a thing. And that I’ve decided to make and put my spin on. Although, technically, quinoa isn’t a grain, it’s a seed, making this protein packed bowl gluten free. You could leave the chicken out to make a vegetarian option. Heck, you could even cook in coconut oil instead of butter and go vegan with it!

Possibilities are really endless when you stop and think about making a quinoa bowl. Quinoa itself doesn’t have too strong of a flavor of its own, much like oats or rice, and can lend itself to many preparations – savory or sweet.

What I loved about this meal was that it was a perfect dinner to serve to my entire family. Everything was both adult and kid friendly. My picky two year old ate around all of the vegetables and chicken and solely ate the quinoa – but hey, there are good nutrients in that little seed and a fair amount of protein. Treat enjoyed all of it.

To present the quinoa bowl. I simply topped the dressed quinoa with the fruit, vegetables, and protein in concentric circles to showcase the incredible colors and flavors of fall. Arranging them in lines would be beautiful, too.

An Original Recipe

Fall Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 1 C quinoa
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • 1-2 pears, cubed
  • 1/2 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1-2 small red beets, peeled and cubed
  • 1 large cooked chicken breast, cubed
  • 3 tbsp Meyer lemon olive oil
  • 1 tbsp raspberry balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • scallion, for garnish

Steps:

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
  2. In a non-stick skillet melt a little bit of butter. Saute pears over medium heat until tender. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until fork tender and lightly golden. Add butter as needed. Remove and set aside.
  4. Cook the beets in the same skillet, adding more butter if needed, until fork tender.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season to taste with S+P. Toss cooked quinoa in as much dressing as desired.
  6. Top quinoa with the pears, potatoes, beets, and chicken. Top with a little extra dressing and garnish with sliced scallions.

Fall Quinoa Bowl | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Thankful for Friends and Bloggers

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

Last month my wonderful friend Tara of Tara’s Multicultural Table threw me a surprise virtual baby shower for my baby boy. The theme behind this blogging event was Thanksgiving.

Lauren-Shower

With a Fall baby, I couldn’t have picked a more perfect theme. Especially when Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I definitely have so much to be thankful for this year.

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Tara gathered together a wonderful group of bloggers willing to share a Thanksgiving recipe in honor of my baby boy.

Thank you again to all of the bloggers who came to my shower and a huge thank you to Tara for hosting. I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love.

An Orange Potluck Party

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

Instead of choosing a Fall or Halloween theme for our October potluck, we decided to broaden the category a little bit by going with “orange.” Anything orange in color, containing an orange ingredient, or using the flavor of orange was fair game. Understandably our menu contained a lot of pumpkin and squash.

I brought sweet potato chili. This chili recipe was inspired by my October CLUE assignment Eliot’s Eats. I made quite a few changes to Debra’s recipe, the main one being that I added ground beef to make a hearty chili versus something a little “soupier.” I swapped out the beans for adzuki beans, used crushed tomatoes instead of diced, removed the kale, and forgot about the orange zest.

I first made this chili as football grub when some friends came over. I needed something gluten and lactose free and chili seemed like the perfect solution. And it was a huge hit! Everyone went back for seconds and there wasn’t anything left the next day. Top your chili with tortilla chips and cheese, if desired.

I thought it’d be a perfect fit for our themed potluck and easily transportable in a slow cooker. Be sure to read past my recipe for the amazing collection of “orange” foods. We had a spectacular turn out of over two dozen friends.

Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 C dried adzuki beans
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided use
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tsp chili powder, divided use
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 C peeled and diced sweet potato
  • 2 – 2 1/2 C broth (I’ve used both chicken and vegetable)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp finely diced chipotle in adobo
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley

Steps:

  1. Soak beans for 1-2 hours. Rinse. Cover with water by 2″. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered 50-60 minutes. Set aside.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef in 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Season with 1/2 tsp chili powder, S+P. Set aside.
  3. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook onion in 1 tbsp vegetable oil until tender. Add 1/2 tsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook for 2 minutes, allowing them to get some color. Add 1 1/2 C broth and the cooked beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
  4. To the chili, add the crushed tomatoes, 1 chipotle in adobo, 1/2 tsp chili powder, coriander, parsley, S+P. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked ground beef to the pot. Add 1/2 – 1 C more broth and simmer until the beans are completely tender, approximately 30 minutes. (Note: If you want a meatier chili, cook uncovered. If you want more liquid cook partially covered, and add more broth as needed.)

*This recipe is modified from Debra at http://eliotseats.com/2012/03/01/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili/*

Sweet Potato Chili | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here are the other recipes brought to the orange potluck:

  • Orange Julius: Mix 1 can (12 oz) frozen OJ concentrate, 2 C milk, 2 C water, 1/2 C sugar, 2 tsp vanilla. Add approximately 16 ice cubes and blend until smooth.
  • Pumpkin Spice Latte: http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2013/09/crock-pot-pumpkin-spiced-latte/
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip: https://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/print/?re=re1242-1
  • 12 Recipes for an Orange Themed Potluck | Sew You Think You Can CookMacaroni and Cheese: Cook 1 lb pasta, drain, and set aside. In skillet, cook 1/2 onion (diced) and 2 tsp minced garlic in 2 tbsp veg oil until tender. In a large pot add 4 tbsp butter, 1 C milk, 1/4 lb Velveeta cheese until melted. Add in pasta, onions and garlic, and 2 C shredded cheese until mixed completely.
  • Gnocchi with Squash, Spinach, and Prosciutto: Cook 1 lb gnocchi according to package instructions, reserve 1/2 C cooking water, drain and return to pot. In a large skillet, cook 6 slices chopped prosciutto in 1 tbsp butter, transfer to paper towel lined plate. Add 3 tbsp butter to same skillet and brown 1 1/2 lb cubed butternut squash 4 min, add 2 tbsp fresh thyme and cook 30 sec, deglaze pan with 1/2 C white wine until reduced by half, add 1 C chicken broth and cook 4 min until thickened. Add squash, 4 oz baby spinach, and cooked prosciutto to gnocchi, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
  • Carrot Pudding: Boil 5 lb peeled and chopped carrots until tender, drain, and mash. Cream 1 C melted butter, 1 C sugar, 1 C brown sugar and add to carrots. Mix in 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cloves, 6 eggs, 1 heaping tbsp baking powder, and 1 tbsp vanilla. Pour into a 9×13″ casserole dish and bake 1 hr at 350 deg F.
  • Sweet Potato and Orange Puree with Almond Streusel: Make Streusel: Combine 1/3 C flour, 1/3 C whole almonds, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 cold cubed stick butter; refrigerate at least 1 hr. Make Puree: Mix together 4 lb worth cooked peeled sweet potatoes, 1/3 C OJ, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp room temperature butter, 1 1/2 tsp orange zest; place in 9×13″ casserole dish, top with streusel, bake 40 min at 400 deg F.
  • Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Sage Browned Butter: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/butternut-squash-stuffed-shells-with-sage-browned-butter/
  • Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/09/oatmeal-pumpkin-cookies/
  • Met in your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies: Beat 2 C butter until fluffy, mix in 2 C sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg until combined, add 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla until combined, mix in 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, slowly add 4 C flour until combined. Drop spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet and bake 10-12 min at 350 deg F. Make icing: Beat together 1/2 C butter, 1 pg (8 oz) softened cream cheese, 3 3/4 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla. Frost baked cookies. Garnish wish cinnamon.
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: http://roxanashomebaking.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-bars-recipe/

#BundtBakers: Beverages

~ lk529 ~ 23 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspostIt’s that time of month for me to share a bundt cake with you alongside #BundtBakers. #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month Laura of Baking in Pyjamas chose Beverages to be our inspiration in baking.

I wracked my brain for this one. I’ve already shared a mimosa bundt and one with Khalua. I wasn’t even convinced I’d fit “bake a bundt” into my busy last-month-before-baby schedule but when I spontaneously purchased Apple Cider a light bulb went off.

This pound cake tastes like Fall. My husband said it reminded him of banana bread and I found the seasonal spices to hint towards a pumpkin treat. It’s a dense cake that lends itself nicely to being thinly sliced, toasted, and topped with apple butter.

I didn’t make a glaze for my cake because I didn’t want it to be too sweet, but if you think it to be “naked” a simple confectioners sugar & milk mixture would be great – especially if you throw some cinnamon and nutmeg in with it – or confections sugar & apple cider. Maybe even some real maple syrup (especially if you toast a slice!) or caramel.

Apple Cider Pound Cake

Ingredients:

  • 3 C apple cider
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 sticks butter, softened
  • 2 C sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring apple cider and maple syrup to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes, or until reduced to 1 C. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla, mixing until combined.
  4. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and spices. Add half of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix until incorporated. Add the apple cider and mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
  5. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake 1:15-1:30, or until a cake tester inserted comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack.

*This recipe is adapted from Mary at http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/2010/10/apple-cider-quatre-quarts-cake.html*

Apple Cider Pound Cake for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Apple Cider Bundt Cake from That’s My Home

Apple Cider Bundt Cake w/ Caramelized Apples from The Freshman Cook

Apple Cider Bundt Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Apple Cider Pound Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Apple Juice Spice Bundt with Caramel Apple Glaze from Our Good Life

Apple Spice Latte Bundt from Living the Gourmet

Black Forest Hot Chocolate Bundt from Baking in Pyjamas

Cava Bundt Cake from La mejor manera de hacer…

Chai Bundt Cake from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Chocolate Chai Bundt Cake from Basic n Delicious

Chocolate Expresso Bundt Cake from En la cocina de Caro

Dark ‘n Stormy Bundt Cake from Eat, Drink, and Be Mighty

Earl Grey Bundt Cake with Milk and Honey Glaze from Brooklyn Homemaker

Margarita Bundt Cake with Candied Limes from How to Philosophize with Cake

Mexican Hot Chocolate Rose Cake from Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Milo and Condensed Milk Bundt Cake from Passion Kneaded

Mojito Bundt Cake from Baking Yummies

Orange Juice Pine Nut Bundt Cake from A Kingdom for a Cake

Pacharán & Apple Bundlettes from I love Bundt Cakes

Pumpkin Coffee Bundt Cake from Los Chatos Chefs

Pumpkin Spice Latte Bundt Cake from Liv for Cake

Red Wine Chocolate Bundt Cake from Brunch with Joy

Root Beer Float Bundt from Food Lust People Love

Tiramisu Bundt Cake from Patty’s Cake

Vanilla Chai Honey Latte Bundt from Tartacadabra

White Chocolate and Espresso Bundt Cake with Coffee Glaze from Taking On Magazines

White Russian Mini Bundt Cakes from Magnolia Days

Apple Pie Waffles

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

It seems there’s been an influx of apple recipes on the blog lately. But what can I say, that happens when you go apple picking! Do you know how many apples fit in a half bushel!? (And I only kept half of them!)

On the first day of Fall my mom and I took the little man to a local orchard to do some apple picking. We picked some Fuji, Winesap, and Johnathan apples and had a great time doing so. My little guy who only likes apple in sauce form even took some bites of a freshly plucked apple. I guess it’s true what they say, “Allowing kids to be involved in the food encourages them to eat it.” (The same rang true for raspberries we picked at the end of summer.)

Two of those apples, 1 Winesap and 1 Fuji, were shredded and added to waffle batter for some Apple Pie Waffles. With my son being in an “I only eat bread” phase, waffles have become a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition. (Half of a baked sweet potato that he wouldn’t even touch was turned into sweet potato waffles.) These apple pie waffles are packed with apple and Greek yogurt for that extra bit of protein and dairy.

Apple Pie Waffles (1) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

There’s a good chance this is my new favorite waffle recipe! It probably doesn’t hurt that I ate them with vanilla ice cream… only the two I photographed, I promise. Actually, the rest of them were enjoyed solo – no butter, no syrup needed. I tried a little bit with honey and cinnamon sugar and that was quite delightful, but not necessary. My husband still ate them with maple syrup.

Apple Pie Waffles (3) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Apple Pie Waffles

Ingredients:

  • 2 C flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 C milk
  • 1/4 C vegetable oil
  • 1/2 C vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
  • 1 C shredded peeled apple (1 large or 2 small)

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
  2. In another bowl beat eggs with milk, oil, and yogurt.
  3. Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in the shredded apple.
  4. Into a hot greased waffle iron, drop 1/3 C of batter and cook until golden.

*This recipe is adapted from David at http://spicedblog.com/apple-pie-waffles.html*

Apple Pie Waffles (2) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Disclaimer: I was reached out to by Chobani to create a post for their #MadewithChobani series. Check out Chobani’s recipe page and search the hashtag (#MadewithChobani) on social media for other great fall recipes made healthier with Greek yogurt. 

#FoodieExtravaganza: Pork

~ lk529 ~ 23 Comments

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It’s the first Wednesday of the month (OCTOBER – what?!?!) and that means it’s time to celebrate some foodie fun! Specifically, National Pork Month. (Ironically, it’s also Vegetarian Awareness Month…) Thank you Lauren, host of From Gate to Plate, for hosting our piggy party today!

The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share. If you are a blogger and you’re interested in joining in the fun, visit us at our Facebook Foodie Extravaganza page. You can also visit our past party submissions on our Pinterest Foodie Extravaganza board.

I am sharing a recipe that actually fits two of national food month themes – pork and apples! Quite a classic combination, it only makes sense they share a month, too.

A few years ago – four maybe? – my brother gave me Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen for my birthday. I’ve already shared his Poppy Seed Muffin recipe from this cookbook. This recipe is the very first recipe I made from Tyler’s cookbook, I actually used chicken breasts instead of pork and pumpkin pie spice instead of the mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove because I didn’t have two of those ingredients at the time. According to my notes (it’s surprising I took notes years before this blog was even an inkling) I also had to roast the chicken at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. But, today, I’m sharing the version I made more recently – with pork.

Pork Chops with Spiced Apples

Ingredients for pork chops:

  • 1 gal water
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 C sea salt
  • 1 C frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
  • 4 1″ thick, bone-in pork chops

Ingredients for Apples:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 C dried cherries (or raisins, cranberries, or currants)
  • 3/4 C frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • pinch of cardamom
  • pinch of ground mustard

Steps:

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the pork chops, except the pork, in a large pot. Stir until sugar and salt is dissolved. Add the chops, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Note: Do not brine longer than that.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Remove pork from the brine and pat dry. Season with S+P. Sear pork chops 4 minutes on each side in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Do this in batches if needed.) Place pork in a casserole dish and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F is reached.
  4. Melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apples and thyme. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the dried cherries, apple juice concentrate, sugar, and spices. Season with S+P. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Stir often, scraping the bottom of the pan.
  5. Serve apples over the pork chops.

*This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen*

Pork Chops with Spiced Apples for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these pork recipes:

BBQ Pulled Pork with Mac and Cheese Flatbread by From Gate to Plate
Chili Verde Pork Posole by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Freezer-friendly Spicy Pork Burrito by Brunch with Joy
Healthy Sausage and Rice by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Italian Sausage No Crust Quiche by Cookin’ and Craftin’
Jamie Olivier’s Pork Roast with Crackling by G’Gina’s Kitchenette
Mojo Shredded Pork with Black Beans and Rice by Our Good Life
Parmesan Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin by Cooking with Carlee
Pork and Apple Pie by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pork Meatball Mini Subs by The Freshman Cook
Pork Schnitzel by Making Miracles
Spicy Sticky Pork Ribs by Food Lust People Love
Sweet and Sour Pork by Tara’s Multicultural Table
Thai Basil Meatballs with Peanut-Basil Sauce Two Ways by Caroline’s Cooking

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Smoked Sausage and Brussels Sprouts Soup

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

It’s October and that means the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting cooler. Menus are starting to transform from bright and light salads to warm and hearty soups.

While everyone is already amped up on pumpkin everything, it’s still fairly warm in some areas and they’re just not yet feeling the Fall love. Instead, I am starting the season off with a good transitional soup. Smokiness from the sausage and paprika flavors the broth and the Brussels sprouts add heartiness without heaviness. (Did you know Brussels sprouts are at their peak in October?)

Smoked Sausage and Brussels Sprouts Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz smoked pork sausage, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 5 C chicken stock
  • 2 C diced Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 tsp paprika

Steps:

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Saute sausage until caramelized on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. In the same Dutch oven, cook the onion until tender. Season with S+P. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until they start to brown. Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
  3. Add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, paprika, and S+P. Bring soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Return the sausage to the soup and serve.

*This recipe is modified from Ali at http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/creamy-chorizo-and-brussels-sprouts-soup-recipe/*

Smoked Sausage & Brussels Sprouts Soup | Sew You Think You Can Cook