Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I like sweet pastry in the morning.  If I could have a gingerbread latte and some coffee cake every day, I'd be a happy girl.

I was looking to make something for breakfast, but wanted something on the healthier side.  I've always like Bisquick coffee cakes, so I adapted their recipe to be lower in fat and sugar, and higher in fiber.  Here's how:



Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)
• 1 can orange soda

Topping

• 1/3 cup Bisquick
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Roasted pumpkin seeds to garnish

Directions:


Heat oven to 375.  Grease 8 x 8 square pan.  Stir all cake ingredients in medium bowl.  Spread in pan.

Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl (except pumpkin seeds).  Sprinkle topping of cake mixture.  Top with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Bake 18-22 minutes, or til golden.

This coffee cake was amazingly moist and light.  Not too sweet, but just about right.  And, if you use sugar-free soda, quite low in calories.  Not a bad way to start your day!

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Marshmallow Snowmen

One of my favorite things about Christmas is baking cookies.  I bake lots of cookies, and give cookie gifts to my friends and co-workers.  I've got some that I always make (candy cane cookies, brownie drops and melting moments) and some that vary from year to year.

One new one that I first made two years ago is now on the "always make" list - Marshmallow Snowmen.  These are really cute, and pretty easy to make.  They make a really cute top for my cookie boxes!  Here's how to make your own:



Marshmallow Snowmen

Ingredients:

• Large marshmallows ( 3 per pop)
• Long lollipop sticks (these are about 7" long)
• White chocolate candy melts 
• Mini chocolate chips
• Waxed Paper
• Cellophane Bags & Ribbon

Directions:

1. Push 3 marshmallows onto the sticks. The stick should come about 3/4 of the way through the top marshmallow(the head), but should not poke all the way through. The marshmallows should be touching each other (no gaps in between). I liked  mine, as you can see, with the stick through the flat sides, but they also look quite nice with the flat sides facing out.
2. Melt white chocolate according to the package directions in a medium bowl.
3. Working quickly, dip marshmallow pops into the white chocolate. The marshmallows need to be completely covered, or they will get hard and they won't look nice. Shake slightly to allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. While the chocolate is still wet, add chocolate chips for eyes, nose and buttons.
4. Allow chocolate to set. Peel from waxed paper and wrap in cellophane. Tie with ribbon and store in a cool place.

Adorable!  These were a big hit in last year's cookie boxes, and I look forward to making them again!

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Simple Roast Chicken Breasts

How often do you pick up a rotisserie chicken for dinner?  At a cost of around $7 - seems like a reasonable deal.  But did you know that you can buy a whole chicken for less than $4 and roast it yourself?  And it is really easy!

I picked up these chicken breasts for 50% off the regular price - 8 whole chicken breasts for under $12.  I roasted them all at one time, had some for dinner, and packaged the rest for later meals.  Here's how I did it:

Roast Chicken

Ingredients:
one (or more) whole chicken, or chicken pieces
two lemons per chicken
one rosemary sprig per chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the chickens (or pieces) in a glass pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Cut the lemons in half, squeeze the juice over the chicken and put the rind into the pan.  Salt and pepper to taste, and add the rosemary.

As you can see, I made two pans of chicken breasts.

Roast in the middle of a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160.

To serve, cut the chicken off the bone.  Pour the juices from the pan into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat.  Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water.  Add to the saucepan, stirring continually until the gravy has thickened.  Remove from heat.  Salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the chicken.

Enjoy!

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Tuesday's Table: Time for the Holidays!

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Welcome to Tuesday's Table, where we join together to fill up our table with food, drinks and entertainment.  For the next 6 weeks, we're looking for holiday-themed recipes and ideas.

Please share as many links as you like, but only if you haven't shared them here before.  And add a link back to Tuesday's Table (or grab a button above!) so others can join in the fun.  No other requirements, but visit the other links here, and sign up for my email reminder here.  I'd love for you to follow me too!

And now, for this week's link party - remember, holiday recipes and ideas!

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Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Are you looking for an alternative to ho-hum pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving dinner this year?  Or perhaps a delicious dessert to bring to a holiday party?  You've just got to try this recipe for Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake!

I know what you are thinking.  Bundt cake is what June Cleaver used to make.  But seriously, nothing about this dish is old-fashioned except the shape.  It's got all the flavors of the holidays, in a delicious, moist cake.  Fantastic flavor and texture.  The Applejack glaze is an amazing layer of flavor that is definitely worth the bit of extra work.  And the whole thing is not that complicated to make.  Here's how to do it:

Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Applejack glaze (recipe below)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted, stirring halfway through. Cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

2. Put cranberries in a small saucepan along with 1/3 cup water.  Simmer cranberries for 5 minutes or until the start to split.  Turn off the heat. Add diced apples, melted butter and next 2 ingredients, and stir to coat. Add toasted pecans, and toss until well blended.

3. Beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat just until blended.

4. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon half of batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. Spoon apple mixture over batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border around outer edge. Spoon remaining batter over apple mixture.

5. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 2 hours).

6.  Prepare Applejack Glaze; immediately spoon onto cooled cake. Serve and prepare for the adoration of your guests.  If you let them have any.

Applejack Glaze


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Applejack liquor 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Bring Applejack, butter, and milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and cool slightly. Use immediately.

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Breakfast Tailgate: Grilled Monte Zuma Sandwiches

The San Diego State Aztecs had their last home football game of the season Saturday.  Normally, our games start at about 5:30, so tailgating is pretty traditional.  Today, the games started at 12:30 - which meant a breakfast tailgate.  Or maybe brunch.

Breakfast on the grill?  I thought of French toast.  Brunch on the grill?  Grilled cheese sandwiches.  What do you get when you combine French Toast and grilled cheese sandwiches?  Monte Cristo sandwiches on the grill of course.  Well, as our mascot, now the Aztec Warrior, was previously named Monty Montezuma, we decided on Grilled Monty Zuma Sandwiches.  Here's how we made them:


Grilled Monte Zuma Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 slices French bread
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup egg beaters (or 2 eggs)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• 4 slices Provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions:

Mix the milk and eggs together on a shallow bowl.  Add the vanilla and cinnamon.  Briefly soak each piece of bread in the egg mixture and place on the grill.

Take a brief rest for a mimosa.  This isn't strictly necessary.  Depending on how much you like football.

Watch the bread carefully and turn once the bread is lightly cooked on one side.  Add two slices of Canadian bacon to 4 of the slices, and place a slice of Provolone cheese on top of that.  Cover the grill until the cheese is melted.  

Pour about 1 tablespoon on maple syrup over each of the 4 plain slices of bread and put each on top of one of the cheese and Canadian bacon slices.  Grill for another minute.

Remove the sandwiches from the grill and enjoy this crunchy, savoury, sweet and melty sandwich!

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Sweet and Spicy Cornbread

Today was chilly and rainy.  Well, chilly and rainy for San Diego anyway.  And nothing tastes better than fresh-baked cornbread on a chilly rainy day.  Even if chilly is only the high 50s.

I made this cornbread in about 30 minutes, while my pork chops were cooking.  Home at 5:30, dinner at 6:05... not bad.  I like my cornbread a bit sweet, and I like corn in it.  And, as you may have noticed, I like a little spice in things, so I added a ghost pepper.  If you aren't trying to prove to your children that you are tough and adventurous, a jalapeno would work just fine.


Sweet and Spicy Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 jalapeno pepper (or ghost pepper if you have issues like I do), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 12 ounces corn (canned or frozen works fine)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (more or less, to taste)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons melted butter, cooled

Directions:

Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the pepper and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes longer, until the corn is just about to begin browning.

While the corn is cooking, stir together the remaining ingredients. (I'll tell you a secret - I used Jiffy corn muffin mix... and no one could tell the difference!)

Go ahead and use a mix yourself.  If you do, add the brown sugar to the batter.  Just keep the mix thing our secret.

Stir the cornbread mix into the corn and pepper mixture.

Bake in a 350 oven for 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Slice into wedges and serve.

This is wonderful hot from the over, with butter and honey.  Perhaps habanero honey if you're looking for a bit of extra oomph!

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Creamy Red Pepper Pasta

I love being able to reap the benefits of my work.  I made this pasta sauce to take advantage of our canned peppers and tomatoes from earlier this year.  The recipe is super simple, and the pasta sauce doesn't take much longer to cook than the pasta itself!

Creamy Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 24 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 (or more!) cayenne peppers, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 cup red wine
• 6 ounces low-fat cream cheese
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta

Directions:

Add the peppers (including the olive oil from the jar) and the onion to a dutch oven and saute until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine and cayenne peppers (if using).  Simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the cream cheese and simmer until melted and evenly distributed.

Serve over cooked pasta and enjoy!

This was wonderful.  Hearty and filling, especially with the whole wheat pasta.  I love the extra heat of added cayenne peppers, but it would taste just as good without it.  Hope you try this, and if you do, please come back and let me know what you thought!

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