Gobble, Gobble! Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for? Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever...describes it all! I can tell you, I am thankful for so many things this year, including my amazing family and friends who have supported me through so many things. I am also thankful for the peace and joy I have found in baking and cooking, especially when it is for others! I am really excited about the upcoming month, and all of the creative dishes and desserts I can make for the holidays. And it all starts today! My theme the past few weeks has seemed to be pumpkin, and that comes to an end after today! But first, it is time to celebrate this wonderful holiday with three different dishes: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pie Pops, and Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients For the Rolls: 

1/4 cup warm water (110)        1 tsp sugar

1 package active dry yeast       1/3 cup warm milk

1 large egg, room temp             3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 Tbsp melted butter                3 1/4 cup AP flour

1/2 cup brown sugar                 1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon                      1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground ginger                1/4 tsp ground cardamon

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200. When it reaches 200, shut it off.
2. In the standing mixer, combine water and sugar; add yeast and let it rest for 10 minutes until foamy.
3. Add milk, egg, butter, flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and cardamom to the yeast mixture and mix with the hook attachment until combined, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic warp and put in the warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, approx. 1 hour.

Ingredients for Filling:

2/3 cup sugar                   1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon                 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp allspice                 1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg                 1 stick of butter, softened

5. To make the filling, in a small bowl combine all ingredients except butter; set aside. Line 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, spray parchment.

6. Roll dough into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Spread dough softened butter, leaving 1/4 inch margin at the long side of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with filling mixture. Roll dough, either with rolling pin, or by hand, tightly tucking under after each completed roll. Cut into 15-20 rolls. Place in prepared baking pan.
7. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. (*I left mine in the refrigerator overnight)

8. Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes in 375 degree oven.
9. While rolls are baking, make the frosting by beating together 1 package of cream cheese (softened), 1/2 cup butter (softened), and 3 cups powdered sugar. Pour over rolls when they come out of the oven!

What a delicious breakfast treat! I heard they are also great warmed up with a side of ice cream for dessert. If you are looking for something to make Christmas morning, this would be perfect! 

Pie Pops

I love making cake pops with my cake pop maker, but wanted to do something different for Thanksgiving. My roommate gave me the idea to do pie pops, and I found some ideas for it on the Bakerella website. I though they would be hard to make, but they were actually pretty easy! I hope to make some for Christmas too. 

1. Start with your favorite pie dough recipe, let it rise, and roll out dough as thin as you can. 

2. Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out as many "crusts" as you can. 

3. Using lollipop sticks (the same you use with cake pops), press stick into one crust. Then add filling of your choice.

I did 2 fillings for Thanksgiving. The first was pumpkin pie. I simply mixed together canned pumpkin, cinnamon, sugar, and ginger. The second was pecan pie. For this one, I mixed together sugar, corn syrup, honey, crushed pecans, melted butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips. For both, I guesstimated amounts. 

4. Seal with another dough crust. Make fork marks around the outside to seal, and make it look like a pie.

5. Brush with egg whites and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake on 375 for 12-15 minutes.

Pie Pops! So cute!! I can't wait to make more for Christmas! 

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust and Pecan Streusel

And last but not least, Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust. The recipe I found is from Whole Foods. I added the pecan streusel topping because it just sounded so good! I am glad I started it early, because it took a lot longer than most things I make. 

Crust Ingredients                                   Filling Ingredients

1/3 cup pecans, toasted and cooled        3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups AP flour                                3 large eggs

1/4 tsp sea salt                                       1 can pumpkin puree

6 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces                 3/4 cup milk

1-2 Tbsp ice water, more if needed         2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

                                                             1/2 tsp sea salt

For Crust:

1. Place toasted pecans in food processor and pulse until ground.  Stir together ground nuts, flour, and salt in a bowl. 

2. Cut in butter with pastry blender just until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

3. Add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough just comes together. *I had to add an extra 2 tbsp of water for the dough to come together.

4. Gather up dough, cover and chill at least 3o minutes.

5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle. Make sure the rolled out dough is big enough to fit into a pie pan, with excess coming out over the edges. 

6. Place dough in a 9 1/2 inch pie pan and press into place. Fold and crimp the edges as desired. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or freezer for 15 minutes.

7. Bake on lower oven rack at 425 for 12 minutes, using something weighted inside pie crust to keep it down in pan. Remove weights and bake for another 12-15 minutes.

For the Filling:

1. Whisk together brown sugar and eggs until combined.

2. Add pumpkin, milk, spices and salt until blended.

3. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie crust. Bake 1 hour, or until edges are set and center slightly jiggles. *I kept mine in for about 1 hour and 10 minutes to have it set. 

4. Add streusel to top and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

For Streusel and Cool Whip:

Streusel - 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp softened butter

Cool Whip - Cool whip mixed with vanilla and cinnamon

Gorgeous pie!! My crust came out great, and the pie smelled fantastic!

The pumpkin pie took a long time to complete from start to finish, but the finishing product was worth it. It was enjoyed by all on Thanksgiving! Thank you pumpkin for being so kind and helping me make so many delicious dishes this fall, but I think it is time for you to go. I am thankful for a day full of family, delicious food, football, reminiscing of childhood memories, and getting some Italian cookie recipes from my grandma! I am ready for the next holiday! 

Butternut Squash Soup and Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

This week has been a difficult one for any Penn State alumni, and even more so as a Second Mile employee. I have never felt such a whirlwind of emotions that in the end, can best be described as sad. I am so proud to be a Penn Stater, and the way our students and alumni have come together this past week has shown everyone what it means when we say We Are..Penn State.

The sunshine, warm fall weather, and a huge Steelers win, help to end the weekend on a more positive note. But after all that happened, some comfort food is still necessary. Although it doesn't quite feel like chili and soup weather, the color of the trees outside say differently. I am still on my pumpkin kick, and seem to also be on a butternut squash one as well. I have always wanted to try and make my own butternut squash soup, and today was a perfect day for it! I have been utilizing technology and I am loving the Whole Foods Recipe app. It has great recipes, most of which are healthy, and it easy to pull them up on your phone. I listed the ingredients for the original recipe which serves 4-6, but I ended up doubling everything to freeze for later. And for dessert? Pumpkin doughnuts! They are delicious, and can be eaten for breakfast too!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 tsp group black pepper

1. Bring 1/2 cup water to simmer in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. 

2. Add onion, carrot, and celery.
Cook until vegetables have begun to soften (6-7 min).

3. Add butternut squash and thyme.
Stir to combine with vegetables.
4. Stir in broth and remaining water and pepper.

5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 40 minutes. 

6. Use an immersion blender to carefully puree soup.
Or, let soup cool slightly and carefully puree in batches in a blender.

And Enjoy!!! Yum! 

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

For my pumpkin doughnuts, I searched the internet for a pumpkin doughnut recipe, and tweaked it a bit. The recipe I modified came from another blog, Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts. I made a few changes to try and make the doughnuts a little healthier. I also made these into doughnut holes, using my Babycakes maker.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 can pumpkin
1/2 cup of light soy milk

1.  In bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.

2. In bowl of mixer, whisk together oil, brown sugar,
egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until combined.

3. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. 

Fill Babycake maker with batter. Bake for 5-6 minutes, until brown. 

Coating:
Spray butter (healthier then dunking in butter), cinnamon, sugar
Spray doughnut with butter, then roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. 

Doughnuts for breakfast or dessert! 

Butternut squash soup is a great alternative to tomato soup, and is as vegetarian as you can get! The best part is how easy it was to make. I have to say, the doughnuts were absolutely delicious. They were enjoyed for breakfast on the way to watching the Penn State game Saturday, and also as dessert, warmed up with a little pumpkin ice cream on the side. Yum! 

Hopefully this week will bring some peace to Penn Staters, and continue to bring us all together. And here's to hoping for a week as beautiful as this weekend! 

Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin and Apple Cider Cookies

My goal for this week was to find something to make that didn't involve flour, or sugar, or butter. I failed. There are so many delicious fall treats that are best made at this time of year! I have a long list of things I want to make over the next few weeks, and half of them are sweets. My conclusion - make something healthy AND something sweet. And then give most of the sweet stuff away! The first recipes to cross off my fall cooking list include Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin and Apple Cider Cookies. Yum!


First up, the Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin, a delicious side dish that is so savory, you would think it was bad for you (but it's not!). The recipe I used can be found here, from Eat Better America.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For substitutions from the original recipe, I used Parmesan bread crumbs I had on hand and EVOO instead of butter. I also bought pre-cut butternut squash, so the recipe calls for slices and I did cubes. 


1. Heat oven to 375. Cut butternut squash into cubes. Arrange slices overlapping slightly on bottom of sprayed baking dish. 


2. In small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, and 1 tbsp of the oil-garlic mixture.

4. Brush squash slices with remaining oil-garlic mixture.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and bread crumb mixture. 

5. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes, or until squash is tender. Sprinkle parsley over top before serving.

And enjoy!!! I had mine tonight as a side dish to baked fish. 

Now, on to dessert! 


I have mentioned before that I have a love of the cooking blog We Are Not Martha. They always have creative, fun recipes that use foods that are in season. I was searching for something to satisfy my apple crisp craving, and didn't want to make an apple crisp and risk eating it all! Fortunately, I found a recipe on We Are Not Martha for Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel. I wrote out the ingredients for the original recipe, but I doubled it because cookies are for sharing! 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup apple cider
12-15 caramels

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.

2. In mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together.
Add the egg and combine.
Then add the cider and combine.

3. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.

4. Take about 1 Tbsp of the batter and place a caramel in the middle.
Round the dough around it.
Place the dough on lined baking sheet. 

5. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Be prepared for a sticky mess when making these! The caramel did not want to stay inside of the cookie. 

Delicious with a glass of milk, or cider!

These cookies were delicious! They taste like caramel apples. Yum!! I packaged most and gave them away, but did enjoy one for dessert. I warmed mine up a little to get the caramel really melted. I only wish I had a little ice cream to top it off with. These definitely satisfied my craving, but made me want apple crisp even more! Maybe next time. 

Happy Halloween Weekend!

I LOVE Halloween. What could be better than dressing up in a ridiculous costume and eating delicious treats? Halloween weekend this year happened to fall on the same weekend many on the East Coast saw the first snow of the year. This weekend called for not only treats, but a dish that would warm me up too. I also have been dying to use my new Babycakes Cake Pop maker. Because of the sugar high most feel around this time of year, my kitchen was turned into a bakery for a few days. This week includes a healthy, chili version of the French classic, Ratatouille, and two equally unhealthy treats. It's all about balance! 


 I have had my eye on this dish for a while, and with the weather, it was a perfect weekend to make it. I found the recipe for Ratatouille Chili on Eat Better America, a great recipe site that makes over recipes into healthy ones. 

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1 can northern beans, drained
1 can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

1. In dutch oven, or pot, heat oil over medium heat.
Add eggplant, onion,  bell  pepper, and garlic.
Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients, breaking up tomatoes.
Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender. 

Next time I will play around with spices a little bit more, but I definitely plan on making this simple dish again. 

Now for the good part...treats! First up, Halloween cake pops! I used the same pumpkin cake recipe as my last post, but cut it in half. 

First, fill the cake pop maker with batter. Close the lid....

It's like magic!!! Pumpkin cake pop balls! 

My cake pop assembly line. Sticks, cake,  icing, and sprinkles.

For the coating, I melted cream cheese frosting and then added  orange food coloring. 

Cake pops!!

Jack O' Lanterns! 

And finally....Pumpkin roll out cookies! It took me a while to find a pumpkin cookie recipe that could be made into cut-out cookies, but I found one!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4  cups flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of salt

1. In a medium bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and orange zest.
2. Stir in the pumpkin.
3. Add egg and vanilla, mix well.
4. Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; stir into pumpkin mixture.
5. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface.

Cut out cookie shapes. 

And now my favorite part...decorate!!

And enjoy with a glass of milk!! 

A delicious Halloween treat! This recipe makes almost 3 dozen cookies, so plenty to share!

The Perfect Fall Meal

The air is crisp, the leaves are changing color, and haunted forests are in full swing. It is fall! It is time for chili (if you don't have a crazy reaction to the peppers...not fun!), apple cider, pumpkin carving, and football Sundays. I love coming in from a fall run and having something warm and comforting at this time of year. For a warm, fall weekend meal, I went for a twist on an old Italian favorite, butternut risotto. And for dessert, delicious pumpkin cupcakes. 

I have been waiting for weeks to make this recipe, and it was a delicious, creamy success! And it is healthy (always a bonus)! You can find the recipe here at Good Housekeeping.

Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Ingredients:
1 tbsp margarine
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups pearl barley
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 large butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 ounce (2/3 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

1.In a skillet, melt 1 tbsp margarine. Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add thyme. Add barley and cook 2 minutes, until toasted.

 2. Transfer to a slow cooker bowl. Add broth, water, squash, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook on high 3 1/2 to 4 hours until liquid is absorbed.  

3. Uncover and discard thyme. Add Parmesan, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until cheese melts. 

Enjoy!!

Now for dessert - Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Cupcakes!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line cupcakes pans, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside. 


2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree. 

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely. 

4. Now it is time for the best part...frosting! I used a basic cream cheese frosting, with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter. 

And the fall decorations! 

Fall fabulous cupcakes!!!

These cupcakes were amazing! I think the best I have ever made. The cupcakes were enjoyed by many as the treat for my friend's birthday game night on Saturday. A few leftover ones made a perfect sweet ending to a hearty fall butternut squash risotto meal. I love fall!