Friday, October 29, 2010

Pumpkin Pie spice

I didn't have any in my spices so I searched for a recipe to make my own..
Choose on of the following:

Mix 1/4 cup of cinnamon with 4 tsp of ground ginger and 2 tsp of nutmeg
Mix 1/4 cup cinnamon with 1 Tbsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves
Mix 1/4 cup cinnamon with 2 Tbsp of ground ginger and 1 Tbsp each of nutmeg and ground cloves
Mix 2 Tbsp each of cinnamon and ground ginger with 1 Tbsp ground nutmeg and 1 tsp ground allspice

Pumpkin Pie Bread

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
2.In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture alternately with water. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3.Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For best flavor, store wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for a full day before serving.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Apple Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
(adapted from Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice and Baking Bites)

3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
2 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 small apples, grated
Topping:
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable oil.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg until light in color. Add in vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine. Stir in grated apples.
4. Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave. In another small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.
7. When muffins are done, cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan, remove from pan and dip muffin top in melted butter, then immediately dip in cinnamon sugar mixture. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 regular muffins.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Apple Pie Squares with Crumb Crust Recipe

This apple pie squares recipe makes a large (15x10-inch) pan of crumb crusted apple squares. You can cut the recipe in half and make on 8-inch square pan instead. Or if you think it will be too hard to roll out a crust large enough to fit in a 15x10-inch pan, you can always use two 8-inch square pans instead.

For the Bottom Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
2 egg yolks, beaten
4 tablespoons water
For the Applie Pie Squares Filling:

8 large tart apples - peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
For the Crumb Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cold cup butter, cut into small chunks
Make the Crust:

1.Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Set aside a 15x10-inch baking pan.
2.In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder with a whisk or fork until well blended.
3.Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4.Mix egg yolks and water together and then stir into the flour with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball.
5.On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to fit the bottom of the pan.
6.Place the dough into the bottom of the pan.
Make the Apple Pie Squares Filling:

1.In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour, sugar and cinnamon.
2.Spread the apple filling evenly into pie crust.
3.Dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter.
Make the Crumb Topping:

1.In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2/3 cup brown sugar until well combined.
2.Cut in the butter with 2 forks or a pastry blender until crumbly.
3.Sprinkle topping over the apples.
4.Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until topping is golden brown

Chewy White Chocolate, Chocolate Cookies


1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps. baking soda
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet. (I used a cookie sheet with a silpat liner)

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addiction. Add the salt and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.


Sunday, October 3, 2010

Chuy's Jalapeno Dip

adapted from Tasty Kitchen


16 ounces Light Sour Cream
1 package (1 Oz.) Ranch Dip Mix
2 whole large jalapenos, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 whole lime, juiced
2-4 Tbsp milk

Combine roughly chopped jalapenos, cilantro and garlic in the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add lime juice, sour cream and ranch mix. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired thickness. Pour into serving bowl and enjoy!