Cinnamon Sugar Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle

If you have been following my recent posts, you'll notice I have been cooking a lot of pumpkin lately, both sweet and savory recipes. That said, I have already made the classic roasted pumpkin seeds a couple times in the last few weeks. Okay, well I take that back. One of the batches was neglected and consequently inedible due to my "leaving said seeds in the oven and walking away for an hour approach." Ahem. Anyway, my point is that I needed a new idea for pumpkin seeds. This brittle is what I came up with to change things up a bit. It is subtly spiced with pumpkin pie seasoning and finshed with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Note: This WILL make your kitchen smell like pumpkin pie, which I think is a huge added bonus!

Happy Halloween!

Cinnamon Sugar Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle 

(Printable Recipe)

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds*

Cinnamon Sugar, for dusting (Recipe Below)

Cinnamon Sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Whisk together. Store in an airtight container.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and honey. Stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil and cook over medium  high heat (do not stir) until a candy thermometer reaches 280 degrees. It will look like a light amber color and take about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds. Pour on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Let cool just a couple minutes and then dust with cinnamon sugar. Cool completely and then break up into pieces.

*Bake pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until toasted.

White Bean and Sausage Soup

It's fall and soups are easy to make for dinner. This recipe is a very easy and simple bean soup. Serve it with  Honey Cornbread Muffins or Whole Wheat Bread for a complete meal.  There's something about homemade soups and breads that make one feel content this time of year.  

White Bean and Sausage Soup

(Printable Recipe)

1 pound ground sausage (country or Italian)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chicken stock

5 cups water

2 cups dried white or Northern beans

fresh ground pepper to taste

In large saucepan, cook sausage.  Drain sausage and set aside in refrigerator.  Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots and celery and cook 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce to low and simmer for 2 hours.  Add sausage and cook an additional 30 - 45 minutes.  You may need to add another cup of water. Smash some of the beans with a fork against the inside of the pan to make the broth creamier.  Season with fresh ground pepper.  

Tropical Fruit Bars

I love the Tropical Fruit Tart Larabar.  When the grocery store puts them on sale for $1, I purchase a few for a treat.  I found recipes online for various flavors but none for my favorite flavor and decided to experiment.  Today, I made my own version using six ingredients. The taste is remarkably close to the original product.  This healthy treat can be made in five minutes!


Tropical Fruit Bars
(Printable Recipe)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup dried pineapple pieces
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice


In food processor, pulse all ingredients until it resembles a well chopped paste.  Line a mini bread pan with saran wrap.  Pat fruit and nut paste into bottom of pan.  Remove and slice into four bars.  Wrap each bar in saran wrap.  Store in refrigerator.

Roasted Small Potatoes

Here's a quick side dish for a meal that takes very little preparation and pleases most everyone.  Roasted small potatoes are a favorite of mine almost any time of year.  Use different varieties like red, white, yellow and purple.  Most people enjoy potatoes of any kind.  These taste like a small bite of a flavorful baked potato with their crisp outer edge and soft inside.  They taste good with or without ketchup.  Well, the youngest in our family likes to dip them in ketchup!

Roasted Small Potatoes
(Printable Recipe)
1 24 - 28 oz. package of small potatoes (I used white and purple.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
fresh ground pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve potatoes. Place potatoes in medium sized bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring two to three times. Serves 4 - 6.

Maple Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Where to begin with this pie! I have wanted to make a pumpkin pie sans canned pumpkin puree for a while and finally made one this weekend. (I would have waited until Thanksgiving, but I promised my husband a sweet potato pie this year.) I had been really curious about whether or not there is a huge difference between fresh and canned. My answer: definitely. I steamed the pumpkin and then sent it for a whirl in the food processor. Right then I knew that it was going to be great. The texture of this pie is so silky and only has a few ingredients, so it's really great for showcasing fresh pumpkin. Pure maple syrup is the sole sweetener in the pie and tastes divine as well paired with the pumpkin. You must top the pie with fresh whipped cream. I added a little cinnamon to the cream and it was perfect with the pumpkin and maple flavors in the pie.

Maple Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Adapted from Whole Living

(Printable Recipe)

1 unbaked pie crust

1 pie pumpkin, halved and seeded

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (Do not use the artificial stuff here, please.)

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

For the Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

Steam the pumpkin for about 30-45 minutes or until completely tender. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor. Set aside 1-1/2 cups and use the rest for something else. If the pumpkin seems a little on the watery side, place it in a strainer to drain excess liquid. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, salt, vanilla, maple syrup and eggs until smooth. Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the pie doesn't jiggle any more. Cool 1 hour and then store in fridge. For the cinnamon whipped cream, combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until to the desired consistency. Pipe onto the pumpkin pie before serving.

Penne Pasta with Two Sauces

Are you looking for a dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy?  This pasta dish is a crowd pleaser!  Just look at the bubbly cheese in the photo above and you might start to understand why it's a hit.  It's nothing too fancy, but this recipe produces a creamy, fresh tasting pasta that will have everyone asking for seconds.  Unless you have a family of ten, you'll have plenty of leftovers for the next night too.  


Penne Pasta with Two Sauces
(Printable Recipe)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cans (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
2 cans  (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
½ cups fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch nutmeg
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the 2 cans of Fire Roasted tomatoes into a crushed tomato sauce. Set aside.  Saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat in a medium sized sauce pan.  Add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Add freshly ground pepper to taste then simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from stove and stir in the fresh basil leaves.  

Prepare a large pan of water to cook pasta.  Boil the water and cook the pasta two minutes less than the package directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cooking until bubbly.  Add milk,  whisking until thickened to create a bechamel sauce. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to the bechamel sauce. Whisk until bechamel sauce thickens. Take sauce off the heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese until creamy and blended.

Drain pasta and pour half of the tomato sauce and pasta back into the pot stirring to coat the penne. Spray a 13 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick spray.   Pour the penne with tomato sauce into the pan.  Ladle the remaining tomato sauce evenly across the top of the pasta.  Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the top of the pasta.  Sprinkle the  mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the bechamel sauce.   Bake the casserole for 8 minutes.  Increase the heat to broil and melt the mozzarella cheese until brown and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Serves 8-10.

Cider Roasted Pumpkin Soup

I decided to steer away from using canned pumpkin when making this pumpkin soup because of the simplicity of the soup. Not that canned pumpkin puree doesn't have it's place, but it's fall and pumpkins are everywhere, so why not use a fresh one! You can roast the pumpkin, like I did here, or steam it. Both will result in a beautiful soup. Don't forget to toast the seeds! They make a healthy snack or garnish for the soup itself.

Cider Roasted Pumpkin Soup
(Printable Recipe)
1/2 cup apple cider
1 small pumpkin
6 fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow or sweet onion, chopped
1 quart chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup half and half
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Split the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and toast for a snack or garnish. Arrange the pumpkins, cut side up. Top with the sage leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the pumpkin is tender, about an hour. (Cooking time will vary with size of the pumpkin.) Saute onions in the olive oil. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider. Scoop the pumpkin with the sage leaves and add to the soup. Cover with the stock, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or normal blender) and return to the pan. Stir in the half and half, adding more if the soup is too thick for your liking. Season with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of nutmeg.  Serves 4.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Please pass the Brussels sprouts. Yes, I really do mean Brussels sprouts.  If you have bad memories of overcooked, bitter, squishy Brussels sprouts then you should give them a second chance with this recipe.  The crunchy outside combined with the flavor of sea salt makes this a favorite side dish of mine in the fall.  The recipe is easy and flavorful.  


Roasted Brussels Sprouts
(Printable Recipe)
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


Preheat oven to 400 F.  Cut off ends of Brussels sprouts and tear off any yellow leaves. Halve the Brussels sprouts and toss with remaining ingredients.  Roast on a cookie sheet for 30-35 minutes. Serves 3-4.

Mini Chopped Salad Cups with Chive Vinaigrette

I really love chopped salad! When I have a random assortment of vegetables and greens in the fridge, this is a great way to use them up and eat a healthy lunch or dinner. In addition to the potstickers, sliders and my husband's other favorite bite-sized foods, he requested chopped salad on his birthday. Instead of just serving a side salad I decided to make them bite sized and able to be eaten without a fork. This is what I came up with. You can certainly be creative with this. Other ideas would be to include crumbled bacon, cheese or other vegetables. To keep it fresh I made a fresh chive vinaigrette and drizzled it over the top. 

Mini Chopped Salad Cups

(Printable Recipe)

1 head endive, leaves separated

1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 avocado, diced

A few fresh basil and parsley leaves

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

Chive Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chives, minced

Salt

Pepper

Mix together cherry tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and fresh herbs. Fill endive leaves. Whisk together all ingredients for the chive vinaigrette. Drizzle over chopped salad cups before serving. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Vegetable Potstickers

When I order Chinese takeout, I always give potstickers and dumplings one chance. If the dough is too thick or the filling is too homogenous, I move on and find a new restaurant. 

I blame this continual search for good takeout on the two really, really good dining experiences. The first was when I visited New York City for the first time several years ago. Joe's Ginger, in China Town has these ridiculously amazing and comforting soup buns, which are steamed dumplings injected with a hot broth. The second was at Yank Sing, in San Francisco's Financial District. My husband and I ate there a couple years ago and had dim sum that was out of this world. After that trip, we started making potstickers together every so often on Friday nights and have become quite the team when it comes to filling, steaming and of course eating them! This time around, I needed to make several ahead of time for my husband's birthday, which featured potstickers. I filled the potstickers, sealed and crimped them and froze them until ready to cook. This is a must if you are making a large quantity. It was such a time saver!

Vegetable Potstickers

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup minced mushrooms

1 cup carrots, finely shredded

1 cup napa cabbage, shredded

2 teaspoons minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame chili oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1/2 package round wontons

Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1 scallion, sliced.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and sprinkle the scallions on top. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, ginger, carrots and napa cabbage. Cook over medium heat until vegetables soften. Drain out excess liquid through a fine mesh strainer that is placed over a bowl to catch any liquids (This is key to avoiding a soggy potsticker that falls apart). Season with a little salt and pepper and drizzle with the chili oil. Using a small teaspoon, spoon out the filling onto the middle of a wonton wrapper. Wet the edges of the wonton wrap with a little water. Seal the potstickers, crimping the edges if desired (think pie crust method). If you want to freeze the potstickers, set on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours, then transfer to a container and freeze until ready to use.

To cook the potstickers, heat a large wok or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add a little canola or vegetable oil and add the potstickers (this will take a few batches, depending on the size of your  pan). Cook until the bottoms turn golden brown and crisp. Add 1/3 cup of water and immediately cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 3 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Transfer the potstickers to a plate, add a little more oil and repeat with the remaining potstickers. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Four Ingredient Nutella Cookies

I was thinking about the three ingredient peanut butter cookie and then I had this brilliant idea to try it with Nutella.  That is the kind of thought process you have when you are obsessed with the taste of Nutella. Since Nutella is sweeter and slightly less solid in form than peanut butter, the recipe had to be modified and became a four ingredient cookie. Nevertheless, it is a simple chocolate cookie with a crisp edge and chewy center. 


Four Ingredient Nutella Cookies
(Printable Recipe)
1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingedients together well. Form into 1-inch balls.  Place on cookie sheet. Press down firmly with bottom of floured glass. Bake 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool.

Butternut Squash Pasta with Parmesan and Crispy Sage

You will be seeing a lot of butternut squash recipes coming from my end in the next few months. I absolutely love butternut squash and I would actually put it on my list of top five favorite foods, oddly enough. Now that fall is here, I have already made a list of recipes I have to try with the humble winter squash. Last night I was at the store and saw a jar of butternut squash pasta sauce. Since I had a squash in the fridge I had roasted just a day prior, I decided that I may as well make my own. I made the sauce chunkier this time around, but you can also puree it if you like a smoother sauce. If by random chance you have a parmesan rind like I did, throw it in the sauce and let it hang out while the sauce simmers. It really adds a little oomph to the sauce!


Butternut Squash Pasta with Parmesan and Crispy Sage
(Printable Recipe)
2 cups cooked butternut squash (about 1 squash)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups chicken or vegetables stock
1/2 cup milk or half and half
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, plus more for serving
1/8 t. fresh nutmeg, grated 
12 ounces campanelle, or other short pasta
1 bay leaf 
12 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper, to taste


In an enameled cast iron dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the butternut squash and half the stock. Chop 6 of the sage leaves and add to the squash along with the bay leaf. Cook on low for 15 minutes, adding more stock as sauce reduces.


Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir in the milk or half and half and add the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, puree in a blender for a smooth pasta.* Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 


In a small fry pan, add the butter and heat over medium heat. When it begins to brown, add the 6 remaining sage leaves and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towels.


Pour the sauce over the pasta. Top with the crispy sage and more cheese, if desired.


*I did not puree my sauce because I wanted a chunkier sauce. If you do puree it, you may need to add more milk/half and half to thin it out a little. Alternatively, you can add pasta water, which has starch in it.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

• Fall has brought thoughts of homemade bread and today I gave in to the desire. I even tried a new recipe and loved it!  It is from King Arthur Flour. Before I purchased my own wheat grinder, I bought King Arthur's whole wheat flour. I still purchase some of their other products even though I no longer have to purchase the wheat flour. Check out their site for more recipes. You can find gluten-free recipes too.

Most of you probably like to lather the warm bread with butter and honey and your favorite type of jam. My favorite way to eat hot, homemade whole wheat bread is with butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. When I was a little girl, my mom served it to me this way.  Today, my four year old son decided he liked it that way best too.  

• Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• from King Arthur flour
• (Printable Recipe)
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey, molasses or maple syrup
• 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons of the water in the recipe
• 1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• *Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Makes 1 loaf.