Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting

There are still some tomatoes on the vine, but our first frost is just around the corner . . . might as well face it, we're feeling the nip of Fall in the air. We've already been lighting up the wood stove to take the chill off of the mornings and evenings.
And as much as I detest the shorter days and less sunlight, there are some things I do love about Fall. Baking is one of them.



It is a welcome excuse to crank up the oven and bake at this time  of year and the payoffs are plentiful:
Warm kitchen...  delightful aromas...  comforting, cozy atmosphere... good food to look forward to... satisfied tummies... Happy memories...
All of the above make for warm fuzzies and a happy family. :)

In summer we have all kinds of fresh fruit to keep a sweet tooth satisfied, in the cooler months we must become a little more creative.  Apples, pumpkins, pears and preserved fruit to the rescue, and soon the citrus will become more abundant.  I've been baking some apple sweets which I'll share soon, but in the meantime . . . 




This is a simple little sheet cake, you can use canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling), or cook your own pumpkin or squash. Since I had a can of pumpkin open for another recipe, I decided to make this little cake. It doesn't take many ingredients and it goes together quickly.



The original recipe yields a 9x13-inch cake pan, but we don't need that much cake at once so I made a half recipe and baked it in a 9x9-inch pan. If a 9x9-inch cake is still too much for you, you can bake it, then divide it in half, wrap well and freeze the half and enjoy the other half immediately. When you want to serve the remainder, thaw and spread the frosting on  when it's completely thawed, or just sprinkle with powdered sugar.




The frosting is made with pure maple syrup, cream cheese butter and powdered sugar and a little vanilla extract.   The maple flavor is very mild, if you like it more pronounced  you could add some maple flavor extract . . . but I try to avoid the artificially flavored stuff, so I don't. 
I reduce the sugar amount by a bit, because I don't care for overly  sweet things, and if you reduce the cream cheese by a tablespoon or so,  the maple will be a bit more prominent.

I serve the toasted chopped pecans in a little dish with a spoon, on the side since many people have trouble digesting them. This way it makes everybody happy.
Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, and it makes a fine little dessert.    If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's over on my recipe blog . . .
Click here.
Thank you for stopping by ~ I would love if you would leave a comment so I know you've visited!
Blessings!
~mari  :)  

The Butcher's Pasta Sauce ~ From the Slow Cooker

There is no doubt that I love those quick pasta sauces that can be put together at a moments notice, especially in the warmer months when fresh produce is abundant.
However, when the temperatures drop I usually long for the deep flavors of a slow cooked sauce, the kind of sauce that can simmer on the stovetop for a couple of hours while the flavor develops. The kind mom and grandma used to make.
That's fine if you have a leisurely day to check on the sauce while it's cooking and give it a stir every so often,  adding more liquid if necessary.  
Sometimes we don't have that luxury of time --  that's what makes this recipe stand out; long simmered flavor without having to babysit it.



Slow Cookers ~ you may love them or not,  there is no doubt they are a convenience.  
In years past I could count on one hand the recipes I really loved  made in the slow cooker.   Too many times the food cooked in these units  tasted and looked like bad cafeteria food ~ left on the steam table for far too long  mushy, gray and not much in the way of flavor.

My slow cooker aversion took a turn around with the  introduction of the more modern slow cooker cookbooks, like this one from Michele Scicolone. 

Click image to learn more

"The Italian Slow Cooker"
Michele is a genius when it comes to what type of recipes really benefit from slow cooking. Instead of just dumping ingredients into the cooking vessel, sometimes a little prep takes place stovetop to get the recipes started. This one extra step makes all the difference in the world when it comes to a superior finished dish. So worth it!

I've had the book for a while ~I've shared  another favorite from book  a while back; "Spicy Tuscan-Style Sausage Ragu". Very, very good.)
The book covers everything from soups, sauces, risotto, polenta, grains, seafood, eggs, poultry, meats, veggies and beans, plus desserts. She offers special techniques that assure perfect results even with the most delicate ingredients like eggs, fish, and tender desserts.
The one I'm sharing today is The Butcher's Sauce, a recipe from Puglia. The unique thing about this recipe, and the reason for it's name ~ as Michele explains is that it is made of any kind of meat you happen to have, either fresh or in your freezer. (A good way to use up raw scraps of this and that such as a bit of raw ground beef, a pork chop, a sausage or a chicken breast.) Just chop the meat up in your food processor and proceed with the recipe. I have the basic recipe over on my recipe blog.

photo: Doris Italian Market
  Usually served with orecchiette, cavatelli or any chunky pasta.  I used perciatelli (pronounced: "pear-chuh-TELL-lee" as it is known in Naples.)  Almost everywhere else, the cut is refered to as bucatini. About twice as thick as spaghetti and hollow as you can see from the photo.

This one is a keeper, friends! And like most tomato based cooked sauces, it freezes very successfully ~ you can double batch easily if you have a very large slow cooker.





If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it over on my recipe blog HERE.
Please come see what's cooking for Foodie Friday!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~Mari xo

Cheesy "Pizza" Broccoli

I didn't want to serve the same ol' steamed, or stir-fried broccoli, then I remembered a recipe similar to this one, by Daphe Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter), from her lifestyle/cooking book "Relish"
Click image to learn more about the book. It's a perfect choice for college students, young singles and newlyweds. I'm none of those and I like it too. :)

Daphne's version is even more simple than the one I devised (no roasted tomatoes/garlic/red onions or mozzarella in her version)  but this one is a lot more flavorful, in my opinion.

By now, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I love cooking intuitively ~ that is with a basic recipe in my head, and then letting the creative juices flow!  This is another one of those, and you can adjust it to suit your own taste.



Easy and flavorful, here's what you'll need for the basic recipe:
Cherry or Roma Tomatoes Salt, Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil (or oil of your choice)
Dried oregano leaves 1 or 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Red pepper flakes Half an onion, slivered Fresh Broccoli Spears Grated Mozzarella Cheese Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Optional: Lemon wedges Fresh oregano or basil leaves (Extras ~ see below)
Method:
Place rack in center of oven, preheat to 400ºF.
Wash and cut in half a couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes, or as many as you want to make a single layer~  (you can use quartered Roma tomatoes or a similar variety;  tomatoes that are not too juicy work best in this recipe.) In a shallow baking dish toss them with some olive oil, sea salt and  a little freshly ground black pepper.
Place pan in oven and roast tomatoes for 10 to 12 minutes (make take longer, depending upon your oven and the baking dish you are using.) Scatter 1 or 2 sliced garlic cloves, half of a slivered onion (white, yellow, red/purple), a couple of generous pinches of dried oregano, and a couple of pinches of  red pepper flakes (optional), give a stir to coat with oil and continue roasting for 10 to 12 minutes ~ it's okay if some tomatoes begin to char.
While tomatoes are roasting, steam broccoli spears until just crisp tender. Remove tomato pan from oven, arrange broccoli over tomatoes, add a little s & p if desired,  sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese (as much or as little as you like),  sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and place back in oven, or under hot broiler until cheese is melted and begins to bubble.  Remove from oven allow to cool for a moment, sprinkle with a few  fresh oregano or basil leaves. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.



Add any of these optional ingredients if you like: (to be added during second half of roasting tomatoes, or upon serving, as garnish):
sliced or halved flavorful black olives roasted red pepper slivers or pieces marinated mushrooms sliced green onions (scallions) cured anchovy fillets marinated artichoke hearts cooked Italian sausage crumbles, torn prosciutto, etc.   ~ almost anything goes!




Colorful and tasty, it makes a fine main course or a great side dish for simply prepared meat, poultry or fish.
Gluten-Free and Vegetarian friendly, too.

Bon Appétit! And thank you for visiting today!

xo~mari

Field Trip ~ Postcards

Each year we look forward to Art along the River in the town closest to our rural home; chalk artists from near and far are engaged by local businesses to create their magic on the street on a Saturday and Sunday in October.  Once again the event didn't disappoint.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous, sunny and warm with a bit of a breeze (you'll see some evidence of this by a few autumn leaves that came to rest momentarily on some of the chalk art.) The event is attended by people of all ages, and plenty of dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Capturing the artwork with the camera is a bit of a challenge  with all of the people also interested in getting a look, and the shadows cast by buildings and trees but I think this will give you a little glimpse. There were many more in various stages of completion, and along the sidewalks on each side of the street children are encouraged to create with chalk on smaller squares set aside just for them.  I hope you enjoy!


















  The following was one of my favs . . . and note to self: The ones in the shade make the most vivid images.






A quick bite for sushi at a favorite spot, then home for an evening in front of the fire, (the temps are getting very chilly at night, the duvets went on the beds this weekend ~ ahhh!)
It was a very enjoyable day after spending Saturday outdoors preparing the gardens for winter sleep.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend too. Thank you for stopping by!
~mari xo

Witches Brooms ~ Foodie Friday Mysterious Ingredient Club

This is my second entry for Foodie Friday's second  Mysterious Ingredient Club sponsored by Rattlebridge Farm.

Michael Lee West, owner of Rattlebridge Farm  generously supplied each participant with these spooky Halloween sprinkles by Wilton  to do with as we might ~



I decided upon these 'Witches Brooms' cookies as my additional entry this week.



If you would like to make them you'll need:
Pretzel Rods, cut to about 4-1/2 inches Cookie dough  (I made Maple sugar cookie dough) Peanut butter cookie dough, or any other smooth dough would work.  Probably you could use store bought, too. Chocolate Morsels Butterscotch or Peanut Butter Morsels A little solid shortening




To assemble: Form the dough into approximately 1-1/2-inch balls. Press each ball into the cut end of the pretzel rod. Flatten slightly, then press fork tines into dough, to represent broom straws. Bake according to cookie recipe directions. Remove cookies from pan and place on a rack to cool.
When completely cool, melt chocolate chips with shortening (2/3 cup chocolate chip to 2 teaspoons shortening is enough for 20 cookies*) Spoon chocolate over lower part of broom handle and top part of broom bristles, leaving bottom of bristles uncovered. Allow to cool and firm up.




Melt butterscotch chips with shortening. (1/3 cup butterscotch chips to 1/2 teaspoon shortening*) Drizzle over chocolate. Allow to stand until firm before storing in airtight container.
*You may need to add a little more melted shortening to make the melted chocolate and butterscotch  chips the right consistency for drizzling.
EDIT: Back to post the cookie recipe for those who want it ~
Makes 20 cookies  (I must have made my broom parts too large because the recipe only produced 14 when I made them.)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 2 Tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 10 pretzel rods (about 8-1/2" long),  cut in half cross-wise (I noticed the pretzel rods I bought were only about 7-inches long, you want the cut rods for the broom handle to be between 4 and 4-1/2 inches long.)
Heat oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into 20 (1-1/4" balls).
Then just proceed with the directions above.
Happy baking!!

Please come on over to our host Michael Lee West's blog Rattlebridge Farm see what's going on for this Foodie Friday!

Thank you for stopping by friends!
Blessings, ~ mari

Foodie Friday ~ Mystery Ingredient Club!

Happy Foodie Friday featuring our Mystery Ingredient hosted by Michael Lee West at Rattlebridge Farm.
Michael generously sent each of the Mystery Ingredient Club participants Wilton's Creepy Sprinkle Lab:


 

4 vials filled with assorted sprinkles in a lab stand!
Oh, the possibilities are endless~ I decided upon Bark Candy with a Halloween theme.





I built the bark layers upon cinnamon graham crackers, then spread melted white chocolate over the crackers and sprinkled with peanut butter-filled pretzels, Marcona salted almonds, mini-dark chocolate morsels, M & M candies, and the Wilton Sprinkles.

 

If you assemble the layers in a shallow sheet pan, it's easy to move  it to the refrigerator in order to hasten the chocolate firming up.  As soon as it's set up remove from the fridge and break into  large chunks then random smaller chunks. 




The topping possibilities are seemingly infinite ~ (you can use dark chocolate as the base if you prefer) sprinkle broken-up:   leftover Halloween candy cookies candy bars mini marshmallows any kind of nuts  sweetened breakfast cereal mini crackers  (such as goldfish or small cheese crackers)  popcorn, etc.


Have fun with it and enjoy!

I'm sending a big thank you to Michael Lee West for her hospitality and generosity ~
Please come visit Foodie Friday to see what's cooking this week.

Thank you for stopping by today!
~mari

Summer Squash Soup ~ Creamy, Comforting and Healthy

Here I go again with another super easy 'no need for a recipe' recipe. This is how I cook 80% of the time these days. I don't do a lot of more complicated recipes much anymore ~ I think I got that well out of my system while in my  20's and 30's.  And that was, ahem, a 'while' ago . . .  :o)

Photo: Hirt Seeds
Frost and freezing temperatures will soon be upon us, so this week we harvested the last few summer squash ~ mostly yellow crookneck. We are promised a few warm days before October weather really kicks in, but today is a chilly one so I decided to make some soup (again.)
You may have made this or something similar before, it's embarrassingly simple to make but I love it for that reason and it tastes so good.

And to go with:  (not low fat...)  But we're being so good with the soup, we can afford it, right?!

Cheese Toasts
I always like to serve a little "something" alongside soup, this time cheese toasts made from a few slices of baguette, I mixed some grated swiss and parmesan cheeses with a tiny bit of  mayonnaise to moisten, then stirred in some fresh thyme leaves. Just bake or broil until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Garnish with a few more fresh thyme leaves if desired.

To make the soup: Wash and trim the stem and blossom ends from the squash,  chop into chunks, put in a large pot with your favorite stock or broth (I used organic chicken stock from the carton), use vegetable stock if you want to make it vegetarian friendly. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot and allow to simmer until the squash is very tender, you can add more stock if necessary. (You're going to need more later when it's  time to blend.) This time I also added a peeled, thinly sliced carrot just for a little extra nutrition.
While the squash is simmering saute a chopped onion (or a half an onion if you prefer) in a pan with little butter or oil of your choice.  Just cook them enough to make them tender and translucent ~ to save calories I usually add a little chicken stock or water to the pan rather than additional butter or oil if they seem to be drying out during cooking.
Once the squash is very tender add the sauteed onion and more stock to a blender container (I use the Vitamix™ just on the regular blend mode) whiz until the mixture is velvety smooth. You may need to do this is a couple of batches, and do be careful if the ingredients are hot.
A food processor would probably be my second choice if you do not have access to a blender.  You could probably use an immersion blender,  but it will take a lot longer,   and the mixture will not be as creamy.
If you're feeling decadent you can add some milk, half & half, or heavy cream while blending.  I think it's just delicious without.
Add salt and pepper to taste. May be made ahead, simply reheat when you're ready to serve.


This time I toasted a few hazelnuts/filberts, rubbed them in a fresh kitchen towel to remove the pesky brown skins,  then chopped coarsely and added a sprinkling of chives as a garnish.
If you have a chance to try it, I hope you like it as much as I do.
Thank you for stopping by, and for leaving any comments you would care to share ~ they always make my day!
~mari