My Favorite Muffins

I don’t, as a rule, like muffins. I’m not sure why…I love scones, biscuits, cake, all those things that have some muffin characteristics. I just don’t care for them. Except these. They rock.

Banana-Pumpkin Muffins

4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 of a 15 oz can of pumpkin
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 3/4 cups white whole-wheat flour (I use King Arthur brand; regular whole wheat will be too heavy, so if you don’t have white whole wheat, use 1 cup white, 3/4 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp fiora di sicilia (see explanation below!)

Mix together butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, banana, and yogurt. Stir dry ingredients together in another bowl and add to butter mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Use an ice-cream scoop to fill greased muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

After I made these, I decided they were too plain. So I made a glaze using fiora de sicilia, which is a vanilla-citrus extract from King Arthur Flour. It gives an amazing flavor to sugar cookies, frostings, whatever you usually use vanilla in and would like to tweak a bit. You could use just vanilla, orange extract, or a combination.

I put that in a ziploc, cut the corner, and drizzled on top. Then I used my microplane and added just a bit of orange zest on top. It was exactly the finishing touch they needed.

And then I sent them off to work with the hubs because it’s Friday and that’s the only commander’s wife-ish thing I do at this battalion…treats every Friday. A few fell out, though, so the rest of us had them for breakfast…yummy!

There’s an App for That

An appetizer, that is, for Thanksgiving. I’ve been making my favorite fall appetizers for too many years for me to remember. Yes, I’m that old. I should branch out, and usually do try a couple of new ones each year, but the tried and true favorites always make a comeback.

Olive Pumpkins

I think these were originally called something cute, but I’ve found it’s important to emphasize that there are olives involved. Once I didn’t and an olive-hating friend may have not forgiven me yet. This recipe, by the way, is from my friend Cammie. She doesn’t hate olives.

2 Tbsp slivered almonds
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 drops red food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use King Arthur Whole Wheat White so they’re healthy! ;0) )
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
6 oz. garlic cheese spread (here in the land o’dairy I had about 43 brands to choose from)
7 oz jar pimiento-stuffed olives, drained

Bake almonds at 350 for about 5 minutes, until toasted.

Stir together butter, flour, food coloring, red pepper, and cheese spread until it forms a ball.

Press about a tablespoon of dough around each olive. Use the dull side of a small knife to score “pumpkin dents”. Place on parchment covered jellyroll pan. They can be close together as they’re not going to expand any as they bake. Chill one hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, until very barely browning. Remove from oven and place an almond in each to resemble a stem. Try not to eat all of them before serving. They’re best warm, but still tasty at room temp. You can make them ahead and keep them chilled until ready to bake. Just cover them with plastic wrap if you do that so they don't dry out.

Apple Ranch Cheeseball

Another great recipe from Cammie…all my cute food seems to have come from her! I think her spices were different…we’re a ranch-lovin’ family, so I just use ranch mix for the spices. The white cheddar is important, as it keeps the inside white and looking like an apple.

8 oz sharp white cheddar, shredded
8 oz cream cheese, softened (I use lowfat…like it matters)
1/2 pkg ranch dressing mix
Paprika
Cinnamon stick, broken in half
Bay leaves

Blend cheeses and dressing mix. Place on plastic wrap and shape into a rough ball. Wrap plastic around it, and twist at the top to help you get it into a compact apple shape. Chill for at least 2 hours. Remove wrap and place “apple” on a piece of wax paper. Dust the paprika all over it, and roll it around to coat it. Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf for your apple!

Pumpkin Marmalade with Lil’ Smokies

Yes, I said Lil’ Smokies. This is, I think, the only way I make them. Take a big cast iron skillet, heat it up, pour your Smokies in, and let them get brown. Stir occasionally, but let them stay in one spot long enough to carmelize. These must be served warm, but you won’t have to worry about them sitting around for long!

For the marmalade:

15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup orange marmalade (or whatever you have left after making cranberry sauce)
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine pumpkin, marmalade, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let cool before serving. This keeps for a week or two in the refrigerator. It's good on toast, scones, pancakes, a spoon, whatever.

On my serving board, I place the Smokies, the pumpkin marmalade, some spicy brown mustard, white cheddar, and some sort of cracker. Mmm-mmm!

Pumpkin Dip

I’m sure you’ve had this, but it is so tasty I have to give it a little shout-out. It’s a little like pumpkin cheescake, but it’s just cookies and dip, so no guilt, right? I serve it with gingersnaps and apple slices.

8 oz cream cheese
15 oz pumpkin puree
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp orange juice concentrate

Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar, then add remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Hope you all have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving ( I know, that’s so military…hoping it’s safe!). I may or may not blog tomorrow…my husband actually took leave AND there’s Thanksgiving Feast with the kindergarteners. We were asked to contribute trail mix, so I’m not planning to make it my main meal of the day! Enjoy the apps!

Fall Flavors: Pumpkin Butter and Cranberry Chutney

My entire house has been so fragrant (in a good way) ever since I made these canned goods on Friday. If you have a house full of fragrant (not in a good way) family, you can appreciate the goodness of this.

Pumpkin butter and cranberry chutney are my two favorite condiments in the fall, or anytime the weather is chilly. Pumpkin butter beats apple butter hands down, in my opinion. The flavors are much more complex and I can tell myself it’s a vegetable. Although my kindergartener told me yesterday that pumpkins are fruit. I’m not even going to Google that…I’d rather believe it’s a vegetable. We eat pumpkin butter on all your usual bread products, and I like to give it as a gift with a beer bread mix. The cranberry chutney goes well on a turkey or ham sandwich, or it’s great over cream cheese served with crackers.

By the way, the chutney is upside-down in the photo because that’s how my mom taught me to can. I don’t know why…I think it’s because it helps the vacuum to develop. Or maybe not. In any event, that’s how we do it. Upside down until they’re cool, flip them over, and if the button on top isn’t vacuum sealed, then it’s not really safe to store at room temp. You can then 1) keep it in the refrigerator and use it up quickly or 2) recan it using canning techniques. I always just eat it on everything I can think of if it doesnt' seal. These all sealed, though; it's not that hard. Heat is the key...everything needs to be piping hot...chutney or butter or whatever, jars, and lids.

Here are the recipes…the process isn’t really intimidating, just takes a little while. These taste so much better (and less expensive) than store-bought, though, it’s worth the time and effort!

Pumpkin Butter

This is, I believe, the only actual recipe I make in the microwave. I kind of hate using the microwave…I don’t even use it for reheating stuff or making hot water, if I can help it. I think food doesn’t heat evenly or stay hot as long. It’s just my opinion, though.

15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 Tbsp pectin (that’s not quite 1 package of Sure-Jell)
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 cups sugar

In a 2-quart microwaveable bowl, stir together pumpkin, pectin, and spice. Heat in microwave for about 5 or 6 minutes, until very hot. Stir it after 3 minutes.

When it’s really hot, add sugar and heat it 5-8 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, until it’s come to a rolling boil. Microwave for 1 minute at a rolling boil.

Spoon it into your hot jars and seal it. Makes 3 halfpint jars.

I usually make 2 recipes of this, without washing the bowl between. It doesn't double well, so don't try that unless you want to use a powerwasher on the inside of your microwave.

Cranberry Chutney

The biggest time consumer here is dicing all the ingredients very finely. I supposed you could use a food processor, but I like perfect little cubes in my chutney. OK, they’re not that perfect, but it gives me a chance to practice my knife skills.

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pear, peeled, cored, and diced
6 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen will work, too)

Using a low-sided, large saucepan, stir together all ingredients except cranberries. I’ve actually thrown the cranberries in, too, at this point and it turns out fine. It’s a little brighter if you wait until the end, though.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the apples are tender.

Add the cranberries and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the berries start to pop. Remove from heat.

Spoon into hot jars and seal.

Ta-da! You’ve made some amazing gifts to have on hand, or a tasty addition to enliven your family’s toast or sandwiches. One of our favorite breakfasts is a sandwich made with scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon crumbles added and pumpkin butter spread on both pieces of toasted bread. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Smoothies and Rollin’ Your Own

I was reminded of something at the Pumpkin Patch last week. Many animals grow a thicker coat and fatten up for winter. Therefore, it’s entirely natural that I’m in the mood to cook again, now that the weather is cooler. By cooler I mean that we went from high 70s to 40s in the space of a week. Apparently when it falls, it falls quickly in Wisconsin. Anyway, I bought a thicker, warmer coat, and now I’m working on putting on a little extra layer!

This pumpkin latte smoothie is my attempt to control the fluff. It’s a healthy alternative to a pumpkin spice latte from a coffee shop, the nearest of which is a twenty-minute drive and would involve changing out of yoga pants because it is not a drive-through. Here’s how to whip one up for yourself.

Pumpkin Latte Smoothie

1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop Jillian Michaels Whey Protein Vanilla Shake mix
1/4 to 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (from a can, of course)
Optional: Psyllium for fiber, a banana, a handful of ice cubes, and, if you’re really feeling thin, a dollop of sweetened condensed milk. Not that I would do that.

Blend it up, top it with a little pumpkin pie spice, and enjoy!

Last night we had Broccoli Three Cheese Soup for dinner, and I found myself out of any tasty bread to accompany it. I found some great sounding recipes on the King Arthur Flour website, but ultimately thought Hot Buttered Pretzels would be fun to make.

Hot Buttered Pretzels: King Arthur Flour

After making the dough in the food processor, it had to rest 30 minutes. I divided it into 8 pieces and let it rest another 5 minutes. Then it was time to roll!

They had fun, no matter what you heard, rolling their own. I certainly don't want one their grubby little hands touched. By the way, it was "red" day at school. They don't normally all dress alike. Today is "pink" day so the boys conceded that I could tie a pink ribbon on their wrists. I'm sure they cut it off as soon as possible.

After we shaped them, they had to rest another 10 minutes. It was just enough time for a cocktail. Unfortunately, all I had handy was some seltzer water. At least it had lime in it.


About ten minutes in the oven, and we had pretzels almost as good as the ones at the mall. The closest mall is about an hour away, so I'm willing to settle for "almost as good." It kept my kids busy and they didn't wreck their rooms after school, so there's another advantage! Oh, and, of course at the mall you would never be able to get a pretzel with green marker incorporated, now would you?