Apples Galore

Well, its just about that time, people! Time to put the flip flops away and bring out the comfy boots, time to exchange your spring flowers for earthy mums, time to plan a trip to the cider mill and stock up on the seasons crisp apples, gallons of cider and dozens of sugary donuts!

Apples are plentiful late in the summer and during the early fall, and recently I found a wonderful article from Food Network Magazine about all the awesome things we can do with them; I'll list a few of my fave's today!

1. For breakfast, mix chopped apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and a touch of maple syrup into your oatmeal.
2. Shake up an apple mojito! Shake 3oz. apple juice, some lime juice, some mint and some ice in a cocktail shaker- pour in a glass and top with ginger ale.
3. Fill an omelet with sliced apples, ham and brie cheese!
4. Butter a whole-wheat pita bread, top it with apple slices and cinnamon. Toast it for 10 minutes in an oven at 350 degrees. Finish by drizzling with honey.
5. Any MY favorite!! Make an apple s'more!!! Put a marshmallow on a gingersnap, microwave 10 seconds and top with an apple slice and another gingersnap.

Don't-fail-me-now 'Nanar Bread!

It's a travesty, but it's common- so don't be hard on yourself! And until now, it even happened to one of my oldest friends from elementary school, Billie Jean. It's the sloppy, slappy, soupy banana bread batter that just doesn't do it for ya. You work so hard to keep those bananas in your kitchen, all ripe and brown, near the point of attracting fruit flies- you get your cute little bread pan out or perhaps your mini loaves or muffin tins- you spend your hard earned cash on some decent looking eggs from the market- and then you work diligently as you measure all your ingredients and stir everything just so! Finally, you have a nice batter ready and you begin to bake! You sit down after you wash a few dishes & pour yourself a nice glass of Gewürtztraminer, because, well, you know, that will go so good with your piece of banana bread after it comes out of the oven- but wait---sniff...sniff again...what the hell is that? Is something burning? Uhh, is that frickin' smoke? And you realize that there is your beautiful banana bread batter is spewing and bubbling about, and smoking & nearly catching fire in the oven!

Why must banana bread batter be famous for this debacle, and why can't there be No Fail recipe? Well, perhaps there is! Yes, perhaps there is!

This one is for you, Billie Jean!

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 2 cups of flour (all-purpose preferably, you could try whole-wheat but it'll be a little drier consistency)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• dash of ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 cup of butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, or equivalent in "egg beaters"
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed well
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans) (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a large loaf pan or fill a muffin pan with 12 paper/foil cups.

In a large bowl, mix the the sugar and butter together with a small rubber spatula until creamy. Then add the eggs, one by one, combining well, followed by the vanilla & banana, and again, combine well. (You would also add the nuts at this point).

In another medium bowl, use your fingers to just lightly combine together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, & dash of nutmeg. Now, gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to create the batter. It can sometimes be helpful to switch to a wooden spoon at this point.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour. If you are doing muffins, check the muffins after about 25 minutes (but your oven will vary so keep an eye on them). Cool slightly and enjoy a warm piece with a tab of butter or a drizzle of honey.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Dessert Bars

In case you had doubts, I am passionately in love with chocolate and anything that resembles a chocolate chip cookie. I LITERALLY had a dream once about taking a bath in a tub of liquidy chocolate (more like the consistency of water than melted chocolate) and it was the best dream ever! Anyways, maybe I need to think outside the box a little more with my dessert selection, but this is my blog, so for now I'm happy with my choices!

Along with healthy fruit salad I have been eating this "dessert" for breakfast the last few days- I know- "really healthy, Nichole, really good!" But I just can't stay away! And I don't think you will be able to either! And with a little whole-wheat flour, and the oats, you can feel pretty good about it- or at least pretend!

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 1 stick butter, unsalted, softened at room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature (how to get your eggs to room temp in a hurry)
• 1 tsp. vanilla (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup milk (at room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc) (optional)

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Next, dump the butter and sugar into a large bowl...

...and mix & mash it together with a fork until combined and smooth. Next, add the eggs and vanilla, and stir well.

Now, in another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the flour mixture into the sugar mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, then stir in oats & chocolate chips (and nuts). Use a spatula to transfer the batter into the pan, smooth out the top and bake until the sides are golden and the top feels set when you tap it, approximately 27-30 minutes. Set the pan on a cooling rack if you have it or away from the oven to cool. Cut into squares to triangles to serve!

Things You Could Also Try...

• I did not put nuts in my bars, but YOU COULD!! Like the recipe notes, you could throw in chopped pecans, walnuts, or even dried cherries!

Ginger-Almond Fruit Plate

What can be better than fresh fruit during the month of July when pretty much everything is fresh and ripe? Then add the fabulousness of coming in from the hot summer heat and sitting down to a plateful of crispy, cold, tangy, sweet fruit! MMMmm, delic!

Now, I'm kind of a weirdo and I don't really have a taste for certain fruits so when I made this I used the stuff that I like! You need to do the same! This is really just about the method of incorporating the gingery dressing and the crunchy almonds to a beautiful fruit salad, and at the end of the day YOU need to love it and whatever you put in it, i.e., don't use fruits you don't like! Duh! :-D

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• about 1 pint of strawberries
• 3 clementines, peeled & sliced into rounds
• 1 pint of blueberries
• -OR- whatever fruit you prefer, perhaps 1 yellow grapefruit instead of the clementines, 1 pint of raspberries instead of the blueberries, etc.

• 1/2 cup honey (local honey from a cider mill or farmers market is always best!)
• 2 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger root; (peel about 1-2 inches of fresh ginger root and grate it on a fine grater or a microplane/zester seen here)
• 1/3 cup of slivered or sliced almonds, toasted (toasting the almonds is quite easy- place the almonds on a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing around frequently, until just fragrant & lightly browned)

Arrange your fruit decoratively on a plate, or just toss together in a bowl. Combine the honey, lemon juice & ginger in a small bowl, using a fork or a small whisk. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit & top with the almonds. Eat, smile, then make comment on NICHe in the KITCHe about how much you loved this! ;-)

SPECIAL EDITION! Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? Is it a Train? It's Super Cookies!!!!! 4th Of JULY COOKIES...Compliments of a Rockstar!

One major advocate of the creation and implementation of NICHe in the KITCHe comes from one of the most delightful, resourceful, sassy, elegant, tenderhearted, classy - (okay, okay, I'll stop there, but you get the point)- friends I have ever had the deep pleasure of having! Little Miss Sara is the gal that always provides that confidence boost & support you may need when contemplating a dream or considering a new endeavor! I am forever indebted to Sara, A.K.A. "Rockstar", thus it is only appropriate that she assume the position of the first SPECIAL EDITION!

So I received the cutest email from my friend & fellow rockstar and this is a how it went...I present to you, the readers of NICHe in the KITCHe, "4th of July Cookies...Compliments of a Rockstar"...

"Hi Niche in the Kitche! I thought of you yesterday while I was in the kitchen doing my wifely duties by baking (obviously!). What better a way to spread love and excitement for the summer than to share my (stolen) 4th of July cookie recipe with you and all of your loyal followers?!

After almost two hours on my feet (I made a salad and cleaned the stove, too...), $12 bagged r/w/b M&M's from the dreaded Times Square store (thanks hubby!) and a lot of butter later, we think they turned out great -- and can't wait to share them with our family when we travel to Canada for the blessed Independence Day weekend! And yes...you heard right...this is year #2 that we've traveled 659 miles out of the country to Magnetawan, Ontario to celebrate our great nation's birthday (luckily they have fireworks there...but we're usually the only ones setting them off...yah!). And also year #2 that I've upheld the tradition of the homemade cookies traveling by plane and car to get there with us. (May I interject that these delightful cookies will ALSO be traveling by boat this weekend, probably more traveling that most of us lazy bones!)

So without further adieus and my rambling commentary -- here is the recipe stolen off some random site months ago. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie mix but with M&M's instead of chocolate chips. Enjoy! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Ingredients & Recipe: (Note: this recipe makes just about 40 cookies!)

Printable Recipe

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark, but light works well too)
• 1 scant cup sugar (I didn't know what scant meant btw...and they still turned out delish)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon each - salt, baking powder, and baking soda
• 3 cups flour (you can use whole wheat if you'd like)
• 1 (11 oz.) bag of M&M's -- red, white and blue of course (just pick out of a bag if you don't have the $12 to spend)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars. When creamy, add in eggs and vanilla. Sprinkle salt, powder and soda over the top. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until well blended. Stir in HALF of the M&M's.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheets (Silpat mats are the BEST! I don't know what I did without them. Oh, yes, that's right...BURNED everything! Yum.) Bake for 8-10 min. (I did 10...) or until puffed and just beginning to brown on the edges. Remove from oven. IMMEDIATELY press a few M&M's into each cookie, tucking them into the dough a bit so they will stick. The colors stay really vibrant and visible, plus you have all of the ones that were mixed in with the dough!

You Could Also Try...

• FUN post-bake TIP from our lovely friend Beth Maxwell: Adding pieces of bread slices (1 or 2) to the Tupperware container helps to keep the cookies moist, soft and fresh! You can improvise with hamburger buns like I did, too :-) I heart this tip!!


• What the heck is "a scant" when it comes to baking measurement?--- Well, it basically means, No More Than. So if you have a recipe calling for 1 scant cup of sugar, it is basically telling you that you don't have to be so specific when measuring but just don't go OVER the 1 cup.

Chocolately Magic Bars- "GF" Style (Gluten-Free)

I've been meaning to post this recipe for over a month! It's a crime that I haven't been posting more lately- maybe not a crime to you readers, but it feels like a crime to me because the blog has become such a place of solitude and stress relief for me that I have NOT been utilizing during the past couple of rough weeks. Sometimes things get away from you because of one reason or another- but you just do what you can to pick up where you left off!
Anyways, no more excuses- Here is a wonderful Gluten-Free dessert bar recipe that I feel like is better than the "regular" recipe and is definitely more nutritious, AND you can feel good serving it to an array of people (with or without food allergies) at a party or BBQ! It uses healthy almonds instead of cookies for the crust to give you added nutrition & awesome texture! I'll give you some added suggestions at the bottom of the page, but you can totally play around with this recipe by adding dried fruit, other candies, etc., to personalize these bars! You'll need a mini-chopper or a food processor for this one too.

Go ahead, make the full batch, you'd be crazy not to:)

Ingredients & Recipe
Printable Recipe

• 2 cups whole, raw almonds
• about 3/4 cups of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• about 1/4 tsp. (or "a pinch") of ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2- 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer the mini chips, but regular will work just fine!)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, whatever you prefer)
• 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Start by creating the crust for the Magic Bars by simply toasting the almonds; Toss the whole almonds onto a dry skillet and toast them over medium-high heat on the stove for about 3-4 minutes- be sure to shake the pan frequently so the nuts don't burn but are lightly browned.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and spray a 13 X 9 baking pan with cooking spray.

Place the toasted nuts into your food processor or mini chopper and process until finely ground, like the consistency a little thicker than sand. Add in the sugar, cloves & salt, and give everything a pulse to mix well, followed by adding the butter- again, mix well. Press the moist, sandy mix into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust, using the back of a flat spatula to keep the crust even across the bottom.

Now the easy part (and creative part depending on your tastes!)- Begin to layer the chocolate chips all over the crust, followed by the chopped nuts. At this point you could also add a cup of dried cherries or another dried fruit, or go with a whole different variety of candy/chips like caramel, white chocolate, etc. Now, pour the can of condensed milk as evenly as possibly across the whole deal and top with the flaked coconut. Use the spatula from earlier to lightly pat down the coconut- this just kind of packs everything together.

You are now ready to bake the bars- bake them for about 30 minutes or until they are getting a little bit golden on the edges and somewhat bubbly. Be sure to allow the bars to cool completely so that they "set" before cutting them into squares or triangles.

Enjoy at room temperature or keep them cool in the refrigerator for a cooler magic bar!

Pics to come soon...

Triple Chocolate Dessert Bread

Something I'd really love to do more of is combine desserts like this luscious creation. I mean, who doesn't like the idea of chocolate muffins mixed with Oreos to make a yummy bread!?!

I can't take credit for this one, it was in a magazine ad- a Duncan Hines ad! Mmmm!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 box Duncan Hines 100% Whole Grain Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 6 Oreo cookies, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch bread loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Empty the contents of the muffin box into a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, water and butter until well blended (about 50 strokes). Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crushed cookies on top of the batter. Bake at the center of the oven for about 45 minutes, until cake is firm in the center. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes, then remove it from the pan.

To serve, slice a piece for each person and drizzle chocolate sauce across each plate!

Crock-Pot Warm Apple Crisp

If you thought you couldn't make a delicious dessert, think twice!!! The only skill you need for this recipe is the ability to peel and slice an apple, and the rest is taken care of by the brilliant crock-pot! And no one will even know how simple it was for you when you assemble this Warm Apple Crisp over a scoop of ice cream!

Do not miss an opportunity to make this one! I made this at work a few years back, and it not only had the office smelling like heaven, but it was a total crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 4-6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (use a variety of apples, maybe some Jonathan's and/or some Granny Smith's)
• 1/2 cup of quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbls. butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup water

Begin by spraying your crock-pot with cooking spray, and place the apple slices on the bottom. Gently, pour in the water over the apple slices.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the oats, sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon- use a fork to combine until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Cover the crock-pot and cook on high for 2 hours or cook on low for 4 hours. Serve in a deep bowl with scoop of vanilla ice cream!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in a cup of fresh cranberries when you toss in the apple slices
• Add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (pecan, walnuts...) to the oat/sugar mixture

"My Teeth Are Gonna Fall Out" Brownies

I'm all about texture and richness when it comes to anything chocolate, and especially when it comes to brownies. If I could, I'd sit alone on the kitchen floor with the plate of warm, just-out-of-the-oven brownies and eat every last bite! I guess that'd be a little much.

Anyways, I've been dubbed the "dessert-lady" on my husband's side of the family, and I LOVE an opportunity to create something new, so when my MIL requested a chocolatey brownie sundae for her birthday dessert at the family birthday dinner, I was excited to get my research started.

When I think of the most perfect brownie, I think it needs to be chewy, fudgy, goey, crispy on top and on the sides, intensely chocolatey, and slightly warm. (I'm drooling at the computer just thinking about them...) Here is the creation that fits just this delicious picture. Prepare yourself to feel like your teeth are going to fall out with how crazy chocolatey these are!

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened but not melted
• 1/2 cup butter-flavored or regular shortening (Crisco)
• 1 cup of chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces or chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup of bittersweet + 1/2 cup semisweet)
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)
• 4 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar ("packed" means making sure you press down the brown sugar into the measuring cup as you fill it)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. instant coffee powder

Preheat the oven to 35o degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, spray it with non-stick spray.

Combine butter, shortening, (bittersweet & semisweet) chocolate and instant coffee into a small saucepan, over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer with the whisk attachment, or a regular whisk with some elbow grease, and whisk together eggs, sugars and vanilla, until it begins to look light and fluffy.

Stir the melted chocolate into the egg/sugar mixture with a wooden spoon. Now, fold in the flour until just combined. Stir in the milk chocolate chips until just evenly mixed (technically this is optional, but I think you're crazy if you don't add them!)

Evenly pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake in the middle shelf of the oven for about 35-45 minutes. You won't want to overcook the brownies so begin to check on them at 30 minutes. They are done when the center is set and the top forms a shiny crust. Cool the pan on a wire rack if you have one, or else on a cooler surface away from the oven. When they are completely cool, cover them with plastic wrap.

When you are ready to cut and serve the brownies, you should be able to over-turn the pan gently onto your hand (the foil should hopefully not stick to the pan), and then place them right-side up on a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy!

You Could Also Try...

• Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts into the batter if you're a "nutty" person
• Add 1 Tbls. grated orange zest into the batter for a sophisticated taste
• Try topping cooled brownies with 1/2 cup raspberry preserves. Or smooth on chocolate frosting and finish by sprinkling on slivered almonds
• Substitute peanut-butter chips or white-chocolate chips instead of the milk chocolate for a contrasting taste
• Just before serving, place the uncut pan of brownies in a warm oven for 10 minutes. They will taste just-out-of-the-oven when you serve them!
• Serve with a scoop or two of ice cream, warm chocolate fudge, cool-whip and a cherry on top, just we did at my MIL's b-day!
• Wrap each brownie individually in plastic wrap and then place in an air-tight container for easy storage. You can even freeze them like this!

Holiday "Gift Box" Fondant Cake

Hey everyone! Things have been a little nutty with work, holiday get-togethers and my knee recovery. I'll post more details later but I wanted to post a few pics of my first fondant cake. I made this strawberry cake with buttercream frosting and covered it with premade fondant. I did all the decorating, coloring, shapes, etc. It took FOREVER but now that I got the hang of it, I will for sure use fondant again soon!!

Pecan Crispy Cookies

When you think of the most wonderfully textured cookie, what do you imagine? I know I visualize something soft & tender, yet chewy & chunky. If we're on the same wave length then you should make a batch of these Pecan Crispy cookies. The "crispy" part isn't to indicate that they are burnt or brittle, but they actually have Rice Crispy cereal in them, so you get an actual crackle in each bite ALONG with the chewiness.

Note to self and readers: Dunk these cookies in a glass of milk for an optimal cookie eating experience.

Ingredients & Recipe: (makes about 6 dozen)
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup butter, room temperature (not melted)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla (or "butter-nut flavoring"- I couldn't find this so I used vanilla)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups Rice Crispy cereal
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted lightly

To begin, begin to cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy (easiest way is to use a handheld mixer). Add in the eggs and vanilla, continuing to beat until smooth-these are your "wet" ingredients. Combine the "dry" ingredients in their own small bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda). Mix the "dry" ingredients into the "wet" ingredients with a wooden spoon, until well combined. Next, stir in the oats, cereal and nuts.

Tear off 4 pieces of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into 4 equal logs (each about 8-inch long rolls). Wrap them in the plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.

Once dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly spray your cookie sheets (or use my favorite Silpat baking mats). Cut each log into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place each piece about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, until borders are light brown. Once you remove the cookie sheet from the oven, let it sit for about 5 minutes to let the cookies set. Transfer to a cooling rack.

You Could Also Try...

• Use walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts... just be sure they are lightly toasted before you incorporate them into the cookie dough.
• Toasting Nuts: Spread your chopped nuts evenly over a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes. You could also use the small tray in your toaster-oven, but it gets hotter in there so turn it to 350 and check on the nuts contantly until golden, about 3-5 minutes. You can also try toasting the nuts in a skillet, over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.

Gingy Reindeer Cookies

How absolutely cute and creative are these cookies? I saw them in a new cookie cookbook and HAD to make them this season. What's even better? They taste fantastic!! I tweaked the "face" candy a little and will give you a few different options for application. And with a little help from a pre-made mix you can absolutely create these adorable Rudolph's for your upcoming Holiday festivities.

I had my hubby hit up Michael's craft store for me to get a few Holiday food take-out containers (99 cents each), so I can fill them and give the cookies as gifts to coworkers, friends and family. They will surely appreciate the creative, homemade snacks!

Ingredients & Recipe: (about 1 dozen cookies)

Printable Recipe

• 1 box of gingerbread mix (14 oz.)
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbls. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbls. all-purpose flour
• bag of small pretzel twists
• black & red M&M's or jelly beans
• 1 Tbls. leftover frosting (optional)
• cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cookie sheet by lightly spraying with cooking spray, or use Silpat baking mats.

Begin by combining the gingerbread mix, eggs, oil and flour in a large bowl. Stir until dough forms. Roll, in your hands (like you used to do with Play Dough when you were a kid), 1 1/2-inch balls of dough. Flatten each ball out into a 3-inch oval shape, use your fingers to shape the "head", lay it on the cookie sheet (be sure to give each cookie a little room to grow in the oven). Press the pretzels into the top of the head, to look like antlers.

Now you have a few options for completing the cookies, and assembling the eyes and nose:

1. Press the M&M's or jelly beans into the raw dough. Bake for 10 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are firm. Transfer the cookies to a cooling wrack to cool. OR


2. Bake for 10 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are firm. Transfer to a cooling wrack. Dab a bit of frosting where the eyes & nose should go, and then place the M&M's or jelly beans (the frosting is essentially our glue).

Ginger-Spice Pumpkin Pie

Who wants a regular old pumpkin pie for the Holidays? Well, to be honest, I do! I love pumpkin anything, but I realize that a lot of people wish for something more than a regular pumpkin pie. So, here you have it- a traditional pie with an extra pizzazz.

I sure hope my mom likes this one, she is the Queen of Pumpkin Pie...going through Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie = torture to Gina! I'll let you know how it goes...

Ingredients & Recipe: (makes one 9-inch pie)

Printable Recipe

• 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 Tbls. grated fresh ginger (or use the ginger puree that comes in a jar)
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups of half & half
• 1 graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs and brown sugar. Next, whisk in ginger, cinnamon, S & P. Whisk in half & half, continue to whisk until mixture is quite smooth. (See video for what the consistency should look like while whisking).

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust (I had about 1/2 cup of mixture leftover that would've overfilled the crust, just discard the extra) and bake for 45-50 minutes until pie appears to have just set. It will continue to get firm while out of the oven.

Let the pie cool about 3 hours before serving. You may want to make the pie a night or two ahead, which will allow all the flavors to really marry each other. Store the pie in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to get the chill off it. Serve with a nice spoonful of Cool-Whip!

16-Minute Festive Graham Cracker Crust

Pie crusts can be so BLAH...which is bogus if you are spending your hard earned time making a wonderful pie filling. Or even if you're cheating & just using a canned filling, you still want the pie crust to be yummy and impressive.

I've made graham cracker crusts before, but sometimes even they aren't too impressive. I'm making a ginger pumpkin pie tonight to serve at Thanksgiving and I really wanted the pie crust to compliment my homemade filling. This festive, spicy graham cracker crust will knock your socks off and your guests won't know if they like the crust more than the actual pie filling! It has a touch of cinnamon and ginger, along with a little added sugar to keep it exciting. Mine just came out of the oven so I took a taste and I'm very excited!

Don't serve "blah" to your loved ones...try this recipe. And just an FYI, from start to finish, it took me 16 minutes!

Ingredients & Recipe: (makes one 9-inch pie crust)

Printable Recipe

• 1 package of regular flavor, i.e. honey, graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbls. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium sized, microwavable bowl, melt your butter. Whisk in the sugar, cinnamon & ginger. Use a tablespoon and begin to incorporate the crushed graham crackers into the butter mixture (mix, mash, stir).

Press the mixture into a 9-inch glass or porcelain pie dish. Press to make the sides and bottom of the crust. Bake for 7 minutes.

Fill crust with pie filling after the crust has cooled completely.

You Could Also Try...

• Leave out the cinnamon and ginger if you want a very basic graham cracker crust.

Better-Than-a-Snickers-Candy-Bar Pizza

OH MY GOSH... You've got to try this the next time you'll have a crowd- I promise it WILL NOT disappoint! Who doesn't want to snack on peanut butter & chocolate as a dessert pizza? I don't even know what else to say about this one, so I'll just get right to it...

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

For the Crust:

• 2 cups oats (preferably quick cooking)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 2 Tbls. butter, melted
• 2 Tbls. chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix oats, brown sugar & corn syrup in a large bowl (it may be helpful to use a plastic flexible spatula for mixing). Add in the melted butter, peanut butter & vanilla, stir until blended. Press the mix into the bottom of two 9-inch cake pans (round) and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool in pans for at least 10 minutes.

For Filling:

• 1/2 of a 14 oz. package of caramels (about 26)
• 2 Tbls. water
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 tsp. Crisco
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts

Begin by microwaving the caramels and water in a medium bowl for about 2 minutes, stirring after the first minute (make sure your bowl is microwave proof). Evenly spread it over the crust. Microwave chocolate chips for about 2 minutes, stirring after every 30 seconds. Stir in peanut butter and Crisco, then stir in peanuts. Spread over the caramel layer.

Chill 30 minutes until firm, then cut into "slices" like you would cut a pizza.

You can thank me later...;-P

Sensational Snickerdoodles

My girlfriend, Jes, recently had the opportunity at work to preview some up & coming cookbooks and she brought home a few for me!! So nice! One book is all about cookies and it has the best, most creative ideas...I seriously can't wait for the Holidays to try some more of them out!

I combined this book's recipe with my recipe for Snickerdoodles, and with a house full of boys watching football, they definitely didn't last! They had the perfect amount of sweetness, spiciness, and delicious chewy texture. You may want to consider taking these to your next Holiday party!

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 1 cup of butter (softened at room temperature overnight, not melted)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. good vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Cream together the butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl, until fluffy. Add in eggs (one by one) and vanilla, beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine your dry ingredients- flour, only 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda & salt (I use my sifter to blend the dry ingredients together, but you could just use a whisk). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms (yes, it'll be sticky).

In a small bowl (cereal size), combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Using your hands, shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each into the sugar mixture.

Place each ball nicely on a lightly greased baking sheet (or use your Silpat's), keeping them about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes until the bottoms are getting slightly toasty. Transfer them to a cooking rack.

I love these with a huge glass of milk, and my pal, Paul, loves these with a glass of warm cider. Either way, you're eyes may roll back when you bite into one of these soft, chewy, sweet cookies from heaven!

You Could Also Try...

• Pack these up in a Chinese food carton or other food storage, and give a dozen or 2 to coworkers, neighbors, etc., for the Holidays! Mine are 4 days old and still soft and delectable!

Bride & Groom Cupcakes

Hey guys, sorry I've been MIA lately! No, I haven't boycotted food or anything, just been crazy busy!

Today I finished these Red Velvet "Bride & Groom" cupcakes for a friend's rehearsal dinner. Recipe and technique to follow shortly...

Contest Worthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've experimented with making a variety of fancy desserts- from Profiteroles with ice cream, Charlotte cakes, cute cupcakes to homemade truffles. However, in my opinion, there is absolutely NOTHING in the world that compares to a delicious freshly made chocolate chip cookie, steaming up the kitchen with their sweet scent and irresistable goey, finger-licking goodness- with a good glass of cold milk!
To get myself "out there" this summer into the food world, I decided to enter the Royal Oak Farmer's Market Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest. I took the contest pretty seriously, testing recipes out on my friends at a weekend BBQ, and on my in-laws the night before the contest. Derek, my brother-in-law (who has a pretty credible palate) acted as my seux chef as we counted out the exact proportion of chocolate chips per cookie- we had it down to a science, that is until we realized that Derek had added baking powder instead of baking soda in the dough- not exactly the biggest deal in the world, unless of course you're entering a chocolate chip cookie contest:) Anyways, the next morning I decided to go with a mix of recipe's to create my own chewy, gooey, perfectly chocolately cookie and took second place at the contest!

Don't ask me who I lost to...okay fine, I lost to a pre teen girl, yeah thanks! Regardless, anytime I've made these cookies, including for a potluck at my husband's office, they've been a total hit! (Nothing like a little humility to keep you humble!) Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

("Dry" Ingredients)

• 3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• a little less than 1 tsp. Salt
• 8 ounces of Chocolate Chips (I prefer semi-sweet, you may also use milk chocolate)
  

("Wet" Ingredients)

• 1 Cup Shortening (I prefer Butter flavored Crisco)
• 6 Tbls. softened butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar (light or dark depending on your preference...the darker the more molasses flavor)
• 2 eggs
• 3 1/2-4 tsp. of good Vanilla Extract

First preheat your oven to 375 degrees and place your cookie sheets into the refridgerator while you make the dough (a chilled cookie sheet promotes even baking). Start by mixing together the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a bowl. (I like sifting dry ingredients together because I feel it helps the consistency of the cookies). In another large bowl, using a wisk or handheld mixer, cream together all the wet ingredients. Next, with a wooden spoon, begin to incorporate the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until a dough forms.

At this point you can dump the chocolate chips into the dough and mix, but for the perfect amount of chocolate in each cookie (or if you're as anal and OCD as I am) you can continue by handrolling 1 1/2 inch balls of dough and incorporating 14 chocolate chips into each ball. Drop them onto the chilled and lightly greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they are nearly golden on top. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack, OR enjoy a cookie right away!!

You Could Also Try...

• I love using my Silpat baking mat on top of my cookie sheets for no mess, no stick and perfect color on the cookies. (No need to grease your Silpat's) http://www.silpat.com/


• Be creative! Throw in some nuts of your choice into the dough, or try white chocolate or caramel chips. The options are endless!
• Remember, a chilled cookie sheet bakes better cookies


• I use a sifter similar to these for my dry ingredients