Pecan Apple Coffee Cake

September 25, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

Autumn, glorious Autumn! I am so thankful we have four distinct Seasons. I have to say that Autumn is one of my favourite Seasons! I love the colours, I love the crunch of leaves underfoot, I love the crisp early mornings, I love the sun on a cold day but above all, I love my fireplace! I love being able to curl up in front of the fire with a good book and some quiet jazz music in the background.

Oh, I like the food too: apples, pears, plums, pumpkin, hearty soups and stews, substantial breads, hot coffee, to name a few. This recipe came through my FB feed the other day; since I had a few Granny Smith apples aging day by day….why do I buy these??? No one likes to eat them! When I was a kid we used to eat them with a dash of salt on each bite! Probably not all that healthy, but Yum! Anyway, they are such a brilliant Green that I like to have them in the fruit bowl. Granny Smiths are the perfect apple for this Pecan Apple Bread. Now in the original recipe the batter was baked in a loaf pan; I just think taking a loaf bread batter, throwing it into a bundt pan, dressing it up super pretty is so much more fun! That and it doesn’t take as long to bake. Anyway, you make your Apple Pecan Coffee Cake they way you want just so long as you DO make it!

Oh, hey, this recipe is lacking butter! I thought that was weird and maybe it was simply forgotten in the transfer to the internet? Happens. I tried to track the recipe back to an original site to no avail. Shrugged my shoulders and thought I would try it as listed before I changed it…didn’t have to! It came out perfectly! One little change that I made and will do again next time was to include a streusel topping…except it ended up on the bottom. Yes, I knew it would be on the bottom! I thought it would add some nice texture and I was right. Next time though I will put half the batter in the pan, some streusel mix then the rest of the batter and finishing off with streusel mix.

Pecan Apple Bread

1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sour Cream
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Epicure Apple Pie Spice
or 1 teaspoon Cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each: ground Cloves, Nutmeg and Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cup peeled and chopped Granny Smith Apples
1 cup Pecans, chopped
Drizzle
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Butter

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray a bundt pan with vegetable oil and swirl about 1/4 cup of flour around the greased pan; tap out excess flour.
Peel and chop apples; set aside.
Combine brown sugar, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl; beat on low speed until well blended.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, Apple Pie Spice, salt; stir well.
Fold in apples and 3/4 of the pecans.
Turn batter out into prepared bundt pan.
or Spoon half the batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with half the streusel, spoon in remaining batter then top with remaining streusel.
Bake in preheated 350F. oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven, run a small metal spatula around to loosen edges then cool, in pan, on wire rack for 20 minutes.
Turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Drizzle with Brown Sugar Drizzle:
In a small saucepan, over medium heat combine brown sugar and butter.
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for a minute or until it thickens.
Remove from heat and drizzle over cooled coffee cake.

Yield: 12- 18 slices

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Butter, cubed
Combine brown sugar and flour together in a small mixing bowl.
Cut butter in with a pastry blender or simply rub butter in with hands, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Poultry, Vegetarian

Crock Pot Sesame Chicken

September 25, 2013 Sonte 1 Comment

This recipe came through me FB feed the other day; I liked it because it sounded like it would be packed with flavour and incredibly easy to make.

I am going to go back to cooking more Vegetarian meals because, quite frankly, I am getting tired of eating you know, rice, potatoes and a vegetable and/or salad all the time. I have to eat, too! Now what I have found is that it is often quite easy to turn a Meatasaurus dish into a Vegetarian one. I have made this recipe both ways…I can’t speak for how the real Chicken batch tasted but mine was YUM! Both the Vegetarian and Meatasuruses concluded that the recipe might be improved with the addition of ginger, reduce the soy sauce by half and more garlic.

At any rate, I will list the recipe here as I will make it next time.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thick strips
OR 2 pkgs (170g) Yves Chicken Tenders or another brand of Meatless Chicken Strips
1/2 cup Honey*
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 medium Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Ginger, grated
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Cornstarch
3 Tablespoons Water

Sesame Seeds, to taste
Green Onion, garnish

Lightly spray Crock Pot with vegetable oil spray for easier clean up.
Place Chicken or Soy Chicken into Crock Pot.
Slice onion, chop garlic and add to chicken (soy chicken).
In a large measuring cup combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup and oil; pour over chicken (soy chicken), onions and garlic.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 – 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Remove chicken (soy chicken) from the Crock Pot to a medium size heat proof dish.
Pour liquid into a small saucepan over medium high heat.
Make a paste with the cornstarch and water; pour into hot liquid.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for a minute.
Remove from heat, pour over chicken and toss to coat all the chicken well.
Stir in sesame seeds.
Serve over warm rice and garnish with chopped green onion.

Serves 4 – 6

* When purchasing Honey, avoid products that include Blends….they could come from ANYWHERE! In the Summer we like to drive to Keremeos…you should hear how my husband says that name! …to buy pure honey straight from the farm….nevermind that we live a stone throw from some of the best Honey in the Valley 😉

Cooking with Kids

Autumn Rice Krispie Treats

September 19, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

I cut the lawn today and I am hoping it is the last time this year that I have to do that. I wanted to make sure the lawn was nice, neat and tidy before the onslaught of Fall leaves hits! I have two beautiful young Oak trees in the backyard that promise to give me a few good workouts this Fall!
When I came in from yard work I wanted to make something but meh, I looked at the Mixer waaaaay over on the other side of the kitchen, checked the fridge and the only butter I have on hand is in the freezer…
Then I spied that Tupperware container half full of Rice Krispies…and just this morning I had seen a bag of ‘mallows in the pantry….yup, I am going to make up some Rice Krisipie Squares…well, Treats as I didn’t make them in the conventional 9×13 baking pan; instead I got out my trusty Classic Tupperware Nesting cookie cutters and chose the largest one. Next I made up the Rice Krispie treats recipe as per directed on the box…wait, I don’t have the box, I have Tupperware; no worries, google to the rescue! You see, I was even too lazy to go and look in my beautiful Recipe Box for the printed recipe I have there.
Anyway, back to the treats; when stirring the cereal into the melted ‘mallows I added a fair amount (1/4 teaspoon) of Wilton Butter Yellow Food Colouring Paste, then I turned the gooey mess out onto a piece of parchment paper I had lightly sprayed with vegetable oil spray, covered it with another piece of sprayed parchment paper, took the rolling pin to it, cut into shapes, rolled the scraps into little balls which would become pumpkins, done deal!
Well, then I had to decorate them. Using clean kitchen scissors I cut large ‘mallows into four bits which became the petals that decorated the Pumpkin Flowers. Then I whipped up a couple of batches of thick glaze, tinted one light yellow, the other green, loaded them into piping bags fitted with a small writing tip and piped stamen onto the white ‘mallow flowers, and using green, piped faces onto the pumpkins; changed the green writing tip to a leaf tip and piped leaves onto all.
Then I had to clean up the ooey, gooey, sticky, messy pot and other dishes….should have just dragged out the mixer and made Sugar Cookies!

1/4 cup Butter
1 pkg (10 oz, about 40) regular Marshmallows
-or-
4 cups mini Marshmallows
Splash of Vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Pecan Halves
Currants
1 cup Powdered Sugar
Water, to desired consistency
Food Colouring: Yellow, Green

Lightly spray (2) 21″ squares of parchment paper with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and yellow food colouring.
Add rice krispies and stir until well coated.
Turn out onto prepared parchment paper and gently roll out to 1/2″ – 3/4″ thickness.
Cut with a large cookie cutter, dipped in water.
Roll scraps into various sized balls.
Top each rolled ball with half a pecan, forming the stem.

In a small bowl stir enough water into 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to give a semi stiff icing.
Tint Yellow.
Load into a piping bag fitted with a small writing tip and pipe stamen onto the centre of the flowers.

In a small bowl stir enough water into a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to give a semi stiff icing.
Tint Green.
Load into a piping bag fitted with a small writing tip and pipe vines and faces onto the pumpkins.
Change tip to a small leaf tip and pipe leaves onto pumpkins and flowers.
Carefully place a currant in the centre of each eye.

Muffins and Scones

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

September 17, 2013 Sonte 1 Comment

Simply the most wonderful Pumpkin Scones! It is that time of the year again; Pumpkin Lattes will be available at Starbucks, not that I ever go there but I do walk by their shops from time to time and they smell absolutely amazing with all the beautiful Fall spices! Brings to mind visions of beautiful orange, yellow and brown Maple leaves drifting to the ground. The crunch of said leaves under foot along the many beautiful trails in beautiful British Columbia…hey, that is what it says on the license plates! There is a crispness in the air and we are driven to thoughts of curling up in front of our fireplaces with a good book, a cup of good coffee and something yummy to nosh on. This Spiced Pumpkin Scone recipe I found last year fits the bill to the T! These scones are lightly adorned by not one, but two delectable glazes. Got your mouth watering? Get thee to the kitchen and get cracking on your own Spiced Pumpkin Scones!

2 cups Flour
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
3/4 each, Ground Ginger, Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Tablespoon Molasses
3 Tablespoons Half and Half
1 Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
Simple Sugar Glaze
1 cup Icing Sugar
1 – 2 Tablespoons Half and Half <–I use Luke’s Coffee Milk
Spiced Glaze
1 cup Icing Sugar
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Puree
Pinch each: Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon
1 – 2 Tablespoons Half and Half

Preheat oven to 400F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all the spices.
Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl or a large measuring cup whisk together pumpkin puree, molasses, half and half, vanilla and egg.
With a fork stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Gently knead about 10 times.
Gently roll out to 3/4″ thickness and use

I use the bottom centre cutter for scones

Tupperware Fluted Cookie Cutter to cut out scones.
Place on prepared baking tray and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown .
Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
While scones are cooling prepare your glazes.
In small bowl stir together icing sugar and half and half to desired consistency.
Load into a Ziploc Freezer bag or a Piping Bag with a small writing tip .
In small bowl combine icing sugar, pumpkin puree, spices; add 1 Tablespoon half and half and stir, adding more half and half to get desired consistency.
Load into another Ziploc Freezer bag or Piping Bag fitted with a small writing tip.
Drizzle first one glaze then the other over the scones.
Let glaze set for about 15 – 20 minutes.
Enjoy!

Serves: 8 Scones

Desserts

Pear Cobbler

September 17, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

My freezer is chockers with an abundance of summer fruits! I squeezed in a bag of pears prepped for jamming today but still had more pears left over than we are able to eat in a week. I just made Apple Crisp the other day so Pear Crisp was out of the question. Hmmm? What to do with these pears? Oh! A Cobbler! I know it is practically the same as a Crisp but just different enough to make it seem like I wasn’t making the same thing twice in a matter of days.

While my Pear Jam was jamming, I headed over to Canadian Living.com to search out a recipe for Pear Cobbler and was not disappointed. Time was of the essence as I was in the zone and the jam only needed to jam for another 50 minutes. This cobbler was quick and easy to throw together; my one remorse was that I didn’t put my baking dish on a cookie sheet….now I have to clean my oven…again!
Oh, and I love how Canadian Living introduced the recipe…”Harvest an orchardful of flavour with this old-fashioned cobbler.”

7 cups Pears, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
pinch of Epicure Apple Pie Spice
Biscuit Topping
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
pinch of Salt
1/4 Butter, cold and cut into cubes
3/4 cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly spray an 8″ Square Pyrex dish with vegetable oil spray.

In a large bowl, gently toss pears with brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and Apple Pie Spice.
Turn out into prepared baking dish.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Using a pastry blender, or two knives, cut in butter until crumbly.
Pour in buttermilk and stir with fork to form a soft, sticky dough.
Drop dough in 9 evenly spaced mounds over the fruit.
Bake in 400F. for about 35 minutes or until bubbly and topping is light golden and no longer doughy underneath when lifted with spoon.

Serves 6

Aysontespli's Kitchen

Pecan Apple Coffee Cake

Crock Pot Sesame Chicken

Autumn Rice Krispie Treats

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

Pear Cobbler

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.