pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies

fall brownie spectacular

yes, you read that right. pumpkin+cheesecake+brownie. take it from someone who doesn't like pumpkin pie or plain brownies...these are so worth it. i do enjoy brownies with a twist, like cheesecake, mint, or turtle, so when i saw these i just had to give them a try.

i first saw them from the beantown baker, who adapted a recipe from cara's cravings. i used the adjusted measurements in this batch.

pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies (cara's cravings via beantown baker)

brownie batter:
3/4 c butter, melted
1 c sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c special dark cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

cheesecake batter:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp + 2tsp flour
2/3 c pumpkin puree
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground cloves

1. beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time
2. combine dry ingredients, then gradually stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon
3. in separate bowl, beat together cheesecake batter ingredients
4. spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into greased 8x8 pan
5. spoon cheesecake batter over top
6. dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter, then swirl by running a knife back and forth through the pan
7. bake at 350F for 40 minutes, or until center is set
8. cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving

couldn't wait for pictures...

seriously. seriously! these are so good. i waited as long as i could to cut the brownies for photos (and a sample), but the center was still a bit warm. all was still ok and after being chilled, everything set nicely.

i've made a lot of desserts. i can't remember one being all that bad, but these are memorable for being that good. husband and i polished these off in record time, spoiling ourselves and missing our nightly dessert once they were gone. he has requested them for his coworkers, so i'll be making them at least once more this season.

quick apple cranberry sauce

quick, simple apple cranberry sauce

in my quest for all things cranberry, one thing i need to have is a lot of cranberry sauce. i don't save this treat for thanksgiving - i make it about once a week during the late fall. before i could get my hands on fresh cranberries, i ate at least one can of whole berry sauce every week for the past few weeks... you could chalk it up to a pregnancy craving, i guess, but really not, because i do this every year :) however, that canned stuff is loaded with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup! i feel guilty about that and really, it's cheaper to make my own and i enjoy it more.

this is a super easy recipe from the november 2009 issue of real simple. just 4 ingredients and about 15-20 minutes of prep and cook time.

apple cranberry sauce (real simple)
1 lb cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 c apple cider
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar

1. in a small saucepan, combine all ingredients
2. simmer until berries burst and sauce thickens (12-15 minutes)
3. cool a bit before serving (if you can wait!)

from whole berries to sauce

have i mentioned the time i made cranberry sauce using orange juice (a favorite of mine) and forgot the OJ and sugar were boiling...for like an hour?! i'm pretty sure i blogged about it, but if not, suffice to say i burned the sauce to a blackened crisp and had to practically crawl on the floor to get to the kitchen because the smoke was so thick and strong. it was bad. so don't forget you have something like this on the stove!

luckily, i made no errors while cooking this sauce and it came out delightful. the apple cider is subtle, so much so that i might add some cinnamon next time, but the overall flavor was great. i ate this straight from the bowl, but also used it on some turkey, cranberry, lettuce, and cheese wraps for husband's lunches. who needs leftovers when you can get it fresh whenever you want?

the best chicken enchiladas

seriously, the best.

i have only had chicken enchiladas once before. i had never made them and have no real way to prove the following information, but i am pretty sure these are the best.

we have mexican food every week (i have it even more) for dinner and this week i decided we should try enchiladas. there are a lot of recipes, a lot with cream cheese and jarred enchilada sauce, and i just wasn't feeling that. so i went in search of a from-scratch version and found it in one from america's test kitchen.

homemade sauce is the way to go

chicken enchiladas with red chili sauce (america's test kitchen)
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
12 ounces bones chicken thighs OR chicken tenderloins, cut into 1/4" strips
2 cans tomato sauce
1/4 c water
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1/4 c pickled jalapeno pepper, drained and copped
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
10 corn tortillas
vegetable cooking spray
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream, avocado, lettuce, green onion, tomato, salsa, limes, etc.

1. heat oil in a medium saucepan for 2 minutes, then add onion, cook until browning
2. add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar, cook for 30 seconds, stirring
3. add chicken, stir to coat, and cook for 30 seconds
4. add tomato sauce and water and stir, simmer uncovered for 8 minutes
5. pour mixture through a medium mesh strainer, pressing chicken and onions to extract sauce
6. set sauce aside and transfer chicken mixture to large plate, cool in freezer for 10 minutes
7. combine chicken with cilantro, jalapenos, and 8 oz cheese into a bowl
assembly:
8. coat bottom of 13x9 baking pan with 3/4 c chili sauce
9. place tortillas on baking sheets, coating both sides with cooking spray and warm at 300F for 4 minutes
10. scoop 1/3 c filling into center of each tortilla
11. roll tortillas tightly and place seam-side down in baking dish
12. pour remaining chili sauce over enchiladas, coating fully, and sprinkle cheese over center
13. cover with foil and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes
14. serve immediately, topping with condiments of your choice

ah-mazing

seriously, please make these. i don't know if it's because i am 20 weeks pregnant (!) or if they really are that good, but these were like heaven on a plate. the sauce was amazing - perfectly spiced and the right consistency. i want to eat these again. worth it to make them yourself, to take the time to strain the sauce, and enjoy how i think enchiladas are supposed to taste.

pumpkin cranberry muffins

pumpkin cranberry goodness

hello november! it's fall for real now and with it comes my desire to have pumpkin, spices, and cranberries. not always together, but in this case, yes. i love fruit bursts in muffins and cranberries are probably the best for that. i had first wanted cranberry orange muffins...but that doesn't scream fall to me. enter canned pumpkin puree!

i used a simple recipe from cooking light and whipped these up for a week's worth of breakfasts. the recipe says it makes 1 dozen, but i got 12 full size and at least 12 miniatures.

pumpkin cranberry muffins (adapted from cooking light)
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
1/4 c packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1 c fresh cranberries, cut in half

1. combine flour, baking soda, and next 5 ingredients, though cloves; stir well
2. beat granulated sugar and next 5 ingredients, through egg, at medium speed until well blended
3. add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined
4. fold in cranberries.
5. spoon batter into muffin tin with liners
6. bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center
7. remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool

fall muffin bowl

i loved these. so moist, full of pumpkin and spice, tart with fresh baked cranberries...these are good for a snack, dessert (warm with vanilla bean ice cream?), or breakfast. they stay fresh if well contained and last through the week. i treated husband to some mini "cupcake" muffins with the remainder of the batter (no cranberries left, bowl scrapings) and a half of a mini peanut butter cup in the middle. i'm really not sure if he liked the cranberry of the pb version better.

you must try these!

happy halloween!

husband picked out the pumpkin face (online) and scooped the innards. i carved the scary expression and baked the seeds. the dogsons watched from the floor, confused about the entire process. they can't remember year to year...

they were so in the halloween spirit.

enjoy all the candy and spooky costumes. we're on the lookout for trick or treaters as i write this :)

comfort food: marinara sauce

spaghetti and meatballs with basic marinara

since i've been pregnant, i've wanted comfort foods. it started with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. then hamburgers, sometimes 3 times a week. spaghetti and meatballs were next. i just can't get enough of those simple, basic flavors. now that i'm home, i'm loving meal planning and being in the kitchen everyday - plus i decide what we eat, so it's been heavy on (healthy) comfort foods. husband has not objected ;)

my goal is to make as much as i can from scratch, so i decided that making marinara for my spaghetti was a must. plus, i've never made it myself. i rely on ragu (i seriously love ragu). i wanted something simple and satisfying and settled on the first recipe i found: marinara sauce from everyday italian by giada de laurentis. i halved the recipe, but plan to make it again and freeze the extra.

marinara sauce (adapted slightly from everyday italian)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 32-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves

1. in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat
2. add onions and garlic and saute about 10 minutes, until translucent
3. add celery, carrots, salt and pepper and saute 10 minutes
4. add red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute
5. add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 1 hour
6. remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste

delicious! the flavors of the veggies and tomatoes are very apparent and the subtle spice of the red pepper flakes makes it just interesting enough without being too hot. i of course paired it with homemade meatballs (no recipe - i had no breadcrumbs and resorted to ritz crackers...) and thick spaghetti, topped with fresh basil and shredded parmesan.

soft white bread

homemade white bread

operation make bread has begun. first on my list was white bread. it's my favorite for sandwiches (like egg salad) and french toast, and it seems like one of the easier, no fail breads. plus, we don't ever buy plain white bread, so it's a treat to have in the house.

i used another recipe from the bread bible and was careful to read through the instructions start to finish. bread takes a while, lots of steps, and you don't want to be baking at 3 am because you didn't plan around rising times.

basic soft white sandwich loaf (the bread bible)
dough starter
2 1/4 c plus 2 1/2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c water, room temp
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey
3/4 tsp instant yeast

1. combine ingredients and whisk until very smooth, about 2 minutes
2. cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours
(beyond 1 hour, place in fridge - i did this overnight, resulting in a 2 day process)

dough
2 c plus 3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c dry milk
3/4 tsp instant yeast
9 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 tsp salt

1. mix flour, dry milk, and instant yeast
2. sprinkle over sponge and cover with plastic wrap
3. allow to rest from 1-4 hours at room temp (sponge will bubble through flour)
4. add butter and mixture to mixer with dough hook attachment
5. on low speed (#2 on kitchen aid), mix for 1 minute, until moistened
6. cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 2o minutes
7. sprinkle with salt and knead dough on medium speed (#4 on ka) for 7-10 minutes
(dough should come away from bowl at the end and be shiny, smooth, and sticky)
8. turn dough onto a floured surface and cut it in half
9. shape the loaf:

shaping the bread dough (steps 10-15)

10. press or roll dough into a wide rectangle with the long side facing you
11. dimple dough to remove air bubbles
12. fold over right side just past center, then fold left side until just overlapping the right
13. press the center to seal the dough
14. starting at the top edge, roll the dough over and press the seam, repeating to the bottom
15. roll the dough back and forth until it is just longer than the bread ban
(be careful not to break the tight skin on the surface)
16. tuck the edges under and place in a greased loaf pan
17. cover with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours
(repeat the shaping for the second loaf)
18. preheat the oven at 350F for 45 minutes before baking, with a sheet pan on a rack on the lowest level and a baking pan on the bottom of the oven
19. set the loaves on the hot baking sheet and add 1/2 c ice cubes to the baking pan on the bottom
20. bake at 350F for 50 minutes, until golden brown (rotate halfway through baking)
21. glaze the bread with melted butter, remove from pan, and cool for 1 hour before slicing

bread success! it wasn't hard, just time consuming (hours, not actual work), and it came out with a nice golden crust and a yummy, soft crumb. my first loaf (i have only one bread pan) didn't rise as it should have because it wasn't warm enough in my kitchen, so it came out a little squat and dense. with the time and heat from the baking of the first loaf, the second loaf was able to rise much more and came out domed over the top of the pan. both loaves were excellent, but the second one had a better consistency and looked nicer.

i plan to make this recipe again in the coming weeks and it will probably be my go-to basic bread. it makes great french toast and excellent garlic bread. husband devoured it!

this is the less risen loaf - but you can see the inside

jalapeno cornbread muffins

buttered jalapeno corn muffins

i love cornbread. but i'm picky about it. i don't like corn kernals in it. i don't like it when it's mushy or soft. i don't want it to be overly sweet or not sweet at all. to be honest, i like jiffy corn bread mix and whole foods jalapeno cornbread and not much else.

but i feel shame in buying a jiffy boxed product when i have free time and the necessary ingredients...and i want to kick whole food's face in. so i've been left searching for a recipe that's not too complicated (remember jiffy?) but fits the taste bill, too.

sorry...blurry pictures...

i found the perfect combo in a recipe from "the bread bible" by rose levy beranbaum. i've been scouring this book for my upcoming bread baking endeavors and can't wait to try other recipes based on the success of these muffins.

quintessential corn muffins with jalapeno (adapted from the bread bible)
1/2 c stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 c plus 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour (recipe calls for bleached, i had unbleached)
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2/3 c sour cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp canned jalapeno, drained and chopped

1. preheat oven to 400F
2. whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
3. in a small bowl whisk egg and sour cream
4. stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until moistened
5. fold in melted butter until incorporated; batter will be lumpy
6. dredge jalapeno in a bit of flour
7. fill 6 lined muffin tins with a scoop of batter, top with a few jalapenos, and cover with a tablespoon more batter
(each should be filled almost to the top; fill empty muffin tins halfway with water)
8. bake muffins for 15- 18 minutes until tops are golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean
9. cool top side up on a wire rack

now i know it said to cool, but a warm corn muffin with melted butter? yeah, not cooling that opportunity. plus, i needed it for pictures!

and i'm glad i sliced into that muffin. it was perfect! barely sweet, fine crumb that was not too dense or too soft, a perfect domed top, and bits of jalapeno to amp up the flavor. husband and i polished these off in two days, happily. they are quick to make (almost as easy as jiffy) and taste better than whole foods. winner!