Recipe(s) of the Decade: Fall Favorites

In honor of the season, here are a couple of my favorite Fall recipes. This first one is a simple alternative to pumpkin pie, and feeds a ton!

Pumpkin Shortbread
(by Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 c. sugar, divided
• 1/2 c. cold butter
• 1 (29oz.) can solid-packed pumpkin
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 2 (12oz. cans evaporated milk)

Ingredients:

In bowl, combine 1/4 c. sugar and flour; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbles. Press into an ungreased 9x13 in. casserole dish. In another bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, salt, spices and remaining sugar. Stir in milk. Pour over crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 50-55 minutes longer, or until filling is set. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate over night. Cut into squares. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

~~~

This next recipe I have loved for years. My friend Amy had it simmering in her crock pot one afternoon when I was hanging out at her house. One taste of it sold me. It's very basic, but so so good! Here's the original recipe, plus my own two cents at the bottom. Be sure to read those, because they offer great improvements to an already amazing meal!

All-American Beef Stew
(by Land O Lakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 T. butter
• 1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into cubes *(or see my "two cents" below)
• 2 c. vegetable juice cocktail
• 1 (14.5oz.) can beef broth
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 t. garlic salt
• 1/2 t. dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 t. marjoram leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1/2 c. water
• 3 T. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. red wine or beef broth

Instructions:

Melt butter in large skillet until sizzling; add meat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned (5-7 minutes).

Place meat in crock pot. Stir in all remaining ingredients except peas, water, flour and wine/beef broth.

Cover; cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or HIGH for 5-6 hours, or until beef is tender. Uncover, remove bay leaf. Stir in peas.

Stir together water, flour and wine/beef broth in small bowl until smooth. Slowly stir flour mixture into beef mixture, stirring constantly. Switch to HIGH setting, stirring occasionally, until thickened (8-10 minutes).

My own two cents:

Here's an alternative to the stew meat. The night BEFORE you make the stew, brown a 2-3 lb. roast, then place in crock pot on LOW, along with 1 c. water. By morning (10-12 hours later), the meat will be falling apart tender, and the juices produced from the roast can be used in place of the beef broth. Last time I did this, I cooked a 3 lb. roast and used half the meat in the stew, then put the other half in a ziploc bag and into the freezer for later use. It is SO MUCH BETTER than standard old stew meat. Give it a try!

Happy Fall, everyone! Or should I say winter? That's what it's felt more like around here so far!

Best chocolate cake ever

I discovered this recipe several months ago on a friend's blog. The picture alone sold me, and I don't even think 4 hours passed before I was in my kitchen baking away. It didn't help that I was pregnant at the time, and especially vulnerable to baked goods. I've never been much of a chocoholic, but this cake just may have been my first step to conversion! I don't even try to come up with excuses to make it anymore. Luckily, no one else seems to have a problem with that. :)

You can find a descriptive, witty and quite entertaining step by step version of the recipe here (in addition to lots of pretty, and mouth-watering pictures). Or just follow the instructions below. I have been meaning to post this since September, but just never got around to it until tonight. I do hope you'll forgive my withholding of such blessed information.

By the way, if you don't like this cake, I am disowning you as my friend.

Just kidding.

Maybe.

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

Combine in a mixing bowl: 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

In a saucepan, melt 2 sticks butter.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water. Allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk. Add 2 beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely (if desired - I have always done it without). Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan. Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

Add: 6 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar (if I remember right it's about 4 cups, but just use your own judgement - you'll know when you have the right consistency). Stir together. Add pecans (if desired), stir together, and pour over warm cake.

And finally, in the words of the Pioneer Woman herself:

"Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever."

Couldn't have said it better myself!

A bite of heaven

Some of our best friends, Brett and Leslie, are moving to Indiana at the end of this week, and last night we attended a going away party in their honor. I was asked to bring a dessert, and since my plans of making Tuxedo Brownie Cups for Neil on Valentine's Day fell through, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to rekindle our marriage. I suceeded.

I've made these several times, but for some reason the first batch of brownies didn't cooperate (genius me forgot to follow the high altitude directions), and because this put me an hour and a half off schedule, my afternoon plans of lunch and a movie with Stefani got thrown off. She ended up helping me make these, and though it got a little crazy, we had a lot of fun and I appreciated her company and help.

After finishing these lovely little bites of heaven, we sat down and watched, It Happened One Night, a 1934 screwball comedy, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. It is rare that I meet someone of my generation who holds the same appreciation and love for old movies, so this was especially refreshing for me. If there's anyone else out there who loves the good old black and whites, make yourself known! We'll start a club!

Okay, okay. So onto the important thing here. I've teased you with pictures. The least I can do is share the recipe! I want you to know this is a huge sacrifice for me, but one I'm willing to make just for you!

Tuxedo Brownie Cups
By Pampered Chef

Ingredients:
1 (21 oz.) package fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake like brownies)
6oz. white chocolate chips
2 T. milk
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 (8oz.) container cool whip
sliced strawberries

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325. Prepare brownie mix according to directions. Follow high altitude directions if applicable. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick spray; fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake approximately 15 minutes (or until the edges are set). Remove and immediately press tops of brownies (I use Pampered Chef's mini tart shaper, but any other tool that can make indentations will do). The recipe says to allow cups to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then gently remove, but I have better luck removing them almost immediately - you decide what works best for you.

Melt white chocolate with milk on stove; cool slightly. Transfer mixture to bowl; add powdered sugar and cream cheese; mix with electric hand mixer until sooth; fold in cool whip. Fill cups with white chocolate mixture - you can use a cake decorator kit or just spoon in doll ups, which is much easier! Slice strawberries and place one slice in each brownie cup.

As a finishing touch, sprinkle powdered sugar or cocoa over the cups. Makes about 55.

Well, they were a hit. Chloe especially loved them, though you wouldn't know it by the unenthusiastic expression!

Thanks again for your help, Stefani. And to Brett, Leslie, Evan, Sydney, and Baby Megan, happy trails! Chloe will especially miss her pal, Syd.

Tasty Traditions!

I've been wanting to do Christmas goodies for years, but whenever mid-December has hit, it just hasn't happened. This year, however, I was determined to start the tradition once and for all! I can hardly think of anything more enjoyable than gathering my little ones in the kitchen for some Christmas baking. Sure, it's a common tradition among families, but still one I wanted to (and did) initiate this year. As Christmas music played in the background, Chloe and I happily slaved away a good portion of the weekend, mixing, baking, icing, sprinkling, and "testing" all sorts of scrumptious goodies. Neil even poked his head in to help here and there, and together the three of us created some very happy memories.

In my opinion, you can't have Christmas without good old sugar cookies! Chloe and I made two batches! It's a lot of work but so worth it in the end! I could eat an entire batch in one day if I let myself! Perhaps that's why we made way more than we could (or would) ever give away. I used Dayna's recipe because frankly, it makes the best dang sugar cookies I've ever tasted!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened (or 5 T. butter, 3 T. shortening for even softer cookies)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Directions:
Beat butter at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugar, followed by egg and vanilla; beat well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended (if the dough is dry and crumbly, add 1-2 T. milk until you have the right consistency). Shape dough into a ball; cover and chill 1 hour.

Divide dough into thirds. Work with 1 portion of dough at a time, storing remaining dough in refrigerator. Roll each portion into 1/8-in. thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 3-inch cookie cutter and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (or line the cookie sheet with parchment paper - it makes a HUGE difference for me).

Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. I always check them after 6 minutes, and generally take them out when they are still extremely soft, as they continue to bake even after they're out of the oven. They harden up just right after a few minutes, and that's when I generally transfer them over to the cooling rack.

I use powdered sugar frosting (powdered sugar, milk and a dash of vanilla). Yummmy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I found this recipe on Allrecipes website. It had good reviews and looked promising, so I gave it a shot. I'm not huge on chocolate chips, but I got a thumb's up from Neil, Brady and Brett, who all tested them for me shortly after they came out of the oven. :)

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used half semisweet and half white chocolate with green and red swirls to give them a more festive look)
2 c. all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine butter, shortening, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll into 2 in. balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 or so minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OREO TRUFFLES

Ingredients:
1 package OREO cookies
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 8oz. packages BAKER'S semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:
Crush oreos (I first put them in a ziploc bag and used a rolling pin, then threw them in a bowl and crushed them even more with a potato masher - you'll figure out what works for you). Add cream cheese; mix until well-blended (I used an electric mixter). Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (doesn't take more than a half hour, really). I drizzled white chocolate over the top (microwaved white chocolate chips in a ziploc bag for 1 minute, then sliced a small hole in the corner of the bag). The hole was too big though, so rather than "drizzles" the chocolate looked kind of like "goops," as you can see above. Oh well, it's the taste that matters, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHOCOLATE-CANDY CANE COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
4 squares BAKER'S semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
1 6 oz. package BAKER's premium white baking chocolate (I just used white chocolate chips)
12 hard peppermint candies, crushed (I just used red and white peppermint sprinkles)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Blend in semi-sweet chocolate.

Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into 52 balls. Roll each ball into 3-inch-long rope. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheet, bending top of each slightly to resemble a candy cane.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned; cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Microwave white chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cookies (or goop it on, like I did - hehe). Sprinkle with crushed candies. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

I actually wasn't real thrilled with the flavor (don't get me wrong - they didn't taste bad, but at the same time they weren't anything special). The thing I found appealing was their shape, and the potential fun kiddos could have with them. At this point, Chloe was more interested in just eating them, but I bet next year she'll get pretty excited when she recognizes that they're shaped like candy canes!

Here's a link to a step-by-step instructional video.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RANDOM BAKING TIPS:
*Parchment paper is my friend! It makes baking much easier and cookies oh-so-soft! I highly recommend it over a greased baking sheet.
*As mentioned before, using shortening in place of some of the butter (example: 5 T. butter, 3 T. shortening vs. 8 T. butter) is another guarantee for softer cookies!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm so grateful to have had my little helper to keep me going all weekend. Last night we put her to bed at 8:00, and at 10:30 she was STILL WIDE AWAKE, just chattering away in her crib! I finally went and got her, thinking if I let her run around for fifteen minutes she might wear herself out. Upon discovering what I was doing, however, she wanted only to be a part of the kitchen action! She was such a joy to have around both yesterday and today, as she played with measuring cups, spatulas, and other random utensils that were within her reach. Whenever I'd ask what she was doing, she'd say, "I cookin'!" She'd often find something in a drawer, such as a can opener or carrot peeler (always something of little or not use to me), hold it up and say, "Here ya go, Mommy!" What a sweet little treasure she is! We made some deliveries to neighbors and friends tonight, and will do a second round tomorrow evening. I love starting new traditions with my family, and look forward to many more years of building on these traditions as our family grows.