Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Square

These squares are a staple in our house throughout the fall and winter. They are so fast and easy, that these are the go to for those last minute party invites where you need to bring something along.

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

From Martha Stewart Food

Yields: 1 9x13 inch pan cut to whatever size squares you prefer (about 24)

Ingredients:

2 C. All-purpose Flour

1 Tbsp. Pumpkin-Pie Spice (1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, ¾ tsp. ground ginger, ½ tsp. ground nutmeg, ½ tsp. ground allspice, and ½ tsp. ground cloves)

1 tsp. Baking Soda

¾ tsp. Salt

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 ¼ C. Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 C. Canned Pumpkin Puree

12 ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.       With an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. **Note: You do not need to coat the chocolate-chips for this recipe, the batter is so very thick, the chocolate will not sink to the bottom.

3.       Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

4.       Lift cake from pan using foil as an aid. Peel off foil and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

Chocolate and Salted Carmel Layer Cake

This is R's absolute favorite cake in the whole world. I stumbled upon some variation of this last year and after making it, R declared that this was his new birthday cake. Although the recipe seems really, really long, its not too bad. I make the cakes the day before which allows them to cool and allows me to feel like I haven't spent all day doing this one thing. Enjoy!

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Layer Cake

Yields: 1 2-layer 9-inch cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 C. All-purpose flour

1 ½ C. Sugar

¾ C. Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. Baking soda

¼ tsp. Salt

1 C. Water

¾ C. Buttermilk

¾ C. Vegetable oil

3 Eggs

For the Ganache:

18 oz. Dark chocolate, chopped (do not exceed 61% cacao)

2 ¼ C. Heavy cream

For the Salted Caramel:

¼ C. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Water

¼ C. Heavy cream

1 tsp. Vanilla

Split caramel in half and add 1/8 tsp. Salt to half

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream:

To second half of caramel, add ¾ stick of salted butter (or 3/4 stick of unsalted butter and 1/8 tsp. of salt)

1 C. Powdered sugar

 Instructions:

 For the Cake:

1.       Position racks in the top and bottom third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch springform pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment rounds; spray top of rounds.

2.       Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to blend and form well in the center. Whisk 1 C. water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; whisk just to blend, don’t over-whisk. Divide cake batter between prepared pans (about 3 cups each).

3.       Bake cakes until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (If cakes form domes, place kitchen towel atop hot cakes, then press gently with the palm of your hand to level.)

4.       Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.

***  Cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cakes in pans and let stand at room temperature.

 For the Ganache:

1.       Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in heavy medium saucepan.

2.       Pour cream over chocolate.

3.       Let stand 1 minute, then stir until ganache is melted and smooth.

4.       Transfer 1 ¼ C. ganache to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache stand at room temperature to cool until barely lukewarm.

For the Salted Caramel:

1.       Briefly stir together sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2.       Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

3.       Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Split evenly into two bowls and set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.

***  Keep a close eye on the caramel as you make it. It goes from clear bubbles to the “amber” color     within about 30 seconds, and then will burn pretty quickly thereafter.

4.       Mix in 1/8 tsp. salt to one bowl.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream:

1.       Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2.       Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.

3.       Turn off mixer and add cooled caramel (the bowl without the salt added.)

4.       Beat frosting on low to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes.

5.       Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit to make it easier to spread).

Cake Assembly:

·         Place cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.

·         Carefully run knife around cake pan edges to release cakes. Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round. Peel off parchment paper. Place cake layer on round on prepared rack.

·         Spread a layer of salted caramel, then a layer of chilled ganache, then a layer of salted caramel buttercream onto one of the cake layers.

·         Invert second layer of cake onto another cardboard round. Peel off parchment paper. Carefully slide cake off round and onto the frosted cake layer on rack.

·         Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover. Freeze until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges. Freeze to set ganache, about 30 minutes.

·         Fill pastry bag with remaining salted caramel buttercream. Decorate top of cake.

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Who doesn't love a chocolate-chip cookie? Who doesn't love a little extra chocolate? The answer is nobody and/or weirdos. So, on with the greatest variation of the chocolate-chip cookie ever.

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Yields: about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 C. Flour

1/2 C. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 C. (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

½ C. White Sugar

¾ C. Packed Light Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate-chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Place butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate-chips using the spatula.
4. Bake for 9-10 minutes. 

Guava Turnovers

My grandpa recently visited from California and brought with him about 25 lbs of guavas for his only granddaughter. I love guavas and normally would never even contemplate changing the flavor by cooking them, however, 25 lbs. is even too much for me to eat before they go bad. I should mention I had just finished a 10 lb. shipment a couple of weeks earlier.

So, although I still very much prefer the plain fruit straight from the tree, these turnovers turned out quite well.

Guava Turnovers

Yields: 8 large turnovers

Ingredients:

·         2 Sheets of Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed

·         2 lbs. Guavas, peeled and halved

·         ¼ C. Sugar

·         2 tsp. Lemon Juice

·         1/3 C. + 1 Tbsp. Water

·         1 Egg

Directions:

1.       Roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry to about 12” x 12”

2.       Cut each sheet into 4 squares, place on parchment covered cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.

3.       Combine guavas, sugar, lemon juice, and 1/3 C. water in a saucepan.

4.       Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.

5.       Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until fruit is tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes (this will vary depending on the ripeness of your guavas, mine were quite ripe already).

6.       Uncover and allow liquid to reduce, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

7.       Remove from heat, mash guavas, leaving small lumps.

8.       Place about 2 Tbsp. of guava mixture into center of cold puff pastry square. Fold square diagonally over mixture forming a triangle. Repeat with remaining 7 puff pastry squares. Cover and place in refrigerator while you preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

9.       Mix 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water in small bowl to brush onto turnover.

10.    When oven is ready, take cold turnovers out of refrigerator, cut slits into the top of each triangle, brush with egg/water mixure, and sprinkle generously with sugar.

11.    Bake at 400 degrees F. for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

12.    Cool on rack and serve at room temperature.

Roasted Corn Salad

My mother-in-law brought over several ears of homegrown corn the other day, so I wanted to make something that would showcase the flavor of the corn and be something we don't eat on a regular basis. It tastes great, but be aware that the parmesan creates quite the aroma. This was super simple and makes a great side dish.

 

 

Roasted Corn Salad

Ingredients:

•       3 Medium Ears of Corn
•       1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
•       1/4 tsp. Salt
•       1/4 tsp. Pepper
•       1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise, at room temperature
•       1 1/2 Tbsp. Sour Cream, at room temperature
•       2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
•       3 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan
•       Generous pinch of Cayenne

Directions:

•       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
•       Shuck the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs, tossing them in a bowl with the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper.
• 
• Spread the kernels evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, scraping and turning over the kernels once or twice, until they’re tender and lightly caramelized.

 

•     Put the corn back into the bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Parmesan and cayenne. Taste and adjust any of the flavorings, including salt and pepper, if necessary.
• 

 

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Cranberries

After a long and unexpected hiatus I am back with a super simple cookie recipe. I like these when you need a break from regular old chocolate chip cookies. I was trying to explain to my husband that these are healthier than regular chocolate chip cookies because the butter is spread out between more cookies... makes sense right?!

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries

Yield: about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

·         2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Softened

·         1 ¼ C. Packed Brown Sugar

·         ¾ C. Granulated Sugar

·         2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

·         2 Large Eggs

·         1 ½ C. Flour

·         ½ tsp. Baking Powder

·         ½ tsp. Salt

·         3 C. Old-Fashioned Oats, Uncooked

·         1 ½ C. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

·         1 ½ C. Dried Cranberries

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.       Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy.

3.       Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt on low speed until well blended. Stir in oats. Stir in chocolate chips. Stir in cranberries. Batter will be very thick and heavy.

4.       Form dough into 2-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

5.       Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown and center still appears slightly soft. Let cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Move to wire rack, let cool.