I know fall is right around the corner when I start to crave pumpkin.  Have I ever mentioned I love pumpkin?  Well, if not…I love pumpkin.  I’m not sure why I love it so much, but a part of me thinks it’s because it’s a favorite fall ingredient and fall happens to be my favorite season.  Of course, we live in a place where fall isn’t much of a reality.  No changing of the leaves, cooler days and nights, or lighting of the fireplace.  The first experiences of fall we have aren’t usually until November (if we are lucky).  I guess I should be used to it but I’m still craving those cooler temperatures.  My mom called from Atlanta this weekend and told me that they were finally getting cooler temperatures.  Deep down I was so jealous and wish we could have been there to have a taste. All I hope is we will get a slight break in the temperatures here in Florida.  I would be happy for temps below 85 and less humidity.  Eventhough this weekend was a steamy one I still felt the urge to bake my fall favorite, pumpkin.  I cranked up the air-conditioning to make myself believe it was cooler and off to baking I went.  These muffins not only were a hit with everyone in my house they made the house smell delicious.  I actually made one batch on Saturday and was left with none come Sunday so I made another batch so I could photography and share with all of you.  If your looking for that first fall pumpkin recipe give these a try.  My husband even claimed these were his favorites I have ever made.  Either he was very hungry or telling me the truth.  I’m hoping he was telling the truth.  Happy fall to all of you and happy baking!

I would love to hear what’s one of your favorite fall ingredients too, so please share. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Print Recipe

For Muffins:

1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2/3 cups light brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

For Streusel:

3/4 cup old-fashion rolled oats

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tray with cooking spray.

In a saucepan, heat the pumpkin and spices over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until muffin is fragrant.  Stirring occasionally.  Transfer to a bowl and add brown sugar, oil, and applesauce, whisking to combine.  Add the eggs and mix until combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.  Whisk in the pumpkin mixture, just until combined and no longer lumpy.

For streusel: Combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small mixing bowl until well blended.  Stir in melted butter until the moisture forms large crumbs; stir in pecans.

Preparing muffins: Evenly place 1/2 tablespoon of muffin batter in the bottoms of the muffin tin, to just cover the bottoms.  Add a layer of streusel topping on top of the batter making sure to save enough for topping the muffins.  Evenly top the steusel layer with the remaining muffin mixture.  After filling all muffin cups with the batter top the muffins with the remaining streusel topping.

Bake muffins 15 to 18 minutes, until golden and an toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes. then carefully remove from pan and allow them to continue cooling on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Summer is officially coming to an end.  Labor Day weekend is upon us and that means those last cookouts before autumn rolls in.  I have to say I love Labor Day weekends not only because it’s a long weekend (and a much needed break from work) but because it means a number of other things.  Like college football season!! I know weird right?  Even though I didn’t go to a college with a football team there is nothing like college football to me.  I really look forward to the start of the season and this weekend it starts it all off.  Actually tonight started it off and it happen to be the night my husbands team was playing.  Go South Carolina!  It’s very likely that every weekend some sort of football will be watched, but I draw the line at NFL (sorry).  Now, another reason I love the Labor Day weekend is because it means cooler weather and some of my favorite holidays are quickly approaching.  It makes me smile just thinking about it all.

Another thing that makes me smile is this pasta salad because it’s a perfect side dish for those upcoming Labor Day weekend parties.  It can serve a big crowd and no one has to know that it’s super easy to make.  It’s really important to let the tomatoes and yellow bell peppers marinate for at least 15 minutes in the lemon and olive oil mixture.  It really gives this pasta salad great flavor.  I have also added chicken to this recipe.  I actually prefer it without the chicken but my husband likes it with so I usually split it up and add half with and half without.  Again, a really great side dish for your last summer cookout.

Oh and I have to share some other very exciting news that happen this week.  I was lucky enough to find a ticket to BlogHer Food in San Francisco for the 8th and 9th of October (thanks Carrie from Deliciously Organic).  I’m so excited I can’t hardly wait to meet all the other amazing community of food bloggers and learn, learn, learn.  It’s going to be so much fun!!  I’m also looking forward to sharing with you all my adventures.  So stay tune!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and super relaxing Labor Day weekend!   

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

Print Recipe

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 pound pasta, such as penne or fusilli

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallt, garlic, thyme, and sugar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes, yellow pepper, and lemon zest and gently toss.  Let marinate at room temperature for15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and run cold water over pasta to stop the cooking.  Set pasta aside and let cool slightly.

Add the pasta to the the large bowl with marinated tomatoes and yellow bell peppers and gently toss.  Stir in mozzarella, spinach, and basil (and chicken if using) until well combine.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Once again my kitchen basket was filled with ripe banana’s this weekend.  Which gave me the perfect excuse to get in my kitchen and bake something with them.  It was perfect timing too because a few weeks ago I ran across this recipe and knew I had to give these a try.  It sounded healthy and delicious and perfect for the little ones in the house.  Now that they are in school I also knew it would be a healthy snack to include in their lunch boxes.  The girls both love banana’s and chocolate, like their mommy, so I knew these were going to be a hit.  I just made some slight adjustments to the original recipe like adding cinnamon, pecans, and combining a mix of mini chocolate chips and regular.  The chocolate chips were a bit of an accident as I reached into my cabinet only to find a little bit of regular chocolate chips left and whole bag of mini’s staring back at me.  Chocolate is chocolate right no matter the size, at least that’s what I thought.  The mini’s still tasted delicious in these bars.  I liked them best when they are slight warm.  Another tip: it may be best to store them in the refrigerator if they aren’t eaten quickly, like within two days.   

Enjoy everyone and Happy Monday!

Banana Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

Print Recipe

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 to 1 cup mashed bananas

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add salt and mashed banana and mix until incorporated . Add oats, cinnamon, nuts, and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips . Stir. Spread in greased 8×8 inch pan and top with remaining 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.  Best when served warm.

Adapted from Sweet and Savory Tooth

Lately I have been all about quick and easy breakfast ideas and these Zucchini Carrot Muffins fit perfectly.  When I received my recent catalog from King Arthur Flour (which I absolutely adore) and flipped thru the first few pages and then my eyes landed on this recipe.  I knew it would be perfect to make for those crazy school mornings or even to pack inside the lunch box for the girls.  These muffins are wonderful and what makes these even better is they are packed with veggies!  The white whole wheat flour adds the whole grains in there too.  In the end, the kids and mommy will be happy with these delicious muffins….oh, and husbands too!  I actually had to make two batches of these muffins (the recipe calls for 6 standard and 20 mini muffins).  I made one batch of mini’s and one batch of standard.  That way everyone in the house was happy.  One more thing, I would highly recommend making these with the cinnamon chips from King Arthur they make the muffins even more special.

I hope everyone had a great week and the kids first few days of school have been a good one.  I know it’s been a little crazy in my house but I think we are finally getting into the groove of things.  Also, if you have time stop over on my guest post on Smithfield.com where I share some of the tips I learned when getting the girls ready for school.  I would love to hear if you have any tips too, so stop by and leave a comment. 

Happy baking everyone and have a wonderful weekend! 

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Print Recipe

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup mini cinnamon chips (optional)

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup White Whole What Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray nonstick cooking spray to a standard 6 cup muffin tin or a 20 mini-muffin cup tin.

Whish together the sugar, oil, salt, and egg.  Add zucchini, carrots, cinnamon chips (if using) and pecans.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the batter.  Stir till just combined.  Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Let the muffins rest for 10 minutes before placing them into the oven.

Bake the muffins until the edges are lightly browned and they feel firm if gently pressed, about 18 to 25 minutes.  A cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.  Cool muffins in the pan for 10 minutes; transfer to a rack, and cool completely.

Makes 6 standard muffins, or 20 mini muffins. 

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope everyone had a nice weekend.  Our weekend was spent relaxing after adjusting to a crazy end of the week last week.  The girls started school last Wednesday and the whole house has been trying to adjust ever since.  This getting up early, packing the lunch, picking out the clothes, and quick breakfasts all before quickly heading out the door has been quite interesting.  I have to admit my coffee tastes extra special in the mornings now.  I’m hoping we can all adjust to our new schedules soon.  The good thing is the girls really enjoy ”tot” school…the pre-pre K of school.  Which makes the rush and the mix-up of the schedule all worth it.  

Since our mornings have been a bit crazy these days I have been trying to think of easy and quick ideas that give the girls a little head start into their mornings.  That are loaded with protein and carbs so that way they are fresh and ready to start their day learning.  This recipe is really great because it takes a few ingredients and is super quick to make.  I made these with turkey bacon, but these can easily be made with regular turkey or even a sausage.  I also used 2% cheese which is still packed with great protein but is minus a little fat which makes me feel better in case I happen to pop one in my mouth.  If your house is as crazy as mine has been lately, these quick treats will be perfect for your family too.   

Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Bites

Print Recipe

4 to 5 slices of bacon (turkey or pork)

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/2 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I used 2%)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cook bacon as directed on package until desired crispiness.  Drain on paper towels and set aside to cool.

Unroll dough sheet on work surface; pressing into a 12×8-inch rectangle.  Sprinkle cheese evenly over dough.  Finely chop bacon and sprinkle evenly on top of cheese. 

Starting at the short end, roll up dough; pinch edge to seal.  Wrap roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate 5 minutes until chilled.  This will make the dough easier to cut.

Unwrap roll; place seam side down on cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, cut roll into 12 slices.  Please slices, cut sides up, on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes before enjoying.

I have been eyeing the Zoku Quick Pop Makerat Williams-Sonoma for awhile now.  With our hot summer days I thought it would be perfect for a icy cold treat for the girls.  So when my mom told me she got one I was super jealous!  But having the great mom that I have she said we would have better use out of it so she packed it up and sent it down to us.  I was over the moon with excitement when I got it.  So excited in fact that it took me a whole week to decide what flavor to make first.  With the abundance of amazing fresh and in-season fruit this time of the year it was hard to narrow it down to one so I decided on two and two of our favorites….peaches and strawberries.  Growing up in Georgia, peaches were one of my favorites during the summer months.  They were super sweet and juicy and you could find them everywhere.  I don’t have the luxury of being home this time of the year to get them at the local fruit stands but I am lucky enough that my local Whole Foods had them on sale…even though they were South Carolina peaches.  I thought South Carolina was the next best thing considering that’s where my husband is from.  Another bonus at Whole Foods this past weekend was a huge 4 pound container of strawberries for $5.99!  Wow!  Luckily, we like strawberries in my house.

If your considering the Zoku Quick Pop Maker yourself it is a great investment and makes the pops in no time flat.  Which is great when the little ones are eager to have one “now”.  The pops can be done in 7 to 9 minutes!  Wow!  I know I was amazed.  Just make sure you freeze the container and you can have icy pops for those hot days.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Peaches and Cream Pops

Print Recipe

For Strawberry:

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in halves

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

For Peach:

3 ripe peaches, peeled and roughly chopped (or 2 cups frozen peaches thawed)

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

Instructions:

For the strawberry: In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

For the peach: In a blender or food processor, combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

If using conventional ice pop molds, evenly layer layers of the peach and strawberry mixture among molds.  Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours pr up to 3 days.  If using sticks, insert them into the molds when the pops are partially frozen, about 1 hour, then continue freeze until soild, at least 3 more hours.

If using an instant ice pop maker (like I did here), again layer peach and strawberry mixture into container.  Then follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze the pops.

Recipes adapted from Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski

Only a few days left until the girls start “school”….yikes!  Last week they met their teacher and got to see their classroom (pictures to come on the random side).  They were so excited, and once they stepped foot into their new classroom the toys were the center of their attention.  It was nice to see them comfortable in this new environment.  It’s so hard to believe they will be going to school when it feels like it was just yesterday that they were little babies.  Come Wednesday, when we have to drop them off for their first day of tot school I think we will have the hardest time with it.  I have a feeling we will be only ones shedding a tear (or two) also.  I let you know how it all goes and stay tune to pictures. 

Now let’s talk cookies….carrot cookies.  I know probably not the first thing you think of when you think of a cookie.  But these will not disappoint if you are a lover of a soft and chewy cookie.  I was lead to this cookie after searching for a semi-healthy cookie to pack in the girls lunch this week.  I found it on King Arthur Flour, a great resource for recipes, and knew it was the one to try.  I just made some minor changes to the original recipe.  I used less sugar, used pecan instead of almonds, and adding a slight pinch of nutmeg to the recipe.  Now I’m one of those people that like a soft and chewy cookie so these are right up my alley.  They are simply delicious and you really don’t feel bad biting into them and I feel even better packing them in the girls lunch.  I’m only hoping we have some left by Wednesday.  I think we only have three left!  Between me and the girls we pretty much devoured the batch in a few short days.  I guess that tells you we all liked them.   Hopefully you will enjoy these as much as we did too.

Super Carrot Cookies

Print Recipe

1/3 cup canola oil

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, suagr, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and egg, mixing until smooth.  Add syrup.  Stir in the carrots, cranberries, chocolate chips, pecans, flour, mixing gently until well combined.  Add the oats last, making sure they are throughly distributed throughout the bowl.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough into prepared sheets, leaving about 1 1/2-inches between them.  Bake the cookies until they’re just barely set on top – about 12 to 15 minutes.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

This past Sunday was a super rainy day here in South Florida.  Usually I’m not a fan of rainy days, but Sunday I welcomed the rain.  I was in the mood for rain for some reason.  Maybe because we were in desperate need of rain or maybe it was because the sound of the rain seemed comforting in ways?  The only sounds you could hear was the rain falling outside and with the girls quietly napping in their beds I thought what better but to cook.  And cook I did!  I was on a roll when I quickly realized I didn’t have lunch.  I took a quick peak in the refrigerator and saw I had asparagus and a defrosted puff pastry.  I love puff pastry and I’m amazed how many different things you can do with it.  You can go sweet or savory.  As tempted as it was to go sweet I went for savory so I could use up the fresh asparagus I had.  I grabbed the asparagus, puff pastry, some homemade pesto, cheese and tomatoes and this puffy tart was created in minutes.  In the end it was a great treat on a rainy day.

We are back to sunny and blue skies here in South Florida, but I think I would welcome a rainy day again soon.  But instead of cooking I may crawl up and catch up on my book next time.

Asparagus Tomato Pesto Cheese Tart

Print Recipe

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1/4 cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)

16 to 20 asparagus spear (the thin ones if you can find them)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, unwrap pastry dough and slightly roll out to an even rectangle.  take a pizza cutter and cut into four equal rectangles.  To make things easier, separate rectangles and place on baking sheet so you can prepare pastries right on baking sheet. 

On each pastry spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of pesto leaving 1/2-inch border.  Then top pastry with 4 to 5 asparagus spears, tomatoes, and both cheeses. 

Bake pastries for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden.  Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

I remember seeing this recipe a few months ago in a email I received from King Arthur Flour and saved it as a favorite to remember to make them.  When I saw the name I knew I had to make them.  Doughnut + Muffin had to = Delicious!  Of course, as I mentioned that was a couple months ago and that’s what tends to happen in a busy crazy house….you forget things.  This weekend it popped in my head and I’m so glad I did save it in my favorites.  Oh…I also saw these recently on My Baking Addition, but she did a twist and added a glaze, which by the way looked delicious.  If you all about a glazed doughnut those are something you might want to try.  I on the other hand decided to try King Arthur’s version, but as always added a little whole grain into the recipe and as you all know I have a deep love for cinnamon so I added a little into the batter.  I was a little hesitant about the amount of nutmeg, but it really makes these muffins.  If you are looking for a soft and moist muffin these aren’t for you.  These are truly a cakey muffin with the extra delicious cinnamon sugar topping.  They were a hit in my house and were eaten at any point during the day.  I think my favorite way to enjoy them was with my coffee yesterday morning while trying to read the paper.  Yes, trying…that’s how it usually is when you have two toddlers running around the house full of energy at 8:30 in the morning!  Wow, to be young again! 

Enjoy everyone and have a great week too!

Doughnut Muffins

Print Recipe

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

Topping:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, vegetable oil, and sugar till smooth.

Add the eggs beating to combine.  Stir in baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.  Stir in the flour into the butter mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is combined.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans, filling the cups nearly full.

Bake the muffins for about 15 minutes, or until they are a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let them cool for a couple minutes, or until you can handle them.  While they are cooling, melt butter.  Also combine sugar and cinnamon and a small bowl for topping.

Dip the tops of the muffins in the melted butter, then roll the tops in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Best served warm. 

Makes 12 muffins

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

With the summer grilling days coming to a quick end these Chicken Apple Bacon Sliders are sure to be a hit.  So heat up that grill and head over to my guest post on Smithfield.com for the complete recipe.

Full recipe for these Chicken Apple Bacon Sliders is on Smithfield.com and be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think of the recipe.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!