Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Gold Muffin Liners! Over the last few days, I've been thinking about adding cream cheese as one of my favorite food groups. However, I realized it would be a slippery slope - and would have to add butter, chocolate, and cheese as their own food groups too. . . you understand how things would get complicated. One thing that remained simple and delicious was this recipe. Plus, I was on the hunt for new baking goodies and found these awesome gold muffin liners! Bonus! If you haven't already, you should check out the blog Annie's Eats linked below. It's a phenomenal professional blog that I often get some of my cooking inspiration from. With practice I hope to get better with everything with my own blog! I'm so glad that you've been following along and maybe even passing on some recipes to your friends :) Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Adapted from http://annies-eats.net/ Makes 24 muffins. Ingredients: Filling: 8 oz. softened cream cheese 1 cup confectioners’ sugar Muffins: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground cloves 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 4 large eggs 2 cups sugar 2 cups pumpkin puree 1¼ cups vegetable oil Adding the cream cheese mixture Topping: ½ cup sugar 5 TBSP flour 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 4 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces Directions: To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter.  Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil.  Transfer to the freezer and chill. Make sure you let this chill for 4 or more hours - I would suggest doing it the night before to ensure it is well frozen. When I made mine it was a bit of a mess because I only let it chill for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend.  In a small bowl mix the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil.  Mix on medium-low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (about 1/2 TBSP).  Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.  Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well.  Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffins. Bake for 25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.  AMAZING. If I had to rate the two pumpkin recipes this week - I'd have to say that I think I like this one more... that cream cheese centre is heaven!  Don't forget your topping!

Thai Grilled Chicken with Spicy, Sweet, & Sour Dipping Sauce

I use my BBQ all year round.  And with this recipe - it's certainly worth a few cold brushes of wind to have a sizzling juicy product of Thai grilled chicken.  You will need some time to brine the chicken - don't skip that part! I served mine with some sticky white rice - but you can substitute for another kind - or even some veggies.

Thai Grilled Chicken with Spicy, Sweet, & Sour Dipping Sauce

Taken from The Complete America’s Test Kitchen 2001-2011.

Makes for two.

Ingredients:

Chicken & Brine:

 ½ cup sugar

½ cup table salt

2 (1 ½ pound) boneless skinless chicken breasts

Sauce:

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

¼ cup squeezed lime juice (1-2 limes)

2 TBSP fish sauce 

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tsp)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Rub:

 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about ¼ cup)

¼ cup squeezed limejuice

2 TBSP minced or grated fresh ginger

2 TSBP ground black pepper

2 TBSP ground coriander

2 TBSP vegetable (or olive) oil

Directions:

For the Chicken & Brine:

Dissolve the sugar and salt in 2 quarts (8 cups) of cold water in a large bowl.  Submerge the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 HOUR.

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

For the Sauce:

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves and set aside.

For the Rub:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

Working with one chicken breast at a time, rub the mixture so it coats the entire surface evenly.

Grill chicken on BBQ.

Transfer chicken to platter and let rest for five minutes. Serve with rice and dipping sauce. This has lots of taste - great with a milder rice to calm your taste buds. Spicy - at a medium-mild range for me.

Pumpkin Scones

If you don't own a tin mug - you should go buy one now before you read any further.  What you will need is the coldest glass of milk to serve with these yummy pumpkin scones.  I've found that a tin mug is the best at keeping that milk super crisp and delish the whole way through!  Also, don't be discouraged if you're looking at your raggedy dough that kind of resembles pate or hamburger meat - it turns out in the end! And don't even think about skimping on the hot caramel sauce topping! 

Pumpkin Scones

Taken from my friend Krista via Alice's tea house in NYC.

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups of flour

1/3 cups of white sugar

1/2 tsp of baking soda

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup ginger (fresh grated)

1/4 cup of cinnamon

3/4 cups of cold butter grated into mix

1 1/4 cup of buttermilk

1 cup of pumpkin puree

2 TBSP vanilla

Caramel Sauce:

1 cup of butter

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

1/2 cup half and half cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix together  flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, freshly grated ginger, cinnamon, grated butter, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla to form the dough.  The dough is very raggedy and wet! 

Generously flour your counter and knead in an additional 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of flour.

Pat down the dough with your hands to make it approximately 1 inch high.  Cut with biscuit cutters and put on parchment on cookie sheet. If you don't have biscuit cutters use the end of a round glass. Remember it's up to you for how large you want them! I made approximately a dozen.

Bake for 15 minutes. 

As they are baking get started on the sauce:

Over medium meat in a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar and bring to a rapid boil.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of half and half cream.  Return to low heat and stir often until sauce is mixed and smooth.

Remove the pumpkin scones from the oven and let cool slightly.  Pour the caramel sauce into a large plate with a lip on the edge.  Dip each scone into the caramel sauce and cover to your delight. Get that tin mug I warned you about.  Fill with milk and enjoy with a wonderful fall treat!

Blueberry Scones

Get out your tea cozy! It's time for another regular installment of tea biscuits. These are very impressive looking and will rival those coffee shop display scones you eye every morning!

Blueberry Scones
Taken from The America's Test Kitchen 2001-2011 Cookbook.

Ingredients:

10 TBSP unsalted butter frozen
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (can substitute for frozen or use equal amounts of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for work surface
1/2 cup sugar, plus about a tsp for sprinkling later
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon zest

It may seem like a long process when you look at the directions, but it's not.  Lots of detail is included so you can follow the exact steps to produce amazing scones!

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425.
Place 8 TBSP of butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 TBSP of butter and set aside.

Whisk the milk and sour cream together in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed.Whisk flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until the butter is thoroughly coated.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Using the spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. With floured hands, kneading the dough six to eight times until it just holds together in a ragged ball, adding flour as need to prevent sticking.

Roll the dough into an approximate 12 inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like you would a business letter. Lift the short ends of the dough and fold into thirds again to form an approximate 4 inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for five minutes.

Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into 12 inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries (or whatever you are using) over the surface of the dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded.  Roll the dough pressing to for a tight log.  Lay the log seam side down, and press into a 12 by 4 inch rectangle.  Using a sharp knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into four equal rectangles.  Cut each rectangle diagonally to form two triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle the remaining tsp of sugar on top. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 10 minute (whatever you are able) before serving.

Delicious for  breakfast :)

Pumpkin Puree & Pumpkin Seeds

I've been eyeing my pumpkin for a couple of weeks now. I couldn't carve it for Halloween.  I let it sit. And it sat some more. I realized that if I let it sit too long whatever goodness inside will go bad.  It was time to do the deed and say farewell to the pumpkin ambience until next fall.

A few recipes that I've been contemplating call for pumpkin puree and I wanted to make the puree myself.  In this segment,  you will find the recipe for a simple puree and a pumpkin seed snack! Baked goods will follow soon!

Pumpkin Puree
Modified from allrecipes.com 


Ingredients:
1 pumpkin (mine was a little big so if yours is smaller cut the baking time in half)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut the pumpkin in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and pulp. (Save the seeds for the following recipe! )Cover each half with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven, foil side up, 2 hours, or until tender and soft when poked with fork.
Scrape pumpkin meat from shell halves and puree in a blender. 
Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces. 
Store in the freezer in freezer safe bags.


My yield was about 10 cups so it was a rather large pumpkin. You can use the puree for cooking and baking and it keeps well. You can also use it as baby food - it's pretty bland for our adult taste-buds until it's cooked in something!

• Baked Pumpkin Seeds
  Modified from allrecipes.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  Pumpkin seeds washed and dried from one pumpkin (approximately 1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 
    
  • Directions:
  • 
    
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. 
  • Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
  • 
    
  • Tastes much like buttery popcorn with an extra crunch! Great snack!
  
  
  
• 
  
• 
  

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This recipe has gone through too many stained recipe cards and printer paper from butter and dough batter.  This was given to me from my friend Krista during second year university long ago. I don't know where she got it from, but I like to think that her grandmother passed it onto her.  This is one of those classic family recipes that you use and share repeatedly.  Somehow, as my friends will attest, the chocolate chips seem to keep their gooey-melty goodness even long out of the oven. I'm actually making mine for a potluck party this weekend - I may have to sneak a piece just for me before I go!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread


Ingredients:

1 cup of mashed banana (about three medium sized VERY rotten black bananas, you can use frozen ones just as easily - just thaw for at least an hour before )
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs

1/4 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup of white flour

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Mash bananas and stir in 1 tsp baking soda - set aside
In a small bowl, beat 2 large eggs
In a separate bowl, cream 1/4 cup softened butter and 1 cup of packed brown sugar
Add eggs and mix
Stir in mashed banana mixture
Add flour and stir with 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt
Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Pour into a greased bread ban and bake for 1 hour.
Remove from pan and let cool for an hour on a cooling rack before slicing.

Jerk Chicken Nachos

This dish was first tried at a Pampered Chef party that my friend Melissa and I hosted - which was a huge success! These nachos have been a favorite ever since! Please try these and don't forget to check out the salsa and guacamole recipes on my blog too to go along with this meal if you haven't already :) 

Jerk Chicken Nachos Modified from The Pampered Chef  Ingredients:

6 cups (1.5 L) LIME tortilla chips  1 TBSP olive oil  3 cups (750 mL)  diced or shredded cooked chicken   8 oz (250 g) shredded marble cheese (2 cups/500 mL)   2 tbsp (30 mL) Jamaican Jerk Spice Rub (Pampered Chef), divided   1 small yellow or red bell pepper or combination  1 small tomato   1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 lime   2 tbsp (30 mL) snipped fresh cilantro   1/4 cup (50 mL) sour cream Directions: Cook cubed chicken in frying pan with about 1 TBSP  of olive oil.  Add 1 TBSP jerk chicken spice while cooking. Lay out lime tortilla chips on a cookie sheet. Once chicken is cooked, take a slap-chop like device and chop the chicken into small  pieces. In a medium sized bowl, mix chicken and cheese together well. Depending on the size of your cookie sheet - you may want to do one single layer of  toppings or double it up. Layering: Sprinkle chicken/cheese mix over the tortilla chips.   Next, sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro, red pepper, tomato, and red onion. Squeeze the juice from a lime over the nachos. Bake in oven @ 350 for approximately 10 minutes until cheese is melted. For serving - take 1 cup of sour cream and mix with remaining 1 TSBP of jerk chicken spice. This is amazing dipping sauce! If you want, you can also serve with regular sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. I promise you will not be disappointed! Serve with your favorite beverage :)