pumpkin crumb cake

over the weekend i tried out this new recipe and mmm...mmm...mmm...was it a goody. the only thing i would do different is serve it with vanilla ice cream. 

go ahead and try it out, i bet you will love it too! 

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 
  
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
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• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
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• 1/2 cup white sugar
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• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
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• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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• 1/2 cup white sugar
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• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
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• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray or grease one 9x13 inch pan.
2. Reserve 1 cup cake mix. In a large bowl, combine the remaining dry cake mix with 1 egg and 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix well, and then pat into prepared pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour over crust.
4. In a small bowl, combine reserved 1 cup cake mix, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons softened butter. Crumble over pumpkin filling. Sprinkle nuts evenly over the top, if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

bestie brown sugar cookies

i haven't eaten lunch today. i didn't say i haven't eaten, just not anything that would classify as a sustainable meal. you see the reason is because my bestie over at thatsjustcrazypersontalk put out a cry for help. it was desperate. she loves chocolate chip-less cookies (that means she likes brown sugar cookies, if you were confused), and recently she has been on the hunt for the best, yes BEST brown sugar cookie recipe. since i have never made brown sugar cookies, i wasn't much help. well, i did tell her to search pinterest for recipes...but that wasn't super helpful, i guess. last week i received this text, "didn't you say your aunt makes good chocolate chip cookies?" i took the hint and got to work. today has been spent baking and sampling a modified version of my aunts recipe to create what i think is the perfect brown sugar cookie. remember though, this is the first and only time i have made or eaten brown sugar cookies...so my opinion may be a little under educated.  

let me walk you though my trials, as i worked out the details to perfection. 

batch one: a little flat and a little boring 

batch two: still flat, but sprinkled with brown sugar just as they came out of the oven. 

a little less boring. 

batch three: perfection. chilled dough, rolled into balls, dipped in brown sugar before baking. 

the biggest bummer is that we don't live close enough to sample together. i considered sending her a batch priority mail, but i decided that if she likes them, she need to learn how to make them. sorry. but i will share the recipe. i am calling them bestie brown sugar cookies. but please note, i am not claiming that they are the best, they were just created for my bestie. got it? good. 

bestie brown sugar cookies 

2 1/4 cups flour

1t baking soda 

1t salt 

1 cup butter, softened 

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 small package of vanilla pudding mix 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

2 t vanilla 

2 large eggs

extra brown sugar for topping

combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl, set aside. beat butter, granulated sugar, pudding mix, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. add eggs one and a time and beat well. gradually beat in flour mixture. 

cover and chill for at least one hour. 

just before baking, roll dough into balls and dip the tops into a bowl of brown sugar. place onto greased cookies sheet, do not flatten. bake for 9-10 minutes at 375 degrees. let cool on pan for one minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

mmm, mmm, good. the only thing i may have done differently is used dark brown sugar. i think it would have given the cookies a prettier color. other than that all i have to say is... brown sugar, why do you taste so good? 

little cookie chef

my obsession with pinterest has launched an out right baking frenzy! i have found a million and five new recipes that i am dying to try. maybe i will do a future post with some of the stuff we are baking...and eating! thankfully, i have a lot of help in the kitchen. oh and yes, i do totally get distracted by his cuteness. and yes, it is kind of a problem. 

my sweet little cookie chef! 

how much does he like it? 

um, just ask him. 

peanut, peanut butter...

last night coen and i whipped up a batch of delicious peanut butter cookies. this post isn't really about the cookies, as much as it is about my assistant pastry chef. the cookies were really good though, and i suggest you try them if peanut butter cookies are your thing. here is a link to the recipe, soft peanut butter cookies.

now, onto the important stuff. coen loves to help me in the kitchen and i love it. everyday duties become learning experiences. it is fun to watch the wheels spin in his head. 

i promise he wears clothes, he just sleeps naked baby (with diaper) at nap, cause it gets too stinking hot! 

um yes, his lip is resting on the bowl. 

what do you mean i can't lick it?! 

the reward for all that hard work! 

(apologies about the small section that is sideways. although it's not really MY mistake to apologize for, ha!)

when life goes bananas

make banana bread!

okay, here's the truth...it has been one of those weeks. i have promised myself since monday that we were not going to leave the house. ha! it must have been opposite day and no one told me. so not cool. well here it is thursday, and thanks my wonderful husband who got up early to deliver coen's stool samples to the lab in hilo, (i told you it had been quite a week), i am curled up with a cup of coffee and some unbelievable banana bread.

last night as a stared at the pile of ripe bananas in my fruit basket, i decided it was time to test out another banana bread recipe. fyi: the last one went horribly wrong. (unless you like smokey banana bread, i do not.) so this time i did something very different, i pulled out a cookbook. it has been a very long time since i have baked or cooked straight out of a cookbook. everything is online now, and thanks to the magic of pinterest i can organize all of my online recipes in one spot.

i am glad however that i pulled out this recipe. it is call unbelievable banana bread and it is well, quite unbelievable.

unbelievable banana bread

1.5 cups macadamia nuts

2.25 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

.75 cups vegetable oil

2.25 cups sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1.5 teaspoons vanilla

1.5 teaspoons baking soda

.5 cup buttermilk*

2 cups very ride mashed bananas

position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

put the mac nuts (or any kind of nut for that matter) on a baking sheet and roast until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. after 6 to 8 minutes shake the pan and rotate to ensure even browning.

spray 2 9 by 3 inch loaf pans with cooking spray

stir together flour, kosher salt, cinnamon in a medium bowl, set aside.

combine the oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. beat on low speed until combined. add the eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.

stir the baking soda into the buttermilk* in a small bowl. add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixer, followed by half of the buttermilk*, and mix on low speed until barley combined, 10 to 15 seconds. repeat. scrape down the sides and mix in the remaining dry ingredients. add the mashed bananas and nuts and mix until just incorporated. do not over mix.

pour the batter into the prepared pans. bake until the bread in golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour. transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool 5 mins, then remove the loves from the pans and let cool on the racks for at least 10 minutes before serving. enjoy!

*easy buttermilk substitute

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice.

place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup.

fill the cup to the top with milk.

let stand for 5 minutes, then use what is needed.

oatmeal cookies

on friday coen and i decided it was definitely a good idea to bake up some oatmeal cookies (wes' favs). we have baked a little bit together, but this time was much more exciting...i let him lick the beater! i figure we all grew up licking beaters (raw eggs and all), so what the heck. he was in heaven!



cookie dough monster!

whatcha got cooking? (Christmas edition!)

i truly enjoy baking. i also enjoy eating what i bake, but i know it's not in my best interest to always have homemade goodies floating around the house. thus, i really really enjoy baking for others. it's a win-win. i get to enjoy the baking (and some sampling), and pass the extra calories on. the christmas season is the perfect time to go on an all out baking spree. butter. sugar. more butter. yum! i was up to my elbows in flour, not to mention when all was said an done i had gone through 14 (yes, FOURTEEN) sticks of butter. oh lordy lou, no wonder it all tastes so darn good.

if you have any desire to get some baking done, i highly recommend these wonderfully delicious recipes. i can't pick just one, they are THAT good. enjoy!

Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup green sugar crystals
• 1/2 cup red sugar crystals
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
2. Combine the flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chopped pecans. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. On four sheets of aluminum foil, shape dough into four 6 inch rolls, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll tightly in foil and refrigerate over night.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with foil. Remove rolls of dough from refrigerator one at a time. Coat each roll with red or green sugar crystals; cut dough into 1/4 inch slices.
5. Place on prepared cookie sheets; top each cookie with a pecan half. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until bottom of cookie is lightly browned when lifted

Instead of red and green sugar crystals, i used traditional sprinkles. I also rolled the dough in wax paper, instead of foil. It was very very easy, and oh so good!

Nut Butter Balls (bad name, great cookie)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Mix butter or margarine with sugar until creamy. Add salt, almond or vanilla extract, flour, and nuts. Mix WELL.
2. Chill dough until firm enough to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
4. Using fingers, shape dough into 1 inch balls or crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. While cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. These keep well.

Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix the butter or margarine, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Add the flour and mix by hand.
2. Spoon into cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars.
3. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 7-10 minutes.

this dough was magical in my pampered chef cookie press. so rich & buttery!

Best Toffee Ever (Really, ever!)

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions

1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.
2. While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
3. As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.
4. Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

okay, i know i said it didn't have a favorite...but, if you were only going to make one thing, make this. so so so easy, and it tastes amazing! no joke.

i have sampled everything (more than once), licked all the spoons, spatulas, and beaters (after i was finished with them of course), and packaged everything in to delightful jars to be delivered to wes' office tomorrow. okay, there may be a small box of treats hiding in the pantry. it is Christmas after all!