{ Stoli Salted Karamel Appletini }

A fantastic fall cocktail. And only 2 ingredients. Perfect-ness.

Stoli Salted Karamel Appletini

Ingredients

• 2 parts Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka
• 3 parts apple juice

Process

1. Shake ingredients together with ice and strain into martini glass.
2. Garnish with red apple slice.

{ baked pumpkin cake donuts with vanilla glaze }

I've been wanting to buy a donut pan for several months -- I finally found one.

So I took my first dip into the culinary pool of baked donuts this afternoon when I made a batch of pumpkin cake donuts with vanilla glaze. Obviously the baked donut variety doesn't have the same texture as its yeasty, deep-fried cousin, but it's a sweet treat that's lower in calories (each one has 158 calories) and easier to make.

Next time I'm adding bourbon to the glaze.

Baked Pumpkin Cake Donuts with Vanilla Glaze
adapted from DoesNotCookWellWithOthers

Ingredients
Donuts

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Process 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Add diced butter. Pulse about 10 times to cut in butter, until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
4. Add baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. Pulse 3 or 4 more times to combine. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, eggs and vanilla.
6. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Dough will be very thick.
7. Scrape mixture into a large piping bag or a quart-sized plastic bag. Snip the bottom of the pastry bag or the corner of the plastic bag, leaving about a 1/2" opening.
8. Pipe dough into molds (about 3/4 full).
9. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes. Donuts are done when they spring back after being gently pressed.
10. Remove from the oven and cook in pan for 3 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
11. When ready to glaze, place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in milk and vanilla until smooth.
12. Take one donut at a time and dip top into glaze.
13. Flip over and place on wire rack. Repeat with remaining donuts and let sit until glaze hardens.

{ rich & creamy tomato basil soup }

It's chilly outside, and if you breathe in deep enough, you can almost smell the first frost in the air. The leaves are changing, and the world is pumpkiny and perfect. I love fall so very much -- it never ever gets old.

We're heading to a local apple orchard this afternoon to do some picking, so I thought having a warm pot of soup waiting on us when we return would be a comforting and perfect way to end the day.

Tomato basil soup sounded like a good choice, only this one is super-naughty. The butter and cream can be tasted (and savored!) in every bite.

I doubled the usual recipe this time, as I wanted plenty of leftovers. So don't be confused by some of my pictures if things look excessive. The normal recipe makes plenty for a family dinner though.

Sidenote: Ty, the husband who doesn't like chunky, vegetable stuff, says this is the "best" tomato soup he's ever eaten. Aidan, my 6-year-old son who is also the pickiest eater on planet Earth, loved it. Paige, my 2-year-old who eats anything, ate this too (so her opinion on the subject is actually no big deal). ;)

Rich & Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
(adapted from chef in training)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups half and half

 1 1/2 cups light cream

2 1/2 tablespoons chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon)

2 (28 oz.) cans petite-diced tomatoes

1 cup tomato puree

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon pepper, more if needed TT

1/2 teaspoon salts, more if needed TT

milk, if needed, to thin to desired consistency

Process

1. Melt butter over medium heat in heavy saucepan or dutch oven.
2. Once melted add garlic and sauté for a minute or two.
3. Stir in flour and make a roux, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
4. Once roux is formed, slowly pour in half and half and light cream, stirring as you pour.
5. Stir in chicken base, diced tomatos, tomato puree, sugar, basil, pepper and salt. Stir until heated through.
6. Using a ladle, spoon soup into blender and pulse briefly, breaking up the tomato chunks, but still leaving a nice, thick texture to the soup. Repeat, as needed, until entire batch of soup has been blended.
7. Return soup to pot. If needed add milk to soup to thin out to desired consistency (I didn't need to add any).
8. Serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.

{ lime and chili pork tacos with jalapeño cream sauce }

These pork tacos are awesome -- so many contrasts of flavors make for an overall tangy combination that's out of this world. Ty kept saying, "These are GOOD," throughout dinner, which is always a good sign.

The jalapeño cream sauce was made from peppers grown by a friend (thanks, Ben!), and the potential list of dishes to which this could be added is limitless. For starters, I added it to my eggs the next morning (and included a picture below!). It's delicious. If possible, make it in advance so that it has a chance to chill before being added on the tacos. The cool, smooth texture is so yummy with the warm meat and onions (don't skip making the onions!).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat another pork taco. :)

Lime and Chili Pork Tacos with Jalapeño Cream Sauce
(adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients
Jalapeño Cream Sauce

• 4 jalapeños, seeded and cut into large sections
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt, to taste

Tacos

• 8 1/4-inch-thick boneless pork chops
• 1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced in rings
• juice from 1 1/2 limes, divided
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons Mexican chili powder (regular chili powder works fine), divided
• kosher salt and freshy-ground pepper, to taste
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 avocado, halved and sliced length-wise
• jalapeño cream sauce (see accompanying recipe), lime wedges, and cilantro, to garnish

Process
Jalapeño Cream Sauce
In a food processor,puree jalapeños, cilantro, mayo, garlic, olive oil and lime juice. Taste and add salt, as needed.

Refrigerate.

Tacos
Preheat a grill pan for at least 5 minutes. Arrange the pork on a large baking sheet. Brush all over with half of the olive oil. Season with salt and half of the chile powder. Squeeze the juice from a lime on the meat before putting on the grill. Do the same once the meat has been flipped.

Grill the pork, turning once, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Preheat heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Place sliced onions in a bowl and top with remaining olive oil. Stir until evenly coated. Add remaining chili powder and sprinkle with salt.

Add onions to hot skillet, stirring occasionally to cook evenly. Once onions begin to soften, squeeze the juice from half a lime over the onions and continue to cook until charred and tender.

Transfer the pork to the cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch strips; transfer to a platter. Serve on warm tortilla with the onions, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño cream sauce and lime wedges.






breakfast the next morning!

{ a chilly pumpkin morning }

Have you ever had coffee on the brain before you've even opened your eyes in the morning? Of course you have.

This morning was such a morning for me. It was 4:15am, the windows were open, temps were in the 40s, and I could smell and taste a pumpkin latte.

Time to put my craving into action.

Starbuck's ain't got nothin' on a homemade pumpkin spice latte, made in the comfort of your jammies and in your own kitchen.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
adapted from RecipeGirl

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Half-and-Half

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed, strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons (or more!) heavy cream
• granulated sugar (I prefer demerera sugar), to taste
• whipped cream, optional
• ground nutmeg, optional
• ground cinnamon, optional

Process
In a glass measuring cup, whisk together milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, spice and vanilla. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes - watch closely and remove it from the microwave when the milk is hot and frothy.

Pour the pumpkin milk into a large coffee mug. Add hot coffee. Pour in heavy cream, as desired. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Stir, and taste. Add more sugar, if desired.

Optional, but yummy! Add whipped cream on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

{ special strawberry cake }

Summertime and strawberries go together like baseball and hotdogs (and cold beer).

We enjoyed a low-key 4th of July yesterday, as Ty has been busy on duty in Boston Harbor during most of the holiday festivities. His time at home has been limited, but this same time last year, we had just received the news that he would be leaving within the week for an extended deployment out of the country ... so this year, we very much appreciate any time we have just being together.

Back to strawberries ... Ty's favorite. And now it seems Paige's as well (Aidan likes strawberry 'gogurt' squeezers, if that counts for anything). Strawberry layer cake was the plan, and it was an easy one to put together. Make one for the strawberry lover in your life, and appreciate our freedoms, as well as those who have sacrificed to bring them to us.

God bless America, home of baseball, hot dogs, strawberries, and gogurt squeezers.

Strawberry Layer Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
(adapted from DaveRamsey.com)

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 box white cake mix
1 - 3oz. box of strawberry Jell-o
 24oz. frozen, sliced strawberries (thawed)

Frosting
3 sticks of butter at room temperature
8 oz. block of cream cheese at room temperature
6 cups of powdered sugar
about 6 tablespoons of juice and pulp from strawberries

Process
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three eight-inch round cake pans by lining bottom of pans with wax paper sprayed with non-stick baking spray and lightly floured.

Using a potato masher or a fork, mash strawberries into small pieces. Measure one cup for the cake and set aside. Separately reserve about 6 tablespoons for use in the frosting.

Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and dry strawberry Jell-o in a mixing bowl and beat until blended. Stir in cup of mashed strawberries until blended.

Pour mixture evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then gently turn cakes out onto plates to cool completely.

To make icing, mix softened butter and cream cheese in mixer bowl until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix well. Add reserved strawberry juice with pulp by tablespoon to give the butter cream icing color and a touch of strawberry pieces. Do not add too much juice or your icing will be too thin.


Chill frosting for about 10 minutes before use. Assemble cakes, frosting between layers, and generously covering the top and sides.

Store the finished cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve -- the cream cheese frosting softens quickly, especially in the summer. Garnish with fresh strawberries just before serving.

{ soft coconut-lime sugar cookies }

Two of my favorite culinary loves: lime and coconut. Combine them together and the result is magic (and a great summer cookie!).

Soft coconut-lime sugar cookies
(adapted from The Cookin' Chemist)

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup for sprinkling
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime zest
• 6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted and still warm
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. coconut milk (plain milk is also fine)
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice

Process

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

 

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and coconut together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

 

Place 1-1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, and lime zest in a large bowl.

Set aside remaining 1/3 cup sugar to use in final steps.

 

Pour warm, melted butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later).

Whisk in oil. Add egg, coconut milk, and lime juice; continue to whisk until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in flour in small amounts and mix until soft dough forms. The final dough will be

slightly softer than most cookie dough. For best results, handle the dough as little as possible when shaping the cookies.

Use a scoop to form equal-sized cookies, approximately 2 tablespoons each, and evenly space them on prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet. Lightly press down on cookies to partially flatten (dipping fingers into water reduces sticking). Sprinkle tops evenly with remaining sugar and discard any remaining.

Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the tray after 7 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheets for at least 5 minutes (I let mine sit for about 15 minutes). Using a wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool.

Serve at room temperature.