The Charmed Kitchen

Pumpkin Scones

I am sure I posted this recipe last year, but it is worth a re-post. These scones are easy to make and not only great for breakfast and snacks- they make a fun base for shortcake. I used some for pear shortcakes and they were a big hit.

Pumpkin Scones

4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. each salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger

1/2 t. cloves

1 1/2 sticks cold butter

1 c. cooked pumpkin or winter squash

3 oz. milk

2 eggs

Vanilla glaze

2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

4-6 T. milk

Cinnamon Glaze

2 c. powdered sugar

2 t. cinnamon

4 T. milk

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine flour with sugar, baking powder and spices and stir to blend. Cut in butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Combine pumpkin or squash with the milk and eggs and stir into the flour mixture. Stir until well mixed. Dough should be just a little sticky. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets- leaving a couple of inches between them. Hint: If you spray a little non-stick spray on the cookie scoop first the dough will pop out easier.  Bake for 15 minutes or until scones are browned on the bottom and just getting golden on the top. If you want to put both baking sheets in the oven at the same time- switch them half way through the baking time and allow a few extra minutes. Remove scones to cooling rack. Meanwhile make both glazes by combining ingredients and stirring until smooth. Drizzle with the vanilla glaze while still warm and allow scones to cool and glaze to harden before drizzling with the cinnamon glaze. Makes about 20-30 depending on the size of the scoop you use.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

It’s that time of year- pumpkin everything!!! Loving it. Here is a great recipe for pumpkin cupcakes. Moist with rich spices- just wonderful.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

4 eggs, slightly beaten

3/4 c. oil

2 c. sugar- I use less

2 c. cooked pumpkin or 1 (15 oz.) can

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cornstarch

3 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cloves

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

Blend together in large bowl eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil and set aside. In another bowl combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until cupcakes spring bake when touched lightly. Cool 30 minutes before frosting.  Makes 30-36. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting or Butter Cream. I used the butter cream frosting recipe but used buttermilk.

Classic Butter Cream

1/3 cup butter

4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup milk or buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a bowl beat butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 lb. powdered sugar

½ stick butter

2 t. vanilla

Beat together until smooth.

Apple and Pear Crumble

I cannot get enough of apples and pears. The harvest this year seems abundant and to celebrate that abundance I am cooking with both fruits more than ever. I made a not too sweet crumble this time and included some honey into the recipe. Easy, fast and a great way to enjoy the fruits of Autumn.

Apple and Pear Crumble

6-8 cups prepared fruit- peeled, cored and sliced thin. I used a couple of really big apples and 5 or 6 smaller pears.

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 T. flour

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. lemon juice

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

Topping:

3 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, optional

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 t. cinnamon

Prepare fruit by peeling and putting in water mixed with lemon juice to prevent browning. Remove from water and drain well. Slice fruit and combine in a bowl with the next 8 ingredients. Toss to coat and place in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place all filling ingredients in a bowl and use a pastry blender or your hands to break the butter into small pieces. Place oat mixture over the prepared fruit and press down lightly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until top is a little brown around the edges and fruit is bubbly. Serve warm or cold, topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

I will be at the market at Blue Pike Farm tomorrow, September 26th. I will have my seasoning mixes,  jams and jellies and baked goods. To celebrate Fall  I will have pumpkin bread and pumpkin scones in addition to chocolate beet cake and zucchini bread. I’ll have samples for tasting, too.

If you haven’t been there before Blue Pike Farm is an urban farm located at 900 E.72 street- just South of the Shoreway. Carl will have seasonal vegetables as well as eggs and honey produced right at the farm.The market is from 4-7 pm.

Hope to see you  there.

Duck Breast with Prunes

Wanted to make something special for a friend’s birthday and duck seemed like a good choice. I love duck and it always seems like a nice choice for special occasions. The original plan was to maybe do an Asian inspired plum sauce but my friend Amy suggested something more country French. I started with a whole duck and removed the duck breasts. I put the rest of the duck in the fridge for use later. I scored the skin on the duck breast, seasoned with salt and pepper and placed them skin side down in a very hot skillet. I cooked them until the skin started to get golden. I turned them over and cooked them a few more minutes over medium heat. I placed the breasts in a roasting pan and put them in a 350 degree oven to finish cooking, about 20 minutes. While the duck was finishing I removed most of the fat from the pan and cooked sliced leeks in the skillet until tender. I then added 1 cup of duck stock. I had cooked some of the bones with a few veggies earlier. Chicken stock would have been just as good.  I also added a healthy splash of red wine- about a cup- and a cup of pitted prunes. I let the mixture cook until much of the liquid was evaporated. Added some more salt and pepper. Removed the duck breast from the oven and allowed to rest 10 minutes. Sliced breast- placed on a serving platter and topped with the prune mixture.

Beet and Carrot Salad

I love beets and carrots. Although very different in flavor they both add a sweet earthy quality to food. This is a really simple dish and I think a great side for almost any  meal. No cooking required, either. What could be easier than that?

Beet and Carrot Salad

1 large- or 2 medium- beets

2 large carrots

4 T. olive oil

4 T. cider vinegar

2 T. honey, or to taste

1 t. fresh dill weed or about 1/2 t. dried

dash of hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Peel beets and shred or grate them using a hand grater or food processor. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside. Peel and shred the carrots and add to the beets. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the beet mixture. Stir to coat and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

Crab Cakes

It is funny how things work sometimes. I had picked up a small package of crab legs yesterday. One of those impulse buys that comes from shopping while hungry. No plan really- figured I’d just boil them up and melt a little butter. Then I got a call from a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile. I made the dinner invite without really thinking much about the menu. I knew I had plenty of veggies and other ingredients on hand but no other proteins. The crab would be great- but at just over a pound of legs there was never going to be enough for dinner for 2 people. The solution- crab cakes. It worked out perfectly. With fresh coleslaw, baked potatoes, beet salad and steamed broccoli dinner was complete.

Crab Cakes

  1 1/2 c. crab meat- leave some in chunks

3/4 c. panko bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/4 c. minced sweet onion

healthy dash of hot sauce

2 T. chopped parsley

1 T. lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. butter

1 T. oil

Mix all ingredients together (except butter and oil) and chill until ready to make the crab cakes. Heat butter and oil together in skillet. Form crab mixture into 8 patties and place in skillet. Cook on high until lightly browned on one side. Turn heat down to medium, turn cakes and cook until heated through and nicely browned on both sides. They are pretty delicate so turn carefully. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges, if desired.

Cook crab cakes until browned on both sides

Apple Galette

If you like apple pie  you’ll like apple galette, too. I actually find a galette easier to make. Rather than doing the whole pie pan thing for a galette you just roll out your dough and then add fruit to the middle. Fold up the sides and bake. Easy as pie, well easy as galette. I made my own crust but you can used pre-made crusts, if you prefer. I will be serving these for dessert tonight with Pumpkin Ice Cream.

Apple Galette

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. shortening, chilled

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Filling:

5-6 medium apples- I used Jonathan, Gala and Macintosh

2/3 c. sugar- plus extra for sprinkling

3 T. cornstarch

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. Lemon juice, plus extra for treating the apples

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

Prepare dough. Roll half the dough into a 10-inch circle- repeat with remaining dough. Keep covered with plastic wrap until ready to use. Peel and core apples and slice thin. Place apples in water with lemon juice added to prevent browning. Drain apple slices well and place in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and seasonings. Place one of the crusts on a baking sheet. Pile half of the prepared apples on the center of the crust. You should have about a 2-inch circle of dough around the edges that is uncovered. Fold edges of the crust up over the apples pressing lightly to hold in place. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Repeat with the remaining crust and apples. You will have a little liquid in the bowl from the apple mixture- save that for now. Place the galettes in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 and bake for another 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. While galettes are baking take the liquid left from the apples and cook in a small saucepan until thickened- it will take a minute or two. This will be used to glaze the galettes. When galettes come out of the oven brush the apples with the thickened  glaze.  Cool on wire rack. Makes 2.

Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Pecans

It’s that time of year. Pumpkin spiced everything. So who am I to buck a trend? I decided to make some seasonal ice cream with pumpkin and added candied pecans for extra flavor and texture. The end result was really wonderful. Now all I have to do is figure out the dessert to make that the ice cream will be served with.

Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Pecans

Candied Pecans

1 c. pecans

2 T. butter

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

Place pecans and butter in a skillet and cook over high heat until butter is melted. Add sugar and cook, stirring often until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and salt and cook until mixture turns a dark amber color. Be careful not to burn the pecans. Remove from heat and place in a pan to cool- stirring to keep the pecans from sticking to each other. Set aside.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

2 c. whipping cream

2 c. pumpkin

1 c. sugar, or to taste

2 T. molasses

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

1 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cloves

Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed and sugar is dissolved. Place in an ice cream maker following manufacturer’s directions. My machine can’t take the whole recipe at once so I froze it in 2 batches and kept the rest of the pumpkin mixture chilled until ready to use. Meanwhile, coarsely chop about half of the pecans. Add the chopped nuts to the ice cream when it is almost finished. Place finished ice cream in freezer until ready to serve. Serve with extra whole candied pecans on top.

Note: If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can place mixture in a shallow pan and freeze until solid. remove from freezer and allow to that a little- about 10 minutes then breakup and place in a mixing bowl. Whip with a mixer until smooth and return to the freezer. Repeat process once more to end up with a creamy ice cream.

Candied Pecans

Honey Maple Ribs

Found myself with some ribs and I wanted to do something other than a tomato based barbeque sauce for a little change of pace. I ended up glazing them with combination of honey and real maple syrup. The end result was really good. First I had marinaded the ribs in apple cider vinegar- just placed them in a pan and poured about a cup of cider vinegar over them. The acidity of the vinegar acts to tenderize them. I also sprinkled them with some soy sauce, covered them up and put them in the fridge overnight. The next day I cut the ribs into smaller pieces and placed them in a baking pan. I poured in some of the vinegar, too. I also sprinkled them with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. I baked them at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Then I turned the oven down to 350 and cooked them 30 minutes longer. I pulled them out of the oven and drained out the fat from the bottom of the baking pan. Then I drizzled them with honey, maple syrup and a healthy dash of hot sauce. Returned them to the oven for another 30 minutes- until the ribs became caramelized on top. So good. Crisp on the outside but moist in the middle and fall off the bone tender. I still like tomato based barbeque sauces but these ribs were a nice change. Will try on chicken next.