The Charmed Kitchen

Pumpkin Bread

I find myself in the mood to bake, now that the weather has cooled. Every year I get a lot of requests for pumpkin bread. I often use pumpkin, but will also cook up butternut squash, instead of the pumpkin in the recipe. Either works just fine. I can make several batches at a time and freeze the extra. Of course if word gets out that I have fresh baked pumpkin bread it never makes it to the freezer. It is versatile- plain it is a great breakfast. Topped with a dusting of powdered sugar or  sweetened fruit and whipped cream it becomes dessert. I also often bake smaller loaves for gift giving.

Pumpkin Bread

1 ¾ c. flour

1 ½ c. sugar

1 t. baking soda

¾ t. salt

1 t. each cinnamon and nutmeg

½ c. butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. pumpkin

1/3 c. water

Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together butter and eggs until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin and water until smooth. Stir in dry ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 60-65 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on cooling rack. Wrap in plastic, best served the next day. Freezes well. Makes 1 loaf.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

I had a request from a friend for more vegan baking recipes. Came up with these muffins and thought I would share. They came out moist and light. I also have a LOT of applesauce that I canned, so looking for things to do with it. I added both raisins and walnuts for more texture and flavor. You could omit them, or add different dried fruit. You can also sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of the muffins before baking, if you like.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

2 c. applesauce- I used homemade with cinnamon in it

1/2 c. oil

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour  Note: You can use all purpose, I used whole wheat pastry flour.

1 c. rolled oats

2 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking powder

1 c. dried cranberries or raisins

1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or grease lightly. Set aside. Combine applesauce with the oil and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add flour, oats, soda, cinnamon and baking powder. Stir to mix well. Stir in fruit and nuts. Spoon batter in to muffin cups, filling just over half-full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Makes 24.

Rosemary Oatmeal Bread

There is something about the smell of baking bread that always makes me remember my childhood, and going to the movies. I know that sounds odd, but there is an explanation. When I was a kid, there was a neighborhood movie theater. It was close and we would walk there to see movies. On the walk home, we passed a local bakery. Late at night they would be baking bread and other goodies for the next day. The air would be filled with the aroma of baking bread.

This oatmeal bread is one of my favorites. With the addition of rosemary and  molasses, the bread has an earthy sweetness that I just love. It is versatile. You can make 2 round loaves, or bake it in loaf pans, or even make dinner rolls out of it.

 Rosemary Oatmeal Bread

5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast                                                                                                       3 T. fresh rosemary or 1 T. dried, chopped
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal

In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.

This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.

Pasta and Veggie Saute

The truth is, that while I love to cook and entertain, I don’t always have a lot of time. I find, when I am in a hurry, I gravitate towards one-dish meals. This dish is a blend of pasta and veggies, with the addition of sesame oil and cashews for extra flavor. It is a great vegetarian main dish, but meat lovers seem to like it, too. It could also be a side dish, if you prefer. I love the mix of flavors, colors and textures. Simple but really tasty.

Pasta and Veggie Saute

1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 T. oil
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms, use whatever mushrooms you can find
1 cup shelled edamame (green soybeans) – use organic
3/4 cup chopped unsalted cashew nuts

In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Set aside.  Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the broccoli, carrots, pepper, mushrooms, shelled edamame, and cashews. Sauté 5 minutes. Mix in the sesame oil sauce. Cover skillet, and cook 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender, but crisp. Toss with the cooked pasta. Serves 4-6.

Winter Squash Saute

Winter squash season is here, and I could not be happier. I love the variety of squash (and pumpkin) out there. They are both beautiful and tasty. This dish is a saute of squash with onions, garlic, carrots and finished off with black sesame seeds. I used butternut squash, but you could use any number of hard squashes, or even pumpkin.  It is simple to make, but packed with flavor. If you are looking for a different way to cook some of those squash- try this dish. I think you might be surprised at just how good it is.

Winter Squash Sauté

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 cups cubed fresh butternut, acorn or Hubbard squash or pumpkin

1/2 cup grated carrot

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onions begin to brown. Stir in the squash, carrot, soy sauce, salt, and pepper; cook, covered, another 5 to 7 minutes, until squash is tender. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

I think cabbage is under rated. It is such a versatile vegetable. It’s good in both hot and cold dishes, it isn’t expensive, and cabbage is good for you. I was looking for a side dish for a duck dinner the other night and I decided on sweet and sour cabbage. Since I had a pretty good sized head of green cabbage and just a small piece of red cabbage I mixed the two together. I added cider vinegar, sugar and apples to round out the dish. It came out this pretty light pink color and had a flavor that went well with the duck. I’d also serve this as a side dish with ham, pork or even a lamb roast. It would go well with any of them. You could use any color cabbage for this dish- or combine colors, as I did.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples

2-3 T. oil

2-3 onions, sliced thin

8 c. chopped cabbage, any color

1 c. stock- chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. celery seeds

3 apples, peeled , cored and diced

salt and hot pepper sauce to taste

Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until tender and a little wilted. Add cabbage, stock, vinegar, sugar and celery seeds and cook until cabbage is tender. Most of the liquid will evaporate. Add the apples and cook until apples are just heated through. Season with salt and hot sauce and serve. Serves 5-6.

BLT Snacks

Sometimes, when I am canning tomatoes, I get tunnel vision. I get so obsessed with getting every last tomato in a jar, I forget to save some to eat fresh. That is exactly what happened last week. So many pretty jars- but no fresh tomatoes left. Plus, I had a taste for a BLT. My solution? Well, I did have a nice supply of cherry tomatoes. Rather than trying to make a sandwich with my teeny tomatoes, I turned them into a snack, instead. I used all the ingredients I would have used for my sandwich, but just scaled them back to fit on crackers. Simple and really good. Just smeared a little mayo on each cracker. Then, I topped it with shredded lettuce, a 1-inch piece of bacon and a slice of cherry tomato. I even added a little shredded sharp cheddar cheese to some. Now my only problem, is waiting for more cherry tomatoes to ripen, so I can make these again.

Cinnamon Apple Bread

I love apple season. Every week there are new varieties to try. Fresh apples are so crisp and juicy. I make frequent  trips to local orchards all season long. Besides just eating apples, I like to bake with them. This bread is one of my favorites. Not too sweet, it is moist from the shredded apples, flavored with cinnamon and studded with raisins and nuts. This apple bread makes a great breakfast or snack. I have been known to top a slice with cinnamon ice cream and a little caramel sauce for a simple dessert. This recipe makes one loaf, but I often double it- so I can freeze the second loaf for later. Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Apple Bread

1/3 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar

2 t. grated lemon or orange peel

1 t. cinnamon

2 eggs

3 T. milk

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. each baking powder and salt

1/2 t. baking soda

2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. peeled shredded apples, about 2 large apples

1 c. raisins*

1/2 c. chopped nuts

Topping:

3 T. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Cream together butter, sugar, peel and cinnamon. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in milk and lemon juice. Stir in dry ingredients then fold in apples, raisins and nuts. Pour batter into greased 9×5 – inch loaf pan. Combine topping and sprinkle over the top of the batter.  Bake in a preheated 350 -degree oven for 1 hour. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Cool 15-20 minutes before removing from pan. Yield: 1 loaf.

*You can use other dried fruits. I sometimes use dried cranberries or cherries.

Martha’s Beets

I had picked up some beets from a local farmer the other day. I have made this dish many times and it seemed like a good time to make it again.  This is a recipe that my friend, Martha, made for us one chilly autumn afternoon. The amounts are random for a reason. Just use what you have- more or less – and let the flavors blend together gently. It is perfect for warming you up on a chilly day. Full of earthiness and great fresh flavors it is always a favorite of mine. I always think of her, with great affection, when I make it. Love you, Martha.

Martha’s Beets

Oil

2 Onions, chopped

Potatoes, cut in big chunks, peeled, if desired

1 bunch beets, with greens*

Chicken or vegetable  stock

Parsley

Salt and pepper

Cook beets in boiling water for 20 minutes. Cool and slip off skins. Cut up larger beets, if desired. In large pot cook onions in oil until tender. Add potatoes and prepared beets with just enough stock to keep them from sticking. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile chop up the beet greens. Add them to the pot and stir in. Cover and continue cooking until greens are tender. Toss in fresh parsley and cook 5 minutes longer.

* If you can’t find beets with greens, or if you like more greens, you can also add red Swiss chard in place of the beet greens.