Hazelnut Scones and revisiting a Chunky Spiced Applesauce...

One of the first things I had to do with our overflowing basket of apples was to make applesauce! I was browsing over a couple new recipes that I thought about making, but changed my mind when Jeff reminded me of that brilliant version we made last year. While I may make one or two other recipes this year just to see how they would compare, so far that Chunky Spiced Applesauce is the winner! Besides making it a rosy color, that alluring tart bite from the cranberries combined with the sweet depth from the maple syrup was as outstanding as last time! This morning I was taking note of the baking supplies I had out in the freezer located in the garage. I have a variety of flours, butters, seeds and nuts in there to keep them as fresh as possible - when I was going through the nut section, I found a few (way underused!) hazelnuts! I guess I had forgotten about them, but after seeing them, I knew I had to bake with them today. I was trying to think what type of baked good we haven't had for awhile and when I asked Jeff, his first response was cookies (that is always his first answer) - he then mentioned scones! Score! I knew I had a recipe for Hazelnut Scones in my untried piles, I just needed to figure out what stack I hid it in. The first step for these scones is to grind together a small handful of hazelnuts with the sugar used to sweeten the dough. While you could just grind the nuts by themselves, the sugar is added as a layer of protection - it will absorb some of the excess oils so you don't grind them right into hazelnut paste. You don't often find hazelnuts (also called filberts) without their skins (though I used to be able to get them at Trader Joe's... alas I haven't seem them there in a very long time), so for the remainder of the hazelnuts, you'll want to toast them and rub the skins off with a kitchen towel. Because you are really using a small amount in the first step, you don't really need to worry about skinning those - besides, the slightly bitter coating added a nice contrast to the sweet sugar. I've also heard of boiling the nuts with a pinch of baking soda and then toasting them to dry them out, but I haven't tried that method yet (this supposedly is more successful in removing all of their skins - but, as I said earlier, I don't mind them that much). The dough for these scones is a very basic combination of flour, a portion of the ground hazelnut/sugar mixture, baking powder and baking soda that had cubes of cold butter worked in with a pastry blender (if you don't have that handy tool, two knives work well). The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs - the butter doesn't need to all be the same size either, a few bigger lumps is okay. Rather than using a rich cream, as a lot of great scone recipes do, this recipe takes them a bit lighter by using tangy buttermilk and an egg for that bit of extra fat from the yolk to keep them tender. Once the wet ingredients are mixed into the dry, keep a light hand and try not to mix more than you need too - just stir until the flour is moistened and knead it just a couple times until the dough comes together. Instead of cutting rounds out like a biscuit, the dough is patted into a large circle and scored into 12 wedges - you're not looking to separate them, but only defining where each portion is. The remaining ground hazelnut/sugar mixture is then scattered over the dough to give the top a crunchy finish as it baked. These scones had a light crust on the outside and were soft and moist, with a nice tang from the buttermilk, on the inside. The chunky nuggets of toasted hazelnuts added a rich crunch that reminded me just how much I love them! Just sweet enough, a bit of preserves, curd or even a pat of softened butter would have been a nice compliment, but we found we didn't need anything else to enjoy these! Recipes Hazelnut Scones

Peking Chicken Pizza...

I can't believe it is Friday again... this year is just flying by at record speed it seems! Being Friday already, that means it is pizza night here! As usual, I started this Peking Chicken Pizza I made tonight by whirling together our favorite whole-wheat pizza dough in the trusty food processor. Once the yeast had enough time do bubble up the dough, we easily stretched it into a large rough circle - don't worry about it being perfectly round... just call it rustic! Along the edge of the dough, I laid a track of sesame seeds about 1" wide - while you could lace the edge with an egg wash or even melted butter first, I didn't find I needed any glue as they stuck pretty well. The recipe did call for using two to three tablespoons worth of the seeds - I found that two was even a bit much for just coating the edge, so I went ahead and sprinkled the remaining seeds all over the dough. Instead of a tomato-y sauce, this pizza is covered in a combination of your favorite barbecue sauce and an ingredient I've never used... plum sauce! This sauce is sweet and somewhat sour - it is usually made from plums (surprise!), but can also include peaches or apricots. On top of the sauce, we arranged thin slices of cooked chicken breast that we first seasoned simply with salt and fresh ground black pepper. The recipe called for the chicken to be placed on top of the lavish layer cheese, but I didn't want to expose them directly to the heat and dry them out. So, instead, I just hid them underneath. Back to that layer of cheese - we used Monterey Jack which brought a smooth and mild finish to the top of this pizza. For a bit of freshness, we finished this off by sprinkling a mixture of chopped sweet red and orange bell pepper, along with a few thin pieces of scallion. Since the raw sesame seed ring on the crust was mostly exposed, those tiny seeds were able to toast, intensifing their flavor, as they were exposed to the heat. I don't know what is was about the combination of barbecue and that tangy plum sauce, but the duo danced around on top of the crust and married to create a delicious burnished glaze that was the highlight of this casual pizza. Recipes Peking Chicken Pizza

Lighter dinner with Mini Corn Cakes and a Bulgur Salad...

We've had a couple heavier meals over the last few days, so I thought I'd change things up for dinner and go with a couple lighter dishes tonight. First off, I made these tiny Mini Corn Cakes with Scallions that we made in miniature muffin tins for our side. The batter for these small cakes began with a combination of cornmeal and flour that we spiked with a couple dashes of cayenne pepper. To moisten those ingredients, lots of corn kernels, milk, an egg, sugar and scallion whites were added to produce a fairly wet mixture. To try and get an even portion of the batter in the muffin tins, I used a smaller cookie scoop to fill up each well - a measured amount would be roughly a rounded tablespoon per corn cake. These little guys cook quick - ours were ready in a short 9 minutes. They are done when the cakes are just set in the center... when they come out of the oven, you'll want to carefully run a thin knife around the edges as they have a tendency to stick as they are quite moist. To add a little flare, we topped them off with a small dollop of sour cream and set a piece of scallion on top. The little chunks of corn were pleasant to bite into, giving the cakes a little heft. Jeff commented that he thought these would be a fun bite-sized appetizer! While we won't be having a picnic anytime soon (how long till spring again?!), I'll have to remember this Bulgur Salad With Grapes and Feta Cheese that we made tonight... it would be a good dish to bring along on one! Bulgur is basically whole wheat that has been parboiled (or steamed), dried and then ground into varying small sizes. While bulgur and cracked wheat are sometimes confused, the big difference is that bulgur is pre-cooked, allowing it to be quickly prepared - usually a short 15 minute simmer. However, an even easier, off-hand method like we used in this recipe, the grains are just soaked in salted hot water for about half an hour! Coating the grains is a simple, clean and bright dressing composed of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. To add some zest to this light salad, a couple tablespoons of minced scallions, halved seedless grapes, nutty toasted walnuts and generous crumbles of salty feta cheese are tossed in with the bulgur and dressing. The bulgur was tender, but still had a wheat-y chew that kept our mouths busy - if you wanted to changes things up, how about using quinoa, whole wheat couscous or even rice? Recipes Mini Corn Cakes with Scallions Bulgur Salad With Grapes and Feta Cheese

Mac 'n Cheese... with three cheeses!

One of our favorite comfort foods is Mac 'n Cheese - it is hard to go wrong with lots of cheese and a bit of pasta thrown in. Instead of using your everyday cheddar, this Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese uses a different combination of cheese to add a different profile. Another way to add a little more dimension to this baked pasta dish is sautéeing a chopped onion before beginning the creamy sauce - be sure to finely chop the onion, though, so the pieces kind of disappear into the mix. Once the flour and milk were added and began to thicken, the cheeses were stirred in to melt - we used a combination of piquant Gorgonzola cheese and decidedly sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano. Gorgonzola can be fairly strong, depending on where you get yours, so if you find it too pungent for your tastes, just use your favorite melting cheese - Gruyère would be a good choice. While the sauce is tossed with classic elbow macaroni, we wanted to add a bit more nutrition, so we used a multi-grain pasta (we have found we like Barilla Plus the best). I'm sure you're counting and you've noticed we have only used two cheeses, right? The third, shredded mozzarella, is actually layered inside! We spread half of the dressed pasta into the baking dish, scattered the cheese on and then spread the remaining pasta on top. To add a crunchy contrast to the creamy inside, the top is smothered with crisp panko breadcrumbs that we tossed with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese right before baking. While serving this home-style right out of the baking dish was easy (and what we opted for!), if you wanted to make it a bit special, you could assemble the recipe in the same manner, but portion them out into individual 1-cup ramekins (you'll need about 6) and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes instead. We loved the depth this macaroni and cheese had compared to other versions - the garlic and bay leaf that was infused into the sauce came through; however, it also didn't distract from the cheesy punch. The Gorgonzola was definitely present - it actually didn't come through as strong as I thought it might though - just enough so Jeff knew it was there, but not so much that it overwhelmed him (he usually isn't a fan). Recipes Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Breathing in the aroma of fall through baking...

Baking for another Wednesday Treat Day was on tap for today - since we have an abundance of gorgeous apples we picked at the orchard, we figured it was time to start making a dent in our supply! For this week's treat, I made this Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting. The preparation for the cake portion of this sweet recipe was a snap to do - all but two of the ingredients are tossed into a mixing bowl and beat together until crumbly. I used a combination of fragrant cinnamon, fresh grated nutmeg, cardamom and ginger to spice up this mixture - if you don't have those spices on hand already, you could just tally up the teaspoons and use the equivalent of prepared apple pie spice. As I said, this mixture is rather crumbly - so at this point, a hearty dose of chopped apples (I used a combination of Honeycrisp, Fire Side and Golden Delicious) are added, along with a cup of lightly toasted chopped walnuts. Once those apples are jostled around with the mixer, their juices are released, transforming the crumbly mixture into a thick batter that is quite reminiscent of cookie dough. Don't worry if you see the cake rise quite a bit halfway through baking and then slowly fall back as it gets closer to being done... it is suppose to work like that! Once thoroughly cooled, the cake is topped with a sweet penuche-like frosting. The frosting isn't too fussy, but it is a bit more work than a regular frosting - just be sure to let the butter and brown sugar mixture cool for about 10 minutes before beating in the confectioners' sugar. Do note that the frosting will need to be spread while still warm - if you wait too long to spread it, it will begin to set and not cover the cake well. The cake portion was very moist with chunky bits of apple strewn throughout - I wouldn't say it was dense, but it was not necessarily light in texture either. It kind of reminded me of a rich fall-spiced blondie, especially with the toasted chunks of walnuts in each bite. While fairly sweet, the thin layer of frosting was killer and turned out to be a fantastic combination with the cake underneath - it was pretty tough to stop tasting it as I was trying to spread it on top! Another benefit of this cake? It makes the house swell with the aroma of fall from those aromatic spices! For our dinner tonight, I made these individual Smoky-Spicy Tamale Pies. After browning a bit of turkey meat I coarsely ground in the food processor, we added chopped onion, a scoop of the corn I stashed in the freezer earlier in the summer and a couple cloves worth of minced garlic. We seasoned the crumbly mixture with chili powder, cumin and a healthy pinch of ground chipotle chile to back up the smoky notes from the cumin, along with a punch of heat. If you don't happen to have the chipotle, you could use about an eighth of a teaspoon worth of cayenne pepper to get that kick. Red kidney beans and a mess of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles (woo! let's hear it for spiciness!) are tossed into the skillet and quickly warmed through. Once divided out into the ramekins, a quick cornbread topping is whipped together and spooned over each serving. You'll just need to bake these long enough to bake that layer of cornbread... which is just enough time to make the filling pipping hot! If for some reason your ramekins are extra full, be sure to place them on a baking sheet before going into the oven to prevent any messes if the juices bubble over the edge. If only I thought ahead to double this... I would have certainly enjoyed another dish of this for lunch tomorrow - at two servings, Jeff and I thought it was pretty generous too. If you want to tone down the level of heat, use regular fire-roasted tomatoes and if you have it, use ancho chile powder, instead of the chipotle, to ramp up the smokiness. The recipe actually called for making two ramekins full, but it called for a ramekin size of 1 1/2 cups - I didn't have those, so I split the recipe into three 1 cup ramekins. Jeff and I just fought for the third dish - and while Jeff would lead you to believe we each ended up with half, I bet Jeff got more! If you do have the larger ramekins and wish to use them, just divide to filling and topping between the two - you will need to add 10 or so minutes to the baking time. Recipes Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting Smoky-Spicy Tamale Pies

Brat, Beer and Cheese Soup on a dreary day...

We ended up with 8 new recipes coming from the kitchen this week - our picks this time were those Maple Walnut Thumbprint Cookies, that enormous Meaty Deep-Dish Pizza, and the Peanut Energy Bars we made yesterday. If you were uncertain that fall has arrived, it definitely has up here in Minnesota! Saturday morning we woke up to frost and today has just been pretty dreary and rainy. We definitely needed something hearty, warming and comforting to fill us up tonight! Soup was definitely in order... but I needed to find a recipe that had some weight to it - after flipping through some of our options, we both decided this Brat, Beer and Cheese Soup fit the bill, especially since I didn't need to buy anything extra! Inside of our big Dutch oven, sliced carrots, chopped celery and onion bounce around in olive oil until they were quite tender. A couple cloves of minced garlic were tossed in, and as soon as it's aroma was present, all-purpose flour is sprinkled over the vegetable mixture and allowed to cook out for just a minute to remove it's raw taste. A pound of cubed russet potatoes were added, followed by a combination of chicken broth and a bottle of beer (preference is up to you - whichever favorite kind that you think would add a pleasant depth should do well). After the potatoes were given a chance to become tender, yet still retain some texture, the soup is seasoned with a bit of chipotle pepper for a smoky heat, along with mustard powder for an intriguing background. For a creamy edge with a bite, milk and just a touch of Worcestershire sauce is stirred it - if you are feeling a little decadent, swirl in some half-and-half instead of the milk... that was my plan at least, until the container I pulled out of the refrigerator was empty (! - and it wasn't me who put an empty container back). A few generous handfuls of cheddar cheese are slowly stirred in, off heat, to melt into the soup for a sharp contrast. A couple cups worth of the vegetables are then removed from the soup and pureed to give the soup a voluptuous body. If you wanted a soup that was more thin, skip this part, but we both agreed that the added texture was worth that step. Cooked and sliced links of bratwurst sausage were added to the soup, along with the puree, and the pot was placed back over the heat long enough to warm everything through. The beer brought a subtle, but noticeable, background tang to the soup that caught our attention - the soup also definitely benefited from that thicker body with those pureed vegetables. It helped to suspend those remaining chunky pieces so they didn't fall right to the bottom. In this homey and very comforting soup, if the brats don't get you excited, how about using kielbasa or going the more smoky route by crisping up a few slices of bacon to add on top first, then using their drippings to soften the vegetables? Recipes Brat, Beer and Cheese Soup