The Freshman Cook

Monday, November 12, 2012

Crisp Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti!

I love any type of biscotti, but this pumpkin biscotti seems made for fall. It's stuffed full of chocolate chips and pecan bits, with a drizzle of chocolate over the top. It's perfect for dipping in hot chocolate or in your morning mug of coffee, and it would be tasty for your Thanksgiving buffet too!

Pumpkin Biscotti

(loosely adapted from Sweet Pea Baking Co)

1 cup granulated Sugar

1/3 cup Butter

1 Egg

2 tablespoons Water

1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup chopped Pecans
Chocolate for drizzle

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat your butter and sugar together, until slightly fluffy.

Add pumpkin and beat again until combined.

Add your vanilla, egg, and water and beat until well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together your flour,
baking powder, spice and salt.

Add flour mixture into pumpkin mix.
Mix just until incorporated.

Chop your pecans.....

into very small bite size pieces.
Add your chocolate chips.....

and mix together. Lots of times I will make cookie dough
the night before I cook it. That is what I did here.
I made the dough, refrigerated it over night, took it out in the
morning, let it get soft, and then added the
pecans and chocolate chips.

Place the dough on a baking sheet covered with
parchment paper. Make two even rectangles of dough,
about 3" wide and about 9" or 10" long.
I like to wear gloves when I do this because the dough
tends to stick to my fingers.

Bake in your oven for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Cut each log into slices 1" to 1 1/2" wide.
When you cut the biscotti pieces, use a knife that
is not serrated. It will give you nice smooth pieces.

Place your pieces back onto your baking sheet.
You can use the same piece of parchment.

Bake in the oven for another 10-15 minutes
or until lightly browned.
Let cool.

Drizzle chocolate over each piece of biscotti.
Let dry.

Enjoy!

I originally saw this recipe on EVERYDAYDISH.TV.
The original recipe was made by Kate Marggraf, of
Sweet Pea Baking Company of Portland Oregan.
The bakery is a vegan bakery, and the recipe was
a vegan recipe, but I changed it to suit this blog.

Thanks for joining me!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Brie and Apple Tarts~A Pinterest Inspired Treat!

It's time for another Pinterest Inspired Blog Hop, and today's inspired post comes from a blog called Bloghungry. These brie and apple tarts are the perfect fall treat. I made a few changes to the original recipe, but the sweetness of the soft, warm, spiced apple and the subtle brie taste are still there. These are good. And easy to make! They are perfect for breakfast, a snack, and even dessert!

Brie and Apple Tarts

(makes 4 tarts)

1 sheet of thawed Puff Pastry

1 Granny Smith Apple

1/2 tablespoon Brown Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon Butter

1/4 of a Brie Cheese round

1 Egg

Flour ( for rolling)

Caramel

Chocolate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly flour your working surface.

Unfold your puff pasty and roll in out into a 10"X10"

sheet.

Cut the sheet in to quarters.

Peel, core and slice your apple.

Cut your brie into thin slices.

Place a slice of brie, and 3-4 slices of apple

in the middle of each square.

Combine your cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl.

Set aside.

Make an egg wash by beating an egg with a fork.

Set aside.

Evenly divide the cinnamon and brown sugar mix

between the squares. Divide the butter between the

squares also.

Use your egg wash, and brush the border of the pastry square.

Fold 2 opposite corners together to the center,

brush them with the egg wash, and overlap them so

they stick together. Brush the top wih egg wash.

Place the tarts on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Once tarts are out of the oven, drizzle them with melted caramel.

Then drizzle with melted chocolate.

Enjoy!

Thank you Bloghungry!

What a great recipe!

Here's where we are partying:
All My Bloggy Friends

Here's what everyone else made:

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Comfort Food at It's Best~Classic Stuffing!

It is time again for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, and this month we are making stuffing! Stuffing was one of the first recipes I ever made. I remember getting up extremely early, or so it seemed at the time, to make the dressing and stuff the turkey. It had to go in the oven so we could eat at 2:00pm. I have made this same dressing every Thanksgiving since I have been married. Sometimes I added a cornbread dressing, and one time I even made a dressing with walnuts, but I always make this one.

Classic Homestyle Stuffing

(serves 4)

2 tablespoon Butter

1 cup Onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup Celery, finely chopped

3 cups Milk

20 slices Bread

1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Pepper

1/2 cup Chicken Broth

Melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and celery, and saute until tender.

Pour the milk into a large bowl.

Dip the slices of bread into the milk, pull the bread

apart, and place it in your pot.

Add the poultry seasoning, garlic powder, pepper,

and chicken broth.

Mix well. Stuff your turkey and bake.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

Check out the rest of the

Crazy Cooking Challenge entries:

Monday, November 5, 2012

Tasty, Creamy Apple Cinnamon Creme Brulee

This recipe brings together a few of my favorite ingredients. I just love apples and cinnamon, and what could be better than baked apples and cinnamon sprinkled with sugar and submerged in rich, decadent cream. This tasty Apple Cinnamon Creme Brulee is like fall in a ramekin. Savor it!