Spiced Pumpkin Fudge

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I guess this fudge could be thought of as green candy. After I had mixed the last batch of holiday cookies, I still had some pumpkin left in the can. Rather than toss it, I went looking for recipes that used only 1/2 cup of pumpkin. I found what I was looking for on the Libby's Pumpkin website and decided to try their recipe for pumpkin fudge. It sounded interesting and the recipe was straight forward, so, withing 3 hours I had fudge to add to the special treat bags I put together for the neighborhood children. Our home is perched on a hillside and the driveway that leads to it is steep in the extreme. Not many are willing to brave it, so we drop off treats for the children rather than have them come to us. The fudge was meant as an adult treat for their parents. The recipe can be made with white chocolate or butterscotch chips. I decided to go with the butterscotch version because that was what I had in my pantry. I also used my homemade pie spice (see Cook's Note below) rather than a commercial brand, but other than that I followed the recipe to a tee. It makes a very sweet fudge that will satisfy the most insistent sugar urge. While it may put the rest of us into sugar shock, it is nicely flavored and I can recommend it to those of you who really enjoy sweet things. The spicing makes the fudge a bit unusual and it certainly is seasonal. Here's the recipe for those of you who would like to give it a try.

Spiced Pumpkin Fudge...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy Libby's Pumpkin

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup or 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups butterscotch baking chips
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides for easy removal.
2) Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234 to 240 degrees F.
3) Quickly stir in butterscotch chips, marshmallow creme, pecans and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until butterscotch chips are melted. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand on wire rack for 2 hours, or until completely cooled. Refrigerate tightly covered. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Yield: 64 pieces (3 pounds).

Cook's Note: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice: Combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon mace, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.









One Year Ago Today: Clam Fritters
















Two Years Ago Today: Cranberry Souffle

Pumpkin-Pecan Squares with Cinnamon Chips

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My calendar looks like a checker board and there are times the scramble to honor the commitments I've made looks like a bad vaudeville routine. I'm told my two first words were taxi and yes and I've been cursed ever since. Today's recipe was originally made during a time crunch and chosen because it was so simple to do. I continue to use it when I'm pressed for time, and while it is not my favorite recipe, these pumpkin squares have attended a lot of meetings and pot-luck suppers. The recipe was originally developed by Martha Stewart. I've changed it slightly because I thought her version was too sweet and that other ingredients overwhelmed the flavor of the pumpkin in the bars. The original recipe can be found here. Those of you who like your sweets really sweet will enjoy these. They are moist, cake-like and mildly flavored. They are perfect with afternoon tea or coffee. If your tastes run to less sweet European-style pastries, you might want to take a pass on this recipe. The greatest virtue of these bars is the ease with which they can be prepared. Here's the recipe for those of you I haven't scared away.

Pumpkin-Pecan Squares with Cinnamon Chips...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3) With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in cinnamon chips and pecans.
4) Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
5) Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.










One Year Ago Today: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup



















Two Years Ago Today: Cocoa for a Crowd

Soul Cakes for All Hallows' Eve

Photo courtesy of Historical Foods

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Witches, ghosts, and goblins. Stealing down the street, knock on every door way, trick or treat!" The treat nowadays is candy, but the practice of dressing in costumes and going door to door for sweets dates back to the Middle Ages when the poor went begging for soul cakes. The cakes, which are actually cookies, were made for All Souls' Day. The devout mixed a measure of superstition with a dose of religion and believed that each cookie represented a soul that would be freed from Purgatory when the cookie was eaten. The cookies, called souls, were etched with crosses that clearly identified them as Alms for the dead and there was an expectation that a prayer would be said each time a cookie was eaten. Over time, the practice of souling was moved to All Hollows' Eve and the Alms for the dead were replaced with candy and other sweets. The cookies are a curiosity and it is their history that makes them interesting. There are dozens of recipes for "souls", most of which make a spicy shortbread-type cookie. Actually, the cookies aren't bad when freshly baked, but they stale fast, so eat quickly and, for heaven's sake, don't forget to say your prayers. Here's the recipe.

Soul Cakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup superfine sugar
4 cups flour, sifted
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon apple pie or pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons currants or raisins
a little milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy and pale in color. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.
3) Combine flour and spices. Fold into creamed butter.
4) Gently stir in currants or raisins. Add enough milk to make a soft dough.
5) Form into flat cakes and cut each top with a knife to make a cross.
6) Bake on prepared cookie sheet until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield: 14 to 16 cakes.








Pan de Muerto - Bread of the Dead
















Barmbrack - Irish Halloween Bread















Colcannon - Irish Halloween Traditions
















Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider


















Make Your Own Dia de Los Muertos Cookies

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #21 Ree Drummond - Creamed Spinach

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tinker? Tailor? Soldier? Sailor? Nope. At least not yet. Ree Drummond is, however, a writer, photographer, ranch wife and mother of four whose blog, The Pioneer Woman, is phenomenally successful and has been named Weblog of the Year for three years running. She is also an author and her cookbook, The Pioneer Women Cooks, is currently the New York Times best-selling cookbook. Her 2011 memoir, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels — A Love Story, and her children's picture book, Charlie the Ranch Dog, have also made it to the Times best seller list. This past summer she also began her own series on the Food Network. That's not bad for a woman who calls herself an "accidental country girl." At the rate she's going, she'll be able to buy that country. Her personality is such that you begrudge her none of that success and, in fact, cheer her on. She holds position 21 on the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in food and she's earned it. Her focus is on family recipes and the type of food that is actually served in American kitchens. I have only recently begun to follow her blog and career and found myself wondering which of her many recipes I should use to represent her work. I usually solve that kind of dilemma by asking one of two questions. Which is her most popular recipe, or, which recipe is a personal favorite? I was able to find an answer to that last question while doing some research for this post. I came across an interview, here, where she discusses choices for her last supper and there it was. I had found my recipe. It was creamed spinach! Here's the recipe for those of you who have not yet tried it .

Creamed Spinach...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ree Drummond

Ingredients:
Sauce
1 stick butter
8 tablespoons flour
1/2 of a medium medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Spinach
3 tablespoons butter
24 ounces baby spinach

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot. Sprinkle in flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until light golden brown. Throw in onion and garlic and stir together, cooking for another minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook for another five minutes while you cook the spinach.
2) To cook spinach: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a separate pot. Add spinach in increments until all incorporated, and cook until wilted but not soggy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3) To finish: Season cream sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach to the cream sauce, stirring gently to combine. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.


The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Ree Drummond today. I hope you'll visit all of them. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey, Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets, Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen, Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts, Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green,Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda, Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Amanda Hesser. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, October 31st.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been working with seasonal desserts this week. I was especially interested in those that can be made ahead of time and frozen. My focus has been on pumpkin and apple cheesecakes. The holidays are coming, and with them come a stream of visitors who need to be entertained in a gracious, yet easy, manner. I try to keep things simple and the freezer helps me do that. The cheesecakes fall into a dessert category that I use for unexpected guests. I like to bake them, cut them into bars or squares and then freeze them to use when needed. They defrost quickly and are wonderful to serve with coffee or tea. I must quickly add that I don't serve cheesecake at the end of a meal. I think they are way too rich for that, but they're perfect to serve as stand alone offerings. This is the easiest of the recipes I've been experimenting with. I really think you'll like it. The ingredient list may look a bit long, but that's because of the number of spices that are used to flavor the cake. I'll reveal the other recipes next week. Here's the recipe for today's cheesecake.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup gingerbread cookie crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine crust ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture and set aside. Firmly press remainder of crumbs onto bottom of prepared pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
3) Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in canned pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg, cloves, salt, vanilla and orange zest. Add eggs and heavy cream and beat on low speed until just combined. Pour filling over crust.
4) Bake for 35-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; then cover and chill for at least 8 hours. I chill them overnight. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs just before cutting cake into squares. Yield: 20 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Warm Black Bean Dip
















Two Years Ago Today: Maple Chocolate Walnut Bars

Turkish Tomato Rice - Domatesli Pilav

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Most Turkish food is mildly flavored and this lovely tomato rice is no exception. It lends beautiful color to a plate and it is a perfect foil to those dishes that are more highly spiced. It is wonderful accompaniment for Turkish meatballs, chops and kebabs. I have, of course, returned from our trip with recipes and cookbooks galore and have three possible versions of this dish on hand. I've chosen the easiest of them to share with you in order to keep translation to a minimum. Metric conversion is not the problem. Most Turkish recipes are written in the same way our grandmother's recipes were written and it is commonplace to see measurements given in forms that can bedevil an unsuspecting cook. A recipe may call for a tea cup of this or a coffee cup or glass of that. Then there is the distinction between the spoon, tea spoon, soup spoon and dessert spoon, each of which designates a unique quantity. At first, I thought it would be fun to post these recipes as they were written, but then realized the humor would be fleeting and your patience short-lived. So, I'll be translating the recipes I share with you and use measurements that you are more familiar with. Believe it or not, some of my new cookbooks actually have conversion tables to assist in this task. That's how I know a Turkish tea cup is equal to 4/5 of an American measuring cup, but only 2/3 of a British breakfast cup. I won't even go into the spoon thing because the conversion tables are contradictory. Fortunately, I brought home a complete set of Turkish spoons and will use them when there is confusion. The food makes all of this worthwhile and there are truly glories that come from the Turkish kitchen. I know those of you who try this recipe will really like this rice. Here's how it is made.

Turkish Tomato Rice - Domatesli Pilav...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Neset Eren

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups long grain rice
Salt to taste
4 medium tomatoes, skinned and chopped
6 tablespoons butter
2-1/2 cups beef or chicken broth
Pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Place rice in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt and cover with hot water. Stir and allow to cool. Once it's cool, drain and set aside.
2) Cook tomatoes in butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally until a paste forms, about 30 minutes. Stir constantly towards end of cooking to prevent tomatoes from burning. Add broth, salt, and pepper, and boil for 2 minutes. Add rice while the broth is still boiling. Stir once, then cover and cook on high heat, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low, keep covered, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and discard tomato skins with a slotted spoon. Place a cloth napkin over saucepan, and then recover pan with lid. Let it sit, covered, for 40 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish. Yield: 6 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Double Celery Soup












Two Years Ago Today: The Lighthouse Keeper's Rhubarb Bread

Fennel and Potato Soup - Zuppa di Finocchio e Patate

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The spirit was willing but the body was way too weak to spend this gorgeous Oregon day indoors. So, we put chores aside and the Silver Fox and I headed to the coast for a wonderful meal and an afternoon of skipping waves and walking along the shore. The breakers were high and probably tempting to those who don't know this coast. The water here is very very cold, and only the foolish brave it without special gear. California got the beaches and bikinis while Oregon got the coast line and, arguably, the better deal. Our coast is aching beautiful, even in foul weather, and on a day like today it can take your breath away. So we walked and walked and even talked some, but despite the distance covered never manged to regain an appetite for another meal. That meant soup for supper tonight. I've been wanting to try a recipe for an Italian fennel soup that I found in Saveur magazine some time ago and this was the perfect night to experiment. The recipe is quick and easy to prepare and the soup, which has a fennel base, is really interesting. I loved the soup and will make it again and again. I think those of you who like fennel, or are just looking for something different for a change, will enjoy it as well. The soup can be served hot or cold. Here's the recipe.

Fennel and Potato Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Saveur

Ingredients:
3 medium fennel bulbs + 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
1 tablespoon butter butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Trim, quarter, and core fennel bulbs, then slice into medium-size pieces, reserving 2 tablespoons feathery fennel fronds. Heat butter and olive oil together in a medium pot over medium-low heat. When butter has melted, add sliced fennel, shallots, and 1 cup of the stock. Cover and simmer gently until fennel is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
2) Increase heat to medium, add potatoes and remaining 3 cups stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until potatoes are very soft and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
3) Gently mash vegetables with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until soup is thick and chunky. Do not puree the mixture. Add a little water or additional stock if it becomes too thick. Chop reserved fennel leaves, then stir into soup. Remove soup from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Ladle soup into four bowls and serve warm, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, if you like.Yield: 4 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Pecan Bread with Streusel Topping












Two Years Ago Today: Albondigas - Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Apple Cider Donuts and the Halloween Donut Game

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Among my favorite memories of childhood are the block parties we had to celebrate Halloween. They were festive affairs that began with a parade and ended with a bonfire of fiercesome proportions, at least to those of us who had not yet reached the four foot mark. Tucked between the parade and bonfire were the games and challenges that we've all come to associate with Halloween. My favorite was the donut game. October weather in Chicago was iffy and getting drenched while bobbing for apples was not my cup of tea. I could handle wet, but wet and cold was beyond the pale. Besides, I liked donuts way more than apples and in short order became a champion at the donut game. Now, for those who have never played, the object of the game is simple. You try to eat donuts that are hung from a bar by strings of varying length. The only trick is that you can't use your hands to assist in the task. Hands must at all times be clasp behind the back and any infraction disqualifies you from the game. Back then we knew nothing about political correctness and things were called as they were seen. If you used your hands you were a cheater and were thusly labeled. Onerous, but then they were harsh times. While it is easy to see the connection between apples and the season, I've never really understood how donuts came to be included in festivities. I recently found an explanation that makes some sense of it. Fall was the traditional season for hogs to be put down. That meant cooks had plenty of rendered fat in which the donuts could be fried. I, for the life of me, can't find an explanation for the use of cider in donuts. Someone, somewhere, obviously thought it was a good idea and they were right. Cider donuts have a dense yet tender crumb that we've come to associate with cake donuts that are made with baking powder rather than yeast. The hint of spice and tang of buttermilk make them perfect for this time of year and for Halloween games. The donuts can be glazed if you like, but I prefer mine with a just a sprinkling of sugar. I know you'll like these. Here's the recipe.

Apple Cider Doughnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lauren Dawson

Ingredients:
Donuts
1 cup apple cider
3-1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat work fine)
Vegetable oil for frying
Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider

Directions:
1) To make donuts: Place apple cider in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly reduce quantity to about 1/4 cup, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool.
2) Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
3) Beat butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating just until incorporated.Reduce speed to low and gradually add cider reduction and buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add flour and mix just until dough comes together.
4) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn dough onto 1 sheet and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if dough is still wet. Transfer dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Remove from freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto second sheet pan. Refrigerate doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes.
5) Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees.
6) To make glaze: While cut donuts are chilling, make glaze by whisking confectioners' sugar and cider together until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
7) To fry and assemble: Add a few doughnuts to oil, being careful not to crowd pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn doughnuts over and fry until other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Dip top of still warm doughnuts into glaze or granulated sugar and serve immediately.Yield: 18 donuts.









One Year Ago Today: Buffalo-Style Hot Wings














Two Years Ago Today: Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Ginger Bread

The pumpkin patch early this morning.



Crew harvesting grapes in the vineyard.




Pumpkin Ginger Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Despite my best efforts to avoid the crowds, the scene at the pumpkin patch was right out of Armageddon. Inbound traffic was fierce and folks who made it into the lot were jousting for parking spots. It was just after nine in the morning and I had foolishly thought the early hour would protect me from the crowds I knew would gather later in the day. The original plan was to buy a sugar pumpkin for baking, but the scene at points of entry and exit weakened my resolve and plan B immediately went into effect. Plan B involved making a u-turn, the type that makes grown men blanch, and heading to the supermarket to buy the pumpkin puree that I had foresworn because it's outrageously expensive this year. Once the pumpkin was squared away, I headed to a local winery to pick up a special order we had made for friends who love Oregon pinot noir. I had just pulled through the gates when I heard a pop that sounded suspiciously like a gun. The sound repeated again and again and then a parade of cars of various types and vintage pulled into the winery and parked by the side of the rode. Men and women emerged from the vehicles in clown-car fashion and headed into the vineyards with buckets in their hands. The grapes have been slow to ripen this year and the crews are only now able to harvest them. They are trying to stay a step ahead of the birds who are having a field day in the vineyards. The guns I heard are air rifles designed to scatter the birds and keep them from the grapes while the crews go about their work. I had hoped to share more pictures with you because it is fascinating to see the speed with which these folks work. However, the camera was obviously making some of them uncomfortable, so I decided to put it away and just watch what they were doing. This was not the place to even intimate "la migra." I spent more time there than I had intended and that meant I had swap out the recipe I planned to share with you today. I'm featuring a quick bread that I like to make at this time of year. It's a pumpkin bread that's flavored with ginger and orange zest and it's remarkably easy to assemble. I think those of you who try it will really be pleased. Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Ginger Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted + butter for pans
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), + flour for pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (1-3/4 cups)
3 large eggs


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans; set aside.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, orange zest and salt.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.
4) Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves.








One Year Ago Today: Cinnamon Candy Apples














Two Years Ago Today: Celery Soup

Regency Ginger Crisps

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When my children were small, the first crisp days of autumn signaled the return of soup and rising bread to my kitchen. The soup would steam the windows and the dough added a yeasty aroma to air already perfumed by the lingering scent of burning leaves. These were the the years of ginger bread and apple crisp and the making of memories that I carry still with me today. These days, the fall kitchen, replete with memory, moves into high gear when our rains begin to fall and evening temperatures plummet with the setting of the sun. Today saw the making of bread and the quick assembly of ingredients for a long simmering bean soup. I decided to make cookies rather than a cake or bread, and as I was in need of gingersnaps I decided to try a recipe that's been on my to-do list for way too long a time. The recipe in question was for ginger crisps that appeared in the Joanne Fluke's, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders. Now here is where I'll get myself in trouble. I really wanted the cookies to make a crumb base for some other recipes that I planned to test this weekend. I don't like the crumbs that are made with standard gingersnaps, and the Swedish cookies that I do love are just to expensive to use in this way. My solution has always been to make my own cookies and then mash them into crumbs. Inelegant? Certainly. Delicious? But of course! Now in the pursuit of crumbs, I must tell you I did manage to nibble on a cookie or two and can report that they are a great standalone treat, especially with a tall glass of cold milk to keep them company. They also make great crumbs. Save for the extended wait time required to chill the dough, the cookies are easy to make and are a great addition to any cookie collection. Like any molasses based cookie, they want to stick to the cookie sheets so get them to cooling racks as quickly as you can. If you haven't yet done so, I hope you'll give these cookies a try. Here's the recipe.

Regency Ginger Crisps...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Joanne Fluke and the Chocolate Chip Murder Mystery

Ingredients:
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 large beaten egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2-1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:
1) Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Cool if necessary. Add egg. Sir in soda, molasses, salt, and ginger. Mix well. Chill dough for at least an hour.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3) Roll dough into balls and then roll them in white sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets and flatten. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield 36 cookies

From Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke






One Year Ago Today: Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies















Two Years Ago Today: Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #20 Molly Wizenberg - French-Style Yogurt Cake with Lemon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Molly Wizenberg has degrees in biology, French and cultural anthropology, but several years ago she left academia to become a freelance food writer and creator of the enormously popular blog, Orangette. She was raised in a family of food lovers and she learned to cook because "the kitchen was where things happened." Her intended career path changed after a period of introspection that followed the unsettling death of her father. A friend suggested she write a food blog as an outlet for her intense interest in food and in 2004 Orangette was born. Orangette's audience grew steadily and in 2009 it was named the world's top food blog by the Times of London. For a time she was also a columnist for Bon Appetit magazine and her memoir, A Homemade Life, was on the New York Times bestseller list. She and her husband, whom she met through a correspondence that began on her blog, operate a restaurant, called Delancey, in Seattle. She holds position 20 on the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in food. I've chosen her recipe for French-Style Yogurt Cake with Lemon to share with you today. This is the recipe that inspired her husband to introduce himself to her. It is simple, delicious and quite easy to prepare. I like to use Meyer lemons for the cake and glaze. Here's her recipe.

Gâteau au Citron - French-Style Yogurt Cake with Lemon...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Molly Wizenberg

"This type of cake is an old classic in France, the sort of humble treat that a grandmother would make. Traditionally, the ingredients are measured in a yogurt jar, a small glass cylinder that holds about 125 ml. Because most American yogurts don't come in such smart packaging, you'll want to know that 1 jar equals about 1/2 cup."

Ingredients
For the cake:
1 jar plain yogurt
2 jars granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 jars unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 jar canola oil

For the glaze:
Juice from 2 lemons
1/2 jar powdered sugar

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, and eggs, stirring until well blended. Add the flour, baking powder, and zest, mixing to just combine. Add the oil and stir to incorporate. At first, it will look like a horrible, oily mess, but keep stirring, and it will come together into a smooth batter. Pour and scrape the batter into a buttered 9-inch round cake pan (after buttering, I sometimes line the bottom with a round of wax or parchment paper, and then I butter that too).
3) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
4) Cool cake on a rack for about 20 minutes; then turn it out of the pan to cool completely.
5) When the cake is thoroughly cooled, combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl and spoon it gently over the cake. The glaze will be thin and will soak in like a syrup.
Serve.

Variations: This type of yogurt-based cake is a terrific base for many improvisations. For a basic yogurt cake, simply leave out the lemon zest, and do not use the lemon juice glaze. For an almond version, try replacing 1 jar of flour with 1 jar of finely ground almonds. You can also play with adding various fruits (if frozen, do NOT thaw before adding) or nuts, if you like. When I add fruit, I generally pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan, top it with a layer of fruit, and then pour in the other half of the batter, sometimes adding more fruit on the very top.

The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Molly Wizenberg today. I hope you'll visit all of them. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey, Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets, Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen, Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts, Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green,Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda, Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Ree Drummond. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, October 24th.

Cappadocian Cave Houses - Turkish Chickpea Stew with Squash, Potatoes and Baharat

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My father's prediction haunts me, and, despite his admonishments, I must admit I've become a troglodyte. As a young man, the Silver Fox was a spelunker and had heated discussions with my father regarding his predilection for sometimes daring adventures. My daddy was a practical man and couldn't understand why anyone would venture into a cave that it had taken his ancestors millions of years to escape. They never resolved the issue, but had my father been with us in Cappadocia I think he might have cut Bob some slack. Volcanic eruptions here have created an almost lunar landscape that is stark, spare and stunning. The area is also a study in the adaptability of man and his ability to harness the environment that surrounds him. In Cappadocia, the lack of standard building materials caused inhabitants to dig and tunnel into the soft rock and make their homes in the caverns they hollowed out. The homes and underground cities they built still stand and welcome visitors to the area. Most of these homes have been turned into hotels and residents also serve set meals to adventurous tourists who find there way here. We had a lovely meal in one of the caves. Our hosts were a Muslim family and they prepared a typical vegetarian meal for us.

I wanted to share a recipe for a stew that's similar to the one they made for us. It uses an intensely flavored spice mix, called baharat. The mixture is used with regional variations throughout the Middle-East. The Turkish version is unique because it includes dried mint in the spice mixture. It can be found or ordered from any spice emporium, but I included a recipe for those of you who prefer to make your own. The stew itself is an eye-opener and is definitely not for those who prefer more mildly seasoned food. It is easy and inexpensive to make and not much can go wrong with it. You will, however, want to make sure the vegetables are cooked to your liking before serving the dish. View the cook time in the recipe as a suggestion rather than fiat. I like to serve the stew over rice with a cooling dish of raita on the side. Here's the recipe.

Turkish Baharat - A Spice Mix

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1-1/2 teaspoons ground mint
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.


Turkish Chickpea Stew with Squash, Potatoes and Baharat...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michael Natkin at Herbivoracious

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons Turkish baharat
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
3/4 pound winter squash or pumpkin, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 teaspoon Kosher salt + salt to taste, divided use
1 cup water or vegetable stock
2 (15-oz.) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
Minced fresh mint or cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Saute over medium-high heat until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.
2) Add Turkish baharat and, if using, cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, or until spice mixture is fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, potatoes, squash and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add water or stock and stir to mix in. Cover pot and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook until potatoes and squash are nearly tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3) Mix in chickpeas and simmer until vegetables are fork tender but still retain their shape, about 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and serve hot over rice. Yield: 5 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Blue Cheese Dip













Two Years Ago Today: Crock-Pot Yellow Pea Soup

Pide - Turkish Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When traveling, those of us who have replaced backpacks and hostels with more upscale arrangements are often shortchanged. While accommodations may be more comfortable, it can be difficult for tourists to get a feel for the food of the areas they are visiting. In an effort to please everyone, hotel dining rooms have dumbed down the food they serve and those who want to sample local fare often have to hit the streets in order to find it. While our hotels in Turkey served wonderful food, it was usually an adaption of Turkish food and both Bob and I preferred the more authentic street food and meals we found on our own. We were also extremely fortunate to have a guide whose plans for us included wonderful lunches in Turkish homes and local restaurants. One of the dishes she introduced us to was pide, the Turkish equivalent of pizza. Pide is made in wood-fired ovens and while it is bears some resemblance to pizza, it is not as heavy. An assortment of ingredients can be used to top it and it makes an extremely satisfying meal that is inexpensive and a lunchtime favorite in areas where it can be found. I thought you might enjoy it as well, so I wanted to pass the recipe on to you. I have included instructions for making the dough that forms the pide base, but the world will not end if you use a commercially prepared equivalent. My only caution is to keep the crust thin. This is an interesting dish and I think you will enjoy it. Here's how it is made.


Pide - Turkish Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Dough

Ingredients: (makes approx four Pide bases)
2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup warm water or milk
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1) Sprinkle yeast on top of water or milk. Stir in sugar and let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in yeast and olive oil and mix until well-blended. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3) Return dough to bowl. Dust top with flour and cover bowl with clear plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Let sit in a warm spot until dough is 50 % higher than before, about 20 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
5) Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and kneed each of them on a lightly floured surface to eliminate air bubbles. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into an elongated oval or rectangle.
6) Using one of the toppings below, spread each piece to within 1-inch of edges. Crimp edges and brush with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes on a baking sheet or directly on oven racks.

Meat Topping

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 peeled and diced tomato
1 sweet bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, spread thinly over dough. Bake as instructed above.

Cheese Topping

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Oregano
Coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil until transparent, add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant. Add tomatoes, and let mixture cook until most of juice has evaporated. Spread sauce on top of pide. Top with black olives and some of the feta and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and black pepper to taste.Bake as directed above.







One Year Ago Today: Soupe Au Pistou













Two Years Ago Today: Thai Fish Cakes with Cucumber Relish

Turkish-Style Pumpkin Hummus

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The young women of Turkey, especially those whose fate has placed them in larger towns and cities, are lovely and lead lives quite similar to yours or mine. Yet, a trip to villages just outside these cities illustrates the vagaries of fate and tells a story of a completely different kind. Turkey is justly famous for its food and the abundance of its table. The land supports the growth of fruits and vegetables and grains, and a trip to a Turkish market presents a veritable rainbow of color and a range of choice that's guaranteed to please anyone who likes to cook. I'd love to tell you that that abundance is the result of shared labor, but to do so would be a lie. Women man the farms and while they are in the fields their husbands and fathers are otherwise engaged. The work is backbreaking and the faces of these women are lined and cracked liked ill-fired terra cotta bricks. They age quickly and even their veils can't hide the ravages of the sun and the heavy work they do. The nature of our trip placed us on Turkish highways for long periods of time. We would occasionally stop to stretch and take a look at what was going on around us. One of the stops we made was at a roadside stand where melons and squash were being sold. We were offered samples of local melons and the Silver Fox, who is powerless in the hands of small children, was approached by a little guy carrying a melon that was the size of his head. I want you to know that melon made it with us from the outskirts of Ankara to Istanbul before it was finally eaten. It was delicious, if slightly overripe.That same market also sold pumpkin which I learned had a prominent place in the Turkish diet. With pumpkin readily available in our own markets at this time of year, I thought you might enjoy this quick and easy version of hummus that is made with it instead of chickpeas. This is wonderful when made with fresh pumpkin but the canned variety is an acceptable substitute. I like to make this dip the day before I plan to serve it. Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Hummus...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy ofSaad Fayed

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons tahini
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish as desired. Serve with toasted pita bread or chips.








One Year Ago Today: Apple Oatmeal Bread with Raisins















Two Years Ago Today: Old-Fashioned Double Chocolate Pudding