Cranberry Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark

This sweet treat is not only chocolate-y good, it's healthy too!!  Pistachios, cranberries and dark chocolate are loaded with antioxidants, not to mention fiber, good fats and vitamin C, so here's a sweet treat you won't feel guilty giving out.

With the holidays around the corner, if baking is not your thing, making chocolate bark just couldn't be easier. With only three ingredients, the only appliance you need is a microwave to create this.

You can use any combination of nuts and dried fruit to make bark, but I just love the festive colors in this combination, and it tastes great too. What's your favorite bark?

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

Crock pots are so convenient, plug them in and go to work... come home and dinner's ready! I've always wondered if I can make meatballs start to finish in my crock pot without having to bake them first. Well now I know the answer, yes you can!

I'm starting to experiment with some of my favorite recipes to see how they translate into the crock pot and I plan on posting the ones I have success with. For the stove top version of this recipe, see Skinny Italian Turkey Meatballs.

One thing I should mention, it's best to carefully form the meatballs with gentle hands, if you pack them tight they will get tough while cooking. If you prefer to bake them in the oven first, bake them for 15 minutes at 350°. Then add to the crock pot for 2 - 3 hours on low. If you want more sauce, add another can of crushed tomatoes.

The one step I wouldn't skip is browning the garlic in oil first, this is a must for best results. And of course, you all know I swear by Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (green label.)

And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it's done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is great, I am very happy with it and it's only about $28 on Amazon right now!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Harvest Turkey Soup with Jamaican Spice

My favorite part about thanksgiving other then chillin with the fam is left over turkey. I look forward to it all year and even buy an extra big turkey to cook and freeze for turkey soup, posole and other savory goodies.


I had butternut squash and asparagus in my crisper and decided that they would be perfect in a turkey soup. Crisp corn, garlic, mushrooms and a pinch of Jamaican allspice made this a wonderful  sweet  and  savory  soup the whole family loved.



Ditch the canned soup and try this the next time your body craves some comfort food.

Harvest Turkey Soup

2 cups cooked, cubed turkey
6 cups home made or good quality chicken broth
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup chopped asparagus
1-8 oz can mushrooms, drained
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                          

1 teaspoon olive oil                                                                                                                               1 teaspoon Bragg's Season All                                                                                                       1 teaspoon Jamaican allspice
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy based soup pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Add onion, cook till golden brown. Add garlic, cook 1 more minute. Add broth and squash, cook for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, lower heat, cover and cook till heated through, about 7 minutes.

What's your favorite way to use left over turkey?

Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)

Chunks of beef are simmered in beer with scallions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin and cilantro. Sometimes I make it with just the meat, sometimes I add yucca or potatoes. Serve this over rice with a little aji picante and you'll have a delicious comfort dish, Latin style!

I get lots of emails telling me how much you all love my Latin dishes. It's probably what I do best. When I crave beef stew, it's always this Colombian version I crave. You can use water in place of beer if you prefer. If achiote or sazon isn't something you can find near you, leave it out, it will still be good!

This is a great recipe for those of you who own a pressure cooker. The meat comes out so tender in half the time. I've included directions for those of you who own a pressure cooker. I've never made this in my crock pot, but I'm sure it would be great too, I may experiment with it next time I make it, I would probably add less liquid.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing

These adorable snowman cupcakes are low fat, easy to make and they are a hit with the kids!

To make the face, I used ingredients easily found in the supermarket. Jellybeans, mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and some colored sprinkles. The cupcake itself is made of Duncan Hines cake mix.

I love experimenting with box cake mix, it makes whipping up dessert so much easier and I love how it can be used to make low fat treats! The most popular cupcake so far has been my Skinny Pumpkin Cupcakes made with nothing but cake mix, pumpkin and water. Second place is probably the Pineapple Bliss cupcakes that only required box cake mix and crushed pineapple, and then there is the Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes made with only cake mix, pudding, pumpkin and water and let's not forget the Pink Lemonade Cupcakes.

Well here's the latest combination I recently discovered, you can make deliciously easy, low-fat cupcakes with an 18.25 oz box of Duncan Hines Cake Mix, 6 oz fat free Chobani yogurt, egg whites and water. No oil or butter required and they come out delicious!

For the vanilla icing, I simply mixed some powdered sugar with a little melted butter and some water and it was perfect for these cupcakes because the candy didn't melt like it would if I used cream cheese frosting. These cupcakes don't use a lot of icing, less than a tablespoon on each. If you plan on making them into snowmen, work quickly putting the candy on or the frosting will harden.

My daughter loved these! The nose and eyes were the first to go.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny No-Bake Cookies

Christmas is right around the corner and I know a lot of you will be busy baking sweet Holiday treats in the weeks to come. My mom is one of them; she bakes enough cookies for a small army and gives them all away as gifts. My older daughter loves to bake, a tradition she shared with grandma since she was very little.

Me, I always preferred cooking to baking. Baking is so precise where cooking is easier to improvise. Which is why I love these cookies... no baking required!

They are pretty addicting and quite filling too. Oh, did I mention they are gluten-free (if you use gluten free oats) and egg-less? I even had a few of these for breakfast! Milk, oatmeal, peanut butter... why not?

Last year was the first time I heard of no-bake cookies. Someone had sent me their recipe and asked me to lighten them up. This year, once again someone asked me to lighten these up, so after a few attempts to get them just right, we finally had success!

To lighten these up I used Better'n Peanut Butter which you can find at Target, health food stores, Amazon, or even Trader Joe's. Some supermarket's even carry them.  Yes, you could use light peanut butter instead, but the fat content is higher and honestly, I liked them better with the Better 'n Peanut Butter!

You can roll them in powdered sugar or cocoa just before serving, or leave them as is. Keep them refrigerated if you don't plan on eating them right away.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

My favorite way to use up leftover turkey is to make a delicious pot of turkey soup. This is also a great way to clean out your refrigerator!

To make the best tasting soup, make your own stock, it's easy! Bones make a rich, flavorful stock; use the leftover turkey carcass along with any leftover turkey meat along with an onion, a few stalks of celery, some garlic, herbs, and anything else you find in your refrigerator and let it simmer on low covered with water for a few hours. Then toss out the bones and vegetables, reserve the turkey and start your soup. There are no exact measurements, use whatever is in your refrigerator, or of course you can use canned stock or broth instead.

And yes, you can do this with chicken too!

Some other ideas for leftover turkey, try Skinny Turkey Cuban Sandwich, or Baked Turkey Croquettes, delicious topped with leftover gravy!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Leftover Parmesan Mashed Potato Patties

These parmesan mashed potato patties are so good, you'll want to make sure you have leftovers next time you make mashed potatoes!!

I love making these patties whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes so I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing the next day. Serving size will change depending on how much mashed potatoes you have leftover. I wrote this recipe assuming you have half a batch of leftover skinny garlic mashed potatoes.

This works best with cold mashed potatoes.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pumpkin Roll, Lightened Up

Pumpkin sponge cake rolled with a lightened up cream cheese frosting. What can be prettier on your Thanksgiving table!

One day I had some extra cream cheese frosting laying around my kitchen. I also had some fat free Greek yogurt in my refrigerator and my wheels started turning; what would happened if I mixed the two? Well, all I can say is it was fabulous! I let a few others taste it to see what they thought, and they all agreed. So when I had all these requests to make over a pumpkin roll, I knew this would be my filling! I added some crushed walnuts to the filling and it was delicious! You can make it without the nuts, you'll save one point. I find Fage to be the thickest Greek yogurt, so that is what I recommend here.

For best results, if you're planning on making this, it's best to make it the day before and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to serve it. You can even make it up to 2 days ahead.

Can you use egg whites? I'm not sure, this has no butter or oil so I think the fat in the yolks is essential. Can you use Splenda? I'm sure you can, but I have not tested it, if anyone makes it with good results, please let me know!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

How to Roast a Brined Turkey

To roast a juicy, succulent turkey, without using any butter or oil, soak your turkey in a brine bath overnight, you will never want to cook a turkey another way.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spiced Cranberry Chutney with Apricots, Cherries and Pecans

When did we as Americans (just my observation) start filling our tables and bellies with an assortment of fatty and sugary food for Thanksgiving?  Do we use the holiday as an excuse to over indulge? I do believe that all most things in moderation are fine but I would really like to see more real, whole foods on the holiday table. I love veggies but even if your not as excited about them as I am, there are so many delicious and new ways to try them that there's really no reason to load your plate with 3 different kinds of potatoes, stuffing and bread.





Fall produce is one of the healthiest and tastiest in my opinion and needs very little or no sugar or additives to make them a perfect holiday dinner addition. Take cranberries for example. Besides being gorgeous, they are a super power food for your health and yet most people buy the canned stuff and then pour sugar into them. Whole, fresh cranberries can be simply prepared or added to stuffing, squash, a salad or as a chutney.



Try making this cranberry, apricot and cherry chutney this year, it goes perfect with turkey and you can add it to your left over turkey sandwiches for a tangy twist! You can add diced apples too if you'd like. No sugar is needed but if you find it too tart, which I happen to love, add a teaspoon of  honey or turbinado/raw sugar to the cranberries as they cook.

Check back in the next day or two, I will be posting a simple and savory variation of green bean casserole.

Cranberry Chutney

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

1-12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup dried cherries or fresh chopped apples

1/2 cup dried apricots chopped

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 tsps. orange zest

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp each ground fennel and ground cardamom

1/8 tsp each ground cloves and ground ginger

pinch of cayenne pepper!

Mix spices; bring cider, pom juice and spice blend to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a gentle boil. Cook until some of the cranberries just start to pop, 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, mix dried cherries, apples if using, apricots, pecans and orange zest in a bowl. Add cooked cranberries and toss gently to coat. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be covered and refrigerated for a week.

A note on spices used in this recipe.

Fennel

Fennel Seed is a common herb used to promote good digestion and ease gas and bloating. This Mediterranean herb can also be found in many medicinal formulas designed to help ease women through monthly fluctuations. Fennel is also thought to help produce milk for nursing mothers.  Fennel is said to cure earache, toothache, asthma and rheumatism. It is meant to help stop hiccups and coughs, and improve eyesight. It has even been thought of as a good slimming agent. Fennel oil is used in cough medicine, liquorice sweets, perfumes and soaps.

Cardamom

 Cardamom is a very intense and wonderful spice. If you haven't ever tried it I suggest you add it to your spice collection soon. Use it in this cranberry recipe, stuffing's, Indian and Mediterranean foods, give your Holiday cookies and cakes a wonderful exotic flavor, pairs well with orange flavor.

Cardamom is know for oral/gum health and a powerful antioxidant, especially when concerning the brain.
I thought this piece of information was very interesting and fun however.

Cardamom is also widely known as an aphrodisiac in the more mystic and esoteric circles of society. Love spells, love potions and general chemical concoctions having to do with romance, lust and attraction usually have cardamom as a component. 

Roasting a Turkey 101 {Excellent tips and tricks for a perfect turkey!}

If you've never roasted your own turkey for Thanksgiving because you thought it was to hard I'm here to make your day. It falls into the category "So easy, a mom of 4 can do it.". There are a million different recipes and ways to cook your Thanksgiving turkey from brining, roasting, deep frying and smoking. There are also a ton of different tutorials out there that had me hesitant to pick one up and give it a go for fear of ruining a perfectly good turkey.

For the last few years I've been popping a turkey in the oven for a mini Thanksgiving dinner for our little family, mostly for the leftovers. It's wonderful to share the holidays with the whole fam but we were sad every year that we couldn't wake up the next day and have a turkey cranberry sandwich for lunch. This is when I decided to bite the bullet and buy a turkey.

Last year, I chose an Organic turkey from Trader Joe's and was oh so pleased with the juicy, natural tasting meat that we got from it. I've never brined a turkey but have heard wonderful things about it. I was pleased to see that my Trader Joe's turkey was already brined {honestly, I don't think it's absolutely necessary but try for yourself}. All I did was rinse it off, rub under the skin with an oil and herbed mixture and then pat the outside with butter to make it moist and golden brown.  

Voila!  Mamma made a turkey! 

How to Roast a Turkey  {the easy way}

1. To choose a turkey you will calculate 1 pound per person on a turkey up to 12 lbs and 3/4 lb per person on a turkey up to 24 lbs. This is because the bigger the turkey the more meat to bone ratio. I like to get one bigger so we have left overs.

2. Prepare Turkey. The biggest mistake I made the first time I made a turkey was not leaving enough time for it to thaw (this was before my Trader Joe's turkey which was fresh). I thought I could take a huge frozen turkey and stick it in the fridge a day or two before Thanksgiving like I would a small chicken and be fine. BIG mistake. It was still frozen solid and we had to wait 2 more days.  Ooops.  You could probably stick it in a clean sink with water, but I never liked that option.

3. Cleaning your Turkey. Again, several tutorials that involve a lot of steps, but really you just need to pull out the innards if they haven't been already and place the thawed Turkey on a rack over  sink and carefully rinse it inside and out with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels.

4. Turkey Spa Treatment.  I haven't stuffed my turkey but prefer rather to make a separate sour dough or corn bread stuffing. Therefor, I discard the innards. Now, place your clean and dry turkey, breast side up in a deep roasting pan with a wire rack on the bottom. In a small food processor or with a knife, finely chop a couple of tablespoons of fresh rosemary, thyme and 1/2 a cup of yellow onion (minced finely).   I find that garlic goes well with chicken and onion with turkey.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of good quality sea salt to the herb and onion mixture and mix together. Pull back the skin of the turkey with one hand and using your other hand push between the skin and the meat to separate the two without removing the skin. Now, using your hand, spread the herb mixture under the skin, onto the meat. Cover as much area as you can. 

The turkey loves this, 'Gobble, Gobble!.   Think of it as a herbal facial.

Now it's time for the turkey's massage treatment. Using a small piece of slightly softened, real butter, rub the entire skin of the turkey. This browns the turkey nicely and locks in moisture. A moist and tan turkey is a happy turkey.

Cooking the turkey. I know you're supposed to use a meat thermometer but I don't have one, bad mommy. Most turkeys come with a little pop up thingy that lets you know when it's done anyway. A meat thermometer would be nice to have though especially if you are a novice cook. It can also let you know how close to being done your turkey is so you can prepare the final touches of your dinner.

Place turkey breast side down in a large roasting pan with a wire race placed on the bottom. I have found that placing the turkey breast side down allows for the juices to run down through the breast as it cooks making it even moister.  Now, loosely cover your turkey with heavy tin foil or place in a cooking bag. This is important!  You don't want a dried out turkey.

Place your turkey in an oven preheated to 325 degrees F. Do not add water to the pan. If using a meat thermometer, cook until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F and juices run clear.

For an  unstuffed  turkey that is 8-12 lbs turkey you will cook it for approximately 3  - 4  hours. Add about 15-20 minutes for every extra pound. Stuffed turkey take a bit longer. A good chart can be found here.

When done, carefully remove turkey from oven and place on a carving platter. Let cool for 10 minutes before carving.  Admire your beautiful turkey! 

I should have turned him around for his photo shoot, oops.

 Happy Holidays from Simply Healthy Family!

Did I miss anything?

What turkey tricks do you have up your sleeve?

Make-Over Corn Casserole

Corn casserole, a cross between of a corn pudding and a corn bread is a wonderful addition to anyone's holiday table.

I've had so many requests in the last few weeks to make this over, so by popular demand I decided to tackle this. My cousin always makes corn casserole for Thanksgiving so I knew just where to turn for a good starting point.

To lighten this up, I swapped the eggs out for egg whites, replaced the sour cream with fat free Greek yogurt and I used light butter. This was really simple to make, and all my taste testers approved. I think next time I make this I may add a pinch of parmesan cheese, but it was good as is.

You can make this ahead and heat it up when you are ready to eat. This is also great reheated the next day for leftovers.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Crab Hush Puppies w Chili con Carne

When I was little my mom let us choose what ever we wanted for dinner on our birthday's.  My brother and sisters used to pick pizza, fajitas and Mac n' Cheese. Normal things that most normal kids love. I however, am not now nor have ever been entirely  normal. I looked forward to my birthday dinner and as early as  I can remember I requested seared jumbo sea scallops in garlic butter and home made hush puppies. Sweet, crispy,  hot hush puppies. I haven't had them in years. I've never even attempted to make them myself! Not until tonight. Boy oh  boy did I miss them. 






I came across a recipe for crab hush puppies in 'Smart Cooking the Costco Way' and knew I needed to make them immediately. A year later I actually did.

They were worth the wait. I didn't have my jumbo sea scallops but opted instead to serve them with my world famous home made chili. I had left over roast beef from enchiladas and so I came up with a chili con carne that was sweet, spicy and wonderful.    My hush puppies were in love immediately.

If you love all things spicy like we do, don't forget to add a tablespoon or two of your favorite hot sauce right into the batter. If you have kids who are wimps like ours are, save the hot sauce to serve along side of these babies. I personally recommend Srirachi Hot Sauce which you can find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. Nom.

Crab Hush Puppies
4-6 cups grape seed oil for frying  {please see note below}
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt (yes, that's correct)
1-2 tablespoons of your fav hot sauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 lb Dungeness crab meat {I used fresh/jarred claw meat from the meat counter}
5 large green onions, thinly sliced
extra hot sauce to dash on the puppies or tarter sauce if your wimpy



Heat oil in a heavy 4-quart pan over med-high heat until it registers 350F on a deep-fry thermometer. Preheat oven to 170F.
While the oil is heating, stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together hot sauce, eggs and milk then add to the cornmeal mixture and stir until combined. Fold in crab.
Carefully, drop batter by small spoon fulls into heated oil. Don't over crowd the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary. Transfer with a slotted spoon or fork to paper towels to drain briefly. Transfer each batch of hush puppies to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven till ready to serve. Add more oil in between batches as needed and let heat back up to 350F {I don't own a thermometer, I just put my hand close to the oil and guess can expertly tell when it's ready, usually just 30 seconds or so after adding more oil.}
Serve immediately.

note:

Grape seed oil has a moderately high smoke point of approximately 216 °C (421 °F). As a result, it is more ideal than several other cooking oils for high temperature cooking and can be safely used to cook at moderate temperatures during stir frying, sauteeing or deep frying. Due to its clean, light taste, and high polyunsaturated fat content, it is also used as an ingredient in salad dressings and mayonnaise and as a base for oil infusions of garlic, rosemary, or other herbs or spices.

Hello darlings.

For the chili con carne:

Pretty self explanatory but I suggest using R.W. Knudsen 'Very Veggie' juice for the base. Lots of stewed tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, onions, lots of garlic and chili powder. I used corn since I was using the roast beef (carne) this time, they just go good together in my opinion.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Tender crisp green beans roasted to perfection, topped with shredded parmesan cheese. This is the easiest way to prepare the best tasting green beans, picky kid approved!

I'm getting tons of requests for green bean casserole, and I'm not going to lie, I've never been a fan. I dislike soft, mushy green beans, I much prefer them tender crisp. The easiest way to achieve that is by roasting them, they come out consistently perfect every time!

I make these quite often, you can season them however you like, add some crushed red pepper for a little kick or even leave the parmesan off. If you want to double the recipe, I suggest using two baking sheets. Serve them immediately out of the oven for best results.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Chicken Sausage and Herb Stuffing

If sausage stuffing is a must on your Thanksgiving table, this recipe will not dissappoint! Lean chicken sausage is combined with celery, onion and fresh herbs to create a great tasting stuffing you won't believe is light.

I used one of my favorite lean sweet Italian chicken sausages from my local butcher, but it's hard to say what the nutritional info is without a label, so I've been using Isernio's as a guesstimate. If you follow Weight Watchers, you are saving 2 points by swapping pork sausage for lean chicken sausage and I bet no one would know the difference. I like using french bread since it's naturally fat-free and makes a great stuffing. A whole wheat loaf would also be great if you can find one.

You can make this the night before, and bake it before you are ready to serve. Leftovers should be good for about 3 days.

I ordered Williams-Sonoma turkey brine to test out on a young fresh turkey this week. Truth is we always go to my Mom's for Thanksgiving and she always makes the turkey, so I don't have too much experience with making a whole turkey. My girlfriend, a culinary school graduate, swears by Williams-Sonoma turkey brine and I've read that a brine bath ensures the most juiciest, succulent turkey, so I will let you know how it goes! I think I will be sick of Thanksgiving before it arrives this year :)


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Pumpkin Pie

A Thanksgiving dessert table is never complete without the pumpkin pie. Did you think I would leave it out? Well I just couldn't. This recipe is quick and easy, and I found a really simple solution to a lighter pie crust using store bought crust...

(he he, you're going to love this!)

I rolled it out thinner.

Isn't that genius?!! I thought it was, although I can't take full credit; someone left a comment on my sweet potato pie, brilliant!! Since I had all the extra dough, I cut out some leaves with a cookie cutter to make it pretty for the photo, but careful, eating these leaves would increase the points. I calculated the pie crust based on Pillsbury, using just under 5 oz dough. If you rather not go through the trouble, and prefer to use all the dough, each slice would be 6 pts plus. Be warned Trader Joe's pie crust sheets are much larger.

The filling has been lightened up, but no one will ever know. This was really good!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Scalloped Potato Gratin

Thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes, layered and baked in a light buttery sauce and shredded cheese. So good without the guilt! 

This is one of those dishes that exceeded my expectations, you can use red potatoes or new potatoes, but I really love the buttery texture of yukon gold. The only thing I urge to ensure the potatoes are cooked and tender is that you slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick, a mandoline really makes this easy. Any thicker and you'll have to adjust the baking time.

This is a must for Thanksgiving!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Roasted Red Kuri Coconut Curry Soup

You ever buy a vegetable and wonder what to do with it?

I do it all the time...

My answer to my red kuri squash purchase was this exotic Indian inspired soup. Coconut milk, cumin, garam masala, curry powder and cilantro balance out the sweetness of the roasted red kuri squash, to create this aromatic soup. Serve this with a piece of garlic naan and you have yourself a meal. If you love the flavors of Indian cuisine, you will love this soup.

I cheated with the naan.

Trader Joe's sells frozen garlic naan that only takes 2 minutes to heat up. I've had requests to create a naan recipe from scratch (I promise I didn't forget, it's still on my to do list) but store bought naan worked perfectly fine, they sell naan in most supermarkets nowadays.

I was even thinking of cutting the naan into small squares to create garlic naan croutons, wouldn't that be cool?

The serving size will slightly vary depending on the size of your kuri squash. Adding chili pepper gives this soup some heat but I'm leaving that optional. Roasted pumpkin, or acorn squash would also work. Added bonus, this is vegan and gluten free!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Easy Rosemary Garlic Parmesan Biscuits

The scent of Garlic + Rosemary + Baked Bread is absolutely intoxicating to me.

Seriously, my stomach starts to growl just thinking about it. I've always been more of a savory girl; I can bake a dozen cupcakes and not eat one, but place a batch of these biscuits in front of me... different story.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w Maple Icing in parchment

i've never been a big fan of cinnamon rolls...........

are you still with me? Do you still trust me? Think I'm off my rocker? 

Well, that's beside the point. What was the point? Oh yes! Cinnamon rolls. They are just so, so sweet. Too sweet in my opinion. I just feel sick after eating one, same with root beer floats I love them but just can't stomach them. poor me. These pumpkin rolls had just the right balance of sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth with out all the gluttony and guilt. The maple syrup cream cheese frosting was really the sweet treat in these. 

Now if you add pumpkin to the mix, I'll eat anything ..... anything. Kind of like with meat, pork specifically I can't stand it but if you put it in Mexican food covered with a decent home made spicy red sauce, I'll eat a pig alright. The point is, I love pumpkin. Stay with me people.

So when I saw this recipe on My Baking Addiction adapted from King Arthur made by Good Life Eats..... well you get the point, it's been enjoyed around the block. I knew this is what I had to make for my friend Brandi who has been graciously helping me out all year by taking my son to school on my early morning work days. Thanks Brandi!

Oh! Instead of making these in a cake pan I used a muffin tin.  I cut squares of parchment paper into squares and then put the cut dough into the muffin pan. This made it easier and prettier to give as a gift I think.

Risen and ready for the oven.

pumpkin rolls in parchment

tip: pumpkin makes these rolls denser than regular cinnamon rolls so they are best right out of the oven or re-heated for a few seconds in the microwave. Also, cut the cooking time down by 5-8 minutes if you are using my muffin tin method. enjoy!

pumpkin cinnamon rolls w/ maple icing

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 50 min + rising time

Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

DOUGH:
4 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned (unsweetened) pumpkin puree
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup lukewarm water (105 – 110 degrees F)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon granulated white sugar
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra- as needed
cooking spray

FILLING:
4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

ICING:
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup pure grade B maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Spray a non-reactive bowl with nonstick spray. Set aside. Line a 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients of the dough (through egg) until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is frothy and active. If after 5 minutes yeast does not appear active, discard the mixture and start over with a newer, fresher yeast packet.

4. Place flour in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Add yeast mixture and pumpkin mixture to the flour. Stir until ingredients have incorporated into a dough. If using a stand mixer, attach a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The desired consistency of the dough should be soft and just slightly sticky. Add more flour as necessary throughout the kneading process until you achieve the proper consistency.

5. Form dough into a ball and transfer to the oiled bowl. Toss dough around in the bowl to coat all sides lightly with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot. Let the dough rise until nearly doubled, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. Roll dough into a 16x10-inch rectangle on a large, lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. While rolling out the dough, make sure it’s not sticking to the surface. Lift the dough and sprinkle flour underneath, as needed.

7. Spread a thin layer of butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining filling ingredients. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the butter. Roll dough into a tight spiral- jelly roll style- by rolling the 16-inch long edge closest to you over the filling. Continue rolling dough into a log until the opposite edge is on the bottom. Slice dough into 12 even pieces and arrange in the prepared baking dish cut-side up. Cover the pan with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rolls rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free area. They’ll get puffy and smash into each other as they rise. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

8. Remove towel and plastic wrap. Bake until tops and edges are golden and rolls are cooked through- 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing.

9. Place a baking sheet over the dish of cinnamon rolls. Invert rolls onto the baking sheet and peel away parchment paper. Flip the rolls onto your choice of serving dish. Whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth, then spoon evenly over all of the cinnamon rolls, allowing it to dribble down the sides.

Tips:

*To create a warm, draft-free place for rising, use your oven… turn on the oven for 30 seconds, then turn it off, turn the light on, and place your bowl inside the very slightly warmed oven. It’s a great place for your dough to rise if your oven is not in use.
*Make-ahead tip: Once your cut cinnamon rolls are in the pan, you can wrap them with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate them overnight. Take them out of the fridge and let them warm up in the morning (at room temperature) and do their rising. Then you can continue with baking.
*These are best the day they’re made, but they’re also good re-heated the following day.
*Cinnamon rolls store better when they’re kept together since the edges will dry out if separated.

Pumpkin Hazelnut Flaugnarde (Clafoutis)

A warm rustic pumpkin custard sweetened with agave and baked with toasted hazelnuts. This is the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving feast and a wonderful lighter alternative to pumpkin pie. Don't let the fancy name scary you, it's actually very easy to make, the only appliances I used were a blender and an oven!

I just returned last night from the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco, what a great time! Today I'm a little jet lagged and slow getting back into the groove of things. Next on my list of things to make for the holidays was this wonderful dessert that doubled as my breakfast this morning. Who doesn't like dessert for breakfast, right???

Adapted from my Flaugnarde of Mixed Berries recipe, this is nothing more than a simple French custard-like dessert served warm. The basic ingredients are eggs, milk, and fruit. I love the texture the hazelnuts added to this, you get a crunch in every bite. Chopped pecans or walnuts would also work. If you like your pumpkin desserts heavily spiced, you can increase the nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. If vanilla bean is not in your budget, just use 1/2 tsp more vanilla extract, although I really love the flavor you get from the bean itself. You can also sub the agave for sugar, Splendia, stevia or whatever sweetener you prefer.

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