Almond Flax Bread

So it's December 31st, and my sister and I have decided to go balls to the walls with eating better. Tonight I made this fab almond flax bread, from the Elana's Pantry site. I've made it before and it's a keeper. I keep the honey out of the recipe to keep it sugar free. Oh my. It's great. I plan to eat it with almond butter and coconut chips, in the morning. I'll keep you posted, okay? Oh, and I bagged them up in cute little packs of 2, so I can keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer. I'm smart like that.

Chocolate Pretzels

2 days, 2 pretzels.

Well, sort of.

First, I made the "Everything Pretzels." Then, the following day, I decided to try Martha Stewart's "Chocolate Pretzels." Now, in case you are wondering, these are chocolate cookies - they are NOT meant to taste like a pretzel in any way. They just share the same shape. Don't go in, thinking that these will be "Auntie Annie's" meet "Chocolate Cookie."

Anyway, they taste good. It's basically a rich, crunchy, sugar dusted cookie, that looks very pretty. Well, it SHOULD look very pretty, but as I mentioned yesterday, I am not so great at creating uniformly shaped cookies. Instead, I have 2 dozen, oddly shaped, pretzel-esque looking thingies... They have that cakey crunch, that is sort of a melding of softt anf crispy. I like hem, though I still prefer a run of the mill, chewy, chocolate chippity type of cookie. I guess my dessert palate isn't quite asrefined as Ms. Martha...




You should make these, if you have someone to impress. Don't make them to put in your kids' lunches. Too much work... 3.5 Bowls!

Chocolate Pretzels

• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon good-quality instant espresso powder
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg yolk
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Stir cocoa and espresso powders into the boiling water in a small bowl until dissolved; set aside. Meanwhile, put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Reduce speed to medium-low. Mix in egg, then cocoa mixture. Gradually add flour, and mix until a smooth dough forms. Turn out onto a piece of plastic; pat into a square. Wrap dough, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
2. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll into balls. Shape balls into 12-inch-long ropes. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush cookies with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until dry, about 35 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate Pretzels - Martha Stewart Recipes

Ethiopian Honey Rolls

I love homemade bread. I love the smell of my house, the crusty tops of the rolls, and the steamy dough, when you break the bread. I am on a baking bonanza lately, in anticipation of Jonah's first birthday party, and these were my first experiment. They are really crusty, but soft inside, and the flavors are pretty complex. At first bite, you get a sweet, subtle flavor, but as you chew, you can taste the coriander undertones, and the bite of the cloves. Oh, so good. Throw a slice of turkey or cheese on these rolls, or even a smear of hummus, and you have a perfect little lunch.





Don't be scared of yeast. Just make these. 4 Bowls...

Ethiopian Honey Bread/Rolls (Yemarina Yewotet Dabo)

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water (110-115 degrees)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup lukewarm whole milk
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
4-5 cups all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water. Let stand for 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve. Set the bowl in a warm place for about 5 minutes; mixture should double in volume. If it does not, repeat procedure.

Combine the egg, honey, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a deep bowl, mixing until smooth. Add the yeast mixture, milk, and 5 tablespoons of the melted butter. Beat until well blended. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time, until becomes too stiff to stir.

On a lightly floured board, knead the dough, adding a small amount of flour when necessary to keep from sticking. Knead for about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, greased bowl. cover with a damp cloth and let sit in warm place for about 1 1/2 hours.

Grease a cookie sheet with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Punch down the dough and knead it again for a few minutes. Shape the dough into a round, and place it on the greased sheet. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Let the bread rise again while oven is preheating. Bake the bread for 1 hour, or until the top is crusty and light golden brown.

These cinnamon rolls were so gorgeous, and the sound of them coming out of the oven, was just plain musical. I had to take a video...



Anyway, I took this recipe from 101cookbooks, but the author of that blog (Heidi), took it from a Lotta Jansdotter cookbook, called "Handmade Living: A Fresh Take on Scandinavian Style." Anyway, we were having company on Christmas Day, and this recipe really spoke to me. I am a sucker for baking yeast breads, and I had just bought cardamom at Penzey's... So, apparently, I couldn't help myself. These cinnamon rolls are good. Really good. But who cares? They just LOOK so beautiful, it kinda doesn't matter how good they are. Well, I guess it does, but you know what I mean. Anyway, these rolls are so much fun (and easy) to make, and they actually make 2 batches, one of which you can freeze before baking. So, I have another batch, all rolled and ready to bake, sitting in the deep freezer, just begging to be popped into the oven. Mmmmmm... My house smelled so good.





Make these. You'll be so proud. 4 Bowls, but only because they aren't quite as good after they're cool.

Cinnamon Rolls

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm whole milk (105F to 115F / 40C to 46C) (I used skim - it was totally fine!)
3/4 cup / 100g light muscovado or brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup / 125g unsalted butter, barely melted
1 tablespoon ground cardamom (I used 1/2 a tbl, because my Penzey's cardamom is known for being super strong)
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 cups / 600g all-purpose flour


Filling:

1/2 cup / 60g light muscovado or brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup / 125g unsalted butter, softened

Glaze: (I didn't glaze mine)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

large grain raw sugar or pearl sugar for sprinkling OR you can make an icing to spread on the rolls after baking (recipe below, not pictured)*

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk in a large bowl. Add a pinch of the sugar and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for a few minutes or until foamy.

Add the remaining sugar, the egg, melted butter, and cardamom. Stir until smooth. Stir the salt into the flour, then gradually add the flour to the bowl, a bit at a time, incorporating the flour after each addition. Transfer the dough to a floured counter top and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat with oil, and cover with a kitchen towel or equivalent. Let the dough rise in a sunny or warm place until doubled, about an hour.

Cut the dough in half on a floured counter top and form each piece into a ball. One at a time, roll each piece into a rectangle 12 inches/30cm and 1/2 inch/12mm thick. See the photos up above if this is confusing.

For the filling, start by combining the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Spread half of the butter evenly over one rectangle of the dough. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture evenly across the butter. Roll the dough up tightly lengthwise, then turn it so that the seam side is down. Cut the roll into 12 equal slices, a serrated knife works best. You can bake these, cut-side up, on a parchment lined baking sheet, in cupcake liners, or in a buttered baking dish. I used a well-buttered standard pie dish. Unless you are using individual cupcake liners, you want to arrange the slices about 1/2-inch from each other on the baking sheet or in the baking dish. They rise and expand, and end up nice and snuggly in/on the pan. Repeat with the remaining rectangle of dough and filling. You can freeze any slices you aren't going to bake at this point.

Cover the rolls you are going to bake with a dry towel and let rise in a sunny or warm spot until doubled, about an hour. The timing is pretty flexible here - you can go a few hours depending on what is convenient.

Heat the oven to 400F/ 205C with a rack in the top third. Brush the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar if you like. Bake the buns until golden brown, roughly 15-18 minutes. Don't over bake, the buns will dry out = not as good. Remove from the oven and serve warm if possible, plain or with a slather of icing* on top of each bun.

*Icing recipe: as I mention up above, this is the icing I also use for these hermit cookies. I like to spread a bit on each individual roll before serving or serving the icing on the side with a palette knife for individual spreading. Whisk 1 cup / 3.25 oz / 100g sifted powdered sugar, 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons bourbon or brandy together in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes, then adjust with more sifted powdered sugar if you want a stiffer icing. I'm going to do a creme fraiche version of the icing on Christmas - trading out the heavy cream for creme fraiche.

Adapted from the Cinnamon Bun recipe in Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living: A Fresh Take on Scandinavian Style by Lotta Jansdotter.

Prep time: 150 min - Cook time: 20 min

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Make these. They are great for a party, and the leftovers are a great substitute for a sandwich at lunch. I give them 4 bowls. Kevin gives them 3, but he isn't into pastry crust. Insane, you say?? Hmmmm...

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Mild sweet potatoes and black beans take on smoky, spicy tastes from cumin and chiles. These pies are great served hot at a party; leftovers also make a tasty room-temperature snack.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 empanada)


9 ounces all-purpose flour (2 cups)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 poblano chile
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine canola oil, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and egg in a medium bowl. Gradually add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Knead lightly until smooth. Shape dough into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Place poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 8 minutes or until blackened, turning after 6 minutes. Place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chile; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes. Finely chop.

4. Preheat oven to 400°.

5. Cook the cumin seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat 1 minute or until toasted, stirring constantly. Place cumin in a clean spice or coffee grinder; process until ground. Combine cumin, poblano, sweet potatoes, and next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt) in a large bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth.

6. Divide dough into 10 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Roll each dough portion into a (5-inch) circle on a lightly floured surface. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), spoon 3 level tablespoons poblano mixture into center of each circle. Moisten edges of dough with egg white; fold dough over filling. Press edges together to seal. Place empanadas on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut 3 diagonal slits across top of each empanada. Bake at 400° for 16 minutes or until lightly browned.

CALORIES 209 ; FAT 8.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 5g,poly 2.3g); CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29g; SODIUM 359mg; PROTEIN 5.1g; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 2.3mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2010

Mexican Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I am that girl. The one everyone blames when they gain 10 pounds, solely in cookies, over the holidays. Sorry. I just can't help it. I love to make cookies. Especially during this season, since every cooking magazine (and I subscribe to several) features beautiful, unique, new cookie recipes in their holiday issues. I was looking for something fun to bake for Maya's teachers, so I could give them a nice, home baked gift for Hanukkah last week, and I came across this recipe in the current issue of Food Network Magazine. It looked pretty easy, and I had never made shortbread, so I was excited. This is a fairly easy recipe, though the prep time is a little tedious, simply because you need to chill the dough for a little while. Anyway, I really enjoyed making these, because the recipe actually worked, and made beautiful shortbread bars, that tasted delicious. I tasted these while I was on the phone with my sister, and my first reaction was, "These are super rich, but surprisingly, not all that sweet." My sis replied that shortbread is like a "mature, sophisticated cookie" - they are sort of akin to the difference between a Hershey bar, and a decadent piece of expensive dark chocolate. I like that. I used Penzey's Dutch Process Cocoa, which added an incredible, chocolately richness to this recipe, without making them overly sweet and dense. In addition, these looked so pretty in the little gift bags I bought. I will definitely be making these again. I am not usually impressed with Food Network recipes, for baked good, but this is a keeper.

Did I mention, I actually posted my review of these cookies, on the Food Net website? I was the first one to review! I'm so proud...


Make these, and give them to someone you want to impress. 4.5 Bowls (I had to take off a half point, because I have to admit, I prefer a chewier cookie, but that's just the way the shortbread crumbles.)!

Mexican Chocolate Shortbread

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Makes 18 bars.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, plus more for topping
• 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (Use Penzey's, if you can get your hands on some. It made a big difference!)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) (I used it, and it added a really great kick.)
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar (Don't skimp/skip this! You can get raw sugar in a regular supermarket, and it really adds a sweet crunch to the cookies.)
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch-square metal baking pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all 4 sides. Pulse the flour, almonds, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt and cayenne, if using, in a food processor until the almonds are finely ground.

Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined (the dough will be crumbly). Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan (you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and use the bottom of a measuring cup to even it out).

Prick the dough all over with a fork, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 18 strips. Top with almonds, lightly pressing them in. Sprinkle with the raw sugar. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 10 minutes.

Bake until the shortbread is slightly puffed and firm, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately retrace the strips with a knife; cool completely in the pan on a rack. Lift up the parchment paper to remove the shortbread from the pan, then separate into bars. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Caramel Crumb Bars

In honor of Thanksgiving, I cooked quite a bit. Did I take photos of what I cooked last week? Nope. I guess I was too busy... As if that's a good excuse. Anyway, here is a rundown of what I cooked, and how it rated:

Honey-Wheat Clover Rolls - 5 Bowls!

Cauliflower Gratin (Thanks Ina - You did me proud!) - 4 Bowls (it isn't meant to be made ahead!)

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache - 4 Bowls

Caramel Crumb Bars - 5 Bowls (see below)!

Rosemary-Garlic Focaccia Bread - 4 Bowls (you have to take the garlic breath into account - otherwise, it's a 5 bowler).

Chicken Char Siu Skewers - 4 Bowls (I tripled the recipe, and every last bite was eaten. The problem was, no matter how much soaking I did, the skewers still burned. Boo.)

Mac and Cheese (Thanks, again, Ina!) - 4 Bowls (I lowered the fat, significantly, so it wasn't quite as rich as it should have been.)

Spicy Asian Cole Slaw - 4 Bowls (This is really just a "dressing" for coleslaw recipe, but it comes out very tasty and light!).

The caramel bars were the first thing I made, and I was still in photo mode, so I documented this one. I found the recipe in Saveur (kind of a "higher-end" foodie mag), and I just couldn't help myself. I made a giant mistake in these - I used light brown sugar, instead of dark. It wasn't an accident, to be honest. I just didn't have dark brown sugar. I don't think it affected the taste, but they absolutely weren't nearly as pretty as they should have been. Fortunately, people didn't hold it against me. These were devoured at Thanksgiving, and the little gathering we had, on Saturday. They taste like a layered shortbread, with a gooey layer of caramel, topped by buttery crumbles. Mmmmmm... What is there to hate, about a non-fruit dessert, with a crumbled topping? I was even able to pawn off the last half-dozen, on my sis-in-law, who is a caramel lover. Kevin dislikes caramel, because it is made of butter, so I am glad they made it to a good home. These are insanely easy to make, and totally decadent. I wouldn't make them, just for the sake of having cookies in the house, because they are pretty heavy (okay, fattening might be a better word), but they hit the spot, for a special occasion.






Seriously. Make these for your next cookie exchange, Christmas, Hanukkah, or dinner party. Love them. 5 Bowls.


Caramel Crumb Bars

20 tbsp. unsalted butter,
softened, plus more
2 1/2 cups flour, plus
more for pan
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed
milk

Heat oven to 350°. Line a 9" x 13" baking sheet with parchment paper; grease and flour. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together 16 tbsp. butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy. Add 2 1/4 cups flour; mix. Transfer 3/4 dough to pan; press into bottom; chill. Rub remaining dough and flour into large crumbles; set aside. Combine remaining butter, brown sugar, syrup, and milk in a 2-qt. saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat to make caramel, 8–10 minutes. Pour over dough; scatter crumbles over top. Bake until golden, 25–30 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars.

MAKES 32

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Peanut butter and jelly is obviously one of the most amazing flavor combinations... Ever. I have been looking for a "bar" recipe, to satisfy Maya's desperate need for a daily bar. I am always creating things, and Maya usually loves them, for a short time, and then loses interest. The search continues... I found this one on a blog called www.visionsofsugarplum.com. The author of the blog created/adapted this recipe, and it looked and sounded absolutely divine - not to mention, relatively healthy. I made it with whole wheat ingredients and natural ingredients, and it came out delicious. They are sort of like peanut butter sandwich cookies, with grape jelly in the middle. They have a great flavor and texture. They aren't quite as neat and compact as Maya's usual, Nutri-Grain type of bar, but that's okay. She really liked them, and so did I. Good thing, since I have 23 more, sitting in the fridge.





I don't think I can post the recipe here, so you'll have to click the link above, if you want to get in on the action. Try these. They are quite a delicious snack.

Cloverleaf Honey-Wheat Rolls

Mmmmmm... Rolls...

We had a couple of friends over this weekend, and their girl, Eve. I decided to make dinner, but I held back from making anything new, since I've always heard that that's an entertaining faux pas. I made Szechwan Chicken Meatloaf, with the Sukiyaki Stir Fry. I decided to try these honey-wheat rolls, because I've been eyeing the recipe for a year now, and I didn't think it could hurt, to try one itty bitty new recipe.

These rolls are really good. Well, fantastic. Let me put it this way: There were 4 adults, and 3 babies eating dinner. We had a dozen rolls. Between the 7 of us, we ate all but 1. They are a great consistency, with a nice light, sweet flavor. They are called "Cloverleaf Rolls," because they are meant to rise into 3 distinct peaks, like a clover. Well, mine didn't "peak" like the photo on the Cooking Light website, but they certainly tore into 3 flaky pieces, which made them really pretty, and easy to eat. They are also extremely easy to throw together (if you have a Cuisinart or Kitchen Aid Mixer). I decided to make 2 more batches for Thanksgiving. This is a great, solid recipe. What's better than home baked bread?





Make these. Now. They were a 5 Bowler.

Cloverleaf Honey-Wheat Rolls


Bake these rolls up to a day ahead; store at room temperature in a zip-top plastic bag, or freeze them for later. Wrap the rolls in foil and reheat at 350� for 10 minutes or until warm.


Yield: 1 dozen (serving size: 1 roll)


1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (100� to 110�)
2 cups bread flour, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 1/2 cups bread flour, whole wheat flour, honey, butter, and salt to yeast mixture; stir until well blended. Add 1/4 cup bread flour; stir until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85�), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425�.

Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, divide each portion into 3 pieces; shape each piece into a ball (cover remaining dough to prevent it from drying). Place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Uncover dough. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg; brush over rolls. Bake at 425� for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.


CALORIES 152 (18% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 1.6g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.2g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.3g; SODIUM 206mg; PROTEIN 5.1g; FIBER 2g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2002

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

As previously mentioned, I'm in the Fall spirit lately, cooking up a storm of pumpkin flavored yumminess. I decided to try making these, as it's always nice to have a unique brownie/bar in the repertoire. I've been loving all things "cheese-cakey" lately, so this sounded very good to me. Well, it is good. Not terrific, not out of this world, but a good solid flavor. My big issue with this recipe, is that the finished product was super moist and sticky, to the point of looking sort of horrible and sloppy. Basically, they were supposed to be baked in a 10x15." Um, does anyone have a pan this size? I baked it in a 9x13, and it was much more like a cake, than a brownie. Also, there was so much cream cheese topping, it was nearly impossible to create a pretty swirl (yes, I'm a sucker for pretty swirls). So anyway, the moral of the story is, "Tastes great, less pretty." Meh. Oh well. I have about 20 of them in my freezer. Maya loved them, but now she has no interest in the leftovers. I guess I'll be eating them for the next several months. I wish someone else would make these, because I can't understand why they were a sticky, ugly, tasty mess.



This is how they were supposed to look:


The recipe...

Please try this, and tell me how they turn out.

Swirled Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Bars


These spiced pumpkin-cream cheese bar cookies with a creamy, tangy swirl are perfect for Halloween or any autumn get-together. You can chill them airtight for up to 3 days.


Yield: Makes 24 bars


6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature (yes, I used reduced fat cheese. Okay, I'm zipping up my flame suit, and getting ready for everyone to tell me that this is why they turned out sloppy...)

1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, and 1/3 cup water until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg; stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Spread batter evenly in a buttered and floured 10- by 15-inch baking pan.

2. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, remaining egg, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.

3. Drop cream cheese mixture in 24 evenly spaced 1-tablespoon portions over batter. Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.

4. Bake in a 350� oven until center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per bar.


CALORIES 164 (38% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 4.2g); CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23g; SODIUM 130mg; PROTEIN 2.6g; FIBER 0.4g

Sunset, NOVEMBER 2003

Black Pepper-Fennel Breadsticks

What a great week! Here's what happened:

Thursday: Received my "Everyday with Rachael Ray" mag in the mail. Score!
Friday: Received my "Cooking Light: Holiday Double Issue" in the mail. Super score!
Saturday: Received my "Food Network" magazine in the mail. I am in heaven.

Since I had made a vat of pumpkin soup on Thursday, I decided to whip up Rachael Ray's breadsticks on Friday morning. They are really easy to make, and I've been dying to try these fennel seeds I bought at Penzey's (a.k.a. the best spice shop on earth). The breadsticks were tasty, though I'm not the biggest fan of fennel. Next time, I will make them with fresh rosemary instead. The thing about these breadsticks, is that they really should be made and eaten immediately. The following day, the sticks had lost their crunch, and had a hybrid crunchy/soggy texture. Blah. Anyway, I might make them for Turkey Day, but I need to figure out how I can do it without them tasting old... Any ideas for me?

Oh, and also, Rachael Ray doesn't post her recipes to the magazine website until the actual month of the magazine. So, I got November last week, but she won't post the recipe until it actually becomes November (how dare she). So, when it is posted, I will put it on the blog. I just can't bring myself to type it out. But... you should come for Thanksgiving, so you can try these bad boys. They were a nice soup addition. Gotta love a good breadstick.

R