Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Egg Free)

I know it seems all wrong to be baking with pumpkin as we’re approaching the summer months but as I was walking through the natural foods store the $2 cans of organic pumpkin puree were calling out to me!  Earlier in the week I baked up some Oatmeal pumpkin muffins and I had half of a can of pumpkin left in the fridge.  I recalled coming across this recipe for Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies when browsing through the recipes from my Secret Recipe Club assigned blog This Mama Cooks!

Now I’m normally not a fan of a puffy cake like cookie but these are actually pretty good and the kids loved them.   I did make a few changes from the recipe….I used sugar instead of stevia.  How totally wrong does that sound??  I took a healthier version and put the sugar back in, but sugar is what we have on hand in the kitchen.  I also used butter in place of shortening in the recipe as that is also what was readily available in our kitchen.

I think that these Pumpkin cookies will make a great lunch box treat!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Egg free!!!) recipe from This Mama Cooks makes about 4 dozen

• 2 cups of brown sugar or Stevia extract in the Raw
• 1 cup of butter or organic shortening
• 1-15oz can of pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cream the butter and the sugar together.  Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix.  (my mixture looked a little curdled here but have no fear, the flour will fix everything!)

Whisk the flours together with the baking soda and cinnamon and then mix into the pumpkin/butter mixture.   Stir in the chocolate chips.  Using a cookie dough scoop, or a large tablespoon, scoop balls of cookie dough and put them on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Flatten the dough balls with the heel of your hand and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are puffed up and look done all the way through.

Remove to racks to cool.

Enjoy and be sure to check the link below for all of the other Secret Recipe Club posts from group B for the month of June!

Epic Focaccia Bread

This Focaccia Bread is SO good and really very easy to put together!  Baked up in a large springform pan and adorned with whatever toppings you desire….feta, parmesan, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, roasted garlic, pepper and olive oil.  Every time I make this, people seem to get excited.

This creates quite a large round loaf of bread.   You could also stretch the dough thinner on a sheet pan or a pizza pan and just adjust the baking time accordingly.

• 1 Tbsp  sugar
• 1 cup  warm water
•  4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp dried sweet basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3/4 cup  hot water
• 2 tsp  salt
• 4 cups  all-purpose flour

Suggested toppings:

• Roma tomatoes
• fresh basil
• feta cheese
• parmesan cheese
• artichokes
• sun-dried tomatoes
• roasted red peppers
• roasted garlic
• spinach
• olive oil
• pepper

To make the bread:

In a measuring cup, combine the hot water with spices and the garlic to let the spices soften up a bit,  add the olive oil to this mixture and let it cool to room temp.

In a mixer bowl combine the warm water with the yeast and the sugar and whisk together.  I never wait for my yeast to proof and y bread always turns out great.

Add  the cooled water with the spices and olive oil to the yeast mixture.   Add the salt.

Mix the flour in, one cup at a time and knead for about 10 minutes.  The dough should be quite soft but not sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or with a clean tea towel and place aside to rise until doubled in bulk. 30-60 minutes.

Prepare your springform pan by greasing the sides and lining the bottom with parchment paper.  I used my largest size pan.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Gently deflate the dough and turn out into the prepared springform pan and use your hands to manipulate the dough so it covers the whole pan..  Using your fingers, create dimples all over the surface of the dough.   Top the bread with the toppings of your choice and set aside for about 30 minutes to rise while the oven preheats.

Bake your bread for 45-55 minutes, or until the edges are golden, and the middle of the bread sort of springs back when you tough it with your finger.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing the sides of the pan.  Cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Malt Chocolate Chip Muffins

I adore Malt flavored baking.

When we were kids (I am one of 5) I remember always chosing the frosted chocolate malt ice cream treat from the corner store.  It came in a cup with a flat wooden “spoon” and it was best if you scooped out all of the softest part around the edges that had melted from being in your hand before eating the still frozen middle part.

I have to admit though, that although I love Malt, I have never actually drank a glass of Ovaltine!   I usually chose to buy the regular Ovaltine for baking over the chocolate flavored Ovaltine as I find the chocolate can easily mask the yummy malt flavour.

These muffins are made with browned butter, malt powder and lots of chocolate chips.

They may just be my new favorite!

Malt Chocolate Muffins makes 12 large muffins

• 1/2 cup butter, browned and cooled
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup Malt powder (such as Ovaltine or Horlicks)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips plus more for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners.  (I greased the pan and my muffins stuck)

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat melt the butter and begin to whisk it until it turns a light caramel colour.  Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl.  Let the butter cool to room temperature.

Beat the sugar into the cooled butter for about 3 minutes.  Beat in the ovaltine, followed by the egg.   Once the egg has been worked in, the mixture should become smooth,

Sift together the baking powder, baking soda and flour.  Mix the flour in, a third at a time, alternating with the milk.   Don’t over mix, just mix until everything is combined and smooth,  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Generously fill muffin cups (there should be enough batter for 12)  Top each one with a tsp of mini chocolate chips.

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes  or a pick inserted comes out clean.

Cool and Enjoy!

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Pie

Last week I was out for drinks with the girls at a local resort restaurant and someone ordered a peanut butter pie for dessert.  Cookie crust topped with a smooth peanut butter, cream cheese filling and it was topped with chocolate ganache,  it was simple, amazing and delicious!

After browsing the recipes from Sarah’s Kitchen (my Secret recipe Club assigned blog for May) I thought there was no way she’s have the recipe I was looking for but when I cruised through the Cheesecake section I found an incredibly decadent looking Peanut Butter Mousse Cheesecake!  This cheesecake is over the top,  oreo layer, a thick layer of cheesecake and then the smooth and creamy peanut butter mousse topped with peanut butter cups and a peanut butter sauce!   This is the kind of dessert I’d save for very special company, and as this has been a very busy month I just didn’t have the occasion for it, but what I did see within Sarah’s recipe was the PEANUT BUTTER PIE!

I hope that Sarah doesn’t mind I WAY simplified the recipe, but you can make this with ingredients you are likely to have around and you can even pop the leftover pie in the freezer and serve it frozen making it a great summer dessert to prepare in advance!

I hope you enjoy this peanut butter pie as much I do!

Peanut Butter Pie Recipe adapted from Sarah’s Kitchen.  Makes one very generously filled 9″ pie

For the crust:

• 2 cups oreo crumbs OR 2 cups crushed oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup melted butter

For the Peanut Butter Mousse:

• 1- 8oz package cream cheese (1 cup) room temp.
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 large tub cool whip (I used 500 ml of whipping cream, measured then whipped to stiff peaks)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the oreo crumbs with the melted butter and press into the pie pan.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is set.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Cream together the cream cheese and peanut butter.  I switched to a wire whisk attachment and whipped it for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Mix in the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth.

Fold the whipped cream or cool whip into the peanut butter mixture.  Be gentle, and fold carefully until it is well combined.

Pour the peanut butter filling into the prepared pie crust  and chill for at least 3 hours (or freeze….I prefer it frozen)

Now you could most definitely Jazz this up with chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate fudge or ganache or some honey roasted peanuts, but as this was a weeknight dessert I decided to keep it simple.  You can be certain I will be making the full cheesecake version in the near future!

Enjoy!

Go ahead and peak at the other blogs in my Group this Month…you know you wanna

Naan

Okay, so before we get going onto the recipe for this delicious flat bread, I should probably specify that I am no Naan expert!

I have no idea how close this recipe comes to a traditional Naan flat bread.  I most certainly haven’t cooked it up in a Tandoor oven, but I do know it has a similar taste and texture to the Naan I get from a local Indian restaurant.  This Naan tastes fantastic served up with butter chicken and basmati rice, or your favorite spicy curry dish!

Naan Bread makes 8 recipe from Avocado & Bravado

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting and rolling
• 1/4 cup oil (I’ve used both canola and olive oil with good results)
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg, beaten
• oil or ghee, for frying  *ghee is clarified butter

Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture begins to foam up.  To the yeast mixture, add the oil, yogurt and beaten egg.   Mix the flour (with the salt) in one cup at a time and knead until the dough is smooth, but not sticky.  *this can be done by hand, or in a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment

Set the dough in a well-greased bowl, covered with plastic wrap in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.  About 1 hour.

Gently deflate and transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal parts.  Roll each piece of dough out fairly thin.  Between 1/8-1/4″

Cook the bread in a frying pan very lightly coated with ghee or oil over medium-high heat.  When the bread starts to develop air bubbles and begins to brown, flip and cook on the other side until golden brown (about 1 minute/side)

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Teeny Tiny Coconut Fudge Tarts

These teeny tiny, fudgy, coconutty, one bite wonders are the result of April’s Secret Recipe Club assignment.

The recipe comes from Heather at Join us, Pull up a Chair.   Heather’s tiny tarts were made by folding pastry, topped with filling into little bundles but I switched things up a little bit by cutting 1 1/2 inch rounds of pastry and tucking them into miniature muffin pans before filling with coconut fudge.

You could also go ahead and make these a little bit bigger, they were pretty easy to put together but they were quite tiny…perfect size for a tea party!

Tiny Fudge Tarts makes 3 dozen recipe from Join us, Pull up a Chair

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla

for the coconut fudge filling:

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk  *I used the whole egg
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ½ cup finely chopped nuts or flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and butter.  Pulse until the mixture is crumbly,  Add the water and vanilla while pulsing until the dough comes together.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into 1.5″ circles.  Press into miniature muffin/tart pans.

Combine all of the filling ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Place a small spoonful of filling inside each tart shell and bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is baked and the filling looks set.

Cool before removing from the pan.

To take a peek at what the other secret recipe club members have been up to this month, check out the link collection below!

Enjoy!

A Birthday Cake for Nan

It’s my Nan’s birthday and I volunteered to make her birthday cake.

 After so many years of sewing, knitting and being ultra crafty I thought she would appreciate a cake with all of those things.

The cake is a white cake (I used a box mix and added extra vanilla) the cake is filled with Bavarian cream and frosted using a basic vanilla buttercream.  The decorations were made using Marshmallow fondant, Wilton food colouring and a lot of LOVE

You can find the method for making your own marshmallow fondant here.

My favorite part of this cake has to be the little spools of thread!  Patterns were created on the “fabric” by placing small  fondant cut outs on a flat piece of fondant and rolling thin using a rolling pin.  All those years of playing playdough with children has a preschool teacher is sure coming in handy   The ball of yarn is two cupcakes frosted together before being wound with ropes of grey fondant.

There was some cake leftover so I mixed it up with the leftover frosting to create cake pops for the kids that matched the theme of the cake.

 

I can’t wait for great Nan to get a look at her birthday cake!

Enjoy!