Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Pumpkin is going to be with us for the next two months and I want to capitalize on all that it has to offer.  As I start to plan my Thanksgiving feast, in my head, I take into consideration all the wonderful flavors of the season; pumpkin, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberries, brussel sprouts, citrus, apples, pears, pecans, baby squash, beets, and so much more.

I like my Thanksgiving table to be colorful, festive and tasty.  I have my trusty favorites;

cranberry-raspberry sauce

beet-pear puree

roasted brussel sprouts

pecan pie

pumpkin praline pie

However, each year, I try to create new dishes.  Right after Halloween (like now), I start to mull through magazines (new and old), cook books, the Internet, and my friend's blogs. Each year, I like to try new potato dishes, vegetables, biscuits, savory puddings, breads, and quick breads.  I came across this recipe on Molly's blog,  Orangette, and ironically I had this recipe earmarked in one of my books, The New Joy of Cooking.  It was a sign.  I had to try it.

I had a bit of left over pumpkin puree in the fridge and this was a great way for it to not go to waste.  I love making quick breads and muffins.  Generally, when making both of these, one could easily use things found in your very own pantry.  It is a great way to whip up an after school snack, a quick early morning breakfast for the kids and both really take no time at all.

I love this bread.  The original recipe called for golden raisins, but I immediately knew I wanted to replace the raisins with cranberries. The pumpkin flavor is not overwhelming, the cranberries add just the right tartness and the hazelnuts add the perfect crunch.  This is not only going to be a staple in our home this holiday season, but I already see it wrapped and packaged as gifts for friends and neighbors.  

Pumpkin Bread with Hazelnuts + Cranberries

adapted from The New Joy of Cooking

1 9" loaf 

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. table salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup water

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 Tbls. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cup succanat

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup pumpkin puree, room temperature

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

instructions:

• preheat oven to 350*.  Butter a 9 x 5" loaf pan(I used an 8 x 4" loaf pan and two small paper loaf pans).

• whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder. set aside.

• in another bowl, mix the water and the vanilla.  

• in a the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. beat in the sugar until combined and just blended.  add the eggs, one at a time.  add the pumpkin puree and beat on low speed until blended.

• add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the water/vanilla mixture in the two parts.

• scrape down the sides of the bowl and then fold in the hazelnuts and the cranberries.

• pour batter into the prepared pans.

• bake the 8" loaf for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

• bake the mini loaves for about 22-28 minutes.

• let cool on rack for about 15 minutes.

• turn the loaves out onto the wire rack and let cool completely.

I actually made several of these and froze them, individually.  Next week I have a breakfast meeting to go to and I plan on taking one of these out of the freezer the night before and reheating, slightly the following morning.  This beats dunkin doughnuts any day of the week!

New Friends, Good Food + Dorie Greenspan

This past weekend I was up in San Francisco, attending the Blogher Food '10 Conference.  I did not go last year, yet I was told that it was something that could not be missed.  I anticipated this weekend for months.  I booked my flight, I made my hotel reservation and I planned my eating itinerary. I packed thoughtfully (however, next year I need to bring another suit case to cart back all the "swag") and I remembered all my computer cables and charged my camera battery!  I was set to go.

I was looking forward to spending face time with some of my posse (Gaby, Brooke, Carrie, Jenn, Marla) and I was really looking forward to meeting new people.  I took my camera with an extra memory card, anticipating taking tons of pictures.  Well, I got caught up in the moment and didn't snap as much as I had hoped.  Maybe I was a little "star struck", or just plain overwhelmed.  I am kind of mad at myself for not being the shutter bug that I can annoyingly be, yet with that said, I LOVED my weekend.  I was inspired, I learned, I ate, I laughed, and I even cried.

The highlight of my weekend was meeting Dorie Greenspan.  For years, I have admired her from a far, have been reading her columns in magazines, studying and cooking from her various books, reading her posts on facebook and of course, following her blog.  Dorie is lovely, approachable, humorous and humble.  I revere Dorie as my mentor  as my inspiration and now, my friend.

In celebration of a fabulous weekend, I have made the savory cheese and chive bread from Dorie's new book; around my french table.  As I eat this bread and share it with my family, I will savor the memories of meeting lots and lots of amazingly wonderful people, becoming closer with those that I already know and love, recount how Penny de los Santos inspired me and brought me to tears, and embrace how this silly little blog has brought me to a place in my life that fulfills me in ways that I never could have imagined!

savory cheese + chive bread
adapted from around my french table
yield: 1 loaf (I doubled it and made 2)

ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose
1 Tbls. baking powder
1/2- 1tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 generous cup grated Gruyere
2 oz. English white cheddar, cut into cubes
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

instructions:
• center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350*
• generously butter an 8" x 4 1/2" loaf pan
• whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and white pepper together in a large bowl
• put the eggs in a large bowl and mix for about a minute, whisk in milk and olive oil.
• pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  using a sturdy spatula, gently mix until the dough comes together.
• stir in the cheeses, herbs, and walnuts.  this is a thick dough
• spread into the prepared pan and even out with a spatula.
• bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the bread is golden and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• remove and set on a wire rack to cool for 3 minutes.  then run a knife around the edges and then turn the loaf over onto the rack.  invert and cool, right side up.

Me, Penny (Penny de los Santos) + Gaby

Top: Diane and Todd (White on Rice Couple)

MIddle left: Helene (mytartelette), right: Brooke

Bottom: Marla, Amanda(I am Baker), Carrie, and Natanya(fete + feast)

visiting the ferry building, walking the farmers market, eating lunch at

il cane rosso and eating treats at miette was a fun field trip

partying with my posse

brooke, jaden, carrie, + marla

GROUP HUG

HP provided this VERY COOL photo booth,
 we went a tad crazy snapping fun-silly photos!

before flying out on Sunday morning, I met my cousin for breakfast

at my FAVORITE place; Tartine!  It was a gab fest and a carb fest.

Ahhh...the perfect ending to a most memorable weekend!

Until next Year!

Cheese Bread

I made a big pot of chicken stock this weekend (we are finally feeling the beginnings of Fall). My kids have requested matzoh ball soup for dinner tonight. I am going to add a ton of veggies to the broth, but I wanted something else to go with it.

I am also going to make enchiladas with the the chicken from the soup and as I was searching for my recipe I came across a recipe for Cheese Bread. Sounds kind of yummy!

I generally cook 5 or so nights a week, but the last few weeks I have been a struggle. I am going to make an effort this week to cook and have us all sit down as a family for dinner. I do love dinner time. It gives us all a chance to catch up, find out how our day was and sets the tone for the later part of the evening.

This bread is addictive and good. The Parmesan makes it so salty and savory, the cheese makes it creamy, it is kind of perfect!!!!

INGREDIENTS

3	ounces Parmesan cheese , shredded on large holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
3	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces)
1	tablespoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1	teaspoon table salt
1/8	teaspoon ground black pepper
4	ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese , cut into ½-inch cubes, or mild Asiago, crumbled into ¼- to ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 1/4	cups whole milk
3	tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1	large egg beaten lightly
3/4	cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 5 by 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly in bottom of pan.

2. 2. In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper to combine. Using rubber spatula, mix in cheddar or Asiago, breaking up clumps, until cheese is coated with flour. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg, and sour cream. Using rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be heavy and thick). Do not overmix. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; spread to sides of pan and level surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over surface.

3. 3. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; invert loaf from pan and continue to cool until warm, about 45 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

4. Freezing Instructions: Although the recipe title Quick Cheese Bread is no misnomer (the batter is in the pan in 15 minutes), when you add time for baking and cooling, the recipe does require a total of two hours. Luckily, like many of our other bread recipes, a baked loaf of cheese bread freezes beautifully, meaning a warm loaf need be only minutes away.
   
   To freeze the bread, wrap the cooled loaf tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and place in the freezer; it will keep for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve the bread, place the frozen, wrapped loaf on the middle rack of a preheated 375-degree oven and heat for eight to 10 minutes, until the loaf yields under gentle pressure. Remove the foil and return the unwrapped bread to the oven for five minutes to crisp the exterior. Take the bread out of the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes to make slicing easier. Enjoy.

Babka for Breakfast!

I wanted to experiment more with my new fav book, The Modern Baker. He has tons of breads and quick breads and I guess I was in the mood to work with yeast. I decided to make the Chocolate Babka. I do not make much bread, but I want to master it. This was a good place to start.

You see, although bread seems daunting, it really isn't. What bread requires is a lot of time. But not the kind of time that makes you a slave to the kitchen. The ingredients get thrown into the kitchen aid mixer. You either use the paddle attachment or the dough hook. Once the dough forms a ball slap it onto a floured surface, lightly knead it and then put it in a well oiled bowl. Let it rise. Then you go through the steps of the recipe.

The babka called for 6 egg yolks. Therefore I had tons of egg whites left over. I also had some egg yolks left over from something else I baked this past week (can't remember what). Friday night I had made a big dinner and I had had some roasted potatoes left over. I thought a Spanish omelet for breakfast the next morning would a good solution in not wasting the left over potatoes. When I mentioned "Spanish omelet" to Eli, he became obsessed. I told him that Dad and I lived on them when we traveled through Spain (especially in the South on the beaches in Nerja), prior to him coming into our lives. I made it from memory. Memory worked. I served it with some salsa and everyone was happy.

Bread is fun. I want to make more. This was good, not perfect. I think not perfect because of me, not because of the recipe. Eli and Mitch liked it. Levi likes anything with sugar. Again, Isaac would have preferred a bag of french fries!

The Happy Banana Cake

I had just the right amount of almost rotten bananas to make  some sort of banana dessert.  I have been reading my Tartine cookbook and came across her Banana Date Tea Loaf.  

I love Tartine (see blog entry 11/08 Roadtrip).  I make special trips to San Fran just to eat there.  If I were ever to open a bakery (which I don't plan on doing), I would emulate Tartine.  It is the perfect spot.

The recipe called for dates, walnuts and lots of other goodies that I had in the house.    This recipe also called for cornstarch in the batter.  I have never used cornstarch in a cake batter.  Gave me the inspiration and the desire to want to make it.

The best part about this cake is that both my kids loved it!  Usually when there is dried fruit in anything that I make they complain and get all weird.  However this time, they didn't even notice the dates and they were chunky dates.  I felt as though they were eating something somewhat "healthy".

If you are at all a lover of cookbooks, this one should be at the top of your list.  Not only are the recipes divine, but the photographs are amazing and the paper is a thick, lustre matte finish.  The best part about the book is the piece of satin ribbon that is attached to the spine of the book.  It is to be used as a bookmark, just like some of my old, 1st edition, literature books.  

LOVING NANCY SILVERTON

I have purchased a lot of cookbooks over the years and most of them are worn out.  I have all sorts of books; baking (obviously), lots of ethnic books, books by famous chefs, including Nancy Silverton.  I used to frequent her "grilled cheese" nights at Campanelli, back in the early 90's and oh do I miss those early morning breakfast's before heading off to create in my first furniture studio.  Tartine in S.F. reminds me of what Campanelli used to be; intimate, delicious and casual.  I like the food at Mozza (not the wait or the crowd) and I have saved every Food and Wine Magazine that she contributed to (a particular Thanksgiving meal in 1994(?) was one of my all time favorites).  My most favorite marinade for flank steak is in her book Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton at Home.  Also in that book is one of the BEST Meyer Lemon Tarts, ever!!!!  I have a meyer lemon tree for this very recipe.

I recently got Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the  La Brea Bakery.  I read it cover to cover before deciding on what to make first.  I started with her scone recipe.  I love making scones and have made all kinds.  I like to make lots of different flavors at once and then flash freeze.  This way, my kids have scones on any given morning and scones are only good when right out of the oven.  Her recipe calls for pastry flour.  I made one batch with pastry flour and one with cake flour.  The batch with  cake flour won.  This is now my base for the perfect scone recipe.  Eli was going to a friends on a Saturday morning so I decided to try her brownies.  DELICIOUS.  2 for 2!

I have started the Nancy Silverton challenge.  I have challenged myself to make EVERYTHING in her book. 

  

Had some disgusting looking bananas.  Made her Banana Nut Bread (pg 15).  I am not a banana person, but everyone who ate it said it was great.

Both kids were having friends over for playdates today.  Made Crotin de Chocolat (pg. 203).  As they were baking my house smelled like chocolaty goodness!  It permeated the house and the smell lasted for hours. These are a cross between a muffin and a bread (made with yeast), but they are laced with chunks of really, really good bittersweet chocolate.  The only thing I would change is that I would not dust them with cocoa powder, I would dust them with powdered sugar instead.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side wouldn't hurt either!  They were well received. 

Be on the look out for more deliciousness