Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf

Here we are and it's almost Fall again.

That means it has been waaaay too long since I last posted.  (I know- what else is new?)  But that also means it's nearly time for my favorite season and favorite holiday, so I'm pretty excited!

As usual, it was an action-packed Spring and Summer for us.  My in-laws are incredibly generous, and took us all to Disney World in April.  OMG.  Can I just tell you that I felt like a kid again myself?

Best. Vacation. EVER.

In May, the Vittles family also gained a niece/cousin - my brother-in-law and sister-in-law welcomed a daughter, Annie, and she is soooo sweet!  Chubby cheeks just like her cousins, and possibly one of the happiest babies I have ever seen!

I think we'll keep her.

In July, we took our annual trip to Canada to my in-laws' house on the St. Lawrence River. Mini got to try her hand at driving the boat, and we did lots of fun activities.

Unfortunately we only got to the beach ONCE all summer, in August while my aunt and cousin were visiting- but that was a great time too.

And now... Mini Smalls is officially a Kindergartener, and the Minion just started nursery school!

They both did so great. No drama or tears from either of them (or from Mama, for that matter!)

The Minion didn't even say goodbye, just made a beeline to the play kitchen to make some food.

Wonder where he gets that from?

As for Miss Mini, I knew she was beyond ready for Kindergarten, but this summer I was still feeling slightly unsure of all the changes that come along with going to school full-time. I was also mourning a little for the end of her toddlerhood (although Lord knows there were plenty of days over the last 5+ years that I longed for more independent and rational days ahead!).

In the weeks leading up, I bought us matching bracelets to go with a sweet poem I had seen online, and wondered how she would do that first day. Would she be nervous to ride on the bus? Would she feel anxious about spending the whole day at school, away from family and the babysitter she's known since she was a newborn? Would she have any fears of this new routine?

Spoiler alert: No, no, and no.

The night before the big day, I presented her with the bracelet and read her the poem. She hugged me tightly, seeming to enjoy idea of us wearing matching bracelets - but showed no signs of anxiety.

She got something called 'Jitter Glitter' at orientation from her teacher - she was supposed to sprinkle it on her head the night before her first day, to calm her nerves.  However, I think she was more excited to have an excuse to pour glitter on her noggin than to ward away any potential jitters.

She also read a book she received from her nursery school at Pre-K graduation, called "The Night Before Kindergarten." Overall, it was a pleasant, drama-free evening.  After the kids went to bed, I braved the crazy last-minute, back-to-school shoppers of Walmart to get her the pizza Lunchable she had wanted (which I had regretted saying 'no' to in the grocery store, a few days before).

The next morning, she literally could not wait to get to the bus stop. She rushed us through pictures, and power-walked to the corner. We were by far the first ones there, even beating some other neighbors who took an earlier bus to a different school.

She pranced around in her backpack, anxiously awaiting her friend and her friend's older brother to come from around the corner. The latter two are veterans, in 2nd and 5th grade respectively, and chattered excitedly about where they would sit on the bus, where their classrooms were, and what Mara could expect at school.

When the bus finally came, and her friend thoughtfully led her by the hand to a seat they would share, I found that I wasn't at all sad or emotional like I thought I might be.

She was ready.

And so was I.

I'm sure the year will come with its ups and downs, but it makes a mama happy to see that her children feel ready and prepared for the next chapter in their lives- even if the book isn't very long yet.

In the meantime, I am also totally ready for Fall.  I bought a stash of  pumpkin-scented candles at Bath & Body Works.  I didn't care that it was 90-something degrees with 100% humidity the last week of August - I lit them anyway.

I ask the kids almost daily what they want to be for Halloween. (I'll stop when their answers are consistent).

Instead of being disgusted by the Autumn and even Halloween displays in stores in August, they only served to escalate my anticipation.

I made my own pumpkin spice syrup so I could enjoy a "PSL" before Starbucks was even ready to unleash the fall flavor.

I changed our holiday banner in the dining room from flag bunting to glittery leaves, the first week of September.

And finally, I created this Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf to share with anyone whose excitement for Fall matches mine.

A couple years ago, I bought a candy bar at a local chocolate shop that was spiced chocolate, and I realized that these flavors go together way better than most people (myself included) give them credit for.

If you are a fan of autumn spices and chocolate, I hope you will give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed!

Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf

• 1/2 C. butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 1 C. packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 3/4 C. buttermilk (can add 3/4 t. vinegar to regular milk if you do not have any)
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• 3/4 C. cocoa powder + a little extra for dusting pan
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 t. cinnamon 
• powdered sugar, for dusting finished loaf (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter & lightly dust an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan w/cocoa powder and dump out excess. (Note: I recommend a glass loaf pan - if using metal, it may not need to be in the oven as long as the recipe calls for).

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, spices together until well-combined.  Set aside.

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk pumpkin into buttermilk.  Set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer, on medium speed, cream butter until smooth.  Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add egg and mix well.  Then add buttermilk mixture and vanilla. Beat until combined (mixture will be soupy with chunks of butter, this is ok).

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir together with a spoon until just combined and no flour streaks remain - do not overmix.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and bake 60-70 minutes in preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10-15 minutes in pan on rack, then turn out loaf onto rack to cool completely. When cooled, dust with powdered sugar in sieve if desired.

Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's 'Everyday Chocolate Cake'

Apple Pie Smoothie

October, my very favorite month, came and went in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, September ended on a very sad note for me, as I lost my grandma - my beloved Yaya - on the 28th.  She was truly one of a kind, with the biggest heart and a beautiful spirit.

I feel lucky that we had so many years of wonderful memories with her, and I'm so happy she got to meet our little Minion before she passed. But it was very hard to say goodbye, and there are no words to describe how much she will be missed.

On a happier note, my "baby" girl is officially a threenager.  And in true Mini fashion, we had two food-filled celebrations - a great family party complete with a make-your-own-taco bar, and a donut-making party with her little friends.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

We also had a fabulous Halloween!  Which is amazing, because I feel like occasions & holidays are always very touch & go with young kids.

Actually, that's an understatement- when they don't completely suck, I consider that to be a great success.

But this Halloween totally exceeded my expectations. Mini had a blast being a fox....

...and while the Minion was cranky at points and clearly did not want to be a bat...

... he did rally at the end of the day, and was very cooperative for trick-or treating (which lasted for about 2 hours!)  So aside from the grumpy bat, we couldn't have asked for a better day.

For Mini, it was basically the best week ever.  One weekend was her birthday, and the next was Halloween.  Cake and treats and fox costumes galore, what could be better when you're 3?

I actually think she is taking after her momma in her love for Fall, which is totally fine with me!  I'm especially happy that she also seems to enjoy the Autumn flavors.  So we have been getting our fill of pumpkin pancakes and apple pie smoothies as we watch the leaves fall.

I like to make her smoothies a few times a week (or as she calls them, "smoovies") and along with yogurt and fruit, I usually throw in some kale or spinach... which are things she refuses to eat otherwise.

We were having salad recently at a family party, and she commented, "I don't like salad.  Except when it's in my smoovie."

Haha. As delicious as "salad smoothies" are, I decided it was time to switch things up and add some fall flavor to our smoovies, so the apple pie smoothie was born.  Mr. Vittles and I drink her leftovers, and he commented that it really does taste like apple pie! Straining it before drinking it is totally optional, but I'm personally not a fan of seeds and chunks in my smoothies.

Apple Pie Smoothie

• 3/4 C. apple cider
• 1/2 C. Greek yogurt
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1 T. pumpkin (or mashed banana)
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch allspice
• 2 t. oatmeal
• 3-4 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender, and pulse until thoroughly blended.  If no chunks are desired, strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass. Makes 1 serving (about 12 oz).

Original Recipe

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. The cool, crisp air.... the leaves crunching under your feet... Halloween... and of course, the apples and pumpkins.

It's only natural that I would try to foster the same love of everything autumn in the Mini.

So we have been reading books about Halloween and Fall- mostly in an attempt to persuade her to put on her Halloween costume- but we inadvertently created a pumpkin-loving monster.

She points them out everywhere.  On walks, at the store, driving in the car.  "Mommy look! Punkins!"

So we thought bringing her to the pumpkin "patch" last weekend would be the greatest thing ever.  Better yet, they offer pumpkins at the orchard where we pick apples every year, so we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone.

At first it was great...

...but after about ten minutes of apple-picking, she was turning into Grumplestilksin.  It was no fun that Mommy kept trying to take pictures and wouldn't let her pick up the rotten apples on the ground, or run around with giant sticks.  So she refused to smile for any photos, and said she didn't want to pick out a pumpkin.

Although she did eventually come around a little, and tried to carry her pumpkin to the wagon.

But alas, it was too heavy.

Who knew the pumpkin patch would be a field of disappointments.

But the good news is, Mini has never met a pumpkin muffin she didn't like.  Even these gluten-free ones, which no one will even guess are missing wheat flour!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

• 2 C. Gluten-Free Flour Blend* (see below)
• 2/3 C. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 C. sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ground ginger
• 1/8 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 t. ground cloves
• 6 T. butter, melted
• 3/4 C. canned pumpkin
• 1/3 C. buttermilk**
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place paper baking cups into 12-cup muffin pan cup, or grease cups. Set aside.

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Whisk to combine.

In smaller bowl, whisk butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir into flour mixture just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan & cool completely on wire rack.  Makes 12 + muffins.  Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

*Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in air-tight container. Stir before using.

**If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1/3 cup.  Let stand 5 minutes

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Land O Lakes

Pumpkin Bread

Ok, so I have been so MIA it's not even funny.

I'm sorry.  September was crazy.  In both good ways and bad ways, and I won't even get into either.

So let's just leave September behind and embrace October, which has always been one of my favorite months anyway.  Between the awesome weather, my favorite holiday (Halloween,) apple picking, and pumpkins, it will always hold a place in my heart.

And it just keeps getting better since October is now also the month of my wedding anniversary (4 years next week!) and my daughter's birthday (1 year in two weeks!)

How is it even possible that my Mini is going to be a year old?

I will never forget a comment that one of Mr. Vittles' old co-workers once made, that "you just have to keep 'em alive the first year and then it's easy after that."

"Easy" may be a relative term, I hear there are these things called the terrible twos (or as it may be, threes).... middle school... and teenage years?  But either way, I can't believe our "Keep Her Alive" period is almost up.  People always say that time flies when you have children, but it really is the truth.

And luckily, Miss Mini is now old enough to enjoy one of her daddy's favorite treats - pumpkin bread!

For my wedding shower, my mother mailed blank recipe cards in the invitation for guests to give me their favorite recipes.  My sister-in-law Melissa was kind enough to share her brother's favorite recipe for pumpkin bread, which she said was handed down from their grandmother to their mother.

As you probably know by now, Mr. Vittles doesn't get excited over much in the culinary world, so "favorite foods" are somewhat of an anomaly.  (It just so happens that this month also marks 6 years of enduring this tired, nightly script: "How is it, hon?" - "Pretty good."  Ah, the sacrifices we make for love!)

Melissa did also write that the recipe was 'super-secret,' but I think she made that up for dramatic effect.

Hopefully.

The below is adapted slightly anyway, for a single loaf instead of two; although, in this household, two loaves would probably be a smarter bet.  This stuff does not last long!

Pumpkin Bread

• 1 C. canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C. oil
• 3 T. water
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 C. flour
• 1 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 t. baking soda
• 3/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk pumpkin, eggs, oil, and water until smooth.

In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.  Add pumpkin mixture, and mix with a spoon until no streaks of flour remain.

Pour into prepared pan, and bake about 60-70 minutes.*   Cool on wire rack, and remove from pan when completely cooled.  Store in a ziploc bag or airtight container.

*Keep in mind the bread will keep cooking after you remove it from the oven - so if the edges are getting a little too brown but the middle is still a bit soft, it's probably ok to pull it out. Or, if you're like Mr. Vittles, you may like it slightly undercooked anyway :))

Slightly Adapted from a Family Recipe; Origin Unknown

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Today I am excited to introduce to you a good friend of mine, Pauline.  Pauline is married to one of Mr. Vittles childhood friends, Bryan, and over the years she and I have found we have a lot in common - particularly a love of cooking & baking!  She is a middle school English teacher, so she also happens to be a great writer.  She has always been a wonderful supporter of V&B and I am honored to have her guest post.  She's been kind enough to share not only a special Thanksgiving recipe with us, but also a peek into her holiday traditions.  So a big thank you to Pauline, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving is a bittersweet time for me both literally and figuratively.  The sweet part is that Thanksgiving is a holiday that symbolizes my two favorite passions…family and cooking!  I love the shades of amber and scarlet leaves, I love the flavors of nutmeg and pumpkin, I love the sounds of neighbors of all ages playing touch-football in their yards, and the scent of thyme and mirepoix sautéing in preparation for stuffing.  On the other hand, the bitter part is that my job prohibits me from ever hosting my own Norman Rockwellesque Thanksgiving. On top of enduring an hour commute each way, I am a teacher and have 80 parent conferences the days and nights leading up to the holiday.  It is exhausting.   In addition, my husband and I travel from New Jersey to Queens, New York and battle at least three hours of white-knuckle driving in order to celebrate with 45 members of  his side of the family.   It is well-worth the drive, and I love that his family’s tradition has become my tradition;  however, it presents me with a conundrum. 

What do I bring to Thanksgiving dinner that does the following:

• is not time-consuming
• travels well
• does not require me to use an oven or do any preparation in someone else’s kitchen
• reflects the elegance of the holiday and stands out in a crowd of golden homemade pies

The answer… pumpkin tiramisu.

Pumpkin Tiramisu

The basic version of this recipe appeared in Bon Appetit in November 2006.  I made major changes in the ingredients and measurements.  This recipe must be made 1 day ahead of time, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving.  I serve it in a glass trifle dish because you can see the layers and colors.  The quantities below will fit your basic trifle dish.  However, you can use any deep serving dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups chilled whipping cream
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar
• 12 ounces of mascarpone cheese (it comes in 8 oz. containers)
• 22.5 ounces canned pumpkin (I prefer Libby’s Pure Pumpkin, and it comes in 15 oz. cans)
• 1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 packages of halved, soft ladyfingers  (24 total) *
• ¼ cup of Frangelico (It is a hazelnut liquor)
• 1 bag of Gingersnap cookies (I prefer Archway and crush them in a Ziploc bag with a hammer)
• 1 bag of toffee bits or Heathbar bits (found in the baking aisle)

Preparation:
1)      Beat whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form.  Add mascarpone cheese, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice; beat just until filling is smooth.
2)      Line bottom of trifle dish with one layer of ladyfingers (crowd them in and cover the bottom).
3)      Lightly brush ladyfingers with Frangelico.  Air on the side of caution.
4)      Spread about ¾ cup-1 cup of pumpkin filling over ladyfingers.
5)      Cover filling with a thin layer of crushed gingersnap cookies and toffee bits/Heathbar bits.
6)      Repeat layering (ladyfingers through toffee bits/Heathbar bits) until you reach the top of the trifle dish.  The final layer should be the gingersnap cookies and toffee/Heathbar bits).
7)      Cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.  Serves 8.

*Note:  Lady fingers vary in quantity by brand.  I prefer the soft ladyfingers because it is easier to layer in a round trifle dish.

Pumpkin Pie Frappe... In The Raw

Is it just me, or is anyone else done with summer?

Maybe it's because I'm currently lugging around a 2 1/2-pound watermelon in my stomach, but I am totally over this season.

It doesn't help that Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, and I probably got a taste of it too early going up to Canada a few weeks ago. I want it to be here NOW!

I want cool, crisp air. I want jeans and sweatshirts. I want fallen leaves and apple-picking.

I want PUMPKIN SPICE!

Who's with me on that?

I recently applied through BlogHer to review In The Raw sugar, and when I was looking at their collection of amazing recipes, I noticed all the fall-themed ones were jumping out at me.

So naturally, I had to make the Pumpkin Pie Frappe ... which totally lives up to its name, and gets me even more excited for the upcoming season change!

Is it wrong that I want to swim in this creamy, pumpkiny goodness?

But in all seriousness - for those of you who are regular readers, hopefully you know by now that I'm very picky about my reviews. Making money off of a hobby is great, but that's not why I blog, and I would never personally endorse a company, product, or recipe I didn't truly like.

So that being said, I highly recommend checking out In The Raw's products. Like me, you've probably seen their sugar and Stevia packets in coffee shops and the like, but did you know that these products are also offered in bulk for baking and cooking?

Check out the lineup of goodies I received from In The Raw, which included their all-natural Turbinado sugar, organic agave nectar, and zero-calorie Stevia. So fun!

In all honesty, I was a strictly-white sugar type of gal until a couple years ago when I was diagnosed with a hormone imbalance; it puts me at a higher risk for diabetes if I'm not mindful about my carb intake. So at that point, I started looking into less-refined sugars and sugar alternatives and was pleasantly surprised to find out there are some really great options available.

For one, Stevia is the only low-calorie sweetener that I actually enjoy - I think it tastes the closest to 'regular' sugar, and I love that it's natural, not made from chemicals.

Agave nectar is great too because it's slightly sweeter than sugar, so you can use less, and it has a lower glycemic index. (In The Raw's Agave is also organic, so that's a bonus!)

But if all that health stuff doesn't tickle your fancy ... I recently discovered that In The Raw has this hilarious Au Natural In The Raw app that will 'censor' your sassy food photos.

Yep you heard me right. You can blur out your goodies', umm ... goodies?

In the age of 'pinning' and 'food porn' sites, one of the most fun things about baking is sharing your creations via photo. And now your hottest desserts can go "au natural" on the internet... without fear of showing too much!

How cute is that?? To view other photos or make your own, just visit hotintherawaction.com (and perhaps warn your significant other first, in case they see the site in your browser history - ha!)

And if that wasn't enough fun for you ... In The Raw is also giving you all a chance to win a $100 Cooking.com gift card! Entering is easy peasy, just visit the recipe section of their website, and leave a comment on this post telling me which recipe you'd most like to make.

Official Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

"b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the

following unique term in your tweet message: ""#SweepstakesEntry""; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post"

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/10/12-9/30/12.

Please also be sure to visit the In The Raw brand page on BlogHer, where you can read other bloggers' posts and get more chances to win.

In the meantime... bring on the pumpkin spice!

Pumpkin Pie Frappe

• 1/3 C. canned pumpkin puree*
• 1/4 C. Sugar In The Raw®
• 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t. ground allspice
• 1 C. whole milk
• 4 C. vanilla ice cream (slightly softened)
• Grated nutmeg for garnish

Combine all the ingredients in an electric blender and blend until smooth. Serve in frosted glasses and garnish with the nutmeg. Makes 4 servings, about 3 1/2 cups.

*Be aware that there is a difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie canned mix. The pumpkin puree works best for this recipe.

Note: The frappe can be stored in the freezer if not serving immediately. The consistency will be like soft ice cream.

Recipe from In The Raw

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with food, family, friends, and fun!

There's not much time left for pumpkin recipes, so I had to get in one last thing.

If you have any leftover canned pumpkin puree from your pies (or pumpkin coconut tapioca!) this is the perfect use for it.

Plus you'll need the caffeine for all your Black Friday shopping!  (Or if you're working, like me, then you'll really need caffeine).

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte

• 1/4 C. white chocolate chips
• 1/4 C. heavy cream
• 1 C. milk (any kind is fine)
• 2 t. pumpkin puree
• 1/8 t. cinnamon
• pinch cloves
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/4 t. vanilla extract
• 1 - 2 shots espresso (or very strong coffee)

In a microwave-safe measuring cup, heat white chocolate chips with heavy cream until melted (heat in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until syrup forms).

In the meantime, heat milk in a medium saucepan with pumpkin and spices over medium-low to medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, and whisk in white chocolate mixture.  Remove from heat, and add vanilla.  Whisk until frothy.

Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (there may be some pumpkin particles or lumps of white chocolate you want to strain out) and add espresso.  Serve immediately, with extra cinnamon on top if desired.  Makes two 6-oz. lattes, or one 12-oz latte (amounts are approximate).

Original Recipe

Pumpkin Coconut Tapioca

Are you sick of pumpkin yet?

Hope not.  (After this one, I still have another pumpkin recipe up my sleeve!)

My friend Natalie tried the original recipe for this pudding and loved it.  And she knows how much I enjoy coconut, so she was kind enough to share the link.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Vittles didn't like this (he's not a fan of the texture of tapioca), but he was getting quite a kick out of my attempts to photograph it.

I admit, it doesn't look all that appetizing.

But if you enjoy pumpkin and coconut, I'm pretty confident you will love this pudding.

If you are unsure of the spice, feel free to leave the cinnamon out (the original recipe did not have it).  I just thought it added a little something... reminds me of rice pudding!

Pumpkin Coconut Tapioca

• 1 1/2 C. milk
• 1/3 C. + 1 T. sugar
• 1/3 C. small pearl tapioca (also called tapioca seeds - not quick-cook)
• 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk
• 1/2 C. canned organic pumpkin
• 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Bring the milk and sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tapioca and stir continuously for the first 5 minutes to prevent clumping. (Turn down heat if mixture starts to boil over).

Continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the tapioca pearls are almost completely translucent and the mixture is very thick, 10-15 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and turn down the heat to low. Continue cooking until the tapioca pearls are completely translucent.

When the tapioca is done, stir in the canned pumpkin, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Chill until firm.

Recipe Adapted from Marc Matsumoto, as seen on PBS.org

Pumpkin Caramel Snickerdoodles

Today is Mr. Vittles' birthday.

His favorite cake is very simple (angel food cake filled with chocolate whipped cream) so I tend to feel guilty if that's the only thing I make for him. 

Especially since he also wants to go out to dinner tonight!

So last night we had one of his favorite meals (steak with garlic mashed potatoes) and I decided to make these cookies.

He likes anything pumpkin (one year I made him a Pumpkin Spice cake) so I thought this recipe would be a no-brainer.

When I took the dough out of the refrigerator, I gave him a taste and he said "It's good.  I have to say I was a little worried when you said they were going to be pumpkin snickerdoodles."

I guess he thought the taste would be too strong? 

Luckily, it's very subtle.

Then about a third of the way through the batch, I had him try just a piece of one of the finished cookies.  He tried to take a bite out of the half, but all the caramel came out with it. 

I asked him what he thought, and he said "It's ok.  The caramel is kind of a pain in the #*$ though."

Really?

I know someone else that's kind of a pain in the @#$.

I'm so sorry that gooey caramel deliciousness was just too much trouble for you, Mr. Vittles.  

(We should all have such problems.)

But since it is his birthday, I decided I better make a batch of just plain ones.  And for the record, they were also very delicious. 

...even though I forgot to put cinnamon in the rolling sugar until the last batch.

Oops!

Anyway, if you think the caramel is too daunting, feel free to leave it out :)

Pumpkin Caramel Snickerdoodles

Dough:

• 3 C. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C. whole wheat pastry flour (you can just use all-purpose for all the flour if you prefer)
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t. allspice
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1 C. (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 3/4 C. canned pumpkin puree
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 24 soft caramel candies (such as Kraft)

Coating for Rolling:

• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ground ginger
• 1/8 t. ground cloves
• 1/8 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t. allspice

Make Dough: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.  Set aside. 

In large bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light & fluffy (2 or 3 minutes).   Add pumpkin puree, and beat until well-combined.  Add egg and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Scraping down sides as necessary, add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated.   Add remaining flour mixture and beat only until no streaks remain.  Do not overmix.  Cover and chill dough thoroughly, for at least an hour, until consistency is easy to roll without sticking to your hands.

When dough is almost done chilling, unwrap caramels and slice each one in half.  Set aside.

Make Coating:  Mix sugar with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice in a small bowl and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare baking sheet with parchment or non-stick spray.

Using a large cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon, scoop out dough into 6-8 balls (return bowl of unused dough to refrigerator.)  Break each ball in half and place caramel piece on one half of dough.  Top with other half and shape back into a ball (so the dough completely surrounds the caramel). 

Roll each ball in spiced sugar coating and place on prepared sheet (if you're like me & want an extra-crispy coating on the outside, you can re-roll all the balls again before baking.) 

Bake 11-13 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Store in airtight container up to 1 week.  Makes about 36-48 cookies. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe adapted from DLYN, and Caramel-Center inspiration from The Baker Chick

Pumpkin Cornbread

Today was a very emotional day for many people - not just in this country, but all across the globe.

I stopped by my grandmother's house (my stepdad's mom) for an early birthday celebration, and she has some friends visiting from the Netherlands.

When we arrived a little after noon, they were in the middle of watching the names being read at the ceremony held in New York City for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Her friends had actually insisted on watching it.  In fact, her one friend Nelly says she has watched it every year since 2002, from Holland.  And a few days ago, they visited New York City to see Ground Zero in person.

My stepdad and I were initially a little surprised to hear this, but they pointed out that the world changed after 9/11... not just America.

That comment really struck me.

Before I left my house, I had been watching the ceremony too - particularly to see my high school friend Mary's sister, who had the honor of reading their father's name.

He was in the South tower when the second plane struck it, and he never came home.

I can't believe that was 10 years ago. 

On September 11, 2001, I was a college freshman at the New College of Florida, in my first few weeks of school.  I woke up a little early that morning, so I went on the internet before class.

That was the heyday of Instant Messenger, and a friend of mine from home messaged me, asking if I heard about the plane hitting the World Trade Center.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

"Your class is probably cancelled," he wrote, but I wasn't comprehending the seriousness of the situation.

Wasn't it just an accident?  Why would classes be cancelled?

But they were, and this was no accident.  I didn't have a television in my dorm room, so I spent the rest of the day either glued to the TV in the student lounge or on my laptop.

I frantically tried to reach my father, who didn't work in the WTC specifically but sometimes had business there.  Of course, cell phones weren't working, so it took me a while to find out he and my stepmom (they also had an apartment in NYC) were physically fine.

Emotionally... not so much.

And then I heard about Mary's dad.

At the age of 18, I had little experience with devastating news of this caliber.

My heart went out to her, but I didn't know what to do.  I didn't know how to talk to her.  I didn't know what to say.

Watching that ceremony this morning, the same awful feeling of helplessness came back to me.

Seeing children pay tribute to mothers and fathers that they never really even knew brought tears to my eyes.  And my heart broke again for all the people that lost their family members & friends so suddenly. 

I look at Mary now and think how much has changed in 10 years.  She finished college, got a good job, and has an amazing husband and an adorable baby boy who's about to be a year old in November.

Her oldest brother is also married, with two kids.  Her older sister and other brother are happy and successful.

Why their father had to be taken from them in such a senseless act is beyond me.

But if there is another 'side' or another life out there beyond our understanding (as I like to believe) then I know that he is watching them, smiling, so proud of everything his family has accomplished and become.

Mary & her son Bryce, February 2011

Last week, I promised you the fall-flavored cornbread recipe I made with my slow-cooker chicken chili.

I think it's a good choice for today when we could all use a little 'comfort'.

Pumpkin Cornbread

• 1 C. whole wheat pastry flour (regular all-purpose is also fine)
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 1 C. cornmeal
• 2 eggs
• 1 C. pumpkin purée
• 1/4 C. canola oil
• 1 T. molasses

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top as much as possible.

Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm, with butter if desired.


Recipe Slightly Adapted from Sugarcrafter

Pumpkin Waffles

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving... a day to give thanks for family, friends, and spandex pants!

In case you have any leftover pumpkin puree from your holiday baking (or perhaps you just need a hearty pre-shopping breakfast to gear up for Black Friday?) here is a delicious recipe for pumpkin waffles.

Enjoy!

"The Ultimate" Pumpkin Waffles

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted and warm

Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.

Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.

Separate eggs - yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.  Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.

Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter and follow manufacturers instructions (or your taste preference) for cooking.

Recipe from Pumpkin Waffles blog

Pumpkin Pancake Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Swirl

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but I feel like Autumn and its holidays have been getting edged out more and more by Christmas with each passing year - and I don't like it one bit.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy "the holiday season" as much as anyone else.  Christmas is fun times.  But can we agree to get through Thanksgiving first before we're subjected to Christmas carols in stores that have their halls decked with boughs of holly?

Worst of all, I walked into Dunkin' Donuts this week and noticed that their seasonal flavor Pumpkin has already been replaced by GINGERBREAD!

Well let me tell you something. Vittles and Bits is not done with pumpkin yet, so if you're looking for Christmas cookies in mid-November, I suggest you look elsewhere! 

...

Alright, good, you're still here.  Well now that we've gotten that out of the way, I must say I keep on hearing about Pancake Muffins and have been very intrigued.  I wasn't able to find any recipes that looked overly inspiring, though, so I decided to come up with my own.

Much like my guest-blogger Natalie Vittles (and her Homemade Granola), I don't like breakfast items that are overly sweet.  Treats like Coffeecake Muffins are nice for a special occasion, but as much as I enjoy my desserts, I don't need to eat them at 7AM.

So I'll warn you that these are pretty low-key when it comes to the sugar (much like real pancakes are - usually it's only when you drown them in gallons of maple syrup that they become so sweet).

If you do like sweets, though, you can feel free to treat this like a real pancake.  Pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds and pour some maple syrup over the top!  Instant pancake before work without all the effort :)

Pumpkin Pancake Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Swirl

• 1 3/4 C. flour (can use a combo of whole wheat & all purpose if you'd like)
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. cloves
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 T. pure maple syrup (sorry Aunt Jemima, you're not welcome in this recipe!)
• 1/4 C. plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 C. canola oil
• 1 egg + 1 yolk
• 3/4 C. pumpkin
• 1/2 C. buttermilk

Filling:

• 2 oz. cream cheese (I used neufchatel), softened
• 2 T. pure maple syrup
• 2 T. powdered sugar

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin tin with 12 liners or nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, combine 3 filling ingredients until well blended. Set aside.

Make muffin batter: mix dry ingredients, flour through nutmeg, in large bowl.  In separate bowl, whisk sugar with remaining wet ingredients (maple syrup through buttermilk) until combined.  Make a well in flour mixture and pour in wet ingredients.  Mix only until dry ingredients become moistened - do not overmix.

Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup, then using 2 hands on either side of the tin, bang bottom of pan on counter to spread batter evenly.  Place about 1/2 t. of cream cheese filling in each cup, and top with remaining muffin batter (about 1 heaping tablespoon more into each cup).

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on rack.

Original Recipe

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Molasses Cream Cheese Filling

I had all intentions of posting something fun for you tonight.

However, its already after 10PM and I just helped Mr. Vittles write a (glowing) cover letter for a job application.

My creative juices are all tapped out.

:(

Luckily, my creativity was flowing the night I made these whoopie pies - so I guess we'll just have to live vicariously through that memory.

I got the recipe for the cookie part from Joy of Baking, and the filling is just an original recipe that I made to  complement the pumpkin.

Mr. V said the whoopie pies tasted like pumpkin bread (one of his absolute most favorite things) with whipped cream icing.

Or in other words-heaven.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Molasses Cream Cheese Filling

Cookies:

• 2 C. all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ground ginger
• 1/8 t. ground cloves
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 C. light brown sugar
• 1/2 C. canola oil
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 C. canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour through salt) and set aside.

In separate bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs & sugar til light & smooth, about 2 minutes.  Beat in oil, vanilla, and pumpkin.  Add flour mixture & beat until just incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop (if you want large pies) or a small cookie scoop (for bite-sized pies), place mounds of batter onto prepared sheets 2" apart.  Using a metal or rubber spatula, slightly flatten the mounds and spread into a circle shape.  (The cookies pretty much hold their shape in the oven so you want them to be as uniform as possible going in!)

Bake 15-18 minutes (for large size, or 10-12 minutes for small) or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Remove from oven & cool a couple minutes on sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

When cookies are cool, prepare Molasses Cream Cheese Filling:

• 6 T. butter
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 C. confectioners sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1 T. molasses
• 1 T. milk

Cream all ingredients together until light & fluffy.

Spread a layer of filling to desired thickness onto the flat side of one cookie.  Lightly place a matching cookie flat side down on top of the icing, and twist gently to evenly distribute filling.

Makes about 9 large pies, or 18 bite-sized ones.

Cookie recipe from JoyofBaking.com, filling recipe original