What's Baking roundup - Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkins, Oh My!

Happy Halloween, everybody! I am so excited to be the host for our What's Baking group this month. Since I love to bake with pumpkin and had a goal to bake with sweet potatoes, I decided to choose pumpkin and sweet potatoes as this month's theme. Participants could choose to bake with one or both ingredients this month. As you can see, everyone had fantastic contributions for our theme, and I can't wait to try them all. Let's get to the roundup, shall we?

Melissa of I Was Born to Cook made these Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes for her coworkers in two different offices. I don't know about you, but I would be thrilled if my coworkers brought these in for me to enjoy! Hint, hint.

Jen at Beantown Baker made Pumpkin Dulce De Leche Oat Bars. I already love pumpkin, but the addition of dulce de leche definitely makes these swoon-worthy. I need some of these ASAP.

Catherine over at Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness made some amazing Pumpkin Maple Beer Cookies. My husband and I have been sampling all kinds of pumpkin beer this fall, and these cookies sound like a fabulous way to use them in baking!

Heather Lynne, who is the author of Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks, created a no-fuss but mouth-watering Pumpkin Crunch Custard Cake. This sounds like a great recipe for my next work potluck!

Nicole from Seven Ate Nine regularly makes things with both pumpkins and sweet potatoes and found a recipe for Pumpkin Chili that sounds just perfect for the chilly autumn days. I may suggest this to my husband for our next indoor tailgate!

Kim at Just Baked made Martha's Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing for her husband and kids to enjoy. Talk about heaven in a cookie! I'd love to try some if there are any extras left over, but it's doubtful since these were such a huge hit at her house.

Ange of The Tiny Tyrant's Kitchen baked Pumpkin Ale Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream for her 5th wedding anniversary. She and her husband taste tested over a dozen pumpkin beers before finding the perfect one for these cupcakes. Now that's a homework assignment I wouldn't mind doing!

Jaida of Sweet Beginnings baked Pumpkin Biscuits from her pumpkin e-cookbook for her contribution. She recommends smearing the biscuits with some maple butter for an even tastier breakfast treat. Um, yes please!

I am only one of two people that made something with sweet potato. I baked Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Brown Butter Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. It is the one thing that finally made me love and respect sweet potatoes.

Joanna of Kosher Kitchen made a batch of Pumpkin-Parmesan Biscuits. These were so good that her husband ate two of them and then stole the one she was eating! If that's not a sign of a good recipe, then I don't know what is!

Jenna at Jenna's Cooking Journey baked Pumpkin Scones. She is enjoying the fall colors and changing leaves on the East Coast and finally got to cross scones off her baking bucket list! These sound absolutely divine.

Cara from The Boys Made Me Do It baked a Pumpkin Dump Cake so she could try a new pumpkin dessert before Thanksgiving. This seems like the perfect recipe if you want something impressive that doesn't take a lot of time (and you can literally throw all the ingredients together very quickly).

And finally, Ammie of Adventures In My Kitchen contributed her Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes for the challenge. She liked being able to tailor each potato to individual tastes. Sounds like a great Thanksgiving side dish!

 
Kim from Just Baked is next month's What's Baking hostess and chose pie as our theme. Be sure to stop by her blog in early December to see what kinds of pie everyone made!

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Cinnamon Walnut Sweet Bread

Fall is in the air and nothing says fall quite like the warm comforting scent of cinnamon wafting from the kitchen. This fresh bread baking brought my family to the kitchen as if the scent itself had carried them by their noses, like in a cartoon.
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The Best Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

No, pumpkins are not just for Halloween Jack O' Lanterns and Thanksgiving pies. We also use our pumpkins in muffins and in a pumpkin loaf cake that I've been making since childhood too. Since Spouse is such a soup fan, we often roast off some pumpkin and a couple of root vegetables and with the help of a little vegetable stock turn it into  a very satisfying fall soup. I like to puree pumpkin soup into a silky smooth consistency but you really don't have to. Spouse prefers it more rustic style with the vegetables and pumpkin cut in bite sized pieces to roast and then simmering them with the seasonings and vegetable stock for just a  few minutes before serving. Either way, it's well worth the
little effort it takes to make a delicious soup full of the sweet roasted bounty of Autumn.

The Best Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

The best pumpkin soup I have ever tried with the added natural sweetness of seasonal root vegetables and roasted garlic. Makes terrific Fall appetizer course or an amazing vegetarian lunch.

Prep time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 4 -5 cups diced peeled pumpkin
• 2 large carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 large thickly sliced parsnips (or diced celeriac, i.e. celery root)
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 head garlic (still in the skins)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 to 3 cups vegetable stock, enough to bring the puree to the thickness you prefer
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• pinch ground paprika
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme ( or 1 tbsp dry thyme)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Toss together the pumpkin, carrots, parsnips (or celeriac), onion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Roast in a shallow baking pan at 350 degrees F for about 35-45 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.
3. Remove the roasted garlic from the skins and add to a food processor along with the other vegetables. You may need to do this in two batches and you may need to add a little vegetable stock to process well. Puree very well until no lumps are present and the puree is very smooth.
4. Transfer to a saucepan and add the vegetable stock, smoked paprika. cloves, thyme, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer very slowly for only 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving. 

The Best Roasted Pumpkin Soup

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Fall Rice Krispies Treats

    A few weeks ago I had a fall themed party at school for my students.  My instructional assistant and I love to make desserts to go around a theme and a fall theme sounded like fun.  I wanted to make something that I knew the kids loved, but I wanted to put a spin on it.

    I decided on classic Rice Krispies treats.  Who doesn't like the gooey concoction?  To jazz it it up and make it more fall themed I added in a bag of autumn mix candy corn.  When the treats had cooled you could see that something was in them but it wasn't too clear what it was.

    The kids loved biting into them and finding a pumpkin or a piece of candy corn.  They thought it was fun and I did too!  These are a great treat that the kids could help with too.

Fall Rice Krispies Treats (adapted from Rice Krispies)
3 T. butter
4 c. mini marshmallows
6 c. Rice Krispies cereal
1 (8 oz) bag Autumn Mix candy corn

1.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add in the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add in the Rice Krispies and candy corn, taking turns so that the candy corn is evenly distributed. 

3.  Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Using a buttered spoon press the mixture into the prepared pan.

4.  Allow to cool for 30 minutes.  Cut and store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

This post linked to: 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays,

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Cheesy Pesto and Chicken Pasta Bake in 30 Minutes!

Baked ziti is one of my all time favorite dishes, if not THE favorite. It makes me think of special occasions growing up and has become my comfort food extraordinaire. I love to take the classic baked ziti and twist it up. With cravings for comfort food and a garden full of basil, there was only one thing to do. >> Click to read more

Read the article and get the recipe after the jump~

Check out these fantastic, quick and easy dishes from our Simple Kitchen: Creating delicious meals in a snap! Click on the image or the link and it will open each one in a new tab.

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Hawaiian Muffins: Pineapple, Banana, Coconut and Macadamia Nuts! TWO POST TUESDAY

A simple and delicious breakfast usually leads me to muffins. I love to freeze them as defrost them as I need them. In the mood for a change I decided to bake up some Hawaiian flavors; coconut, macadamia nuts, bananas and pineapple. Oh my, was this a good idea! These are moist and delicious. To be honest they are so good I haven't had a chance to freeze them. The whole family loves them and I am sure you will too!
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Tuesdays At The Table - Three Bean Salad

For those of you in the path of hurricane Sandy - I hope you're safe and have electricity.  Honestly, I prepped this post on Sunday night, expecting that I don't have electricity/internet.  I can't complain - the Northeast doesn't get hit with that many storms.  (No, Mother Nature - I'm NOT setting a challenge for you!)

While I love a good bean salad - I particularly like this one because it requires no electricity or cooking.  Open your cans, mix and eat!

Three Bean Salad

1 can(s) (16-oz.) dark kidney beans

1 can(s) (16-oz.) white or cannellini beans

1 can(s) ( 16-oz.) black beans

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 bottle Italian dressing

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

 

Rinse and drain beans. Place beans in large bowl with onions, peppers, dressing and balsamic vinegar; toss to mix well and serve.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

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Orange Velvet Cake

Orange Velvet Cake

This cake reminds me of my grandmother, who always had a cake baked and ready to serve any time her throng of grandchildren would drop by for an unexpected visit. Most likely it was a boxed cake mix that she had prepared and one of the most common combinations you would find in Nan's pantry was an orange cake with chocolate frosting, always garnished by a sprinkle of coconut. That may
have been where my love of the chocolate orange flavor combination came to life.

Orange Velvet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This cake pays homage to my those visits to Nan's pantry as a kid, with a cake that's very moist and tender and gets it's citrus flavor punch from the finely minced zest of oranges incorporated into the batter. My kids came home from school to find this one waiting to be devoured and they have already put quite a dent in it. I guess that's their stamp of approval.

Click the photo at the bottom of the post for our other velvet cake recipes, Red Velvet, White Velvet and Lemon Velvet.

Grease two 9 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift together and set aside:

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour                                                                           
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy :

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons good quality vanilla extract

Beat in, one at a time,

• 3 large eggs

Fold in:

• zest of two large oranges, finely minced

Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with:

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.

Bake at 325 degrees F for  about 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

I've frosted this cake with chocolate buttercream frosting but plain vanilla buttercream is great on this cake too or add a little orange zest to it for some extra zing. Marshmallow frosting is a terrific choice for this cake too.

Click the photo below to see the other outstanding recipes in our 

VELVET CAKE COLLECTION

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Spiderweb Sugar Cookies

     Last year I made Spiderweb cookies for my students at school.  They not only thought they were delicious but loved how they looked.  I also had a few people ask me to make them for them this year.  After looking to see the directions on how to make them I realized I never blogged them other then showing a picture.

      Because these cookies are versatile and can be used with different colors for different holidays I wanted to make sure I wrote out the directions on how to make them.  I also went looking for another sugar cookie recipe because while I have a go to recipe, I wanted one that yielded a softer cookie.

       Bridget recently did a sugar cookie comparison in which she made 4 different sugar cookies, two of which I have made before, and compared them.  In all honesty, her own recipe looked the best and I gave it a try.  I ended up loving it.  The cookie is buttery and soft in the middle.  They hold up well to royal icing and stay fresh for close to a week.  I think I have a new favorite!

Spiderweb Sugar Cookies (adapted from The Way The Cookie Crumbles)
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
Royal Icing

1.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until smooth.  Gradually add in the sugar and continue mixing on medium until fluffy.

3.  Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed well.

4.  Place the mixer on low and add in the flour mixture, mixing until just blended.

5.  Knead the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

6.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

7.  On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut the cookies using a 3 inch circular cookie cutter.  (I used a biscuit cutter.)  Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until they no longer look wet on top.

8.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack.  Cool completely.

9.  Make a large bowl of royal icing from THIS recipe.  Place 3/4 of it in a large bowl and 1/4 of it in a small bowl.

10.  Tint the large bowl orange and the small bowl black.  (I used Americolor Food Coloring)

11.  Place half of the orange icing into a piping bag with a small tip.  Pipe a large orange circle onto each cookie.

12.  Place the remaining orange icing back into a bowl and thin it slightly with water.  Put the black icing int a piping back with a small tip.

13.  Working on 3 or 4 cookies at a time flood the cookie with orange icing.  Immediately place a black dot in the center with 3 black circles around the dot.  Immediately drag a toothpick through the black icing.  You can choose to go from the inside to the outside only or you can go both ways for a different design.


14.  Allow to dry over night.  Place in an air tight container and keep for up to 1 week.

Happy Halloween!

This post linked to:
Wonderful Wednesdays,  Recipe Box Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, 

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Toy & Treat Swap Reveal

Thank you to EVERYONE that participated in the toy and treat swap with Nola & I!!!  I think we're still waiting for a few packages to arrive (For instance, I sent poor Ashley a second package.  We think her neighbor stole the first one.)...but we'll leave the link open for a week so everyone can link up at their convenience.  :-)

Ashley sent me crew these goodies. 

 

The boys are so excited to play with the hard toys.  Hopefully it will keep them entertained if we lose power!

I hope everyone had fun and that Nola & I can host this swap again next year!



P.S. The power company and my town have sent out notifications that "Frankenstorm" could mean that we lose power for 2-7 days.  I hope this is a wild exageration...but have a few posts pre-scheduled just in case.  If you're in the storm path - BE SAFE!

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Sweet and Sour Meatball Poppers

Dinner party, cocktail party or game day food, meatballs can be dressed up and taken anywhere. No matter how you enjoy them, you will enjoy them. My munchkin gets so excited to eat meatballs, she says "Mommy, I love meatballs. They taste like candy". Well these ones do for sure!

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Cheddar Green Bean Casserole

     I enjoy green bean casserole as much as the next person.  The creamy beans topped with crispy fried onions are delicious.  The only thing I don't like about the casserole is the use of creamed soup.  I found this recipe that not only leaves out the creamed soup but adds in cheese and a delicious, crisp topping.

     The green bean casserole is cheesy and tasty.  I enjoyed the creamy cheese sauce and the combination of breadcrumbs, fried onions, and cheese on top.  It's a great alternative to the original casserole and perfect for any cheese lover.

Cheddar Green Bean Casserole (adapted from Life and Kitchen)
For the topping:
2 slices of bread, crusts removed, torn into quarters
1 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
3/4 c. canned fried onions
1/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded 
For the beans and sauce:
1 lb. frozen green beans, thawed in the refrigerator
1 T. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. black pepper
1 T. flour
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. fat free half and half
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Pulse the bread, butter, salt, and pepper in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large bowl and mix with fried onions and cheese; set aside.

2.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

3.  In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add in the garlic and pepper.  Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.

4.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium.  Add in the half and half and the cheddar cheese.  Mix well. 

5.  Add the green beans to the sauce and stir until coated.   Spread in the 9 x 9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with the topping and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges. 

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays, Bulletin Board,Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show,

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Curveball (a Cat McDaniel mystery) by Jen Estes & a Giveaway!

BACK ON THE BENCH

Baseball reporter Cat McDaniel specializes in exposes. Now that very talent has left her unemployed. Desperate to get off the bench and back into the lineup, she is thrilled to land an interview with the Buffalo Soldiers' General Manager Roger "Rakin'" Aiken--Baseball legend, eight-time All Star... and oblivious father to a Major League bratty co-ed named Paige.

A CURVEBALL WITH A CAVEAT

Aiken offers Cat the team writer position for the following spring, but the opportunity is tempered by a curveball of a caveat: she must first spend the winter as a blogger reporting on the Latin American training facility. She is also supposed to look out for Paige, nominally the team's newest scouting assistant. Being a glorified babysitter and chaperone still beats being an out-of-work sportswriter. Cat reluctantly leaves behind her gorgeous boyfriend Benji and accompanies the party girl to sunny Santo Domingo to balance baselines and conga lines.

HARDBALL FOR REAL

Paige falls for Chance Hayward, an agent who plays hardball--the figurative kind. Joining them on the field is Paige's ex, Junior DeLeon, one of the coaches who'd really like to score with Cat. When an aspiring player turns up dead, it is up to Cat and Junior to devise a game-changing strategy. Will Cat's snooping work in her favor this time, or will she strike out ... losing her job, her boyfriend and her life?  (-synopsis from Goodreads)

The book opens with a determined Cat going for an interview with Roger Aiken, the Buffalo Soldier's manager.  In the middle of the interview the manager gets a call that his troublemaker daughter is in trouble at her college...again.  With a press conference coming up in hours he sends Cat to deal with her.

Cat gets the bratty Paige in the car and back to her father.  Seeing how firm Cat was with Paige, Roger gives Cat a chance to work with the Soldiers...but there is a catch.  She has to fly to Santo Domingo and write about the Latin American training facility.  Cat is excited until she learns that Paige is coming along as well.  Not only will Cat be a reporter on this trip, she's also there to be Paige's babysitter.

The two start out disliking each other but throughout the book you can see them growing on each other.  Even though Paige seems spoiled and bratty she really grew on me and showed personal growth at the end of the book.  

Cat is a strong willed, smart, and sneaky reporter who will do anything to bring down the bad guys and keep the baseball players safe.  Together Paige and Cat begin snooping around when a baseball recruit ends up dead and a slimy agent, Chance Hayworth, acts as though he didn't know the boy even though they had a contract.

Throw in an old flame of both Cat's and Paige's and things heat up quickly in Santo Domingo.  This pair is such an odd couple but it really works in this book.  They seem to despise each other on the surface but when push comes to shove you can tell they care about one another.  Their insults to each other kept me laughing throughout the book.

I read this book quickly and it kept my interest throughout.  I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I found the baseball references to just be another part of the book and I actually enjoyed them.  The characters are realistic and the interactions were so spot on that I could picture them in my mind.

I hope I see more of both Paige and Cat in the future as they make a great team and end up catching the bad guy at the end.  

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Follow the author on Twitter @jenestesdotcom

Would you like to read Curveball?  If so I am giving away one E-Book copy of Curveball in any format!  All you have to do is leave a comment telling me why you would like to read this book.  Giveaway is open through November 2 at midnight and is open Internationally.  

DISCLAIMER

Every eBook received for review on the tours for Partners In Crime are given in exchange for an honest review. The eBooks are sole property (copyrighted) of the author and should not be sold, distributed to, or exchanged among other people not part of the tours, nor should they be listed on file sharing sites. Failure to comply with this disclaimer, will result in removal from all future tours.



This post linked to:
Review Party Wednesday, 

Update:  The winner of the Curveball e-book is: 

gail

i love mysteries
gkuroda(at)gmail(d0t)com

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The Best Ever! Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce in 15 Minutes

The last night we had this sauce with meatballs, it looked something like this... Dinner starts and about 5 minutes later you look around the table and see plates where you should see faces. Chads started the whole thing, but now Munchkin has joined in the excitement. Plate lickin' good. We are fancy like that! You know its good when the family gives that kind of reaction!

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