{CC#10} Pumpkin Cake

For some reason most of the cakes I make are layer cakes.  Lots of frosting between the levels.  Lots of frosting on top.  Lots of frosting around the sides.  But this time I decided to make a simple 9×13 cake.  Just lots of frosting on top.Pumpkin cake with a nice sweet cream cheese frosting.

I made a couple of subs.  Instead of the full 2 1/2 cups of AP flour I used 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and only 1 cup AP.  I also used 1/4 cup egg product instead of the egg white called for. I subbed in 1 cup Slendra and 1/2 tsp bulk stevia for part of the sugar.  TRYING to make it a little better for you….. And, of course, a little more cinnamon than the 2 tsp.

 

Cake recipe is page 197 of The Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook.  The Pumpkin Cake Recipe is from Burritt’s Produce.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#10} Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I have lots of friends who eat soup year round.  For me I don’t make soup until the weather turns cool.  I know that’s silly.  Hot food is hot food.  It’s the idea.  I like the combination of cool weather and soup.  It warms you up.

Today it finally turned cooler in the Deep South.  That means that the high today was only about 75 instead of 85 or 90 which we have had the last 10 days.  UGH!!! I am ready for SUMMER to be OVER!!

I love the flavor and fragrances of curry so this recipe caught me eye.  AND we have some fresh butternut from the garden.  It was kismet!!

Delicious!  It hit the spot on a cool day.  Lots of curry flavor  Very filling.

The dollop of Greek yogurt added a little ‘tang’ to the soup when it was mixed in.  I almost left it out because it usually isn’t my ‘thing’.  So glad I didn’t it.  It was the perfect addition.

Sautee curry powder, onions and garlic in butter.  Throw in some diced butternut and cook until soft.  Add veggie broth.  Puree.  Done!  Easy! Tasty! Warming!

TIP:  You will need to peel the butternut.  That is near-nigh impossible if they are cold.  If I need to peel them I usually nuke them for about 2 minutes.  It makes them so much easier to peel.

The recipe is from The Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook (page 77).  I also found it HERE!

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#10} Cranapple Scones

It was wonderfully cool this morning.  Perfect for a hot cuppa and some warm buttered scones

Cranapple to be exact.

These delicious scones are from The Bluepoint Bakery located in Denver, CO. 

I make scones quite often for breakfast or for friends.  These were among the best I have ever made.  They contained cream cheese which I have never used in scones before.  They added a certain creaminess to the scones.  While the recipe called for frozen cranberries I used dried instead.  I like the sweetness they added to the mix.  I also used Granny Smith apples.

I will definitely make them again – often!

The recipe is on page 165 of The Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#10} Curried Quinoa

Quinoa has become my new best friend. I eat it as a side.  As a cold or hot salad.  Instead of rice sometimes.  It is good, and good for you.  Finding another GOOD quinoa recipe is always a plus.  Like this one from Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook – my book for October’s CookBook Countdown.

Red bell peppers, onion, and garlic cooked with curry powder and peas before being added to the toasted quinoa to cook.  How can you beat that?

I did add a little salt at the end since the recipe did not call for it and next time I will ‘up’ the amount of curry powder.  1 tsp just wasn’t enough but I like lots of curry flavor in my dishes.

The recipe is on page 104 of the Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook.

Since the recipe can be found on line I will not include it here.  Curried Quinoa

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#10} Very Lemon Bread

LEMON!!  Tart! and sweet if made into a lovely loaf.  Like this one from Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook – my book of choice for October’s Cook Book Countdown.  This Very Lemon Loaf is just that VERY lemon!  3 Tbl of lemon zest mixed with 1 1/2 tsp lemon oil and soaked in a lemon glaze.  JUST RIGHT!  I usually cannot get enough lemon flavor into a cake, but this recipe from Maggie McCullough’s Bakery and Cafe was perfect!

I made a simple lemon glaze for the top because you can NEVER have too much lemon.  I love that you can see the little pieces of lemon zest in the cake.  Moist.  Lemony.

The recipe is on page 167.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#10} Zucchini Frittata

This morning’s breakfast was a lovely Zucchini Frittata from the Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook the book I’m using for this month’s CookBook Countdown.

In case you haven’t heard of Cookbook Countdown is an online cooking ‘group’ where we use one of our cookbooks each month that we have had but haven’t used much and post about the recipes.  The Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook is one I have had for about 14 years and only used once.  What a shame because there are lots of great recipes in it.

Like this one:  

Laura’s frittata is full of zucchini, onions, tomatoes, and Parm along with thyme and parsley.  Lots of flavor.  I did add some salt and pepper to taste which enhanced the flavor.

I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes so I used canned from this summer. Store ‘fresh’ tomatoes just aren’t any good this time of the year.

I would definitely make this again.  It is so adaptable – as are most frittatas.  I could see this one with mushrooms, maybe some butternut squash. Asparagus. Add in some wild rice?  Quinoa?

2 Tbl olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs {I made the crumbs from herb/garlic croutons.}
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
6 – 8 eggs, beaten

In an ovenproof skillet cook the onions until they are soft but now browned. Add in the garlic and sautee only a few seconds. Remove the onions and garlic into the bowl with the remaining inredients.
While the onions and garlic are cooking mix together all the other ingredients. Add the onions and garlic and pour back into the ovenproof skillet.
Bake at 350F for 25 – 30 minutes until fritatta is a light golden brown.
Slice into wedges to serve.

The recipe is from Laura Korth and is on page 88. You can also find the recipe HERE at Google books!

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

 

{CC#10} Pear Crisp

How did it get to be OCTOBER?  Yes, I know, it follows September but it seems like we just started August!  Whew!

But October is good.  Cooler temps in the Southern US.  Soup time is around the corner.  Lots of different veggies from the fall/winter garden.  And a new cookbook for Cookbook Countdown!

In early 2003 my beautiful daughter traveled to Colorado.  She brought back some souvenirs – one of which was 

and while I wandered through it and marked recipes I never really got around to using it.  Thanks to Cookbook Countdown I am about to remedy that situation.  Starting with a dessert!  Eat dessert first, right?

Creamy Pear Pie Crunch

This was delicious.  Not a pie exactly because it doesn’t have a bottom crust but not a crisp either – according to Ela of Ela’s Family Farm.

I chose this recipe because of the pear trees in the backyard.  I made this right before the season for picking ended so I could use fresh pears but it would be just as good with our canned pears.

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. corn starch
1/4  1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cream
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 1/2 cups pears, cored and sliced

Crust:

1/2 cup butter – melted
1 – 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour {I used 1/2 AP and 1/2 WWF}
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Mix together the sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt a bowl. Add cream, lemon juice and pears, mixing well. Pour into greased 8″ x 8″ pan.

Mix crust ingredients together and sprinkle over pear mixture.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

The recipe is on page 182 of Colorado Farmers’ Market Cookbook.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).