Chanterelle Risotto

Who doesn't love mushrooms?? 

Okay, I dont.  Yes, I said it, I do not like mushrooms!  The consistency that is.  The soft squishy and almost rubber like texture really send me over the edge. I do love the taste of mushrooms, but could do without the rubbery bite.

Easy fix?  Chop them up very very small!  Great flavor, no spongy fungi!

With a mushroom hunter (avocation) for a husband, I needed to learn how to get accustomed to these fungi.  Which wasn't hard when he introduced me to the decadent Chanterelle Mushroom, I was in love! 

A couple nights ago hubby came through the door with a very large brown bag and dirty clothes (I know what that means!!)  He pulled out 2 lbs of fresh organic Chanterelles!  My dream man...especially when they cost $15-$30 per lb *Yikes*!  

(button shaped chanterelle caps)

(larger waved caps)

I'm definitely a burger girl, and adding crispy chanterelles to a burger...Heaven (See my Crispy Chanterelle Burger.)  Although we all know how heavy burgers loaded with fixings can be, especially after Thanksgiving!  A nice risotto was the perfect recipe to pair with these fresh Chanterelles.   

Enjoy!!

Chanterelle Risotto 

Recipe Adapted by Epicurean Mom

Ingredients:

3/4 lb chanterelles, cleaned, sliced or chopped 

1 extra large shallot, chopped 

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

5 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup white wine

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cup mushroom broth

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/4 cup parmesan, shredded

1/4 squeezed lemon, seeded 

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small saucepan over medium heat bring the chicken and mushroom broth to a slow boil, reduce heat to lowest setting (to warm.)

In a deep skillet melt 4 tablespoons butter, saute shallots for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme, cooking for 3 more minutes, adding chanterelles and 1/2 cup white wine at the end.  Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until white wine is almost completely absorbed.  Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, set aside in a separate bowl.

Using the same skillet (not washed) over medium/low heat melt 1 tablespoon butter and add arborio rice, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes (make sure not to brown the rice.)  Pour in 3/4 cup white wine, simmer until wine is almost completely absorbed.  One ladle at a time, ladle the broth over the rice, until all the liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this process until rice is just soft (you may have some broth leftover) about 30 minutes.

Add the chanterelles, parmesan, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.

Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme and serve

Sweet Potato Crumb Cake

What to do with all your leftover sweet potatoes??  This was the question I was pondering over. Thankfully the Secret Recipe Club came to the rescue and introduced me to the adorable blog Inside BruCrew Life. 


When it came time to pick the recipe I wanted to make from the Secret Recipe Club (Inside BruCrew Life) and happened upon a sweet potato recipe. I was all over it! I had tons of sweet potatoes leftover from T-day and needed a delicious non-overly-sweet recipe.

My girls (unlike the lovely Jocelyn of BruCrew) love, no adore sweet potatoes! My Thanksgiving sweet potatoes are sweet...more like dessert.  Definitely not an everyday item.

Jocelyn's crumb cake was perfect, my girls gobbled it up!  I brought it to a friends birthday party and it was gone within minutes!

This recipe will be a keeper in my household....Thanks Jocelyn!

Sweet Potato Crumb Cake
Recipe Adapted by Inside BruCrew Life


Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sweet potato, boiled and mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup marshmallow Fluff (I didn't have fluff and used miniature marshmallows)


Topping:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tb melted butter
1 Tb flour

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all topping ingredients, mix well and set aside.

Over low heat melt butter in a small skillet until browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Let cool for 2 minutes and pour into a medium bowl.  Add brown sugar, mashed sweet potato, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, stir until well incorporated.  Beat eggs in (separately) making sure to mix well after each addition.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt, adding the 1/2 cup oatmeal after the sifted ingredients.  Slowly add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) into the wet ingredients, mixing well.

In a greased 9 X 13 baking pan, evenly spread 1/2 the batter over the bottom.  Smear the marshmallows over the batter, and spread the other 1/2 of the batter over the marshmallows.  Sprinkle the oatmeal crumble and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Coconut Lavender Cookie Balls

With the holidays creeping up on us (very fast!) an exceptional cookie recipe is a necessity.  Holiday cooking, holiday cookie exchanges, holiday parties, 'bad' sweater parties are upon us....Yippee! Which means lots and lots of cooking, and of course, eating!

Pumpkin, apple, peppermint, chocolate, and cinnamon, are among my favorite flavors of Fall/Winter, and part of the reason why I love the holidays so much! Mmmmmm, pumpkin lattes!

Traditional holiday recipes are usually my go-to (see my Pumpkin Pie Recipe) but I also like to incorporate non-traditonal and easy recipes! These cookies are both! 

I'm going to a holiday cookie exchange party and this will definitely be the cookie I bring.  These are the easiest cookies to make, and we have to bring 3 dozen cookies (Yikes!)

We had fresh lavender in our garden, and I threw some in.  They came out fantastic, but if there is no lavender on hand, they are great without!

Coconut Lavender Balls
Yields 20-36 (depending on size)
Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart's Coconut Balls 


Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
2 teaspoons fresh lavender, minced

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of a standing mixer, using the paddle attachment (or an electric mixer) cream the butter and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar on medium speed, until light and fluffy.  Lowering the speed to the lowest setting mix in the flour and salt until they are well combined.  Using a rubber spatula, stir in the coconut and lavender.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Roll dough into 1-2 inch balls, spreading them about 2-inchs apart.  Bake for 17-25 minutes (depending on size.)  Roll the warm balls in confectioners' sugar, let cool.

Apple Spice Cupcakes

Who hasn't heard about the Cupcake Wars (on the Food Network)??  I love all cooking shows...some of my favorites being, Cupcake wars, Top Chef, Giada De Laurentiis, Ina Garten, and The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond.)

I like to create or look for recipes that inspire my taste buds!  Savory and sweet dishes definitely make my taste buds do a happy dance!  Salted caramel? Yes, please!

It only made sense when I came across these savory cupcakes, from Cupcake Wars (Marilyn Norris), I had to make it.  Sweet spiced apple and vanilla with gorgonzola cheese, delicious! 

With my salty and sweet addiction there is one I cannot understand...bacon and chocolate.  Salty morning bacon with sweet, dessert chocolate?  I am probably one of the only people that has not tried this combo...it's still slightly daunting to me.

The sprinkled gorgonzola give the cupcakes the right amount of salty, without overpowering the rest of the flavors.  My 18 month old devoured these cupcakes.  Definitely an all ages crowd pleaser!

Apple-Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting Sprinkled with Walnuts and Gorgonzola
Recipe Adapted from Marilyn Norris, Cupcake Wars 2010


Ingredients
Apple Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Apple-Spice Cupcakes:
1 2/3 cups unbleached pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Vanilla Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Walnut and Gorgonzola Topping:
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
Honey, for drizzling

Preparation:
For filling:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, apples, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir occasionally until apples are soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool.

For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line standard cupcake pans with 14 cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, ginger, cayenne, and salt  into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  In a separate small bowl, mix the buttermilk and vanilla.  In a bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the edges of the bowl after each addition.  Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and, in equal parts, add the flour and buttermilk mixture.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full with cupcake batter.  Place  1 teaspoon apple filling on top of each cupcake, and gently swirl .  Bake until golden brown, about 17-20 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

For the Topping:
Combine the walnuts and gorgonzola, making sure to crumble the mixture after it is combined.

To assemble:
Frost each cupcake with vanilla icing (I used a 1M tip.)  Sprinkle a small handful of gorgonzola mixture on top.  Finishing, with a drizzle of honey

*Sprinkle the gorgonzola walnut mixture right before serving*

Peppermint Patties

Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner??  To get everyone in the Holly Jolly mood, I whipped up some of these easy, and Oh So Good Peppermint Patties! They are the perfect gift for your next Holiday gift exchange, and are much better then store bought.  

The added candy cane crumbles inside and on top of these candies really give it something special! 

My girlfriends and I usually have a cookie exchange we do each Holiday Season.  Although this year we are baking lots of Holiday treats for all of our friends and loved ones, with this recipe at the top of the list!  

Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Recipe Adapted from Epicurean Mom

Yields about a dozen 2-inch patties

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, (possibly more)

2 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

24 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 

5 medium size candy canes (crushed)

Preparation:

Mix condensed milk, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a standing mixer, fixed with the paddle attachment.  Add the sugar incrementally, by each 1/2 cup full. The sugar batter should be just-not-sticky (it may take more or less sugar.)  Add 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes to batter, mixing well.

Lay wax paper down. Make a 2-inch ball and flatten each ball into a disk. Lay on the wax paper and repeat.  Refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

To temper the chocolate: Add 1/2 chocolate chips to a heat resistant bowl.  Heat in 15 second increments, stirring after each heating. Once completely melted and another handful of chocolate chips, stir until well incorporated.  I did the chocolate coating in 2 batches.  So repeat this step with remaining chips once this batch is finished.  Let warm chocolate cool for about 2 minutes.  You don't want it too hot or it will melt the peppermint filling.

Once the chocolate has cooled using a fork for guidance, dip the peppermint patty in chocolate covering it completely.  Slowly lift the patty out and set onto a clean piece of wax or parchment paper.  Repeat with remaining peppermints.  

While chocolate is still wet, crumble candy canes pieces on top of each chocolate patty.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Cherry Granola Recipe

For the past few days I've been under the weather and needed to make a large batch of something nutritious that my family could eat for a few days.  Either for a meal or snack.  It needed to be an easy recipe sense yours truly could hardly lift a finger, let alone a spatula!

Granola is an easy food that can be dressed up for a fast simple meal.  Add yogurt, milk and berries...voila! A healthy, satisfying breakfast or lunch.

If you are not familiar with making granola, it's super easy! About a 10 min prep time and a 20 min cook time. Couldn't be easier!

My favorite dried fruit with granola is morello cherries.  They give a nice tart taste to the sweet crunchy granola, although any dried fruits would compliment it nicely.

When you take your granola out of the oven, don't be surprised if it's still a bit wet and sticky.  This is normal.  It'll harden up after 10 minutes.

The longer you cook the granola and the darker brown it gets, the crunchier the bite! I leave mine a little longer in the oven, since I like mine a bit crunchy!

Homemade Cherry Granola

Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart


Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray
4 cups old-fashioned oats (rolled)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried morello cherries
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon groung cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable spray.  Combine oats, pecans, almonds, cherries, cinnamon, coconut flakes and salt in a bowl.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add vegetable oil, honey, brown sugar.  Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Add the vanilla and stir until incorporated.  Pour sugar mixture into the oats, using a wooden spoon, stir until all oats have a glossy coat.

Pour granola onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly.  Bake, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a nice golden brown color (20-30 minutes.)  Let granola cool completely and break into chunks.  Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe {Caramel}

Thanksgiving is only 15 days away and it's time to think about everything we are thankful for and yummy treats!

When I think about Thanksgiving, I think about...thanks, family, life, love,cranberry sauce, candied marshmallow sweet potatoes, homemade applesauce, candy carrots, pecan pie and pumpkin pie!

I love using organic sweet pumpkins for my pumpkin pies, although this year I was in a pinch and didn't have time.

It's easy to use a whole sweet pumpkin/small pumpkin.  Just split in half, gut, and slather with olive oil.  Bake cut-side down at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until tender, and let cool.  Scoop the meat into a bowl, using a immersion blender or regular blender, blend until smooth.  Drape a cheese cloth over a bowl and pour pumpkin mixture into the cloth, drain over night. Discard the excess water and that's it!

Absolutely easy, unless you don't have time to wait overnight (like I didn't) then canned is just fine.

This pie was different then my normal pumpkin pies.  I had leftover caramel from my Salted Caramel Swirled Brownies  and decided throw some of it in the pie batter. I was slightly skeptical about how it would turn out, since pumpkin pie alone is pretty spectacular.  The caramel could either take over the pumpkin taste or compliment it...

It turned out wonderful!  A traditional yet complicated taste...you'll love it!!

Caramel Pumpkin Pie
Recipe Adapted by Epicurean Mom

Serves 6-8


Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3-1/4 cup ice cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the flour, butter, salt and sugar into a food processor. Process until mealy.  While the food processor is running add the cold water until dough just comes together. If dough becomes too wet, add  some more flour.

Lay plastic wrap on a flat surface and place dough on top.   Roll dough out the larger dough ball into a 9-inch circle and lay into a pie pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, trim the edges and crimp the edges.  Place parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights, and par-bake for around 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and place parchment and pie weights aside.


Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can pumpkin, about 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/8 teaspoon clove, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup homemade caramel  (store bought would work too)
1/2 cup half &  half
2 eggs

Preparation:
In a medium bowl beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer (or a standing mixer), until creamy.  Add the mashed pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.

Bring the caramel to room temp and mix into pumpkin mixture, stirring until no caramel chunks remain.

Beat the half & half and eggs together, until well combined.  Slowly add the egg mixture to the caramel pumpkin mixture, and stir until well incorporated.

Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until just set (toothpick inserted in the middle comes out slightly clean)

Let cool completely before serving.

Salted Caramel Swirled Brownies

Yesterday I asked my daughter what "Mommy" should bake.  She immediately belted out "Chocolate and Caramel!" Who doesn't love chocolate and caramel??  The first recipe that came to mind was brownies!

I'm a huge fan of thick, dense, chocolate goodness.  The richer the better, and the more gooey the better!

Since I was a little child I preferred caramel apples over candied, Caramel popcorn over popcorn, candy turtles over nutty chocolate, plain caramel over chocolate, and so on.  You could say I'm a huge caramel fanatic!

When Ky exclaimed her joy for chocolate and caramel it only made sense to make brownies, but not only brownies but salted caramel brownies...my favorite.  

Our family and friends adored these brownies.  They are delicious, dense, very rich and extremely addicting.  


Enjoy!!

Salted Caramel Swirled Brownies 
Recipe Adapted from Brown eyed Baker via Baking Illustrated 


For Caramel Sauce


Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (whole) , room temperature
1 teaspoon sea salt, finely ground
2/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature

Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar over med-med/high heat, whisking when the sugar begins to melt (some of the sugar will clump into hard bits but they will eventually melt), whisk continually.  Once the sugar reaches a dark amber color (be careful not to burn) whisk in the salt and butter, until it's completely incorporated.  Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and add the heavy cream.  The caramel will foam up a bit but continue to whisk until smooth and creamy.  Set aside for at least 15-20 minutes.

For Brownie


Ingredients:
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into quarters
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Line the pan with overlapping parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.

In a double boiler (or with a heatproof bowl set over steaming water)  melt the chopped chocolates and butter, until completely melted and well incorporated.  Whisk in the cocoa powder and set aside.

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a separate medium bowl.  Whisk the warm chocolate into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour until just combined.  Pour half the brownie mix into the prepared pan (making sure to pat into the sides), then spoon about 8-9 caramel dollops on the top.  Repeat this process and with a butter knife swirl the caramel dollops over the brownie mix (Be sure not to over swirl, or it will incorporate too well.)  Sprinkle some sea salt on top.

Bake until puffed and a toothpick comes out slightly crumby, 35-45 minutes.  Cool for about 2 hours before cutting.  Remove brownies from pan with parchment and cut into squares.

Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature.