Pumpkin Spice Pull Apart Bread with Rum Glaze!

This recipe is for my mother-in-law because she LOVES rum sauce! I have never made anything with rum sauce but this was AMAZING!! You can also use vanilla if you don't have rum flavoring.

Pumpkin Spice Pull Apart Bread with Rum Glaze!

I stumbled across this recipe at Pinterest and had to make it! I have changed the recipe a little to make it less confusing. 

Ingredients:

For Bread
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup milk

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

For Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Buttered Rum Glaze:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp rum (or you can use 1 tsp rum extract or 2 tsp vanilla)

Directions for bread:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black). Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through. Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). You may have to put it in the fridge for a minute.

Once it is no warmer than 110 degrees add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).

Add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
 
Make the filling:
Toward the end of the rising time, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter for the filling in the saucepan over medium-high heat and brown it as directed above. Whisk in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Shape and bake pull-apart bread:
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle, lifting corners periodically to make sure it’s not sticking. Don't try using wax paper to roll it out. Just use your counter and a rolling pin. I usually spray my counter and pin with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. If it seems to be snapping back, cover it with your damp towel and let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing (I had to do this twice during the process).

Once it is rolled out sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough, like you would do with cinnamon rolls. Be sure to press it into the dough with palms of your hand or a spoon to ensure it mostly sticks.

Forming loaf:
With the long edge of the rectangle toward you, cut it into 6 strips. Do this by cutting the rectangle in half, then cutting each half into equal thirds. I think using a pizza cutter is about the easiest way.

Stack these strips on top of one another, like stacking blocks! Then cut the stack 3 times to make even portions, (again, cut it in half, and then cut the halves into equal thirds). Place these portions one at a time into your greased loaf pan, pressing them up against each other to fit them all in. Cover the pan with your damp cloth and place it in a warm place for 30-45 minutes to double in size. After it rises, you can put it in the fridge overnight to use it in the morning, but let it sit out for 10 minutes or so before putting in the oven.

Bake it:
While dough rises, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 if you have a glass loaf dish instead of a metal pan). When it’s risen, place the loaf in the center of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until dark golden brown on top. If you take it out at light golden brown, it’s liable to be raw in the middle, so let it get good and dark. As soon as you take it out use a butter knife to loosen all sides of the bread from the loaf pan and gently turn it out onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip it to turn it right side up. If you let it sit in the pan you the cinnamon mixture turns into a candy and it is a real pain to get out of the pan.

Making the glaze:
In your saucepan, that you rinsed out from making the sugar mixture, bring the butter, milk, and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove it from heat, add the powdered sugar and rum (or vanilla), and whisk it to a smooth consistency.

Pour the glaze over the bread and serve! Be sure you get a piece otherwise if you wait to long there may be nothing left!

Healthy Tamale Pie - adapted from Eating Well

This week in my CSA box I found this great recipe along with most of the ingredients to make it. I did throw in some browned deer burger though otherwise my carnivorous husband would complain! The original recipe does not call for any meat...

Tomatillos

First let's talk about tomatillos as many people have never cooked with these little treasures!

The tomatillos should be firm and fresh. The skin should be more tight than loose. If it just falls off you have a overripe tomatillo. If it is super hard to peel off it is not quite ripe. When you peel the papery covering off, the tomatillos are often sticky from sap, so I just put them in some warm water with a little vegetable soap (or dish soap) and give them a good bath.

Now on to our recipe...

Tamale Pie

Filling Ingredients:
2 lbs. tomatillos, husk removed, quartered
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 large cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 C fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp honey
15 oz. can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 C chopped peppers; sweet or hot depending on desired heat
2 Tbls fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 1/2 C extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 

Topping Ingredients:

5 C water
1 2/3 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1 tsp salt

Garnish:
Sour cream
1 avocado peeled and sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Filling:

Place tomatillos, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Toast corn in a large dry skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add a small amount of olive oil and sauté peppers until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add tomatillo mixture, cumin, coriander and honey.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in

beans, cilantro and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer.

Topping:

Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Slowly add cornmeal, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Spread half the cornmeal mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with filling. Spoon remaining cornmeal mixture over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until bubbling. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh avocado slices and/or sour cream if desired.

Fall in love again...Homemade Apple Sauce

As a kid I loved apple sauce, just as my oldest daughter does. We go through a ton of apple sauce in this house, but only because she eats it. She loves it in homemade yogurt, plain, apple sauce cake or pretty any way she can get it!

I forgot how good homemade apple sauce is until I made a batch today! Oh my goodness so delicious and fantastically nutritious! Plus it is SUPER easy. I decided to embark on this journey because I had 4 over ripe apples left from this weeks CSA box. No one was eating them and I didn't want them to go to waste so tada - Apple sauce!

Ingredients:
Apples - cored and diced (I leave the skin on for added nutrients and fiber)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 a Lemon - juiced

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft.

Allow to cool, then put in food processor or mash with a fork or potato masher. I didn't let them cool because I was impatient so I just took the lid off the pour spout in the food processor.

Ummm Fresh applesaucy goodness...

I then poured it in the cleaned applesauce jar from the store bought applesauce ;)

Minestrone soup or Whatever I found in my garden soup!

This is one of my fall favorites! Most people call it Minestrone soup or health in a bowl. But I like to call it Whatever I found in my garden or CSA box today soup! This is such an amazing soup, hearty, healthy and easy to make. It is a great dinner during the fall when things can be pretty crazy...kids are back to school, soccer practice, dance class etc...

Ummm can you smell it simmering?

Also you can substitute vegetables depending on what you have or what you like. You can use Swiss chard or kale instead of spinach if you wish. You can also cook it in a crock pot if you would like. I prefer to make this soup on the stove and let it simmer for about 45 minutes before adding the pasta. The crock pot however is so convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. This is also great with browned venison burger, mini turkey meatballs or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped (more if it is flu season)
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, sliced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)
2 (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes (I like the Italian kind)

1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup canned kidney beans, drained (You can use cannellini or navy too)
1 (15 ounce) can green beans or fresh ones from the garden or your CSA!
2 cups baby spinach, rinsed (or fresh Kale)
3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup seashell whole wheat pasta (if watching your carbs or blood sugar you can omit)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic, celery, carrots and onion - saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, all the veggies, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.

Throw in noodles and cook until tender. Ladle soup in to bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.