Tabasco and Asparagus Quinoa

FOUND IT: At 101Cookbooks.com.
MODIFIED IT: Just to simplify a bit.

I discovered I like quinoa this spring. I guess that's not a huge leap, considering I also like couscous. This recipe calls for chopped asparagus but I've also made it with pea pods, and I'm assuming it'd probably work with any vegetable of a similar shape and texture. I'm planning on trying it with green beans next.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 25 drops tabasco sauce
• 3/4 tsp salt, divided
• 1 lb fresh asparagus, cut into bite size pieces (or pea pods, or green beans, etc)
• 2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups water

Combine quinoa, water and 1/2 tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until you can see little curliques in the quinoa (you'll know what I mean when you see them.).

While the quinoa is cooking, combine the butter, mustard, tabasco sauce and salt in a food processor, and let it run until the mixture is light and fluffy. You might have to stop it to scrape down the sides once or twice.

Cook the vegetables via your favorite method. The original recipe says to boil them for a minute and then shock them with cold water. Steaming would likely work too.

Combine the hot quinoa with the butter and vegetables, and stir until it comes together.

Wisconsin Cherry Muffins

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com.
MODIFIED IT: To make it slightly healthier.

I probably should've found this recipe a month earlier, because we're already at the end of cherry season. With that said, if you have some pitted, tart cherries left (or you froze some, like I did), this is a nice use for them.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Splenda
• 1 egg
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup pitted cherries, chopped (I didn't chop them.)

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and Splenda, then add the egg, then the milk. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until combined. Finally, fold in the cherries.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cheese

FOUND IT: This is my creation. It's modified from my beer cheese mac and cheese.

I'm not a big fan of cauliflower but this is one way I'll eat it. If you add enough flavor (and get a good, fresh cauliflower), then it's like a good mac and cheese with cauliflower instead of pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size florets or smaller.
• 1/2 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup beer
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and drizzle with some olive oil. Sprinkle on garlic powder, salt and pepper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so.

Combine the milk, beer, flour, mustard, hot sauce, nutmeg and some salt and pepper in a small-medium saucepan, and whisk together. Once everything is whisked in, add the butter and cook over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the mixture thickens, roughly 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, stirring until it melts in.

Combine the cheese sauce and cauliflower in an oven-safe, coverable container, sprinkle more cheese on top if you have any, and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Quiche

FOUND IT: At Ehow.com.

MODIFIED IT: A lot.

I liked the concept of the original recipe, but none of the execution. The original called for boiled chicken, which I replaced with a leftover grilled chicken breast from dinner the night before. It also called for celery, which I skipped. I had half a can of black beans left from a dinner earlier in the week, so I tossed them in. And the original recipe's cooking time is way off.

Ingredients:

• 1 premade pie crust
• 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed (can be skipped)
• 1 large or 2 small cooked boneless chicken breasts, chopped
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp buffalo wing sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 oz blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Press pie crust into a pie pan, poke holes in the bottom with a fork and bake at 400 for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and reset the temp at 350.

Toss the chicken and black beans with the wing sauce and flour, and pour that mixture over the pie crust.

Combine the eggs, milk and salt, and pour over the chicken.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. After that time has passed, sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, then sprinkle the cheese on top of that. Return to oven and bake 15 more minutes, or until quiche is set in the middle.

Asparagus Quiche

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com

MODIFIED IT: A fair amount.

I'm on a quiche kick lately and had some asparagus to use up. This must have been ok: Four of us ate all but one slice in one sitting.

Ingredients:

Six eggs

1/2 lb fresh asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces (I used closer to 3/4 lb.)

1 cup shredded cheese, divided (recipe called for Swiss, I used cheddar jack)

1 unbaked premade pie crust*

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp onion powder (I substituted Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning)

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

* - I've tried several recipes for making my own pie crust. Homemade pie crust is fine but in the end I've decided it's one of those things that's just not worth the time. A premade pie crust is quick, easy and the difference isn't huge.

Preheat oven to 375, with a cookie sheet in it.

Cook asparagus via your preferred method. (Original recipe called for boiling, but I steamed instead.) Arrange asparagus and half the cheese in the bottom of the pie crust. Combine eggs, milk, sour cream, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then pour over asparagus and cheese.

Put the quiche on the cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and continue baking until quiche is set in the middle, roughly 5-10 minutes more.

Hot Brats

FOUND IT: My wife's cousin Erik brought it to a party at my house, and it was an immediate hit. He was kind enough to share the recipe.

This is the perfect party food: They're small, so everyone can try one. They've got a great flavor, with just enough spiciness. And they're addictive. The recipe does require you to get started a day ahead, but it's well worth the time.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds bratwurst, in casings
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cans or bottles of beer
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Either 1 cup of horseradish mustard or 3/4 cup brown mustard and 1/4 cup creamy horseradish
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 5-8 dashes of hot sauce

Grill brats until browned outside but not cooked all the way through. Allow to cool for 15 minutes or more, then cut into quarters.

Saute the onions (in a soup pot or dutch oven) in the olive oil, then add the beer and the brats. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining ingredients and add that to the brat mixture. Simmer for another half hour.

Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, reheat the mixture over low heat until warmed through, then transfer to a slow cooker. At this point you can check the flavor and add ingredients to taste. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

FOUND IT: At Simply Recipes

I had seen Brazilian Cheese Bread before (at the farmers' market in Appleton), but never tried making it myself before finding this recipe. The hardest part of the recipe was finding tapioca flour (my local bulk food store had it). Beyond that, this is a simple recipe and the hardest parts can be done well in advance.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (I used pepper jack with good results)
• 1 tsp salt

Pour all the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You might have to scrape down the sides a couple of times. At this point, the batter can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Pour the batter into a lightly greased mini-muffin tin, and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. They won't really get all that brown, they just puff up like little balloons. They'll be chewy when they're done.

Cornmeal Pancakes

FOUND IT: On the lid of a container of Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt.

These pancakes were made by request, and will likely be requested again. They're light, fluffy and have a great flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup raisins, plumped (I omitted this)
• 1 1/2 cups Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt, Vanilla or Strawberry*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil

* - Normally I don't mention specific brands in my recipes, but in this case I think it might be important. The Light & Fit Yogurt has a more liquidy texture to it that probably helps here...the batter will be thick, so you'll need all the liquid you can get.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then stir in raisins (if using). In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs and oil. Combine the two, stirring until blended.

Heat a skilled or griddle to roughly medium heat, and grease lightly. Scoop pancake batter onto griddle in roughly 1/4 cup increments. Cook roughly 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook a minute or so on the other.

I served them with maple syrup and fresh strawberries, you can serve them with whatever your heart desires.

Raspberry Clafoutis

FOUND IT: At Stacey Snacks, my new favorite site for finding new recipes to try.

This is a great, easy pastry. Once raspberries are in season, I plan on making this one a lot.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• zest of a lemon
• 1/4 cup milk + 2 tbsp
• 1 pint raspberries
• powdered sugar

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, butter and lemon zest, whisking until combined. Add milk and whisk until smooth, a minute or two.

Pour into a nine inch pie plate, then distribute raspberries on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until it's set in the middle and browning around the edges. It usually takes a little longer than that in my oven - sometimes as much as ten minutes.

Let cool a little, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake

FOUND IT: In an ad my wife tore out of a magazine. We think it was Real Simple, but we're not sure.

Ingredients:

• 40 Nilla Wafers, crushed (We used organic lemon cookies instead).
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, separated
• 1 tbsp and 1 tsp vanilla, separated
• 3 eggs
• 1 tub cool whip

Combine crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a springform pan.

Beat 3 packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until well blended. Pour over crust. Bake at 325 for 50 to 55 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely in pan.

Beat remaining cream cheese, cool whip and vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Spread over cheesecake.

Refrigerate for four hours before serving. Garnish with berries if desired.

Foodie meme

I'm having a creativity lapse today, so I hope you'll excuse me as I take a moment to see if I can jumpstart it with this food meme I found at A Serving Of Life.

What cooking shows do you watch?

If it's on Food Network I've probably seen it, but the only Food Network show I think is consistently good is Good Eats.

Your must-have kitchen accessory is:
My immersion blender, good knives and silicon spatulas.

What is your go-to ingredient?
Sharp cheddar, pumpkin, hot sauce, Brady St. cheese sprinkle

How many courses should a meal have?
As a somewhat picky eater, I don't really do "courses." I hate being the one sitting around while everyone else eats a salad or soup I'm not interested in. I guess I serve dessert separately, so two courses.

What’s your favorite course?
Disc golf.

What nationality of food do you like the best?
Hmmm...I like mac and cheese, so I guess American?

What’s your favorite meal of the day to prepare?
Dinner is typically the only one where I actually have time to go all out.

Where do you find inspiration when creating a new dish?
TV, magazines, existing recipes that could be a little better, other blogs, restaurant experiences I'm trying to duplicate...

What is your favorite comfort food?
Mac and cheese

Do you ever eat fast food? If so, what?
Does Noodles and Company count? I used to also eat at Quiznos a fair amount, but have been disappointed by the quality the last few times I've been there.

What restaurant do you want to eat at that you haven’t yet?
I'm looking for good barbecue in the Fox Cities.

What’s your favorite dessert?
Red velvet cake. Anything with cream cheese. Boston Cream Pie. Anything chocolatey.

Are there wines or liquors that you cook with?
I hate cooking with wine. I typically attempt to replace it with beer.

How much time do you spend cooking a meal just for yourself?
Very little. If I'm by myself, I'm usually putting in the minimum possible effort, reheating leftovers, making something quick, or eating something my wife doesn't like.

What scent in the kitchen do you love?
Pot roast.

What ingredient(s) do you avoid/dislike?
I will throw away a recipe if I see it uses ketchup. I also don't like green bell peppers.

What’s your secret splurge at the grocery store?
Good cheese. Hard cider. Good bread. Candy.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
I don't snack much at night. If Laura's having it, I might have some ice cream or popcorn.

Beer Cheese Mac and Cheese

FOUND IT: This one is my own creation - concocted from a combination of a mac and cheese recipe from my mom and my Beer Cheese Soup recipe.

I recently realized somewhat suddenly that I've included a fair number of recipes here, but not my original mac and cheese recipe, the one that started my fascination with homemade mac and cheese. It's also the filling in my Mac and Cheese stuffed meatloaf. And now, it's going to be the 50th recipe on this site. That seems fitting, somehow.

Ingredients:

1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
1 cup milk
1/2 cup beer
6 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons of butter, cut into small chunks
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
Your favorite pasta - I use Dreamwell's elbows, as they're a little healthier.

Warm the milk and beer over medium heat until they're just threatening to boil. While you're waiting for that to warm up, boil your pasta in a large pot. Once it's tender, drain it and set it aside.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour into the milk mixture, then add all the other ingredients except the cheese. Once the butter melts, stir the mixture until it starts to thicken (if you can drag a silicon spatula across the bottom of the pan and see the bottom before liquid fills in, you're there), then add cheese. Stir until the sauce is thick and all the cheese has melted, then set it aside.

Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce, and enjoy.

Spicy Macaroni and Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 Days 30 Ways blog.
MODIFIED IT: To replace a couple of ingredients I didn't have.

This recipe isn't as spicy as I expected it to be, although using the Pepper Jack cheese the recipe calls for would almost certainly rectify that problem.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pasta noodles, such as cavatappi (a 1 lb box should be sufficient)
• 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
• Half a medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper (jarred or home roasted), finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced (I made a half recipe but still used 2 jalapenos. For a full one, I'd use more.)
  

(Instead of attempting to finely chop these three ingredients, I pureed them all in a food processor.)

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I didn't have the Pepper Jack, so I doubled up on this)
• Bread crumbs, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper and jalapeño pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the flour. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns a light golden brown color, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until well blended. Cook the mixture, whisking or stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the cheeses to the mixture and whisk until completely melted and well incorporated. Remove from heat.

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. Return the drained pasta to a large pot. Add in the sautéed vegetables and cheese sauce; mix until well blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Cover with bread crumbs if desired.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, then allow to cool for at least five minutes before serving.

Round Steak Pinwheels

FOUND IT: I think the initial idea came from a 30 Minute Meals episode. I didn't write down a recipe, I just used the concept to create my own spin on it.

We don't eat a lot of steak in my house, for a couple of reasons: it's expensive, and my wife isn't a big fan. I like this recipe, though, and round steak isn't usually terribly expensive, so I make it from time to time.

Ingredients:

• 1 round steak, pounded thin and either quartered or cut into six longish strips, depending on whether you want large or small servings.
• Fresh spinach (roughly half of the bag of it you can get at the store)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• Sliced cheese (pick a favorite here. I've used cheddar, co-jack, swiss, muenster...all work)
• Salt and pepper (or your favorite steak seasonings)
• Soy sauce, to taste

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and add the spinach, sauteing until wilted. It won't take long.

Then, lay your steaks out on a work surface, and season as desired. Place half a slice of cheese on the steak, then a layer of spinach. Roll up the steak and secure with a toothpick. Place the finished rollups in an 8x8 baking dish, and add a little soy sauce to them.

Bake at 550 (yes, 550) for 20 minutes or until they've hit your desired level of doneness. Let them rest for a few minutes before cutting into them.

Deli-style Muenster Mac & Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 Days 30 Ways blog.

I modified this one a fair amount, because I liked the concept but not necessarily their execution of it. If you'd like to see it done a different way, follow the link over to their site.

With that said, my wife really liked the way this turned out, and was especially happy with the muenster and bread crumb topping. This recipe makes a lot, though, so cut it in half if you're only serving two people.

Ingredients:

• Bread crumbs for topping (Follow the link for a recipe to make them - I just used some I had on hand.)
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups grated) sharp white cheddar
  
• 2 tbsp brown mustard
  
• 1/2 cup gherkin pickles, drained and chopped (I omit this)
  
• 8 slices Muenster Cheese

In a large pot of boiling water, cook elbow macaroni until just al dente (about 6 minutes). Do not drain yet, but turn off heat and let pasta sit in the hot water while you prepare the cheese sauce.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Sprinkle flour over butter and stir continuously with a spoon as the mixture forms a paste and begins to brown a little, roughly 2 minutes. Then add milk a little at a time, stirring with a whisk after each addition. The paste will be lumpy at first, but will smooth and blend eventually.

Once all milk is added, stir in chili powder, salt and ground pepper. Increase heat to medium, and continue stirring until sauce starts to thicken, about 8 minutes*. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheddar and stir until fully melted. Add the mustard and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.

* - I define "starts to thicken" in this case as the point where you can drag a silicon spatula along the bottom of the pan and see the bottom of the pan before the liquid fills in.

Drain the macaroni in a large colander and rinse under hot water to remove extra starch. Drain well and return to pot. Stir hot cheese sauce thoroughly, then pour it over hot macaroni. Toss the pasta to coat evenly. Pour this mixture into a 8x8 square or 9 inch round baking dish. Cover the top with slices of Muenster, then a thin layer of bread crumbs.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn't browning at this point, turn on the broiler and finish it off that way. Let it rest for a few minutes to cool, then serve.

Caprese Mac & Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 days 30 ways with Mac & Cheese blog.

Here's an interesting take on mac and cheese. It's very un-traditional, but if you choose a good mozzarella the cheese flavor really comes through, and it also has an intriguingly strong lemony flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
• 1 pound pasta (medium shells are the recommendation)
  
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 8-ounce ball Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced

In a baking dish, combine grape tomatoes, olive oil, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove and let stand.

At the same time bring water to boil over high heat in a soup pot (recipe calls for a medium saucepan, I wanted more room); add pasta and cook until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let stand in a separate bowl.

In the same sauce pan, combine milk, butter, shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring continually, over low heat until the cheese melts into a thick sauce, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the drained pasta back into pan and toss to coat.

Pour the pasta and cheese mixture into an 10×14-inch oven-safe dish (I used a nine inch round) and top with baked grape tomatoes. You can use the juice from the bottom of the tomato pan as a marinade for the fresh mozzarella, if desired.

Place the seasoned Fresh Mozzarella on top of the pasta and tomatoes. Broil on high for five minutes or until cheese is melted and browning.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com

My wife needed a dish to pass for a work Super Bowl party, and requested these. I still have a ton of pumpkin in my freezer, so I was more than happy to use a little bit of it for this. The recipe could still use a little tweaking - the filling is a little plain.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I ran mine through the food processor)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat version)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg

Combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl, then add butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup of this mixture for topping.

Press remaining mixture into bottom of 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch basking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Put it in the fridge to cool while you make the filling. Don't remove it until you can handle it without burning yourself.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla and nutmeg in large mixer bowl. Blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Harvest Loaf

FOUND IT: This is a family recipe, from a book of them given to me as a wedding gift.

This is a good, relatively traditional pumpkin bread recipe. There's a glaze to add at the end if you want it to be more like a cake, but I skipped it.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs*
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (I skipped them)

* - About halfway through, the recipe calls for eggs. But it doesn't mention how many, and they don't appear on the ingredient list. I guessed 3, and everything worked out. Two would probably make the dough a little too dry, but four might add some needed moisture.

Spray a loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and spices. In another medium bowl, cream the butter, then gradually add the sugar, then the eggs. Beat well. At this point, I put the mixer away and do the rest by hand.

Add roughly half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir them in. Repeat the process with the pumpkin, then the other half of the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Spread into your loaf pan, and sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top. Bake at 350 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Once it's cool, you can add the spice glaze if so desired: stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp cream, or enough to give it the desired consistency.

Pecan cranberry tart

FOUND IT: At Foodnetwork.com, where it was linked from a pecan pie recipe I've also mentioned recently.

I love pecan pie, and this is a great twist on it. The crust is a fair amount of work, but it's worth it as an alternative to a normal pie crust. You can also simplify a fair amount here. For example: The recipe calls for a tart pan, but I don't own one. A pie plate worked fine in its place.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 3 tbsp water

Filling:

• 1 cup pecan halves, divided into two 1/2 cups
  
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  

Coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray.

To make crust: Spread oats in another pie pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 6 to 12 minutes at 375. Let cool. (I didn't.) Place the oats in a food processor and process until coarsely ground. Leave the oven on and set at 375.

Stir together oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle oil onto dry ingredients and use a fork or your fingers to blend until crumbly. Using a fork, stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 7 to 8 times. Roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle, dusting with flour if necessary. Transfer the dough to prepared pan, pressing to fit. Trim edges. (If necessary, use scraps to patch any holes in crust.)

To make filling & bake: Spread 1/2 cup pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Whisk brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, corn syrup, vinegar, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. By this point your pecans should be cool-ish, give them a coarse chop. Stir in dried cranberries and the chopped pecans. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange remaining 1/2 cup pecans on top of the filling.

Bake the tart until filling is set and crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Cranberry Brie en Croute

FOUND IT: The cranberry part is from this recipe, and the en croute part is from this one.

I've tried my normal brie en croute recipe several ways now. This one is great for holiday gatherings when cranberries are in season. With that said, the cranberry sauce recipe below makes much more than you'll need for this, so cut it in half if you don't want extra.

This one must have been a hit: I made it for a holiday party at my house and had someone immediately request I make it again for a gathering at their house.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 17.3 oz package of puff pastry sheets
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 13.2 ounce Brie cheese round

For the cranberry sauce:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 12 oz bag fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  

Leave a puff pastry sheet out around 40 minutes to defrost. If you can't wait that long, try putting it in the microwave on defrost, checking every 30 seconds.

In a medium saucepan, combine juice and sugar; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.

Add cranberries and continue simmering until cranberries pop and mixture has thickened; about 10-12 minutes. Stir in cinnamon. Transfer from the saucepan to a bowl, and let it cool and thicken for half an hour. Less time is probably ok, but it's easier to work with once it's cool.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, and roll out to a 14 inch square (mine was about the right shape already). Spoon roughly half a cup of the cranberry sauce into the middle of the sheet, in a circle the size of your wheel of brie. Unwrap the brie and place it on top of that. Fold two sides of the pastry dough over the brie. Cut the remaining two sides to just fit over the cheese. Place the brie in a baking dish (I use a pie plate) seam side down.

Beat the egg and water together and brush this mixture onto the outside.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 until the pastry is "deep golden brown." Let it cool for 45 minutes before serving.