From Pumpkin to Peppermint

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, so has the peak of pumpkin season. It's time to file away the pumpkin recipes and dig out the peppermint, egg nog, and gingerbread recipes. I am excited to debute my Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundae. I have been thinking about it since mid November and you better believe I put that thing on the menu December 1st! The freshly made peppermint ice cream is carried by a warm flourless brownie and its is topped with dark chocolate ganache, sweet cream, and of course, candy cane bits. It has been a huge hit so far and I am hoping it holds on to enough popularity that I can keep it permanently on the menu after the holidays with vanilla ice cream.

 

There is so much to look forward to this month that I am afraid I will run out of time before I can get to everything. I have a special place in my heart for egg nog flavored anything. I have been experimenting with all kinds of recipes to get everything just right. I have yet to find a gingerbread loaf recipe I truly love but hopefully tomorrow that will change. Not to mention I have a pomegranate cheese cake recipe that gives seasonal fruit something to be talked about.

 

This is my favorite time of the year to get lost in the seasonal bliss of good food, family, and warm clothes. I hope my recipes inspire and motivate you to try something new this holiday seaosn.

 

Keeping it Sweet,

 

Amber

The New Thanksgiving

After much debate, I decided that this week I will step away from all the desserts and talk about what is on everyone's mind: What the heck am I making next week?! In recent years my family has stepped away from the typical turkey in the oven and have decided to put a twist on the traditions. Since my dad has been quite vocal about his dislike of turkey and can't eat the honey ham due to diabetes, we decided last year to do a smaller turkey and a prime rib. I can't even convey the hit it was! On top of the prime rib, we invested in a turkey fryer and deep fried our turkey. What a quick and easy way to get things done. We had a 15 pound turkey that took about 45 minutes or an hour to cook which really saved us so much oven space. Deep fried turkey is one of my favorite ways to cook a turkey because you dont have to worry about it drying out. This year we have bought a smoker and have been smoking everything we can get our hands on in order to get everything figured out(above is a chicken I smoked on Monday). It is projected to take about 9-10 hours to cook which will be a little bit longer than the 45 minutes in a deep fryer, but the flavor is well worth it. Well... at least I hope...

What I love about cooking the big dinner is the freedom to choose what goes on the table. I feel like for a lot of people, Thanksgiving dinner is a make or break situation. Pleasing the in laws...topping your cousins casserole... Its all about your ability to think outside the box and accomplish your mission. I love finding new recipes or twists on traditional dishes. I do have to say the key to success is what our parents always told us growing up: practice! practice! practice! If you find a recipe you think you and your family will love, try it! But dont wait til game day to make it. That's a good way to shoot yourself in the foot and add unneeded stress to the holiday. Along with practicing the recipe, feel free to make changes and adjustments but like I said, don't make a change the day of! If it ain't broke, dont fix it!

The Twist

What kind of twists can we add to the norm? A good move is switching things out that have similar textures or flavors. So instead of doing a pumpkin pie, you could easliy do a Butternut Squash Pie by subing out the pureed pumpkin with pureed squash. Another favorite of mine is taking the rasins out of a carrot cake and replacing them with crushed pineapple. It adds a sweet and tropical twist on an old time favorite. As far as sides go, dress up that dressing! You can add anything to stuffing. Really. Anything. Aduille sausage for spice, pears for some sweetness, pecans for some crunch, bacon for some southern goodness. You name it! And instead of just steamed vegetables, throw some fresh chopped herbs on them and roast them in the oven. Baked vegetables have a lot more depth and flavor than boiled or steamed. Bacon bits brighten up a lot of vegetables too. Ask your friends and co-workers what they make at their table to get some more ideas. Just because it isn't green beans and mashed potatoes doesn't mean you can't make it.

Technically... its a Fruit Cake...

A good hit for this holiday seaosn that you can try is upside down cake. While usually it has pineapple and maraschino cherries on it, the door is wide open for change. Pictured above is a Apple Cranberry upside down cake. I have also made a Peach and Blueberry one that is to die for. If you get a basic recipe, feel free to switch out the fruit and spices. Add orange zest or nutmeg to give it something extra. Or you can make assorted mini cakes in a cupcake pan and switch out the fruit and spices in the batter. That way your guests can pick what they want!

The ball is in your court! What are you going to change this year to get out of that rut? Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Keeping it Sweet,

 

Amber

Almost There...

With Thanksgiving exactly two weeks away, I have been filled with only thoughts of comfort food.  Along with planning my families big day, I have been constantly thinking of whats a new spin I can put on an old favorite for the restaurant. This is definitely my time of the year to show people just what I can make while living up to their expectations. When it came to the dessert this week I wanted to really do something with sweet potatoes because last year I didnt. The trouble is, I had just put the squash pie out the previous week which can be considered one in the same as a sweet potato pie. Then I shifted and thought to maybe put off the sweet potatoes for next week and perhaps go with a pecan pie? But I wanted to the pecan pie Thanksgiving week... Oh the dilemma!!

 

Looking through some recipes from last year I came across this chocolate pecan tart that I did and had a sudden inspiration. I remembered the pecans settled under the chocolate mousse, creating this layerd effect that I knew I could do the same with a sweet potato filling.  Thus, the above pictured Maple Sweet Potato and Pecan Pie was born! Careful not to soup up the pie filling, I opted to boil the sweet potatoes with maple syrup so the flavor was there with out the liquid actually being added to the filling. I layed down some candied pecans with brown sugar and then poured the pie filling on top. I've topped it with a marshmallow cream and some bourbon caramel. Viola!

 

While I am happy with the result, I do wish I would have held off on making it til next wek and perhaps making a fruit-centered dessert this week. Next week I will step away from the pies and go in the direction of a cake of some kind. We will just have to see what tomorrow brings! And in case any of you haven't seen it yet, here is the link to my youtube channel with my very first video on how to make my Cranberry Apple Gallette! http://www.youtube.com/user/msbakesalot?feature=mhee

 

 

Keeping It Sweet,

 

Amber

A New Fall Favorite

A while back I was asked to make a squash pie. Of course there was no description other than Butternut Squash Pie and Maple Ice Cream. So I started really thinking about how I could make this happen without looking like I had no idea what I was doing (that saying 'fake it til you make it' has become my motto) and without screwing up big time. Seeing as pumpkins are a squash, and they are close to the consistency of butternut squash, I hoped that they would hold similar baking techniques.

 

I pulled out my pumpkin pie recipe and began gathering the ingredients. But as I started measuring out the spices i remembered the "pumpkin" taste that everyone loves has less to do with the actual pumpkin and more to do with the spices used. I could make a fantastic butternut squash pie that really, just tasted like a pumpkin pie, and call it a day, but I wanted to make something different. I took out the cloves and all spice and just stuck to ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I also noticed that butternut squash, when pureed, is much creamier than pumpkin. It gave the batter a silky texture that I hope tanslated well after baking.

 

The finished product was great! At the restaurnt I primarily use a convection oven. It helps reduce the time needed to bake things but I forgot it also causes things to rise or souffle (sometimes when you dont want it to!). As I pulled the pies out I was a little nervous because they had souffled a lot and hoped it didnt dry anything out. It turned out that the silkyness of the butternut suash combined with the fluffiness from the convection oven made these pies even better than I could imagine. Yes, the taste is similar to a pumpkin pie, but I do believe there is a distinct difference because of the butternut squash. I may dump the pumpkin pie all together for Thanksgiving this year and go with the new creation!

 

 

 

 Of course I cant go without mentioning all the fun things going on at the restaurant for the big day tomorrow! I have been planning the cupcake of the week for weeks now! It is a black velvet cupcake with a pumpkin buttercream (that is to die for!) and I decided to go the extra mile and make little ghost garnishes for tonight and tomorrow.

 

 

Then there are the candy corn shortbread cookies! I found the idea just a few days ago and I have been eager to debut them! They are such a simple but unique treat. I just took a basic shortbread cookie recipe, divided it into three sections, used some food coloring, stacked them and sliced away! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I love being able to go all out just to keep up the spirit.

 

 

I just had to throw in one last picture of my pumpkin this year! It was suggested that I call him Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater and I have done just that!        

                Happy Halloween!

 

 Keeping It Sweet (and a little spooky),

  Amber



More Than a Pear

More Than a Pear

This week I decided to take a step in the "seasonal" fruit direction and go with something a little bit more homestyle. The above pictured delights are Cinnamon Pear Fritters with Maple Cream and Caramel Sauce. This was an idea I had early on in summer when I was looking for a summer dessert to do with apples. While this easily could have been switched out with apples, I decided to do pears because everyone has had an apple fritter, but not many have had a pear fritter. The sweetness of the pear came through so perfectly after being fried to just the right temperature. One thing that kept running through my mind this whole week was the caramel sauce. Was it too plain? Should it have been salted caramel? Cinnamon caramel? While I didnt have any complaints on it, I do think it could have been just a little bit better. Im still not sure exactly how though!

 

I am planning on really using pears this year and giving them their time in the spotlight. The light and fresh taste they bring can be so refreshing in the holidays that can be filled with thick and heavy pies and other treats. Not to mention, it is such a versatile fruit! I do think the trick of using pears has to do with thier ripeness. If you plan on baking a pear, it needs to be just a little under ripe and firm so it doesnt turn to mush. But if you are just chopping it up to serve as a garnish, be sure it is perfectly ripe and soft so it has the proper texture.

 

The struggle to find a place for citrus on my menu continues. I've done just about everything possible with lemon and nothing sells. I am so frustrated! Maybe its time to give orange a chance? For now I have replaced the Lemon Chiffon Mousse with a Fall Sundae that features pumpkin ice cream and maple ice cream. I have nothing against citrus, but if fall sells, then it stays!

 

 

Keeping it Sweet,

 

Amber

A Surprise Gift

On a Friday a few days back, as I am about to leave, the manager walks up to me with a bottle and says, "Here you go." This is something I am very use to...second hand fruit, odd flavored liquor, and "the rest" of what was once on the savory menu...I look down to see what it was I was handed and just about jumped for joy. It was a bottle of Salted Caramel Vodka! A legitimate flavor that I actually would like to use! Of course, I was on my way out, so any experiements had to wait until Sunday. But, of course, we cracked it open right then to see what exactly it tasted like!

 

As Sunday rolled around I already know what I wanted to make: Caramel Apple Pear Bread Pudding (above) with none other than the Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Immediatly I get to work figuring out the best ratios for the flavors I want. I added a splash (ok, lets be honest, I went a little George Jones and it was way more then a splash) of the Salted Caramel Vodka into the liquid part of the bread pudding and threw some brown sugar down on the bottom of the pan to get a caramelized feel. The finished product was a hit! I couldn't make it fast enough. This was with out a doubt, one of the best desserts I have made, and it is all thanks to an unwanted bottle of Salted Caramel Vodka.

 

 

On a more festive note, I am excited to debut my Black Velvet Cupcake. A recipe inspired by the traditional Red Velvet Cake with a wicked twist. I increased the cocoa powder to give it a stronger chocolate taste and of course dumped the red food coloring for black. It is topped with a Cream Cheese Icing this week, but I have plans to top it with Pumpkin Buttercream the week of Halloween to keep it in the fall flavors. I worry the black cake may put off hoity toity customers, but then again, they can brag all about how they have had Black Velvet Cake! We'll see how it goes!

 

Keeping It Sweet,

 

Amber

The Warm Fuzzies

Yes, it has begun! Fall is here and all of the cozy comfort yummies have taken their reign in my life. This seasons start has been exceptionally big because of the above pictured Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle. A success is a lack of description with this treat. It is layered with maple whipped cream and a graham cracker crumb, garnished with the ever tantilizing gingerbread cookie. The best part of it all is the sheer simplicity of it. I wanted to bring something to the table that could be desired, but also not so traditional. Achieving the proper spice ratio did pose a small problem, especially after constant taste tests. Alas, it happened! Thick cheesecake, fluffy cream, textured graham: this dessert will definitely stay on the menu for the duration of the holidays!

 

 

Along with the fantastic trifle, there has been a great creation of salted caramel ice cream. While it made its debut on the failure that was the pumpkin crisp last week, I have made a new Caramel Apple Bread Pudding for it to be delivered upon. Lets hope that round two can be a knock out. I have also begun the production of my mini pumpkin loaves that have become quite the hit. I think the new goal for this week will be getting a small pack of cookies out there next to the loaves so people can take just enough sweet home after their meals!

 

 

In other news, I have been aprroached with the fabulous idea of starting a youtube channel featuring short videos on how to make these treats! The brilliance of one friend can make quite a difference in the world of food and I am excited to be able to bring a little more sweet into people's lives. Keep an eye out for our debut!

 

 

Keeping it Sweet,

 

Amber

First of Fall

First of Fall

I almost couldn't contain my excitement of the arrival of fall this week. Well, lets be honest, I really didn't contain it what so ever! Just about every pumpkin recipe I came across this week that I haven't already made was either immediatly made or put on my to do list. Last night I came home with pumpkin spice pudding and my dad had to give me the "too much of a good thing" speech. Lucky for him, tonight we are having a collard green and parmesean soup baked inside a sugar pumpkin for dinner!

 

 While I talk a big game about pumpkins, the reality is that the special this week wasn't pumpkin at all. The pouch of heaven pictured about is a Apple Cranberry Galette topped with vanilla bean ice cream and garnished with cardamom caramel and candied pecans. For those of you who are asking what a galette is, its basically a neatly wrapped pie crust filled with whatever your heart desires. In this case it is a apple cranberry filling that has a touch of cinnamon sugar an a smidgen of orange zest to compliment the cranberries. I am very happy with how it came out and even more so with its popularity. I will chalk this up as a success and it might even make a second appearance in November or early December.

 

 

Though the main treat this week was sans pumpkin, the Sunday brunch muffin was full of the fall favorite. This pumpkin bread recipe is actually one of the best I have ever tried, I think it even beats out anything I have tasted at any restaurant. And I am not just saying that because it is my own! In fact, since the recipe got such a fantastic response, we are going to be making it into mini loaves of pumpkin bread to sell through the holidays. Come late November I hope to add a gingerbread loaf too (I'd better get started on that recipe!). I think this week was a great start to a tasty holiday season.

 

Keeping It Sweet,

 

Amber

So Long Sweet Summer

So Long Sweet Summer

As the summer is coming to a close it is a bitter sweet feeling that is stirring in me. On one hand I am so excited for the Pumpkin Cupcakes and Poached Pears that the fall holds, but on the other hand I am so reluctant to give up the berries and peaches the summer stands for. The cherry season was so short this year I had to make the most of the cherries while I had them. While Cherries Jubilee was a bit of a failure as far as popularity goes, the Cherry Berry Crisp made up for it. I must say my biggest victory this summer was the above pictured Peach Shortcake. Organic peaches soaked in vanilla bean bourbon are the high light of this plate, but I also loved how it was plated. Simple, but unique in a southern way. And nothing says southern like a mint leaf garnish. The full flavor of a peach is one of the sweetest parts of summer, but I am ready to give them up because I think I have made peaches just about every way possible on this earth!

 

While it is easy to fall into a rut of the same desserts and flavors, only using what is in season will keep you on your toes. I am looking forward so much to the warmth and spice that makes fall my favorite time of the year. I am ready to bring on all things pumpkin and spice! Not to leave fruits to the way side, there will be Apple Cranberry Crisps, Pear Tarts, and Figgy Puding in my future! I am excited for this chapter of the year to unfold and all the victories and failures that are to come.

 

 

Keeping It Sweet,

 

Amber