Pumpkin Butter Muffins

 I really love this muffin! I know this sounds strange, but I was inspired by this soap I bought at Bath & Body Works. Don't worry... It doesn't taste like soap. LOL

It was also my first time using my new silicone muffin cups, which, by the way, work great! 

These taste a lot like mini pumpkin coffee cakes. They stay moist for days and have a hint of coconut... You know, the soap. ;) 

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture. 

2 cups pumpkin butter (or pumpkin puree)

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (can substitute with vanilla)

/1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk the wet ingredients together and pour into the flour well. Mix until just combined.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full.

Combine brown sugar with a little white sugar. Mix with pumpkin pie spice, to taste.

Sprinkle generously on top of muffins.

Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Then lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean. 

Cool in wire rack. 

These are good warm or at room temperature. 

Bao Buns

 These aren't too hard to make but they do take a bit of time and require a steamer. This recipe is for the Ninja Foodi Deluxe but you could steam them in a electric pressure cooker or steamer basket on the stove. You may have to adjust times and methods accordingly. 

There are probably a ton of different fillings you could use as well but I am including my favorite hoisin pork filling.

Place 1/2 cup hot water (105 degrees) in bowl. Sprinkle 1 package of yeast on top. Let sit 5-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine:

 3 cups all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Warm 1/2 cup milk to 105 degrees and add 1 Tablespoon of oil. Mix with water and yeast.

Make well in flour and pour in wet ingredients. Mix slightly.

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Turn onto floured surface and knead and add flour to surface until smooth and elastic.

Put into an oiled bowl, flip dough, and cover with a towel.

Place in the oven with a shallow pan of boiling water on the rack below. Let rise for 45-60 minutes or until about doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, prepare your filling.

Brown some ground pork in a skillet. Make sure to break it up into small pieces for your filling. You don't want big chunks of meat. 

After it is cooked, add in some hoisin sauce (or sauce of your choice). You want the meat covered but not wet.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and knead a few times on a lightly floured surface.

Then divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. 

Roll each piece into a circle. Don't roll it too thick or too thin.

Place the dough in your hand and place a bit of pork filling in the middle.

Bring the edges up and pinch and pleat all the way around. Then twist it a bit at the top to seal.

Then place the bun into a standard-sized silicone muffin "paper".

You can double stack these on the racks but don't do more than 6 on each layer.

Fill the bottom of the pot with 1-2 cups of boiling water. And place the rack inside the pot.

If you are doing a double layer, steam the buns for 14-15 minutes. 

If you are doing a single layer, place them on the taller rack and steam for 12-13 minutes. 

I tried this recipe with the pressure cooking lid and the Ninja glass lid. I found they did not steam correctly with the PC lid, even on vent. I would suggest buying the Ninja lid or even finding a glass lid that fits the pot for this recipe.

Start with the lower time and carefully remove the lid as soon as the timer stops. Remove one of the buns with tongs and let sit for about 30 seconds. Try removing it from the silicone mold. If it sticks and doesn't want to come out, put it back, put the lid back on and steam for another 1 minute. Check again the same way. Mine have never taken more than the extra minute.

Eat these right away. 

You can also chill them for the next day or then freeze them. 

To reheat, place frozen or leftover bun on a glass plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 1 minute or until heated through. You can also steam them again from frozen in the Foodi for 5-6 minutes or until heated through. 

Upside Down Plum Cake

 My neighbor's Italian plum tree was full this year, so I picked a big bowl full and made jam and this cake. The jam is delicious but I absolutely LOVE this cake! Warm from the oven it is irresistible! But it is pretty darn fantastic warmed up a bit the next morning for breakfast, too... 😋 

plum jam

leftover plums from making jam

Butter a small 7" cake pan or small cast iron skillet.

Mix 4 Tablespoons +2 teaspoons milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and let sit.

Melt 6 Tablespoons of butter and mix with 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons brown sugar. Pour into bottom of cake pan.

Slice 4-5 Italian plums and layer them on top of the brown sugar mixture.

Mix dry ingredients and sift into a small bowl:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

Beat together:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

Add:

1 egg

grated zest from 1/2 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to butter mixture. Blend until smooth.

Carefully spread the cake batter over the plums in cake pan.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack until you can touch the pan. 

Turn over onto large plate.

Serve warm.

Jalapeno Popper Bread

This is a variation on my Bacon Cheddar Zucchini Bread recipe. A friend from church suggested it might be good with jalapenos in it. So I decided to try a bread with all my favorite jalapeno popper ingredients. Here it is...

Just like the other one, the dough is very thick. Much like drop biscuit dough. I'm guessing you could bake it like you would a biscuit, but I did mine in my mini loaf pans. 

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 cup grated cheddar (I suggest sharp)

1 jalapeno, finely chopped (you can remove or leave the seeds)

1/2 cup bacon bits

1 cup grated zucchini (do not peel but do remove the seeds before grating)

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 Tablespoon vinegar added. Let stand 15 minutes before using)

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted 

Mix dry ingredients together, including cheese, chili powder, jalapenos and bacon bits. 

Add remaining ingredients and stir until just well-mixed. Do not overmix. It will make the bread tough.

Press into greased bread pan of your choice.

Bake at 350 until golden brown on top and a tester comes out clean. Time will depend on size of pan.

Melt more butter to brush on bread.  

Brush with melted butter twice while baking and once more after removing from the oven.

Let cool on wire rack for 10-13 minutes before removing from pan.

Best eaten warm. But it does warm up fine in the microwave.

Bacon Cheddar Zucchini Bread

 This bread was born from my need to find something to do with the giant zucchini we came home to from our vacation! It will become a regular thing though...  I also used chives from my garden. Yum!

Just a warning... The dough is very thick. Much like drop biscuit dough. I'm guessing you could bake it like you would a biscuit, but I did mine in my mini loaf pans. 

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon dry dill weed

3/4 cup grated cheddar (I suggest sharp)

1/8-1/4 cup chopped chives or thinly sliced green onion tops

1/2 cup bacon bits

1-2 large cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced

1 cup grated zucchini (do not peel but do remove the seeds before grating)

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 Tablespoon vinegar added. Let stand 15 minutes before using)

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients together, including cheese, dill weed, chives and bacon bits. 

Add remaining ingredients and stir until just well-mixed. Do not overmix. It will make the bread tough.

Press into greased bread pan of your choice.

Bake at 350 until golden brown on top and a tester comes out clean. Time will depend on size of pan. 

Melt some more butter. Brush with melted butter twice while baking and once more after removing from the oven.

Let cool on wire rack for 10-13 minutes before removing from pan.

Best eaten warm. But it does warm up fine in the microwave.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

My mom made this cake when I was a kid and I probably haven't had it in about 30 years. But my garden is growing zucchini like crazy and I figured it was the perfect time to pull the recipe out and try it again.

I have to say it's even better than I remember it... :)

Cream together:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup sugar

Blend in:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Stir in:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fold in:
2 cups grated zucchini

Pour in greased and sugared 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until pick comes clean.

Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan or cool on rack.

Even Better Soft Pretzels

Every time I think I have found the perfect soft pretzel recipe, I find a better one. This one is a combination of a few recipes that make amazing soft pretzels. Unfortunately it makes 12 and they are best when still warm... ;)

Mix in stand mixer bowl:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sprinkle with:
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

Let sit 5 minutes until it gets foamy.

Add:
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 cups flour

Mix on med-low speed until sticky dough comes together and becomes smooth.

Add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is not longer sticky and springs back when touched. This takes about 5 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl and cover with towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes.

Punch dough down a few times and cut into 12 equal pieces using a pizza cutter or bread knife.

Roll into long ropes and twist into pretzel shapes.

Boil 8 cups of water in large pot. Add 3/4 cup baking soda and stir to dissolve.

Place pretzels into boiling soda water and boil 1 to 2 at a time for 45 seconds. Flip pretzels half-way through. Remove from water and let drain on baking rack.

Put pretzels on well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

There are lots of options for washes and toppings:
1. Egg wash- 1 egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon water (be generous!)
2. Coarse salt
3. Butter - brush with melted butter before and after baking
4. Garlic and Italian seasoning with EVOO
5. Cinnamon sugar (this is best with butter)

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Buttery Cracker Apple Pie

I have wanted to try making this pie for as long as I can remember but have never done it until this week. I really had a hankering for apple pie but didn't have apples and it snowed this week! But I did have left over crackers from holiday parties last month.

When you read the recipe, you can't imagine how this could be tasty much less taste like apple pie. But it is both! I loved it and it was just what the bourbon caramel sauce I bought at a bazaar needed... <3

Since my husband doesn't like pie, I made a small pie with half the recipe. I know... how can you not like pie??? :)

Prepare one 9" pie shell. You can buy one or make your own using this RECIPE.

Preheat oven to 400.

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Bring these to a boil in a saucepan on medium-high heat.

Put 30 whole buttery round crackers (like Ritz or Town House) into the boiling sugar mixture. If the crackers are a bit small, throw in a few extra.

Simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Trust me... it feels weird but works just fine.)

Gently stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Let it sit while you make the crumb topping.

26 crackers, crushed into coarse crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix all of the ingredients together.

Pour pie filling into crust and top with crumb topping.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 20 minutes or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramel sauce, if desired.

Store leftovers in fridge.

Quick & Easy Rice Pudding

About two years ago, I posted a recipe for stovetop Norwegian-style rice pudding. It took quite a while to make and it was a bit too smooth for me. I like my rice pudding with a little more texture. And on cold winter mornings, I don't want to spend 40 minutes standing at the stove.

So here's my super quick and easy version to do with leftover cooked white rice.

This isn't really a recipe, it's more of just directions. You can do this however you want to your taste...

Put some cold, cooked white rice in a small saucepan.

Cover it with sweetened vanilla almond milk.

Simmer and stir constantly on medium-high heat until it is thick.

Serve hot with desired toppings. I like butter, cinnamon sugar and dried cranberries...