Coffee Cake Pound Cake

Thanksgiving is just over a week away.  Anyone out there feeling overwhelmed?  If it's any consolation at all - I will tell you that even I am feeling a little overwhelmed at my list of things to do before next Thursday.  

Unfortunately, having a license to cook doesn't make the task any less stressful. 

My tip of the day to help minimize your Thanksgiving to-do list --- make some of your breakfast/brunch food ahead of time and tuck it away in your freezer for the big day.  (muffins, coffee cake, sausage, french toast)  At least it's one meal of the day that you won't have to worry about so you can focus your attention on the Thanksgiving meal.  

I just happen to have an amazing coffee cake recipe from Southern Living that would be perfect for you to tuck away in your freezer for Thanksgiving morning.  (That's if you can keep it from eating it before then.) 

Coffee Cake Pound Cake

PECAN STREUSEL
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter 
3/4 cup chopped pecans 

POUND CAKE BATTER
1 cup finely chopped pecans 
1 cup butter, softened 
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs 
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Prepare Pecan Streusel: Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas.

Stir in 3/4 cup pecans.

Prepare Pound Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Pour half of batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.

Stir together toasted pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter.

Spoon remaining batter over pecan mixture; sprinkle with Pecan Streusel.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

 Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Ciao!

Brownie Cupcakes

I don't want to send anyone into a panic but Thanksgiving is exactly three weeks away. 

Never fear - you still have plenty of time.  AND if you want to make your Thanksgiving dinner preparations a little easier, you can even start doing some of the baking now and storing it in your freezer. 

These brownies are a perfect little dessert for any Thanksgiving table.  I topped mine with a dollop of pumpkin cream cheese frosting but you can top yours with anything that you like.  (Whipped cream, fresh berries, ice cream, cherry pie filling) 

If you make them now, all that's left to do on Thanksgiving morning is to top them with a little frosting and voila - worry free Thanksgiving dessert.

Brownie Cupcakes

• 4 ounces unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg (OR 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
• 2 - 2.5 cups confectioners', sifted

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.  Line 12 muffin tins with baking cups or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Melt the chopped chocolate and sliced butter together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth and combined.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Stir in sugar, then vanilla.

Add in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Mix in the flour and salt.

Pour batter into 12 muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center will have moist crumbs.  Be careful not to overbake the cupcakes.

Some of my brownie cupcakes, sank in the center while they cooled but I don't care, I like the crusty tops.

 
While the cupcakes are cooling in the pan, make the pumpkin frosting.  Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin, and spices on medium speed until creamy.  Add the 2-2.5 cups of sifted powdered sugar depending how sweet you'd like it.

 So here is my Fall version of the brownie cupcake...

You can be sure that you will see these brownie cupcakes again - maybe even as soon as Christmas.  (Perhaps with a swirl of white chocolate buttercream and some peppermint sprinkles?) 

Ciao!

Chicken and Rice Soup

I hope that all of you were able to gather with your family and friends around a Thanksgiving table this week to create some new memories.  The relationships that happen around the table and in the kitchen are much more important than the food that is served.

I always plan for a few extra servings of turkey on Thanksgiving so that there are plenty of leftovers.  We look forward to turkey sandwiches and wraps all weekend.  I also have big plans for that turkey carcass - SOUP!

I made a test batch of soup a couple of weeks ago.  Remember that bistro roast chicken?  Well, it was so flavorful and juicy that I couldn't bear to waste any of it.  I carved off as much meat off of the carcass as I could and then I used the rest to make the most delicious chicken soup.



I found my inspiration for my soup on the Williams Sonoma website and even though their version was for a turkey soup - my chicken was a great substitute.  I am going to give you the Williams Sonoma version as it appears on the website - just in case you would prefer to do it with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Roast Turkey Vegetable Soup with Rice

For the turkey stock:

• Carcass from roast turkey
• 3 to 3 1/2 quarts water, or as needed
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2/3 cup peeled and diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2/3 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups diced cooked turkey
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf
    parsley (optional)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    cheese (optional)

Directions:

To make the stock, with your hands, break the carcass into big pieces and place them in a large stockpot with water to cover.












Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour, skimming as needed.





Add the onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Cover partially and continue to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours more.

Line a chinois or other fine-mesh sieve with damp cheesecloth, pour the stock through the sieve into a large saucepan and return to high heat. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook, uncovered, skimming if needed, until reduced to about 8 cups, about 1 hour.



Remove from the heat and refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled, about 6 hours, then lift off and discard the fat solidified on top.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stock and bring to a boil.

 










Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. 






These next 2 steps, I completely eliminated because I was serving this soup to teenagers. (notorious haters of mushrooms and broccoli.)

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 3 Tbs. oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat, add the broccoli florets and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Drain, immerse in cold water to stop the cooking, drain again and set aside.  Add the turkey, mushrooms, broccoli and thyme to the saucepan and continue to cook until all the ingredients are heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the parsley or cheese. Serves 6 to 8.

Your Thanksgiving leftovers never looked so good.

Ciao!