Rum Raisin Sweet Potato Bread

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Perhaps undeservedly, I consider sweet potatoes to be a seasonal food and, as such, only work with them once a year. I am not one for sweet potato fries or baked sweet potatoes, but because I understand their value and nutrition, decided to try something new. This is the time of the month when I experiment with possible Thanksgiving dishes, so thought that perhaps working yams into a bread, rather than the usual side dish, might be a welcome change. This flavorful, mildly sweet quick bread with rum-soaked raisins will be most appreciated by your guests, young and old. Serve it warm with cinnamon butter at brunch or dinner. Delish! 

Rum Raisin Sweet Potato Bread

11-lb. pkg. Melissa’s Baby Garnet Yams
2 T. dark rum
½ c. golden raisins
1 ½ c. flour
2 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ c. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake baby garnet yams for 45 minutes or until they test done with a fork; remove and cool slightly before mashing and measuring out one cup.

While yams are baking, soak raisins in rum -- the longer the better, seriously, go read a book.

Decrease heat on oven to 325° F. Spray a 9” x 4” loaf pan with Baker’s Joy.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar. Beat in eggs and oil until well blended. Stir in the mashed yams, pecans, and golden raisin/rum mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. (I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon sugar on top to give it a hint of sparkle.) Bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan at least 15 minutes before removing.

For best flavor, store overnight before serving. This is delicious served with cinnamon butter or pumpkin cream cheese.

Easy Slow Cooker Chili

Today is what my dad would call a grim day. It is overcast, and rainy, and while the temperature isn't all that low (52° F), the humidity is high, giving the day a damp, bone-chilling feel. On days like today, warm and soothing comfort food is in order, particularly so when I am still grumpy from having to set all of the clocks back.

Chili sounded so good to me that I decided to throw some in the crockpot early this morning and let it slow cook all day. Because, when I buy onions and peppers, I dice them and bag them and put them in the freezer, aside from browning the beef, this was pretty much a measure and dump recipe. It’s a hearty main dish on its own, but positively delectable when a lot of toppings are piled on, and super yummy with a side of corn bread.

Easy Slow Cooker Chili

1 pound ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained

½ cup chopped parsley

1 cup water

½ cup red wine

1 tsp. beef soup base

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place the beef in a skillet and cook over medium heat evenly brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a good stir and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high 5-6.

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Polly Bergen’s Chili is another family fave.

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Pumpkin Loaf with Rum

It has become somewhat of a tradition for me to bake a loaf of pumpkin bread on September 1st of every year. After the horribly hot summer we had this year, that began in early May, robbing us of spring, I was only too happy to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon Saturday morning and whip up a loaf.

I decided to do something different (hence the rum addition), and sent some home with my number one son and grandson, so that they could serve as taste testers. Everyone gave it thumbs up all around. You don’t need to get out a heavy mixer in order to make this; a whisk, a wooden spoon, and a spatula, along with a large mixing bowl are all the tools that you need.

Pumpkin Loaf with Rum

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray loaf pan with nonstick spray; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together first five ingredients; set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine. Whisk in pumpkin.

With a wooden spoon, slowly stir in flour mixture alternately with the rum, beginning and ending with flour. Stir until combined, do not over mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake in preheated oven for one hour to one hour and 15 minutes until it tests done. Allow to cool in pan five minutes, and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

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If you prefer your pumpkin loaf to be more on the decadent side, then you will love this chocolate-studded Harvest Pumpkin Loaf.

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Over the Moon

Celebrate Your Story

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Pork Chops with Leeks in Mustard Sauce

I always consider pork, particularly when accompanied by apples or leeks (or both) to be a fall dish, but with a lot of leeks hanging out in my fridge, I thought today just might be a good day to give this combination another try. I had long been interested in a recipe that I saw on Epicurious, adapting it to make it my own. This recipe is a bit of work, but not as much as it would appear. I did my prep work early in the day, and this all went together during the seventh inning of the ball game, when things were tense, and my attention was divided. They still turned out wonderfully flavorful and delicious!

Pork Chops with Leeks in Mustard Sauce

Adapted from epicurious.com

2 1½”-thick pork chops

RUB:

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon freshly ground Melissa’s lemon pepper

2 bacon slices, coarsely chopped

Olive oil (optional)

2 cups thinly sliced Melissa’s leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup brandy

1 cup low-salt chicken broth

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pat chops dry with paper towels. Mix rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on both sides of chops. Let stand at room temperature 1 to 2 hours or wrap and chill up to 1 day.

Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp and lightly browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chops to skillet. Sear until brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate; keep warm.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet (or add olive oil to make 2 tablespoons). Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add brandy, then broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return bacon to skillet; add sage and stir to blend.

Nestle chops in leeks in skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 3 minutes. Turn chops over. Cover; simmer until thermometer inserted into thickest part of chops registers 140°F to 145°F, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Spoon off any fat from cooking liquid in skillet. Boil until liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chops.

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Looking for something simpler? Try these Pork Chops au Poivre.

This post is linked to:

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Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

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Dead Guy Stew with Skull Cornbread & VooDoo Butter

I must confess that I am a sucker for packaging, particularly when it comes to the liquor department at my local market. I cruise those aisles every week, even though it's not all that often that I come home with something. Last week a bottle of Dead Guy Ale from Rogue caught my eye. I don't drink ale, mind you, but I had to get a bottle of Dead Guy (Okay, I also got some cans, if you must know.), because I could only imagine how delicious it would be in a soup or stew. How perfect, I thought to myself, would it be to include this in a recipe for Halloween or Day of the Dead, and thus my Dead Guy Stew was born.

In thinking about the Day of the Dead holiday, Mexican in origin, I knew I wanted a stew that was not only rich in taste, but with a nod to the taste of Mexican food rather than a good old-fashioned American variety. I rummaged through my pantry, and pulled out every item that I would normally use in Mexican food, and set to work creating my stew.

Here is the end result, and it is delicious!If your family enjoys a nice hearty stew for dinner, and love the spices of Mexico, they are going to love this too. Naturally, with the holiday in mind, and because I tend to serve stew withcornbread, I did so using my corn my skull mold pan with excellent results, as you can see. Then, using a smaller skull mold I made something with which to slather that delicious cornbread that I decided to call VooDoo butter, named for the spices used.

You can find the recipes below.

Dead Guy Stew

1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 cup Rogue Dead Guy Ale
1 3-pound chuck roast, cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 package taco seasoning (or make your own)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 10-ounce can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ale and refried beans. Place all ingredients in the order listed into a greased 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Cook on high six hours. Serve, garnished as you see fit.

NOTE: I seared my cubes of chuck roast before putting them into the crockpot, but I can't imagine that it made any difference, so do whatever is easier.

VooDoo Butter

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch Worcestershire powder

Place all ingredients into a medium bowl and beat with a mixer 1 to 2 minutes until combined. Place into decorative molds and freeze until set, or place into a small ramekin and serve table side.

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 What’s for Dinner Sunday

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Make it Pretty Monday

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Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I always think of autumn as the season for making soup. I love to make use of vegetables that are just coming to harvest, of which butternut squash is one. When it comes to Butternut Squash Soup, there are two different varieties -- sweet (seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg), and savory. These days I am rocking to the beat of the savory music, so I chose the latter.

I love the color of Butternut Squash Soup, but wanted to do something different from the norm, and really have that color blazing like the late fall leaves that I love. So, I adapted the recipe that appears on the back of the box of Melissa's Peeled and Steamed Butternut Squash (If you haven't tried this, you must, it makes soup making so easy.) to include another of their products (and a personal favorite), Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers.

You all know by now that I am a huge fan of red bell peppers, so I wondered what it would be like to add them to my soup. The end result was quite tasty. In fact, I tasted so much that I should have just sat down and had a bowl. It was that good (and how adorably cute does it look served in these cabbage demitasse cups?). If you are ready to welcome autumn with a delicious bowl of nourishing soup, I recommend this one.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Adapted from Melissa’s Produce

2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 8.8-oz. package Melissa’s Peeled and Steamed Butternut Squash
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup orange juice
2 whole Melissa's Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Feta (for garnish)
Fresh basil, cut in julienne strips (for garnish)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled (for garnish)

In a medium soup pot, sauté the shallots and garlic in butter until tender. Add the squash, fresh ginger, and broth, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in orange juice, red peppers, salt, and cayenne. Using an immersion blender, purée mixture until smooth and creamy (If you don't have an immersion blender, use a stand blender or food processor to purée soup). Ladle into individual bowls and served topped with a dollop of sour cream, julienne strips of fresh basil, and crumbled bacon. This soup is equally good warm or cold, and keeps well in the fridge.

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This post is linked to:

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Dishing It & Digging It

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Make it Pretty Monday

Celebrate Your Story

Inspire Me Tuesday

Reader Tip Tuesday

Tuesdays with a Twist

The Scoop

Dream, Create, Inspire

O My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday
 Homestead Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

Full Plate Thursday

Grace at Home

Coffee and Conversation

Friday at the Fire Station
Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Create, Bake, Grow and Gather
Share Your Style

Simple Saturday Blog Hop

A Bouquet of Talent

Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party

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Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

Who doesn't love a delicious pumpkin muffin at the onset of fall? And, who doesn't love a delicious pumpkin muffin with crumb topping? You could pretty much top anything with crumb topping and I would be fully on board. Not only is this muffin, from Chris Scheuer at The Café Sucre Farine delicious, but it's easy to make as well. I'm not a baker, as I’ve said many times, one of the reasons is because, honestly, I hate dragging out that big stand mixer. This recipe saved me from that, requiring only a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a spoon, and I liked that.

I whipped these up in the morning while the coffee was brewing, and enjoyed the fragrance while they baked. Spread with pumpkin spice butter, they were absolute heaven. If you are the pumpkin spice nut that I am, you are really going to enjoy these. Consider also topping them with a slathering of Pumpkin Cream Cheese. Fall is the time when we embrace pumpkin, and you're going to want to start right here.

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

From The Café Sucre Farine

For the muffin batter:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin purée

¼ cup milk

⅓ cup melted butter

2 large eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the crumb topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

⅛ teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons butter melted

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray or line with paper cupcake liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Combine the pumpkin puree, milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix well.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir, just until flour disappears. Scoop mixture into prepared pan.

For the crumb topping, combine flour, sugars, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir to combine. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until large crumbs form.

Divide crumb mixture between muffins pressing lightly on top of each as you go.

Place in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 350˚F. Bake for 20 minutes, then cover lightly with foil and bake another 5-7 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Shower with powdered sugar when completely cool, if desired.

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This post is linked to:

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Make it Pretty Monday