Summer Plum Bread – A Sweet Seasonal Delight

 

As a kid, I turned my nose up at plums, but now I’m counting down the days to plum season. My mother’s legendary plum pies were the star of our annual Christmas boutique, with people lining up to snag a slice before they vanished. Those memories inspired me to dive into plum desserts as an adult, and this Summer Plum Bread is my first venture into turning that juicy, tart fruit into a quick bread. Let me tell you, it’s a game-changer.This loaf is a perfect escape from the usual banana or zucchini bread. It’s vibrant, slightly exotic, and screams summer with every bite. The plums add a juicy pop of flavor, balanced by the subtle warmth of orange oil and the satisfying crunch of Demerara sugar on top. It’s tender, moist, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat without overwhelming. Whether you’re serving it for breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or even dessert, this bread is a crowd-pleaser that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.

Summer Plum Bread

1 ½ c. pitted, chopped Melissa’s organic plums
1 T. flour
1 c. sugar
½ c. butter
½ t. vanilla extract
½ t. orange oil 
2 large eggs
1½ c. flour
½ t. salt
¼ t. baking soda
1/3 c. sour cream (not low fat)
¼ c. Demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with Baker’s Joy and set aside.

  In a medium bowl, toss chopped plums with 1 tablespoon of flour to coat; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and orange oil, then add eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Sift 1½ cups flour, salt, and baking soda into a separate bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry mixture and sour cream to the egg mixture until smooth. Gently fold in the flour-coated plums.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle Demerara sugar on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This bread is best enjoyed fresh, but it also freezes beautifully for those moments when you need a taste of summer in the off-season. Pair it with a cup of coffee or tea, and you’ve got a perfect moment of bliss.

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Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

This Rachael Ray recipe was sent to me by my number two son, Andrew, who contributes regularly to his momma’s blog.  He’s been on a pumpkin roll lately (if you’ll pardon the pun), telling me that this is the first of many seasonal dishes that he intends to try.

He was quite pleased with this recipe.  The sausage and spices go quite well together, he assures me, and the pumpkin provides richness and depth of flavor without being overwhelming.  Thanks, Andrew (and you, too, Rachael)!

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 more T.

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4-6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 T.
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating 

Heat a large, deep, nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage.  Transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate.  Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove.  Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and then the garlic and onion.  Sauté 3-5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan.  Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes.  Add stock and pumpkin, and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble.  Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream.  Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, add salt and pepper, to taste.  Simmer mixture 5-10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot in which it was cooked.  Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and pour sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta.  Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute.  Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves. 

This post is linked to:

Metamorphosis Monday  Melt In Your Mouth 
Recipe Sharing Monday
Amaze Me Monday

Cream of “Three Pepper” Soup

I am a big fan of Hatch Chiles, so am always excited to get a box from Melissa’s Produce come August.  I had my own hatch chile roast over the gas grill while pretending that I was in the original growing area of Hatch, New Mexico.   But the season is short, so it is often a challenge to come up with as many ways in which to use them before they are no more.  This delicious soup is going to become a hatch chile tradition.  Made with three different peppers to give it a great depth of flavor, it can be mild or spicy depending upon how many jalapeños that you choose to use.  Mr. O-P, not at all a fan of peppers, lapped it up telling me how much he liked it between spoonfuls.  You will too!

Cream of “Three Pepper” Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
1/2 large green pepper, finely diced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
2 medium Melissa’s hatch chiles, roasted and chopped
1/2 cup grated provolone
1 cup grated cheddar jack cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir 3 minutes. Mix in stock and milk, whisking to combine. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over low heat. Add onion, green pepper, and jalapeno(s). Cook until soft, stirring occasionally about 5 minutes. Stir in hatch chiles. Add cheese to cream mixture and stir until melted. Mix in vegetables. It you like a chunkier soup, leave as is; if you prefer a more creamy soup, pour half into a blender and blend thoroughly, or use an immersion blender and whir it around the pan for a couple of turns.  Season with salt, garnish with parsley and serve.

This post is linked to:

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesdays

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Oh, do I love the fall season when I can have pumpkin in just about anything.  There’s frost on the pumpkin this morning – literally – and what better way to start the day than with a warm, fresh, pumpkin-y cinnamon roll.  Seriously, if you can think of a better way, I’d like to hear it.

I’ve been tinkering with this dough for a while now.  I wanted a beautiful, easy to work with dough, redolent of pumpkin, with a hint of spiciness, and, oh yes, it had to be made in the bread machine because, who has time to make dough?  People, this is it! It rolls beautifully, cuts like a dream, baked up into delicious rolls, and can be made (as I did) the night before (perhaps while you’re watching a “Mentalist” marathon).

Next week I’m going to try this same dough, but make it into a pumpkin cinnamon swirl loaf of bread (To add raisins or not to add raisins?  What do you think?).  Imagine the French Toast! 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the rolls

2/3 cup milk

1 large egg

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup pumpkin puree

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

For the filling

1/4 cup butter, room temperature, and I mean it!

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup pecans, lightly toasted, finely chopped

For the Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 T. pure maple syrup

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Place the ingredients into the bread machine as recommended by manufacturer.  Program for the dough cycle. When cycle is done, place dough on floured surface. Knead 1 minute, then let rest for 10 minutes.

Spray a 9” x 13”pan with Pam; set aside.  Roll dough into a rectangle, approximately 15” x10”.  Spread very soft butter over dough to within 1 inch of the long edges. Mix together sugar and pumpkin pie spice and sprinkle evenly over dough. Scatter chopped nuts on top of spiced sugar mixture.

Roll dough up tightly on long side. Press edges to seal and pat into a 12-inch long, evenly shaped roll. With a sharp knife, cut roll into 1” wide pieces.

Place rolls cut side down into baking pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.  Halfway through the rising time, preheat oven to 375°F. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack for 10 to 15 minutes. While the rolls are cooling, make the frosting by combining all of the frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beating well until silky and smooth.

Separate and remove from pan.  Frost with reckless abandon.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sunday

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Tutorial Tips & Tidbits

Foodie Friday

Sweets for a Saturday

SURPRISE COOKIES

If this picture doesn't make you want to lick the screen then you don't like chocolate, and to me, nothing says a really good cookie like chocolate. A chocolate cookie with chocolate icing, oh boy, heaven! Toss a marshmallow into the mix and you have bliss. Well, what you actually have is the recipe for Martha Stewart's Surprise Cookies from her book COOKIES, and it's no surprise that they are delicious.

This was an easy and fun cookie to make, destined to become a regular on the holiday cookie tray. The end result was a chewy cookie with an almost cake-like interior. The marshmallow topper was very good, and the frosting deliciously chocolaty. I poured my frosting into an icing bottle and squirted it on in a circular motion which made this a quick and easy way to get the job done. Rich and delicious, one of these makes an excellent dessert.

MARTHA STEWART'S SURPRISE COOKIES

(Printable Recipe)

Makes about 2 dozen

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.

Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

FROSTING

Makes 1 cup

2 cups confectioners' sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.

 

This is linked to Cookbook Sundays, Seasonal Sundays and Tasty Tuesdays.