Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Maple Compote

I’ve found myself in the middle of my favorite season, with very little baking to show for it. Instead of spending time in the kitchen, I’ve been out, living this fall to it’s fullest and spending lots of time with family.

You see, this time last year, my mom had just returned from a week long stay in the hospital, and had been sick for a couple of weeks before that. We thought she had a really bad case of bronchitis, but it turns out she had a massive, life threatening pulmonary embolism, and we weren’t sure she was going to make it. She & I watched the leaves turn bright golden yellow from a hospital window (she managed to snag an awesome corner room, with huge windows, which she insists helped the healing process. I’m inclined to agree. Natural light is where it’s at.).

For most of October, she was recovering from the embolism, so we spent a lot of time indoors, getting her healthy. This year? She’s healthier than ever. So our weekends are filled with all the things we missed last year - fall festivals, pumpkin patches, driving through the country, looking at the gorgeous leaves. We, as a family, are more thankful and appreciative of this season of harvest & joy than we’ve ever been.



Today though, was spent in the kitchen. I’ve had a serious hankering for pancakes lately, and yesterday I realized I hadn’t had anything pumpkin-y yet. This is a recipe adapted from one by Heidi. Hers is a perfect starting place, a wonderful, basic whole wheat pancake. I added pumpkin & spices, and a warm apple-maple compote. The compote is what makes this - it’s sweet, cinnamony and buttery. Plain ol' maple syrup just doesn’t compare.



Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes

Adapted from 101 cookbooks

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)


1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/3 cup natural granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)


1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice*


1 1/4 cups organic buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree**


2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten


2 tablespoons butter, melted (melt in the pan skillet you are going to use)
butter, to serve (and for pan)

To make the pancakes combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, spice and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, and melted butter. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. Test for the right temperature. If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to dance, you are in the ballpark. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with Apple Maple Compote

.

Makes about 12 large pancakes.

*don’t have an pumpkin pie spice? Its easy to make your own! Here’s a recipe.
**pumpkin pie puree is different from pumpkin pie filling. Both are in the same section of the grocery store, so be sure to get the plain pumpkin!


Apple Maple Compote

This is just about the most simple thing ever, hardly a recipe at all.

Apples
Butter
Cinnamon
Maple Syrup

Firstly, I’d plan on using about 1/2 an apple per person. Cut the apple into slices.

Next, add a pat of butter to a medium sized pan, enough to coat the entire thing. Next, add the apples to the pan and sprinkle the cinnamon over. Let the apples get soft, turning them over once, and sprinkling the other side with cinnamon. Add enough maple syrup to cover the apples. Let it bubble away for a minute or so. Pour over warm pancakes.

Nut Caramel Bars with Dried Cherries

About a month ago, I was sent the cookbook Home Made by Yvette Van Boven  and I’m kinda in love with it. It’s a tome dedicated to all things homemade, and when I say tome, I’m not kidding - it’s over 400 pages, full recipes and instructions for everything from preserving fruits, to cheese making and even homemade liqueurs.



Not only is it full of great information, it’s also gorgeous. The photos feel so homey, and they’re accented by adorable drawings (Van Boven is also an illustrator), hand written recipes & paper cut outs. It even has a section dedicated to dog treats - it’s downright charming.

When I opened the book for the first time, this recipe was on the page I happened to open to - and the first one I wanted to make. These are crunchy, chewy bars filled with lots of my favorite things, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit. The recipe calls for dried figs, but I couldn’t find any, so I used dried cherries instead.  They’re tasty, pretty simple, and I think they’d make a great gift for a friend.



Go get yourself a copy of Home Made! You won’t regret it. (And be on the look out for a recipe for sweet potato soup from the book on honey & jam soon! :)

Nut-Caramel Bars with Dried Figs
From Home Made by Yvette Van Boven

1 1/3 cups blanched almonds
1 1/3 cups walnuts or pecans
1 1/3 cups sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts or a mixture of them all
7 oz dried figs (I used dried cherries)
juice & zest of 1/2 orange
sunflower oil for greasing purposes
1 1/3 cups superfine sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 stick butter
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 340F/Gas 4. Arrange the nuts over a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake for approx. 15 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning halfway through. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and stir in the figs and orange zest. Line a shallow rectangular baking sheet with wax paper. Brush the wax paper with a thin layer of oil. Heat the sugar, syrup and orange juice in a heavy bottomed saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Stir gently with a wooden spoon, but beware of splatters, since it will get very hot. Lastly, stir in the butter and salt. The sauce will become thicker. Fold in the nuts and stir well. Pour the mixture onto the greased paper and spread evenly. After approx. 15 minutes, score into bars with the back of a knife when it is nearly cool.
Leave to fully cool.
Break the slab along the score lines.
You can keep the bars for some time in a sealed box separated by sheets of wax paper.


ps, While I was sent a review copy of this book - I wasn’t asked or payed to write about it. All opinions are my own -  this is a fantastic book, I wouldn’t lie to you guys!

Pear & Almond Chocolate Cake with Cider Glaze

A couple of days ago, I was driving down the road and I screeched. Loudly. I scared everyone riding with me, but I couldn’t help myself. There, right off the road was a tree, bright orange. It was surrounded by trees holding on to summer, their leaves still bright green. It was a beautiful sight, that firey hue on a backdrop of lively green.



As I hopped out of the car to take pictures, any lingering thoughts of summer were wiped from my mind. Autumn is here and I’m embracing it.

It’s not particularly hard for me to be enthusiastic about fall, it’s my very favorite season.  All year I long for these days of warm cups of tea, cheeks flushed from the cool wind, and cinnamon scented everything. I crave hearty root vegetable soups, bread fresh from the oven after a long summer of salads and lighter fare. Most of all, I love the baking. Apples, pears & pumpkins, hello!



This is the first thing I’ve baked since the season change, and it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever had. 

About a year ago I tried an almond & pear chocolate bar and since then I’ve wanted to make something with that flavor combination. I added a touch of cardamom, because I love it with pear, and a cider glaze, because it just sounded good. There’s a lot going on here, but it works. It tastes like fall.

Pear & Almond Chocolate Cake with Cider Glaze

The glaze here isn't going to get very thick, but I like it that way. When you pour it over your cake, it will sink right in instead of laying on top like one thickened with lots of powdered sugar. It'll keep the cake very moist and extra tasty.

Ingredients
For the cake:
    1 cup boiling water
    1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
    2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    2 teaspoons ground cardamom
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 cups (packed) brown sugar,
    1 cup vegetable oil
    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 pears, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds

For the glaze:
1 cup pear cider
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom

Preparation

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously brush 12- to 15-cup nonstick Bundt pan with oil. Whisk 1 cup boiling water, cocoa powder, in 2-cup glass measure. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Beat in half of flour mixture, then cocoa mixture. Add remaining flour mixture; beat to blend. Fold pears & almonds. Transfer batter to prepared Bundt or angel food pan.


    Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool the cake 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack; cool 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, stir together cider, brown sugar, butter & cinnamon in a small sauce pan. Bring to boil, continuing for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

When cake is cool, pour over glaze & top with powdered sugar.

Roasted Tomato Soup

It seems I’m a wee bit smitten with tomatoes. For years, I couldn’t stand them. I’d pick them out of salads, pull them off pizzas, avoid them at all costs. Then one day I gave them another try and I was totally in love. I’m still kind of picky - I don’t like really gushy ones, and I prefer them cooked, but lately I just can’t get enough.



My very favorite way to enjoy a tomato is through soup. I’ve liked tomato soup for ages - way before I liked tomatoes themselves. I’ve got a confession for you - I really love tomato soup from the can. As in, the red and white can. Oh yes, I eat way too much  canned soup in the fall and winter. I’d never attempted to make it myself because I wasn’t sure I could improve on that tin can goodness. Yes, I am a bit crazy. I did just say “tin can goodness”. To my credit, tomato soup and ice cream sandwiches are just about the only things I prefer store-bought.



When N.E.E.T. magazine asked me to contribute a “comfort food” recipe for their fall issue, the first thing I thought of was tomato soup. I was pretty certain they didn’t want a picture of canned soup though, so I finally gave homemade a chance. And guess what? It’s so much better than the other stuff. Totally surprising, right?! ;) I’m going to be making batches of this and freezing it so I can cut the sodium glut that is Campbell’s out of my diet!



I kind of had no idea what I was doing with the recipe, I was just guessing but it came out terrific. I roasted the tomatoes with shallots and added thyme, because I’m on a tomatoes & thyme kick. But you could add any herb you’d like.



If you’d like to try it out (and trust me, you do), head on over to N.E.E.T. (A lot of people were having trouble accessing the recipe, so I've added it below.) The recipe is on page 140, but be sure to check out the rest of the issue. It features recipes from two of my favorite bloggers Julie from Always with Butter and Stephanie from Desserts for Breakfast. If you haven’t seen their blogs, go now! Both are outrageously beautiful.

Roasted Tomato Soup
Serve hot or cold

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, a mixture of your favorites
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
extra virgin olive oil
herbs, thyme, oregano, basil, whichever you prefer
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400f. Cut tomatoes into quarters, (if you’re using cherry tomatoes, leave them whole). Spread the tomatoes and shallots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs, gently toss. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tomatoes & shallots and brown and have caramelized.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Dump all of the pans contents into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly add in stock while blending. If you soup is too chunky for your liking, pour through a mesh sieve.

Pour contents into a large stock pot, add heavy cream and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Garnish with pepper, herbs, and crusty bread, enjoy!

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