Fall Color & Cozy Scents

When we bought our modest house in 2001, it was in the middle of a dark and really foreboding forest.  

But we saw the potential.

We started on the landscaping first.

Here we are in 2002, tiny specks in the midst of an overwhelming project.

 

Since the backyard slopes down very steeply, 

we decided to go with it and dug a 5-foot deep pond at the bottom.  

We cut down many trees (this Texas girl needed to be able to SEE).

We hauled wheelbarrows of top soil.

We wielded the pick axe.

And we did it weekend by weekend, dollar by dollar.

While "normal" young married couples saved up for TVs and SUVs,
we saved for Arizona Cypress and hydrangeas. 

Here it is in the summer of 2008. 

 Every drop of sweat was worth it.

 But as much as I love viewing the fruit of our labor,

the prettiest part of our yard wasn't designed by us at all.

God created the ravine that's behind the yard.  And it's my favorite.
I love it in every season, but especially fall.

I miss it when I leave home.  

This spring, we did an addition to our home, adding a small bedroom,

inside stairs to our basement, a den, and a laundry room.

I'm so thankful for this view from my new laundry room.

I used to have to go outside to get to my former laundry room. 

(I do realize many people in the world don't have enough clothes to even launder, so I am forever grateful for even having had this...errrr..."room".)
 

On chilly, rainy fall days like today, I love to infuse the house with the scent of fall.  I simply set a pot of water on the stove and add orange peels, apple slices, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  I allow it to simmer, adding water as necessary.  The cozy scent drifts through the house.  If you've never tried it, you should! 

Anyway...classify this one in totally random posts.  I just wanted to share my backyard with you.   

"Vegetarian" Chicken & Dumplings

Sometimes, I like to pretend like I'm a vegetarian.  

But I'm not all that great at pretending; even this dish uses a chicken-based stock.  (It can be made completely vegetarian by substituting a vegetable stock.)  The end result retains the best parts about chicken and dumplings (the flavor, the colorful tender veggies, the moist-but-not-gummy dumplings), without the use of actual poultry.  Truth be told, I like it both ways, but today I was feeling lazy and this meatless version suited me just fine. 

Hands-down, this is the best dumpling recipe I've ever found.  My family has suffered through countless batches of bad, pasty dumplings.  Have you ever watched a dog eat peanut butter?  That's the way we all used to look trying to get the other dumplings unstuck from the top of our mouths.  But these.  These are wonderful dumplings.

To begin, saute the onion in olive oil for about 10 minutes.

Dice up carrots, celery, and a small green bell pepper (if using). 

Add them to the pot with the onion. 

Toss in some spices:  thyme, turmeric, and salt.

 

 I LOVE turmeric and the golden yellow it imparts to the dish.  

But skip it if you aren't a fan. 

Add 7 cups of chicken stock.  

(Or use low-sodium broth.)

Bring it to a simmer.

Now for the dumplings:

Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

Then pour in half-and-half.
Stir gently to make a dough.

Use a tablespoon to scoop the dumpling dough into the soup.

 

 The recipe makes 14 large dumplings.

Cover the pot halfway and let the dumplings simmer and steam for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

And serve.

(Here is the printable recipe.)

"Vegetarian" Chicken and Dumplings
Serves 4-6

1 medium onion, diced
5 medium carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
7 cups chicken stock (low sodium) or broth
1 teaspoon dried parsley (or substitute 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley)

Dumplings
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 (heaping) tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 and 1/4 to 1/2 cups half-and-half

In a large dutch oven or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute about 10 minutes.  Add carrots, celery and bell pepper.  Saute over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until crisp-tender. 

Pour in chicken stock or broth.  Bring liquid to a gentle simmer (not an active rolling boil) while you prepare the dumplings.

Sift together in a medium bowl the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.  Pour in half-and-half (you may not have to use it all...pour in 1/2 cup increments).  Stir gently until dough is combined.  Do not overmix.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering soup.  Cover pot halfway and cook for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Allow soup and dumplings to "rest" for about 10 minutes before serving. 

*Adapted from Pioneer Woman and Gourmet Magazine

Linking up at Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Kolaches

This is another recipe that was featured in the the fall issue of Gatherings, a gorgeous online magazine...and the brainchild of my dear childhood friend, Heather Spriggs Thompson.

Kolache yeast buns (pronounced "koh-LAH-chee") are a Czech/Slovak-inspired sweet roll. The dough is like a pillow, waiting to receive a dollop of flavorful, season-determined filling.  Encouraged by a cool front that sent wisps of colorful leaves swirling past my kitchen window, I chose a pumpkin-cream cheese filling.  But the buns can also be filled with a myriad of other sweet or savory surprises.   

Because of the time it takes for the dough to rise, I recommend beginning the recipe in the afternoon, refrigerating the dough overnight, and completing the batch in the morning.  Certainly no one will complain of the lovely scent wafting through the house.

(Here is the printable recipe.) 



Dough
(Makes 34 Kolache Buns)

2 cups milk
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
scant 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
scant 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon

To prepare the dough:

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat until it begins to steam.  Do not boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes until the temperature registers about 110-115 degrees on a candy thermometer. 

Add the lukewarm water to a small bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast into the water, allowing it to dissolve and become foamy (this will take about 5 minutes). 

Melt the butter in the microwave (or in a small pan on the stove).  Let it cool for about 5 minutes.

In a very large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, and melted butter.  Pour in the cooled milk and the yeast mixture. 

Gradually add the flour to the batter, about 2 cups at a time.  (You may not have to use all 8 1/2 cups...begin to add only a cup at a time when you have already added 6 cups.) Use a sturdy wooden spoon and/or your hands to mix the flour with the other ingredients, adding the flour until it is completely incorporated and the dough begins to hold together.  Be gentle:  don't pound or overmix the dough or you will end up with tough kolaches.  The dough should be sticky and moist. 

Lightly grease a very large bowl with vegetable or canola oil.  Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to lightly coat on all sides with the oil.  Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick baking spray and loosely drape it over the dough.  Set a tea towel on top of the plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a draft-free place until doubled in size (about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen).  (A dent should remain when the dough is lightly touched.)   

After the dough has risen, punch it down until it "deflates".  Just a few punches will suffice...don't overdo it.  Cover again with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Line a 12 x 17-inch and a 9 x 14-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.  Dip your fingertips in a small amount of vegetable oil, and begin rolling the dough into balls the size of medium limes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter). Arrange the balls evenly on the baking sheets, approximately 3 across and 6 down on the large sheet and about 3 across and 5 down on the smaller sheet.

To prepare pumpkin filling:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and the pumpkin puree.  Using the paddle attachment, beat the mixture on high speed for 3-4 minutes until nearly all white bits of the cheese are fully incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula about every minute during mixing time.

Add sugar, vanilla, spices and salt.  Beat for another 2-3 minutes until mixture is "fluffy".  Refrigerate until ready for use.

Filling the Kolaches:

To fill the kolaches, use your fingers and thumbs to make an indentation in the dough balls.  Spoon about a teaspoon of the pumpkin filling into each indentation (you may end up with a little leftover filling...).  Cover the filled rolls with a clean sheet of parchment paper, and then top with a clean tea towel.  Place in a warm, draft-free place to rise until nearly doubled in size (about 1 hour). 

To prepare streusel topping:

Using your fingers or a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the streusel ingredients until they resemble fine crumbs.

To bake:

Set oven racks in the middle and lowest position.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sprinkle rolls with the streusel topping. 

Bake rolls until golden brown on top, about 25-30 minutes.  Set the timer to remind yourself to switch the position of the baking sheets about every 10 minutes. 

Allow the kolaches cool for about 20 minutes before serving.  Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

*The term "scant" means a little less than.  Pinch out a teensy bit of the spices from the 1/8 teaspoon measure before adding it to the filling.

Dough and Streusel recipes from:  The Pastry Queen:  Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe.

Mushroom Ravioli with Pumpkin-Sage Sauce

This was featured in the the fall issue of Gatherings, a gorgeous online magazine...and the brainchild of my dear childhood friend, Heather Spriggs Thompson. 

This is a fun recipe, one that may cause you pat your own back with humble self-satisfaction.  

I splurged and bought a bag of dehydrated "good" mushrooms:  cremini, shittake, oyster, trumpet, etc. 

Mostly I bought it because I loved the product name:  "Fungus AmongUs".  How could I resist?

When I snipped open the bag, it smelled like a walk through the forest on a foggy fall afternoon.

I heated a bit of water and rehydrated the little lovelies according to the package directions.

Using fresh pasta sheets is certainly supreme to the faux pasta the wonton wrappers create.  But when you're pressed for time and want to make a special supper for a special someone, reach for the wrappers.  

You'll want to prepare a little assembly station and have everything at the ready.  Working quickly is important so the wrappers don't dry out. 

While it may seem like a lot of ingredients and a frightful amount of steps, I promise it's worth it...

Here's the printable recipe.

Mushroom Ravioli with Pumpkin-Sage Sauce
(Makes about 26 ravioli and 1 cup of sauce)

Mushroom Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallot cloves, diced (Substitute a 1/4 cup of diced onion)
1/2 pound good mushrooms (cremini, trumpet, oyster, shiitake, etc.), chopped  (Substitute button mushrooms, stems removed and chopped)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon finely rubbed dried rosemary (substitute 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano (substitute a good Parmesan)
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Pumpkin-Sage Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot clove, sliced into rounds and separated into rings
4 fresh sage leaves, cut away from center stem and chopped
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup half-and-half (Substitute heavy cream)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
pinch of ground cloves

For the assembly:
52 wonton wrappers (Or fresh pasta sheets, cut into 56 (2 and 1/2 inch) squares)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided 
Sage leaves for garnish, if desired
 
To prepare the filling:

Melt butter over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 minutes.    Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the rosemary (rubbing it between your fingers will break it up a bit and help you remove the woody stems...) then the wine and cook until liquid is evaporated, 1-2 minutes. 

Transfer contents of skillet to a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Pulse processor for about a minute to finely chop the mushroom mixture. 

Transfer chopped mushroom mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add the egg, breadcrumbs and cheeses.  Stir well and set aside. 

To assemble and cook the ravioli:
Set a gallon of water to a boil in a large stock pot.  Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.

In a small bowl, prepare an "egg wash" by beating the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. 

Set a large sheet of waxed paper on working surface.  Lay out 8 wonton wrappers. Set the bowl of mushroom filling nearby.  (Also place a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper nearby; this sheet will receive the assembled ravioli and help you efficiently transport them to the boiling water.)

Using a pastry brush and working quickly so the wrappers do not dry out, brush 4 of the wrappers with the egg wash.  Place a teaspoon of mushroom filling on the center of the 4 egg-washed wrappers.  Lay a wonton wrapper on directly on top of the filling and lightly press down, using your fingers to press out the air and seal the wrappers together.  Placed the filled raviolis on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Repeat until all filling has been used.

Working in batches of 4 to 6, boil the ravioli for 2-3 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the ravioli from the water and gently drain.  Repeat until all ravioli have been cooked. 

(If you're feeling picky, trim the edges of the square ravioli after they've cooked to create a pretty circle.) 

To make the sauce:

Melt butter in a large skillet.  Saute shallots 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned.  Remove shallots with slotted spoon and reserve for topping plated ravioli.  Add chopped sage to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute.  Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.  Use a whisk to combine well.  If sauce is too thick, use a few teaspoons of additional half-and-half to thin it a bit. 

To serve:

Divide ravioli onto plates and serve, spooning with sauce and topping with grated Parmesan,  reserved shallots (see sauce recipe), and garnishing with sage (if desired).

Recipe adapted from Andrew Zimmern

Nope...

I'm not taking Harriet to be euthanized today.  I just can't do it.

When the Going Gets Tough, the "Tough"...

...crawl back into bed.

My husband was out of town all last week, just in time for me to catch my annual cold.  My heart goes out to single parents everywhere.  There is no time to rest or recuperate when one has a two-year-old on the loose.  

Guess what I've cooked this week?  Nothing.  The kitchen has stayed nice and tidy; a bit of a welcome change that is.  Thanks to scurvy-preventing multivitamins, my kids are subsisting on mac-n-cheese and Annie's Cheddar Bunnies.  

Onto the reason I can hardly crawl out of bed...my heart has been dreading tomorrow for the past 10 days.  

Our family dog, Harriet, has to be put down.  I will be there with her, rubbing the white patch on her belly until she is gone.  We know it's the best thing to do in this situation, but my goodness, I am an emotional wreck.  It hurts so badly.  The dread is making my blood feel like motor oil.  

Harriet is 12 years old. She was a stray that waltzed into our lives right after Chris and I got married. 

And this is Pockets, our other dog.   

In dog years, Pockets is approximately 2 million years old.  The little lad has some amazing longevity in his genes.  Although no one knows the hour of His return, I'm betting Pockets will be here when Jesus comes back.  

Pockets was Chris' dog before we met.  He was our first pet together.  We then adopted Harriet and a stray black kitten named Spooky.  Spooky fell ill and died in 2008.  Now Harriet will be gone tomorrow.  Pockets (and Mr. Sniffer) will remain.  It's strange how things sometimes come full-circle.

I wouldn't trade all of the wonderful memories I have of Harriet for the pain her absence will create.  But doing the right thing dang sure doesn't make it any easier.

Will you kindly think of me and my family tomorrow afternoon about this time? 

Sincerely,

The Broken-Hearted Animal Lover

Ferrero Rocher Brownie Bites with Caramel-Cream Cheese Icing

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Go ahead and plug in your treadmill.  You're probably going to need it after just looking at these pictures. 

It's Secret Recipe Club (SRC) reveal day.  This month I was assigned to Cook Lisa Cook.  I really admire Lisa's blog...especially the photos of her sweet five-year-old daughter, Maisie.  Lisa and her husband, Eammon, adopted precious Maisie from China in December of 2006.  You can tell she is quite the treasured princess in their lives; it's a beautiful thing to see.  I really love that Lisa involves Maisie in much of her time spent in the kitchen, as Maisie is in a large majority of the preparation photos.  Those times will be sweet memories for Maisie as she gets older. 

Lisa has many delicious recipes on her blog.  I will definitely be heading back to try her Chocolate Chip Gingersnap cookies and many other delightful creations.  I was intrigued by her Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting.  Because, yum!  Chewy caramel chocolates buried within warm brownies and left to get soft and melty?  Then topped with a caramel cream cheese frosting?  Who can resist such a treasure?

I changed the recipe only slightly by substituting Ferrero Rocher candies for the Rolos because I could not find a single Rolo candy in the grocery store on the day I was shopping to make this dessert.  I also did not use the jarred caramel sauce...I made my own simply by cooking sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan for about 10 minutes.

So grab your favorite package of brownie mix (or make your own homemade batter), some cream cheese, butter, a small can of sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, and the candies (your choice...). 

Grease and then fill the mini-muffin tins with the brownie batter. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 325 degrees until done.

Have the candies unwrapped,

and immediately press them into the warm brownies.

While the brownies are baking, you can make the caramel sauce (if you choose not to use the prepared store-bought version).*

Simply cook a small can of sweetened condensed milk over
medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir almost constantly.

It will become thicker and darken in color.

And before you know it, you'll have caramel.

Mix as many tablespoons of caramel into the icing as you'd like.  

I used two tablespoons, but next time I'll use more.

Now back to the brownies. 

(I dotted mine with some of the extra caramel.)

And then I iced them.

A little cross-section view for you...

Here's the printable recipe.

Ferrero Rocher Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing
Makes 24 bite-sized brownies

1 (18.5 oz. box) brownie mix (plus necessary eggs, oil & water per package instructions - or your favorite homemade recipe)
24 Ferrero Rocher candies (or Rolo candies)
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2-3 tablespoons caramel "sauce"
1 cup confectioners sugar

Remove all wrappers from the candies.

Pre-heat oven to 325F.

Prepare brownies according to package directions.  Grease a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup approximately 3/4 full with batter.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and immediately press a candy into the center of each brownie bite.  (The top of the candy will protrude a bit from the brownie...it's OK...you'll cover it with icing.)  Cool for a couple of minutes in the tin then carefully remove the brownie bites from the pan to a cooking rack.  Allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer and beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.  Add the caramel sauce* and blend.  Add the confectioners sugar and whip until creamy and smooth.  Using a pastry or plastic bag with a piping tip, pipe the frosting onto the top of each brownie bite.  Chill in the refrigerator to set the frosting a bit before serving.

*To make homemade caramel sauce, simple empty the contents of a small can of sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan.  Stir constantly for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat.  (Do not let it scorch.)  The milk will begin to deepen in color and thicken.  Remove from heat when the caramel will thickly adhere to the back of your mixing spoon.  The longer you cook it, the harder it will become when it cools until it is difficult to work with.  To thin it, add a small splash of milk and mix well.  

*You will only need two tablespoons of caramel to make the icing...but I found other ways to use the remaining caramel (ice cream topping, straight off the spoon, etc.).