During busy weeks, sometimes my breakfast is fast and on the go.  I'll tear open a highly processed carbohydrate in a foil wrapper, and, if I plan well,  it will at least accompany an apple or banana.

But this is a much better way to enjoy fruit in the morning. It's kind of like a smoothie, except this is meant for a leisurely morning savored slowly, seated at a breakfast table and sipped with a spoon instead of a straw.

At the Bloomsbury Inn, this is the first course in a three part breakfast.  Yes, their morning includes an appetizer, entree and dessert.  Isn't that divine?  Though this is the first course, it could certainly be dessert for me.

Kathleen, Innkeeper at the Bloomsbury, said that she finds it to be a challenge to find new, exciting, unique fruit options.  (I need to send her a link to my hot pink fruit breakfast!  That one wasn't just unique, it was funky!) Her cold fruit soup recipe is definitely a fun and different way of adding fruit to your morning meal.

Let's get started with cooking.  Or in this case, I should say mixing.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how simple this is to put together.

Notice that I picked "fat free" yogurt, "light" whipped cream and "lite" peaches and placed them right next to the "heavy" whipping cream.

Ha!

The recipe Kathleen gave me leaves the option open for choosing the fruit.  From berries to mango and even honeydew.  But I decided to have a peachy morning since it's the state fruit for South Carolina.

Unfortunately, peaches are not in season at the moment, so I used canned.  But you better believe I'm going to try this recipe again in the spring with some fresh peaches.

Next the sugar ... or how my Carolina relatives would say ... "shugah."

Next, a couple of dollops of yogurt.  The recipe calls for 6 ounces.  I had a big 'ole tub of it ... but figured that 6 ounces was equivalent to about 6 spoonfuls.  If you use vanilla bean yogurt, the extract is optional and probably not necessary unless you want a stronger vanilla flavor.

A dash of cinnamon.

Blend. Chill.

Serve and enjoy!

Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup

from the Bloomsbury Inn, Camden South Carolina

Total preparation time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 cups fruit (peach, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango…any one of these works well…fresh is better, but canned or frozen will work when well drained)

½ cup sugar (sugar to taste depending upon natural sweetness of fruit)

1  (6 oz) vanilla bean yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract if you use plain yogurt (extract flavor based upon fruit:  vanilla, cinnamon, rum)

¼ cup heavy cream (add cream to determine consistency desired)

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

If you are using fresh fruit, carefully clean, peal, and place in the blender.  Add all remaining ingredient and blend until smooth. Chill for at least 8 hours.  Garish with whipping cream, candied/sweet-flavored nuts, fresh mint or whole fruit slices.  Serve very cold.

###

I'm so glad I finished all of my holiday shopping ... ah em ... I wouldn't say "early" ... but at least it's now Christmas Eve and I'm able to spend the day relaxing at home, baking and getting ready for family and friends tomorrow.

This recipe is perfect for enjoying with a cup of hot chocolate and warming up on a cold day.  And, oddly enough, it actually comes from a bed & breakfast in the warm tropical island of Key West, the Grand Guest House.  If you'd like to warm up even more on this cold winter morning, transport yourself to Key West with these two awesome videos by Vanessa ... Grand Guest House Video, and Scott's Sunset ...

On with the bread!

I love to bake.  It's one thing I actually do pretty well.  It also gives me a chance to use my clay baking stoneware which makes me feel more down to earth/natural/eco-friendly in a really weird way.  Especially since the only organic thing I used in this recipe was Cinnamon.  But I digress.  Must have too much Baileys in my hot chocolate this morning.

Here's what you'll need to make a Spiced Apple Walnut Bread ...

Let the butter soften to room temperature and then slice up to make for easy blending.

Add the flour ...

Some cinnamon ... well ... actually ... A  LOT of cinnamon ...

"Mt" Cinnamon ... they don't call it "spiced" bread for nothin!

Little free plug for Arm & Hammer.  Really ... do they have any competition?

Must be nice.  Don't notice any other baking soda's at the grocery store.

Pinch of salt.

Tangent: Now, when I made the breakfast pizza, I asked my boyfriend to pick up a wad of pizza dough from our local pizzeria and he looked at me like I had two heads.  A couple of nights ago, I asked him to put a dollop of sour cream on my chili and, again, he looked at me like I had two heads.

A pinch, a dollop and a wad are all perfectly acceptable units of measure to me.

Pour in the applesauce ...

"Technically" the directions say to pulse this all in a food processor.  My food processor is only big enough to make a small bowl of pesto ... definitely not big enough for bread dough!  Don't know how that changes things.  Maybe it wont rise or be as fluffy.  Still tasted pretty darn good though.

Blend ... breathe in the scent of cinnamon and apples ... Mmm ...

Scrape the bowl to make sure you get all the chunky bits ...

Add the walnuts ...

Blend again ...

Lick the beater, the spoon, the spatula, the bowl, your fingers ...

Dress up your bread pan with some oil, flour and sugar.  A bit more than a pinch, more like a dollop.  Except sugar really doesn't dollop ... so it's more like a large sprinkling.  Again, an acceptable unit of measure.

Another free plug for Dixie Crystals.  See ... this is why I usually pour out all the ingredients in dishes first!  But I was feeling a little lazy today.

Tangent: I had a cat named Dixie Crystals once.  A pretty white Siamese with blue eyes.  I was working in marketing for agriculture at the time and had a meeting with some sugar farmers.  She was a little kitten they had on the farm that jumped in my lap at the meeting, so they thought I should take her home.  My apartment at the time didn't allow me to keep her, so my parents adopted her.  After climbing curtains, bookcases, tv stands, and human legs ... she's been re-named Punky.  I shall start my own brand of sugar one day with a cool cat logo and call it Punky in her honor.

On with the bread ...

Make sure your pan is well sugared ... it creates nice sweet crispy bits on the crust.

Once your bread pan/stone is nice and sugared-up, fill it with your batter and bake at 375 for an hour.

Yes, that is a polka-dot apron and knee-high striped socks that you see on the left.  I guess I was just having a "Punky" kind of a day ... not normal for me at all.  I'm usually more of a conservative kinda gal.

Mmm ... warm, butter-meltin, spiced applesauce walnut bread.

Spiced Applesauce Nut Bread

from the Grand Guest House, Key West

Ingredients

1/2 cup safflower oil OR 1 stick unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 1/4  cups applesauce

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp allspice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup walnuts

Directions

1) Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375.  Grease and sugar 6 1/4 cup (1.5 L) loaf pan.

2) Process all ingredients in food processor for 5 seconds.  Scrape work bowl and pulse to combine 1 or two times.  Do not over process.

3) Transfer to prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes.  Leave in pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

###

This week my family is coming over for Christmas brunch, and even me ... traveling breakfast girl ... is feeling the self-imposed pressure of making a holiday brunch that is memorable and delicious.

I had a hankerin this week to try out some holiday pancakes, and I have some great pancake recipes from innkeepers, but I really wanted to try a gingerbread pancake.  I've even been on the hunt for a gingerbread man pancake mold ... but I've only found cookie cutters. Thanks to the Google Gods I did find eons of gingerbread pancake recipes.  So many I didn't know which one to try.  Some with raisins, some with currants, some with cocoa.  I just wanted a basic gingerbread pancake, is that too much to ask!

I just eenie-meenie-minnie-mowed and clicked through on one of the first listings that came up.  I found one on CDKitchen.com and gave it a whirl (with a couple of modifications/additions later ... please take note).

Here's what you'll need!  I have the full list of ingredients at the bottom of the post.  I later added an additional cup of flour, teaspoon of ginger and 1/4 cup of sugar.

Start with adding your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

Next, add your wet ingredients to another bowl and whisk together.

During one of my health nut kicks a couple of years ago I had a nasty introduction to molasses.  You see, I thought it was syrup.  I was going to be healthy and low cal by adding that to my pancakes.  And I drenched my sweet little pancakes in the black, rust-flavored tar.  Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh.

My boyfriend was a champ.  He didn't complain. Ate them all.  Me ... I made some toast instead.

Molasses on milk.

My new art project.

Blend together.  Starting to look like chocolate milk, huh?   Don't drink it though.

Pour wet batter into your large  dry ingredients bowl with the flour, spices, etc.

You may have to scrape the bottom of the bowl a bit.  Molasses doesn't play nice with others.

Blend.

Well bah-humbug.  The batter was runny.  I dipped my finger in and took a taste. This was a no make-up-work-in-my-pajamas day, so I have no photographic evidence of the finger-licking.  But I'll tell you that it tasted like molasses.  Ugh. Now I'm feelin a bit scroogey.

I followed the recipe EXACTLY!   To a T!    (indecently, where does the phrase "to a T" actually come from?)

Anyway, it was a runny, molasses flavored mess.

So, I added a little more love that it needed.

An extra cup of flour.  That helped with the consistency.

Now to put molasses in its place and tweak the flavor.  I added an additional tsp of ginger and a 1/4 cup of sugar.

Mmm.  That helped a whole lot!  Dipped my finger again and now the flavor is more like a gingerbread cookie.  It's ready to go be made into round cake perfection.

A little butter.

A little batter.

A little bubbly.

Flip.

Now that's a leave-for-santa worthy pancake.  I could eat it like a cookie.  But instead of eating with my fingers I'll fancy it up with a bit of butter, maple syrup and festive star fruit.  And of course, a fork and knife.  Still in my pajamas though.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Pancakes

Ingredients

2 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg, beaten

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1) Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  (Flour, spices, sugar, baking soda and powder)

2) In a separate bowl, beat the egg  then add and mix together the milk, molasses and oil.

3) Add wet mixture to dry mixture and blend until combined.  Using a ladle or measuring cup, scoop 1/4 cup of batter onto  a hot greased griddle or skillet. You can use non-stick spray or butter. (I prefer butter for flavor)

4) Turn when bubbles form on the surface and the edges are golden brown.

5) Serve with butter, syrup and festive starfruit.

###

Flour ... Butter ... Eggs ... Milk ... Sugar ... Oh, how I love thee.  Let me count the ways ...

It never ceases to amaze me how many different things can be baked from just tweaking a combination of the above ingredients.  I'll have to have a marathon-list-making post of all the different creations.

For this morning, I'm going to make a traditional chilly-morning-gooey-cozy-comfort-food favorite ... cinnamon rolls.  I have to confess, I usually make these by popping open a cylinder can with a certain giggly dough boy gracing the label.  The orange icing was my favorite.  Artificial ... yes, I know.  But quick and easy.

This recipe is not a quick one.  But it is easy.  Nothing artificial here.  And they taste soooo much better with the added ingredients of time and love.

There are a lot of different variations of recipes for cinnamon rolls, but this one in particular comes from Anchor Inn on the Lake in Branson.

Here's what you'll need ...

The magnificent 5 ... flour, sugar, milk, butter, eggs ... with cinnamon, brown sugar and yeast.  I know, yeast is the only one that doesn't sound yummy.  It makes them big and soft and gooey though.

Add the yeast to a mixing bowl with just a little bit of water, about a 1/2 cup.  As the yeast dissolved into the water, you may need to mix it up just a bit to make sure there are no big clumps of yeast.

Scald the mild and melt the butter into it.  Do NOT boil.  This is on low to medium heat.

Break the egg into a separate bowl and beat with a whisk.  Sounds a little like punishment for the egg, doesn't it?

My friend Jim gave me another reason/need to break the egg into a separate dish ... it is so that you don't ruin your whole recipe in case the egg is bad.  Luckily I've never encountered a bad egg.

Add the eggs to the milk/butter mixture and mix.  Then add the milk/butter/egg mixture to the yeast absorbed in water and mix.  Then add the flour and white sugar to the wet mixture and lightly mix with a spoon, just so that all the flour/sugar is wet.  Cover with a towel and put it in a warm place (I place it on top of my heating oven) to let the dough rise for an hour.

In the recipe, Dee suggests turning the dough out onto a floured surface and kneading for 5 minutes, THEN setting it aside to rise.  I followed this instruction making my first batch of cinnamon rolls, and the dough never rose.  But I'm pretty sure that had a lot to do with the fact that it was a hot humid sticky sauna outside that day.  Even in my second batch, it did rise, but it didn't double in size.  As much satisfaction as I would have received from punching down the dough, I didn't want to fight mother nature.

Plop the dough out onto a floured surface.  (I probably have a little too much flour there!) Also flour your hands up pretty good, work into a ball and then roll it into a rectangular shape.

Spread on melted butter ... about  3/4 of a stick, and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll into a tight roll and pinch the edge together at the end.  Some cinnamon sugar gooeyness might ooze out.  That's okay.

Then slice into 1 inch think rolls and place onto a greased/floured cookie sheet or baking dish.

Mm

Next batch, I think I'm going to try adding the orange glaze from The Old Hen  Bed & Breakfast.  Then I'll have the full homemade version of my dough boy childhood favorite.

Try leaving a batch of these for Santa instead of cookies ... I'm sure he/she will be pleased!

Cinnamon Rolls

from Anchor Inn on the Lake

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Water

1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast

1 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Butter

1 tsp Salt

1 Egg

4 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

Filling

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Cinnamon

2 tbsp Butter

Directions

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 Cup warm water in a large mixing bowl.

Scald mild and melt butter in it.  Add sugar and salt to milk mixture.  Let cool to 120 degrees and add beaten egg to milk mixture.

Add mild mixture to yeast and mix well, then add flour.  Let dough rise until double.

Punch down dough and roll out into 9x13 rectangle

Spread butter or margarine across rolled out dough

Cover with brown sugar and cinnamon

Roll up dough lengthwise into tight roll.

Slice dough into 1 inch slices

Place slices cut side up on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

###

I just recently made this cheesecake on Daytime ... in under 4 minutes!  (In case you missed it, a link to the video will be posted soon!)

Now, that being said,  I don't recommend making this in 4 minutes ... you actually need about 45 minutes to put it all together and another hour to bake it.  But, if you've never made cheesecake before, don't be intimidated.  It's actually quite easy.  The hardest part is not eating all the creamy pumpkin-y batter right out of the bowl!

Chef Jim from the Mount Dora Historic Inn gave me a few extra little tips that gives it a little extra panache.  Follow along and I'll make you the star of your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Here's what you'll need ...

As long as you have the right pan, every thing else is a piece of cake.  Pun intended.  If you've made cheesecake before, skip down a bit. If this is your first time, then let me introduce you to the springform pan.

This nifty little inexpensive  dishware can be found at most large-we-sell-anything-and-everything-superstores.  You might also be able to find it at your local grocer.  "What exactly does it do?" you ask.  Well, it has a nice little hinge on the side that, when opened, releases the sides of the pan allowing you to display your cheesecake as a nice perfect whole cake rather than trying to dig it out with spoon.  (Not that I've ever done that ... ah em.)

Here are the rest of the bits you'll need (full recipe and measurements at the end of the post.)

Some cream cheese, softened to room temperature.  And I do mean room temperature.  If you have a sunny little spot on your counter top, let it sit there awhile and catch some rays while you pull everything else out of your cabinets and refrigerator.  It may take a good hour for it to warm up.

warmed up room temperature cream cheese = easy + creamy cheesecake

cold cream cheese = chunky cheesecake + frustrated baker with sticky bits clogging up their mixer

Catchin my math here?

In addition to cream cheese, you'll need graham cracker crumbs, ginger snaps, butter, eggs, pumpkin pie spices, brown sugar, sour cream, a pinch of salt, and some BOURBON.  (You have to say that last ingredient with your best Southern accent, as if you've taken a swig or two) BOOOOOURBON.

*In my best fake Southern accent*

"Did I say BOURBON?  Why, yes, yes I did say Bourbon.  Pass me some whisk-eh!"

Cooking is always fun in my kitchen.  And while I may laugh and play with my fake Southern accent (as if you could hear me?) I do have a confession.  I don't drink whiskey.  I'm a wine girl.  So walking out of the liquor store with a brown paper bag wrapped around this teeny bottle had me blushing in the same way I did when I was 13 years old and running to the cash register hoping no one saw me buy my first box of "monthly supplies."  Girls, you understand.  Guys, you'll never know, so don't ask.

So, yes, I was blushing and looking over my shoulder to see if any of my small town neighbors would catch me buying whiskey before noon and start spreading rumors that I'd become a "drinkah."

But inviting Jack Daniels into my home for some Thanksgiving baking was the BEST decision I've made this week.  Just WAIT until you taste it.

Now that my confession is over with ... onto the good stuff!  Let's start with the crust, shall we?

For cheesecake, it's really easy.  Just 3 simple ingredients.  Graham cracker crumbs, pinch of brown sugar, and some butter.  Chef Jim suggested a little bonus ingredient. Ginger Snaps.  You can crumble up handful of these spicy cookies in your little food processor.

If you don't have a food processor, you can throw 5 or 6 cookies into a large zip lock bag and crush them with a wooden spoon to make some crumbs.

Now, I have to warn you, if you decide to go this route I will suggest you put the whiskey away.  Unless you want your family to find you in your kitchen with a bottle of bourbon smacking cookies with a spoon.

Just sayin.

Mix them all together ...

Thenn press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan and up to the sides.  Pop it into the oven at 350 for 10 minutes and then let it cool on a wire rack while you mix the filling.

Step 1 is done.  See, wasn't that easy?

Now on to the fall ingredient that makes this cheesecake extra special ... pumpkin.

Pumkin actually holds A LOT of water.  So, if you want to keep your cheesecake firm, you'll need to soak up some of that water.  Chef Jim gave me a little tip for how to do that ... spreading it out on paper towels.  Simple white un-printed plain ole paper towels.  Fancy, huh?

Spread the pumpkin out onto a layer of 6 to 8 paper towels using a spatula.

When you've got it spread over the paper towel like icing, add another couple of layers of paper towels and press softly to absorb more of the moisture.

Next you want to mix or "cream" together the cream cheese and brown sugar.  Then add the pumpkin and mix some more.

Add your eggs, vanilla and spices and you've got your filling!

When it's all mixed together, scrape the edge of the bowl with a spatula ...

don't lick it ...

not yet anyway... and blend some more until it's nice and creamy.

Then, spread it out onto your baked graham and ginger crust.

Then bake at 350  for 45 minutes to an hour.

TIP! In other cheesecake recipes I've done, it usually calls for a "water bath" in which you wrap the bottom of the springform pan with tinfoil and place the cheesecake in a pan half filled with water while baking.  This is a little precarious because it's heavy ... and it's extremely hot water.

The purpose of the water bath is to keep the cheesecake moist and prevent it from getting dried out around the edges.

Well Jim said I could just stick a pan or bowl in separately and have the same effect.  He does this with his cheesecake as well as his souffles.  Well hallelluah!  I (we) don't have to fret over pulling a gigantic heavy hot "water bath" out of the oven.  Just let the pan/bowl full of water cool before removing.  Brilliant!  Wish I would have known this little short cut last time I made cheesecake.

Step 2 is done.  See ... easy!

Now the final step.

BOOOOURBON.

After the cheesecake is done baking, you'll need to let it cool for an hour and then place it in the refrigerator to chill (overnight or for a couple of hours)

These 3 ingredients will be your topping. A container of sour cream. (Why did I go "lite" on the sour cream, I don't know. Nothing else about his recipe is "lite" and the 20 calories I saved in using this one didn't make a lick of difference I'm sure. Thanksgiving is not for diets, after all. That's what New Years Resolutions are for.)

Add to the sour cream about 2 to 3 cap fulls of Bourbon and a whole lot of shug-ah.

Mix.

Taste.

Mmm.

What is this travesty!?! I have NO FINAL PICTURE of the cheesecake. We sliced it up and gave it to the crew of Daytime. Guess I'll just have to link to the video here soon so you can see it live and in color. Or just make another cheesecake and not devour it before taking photographic evidence.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream

(from the Mount Dora Historic Inn)

CRUST

Mix together the following ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cups finely ground ginger snaps

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 - 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened and at room temperature

3 large eggs

1 can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Note for Pumpkin:  Pumpkin holds a lot of water, so in order to make the cheesecake more firm you need to drain some of that water. One quick and easy way to do this is to layer 6 or 7 plain white paper towels and spread the pumpkin over the paper towels.  Next, layer 6 to 7 towels on  top of that and press firmly.  Once the paper towels are soaked through, remove top layer of towels and scrape pumpkin off the bottom layer with a spatula.

Filling: After draining the pumpkin, beat together cream cheese and sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and pumpkin then add spices, salt and vanilla.

P our your filling on top of crust.  In order to keep the oven "moist" fill a separate cake pan or bowl half way with water and place on the bottom rack of your oven.  BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set.  Let cool for 1 hour, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

BOURBON CREAM TOPPING

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon bourbon (can also use vanilla in place of bourbon)

Beat together sour cream and sugar.  Then add teaspoon of bourbon.  Spread over top of cheesecake or serve on the side.

###

I had lunch with my friend Jimmy recently where we were both talking about our marathon/half-marathon training schedules.  I made the decision to make running a habit when I started baking and re-creating these fabulous (but sometimes fattening) breakfast recipes from Inns.  Jimmy decided to start running when his roommate moved in. You see, she's an aspiring pastry chef.  The girl can do things with fondant that I could only DREAM of trying out for pretend with playdoh. Oh, yeah, and she can make her own peanut butter cups ... from scratch!

Jimmy shared some of her fabulous photos (click here) with me and I invited her to write a guest post for Inn The Kitchen.  Something breakfasty, fall-related, and easy to make.

She sent me the following recipe and photo nibbles for her Apple Crostata.

ENJOY!

Yvie's Apple Crostata

Ingredients:

Dough

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

2 Tbsp Granualted Sugar

¼ Fine Grain Salt

1 Stick Cold Unsalted Butter – Cubed

2 Tbsp Ice Water (possibly)

Filling

2 Large Apples (whatever you have on hand or prefer)

¼ tsp Orange or Lemon Zest

¼ Cup Flour

¼ Granulated Sugar (I used Vanilla Sugar that I’ve made)

¼ Fine Grain Salt

¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon

Dash of Allspice

Freshly Ground Nutmeg

4 Tbsp ( ½ stick) of Cold Unsalted Butter – Cubed

*1 Egg beaten w/ a tbsp of water for egg wash

Directions (For the Dough)

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in food processor and pulse until combined. Once mixed add cubed butter and pulse until the butter is combined and the dough resembles peas.

SLOWLY add the Iced Water – you may not need both tbsp.

Use just enough to bring the dough together.

Once mixed, turn dough out unto a floured surface and form into a disc.

Cover and refrigerate until firm (at least 1hour).

Once the dough has become firm, roll out into a 10 or 11-inch disc. Place this on parchment paper in a shallow sheet pan.

Directions (For the Filling & Crumb Topping)

While the dough is chilling – make your filling and crumb topping. Dice the apples and toss with the zest – place in refrigerator until ready to use.

In the food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg until all mixed. Once mixed, add the butter and pulse until just crumbly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Once the dough has become firm, roll out into a 10 or 11-inch disc. Place this on parchment paper in a shallow sheet pan. Place the apple/zest filling in the center while leaving a 1 ½ - 2-inch border (this can be smaller or larger depending how thick you like your crust).

Top with crumb topping.  Fold crust over -- it's okay if some of this covers the apples at the edge. Brush the crust with the egg wash and then bake the crostata in a 450° oven for 20-25 minutes – just until the crust is golden brown.

You can serve the crostata as is or drizzle with a glaze – I drizzled some slices with a vanilla bean glaze and others with homemade caramel sauce. Yummy!!!

Check out more of Yvie's Treats here.

###

Here's another great pumpkin recipe for the fall coming to us from the B Street House Bed & Breakfast in Virginia City, NV.   There are two things in this recipe that make your taste buds leap off the charts ... it's spicy like gingerbread ... and it has a gooey cream cheese surprise in the middle.

There was one particular spice that I didn't have in my pantry, and while I was shopping for ingredients my jaw it the floor at the price ...  Cardamom.  There was only one brand in our local grocer that carried it and the sucker was 12 bucks.  Sheesh.  Well, if it's expensive, it must be good, right?  This inspired me to do some research.  What's the story behind this pricey spice?  I googled it and found that my $12 bottle was a bargain.  Some spice shops online were charging upwards of $67.  I've just renamed this recipe Fall Harvest Food of the Gods.

Wikipedia says ... "Green cardamom in South Asia is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It also is used to break up kidney stones and gall stones, and was reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom." The spice includes volatile oils such as camphor, eucalyptol, and limonene.  Some sites reported it to be used in Ayurvedic medicine and also an effective aphrodisiac.

Well no wonder it's so dang expensive!  It's a absolute cure-all.  Next time I get sick I'm baking some of these babies instead of taking NyQuil.

On with the recipe ...

Hmm.  After taking a glance at this photo,  it looks like I went overboard with the cinnamon again.  Good thing it wasn't with the cardomom!  No ... wait ... it's the pumpkin pie spice that's the big mound in the middle.  They call it "spicy" pumpkin muffins for a reason!  There is almost as much spice as there is flour.  I have a full list of ingredients with the recipe at the bottom of the post.

The stars of this show ...

Cream Cheese.  Take an 8 ounce block and cut it into 12 little cubes.

And of course, the spices.  They even smiled for the occasion.

Add your dry ingredients to one bowl.  Starting with flour ...

The menagerie of spices ...

A whoosh of dark brown sugar ...

And then add your "wet" ingredients to a second bowl.

Starting with canned pumpkin (plain, not the pie filling)

A little oil.  I had to hold this with two hands as I was starting to get messy and lost my "no slip" grip in my fingertips.

Molasses.  I have a funny confession about molasses.  During my go-green-all-natural-hippy phase (I'm still eco-friendly, but lite) I decided I was going to try molasses instead of syrup on my pancakes.  I had been using maple, which is natural but high calorie.  I thought this would make a low-cal natural alternative.  Buwhahahaahahahahah!

It was my first time trying the tar-like sap.  Took me a year to try it again.  But only in it's proper use as a "blended" ingredient.

Buwwwahhhahahahah!

I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.  Enough with the self-deprecating confession.  Needless to say I didn't lick this bowl.

Add two eggs, a cap full of vanilla and whip together.

Then add to your BIG bowl of dry ingredients and whip together some more.

Spoon into muffin cups.  If you know a non-messy trick to doing this, please let me know!

I usually just wipe down the pan with a wet paper towel to erase the splatter.  I know on TV and in cookbooks it always looks so neat and tidy ... but I bet the reality is there is someone just behind the camera wiping down the messy spoon drippings too.

Press the cream cheese cubes into the center of each muffin cup.  Resist the temptation to pop them in your mouth.  Resist!

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and pop em in the oven at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Voila!  Spicy Pumpkin Muffins. Fall Harvest Food of the Gods.

B Street House Bed & Breakfast

Spicy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 Cup dark brown sugar

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 Cup cooked or canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

2/3 Cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp molasses

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 Cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray with butter-flavored oil spray 12 muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.

2) Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix together the pumpkin and wet ingredients.  Stir into dry ingredients until blended.  Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full.

3) Divide cream cheese into 12 equal portions.  Put one portion in each muffin in the middle of the muffin batter, pressing down.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

4) Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part.  Let cool for a bit then serve!

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My mom recently gave me a terracotta apple baker ... so I was DELIGHTED when Susanne at Arthur Morgan House Inn sent me a recipe that gave me the opportunity to use it.

As I read on through the recipe I realized it was stove top.  Bummer!  So I decided to try it both ways ... sauteed and oven baked.

A sort of apple cook-off.  A contest.  A duel.  An absolute apple taste test.

Maybe it's because I was just having one of those frustrating weeks where stress started creeping in because I had a lot of projects started and nothing finished.  So slicing and chopping apples was just the outlet I needed for releasing some energy.

Get your apples on the counter.  LOTS and LOTS of apples.  Any variety that's available.  A mix of tart and sweet.  I used gala, granny smith and fuji.

The recipe was sort of wingin' it ... no exact measurements.  It's a fun way to cook ... a dash here and a dash there ... but difficult to duplicate and share!  Susanne is delightful through email, and I can tell she's been making these for so long that it just comes naturally to her.  So, I've "winged it" and made up some measurements form Susanne's list of ingredients that worked pretty well and added one of my own ... cinnamon.

You'll need ... about a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg (our local grocer didn't carry whole nutmeg, so I used some already grated.) Also, about a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger (another item our grocer was out of.  Sheesh! And I love freshly grated ginger.  I was too impatient to wait 2 days for their next shipment to come in, so I used some I had in my spice rack as a standby.)A teaspoon of cinnamon (after I re-read the recipe, realized this was my own addition!  Whoops!  I just couldn't imagine apples without cinnamon). Add to that some lemon juice, vanilla and a handful of raisins.

I used the same ingredients for baking as I did for the stove top  ... we'll see which produces a better apple!  (Hint: It takes a little more time, but so worth it.  Follow along ...)

I'm gonna show you the baked apples first, then the sauteed Arthur Morgan House Apples.

For the baked apples, I sliced and cored them but kept the peels in tact.  I did it such a way that the whole apple was still connected by the skin at the bottom.  A little tricky, as you have to sort of pull the apple back through the slicer.  Don't pull your finger through at the same time!  Unless ... of course ... you're making this recipe for Halloween and are going for the whole bloody-apples-with-finger-bits kind of dish.  But that's just plain gross.

I thought it would later make a nice presentation with a big scoop of ice cream in the middle.

I needed a little leverage on some of these firm apples, so I stepped up on a stool to throw my weight into this coring thing.  So THIS is how Julia Child felt hovering over her counter tops.  Aaah.  It's nice to be tall ... even just for a moment.

All the apples nestled nicely in their little baker.

Despite my unfruitful search for fresh ginger and whole nutmeg to grind ... I did find a lonely lemon.  I roll lemons on the cutting board a bit to get it a bit more juiced up.

Here's where I let the photos tell the story for a bit.  A little lemon, a dash of vanilla ...

GASP!  At this point I remembered my spices.  Too late.  The apples have already started soaking up the lemon and vanilla and boy-o-boy did it pour quick.   Ah well.  Rethink.  Revise.  Sprinkling it is.  I guess it is possible that the spices would have just stuck to the bowl?  (making myself feel better anyway!) Now I'll just be more precise with how to sprinkle them?  At least each apple got a little extra love and some undivided spice attention.

Well ain't that symmetrical?

Strategically place some raisins and you're ready to go!

We are now up to our elbows in apples and I realized I got a little carried away.  For the sauteed apples I should have PEELED them first, then chopped.   Now we've got to peel them all individually and I'm having flashbacks to stories of my grandfather talking about how peeling potatoes in the army was sort of a punishment.  I guess I'm paying my penance  for any wrong doings of the week.  I may have to pour some autumn sangria to get through this tedious task!

Assuming you're smarter than me, and actually peeled your apples before slicing, then this process should be pretty quick.  Next, add your naked apples to a warmed up saute pan (medium heat) with the same juice/vanilla/spice concoction listed above for the baked apples.

Pour on the raisins ...

Reduce heat to low/medium and stir every 5 to 10 minutes until the apples have absorbed all the spices and they turn into a gooey compote.

So, is it the sauteed apples ...

Or the baked apples that passed the taste test?

Both were excellent and immediately devoured with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  If you're into the dessert for breakfast sort-of-thing.  Susanne says guests love it served warm either solo, with cereal or yogurt.  I would even spoon it on toast.

The baked apples were a little less sweet.  The sauteed much more tender and syrupy.  Hands down, I'd say I preferred the stove top version. Turned out much tastier!  Well, at least I can use the apple baker as a serving dish!

Arthur Morgan House Apples

Peel and slice apples of several varieties into a large sauce pan with grated fresh ginger, fresh grating of nutmeg, a handful of raisins, a splash of lemon juice, and a dribble of good-quality vanilla (Susanne recommends Sunny Caribee's Vanilla Vanilla from the British Virgin Islands).  Cook over low-medium heat until apples are tender.  Taste as you go and you'll find the right balance of flavors.

**Susanne recommends mixing a little of this compote into the batter next time you make banana bread. Mmm.

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During the fall, I'll probably post several different variations of pumpkin flavored yummies. It's my favorite fall ingredient ... and my favorite color so I never tire of it. Each variation is a tad different. The Sweet Potato Muffins I posted earlier can also be made with pumpkin. They're a little more hearty and healthy, where this one is moist and decadent.

Inez with Christopher's Inn gave this recipe to me a few years back.  Her inn sort of becomes a factory for these things in October as she bakes them for her family, friends, church and anyone smart enough to take a loaf.

It has to be one of my favorite recipes because it's so easy.  Mix all the ingredients in one bowl and you've got a rich moist pumpkin bread without a whole lot of clean up.  I used to buy pumpkin bread mix at the store and just doctor it up with a few ingredients.  But no more!  Once you try this recipe and see how easy it is you'll add it to your seasonal holiday recipes too.

Here's what you'll need:

One can or about 14 ounces of pumpkin, 1 cup of oil, 3 cups of sugar (yes, I said 3 cups.  I didn't say this was healthy!),
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, one cup of chopped walnuts and  one cup of raisins.

This is just a little honorable mention to what makes this sooooooo good.  Spices. Mmm. Here's my little mountain range of goodness.  Don't sneeze.

Mix it all in one big ole bowl.

Big.

HUGE.

GIGANTIC.

If not, you're gonna have spillage.  Start with the dry stuff.

Flour ...

Sugar ...

Watch out ... you're getting ready to move mountains here ...

Gasp!  Huh!  What's this?  A second boooowl?  I lied!  This is supposed to be one bowl bread!  Well DARN!  I learned through making this a dozen times that whisking the eggs first helps them mix in a little easier.  But ... if you want ... you can just plop the eggs into the flour/sugar bowl and make it truly a one bowl recipe.  Just be sure to mix real good.  Like, until your arm falls off or your mixer smokes.  But I digress ... add the eggs whisked or not.

Then add your other wet ingredients including the pumpkin and oil.

See!  Even with one extra bowl for whipping eggs ... little mess.

Mix all your ingredients together before adding the walnuts and raisins.  They're a little chunkier, so we'll fold them in.   Just don't call them "chunky" to their face.  Food does have feelings too ya now.

I like to scrape the side with a spatula to make sure it's well blended and there are no powdery bits hanging out on the edge.  Look at that cool yin yang symbol I made!  Must be some left over zen from this morning's yoga class.

Next, add in your crunchy chunky bits ... the raisins and walnuts.  I started out with some finesse and then just ended up dumping the bowl into the batter.

Some may be asking ... what exactly is "folding."  Well, basically you scoop up the batter from the bottom and bring it up to the top/middle and squish it in. Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat. Until the raisins and nuts are pretty evenly dispersed.

Next, scoop into greased/floured bread pans.  I used one large bread baking stone and two little tin bread pans.  If I were only using the tin pans, it would make 4 loafs.

Good thing I had some help in the kitchen today 'cause my "big ole bowl" was a bit to heavy to lift when full of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

This is the best part.  Singing loudly to Van Halen and "pre-washing" the bowl and utensils.

This is me catching my friend Beth stealing the spatula and keeping it all to herself.  What a mischievous little kitchen helper.  Or, she could just be flirting with her husband ... he's the one behind the camera.

This is my baby girl also doing a "pre-wash" of the floor.  No wonder she's turned into such a beggar!

After baking, let cool on a wire rack.

Slice thick portions and serve with butter.  This is almost like dessert.  YUM!

Ingredients & Directions

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The thing I love most about Fall ... well, besides the cooler weather, holidays, festivals, and everything decorated in my favorite color (orange) ... is the spices.

Clove. Cinnamon.  Nutmeg.  Allspice. Ginger.

They all seem to bring with them a feeling of comfort and warmth.  For the next three months I'll be baking up a storm using every combination of these delightful spices.

As much as I like to hover over my hot cup of coffee and savor the morning, some days are a little more rushed than others.  This recipe is perfect for one of those days where you crave the soothing feeling of being wrapped up in a warm blanket lingering over a hot beverage ... but in reality you have to get out the door quick.  Take a couple of these wholesome treats with you for a boost of energy you'll need to face the day.

This recipe for Sweet Potato Muffins was sent to me from  Mitch at the Beaufort Inn in South Carolina.  He's had a lot of practice making breakfast over the years, even before life as an Innkeeper.  Sundays used to be his only day off and he would make something delicious in the morning for his daughter and a houseful of her friends.  Lucky girls!

Here's what you'll need ...

Here's what you'll need ... 2 cups white flour, 1/2 cup freshly ground flax seed, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup oil, 2 cups baked/peeled/cubed sweet potato, 2 eggs, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup dried cranberries.

Mix your dry ingredients together into a large bowl.

These are the little boogers you have to watch out for.  Flax seeds.  They're what makes these little muffins wholesome, hearty, filling and delish ... but don't over indulge our you'll experience what I call a flax-itive.

I grind mine in a coffee grinder.  It does the trick pretty good.

After grinding the flax seed, add them to your flour and spice mixture and mix well.

Next, beat the eggs in a separate bowl.

Add your eggs, oil, and honey to the flour/flax/spice bowl.

This is going to get real thick, real fast.  I don't recommend using a mixer or beater.

Instead just a fork will do and fold the batter together.

The honey combined with the flax seed makes this a thick and hearty stick-to-your-gut kind of muffin.  No fluffy pastry here.  This is a get outside and go hiking-climbing-fall-leaf-collecting-pumpkin-picking kind of breakfast.  Eat your heart out Kashi.

I had to resist the temptation to puree the sweet potato.  Add them cubed, not mashed.  They melt down a little and give it a moist texture.

Fold in the nuts, cranberries and sweet potatoes.  Do you feel like you're making your own super food bar yet?  The recipes I post are usually not the healthy kind.  Bookmark this one for when you get into the thick of the holidays full of butter and sugar and crave a less guilt-ridden snack.  Just remember ... don't over indulge.

Scoop the gooey wholesome goodness into greased muffin pans.  I like to add a little flour too.

I makes em pop out really easy and creates a little crust on the edge.

This batch of batter almost made 2 dozen small muffins.  You could also make 12 really gigantic ones ... just add a little more time to your baking.

Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients

2 Cups white flour

1/2 Cup freshly ground flax seed

1/2 Cup honey

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tbsp ground cloves

1/2 cup oil

2 cups baked, peeled, cubed sweet potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup walnuts

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2) Using a wire whisk, mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, flax seeed and spices) in large bowl.

3) Blend in beaten eggs and honey and mix well.

4) With a spoon mix in sweet potato cubes, walnuts and cranberries.

5) Separate into greased muffin pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

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