Are you looking for a last minute recipe to take to that Halloween party this week? Baking doesn't have to be intimidating or hard - it can be as easy as adding to a cake mix! And pumpkin cupcakes are sure to please everyone this time of year! Frost with your favorite icing - I love cream cheese icing with pumpkin - and decorate with Halloween candy.
Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
from VeryBestBaking.com
Makes 24 cupcakes
1 package spice cake mix
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
Preheat oven to 350F. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups.
Blend cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in a large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared cups, filling evenly.
Bake for15-20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
27.10.08
recipe: easy pumpkin cupcakes
26.10.08
test kitchen
We had a successful week in the Zupas test kitchen.Spiced Pumpkin Banana Soup: check
Butternut & Apple Curry Soup: check
White Bean & Chicken Chili: still tweaking
Unlike most restaurants, Zupas has an active test kitchen where new recipes are constantly being developed. It's fresh ingredients meets exotic spices and innovative ideas. Stay tuned for weekly updates on what we're cooking up in the Zupas test kitchen.
Look for our newest creations, Spiced Pumpkin Banana Soup & Butternut and Apple Curry, at all Zupas locations in November.
23.10.08
recipe: Pumpkin Spice Muffins
These muffins are filled with fall spices and fill your home with the most wonderful, sweet, fall aroma! They are topped with a brown sugar cinnamon crumble and drizzled with a cinnamon cream cheese glaze. They are so moist and delicious you will be having seconds before you know it! These muffins will certainly warm your soul on a cold fall day.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Brown Sugar
Crumble and a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle
makes 12 muffins
For the muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup pureed pumpkin
For the Crumble:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons melted butter
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 ounces softened cream cheese
dash of ground cinnamon
dash of milk, if needed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray regular muffin in with non stick spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, mix the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk and cream. Add pumpkin puree. Do not overmix.
4. Divide batter evenly between the muffin tins, filling to the very top and a little over.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the crumble. Crumble on top of each muffin batter. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze. Drizzle over the tops of the muffins.
21.10.08
recipe: homemade marinara sauce
i had a great harvest this year of garden tomatoes.
if you're lucky you still have some to harvest from your garden, or you canned them to enjoy all winter long. homemade marinara sauce is surprisingly easy to make and tastes better than any store bought sauce. and, it's a great way to get using all your tomatoes! this is great with your favorite pasta and meatballs, or for your next lasagna!
this recipe yields approximately 80 oz. some to eat with dinner tonight, and two freezer bags full to freeze for another time!
{homemade tomato marinara sauce}
adapted from this recipe
ingredients
5 1/2 lbs tomatoes, [fresh or canned]
12 ounces tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, whole un-peeled
1/2 onion peeled, [un-cut]
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons parsley, dried or fresh
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes [optional, if you like spicy]
3 tablespoons italian seasoning
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup red wine [optional]
directions
heat oven to 350 degrees.
on a greased cookie sheet place tomatoes, halved cut side up. placed unpeeled garlic, and the 1/2 onion on sheet. drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper. place in oven uncovered to roast for 1 hour. cool 15 minutes on a rack.
after roasting, place tomatoes, garlic, and onions in blender in batches and process until smooth. run through a strainer/sieve to remove any un-wanted skin and peels.
add tomato mixture to a stock pot with remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
enjoy!
xoxo,
caroline "the curious cook"
recipe: old fashioned apple butter
Apples are in abundance this season and apple butter is an easy recipe that takes little preparation, even less hands-on time, and lots of apples.
This recipe is from a vintage cookbook that had no given measurements, so you know the recipe is tried and true. Most of it is eyeballed and according to your own taste. So every time you make it, it'll be your best batch.
apple butter
making it the old fashioned way.
ingredients:
Fresh, unclarified apple juice (you know, the unpasteurized kind that's not great for little kids to drink; don't worry, we'll boil it down.)
a few pounds of yummy locally picked apples (depending on how much you're making)
cinnamon
nutmeg
cloves
allspice
cardamom
a little vanilla
any other spices you fancy, adore, and love
The best apples to use are: Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Maclntosh, or another tasty variety, just pick your favorite. :)
directions:
In a large stock pot bring the cider to a boil. Let it boil on medium heat until it's about half the amount you started with. This will assure that any bacteria (the reason little kids can't drink it raw) is killed.
Next; pare (that means peel), core and quarter your apples, then slice them up into thinner slices into a large crock pot.
After the juice is reduced, add it to the apples until they are just covered, reserving whatever juice may be left. You don't have to get rid of the sludgy looking stuff unless you prefer to.
Let the apples and juice sit, ruminate, boil and cook in the crock pot on high until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 8-10 hours. After about 8 hours, check it every so often (half hour) to assure it's not burning. Or just start it in the evening and let it cook on low while you sleep. When you awake it'll likely be finished.
Take a fork and break up the apple pieces if they aren't already broken down as it cooks. When the butter gets to the consistency that you like, press the apples through a colander, food mill, strainer, or puree in a blender.
The consistency should be where if you spoon it there is no liquid separating from it and it stays "mounded", like butter. If it is too thick to your liking, add in more apple juice that's been boiled. Don't add in fresh apple juice, the bacteria hasn't been murdered yet, meaning it's not safe to can.
Now this is the fun part, add whatever and how ever much spices you like according to taste. "Goutez, goutez, goutez!" Try adding a little molasses, or if you want it sweeter, add honey. Although I doubt you'll need to. Go with your taste buds.
Pour the butter straight into quart jars if you want to store them in the fridge or process it to keep on the shelf for a year or two. You process the jars the same as you would do for any other type of jam, preserve, etc. For more info on canning, see here. If you do plan on canning the butter to store (at room temperature), make sure you leave a little bit of head room for the butter in the jars.
Enjoy it on toast, in a peanut butter sandwich or in a smoothie. I love it in my oatmeal. Use your imagination, follow your tummy.
Enjoy!
Jj
20.10.08
celebrate: Halloween
With Halloween right around the corner, now is the time to get your kids involved in some Halloween fun!
These ghost cookies are really easy, and a great way to get your kids involved. All it takes are some Nutter Butter cookies, white candy coating or white chocolate chips, and chocolate chips.
Take your candy coating and melt it. You can either do this in a double boiler or in the microwave at 50% power, making sure to check it every 30 seconds. Simply dip the cookies in the melted coating and set on a sheet of waxed paper to dry. Before the coating is dry, adhere the chocolate chips for eyes. To create the mouths, simply melt some chocolate chips in a ziplock bag, snip the corner with some scissors, and decorate away!
19.10.08
destination: NYC
My quick trip to New York also included an hour long visit to Dean & Deluca, Bouchon Bakery, and Pizza from Ray's. Once again, NYC has manifested to me that whether it's an eclectic sangria hanger steak, a simple slice of pizza, or a delicate pastry, this city is full of fabulous food.
