Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel

Everywhere I go, there are pumpkins.  It's just that time of year.  But instead of wanting to carve them, all I want to do is cook them.  Hollow out their insides and make them into something really yummy.  Okay, just kidding.  I would open a can and make them into something really yummy.  I would definitely jump all over some pumpkin pie, but I feel like I might be pushing that particular envelope.  I think a beautiful pumpkin loaf studded with little chocolate chips is an acceptable compromise.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel

1 large egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Streusel Topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or grease and flour.

In a large bowl, combine egg, pumpkin, both sugars, oil, yogurt, vanilla bean paste, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add mini chocolate chips and toss to coat.

Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir just to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with streusel topping.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to rest on a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Cool completely.

Makes 12 servings

Streusel Topping
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients.

Bourbon Hasselback Apples

Well, it's the first official recipe of fall!  I wanted it to be pumpkin, but there's plenty of time for that yet.  I saw a very simple version of this recipe in Cooking Light magazine in September, but I knew the apples could be so much...more.  And none of this chintziness with the ingredients.  This is dessert, people.  Eat your salad for dinner, but when you're talking sweets, go big or go home.  I say it makes 8 servings, so that's half an apple per person.  Your mileage may vary.

Bourbon Hasselback Apples

4 large, firm Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and halved vertically
Cooking spray
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
10 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
⅜ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅜ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Maker’s Mark bourbon
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Starting at the outermost edges, cut most (but not all) of the way through each apple half at ⅛-inch intervals. Place apple halves, cut sides down, in a 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine ¼ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and bourbon; brush mixture evenly over apples.

Cover baking dish with foil; bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove dish from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the remaining ¾ cup brown sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, oats, flour, and salt. Carefully fan open apple halves. Spoon oat mixture evenly over apples. Bake for 10 more minutes. Turn broiler to high (with dish still in oven) and broil 2 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream or whipped cream or with cream just poured over top.

Makes 8 servings

Wild Blueberry Pie

Ever since I had the blueberry pie at Bartley's Dockside in Kennebunkport, Maine, one summer, I have been trying to find a recipe that will yield something just as delicious.  Especially now that summer is slowly exiting the building.  Now, I don't know if Mrs. B uses fresh wild blueberries that she picks on the weekends, but somehow I doubt it, so I didn't worry about using frozen organic berries.  And I made sure to include the hint of cinnamon.  This pie was fantastic; not too sweet, but still a rich treat.  It doesn't run all over your plate.  And it's best warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

Wild Blueberry Pie

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
5 cups frozen wild blueberries
1½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 small cubes
Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the filling. Whisk together sugars, flour, tapioca starch, and spices. Toss the berries in the dry mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to combine. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out one ball of dough to a 13-inch circle and transfer into a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Trim any excess dough that is draping over the edges of the pie plate, and set aside.

Pour the berries gradually into crust, making sure to scrape all of the juices and sugar into the pie with a spatula. Dot the berries with butter.

Roll out top crust into a 10-inch circle and set atop pie. Fold bottom crust up over top crust; crimp to seal. Cut slits in the top. Set a pie crust shield on top to keep the edges from getting too brown. Bake 50-60 minutes, turning once or twice, until juices bubble up out of the vents and the top is golden brown. You can remove the pie crust shield during the last 5 to 10 minutes if the edges have not browned.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Pie Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface and crust bottom
¼ cup cake flour
½ teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ cup (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 tablespoons vodka
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, divided

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flours with salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening; use a pastry blender to work it in until the mixture has the consistency of fine meal. Add the vodka and then the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stopping when the dough just holds together. Toss with a fork until dough starts to form a ball. Turn dough onto floured counter, and knead three times, until smooth. Divide dough into two balls. Flatten each ball slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.

La Madeleine: Tomato Basil Soup

Ask almost anyone what their favorite thing is at la Madeleine, and you'll hear tomato soup.  Except all those weird people obsessed with Caesar salad.  Okay, okay, the Caesar salad is good, too.  But the tomato soup is AMAZING.  And now I know why: butter and cream.  Sneaky.  But now that I can make it at home, I don't have to dish out quite as much cash to feed my addiction.

Tomato Basil Soup
Adapted from la Madeleine Country French Café, as seen in The Dallas Morning News

4 cups (8 to 10) tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped
4 cups tomato juice
2 teaspoons chicken base (optional)
12 to 14 fresh, washed basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread

Combine tomatoes, juice (or juice-stock mixture) in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Cool slightly, then place the mixture in a blender and process with fresh basil leaves to puree. This will have to be done in small batches.

Strain the mixture, pushing as much pulp through the mesh as possible. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the cream and butter. Stir over low heat until the cream and butter are incorporated. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with crusty bread.

Note: If the soup seems too acidic after the butter and cream have been added, add a little granulated sugar to balance the flavors.  Sometimes tomatoes need a little help.

Makes 8 servings

Xihongshi Chao Jidan (Stir-Fried Tomato and Eggs)

A friend I had back in college first made a version of these eggs for me.  I've got to admit, I was a little surprised.  They just seemed so...easy.  Up to that point, I had always thought of Chinese food as some sort of unapproachable set of dishes only to be found in restaurants.  And she served it for dinner.  Now, I'm not going to say this isn't a dinner dish, but I certainly like that I have something different in my breakfast file.

Xihongshi Chao Jidan (Stir-Fried Tomato and Eggs)

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 ripe red tomatoes (about ½ pound total weight), cut into wedges
Pinch granulated sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
3 or 4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt, to taste

Add peanut oil to a wok or frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook until some of the juice evaporates.  Add the soy sauce and white pepper.  Push the tomatoes to the edges of the wok and pour the eggs into the center.  Slowly begin to scramble them.  When they are almost cooked through, start to toss them with the tomatoes.  Add the green onions, sesame oil, and salt and serve over hot rice.

Makes 2 servings

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook: Cantonese Baby Back Ribs

What do you make when you're too lazy or too hot to get the grill going, but you still want something grill-ish or barbecue-ish?  You make ribs.  In your oven.  They're tender and juicy.  And if you baste the right way, they have that caramelized bark that everyone loves.  And you're not covered in mosquito bites by the time you're through.

Cantonese Baby Back Ribs
Adapted from the 1974 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2 pounds baby back ribs
Cantonese Sauce (or bottled barbecue sauce, if you prefer)
Finely grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the ribs, meaty side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven; drain the excess fat from the ribs. Turn the ribs meaty side up. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F; continue roasting for 1 hour. Pour sauce over ribs; roast 30 minutes longer or until tender, basting ribs occasionally with the sauce. Sprinkle with orange zest before serving.

Makes 2 to 3 servings

Cantonese Sauce
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lightly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients; blend well.  Cook over medium heat until mixture reduces slightly.  Set aside.

Two Potato Salads: Mom's Potato Salad and Loaded Baked Potato Salad

It's the fourth of July.  Also known unofficially as The-Day-You-Must-Grill-Or-You-Are-Un-American.  And if you're grilling, you need some fabulous sides.  Why should the burgers or ribs get all the glory?  It's time to go big or go home.  Luckily I know of two fabulous potato salads that would be beautiful next to your grilled glory. One even got me a marriage proposal.  True story.

Mom's Potato Salad
Loosely adapted from the 1963 edition of the Good Housekeeping Cookbook

6 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped pickles
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon celery seed

Boil potatoes in their jackets and eggs until the potatoes are soft but firm. Let potatoes and eggs cool; peel and set aside eggs to chill. Peel and cube potatoes. Throw potato cubes in a large bowl. Whisk together oil and vinegar and toss with the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate the potatoes until chilled.

Chop eggs roughly. Add the celery, pickles, onion, and eggs to the potato mixture. Separately, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and celery seed. Add the dressing to the potato mixture and toss lightly. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate before serving.

For a Spring potato salad, substitute 8 medium red potatoes for the russet potatoes, ¼ cup chopped green onion for the white onion, and Dijon mustard for the yellow mustard.

Makes 8 servings

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

6 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
8 to 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
8 green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt

Boil potatoes in their jackets until the potatoes are soft but firm. Let potatoes cool; peel and cube potatoes. Throw potato cubes in a large bowl and refrigerate.

Combine the mayonnaise and sour cream.  Toss sour cream mixture and remaining ingredients with chilled potato cubes.  Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 8 servings

The Perfect Scoop: Gelato alla Gianduia (Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato)

Whenever the temperature goes up, up, up, I start thinking about something that will bring it down, down, down.  Mainly ice cream.  Ice cream/gelato is the perfect frozen treat when the sun is beating down and the thermometer is telling you things you really don't want to hear.  Not sure anything is better than sitting on your porch in the summer, eating some homemade ice cream.  Okay, maybe a margarita.

Gelato alla Gianduia (Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato)
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1½ cups hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Frangelico liquor

Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to remove as much of the papery skins as possible, then finely chop them in a food processor or blender.

Warm the milk with 1 cup of the cream, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Put the bittersweet chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat the remaining 1 cup cream in a medium saucepan until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the milk chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top.

Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts. Rewarm the hazelnut-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and Frangelico and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 8 servings

Toasting Nuts: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the nuts in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring them once or twice while baking so they toast evenly. To see if they're done, snap one in half: it should be lightly golden brown throughout. Let the nuts cool completely before using unless the recipe indicates otherwise.

Food and Style: Romano Beans with Shallots and Chives

My latest find at Central Market are those flat green beans called Romano beans.  So of course I needed to find a super delicious recipe.  I didn't want the same old green-beans-and-tomatoes.  Been there, done that.  So I figured shallots and chives were the way to go.  And bacon.  Always bacon.  And they were perfect.

Romano Beans with Shallots and Chives
Adapted from Food and Style

1¼ pounds Romano beans or green beans, trimmed and cut on the diagonal in 2-inch pieces
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons
3 shallots, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch fresh chives, cut in ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes. Set aside. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add the beans. Blanch the beans for 4 minutes until tender but still a little crunchy (if using green beans, blanch for 3 minutes only). Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on clean kitchen towel. Pat dry and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

Cook’s note: The beans can be prepared to this point up to 4 hours ahead. Place in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy.  If there is more than 2 tablespoons of bacon fat rendered, pour off excess.  Add shallots. Sauté for 2 minutes until the shallots have softened and begin to turn pale-golden. Add the beans, toss well, and sauté for 1 minute until the beans are warmed through. Add the butter, chives, salt and pepper and toss well until the butter has completely melted. Remove from heat. Transfer to a platter or large bowl and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Roasted Potato and Ramp Salad

I can't believe I was able to find ramps in the local grocery.  I honestly never thought I would see them again.  True, they were just the bulb end, with none of the glorious greenness at the top, but I'll take it.  And I cooked them up with some bacon, because, well, bacon.  And then I tossed them in a dill potato salad.  And all was right with the world.

Warm Potato Salad with Ramps

2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1- to 1½-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons
¼ pound ramp bulbs, cleaned and thinly sliced
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
2 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast potatoes for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender when pricked with a fork, but not mushy.

While potatoes are cooking, warm a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Add the ramps. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until the ramps are tender. Combine the vinegar, honey, and mustard, and pour the mixture over the ramps and bacon. Cook for about a minute, then remove from the heat.

Dump the potatoes into a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over them. Sprinkle with the dill and green onions. Mix well. Season with additional salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to allow the potatoes to absorb some of the sauce. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings

Note:  If you are able to get the ramps with the greens attached, slice them and add them at the same time as the bulbs.  You can then omit the green onions.