Chipotle & Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Chipotle & Rosemary Spiced Nuts
Serves 8 to 10

I love roasted nuts in the fall. I'll whip up a batch of these really delicious nuts. They're sweet, salty, and spicy--with lots of brown sugar, maple syrup, chipotle powder, and fresh rosemary. Roasting is the process that brings out the most flavor in nuts, and serving them warm is a particularly nice touch.

Vegetable oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Cinnamon Cinnabon Cake

Cinnamon Cinnabon Cake

For the Cakes:

3 cup flour plus 2 Tbsp, divided

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp cinnamon

For the Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

   

Instructions:

For the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8inch cake pans, lining the bottom with parchment paper.

In mixer, blend 3 cup flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, milk, eggs, vanilla and 1/4 cup melted butter. Divide batter evenly between cake pans.

In another mixing bowl, beat 1 cup butter with brown sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, and cinnamon. Continue to beat until fully blended and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Using two tablespoons, drop butter mixture onto cake batter. Use a knife to swirl.

Bake cakes for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes. Flip cakes out onto serving plates.

For icing, whisk the powdered sugar with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Drizzle over warmed cakes. Enjoy!

Garlic-Parmesan Cheese Pull Apart Bread [Using Rhodes Frozen Yeast Rolls]

Garlic-Parmesan Cheese Pull Apart Bread [Using Rhodes Frozen Yeast Rolls]

16 frozen white dinner rolls [I used Rhodes]

1/2 cup [1 stick] butter, melted
2/3 plus 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese [divided]
1 tsp dry parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil/Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions:
Remove the frozen dinner rolls from the freezer and place onto a plate.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes or so, until the rolls have thawed enough to cut.

Place the rolls onto a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, cut each roll into quarters. 

Melt one stick of butter in the microwave, stir the melted butter and seasonings together until blended.

Add the quartered rolls to the butter, and toss gently to coat.  Bread dough is sticky, so, you may need to use your hands to gently pull the pieces apart if necessary.  You don't want the dough to form clumps, or it will effect how it bakes.  This is really the only way to mess-up this recipe....very important!  Next, add 2/3 cup of grated Parmesan-Romano cheese reserving the rest for the top.  Toss until each piece is coated.

You can bake this bread in any shape you like. 

Layer the dough quarters evenly in a standard 9x3x2 inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.  The dough pieces naturally stick together due to the butter and cheese, but, gently pull apart any clumps of dough.  We want to be certain the bread bakes evenly.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top and a sprinkle of parsley for color.  Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  This will keep the bread from sticking to the plastic wrap as it rises.  

Allow to rise in a draft free, warm place for 2-2 1/2 hours. Then, remove the plastic wrap, and place into a 350°F preheated oven.

Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes, then check the top.  If baking in a loaf, you may need to lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the bread to prevent the cheese and butter on top from over browning while the inside of the loaf fully bakes.  Continue to bake the bread for another 5-7 minutes,  until the center is completely done. Approximately, 23-25 minutes total, depending on your oven.  Test the center of the rolls using a cake tester, or toothpick to be certain the bread is cooked all the way through before removing it from the oven.  

Yield: one loaf  or 16 servings [4 pieces]

If you're someone who loves for all of the rolls to have that crispy golden top,  bake the bread in a round 9 inch spring form or pie pan.  Follow the same preparation method and bake for around 22-24 minutes until golden and cooked through.  
   
Additional baking options:
Bundt pan
Divide the dough between 2 loaf pans
Individual size in standard muffin cups [4 pieces in each]
8x8 baking dish
9 inch round spring form or pie pan
8 inch tart pan

 

Fun Fall Activities

While I love the warmth of the summer sun, I also love when the leaves all start to turn into beautiful orange tones. It is this season in particular that makes me think of my family. I think that is because we had a lot of fun on the weekends doing traditional fall activities.

So, to kick off the season, below are some of my favorite things to do in the fall:

Apple Picking – It’s always fun to spend the afternoon with your kids at local apple farm. Apple picking is a great all-weekend activity.  When I was younger, my family would spend Saturdays picking apples and then we would get together on Sunday to make apple pies and candied apples, while we enjoyed some warm apple cider.

Visit a pumpkin patch - As Halloween approaches, it is always fun to get together to pick the perfect  pumpkin(s) to decorate your home or front step.  And, while you are there, make sure to take a hay ride throughout the field.

Have a pumpkin carving party - Once you have your pumpkins, get together with friends and family and have a pumpkin carving party.  You can even make it a formal event with cute Halloween invitations. 

Watch Football - If you are not a fan of the cooler weather or just feel like a relaxing afternoon at home, why not enjoy a game a football with your friends and family?  Hold a potluck or make healthy yummy tailgating snacks for your guests while you cheer on your favorite team.

Ghosts, Gobblins.... OH MY....

I love this time of year.  What does fall mean to you?  To me, it's the start of cooler weather... leaves turning in to the beauiful colors of red, yellow and orange... it's a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte... the first fire in the fireplace...wearing my favorite boots and sweaters... watching football with my love... baking some of our favorite family recipes... It's watching the kids run and play with the crunch of the beautiful leaves... decorating our house with all of the wondrful fall decorations I've collected over the years... Fall is "EVERYTHING TO ME"...... It just "GETS IN TO MY SOUL"....

One of my favorite things to bake during this time of year is my grandmother's Banana bread.  When I was little I would help her make it every year.  I loved helping her in the kitchen, listening to stories when she was a little girl.  Enjoy!

Grandmother's Banana Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3-4)
1 3/4 cups unsifted flour
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven 325 degrees.  Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  In a mixing bowl,combine butter, sugar and eggs.  Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add all remaining ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon, until well blended.
Pour mixture in to  prepared loaf pan. 
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Do not over bake.

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