Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

 Quick, easy and delicious!

-Simple Nourished Living

15 ounces canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

 

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven.

 

For muffins, preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line 12 muffin cups or 36 mini muffin cups with paper liners or coat them with non-stick spray.

 

For cookies, preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat with non-stick spray.

 

Make the batter in a large bowl by mixing just the two ingredients together, ignoring the instructions on the cake mix. This will take some effort and the mixture will be very very thick!

Stir in the mini semisweet chocolate chips, if using.

 

For muffins, place batter into the prepared (or mini muffin) tins. Bake at 400F degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes for muffins and 12 minutes for the mini-muffins.

 

For cookies, drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the centers are just barely set when lightly touched.

Remove from the oven and cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets and then transfer the cookies/muffins with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Orzo Pasta

 This is one of my kids' favorite meals.

-Averie Cooks

1 pound orzo, cooked according to package directions and drained

 3 tablespoons olive oil for pan + more for finished dish, as desired

 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, diced small

 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper

 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

 1 teaspoon dried oregano

 1 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

 5 ounces fresh spinach (about 4 giant handfuls)

 1/2 English cucumber, diced small

 1 1/2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes

 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste

 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

 1+ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

 

 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

 

To a large pot, add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot; set aside.

 

While orzo is cooking, to a large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and cook for about 3 minutes; stir intermittently.

 

Add the chicken, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through; flip and stir frequently to ensure even cooking.

 

Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.

 

Transfer the chicken, onions, and any cooking juices to the large pot with the drained orzo.

 

Add the spinach (looks like a lot but it will wilt) and stir to incorporate. Stir for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to wilt.

 

Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and stir well to incorporate.

 

Add the feta and stir to combine. Tip – If you want the feta to remain more intact, don’t add it until the chicken and orzo have cooled down a bit, or it will melt, which is totally fine, you just won’t see the white crumbles.

 

Taste, and as desired, add additional salt. I added an additional approximately 2 teaspoons because it’s a very large quantity of orzo, chicken, and vegetables.

If desired, drizzle in additional olive oil. I recommend another approximately 2 tablespoons for both flavor and so that the orzo doesn’t stick as it cools. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Biscuits

 Delicious and flaky! We love to eat these biscuits with sausage gravy and a fried egg on top.

-Baker Bettie

240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour

10 grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

6 grams (1 ¼ teaspoons) kosher salt

85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, lard, or shortening, cold

240 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) buttermilk, cold, *see note for substitution

 

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 

Measure out all ingredients. Keep the buttermilk and butter (or lard or shortening) cold in the refrigerator.

 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (240 grams, 2 cups), baking powder (10 grams, 1 tablespoon), baking soda (¼ teaspoon), and salt (1 ¼ teaspoons).

 

Add the cold butter, lard, or shortening (85 grams, 6 tablespoons) to the mixing bowl and cut it into the flour mixture. To do this, press down on the fat with the wires of the pastry blender or the tines of a fork as you move it around the bowl. Continue cutting the fat into the flour until most of the pieces of fat are about the size of peas with some pieces being about the size of a walnut half.

 

Add the cold buttermilk (240 grams, 1 cup) into the bowl and stir with a spoon or a silicone spatula just until combined. This should only take a few turns. The dough will be pretty wet and sticky. 

 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Dust flour over the top of the dough. With floured hands bring the dough together into one mass.  

 

Pat the dough out (do not roll with a rolling pin) until it is about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. Using a bench knife (or a metal spatula can be helpful if you do not have a bench knife), fold the dough in half and then turn it 90 degrees. Pat out and fold again for a total of 6 times. This process is creating layers that will create flaky biscuits.

 

Press the dough out to about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick and use a round cutter that is about 2.5-inches (6 cm) in diameter to cut out your biscuits. When cutting out, dip your cutter in flour, press straight down, and pull it back up without twisting it. Twisting can seal the edge of your biscuit, not allowing it to rise fully. Gently pat the scraps together to cut out the rest of your biscuits. Alternatively, you can pat the dough into a rectangle and use a sharp knife to divide the dough into 8 rectangular-shaped biscuits. 

 

Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the edges touching so they will rise up against each other. 

 

As an optional step, place the sheet pan in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This will ensure that your biscuits will not spread too much and will allow your oven to fully pre-heat. 

Bake at 450°F/230°C for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door for at least the first half of baking time. You want the steam to stay trapped in the oven to help with the rise.

 

Brush biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.

 

Biscuits are best eaten fresh, but they can also be stored after completely cooled at room temperature and wrapped in foil for 2 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the biscuits raw and bake straight from frozen at 425°F/220°C for 18-21 minutes, until baked through.

Lemon Bundt Cake

-Live Well, Bake Often, modified

2 and 3/4 cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

½ tsp. teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (170 grams) butter (softened)

2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

4 large eggs (room temperature)

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1/4 cup (60 ml) canola or vegetable oil

1 cup (240 grams) sour cream

LEMON GLAZE

 

1 cup (120 grams) confectioners sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) fresh lemon juice (or as needed to thin out the glaze)

 

CAKE:

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

 

Mix in the eggs one a time, then mix in the vanilla. Slowly mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and oil.

 

Alternate mixing the flour mixture and the sour cream into the wet ingredients, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.

 

Spray a 10-inch bundt pan well with non stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and evenly spread it around.

 

Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if needed for the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

GLAZE:

 

Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a small mixing bowl and mix until fully combined.

One the cake has cooled, place a piece of foil under the wire rack (to catch any glaze that falls off). Pour the lemon glaze evenly over the cake and allow to harden for about 10-15 minutes.

Slice and enjoy!

Spicy Salsiccia

Brandon makes this for our pizza nights - yummy!

-Serious Eats

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1 Tbsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. garlic powder

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together well. Form into a single 1-inch-thick patty, and par-cook in a skillet over medium-high heat to just above pink, about 2 minutes per side.

 

Break patty into grape-size nuggets, being careful not to make them too small, as the sausage will dry out. Place sausage chunks on top of the cheese before baking your pizza.

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

 -Taste of Home

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup chicken broth

2-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

24 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 pounds)

 

In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients. Reserve 1-1/3 cups for basting; cover and refrigerate. Divide remaining marinade between 2 large shallow dishes. Add 12 chicken thighs to each; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours or overnight.

 

Drain chicken, discarding marinade.

 

Grill chicken, covered, on an oiled rack over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer inserted into chicken reads 170°; baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes.

Peach Cobbler (fresh peaches)

Peach cobbler is perfect for summer when peaches are in season. This recipe is a spin on my grandma's recipe, just using fresh peaches instead of bottled.

6-7 ripe large peaches

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350. Slice butter into large pieces and place in a 9x13" pan. Set aside.

Peel, pit, and sliced the peaches and place in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, stir, and set aside.

Place the pan with the butter in the oven to melt while you prepare the batter.

In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add vanilla, egg, and milk and whisk until combined.

Remove pan with melted butter from the oven and carefully pour in the batter. Top with the peaches and all the sugar and juice. Bake for 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. (It might take up to 75 minutes if using a deeper disposable pan.)