Pumpkin Cake Balls

Happy Halloween! 

A Gluten-free and Dairy-free Halloween Cupcake!

Today's post will hopefully be a help to the mom (or dad) who is looking for a last minute way to dress up cupcakes for a child's Halloween celebration. These easy-to-make cupcake pumpkin decorations really add a festive touch to the Halloween season. Simply fold a piece of orange construction paper in half and trace a pumpkin shape along the fold. Cut it out and tape the open edge together. Slide it around the cupcake BEFORE icing it. Later, add the icing and sprinkles too to finish this holiday treat. An added bonus of these cupcake holders is that they act as a fantastic cupcake barrier if you have to transport the cupcakes to a school party. I used a large, flat roasting pan and placed the cupcakes side by side. With the paper pumpkin sleeves, the cupcakes had no chance to squish together and smudge the frosting. They arrived at school looking picture perfect!

Orange-Lemon Marmalade

This bright citrus marmalade will brighten any winter’s morning. With a bit of preparation now, you can easily make and preserve this marmalade then enjoy it in the months to come.  I’ve found the most success with canning using recipes from Ball’s Blue Book of Preserving.  This recipe is their Orange-Lemon Marmalade. By definition marmalade is made by cooking the fruit and the rind together. Sugar is added and the mixture is cooked down to a jelly-like consistency. Experiment with the fruits you choose—grapefruits, oranges, lemons and any combination thereof all make lovely marmalade.

Ingredients:
(Please note that these are the ingredients listed in the Blue Book as referenced, though I have added my own directions to share how I proceeded in my kitchen with a bit more detail than is given in the Blue Book of Preserving.)
(yields about 6 half pints)
4 or 5 large oranges
4 or 5 large lemons
1 1/2 quarts water
Sugar (amount determined by amount of fruit mixture after initial steps)
a piece of cheesecloth

Directions:
DAY ONE
1. First work on the peel: I use a carrot peeler to take a thin layer of peel off the oranges and lemons. You do not want the pith—the white layer just below the peel. The pith has pectin and will be used later but do your best to keep it separate from the peel. You should have about 3 cups of orange peel and 2 1/2 to 3 cups of lemon peel. Slice it thinly. Reserve any pith that has come off the fruit.
2. Now slice the fruit and remove the seeds. Take off the layer of pith if it is thick. Set it aside with the seeds. Wrap the seeds and pith in the cheesecloth and secure tightly.
3. Use a food processor to break down the oranges and lemons. Pulse until the mixture is in small bits. The fruit will continue to break down when you cook it and marmalade is often a chunky mixture.
4. Place the water, all of the processed fruit, and the cheesecloth containing the pith and seeds into a large pot. Let this mixture sit overnight (not refrigerated). Note that you do not add the sugar until Day Two.

DAY TWO
5.  Bring the fruit mixture to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the peel is tender. Remove from the heat and discard the cheesecloth bundle.
6.  Measure the fruit and liquid. Add 1 cup sugar for each cup of fruit mixture (yes, this will be a lot of sugar). Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue stirring as the mixture comes to the gelling point. The mixture will thicken, keep stirring. Perform a gel-test to see if the marmalade is ready for canning. Take a tablespoon of the marmalade and place it in the freezer for a few minutes on a very cold plate. After a few minutes, if the marmalade wrinkles when you push it slightly then it has reached the gelling point.
7. Ladle the hot marmalade into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Process in a boiling-water canner.  Alternatively, place the marmalade in the refrigerator if you do not wish to preserve it in a canner.

I've found that marmalade sometimes takes a few days to set. Don’t be discouraged if your marmalade is loose. Wait a few days before you decide to re-process it or simply enjoy it as it is. Some batches of marmalade I’ve made have gelled perfectly, others have not done the same. It’s like a science experience—learn as you go!

Chicken Tinga, adapted from Muy Bueno

I’ve ordered chicken tinga at a local Mexican restaurant so when I came across the recipe in Muy Bueno I knew I wanted to try it. I liked how easily Yvette’s, Veronica’s, and Evangelica’s recipe could be adapted to suit not only the level of heat by adjusting the chipotle but also the ease of making this dish by using shredded rotisserie chicken.  This is the last of three recipes I’ll share from Muy Bueno. I first made the cinnamon hot chocolate then the bunuelos and I can’t wait to make more. This chicken tinga with a sauce of chipotle, tomatoes, onion and garlic could serve a crowd and is ideal for your next get-together. There is still time to enter the giveaway for your own signed copy of Muy Bueno—don’t forget to enter before Friday night. Click here to go to the GIVEAWAY PAGE. Good luck!

Ingredients: (recipe adapted from page 160 of Muy Bueno)
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 can of chipotles and adobo sauce (I used half of a 7 oz can)
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon salt
Tortillas to serve

1. Use a food processor or blender to combine the chipotles, tomatoes (undrained), and garlic. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is thick you can add chicken broth or water but I didn’t find it necessary.
2. Add a touch of oil to a saucepan and cook the onions for a few minutes before adding the chicken to the pot. Pour the blended sauce over the shredded chicken and onions. Bring to a boil then let simmer gently for 20-30 minutes.
3. Serve with warmed tortillas. Top with cheese or serve with avocados, lettuce and/or salsa.

Apple Cake Pops

The cake pop craze continues! I shared these sweet apple cake pops on Pamela's Heavenly Treats recently and appreciated that she shared her blog with me for the day. I sent these to my mom for her birthday. The idea is not a new one—check here for Bakerella’s apple cake pops and I am sure you’ll find others online—but the thought that this is easy enough to make in your own kitchen is worth the reminder.

Start with cake or brownies, crumble them to pieces and add icing to the mix. (For full instructions check out Bakerella’s basic cake pop.)  She is the queen of cake pops so there is no need to repeat what she has explained very nicely already.

Form your “dough” into round balls, squishing the ends slightly to make an apple shape then freeze them for 20-30 minutes.

In the mean time, pipe green leaves onto wax paper. Or you could find green candies that could make your apple leaves. Have pretzel sticks handy to use for stems.

Melt your chocolate in the microwave or on the stove top with a double boiler. Coat the apple cake balls in the chocolate then place them on parchment paper or wax paper. Insert a pretzel piece for a stem and gently lay the green leaf on the cake ball BEFORE the chocolate sets.

And there you have it—apple cake balls! These would be sweet for a classroom treat, a fall birthday party, teacher appreciation week or just for a plain old Tuesday!

Muy Bueno Giveaway!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER: JONI!!!

What a treat I have for you all today! One lucky reader will receive a signed copy of Muy Bueno, the recently released cookbook written by written by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Veronica Gonzalez-Smith, and Evangelina Soza and published by Hippocrene Books, Inc. This cookbook will quickly become your go-to resource for Mexican cooking. I have gotten lost in this book-- each time you turn the page you'll find yet another family recipe with a gorgeous photo alongside. From drinks to desserts and everything in between, this cookbook is a wonderful collection of stories and recipes from Yvette, Veronica and Evangelina. If you want to see a sample of the recipes, please check out my posts from earlier this week: Cinnamon Hot Chocolate and Bunuelos.

Buñuelos, a recipe from Muy Bueno

Do you have a few cookbooks that you return to again and again, knowing that you’ll find a recipe to suit whatever occasion arises? Well, this beautiful new cookbook, Muy Bueno, from sisters Yvette and Veronica, along with their mother, Evangelina, promises to be just that type of resource in your kitchen. The recipes are beautiful, the stories of family are authentic and the photographs are mouth-watering. Try these buñuelos and you’ll see what I mean. This dessert starts with a quick homemade dough with a cinnamon accent, then the small, thin circles are fried before receiving a dusting of cinnamon and sugar. Stop by on Saturday for a giveaway of this gorgeous cookbook!

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate, a recipe from Muy Bueno

This cinnamon hot chocolate is a sneak peak into the gorgeous book, Muy Bueno, the recently released cookbook written by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Veronica Gonzalez-Smith, and Evangelina Soza and published by Hippocrene Books, Inc.  I had the pleasure of meeting Yvette at a local Colorado get together hosted by Karen of Savoury Table.  Yvette, her sister, Veronica, and her mother, Evangelina, together share recipes on their blog, Muy Bueno.  They have created a stunning collection of recipes and food memories in their new book.  I’m excited to share their cookbook in a giveaway to one lucky reader later this week. You won’t want to miss it!

Sesame Seed Bagels #TwelveLoaves

Do you enjoy baking bread? Or do you have a curiosity to learn? Well join up with the Twelve Loaves crew and challenge yourself to bake something each month. Cake Duchess, Creative Culinary, and Life’s A Feast offer an ingredient or theme each month.  October’s theme is “Nuts, Grains, or Seeds”. I chose SESAME SEEDS and tried my hand at something new for me—bagels.

Apple Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Last week I made a pumpkin Bundt cake with a cream cheese filling based on a recipe I adapted from Southern Living’s Apple Cream Cheese Bundt cake.  The pumpkin cake was delicious. So good, in fact, that I kept thinking about the original apple cake recipe and knew I had to try it out. It did not disappoint!

Chunky Potato Cheddar Soup

The comforts of the changing season to autumn can be served up in a hearty bowl of soup. This soup, chunky potato cheddar, is top on my list of comfort foods. This version has your basics—potatoes, onion, milk, cheese—then adds the earthy bite of rosemary to set it apart. Garnish it with crumbled bacon and I am a happy camper!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling #BundtaMonth

I am joining Baker Street and Cake Duchess this month in their joy of cooking Bundt cakes. The ingredient offered this month was PUMPKIN. I can’t say I am a huge pumpkin fan in desserts—no pumpkin pie for me—but this Bundt cake has me rethinking that stance. Maybe I’ve been missing out on pumpkin treats for years! The cream cheese filling in this pumpkin cake is what makes this Bundt particularly special. The filling’s creamy sweetness is a perfect partner to this pumpkin but not-too-pumpkin cake. Try to eat just one piece; it’s tougher than it sounds!

Fig Jam and Prosciutto Pizza

If a Fig Jam and Prosciutto Pizza doesn’t sound like your usual Friday night take-out, do not worry, it is even better. Try it once and you’ll soon find any excuse to eat this flavor combination—paninis, bruschetta, on a simple cracker and even on its own. Maybe the kids won’t think this is “real pizza” so save it for a night with the girls or make it along side the traditional cheese pizza for the rest of the family.

Curried Carrot Soup (in the Crock Pot)

Welcome to fall! Are the leaves changing in your neck of the woods? What a nice time of year to enjoy soup for lunch or with a sandwich for dinner instead. In the rush of soccer practice, after school activities and every day life, it is nice to come home to a house that not only smells good, but one that has dinner on the table in no time at all.  This curried carrot soup can be prepared in the last five minutes you have before rushing out the door to get the kids to school (yes, I know because I timed it!), then it simmers away in the Crock Pot for the day and the aroma welcomes you home later on. If you don’t care for curry, leave it out and you still have a healthy soup to enjoy.