recipe

Rebecca’s Thanksgiving Favorite: Pumpkin Bread

Photo: Alexandra’s Kitchen

Nothing says Thanksgiving like a rich pumpkin pastry. Rebecca’s personal  favorite is the melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin bread from Alexandra’s Kitchen – an easy-to-make concoction of pumpkin and just the right amount of seasonal spices to get you into the holiday spirit. Just follow the steps below to make your own, and don’t forget to save room for dessert. If you find yourself indulging in everything in sight and can’t spare an inch for sweets, then don’t despair: This is the one day that overeating is completely, totally acceptable (and encouraged), and you can save it for breakfast – a subtly sweet snack to accompany your morning cup of joe and energize you for extreme sale shopping? Hello, Black Friday!

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

*Yield = 2 standard loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans

2 c. sugar

1 c. canola oil

4 eggs

16 oz. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

3/4 c. water

3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. table salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves (optional)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg (or less — 1/4 tsp. works too)

1/2 tsp. allspice (optional)

 

Photo: Alexandra’s Kitchen

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease loaf pans with butter or non-stick spray.

2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat sugar and oil together until blended. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each addition. Add pumpkin purée and water and mix until blended.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. Add to the mixer and mix only until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake for about an hour (if using standard loaf pans) but start checking for doneness after 45 minutes — the loaves are done when center springs back when touched.

*Note: When using the small pans, the loaves should be done in under 45 minutes. Start checking around 30-35 minutes.

Photo: Alexandra’s Kitchen

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Breakfast At Your Desk

Sushi for breakfast? Not our typical way to start the day, but when we found a sweet peanut butter and jelly roll recipe, we could not wait to try it! The delicious recipe on Home Economics by Julie Mollo, who is not only a fashion designer but clearly our favorite chef of the morning. Her breakfast sushi is easy to make and perfect as an early morning pick me up.

Ingredients:

  • Peanut Putter
  • Jelly
  • Tortilla
  • Bananas
Directions: 
1. Spread the peanut butter and jelly all over a tortilla
2. Lay a banana down the middle.
3. Wrap the tortilla around it and slice it up into little rolls. Enjoy!

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Weekend Cocktails – Derby de Mayo

This weekend we have a packed schedule. First, we will be rocking our big hats for the Kentucky Derby then we will be getting out our maracas for Cinco de Mayo festivities. Of course both celebrations require the right cocktail and thanks to Camille Styles and Southern Living we have found the perfect recipes. We cannot wait to try it for these two picks for our weekend festivities. Whip up a batch for a group of friends and start celebrating!

#1. GINGER PLUM SANGRIA

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle rosé wine
  • 1 1/2 cups ginger ale
  • 1 plum, puréed in blender
  • bunch of fresh mint
  • 3 plums, sliced (any color works!)
  • 1 apple, sliced
  • 1 lime, sliced
  • crystallized ginger, for garnish

Directions:

1.In a large pitcher, combine rosé, puréed plum and a few sprigs of mint. Muddle the mint a bit, then add 2 of the sliced plums, apple and 4 slices lime. Top off with ginger ale.

2. Distribute remaining plum and lime slices among 4 glasses. Add ice, if desired. Fill glasses with sangria, then skewer a piece of crystallized ginger onto a wooden pick for garnish.

#2. MINT JULEP

Ingredients:
  • 3 fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Mint Simple Syrup
  • Crushed ice
  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) bourbon
  • 1 (4-inch) cocktail straw or coffee stirrer
  • 1 fresh mint sprig
  • Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Place mint leaves and Mint Simple Syrup in a chilled julep cup to gently press leaves against cup with back of spoon to release flavors.

2. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; pour bourbon over ice.

3. Insert straw, place mint sprig directly next to straw, and serve immediately.

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Weekend Cooking

Having guests over this weekend? We stumbled upon this Guacamole & Fat-Free Tortilla Chips recipe from Sal & Azucar and we think it would be perfect to serve at a any get-together. We’re definitely going to be munching on this all summer!

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup diced white onion
  • juice of 1-2 limes
  • chopped cilantro
  • salt
  • chicken flavor bouillon
  • corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Mash your avocados.
2. Fold in the tomato and onions
3. Add cilantro, salt, and chicken bouillon to taste. Add the salt and bouillon little by little.
4. Add the lime juice to taste as well.
5. For the tortilla chips, simply take your tortillas and cut them in sixths. Place them on a paper towel in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes until toasted.

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Monday Night Dinner

We spotted a recipe for Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Melted Mozzarella on Skinny Taste, and we already know it is going to become our new go-to weeknight recipe. Simple, healthy and delicious – it doesn’t get much better than that! See the recipe below and stop by SkinnyTaste.com for more recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken cutlets
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 cloves crushed garlic
  • 10 oz frozen spinach (drained)
  • 3 oz shredded mozzarella
  • 1 roasted sliced red pepper
  • olive oil spray
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° and lightly spray a grill with oil.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook it on the grill until it is no longer pink.

3. Heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Add oil and garlic and sauté it for a few seconds. Then add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes until heated through.

4. When chicken is done, lay it on a baking sheet lined with foil. Divide the spinach evenly between the 6 pieces and place on top. Add 1/2 oz of mozzarella to each slice, then add slices of roasted pepper.

5. Bake about 6-8 minutes until melted.

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