LouAnn's Doughnut Cookies

 Autumn leaves are falling and "LouAnn's busy stirring a big bowl of batter!"  Carrie Finison's picture book, Dozens of Doughnuts is a delightful read this time of year with your littles!  We can never get enough of Brianne Farley's illustrations of cheery doughnuts and LouAnn's expressions! My girls love counting the doughnuts and of course telling us which one is their favorite!

Finison came up with a couple of adorable recipes!  We just tested LouAnn's Doughnut Cookie recipe.  The addition of nutmeg combined with the apple cider icing create a lovely little cookie reminiscent of the apple cider doughnuts found at farm-stands this time of year!   My girls had a blast decorating theirs like doughnuts with colored icing and sprinkles!

Little hands can help with the measuring, mixing, rolling and decorating!

Happy Autumn Baking!

               

The Honey Dumpling Roast

As a new mamma, I feel like a victor when I can lull my little one to sleep by humming or singing and rocking as opposed to simply nursing, our buttercup is an eater just like mamma and dada and to help her along to Nonnyland without nursing is amazing!

As a 4 month old, she can hold her head up and lift objects and loves to bring everything to her mouth.  It's so much fun to see her growing right before our eyes.

As a new mamma, I can brush my teeth, possibly take a shower and perhaps get the kitchen cleaned. All of which is never done with one nap, our little one loves to take kitty naps, she sleeps in small chunks, 20 minutes here...30 minutes there.  She wants to see the world and stay awake for every adventure.

So with all of the excitement of a new little person in our lives, meals are large, often slow-cooked so that we have plenty of play time while our dinner is cooking.

The Honey Dumpling Roast
serves 4 +

3lb chuck roast, boneless
1 large onion, quartered
3 carrots, large chop
2 celery stalks, large chop
3 garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
14 ounces stewed tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 small sprig rosemary
12 of your favorite small potatoes, halved
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

optional: Winter Gremolata: garnish with 1 large sprig of minced rosemary, 3 sprigs of minced parsley, 1 clove of garlic paste (watch honey dumplings video here) and the zest of a lemon.

Preheat oven to 275 F.

Warm a dutch-oven or large deep pan over medium-high heat.
Add a glug of safflower oil or other high-heat cooking oil.
Blot the roast dry with paper towels and season with a few pinches of sea salt and black pepper.
Brown the roast on each side.
Remove the roast to a plate then add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the hot pan and cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
Add the red wine and scrape up any brown bits, turn the heat to high and add the chicken stock, stewed tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary, bring to a boil.
Add the roast and cover, turn off the heat and pop into 275 F oven.
Roast for 1 1/2 hours and then add the halved potatoes.
Roast for another 1 1/2-2 hours until the roast is tender and veggies are cooked to your liking.

We love to eat ours from pasta bowls and soak up all of the delicious meat juices with a baguette slathered in butter.  Garnish with Winter Gremolata if you like, but it's just as tasty without!

Champagne + Pears

These blushing beauties are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. 

If you would like to make a batch for your next brunch or dessert, check out my recipe for Champagne Poached Pears at Mother Earth Living.

Bon Appetit!

F is for Finocchio

Finocchio is an adorable Italian word which translates to Fennel. An anise scented bulbous vegetable that pairs well with fish, Parmesan, and blood oranges. Native to the Mediterranean, this veggie was brought to the states over 200 years ago (most likely by the Spanish), it is a biennial that blooms in its second season. Fennel is prolific and will quickly take over your garden, much like mint.

Try using it in place of celery. Fennel is delicious shaved thin and eaten raw with Parmesan & arugula drizzled with olive oil. It holds up well to braising, roasting, caramelizing or grilling and infuses potatoes with a lovely licorice bite in this Tuscan inspired Pommes Anna. The Tuscan inspiration comes from the Fennel (of course) as well as olive oil.

Candied Ginger Applesauce

This creation is slightly sweeter than I meant for it to be, so if you are looking for a traditional applesauce reduce the sugar a bit, try 1 cup instead of 1 & 1/2 cups. This is lovely baked into a tart shell for a quick Gingery Apple Tart, dolloped over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, or simply spooned out of the jar as is, yummmmm!

Gingery Applesauce
Makes 5 Pints

7lbs Farmers' Market Apples (a mixture of crisp, tart, sweet & soft. such as granny smith, jonagolds, galas & golden delicious)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
2/3 cup crystallized ginger, minced
1 t sea salt
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger

Combine lemon juice and water in a large stockpot. Peel, core and cut apples into 3/4-inch chunks; place apple chunks into lemon water immediately to prevent browning. Add sugar, crystallized ginger, salt and spices. Stir over medium-high heat for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat once the apples are soft and a touch translucent. Mash the apples using a potato masher or fork to desired consistency. I like mine a bit chunky.

Process as you normally would for preserving. If you are unfamiliar with preserving, simply ladle the applesauce into hot clean 1-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch space at the top. Remove the air bubbles by placing a wooden spoon into the jar against the glass on the sides, move up and down to release any bubbles. Wipe the jar threads and rims with a damp clean cloth. Cover with hot lids; secure with screw bands. Place in a pot of boiling water and process for 20 minutes. Remove jars onto a towel covered counter top. Cool completely. Make sure that the lids have properly sealed, by pressing into the center of the lid, it should not move, if by chance the lid hasn't properly sealed then pop into fridge and eat within a week or two.

Is It Autumn Yet?

Okay so I'm still not used to living in Southern California. It's only been three years now, one would think I'd be used to 97 degree weather through September. Really when does it cool down again? I seem to forget every year in the midst of my yearning to bundle up and layer. My memory is clouded with dreams of sipping steaming mugs of hot cocoa by the fire (we don't have a fireplace) and visions of warming the house with the scent of baking apples and spices.

Forgoing the hot cocoa by the fire. I have managed to sweat us out of our house these last few days. I've overheated our home with double batches of chicken stock, black bean soup, chicken pot pie, oatmeal date cookies & roasted butternut squash ravioli.

I've dressed in long sleeve blouses and pants simply to walk outside and quickly realize a tank top and skirt would have been a better choice.

I'm trying my darnedest to conjure up those romantic Autumn days. I've always loved Fall; the change from sunshine soaked siestas to crisp cooling afternoons. Midday runs, when rays from the sun are a warm welcome. Blustery windstorms that call for blankets and snuggling. The fiery orange glow of leaves falling and the crinkly sound of raking them into a pile.

This recipe is my tribute to the days of Autumn, when leaves are turning, wind is blowing and we get the craving to fill our bellies with something warm.