I will admit that come Turkey day turkey is at the bottom of my list. When there are creamy mashed potatoes, perfectly caramelized sweet potatoes and stuffing with Walnut-Sage bread the bird takes the back seat. However all of these delicacies are really there to set the stage for the pie. Now I have found a pumpkin pie recipe that is pretty good, the secret is yams cooked down with the pumpkin prior to sliding into the shell. But pumpkin, much like carrot cake, does not seem festive enough for a holiday. So at times I’ve made pecan pie, though never meeting the bar set by Aunt Lulu’s pecan pie.

So this year I thought I would try something different for those of us who find pumpkin little lacking. The obvious choice was chocolate and I remembered a Cook’s Country episode a few weeks back where Bridget made a lovely French Silk pie. So in an effort to not have disaster the day before Thanksgiving I decided a test run was in order. Armed with heavy whipping cream and bittersweet chocolate I dove in, albeit a little late in the evening. The smell alone was divine and the swipes from the spatula were enough to convince me to stay up until the pie was set.

So at midnight we pulled out the pie server and let me tell you it was worth staying up past my bedtime. It was creamy and airy with the perfect cocoa flavor. Not overly sweet and certainly different than the Village Inn version I’ve been known to turn to in a pinch/crisis.

I can happily report that much like chocolate birthday cake this too can be sampled with your morning coffee. I was about to wrap up the remaining portion to take to work when Matt made a valid point about monitoring the pies longevity and freshness. So in the fridge it sits, getting suspiciously smaller every time I open the door.

I have a pretty strict rule that I do not turn on the oven in the summer, especially this summer. So we have been pretty light on baked goods around here, sure there were the occasional spoon cookies (no bake cookies) and plenty of ice-cream to go around but no cakes or cookies or pies. This is a little sad given all the wonderful summer berries but I am not willing to roast for pie, even warm bubbly blackberry peach pie.

However the wonderful mood enhancing fall weather has arrived and with it came the desire to bake. It just so happened a coworker was celebrating their birthday last week and I used it as an excuse to whip up an apple pie.

I admit I was a little rusty, the crust a little thicker then I like, but minimal swearing during the process. I used the Cook’s Illustrated No Fail pie crust, the one with vodka, and loosely followed their basic apple pie recipe. It went over well, just a small sliver made it’s way back home for Matt.

So here is to pie season.Orchard season. And weather that doesn’t hurt!

And since we’re talking about seasons I suppose we could talk about the holiday season. For once I actually got my act together and made stockings. A few are at Made and hopefully I will get some listed in my shop this week.

Those of you who have had the privilege of attending a potluck where Matt’s mom was in attendance undoubtedly know the magic of the Scotcharoo. It’s similar to a rice crispy treat but with peanut butter, chocolate, butterscotch and a little magic. They are crisp and chewy, sweet and salty, melt in your mouth wonderful. And luckily for me there always seems to be a pan on the counter when we come home.

The recipe came from a cereal box years ago and has been a staple of family gatherings ever since. In what I choose to view as a stamp of approval Matt’s mom gave me the recipe awhile back. And I have made them on a few occasions, but they never taste quite right. They are good and the batch disappears much too quickly, but they are missing something I can’t quite put my finger on.

Enter the pan. Through a little sleuthing I have come to realize it’s the pan the Scotcharoos are made in that makes the difference. My pans are new(ish) and glass and don’t have the seasoning required for excellent Scotcharoos. So I have been on the lookout for an aged metal pan, preferably one with a snap on lid to keep them fresh. As a semi frequent auction goer I thought finding one would be fairly easy. Every auction has a couple boxes filled with pots and pans, and even 9×13 metal cake pans, but they never have their lids. Finally at an auction this weekend I found one! Slightly dented and with enough crosshatch marks in the bottom to know it has been well used. However the torrential downpour almost got the better of me, but I braved nature and stood outside with my dinky travel umbrella in order to bid my $1.00.

So all that’s left is to pick up a box of rice crispies and hope that magic will do its part.

UPDATE : While I am not a professional, though Matt is a lifelong connoisseur, I think these were pretty close to the real deal. A little tougher then I would like, but I think that came from over boiling the sugar mixture. The pan pulled through wonderfully! Some were packaged up and taken away and far too many were left here… for us to eat. I think that a few more trial batches will be required! And I have yet to test if they mail well, any volunteers?

I have been waiting for today since Monday, at about 8:32am. Not for any reason in particular, just for the weekend and its lack of expectations.

Today began with muffins. Warm and sweet with the perfect crumb and a burst of tart blueberry. I started with a recipe from Smitten Kitchen, one that she readily admits tinkering with and added a few of my own alterations. The original recipe was for bread, but as we all know ‘quick breads’ just don’t cut it in the morning when you have a hankering for warm homemade bread, now. So I took the recipe found here, added a handful of fresh blueberries dusted in flour so they wouldn’t sink to the bottom, and topped them with a toasted pecan streusel.

I knew the baking time and temperature would need to be different for muffins and because I like instant gratification if at all possible I opted to bake them at 450 degrees for 8 minutes and then 400 degrees for 5. They turned out a little dry around the edges and stuck to the paper liners a bit, but they were pretty darn wonderful. Especially when paired with a warm cup of coffee! Which I have recently learned is amazing black, sans a drop cream or grain sugar.

Streusel

1 T cold butter
1 T flour
1/4 cup-ish of brown sugar
some cinnamon
some toasted, chopped pecans or not
This made enough to top a dozen muffins, but I could have used a little more top the last few muffins

In other news I did finish the Jungle Circles quilt AND the Spider-web quilt, and put them in my Etsy shop. But then they sold. Within a day of being there. I admit I was sad to see them go so quickly but they are off to a good home. And it means I should really get working on all those WIPS (works in progress) that are stacked on the shelves in varying states of completion.

One of those WIPS features robots and space, which makes me think I might have to tear if from Matts hands when it’s finished. I hope to add it to the shop by Monday, but we’ll see, there is Jayhawk basketball on today! When I was debating on fabric for the back of the robot quilt I came across this WONDERFUL Denise Schmidt stripe. Which was sitting right next to these little green sprouts from Jessica Levitt. They screamed spring to me, which for anyone else in the midwest or the eastern seaboard for that matter can’t come soon enough!

It was perfect, memorable, delectable.

I have been thinking all week about how I could best describe our dinner at Krause Dining. We tried new things and some very unfamiliar things. We laughed and talked and lingered over our four hour meal. It was certainly an evening I’ll remember for a long time. But I will admit I had some fears as bundled up to leave the apartment, would I order the wrong drink? Would I offend the chef in some way? And of coarse the cliched though real fear of using the wrong fork! Fortunately no great faux-pas were committed, if they were the waitstaff was gracious enough to move right along.

I could list out each of our seven courses, though that might be a little tiresome and I admit I am a little fuzzy on some of the details, there were seven after all! So I’ll just run down some of the highlights.

1. The evening started with the most exquisite Hibiscus martini. I’m not generally a martini girl, but the waiters description left me with no other choice. It was crisp and not too sweet.

2. The fish course was truly perfection. Light flakey Atlantic chard atop a puree of roasted cauliflower, topped with avocado and caviar.

3. Without equivocation I can now say that I am not a fan of foie gras. There is no doubt in my mind that it was prepared impeccably, but the texture didn’t work for me.

4. I love pre-dessert! Imagine a tall flute layered with panna-cotta, a whisper of wasabi and a granny-smith and celery slushy on top. So it sounds odd, but it was amazing. The slushy was tart and a salty, the wasabi was hot and the panna cotta was a smooth and decadent vanilla cream.

5. I have decided that morning coffee should be served al la Krause Dining. You are presented with small chocolate cups that can be filled with either cream or Kahlua and placed in the bottom of your cup. Top with freshly roasted coffee and enjoy. Repeat. And repeat.

The best part? When we sat down the place settings consisted of A knife, A fork and A spoon! My silverware drawer is more complex than that! Additionally you were free to keep your utensils after each course OR relinquish them with your plate, a kind gentleman would simply come by before the next course and distribute replacements.

For those who have been you know it’s a hard experience to place into words and for those who haven’t been you have sadly missed your chance as tonight was the last dinner served. The upside is that they, the Krauses who opened the BurgerStand about a year ago, are opening a more traditional restaurant downtown. While it may not be seven courses I am sure that it will result in equally memorable outings.

Tuesday nights dinner? Oatmeal.

You would think that since I haven’t posted to awhile “ahem” that I would be brimming with new sewing projects, failed cooking attempts and anecdotes but it’s been fairly quiet around here. There was the predictable pandemonium with cake project and the usual chaos that accompanies the holidays but now were’re getting our ducks back in a row. And hunting through drawers and cabinets for all the long-underwear and down blankets we can find as the temperatures this week are not supposed to break 20 degrees. Yes I said TWENTY and no we did not move to the Yukon a since we last spoke.

Ben & Martha’s wedding was wonderful and uniquely them. Who else would think to have a sing a-long? But I was bad and didn’t drag out the camera to photograph the fruits of my labor. Luckily the photographer, Jennifer Wetzel, came to the rescue and snapped a couple shots, I hope she got a cupcake before she left!

Christmas was wonderful. Lots of family and lovely gifts and some good ole’ wood cuttin’. I received the cookbook All Cakes Considered and am pouring over it every chance I get. Its author is a producer on NPR and her quips and tips As to be expected of a book authored by an NPR producer the writing rivals the recipes. I did manage to get one handmade gift delivered on time this year. Which for those keeping track is progress. My dear Aunt Lulu needed a lap quilt and Sarah’s just happened to have some fabrics right up her alley! I think it will be put to good use this week.

Matt & I are experiencing the last bit of Christmas tomorrow night at Krause Dining. But more about that after we have indulged our palettes.

All’s pretty quiet around here. Trying to get back into a groove and maybe even be a little productive!

In keeping with the season it was agreed that one cake should be fallish in nature. We debated on a carrot cake, but there are sooooo may variations and people have pretty distinctive opinions so we opted for a spice cake instead. And I could not be happier with the results! I think you’ll agree, it’s mouthwatering!

Conveniently Matt & I had a trip to Field Stone Orchard planned. And we came home with half a bushel of apples and a snazzy new apple peeler, corer and slicer that needed to be put to good use. There might have been apple cider slushies involved too…

I started with an Apple Spice Cake recipe from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook, which included homemade applesauce, and topped it off with a Brown Sugar Cream Cheese frosting found on Smitten Kitchen. Yep, it was heavenly and melted it your mouth.

In the midst of wedding cake baking and fall festivities I managed to whip out a little quilt for an old friend.

I have known Brooke since the days of tutus and sequins. We have commiserated over horrendous dance numbers and waited in the wings nervously marking our steps. And while I couldn’t find any photos to post I can remember those days vividly.

When I found out she was expecting a little boy I set to work trying to find the right fabrics. In combing through my stash I came across some Alexander Henry elephants that I had purchased some time back. It’s whimsical and childlike without being too kitchy. Coupled with some coordinating blues and greens and the obligatory polka dots I was set. Of coarse there was a hasty trip to the store with fingers crossed to get just a little more fabric. One of these days I might plan ahead, but what fun would that be?

In piecing the back the elephants reminded me of the marching elephants in Jungle Book. Which, if you will allow a slight rant, makes me ask why Disney no longer makes good animated movies? I am sure I am not the only one who sang along to Part of My World until she was hoarse or wore out the Beauty & The Beast soundtrack, on tape. I just can’t get excited out Cinderella 2.5, though maybe that is because I am not the target audience…

Vanilla cupcakes… sounds easy right? They have been making the rounds at birthday parties and swanky bakeries for years. So finding the perfect recipe should be like finding a needle in a pin cushion. But alas I have not done so well.

First I tried the infamous Magnolia Bakery’s version. Located in New York, it’s one of those sweet shops that have lines wrapping around the corner and have to place a limits on orders. I was sure their recipe, found in Magnolia Bakery Cookbook would be an instant success.

I’m not sure where I went wrong. I followed the recipe (which as some of you know about kills me) but the result was not good. In fact it was terrible, hence no photo. They were buttery, too buttery and heavy. The frosting was gritty and limp no matter how much I whipped it. They left both Matt and I with a tummy ache, and that is NOT something you want when baking for a wedding!

Needless to say I was let down with this recipe but I forged ahead. How could I not master something so basic? My next attempt came via the SimplyRecipes site. I remembered seeing a recipes for Double Vanilla cupcakes a few months ago and I happened to have some vanilla beans stashed in the cupboard to I gave them a shot the other night.

These too came out dense and lacking in flavor, even with double vanilla. Now it has been cold here and I never felt that my butter and sugar achieved the coveted etherial state which may account for the heaviness. But I am starting to think that maybe this is how people like their cupcakes? I my mind vanilla cupcakes should be light and airy, no? The frosting was good, it reminded me of Bryers ice-cream, the kind where you can actually see the specks of vanilla bean, but it wasn’t anything spectacular.

Why is finding a good recipe so hard? If anyone has a go to, never fail vanilla cupcake recipe out there and is willing to share I would love to try it!

So when Martha and I sat down to discuss what type of cakes she and Ben would like for their wedding it came up that a handful of people attending were vegans, as in they eat no animals or animal byproducts. Being a nice and sweet person Martha did not want them to feel left out so I said I would do some searching and see what I could come up with.

Most of the recipes I found revolved around chocolate, one even included beets! I decided that I would give this version, from Martha Stewart, a whirl. The ingredients are pretty straight forward, soy milk and margarine, apple cider vinegar, natural cane sugar, etc. But the ganache called for brown-rice syrup which I’d never heard of before It’s a thick, almost honey-like syrup made from brown rice and water that somehow has a sweet flavor…

Overall I think that cake turned out really well. Incredibly moist and chocolaty, the cocoa kind of chocolaty not the Hersey’s sort. I do need to find my straight sided cake pans so the layers will line up and create a sleek profile. The buttercream filling could be a little stiffer by adding more powdered sugar. And maybe add a little semi-sweet chocolate to the bitter-sweet in the ganache to sweeten it a little.

Matt said the cake was wonderful, but he tends to say that about anything I bake! Not a bad quality mind you, but I’m looking for a critical eye/pallet for this one. So I am going to take a bit by the fabric store this afternoon and some to work tomorrow to get more feedback.

*The finished cake will not be naked, I plan on placing large curls of chocolate on top.

Update:
I took some cake by Sarahs and work. It was very well received. Unnamed folks at Sarahs probably had a tummy ache from how much they ate, but that’s just a testament to how great it was right? Everyone seemed to think the bittersweet chocolate was perfect a good balance with the sweeter faux buttercream filling so I don’t think I’ll add any semi-sweet to the ganache. It was mentioned that there could be a little more coffee flavor, so I might sprinkle more espresso powder in the filling. All in all I think this one might be a keeper!