Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese

 

Fall has officially arrived. Its long-awaited arrival means different things for different parts of the country. Here in the Midwest, it means crisp days, perfect sleeping weather cool nights, an abundance of autumnal fruits and vegetables, a vibrant landscape, and, for me, cravings for warm foods. Fall vibes definitely inspire one (especially me) to spend as much time out in nature as well as to fill the house with sweet and savory aromas. In the weeks ahead I will be traveling out to Colorado to take in the mountain views and mountain air, hike some favorite trails, swoon over the brilliantly golden Aspens, and watch with wonder the elk rut season before returning home to make my favorite seasonal recipes. As someone who is a bit of a creature of habit, I definitely love making the tried and true, treasured ones. However, every year I like to add a few more recipes to my repertoire. And this year, and every year going forward, I will be making this Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Appetizer. Essentially made with chunky marinara, goat cheese, toasted garlic and served with grilled slices of a baguette, this may be one of the easiest, most mouthwatering, heavenly appetizers ever! For those of you who love a simple recipe, this one has your name on it. And for those of you who love simple but don't like garlic, a garlic free version is calling your name too!

This Roasted Tomato and Cheese Appetizer is my take on the one served at the Crate and Barrel restaurant just miles from my house. We ordered this delicious, hearty, comforting, rave worthy appetizer while recently celebrating my birthday with dear friends. What is not to love about dipping a slice of a grilled baguette into a warm dish of chunky marinara sauce further flavored with bits of goat cheese and toasted garlic? The three of us wolfed it all down, so that should tell you something.

I immediately knew I wanted to recreate this appetizer. However, I waited until I could buy a freshly baked baguette from a great, relatively local bakery. Because we all know not all baguettes are created equally. But did you also know grilled slices of a baguette are the most astoundingly scrumptious slices of bread? Grilling the bread creates game-changing flavor. Grilling the bread (without olive oil, you are not making crostini) to get a bit of char and that toasty flavor is key to creating an utterly wonderful, memorable appetizer. One, I promise you too will want to repeat on a regular basis. Everyone who takes a bite of this Roasted Tomato and Cheese appetizer will want the recipe.

Rather than making a homemade marinara sauce I decided to use a chunky store-bought marinara sauce (see notes). Not because I don't make a really great marinara or that we are in the height of tomato overload season, but because I wanted this appetizer to be as simple to make as possible. If you decide to make your own marinara, make sure to create a chunky version. A smooth marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought) won't deliver the same kind of flavor and texture this appetizer calls for.

This is the kind of appetizer you want to make on a cool night when having over just two to four friends. Or maybe, if served only with a salad, it's one you want to make for just two and call it dinner. Either way, you are going to be obsessed with this incredibly uncomplicated recipe.

Recipe

Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese

Serves 4-5 as a hearty appetizer

Ingredients

1 cup chunky marinara sauce (homemade or storebought - see notes)

4 ounces goat cheese, thickly sliced and then cut in half or then rolled into balls

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Baguette, cut into 1/4" slices and grilled (or toasted in the oven)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F)

2. Heat a small pan, add in the olive oil. When hot, add in the chopped garlic. Sauté until the garlic is lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Pour the marinara sauce into a 4 inch deep baking dish or 4 inch cast iron pan. Top with the goat cheese.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the marinara is hot and the goat cheese has softened. (I usually just stick my finger into the sauce to test for doneness.)

5. Remove from the oven and top with the sauteed garlic.

6. Serve with the grilled or toasted baguette slices.

Notes: (1) I used the Rustic Cut Marinara Sauce from Bertolli. (2) Instead of putting half slices of goat cheese into the marinara, roll the cut slices into small balls and then place on top (it might make for an even prettier presentation). (3) If you don't love garlic or it doesn't agree with you, leave it out. It will still be a very satisfying appetizer. (4) If you don't have a grill, toast your baguette slices in the oven. The flavor will be a bit different, but it will give the slices the stability needed to dip into the marinara.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado

Roasted Chicken Salad

For some admittedly selfish reasons, September has long been one of my favorite months of the year. From the long ago days of the return to the new school year, to a wedding anniversary, to birthdays, the arrival of the month was like a reward for surviving the sweltering humid summer weather. However, with having experienced a profound loss this year, September had lost some of its' appeal and enchantment. Fortunately for me, I am blessed with and surrounded by an incredibly supportive, thoughtful, generous, intuitive group of friends who have, through their gestures and words, ensured my affinity for the month of September was not completely lost. In addition to having a happy, memorable birthday this year, one of the unexpected outcomes of their love has been my increased return to creating sweet things and savories in the kitchen. So, in some ways, the recipe for this scrumptious Roasted Chicken Salad may have never come about if it hadn't been for them.

The other source of inspiration for this Roasted Chicken Salad was the flavors typically associated with the fall season. Specifically, apples (Honey Crisp) and dried cranberries. If your ideal chicken salad contains those two ingredients, then either keep reading or scroll down to the recipe. Today is your lucky day!

Initially when making this chicken salad I briefly considered poaching the chicken breasts. But I wanted this it to have a depth of flavor only roasted chicken could bring. I vacillated between making it with a store-bought rotisserie chicken or bone-in chicken breasts roasted in the oven. I went with the second option. But if you like simplicity or are short on time you could easily make this chicken salad with a rotisserie chicken you shred yourself.  

I was this many years old when I learned the easiest way to shred a roasted chicken or roasted chicken breasts was to do it a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment! That may sound a little crazy, but it actually works. Throwing big chunks of still slightly warm (versus cold) chicken in the mixer and then stirring on low-medium until it's shredded results in perfectly shredded chicken done in only a few minutes without a big mess. You might end up with a few huge pieces of shredded chicken, but those can easily be broken up with your fingers or a fork.

One of the keys to a perfectly textured chicken salad is size of the diced apples, shallots, and celery. While the shallots will be more finely minced, the apples and celery should be small diced (about a 1/4" in size) so your finished chicken salad has some crunch and texture to it.

The dressing is made simply with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. The recipe below gives you a starting point for the dressing amounts you need for each. But the consistency of a great chicken salad is most often based on personal preference. Some like it less creamy, others like it very creamy. If you are on team creamy, keep in mind the following ratios when adding more of each. For every 1/3 cup of mayonnaise add in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

A Roasted Chicken Salad may be the most versatile "salad" out there. It can be enjoyed on croissants, slices of bread, rolls, buns, or pita bread for the sandwich presentation. It can be served with crackers, slices of a toasted baguette, or leaves of lettuce as an appetizer or light lunch presentation. Or you can just eat a small or large serving with a fork all by itself paired with or without your favorite fruits or vegetables. It's great for picnics, barbecues, girl lunches, informal gatherings, tailgating, or cocktail parties. In other words, this one bowl wonder is definitely something you absolutely need in your life. 

You will find many variations of a Roasted Chicken Salad, but, and I may be tad biased, I think this is the BEST, most flavorful, most satisfying to eat one. Great food doesn't have to be 'fancy' or 'complicated' or 'expensive' to make. Great food can be simple to make. And I would definitely put this Roasted Chicken Salad in the great food category!

Recipe

Roasted Chicken Salad

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (skin on, bone-in), roasted (or you can use a rotisserie chicken)

1 cup mayonnaise, plus more to taste

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard. plus more to taste

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup small diced Honey Crisp apple (about one medium sized unpeeled apple)

1/3 cup small diced shallot (about one large shallot)

3/4 to 1 cup small diced celery (about two large stalks)

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Optional: 2 Tablespoons freshly minced tarragon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil on top of the chicken breasts. Season with Kosher salt, pepper, and onion powder. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees (F). Allow to cool to touch. Then remove the bone from the chicken breasts while they are still warm. Note: You want 1 1/2 pounds of roasted chicken after the bones are removed.

2. Use your hands to the chicken breasts apart into 2 or 3 pieces. Place the pieces in the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn on medium-low speed to shred the chicken. Alternately shred the chicken using two forks.

3. Mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. In large bowl combine the shredded chicken, diced apples, diced shallots, diced celery and dried cranberries (and Tarragon if using).

5. Add in the mayonnaise/mustard mixture and stir to combine. If you want the chicken salad creamier add in more mayonnaise and Dijon mustard (for every 1/3 cup of mayonnaise add in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard).

6. Chill for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Can be made early in the day or day before serving. Covered and chilled in the refrigerator, the roasted chicken salad will be good for 3-4 days, if it lasts that long.

Notes: (1) If you don't want to roast your own chicken, use a good store-bought rotisserie chicken (skin removed). Shred all of the chicken to get a yield of about 1 1/2 pounds of meat. (2) Instead of shredding the chicken you can cut it into cubes, although I much prefer the texture of a shredded chicken salad.

Classic Bolognese

 

Some things cannot be rushed. Some things require care and patience. And a Classic Bolognese would be one of those things. A plate of a slowly simmered, rich, deeply flavored Bolognese tossed in pasta may be one of the most satisfying, comforting meals to serve to those you love. The most epic dinner parties or the most memorable Sunday dinners call for a large platter of this Classic Bolognese, a loaf of great bread, a bottle of a great wine, maybe a lovely salad, and maybe a simple affogato for dessert. While this meal itself may appear to be seemingly simple, one bite of the Bolognese and your taste buds will immediately recognize the complexity and layers of flavor in the sauce. It's a far from simple meal.

There are many versions and interpretations of Bologna's famed sauce. And as much as I love Ann Burrell's milk free, very tomato and red wine forward Bolognese (this one) as well as Mario Batali's veal, pork, and pancetta version (this one), a Bolognese sauce heavily based on the one created by Marcella Hazan is hands down the gold standard of ragus. While I wouldn't tell you to abandon your version of a Bolognese, the one your family and friends swoon over, I would tell you this version might have you wishing you discovered it first or maybe even sooner.

Onions, carrots, celery, ground chuck, whole milk, dry white wine, a dash of nutmeg, Kosher salt, black pepper, and imported Italian tomatoes come together to create the most highly nuanced, deeply flavored sauce. There is no garlic, red wine, tomato paste, pork, veal, guanciale, pancetta, or herbs in this sauce. While the absence of those ingredients may have you taking pause, I promise you not at all be mad about it.

Even though the ingredients here matter, the process of making the Bolognese matters even more. According to Marcella Hazan, there are three essential points you must remember when making a successful ragu. To start, the meat should only be sauteed just barely long enough to lose its' raw, red color. Browned meat will lose its delicacy. Second, the meat must be cooked in the milk before the tomatoes are added as this helps to keep the meat creamier and sweeter tasting. And lastly, the sauce must cook at a very low simmer for a very, very, very long time. Minimally for 3 1/2 hours and ideally somewhere closer to 4 1/2 hours (maybe even 5). For the most optimal, richest, deepest flavor, time matters.

The milk and wine are added in separately during the cooking process. And both must evaporate before subsequent ingredients are added in order to achieve the Bolognese's signature flavor. The slower cooking process enabling the milk to reduce and evaporate concentrates the flavors of the milk, meat and other ingredients and prevents curdling, thereby creating a deeper more complex sauce. Allowing the alcohol in the wine to evaporate not only concentrates its rich flavors, but it also adds depth to sauce. The result is a more complex, well-rounded sauce rather than one having a more dominant, overpowering alcohol taste. 

The long simmering time for the Bolognese is essential to tenderizing the meat as well as creating its signature rich, complex, almost velvety like texture. Additionally, it completely eliminates the possibility of a watery sauce. And there may be nothing worse than a watery Bolognese.

The union of a great pasta and the Bolognese is a marriage made in heaven. There are any number of great pasta options to pair with the ragu. From Tagliatelle, to Pappardelle, to Fettuccine, to Rigatoni, to Penne, to Ziti, to Bucatini, to the Tubular Pasta I used here. The only pasta I would recommend not using is spaghetti as the chunky meat sauce doesn't cling well to the slippery, thin pasta.

My new taste tester gave this Classic Bolognese a rating of 9.1. Which wasn't too far off from my rating of a perfect 10. Because you need nothing less than perfection (or as close to perfection as possible) in your life, this Classic Bolognese is destined to be your (newest) favorite, the one you make when you want to impress your family/friends, and the one bringing you much needed comfort. 

Recipe

Classic Bolognese

Makes at least 6-7 cups of sauce

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 Tablespoons butter, plus 1 Tablespoon for finishing

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrot

1 3/4-pounds ground chuck (80/20)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups whole milk

5-7 grates of a nutmeg

2 cups dry white wine (i.e., Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio)
2 - 28 ounce cans imported plum tomatoes, chopped with all their juices (e.g., San Marzano)

1 to 1 1/4 pounds of pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

1. In a large cast iron casserole pot, add in the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add in the diced onion. Sauté over medium heat until slightly translucent (about 2-3 minutes).

2. Add in the celery and carrot and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add in the ground beef, crumbling it the pot with a fork. Add in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook only until the meat has lost its raw, red color (do not overcook or brown).

4. Add in the milk, turn the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk has evaporated (this will take 10-15 minutes).

5. Add in the grates of nutmeg.

6. Add in the dry white wine. On medium high heat cook until the wine has evaporated. Stir occasionally (this will take 10-15 minutes).

7. Add in the tomatoes and juice and stir completely. When the tomatoes have started to bubble, turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook, uncovered for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

8. Taste for salt and stir in one tablespoon of butter.

9. Cook your pasta.

10. Pour some of the Bolognese on the bottom of a platter.  Top with the cooked pasta. Pour some of the remaining sauce over and toss. When the pasta is lightly coated. Top with the remaining sauce and toss again, just lightly. Serve with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Important Note: You will not use all of this Bolognese if using 1 or 1 1/4 pounds of pasta. You will enough left over to freeze for reheating on a cold, chilly day. You only need 2 1/2 to 3 cups of sauce to toss with the pasta. You can always have another cup on the side for those who want an even heavier serving.

Notes: (1) This recipe highly based on Marcella Hazan's Meat Sauce Bolognese Style from her cookbook "The Classic Italian Cookbook". The amounts of the vegetables were increased and the order in which the milk and wine were added were the only two changes made to her recipe. (2) The Bolognese can be made a day ahead. Keep covered and chilled in the refrigerator. Reheat slowly over low heat when ready to serve. (3) Sauce can be frozen in freezer proof containers or plastic freezer bags for up to 3 to 4 months, but three months would be the optimal time limit.

White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles - Levain Style

In full disclosure I was well into my adulthood before I had my first taste of a snickerdoodle. And up until that point I am pretty sure I had never heard of those soft, chewy, slightly cakey, full of sweet cinnamon-sugar flavor cookies before that. Maybe if I had grown up in a Dutch, German or Amish home, I would have. And it was actually mindboggling to learn snickerdoodles have been around since the 1800s. Yet, in spite of their two century's old history, they never found a way into my childhood. 

If, by chance, I could time travel back to my youth these humongous, gorgeous, divinely delicious White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles (Levain Style) would be the ones, the only ones, I would have wanted waiting for me after-school or finding in the cookie jar. Because this version of a snickerdoodle is nothing short of pure cookie insanity. Even the most loyal chocolate chip cookie eater would find these snickerdoodle cookies irresistible. 

So, what makes these White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles (Levain Style) so extraordinary, so different than the more traditional, classic version? To start with, the ingredients go well beyond butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon. This version includes the use of baking powder, the use of both an egg and (two) egg yolks, a generous amount of cinnamon, brown sugar as well as granulated sugar, cornstarch, white chocolate chips and a flaky sea salt finish. All which help to create the dreamiest, most decadent, swoonworthy type of snickerdoodles. 

But more than just the ingredients, the assembly and baking process is drastically different. While many snickerdoodle recipes call for room temperature butter, this one calls for chilled butter. An unlike most traditional recipes which are baked as soon as the batter comes together, these snickerdoodles require a 24-hour freezing time. That freezing time allows the butter and sugars to meld (creating an even richer tasting cookie), reduces the amount of spread during baking (creating a thick, luscious cookie), and enables the flour to become hydrated (contributing to an even chewier texture). 

If there is one downside to this recipe it's that it only makes ten cookies. But with the dough divided into ten 4.5 ounce balls (shaped into tall cylindrical rather than round mounds) the baked snickerdoodles end up being almost 4.5 inches in diameter, having a significant thickness as well as looking like they came from a high-end bakery. 

The baking temperature in snickerdoodle recipes ranges anywhere from 325 to 400 degrees (F). Rather than baking these cookies at a high temperature for a short period of time, these are baked at the lower 325 degrees (F) temperature for somewhere between 24-26 minutes. The longer baking time and lower baking temperature truly create the most beautiful, perfectly textured, some scrumptious snickerdoodles. Your head will be spinning after you bite into them! And the addition of white chocolate chips to them and a flaky sea salt finish are game changers.

If you have never had a snickerdoodle before or have a rather indifferent opinion about them, you need to make these bar-raising, deeply flavorful, pillowy, cinnamon-y White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles (Levain Style). I promise your cookie eating life will be changed forever (for the better!). 

Recipe

White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles - Levain Style

Makes 10 ginormous cookies

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups (405g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/3 cups (230g) white chocolate chips

Flaky Sea Salt (for finishing)

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, and Kosher salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined but not overly creamy (you will still see some small pieces of butter).

3. Beat in the egg and egg yolks until well blended.

4. Mix in the vanilla.

5. Add in the dry ingredients in two additions. Beat until blended.

6. Mix in the white chocolate chips.

7. Divide the cookies into 10 even pieces (they should each weight 4.5 ounces or 127g). Shape the cookies so they are taller than they are wide (think cylindrical).

8. Mix together the 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon. Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use all of the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

9. Put the dough on a small sheet pan, cover well with plastic wrap and freeze for 24 hours.

10. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F).

11. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 5 dough balls on each sheet, spreading out even as the cookies will spread as they bake.

12. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

13. Baking one sheet at a time bake the cookies for 24-26 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 10-12 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

14. Enjoy immediately or wrap in glassine or cellophane bags.

15. Note: The cookies are at their absolute best on the day they are baked. They are still very delicious on day two and three (if they last that long) but keep stored in an airtight container.

Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Wyoming (September 2024)

Maple Granola

If you have been to a Farmer's Market lately you have probably come across a table selling homemade granola. Usually sold in twelve ounce bags, you can expect to pay anywhere from $16 to $20 for a bag of granola. For that quantity, it might be considered to be on the pricey side. And while these Farmer's Market bags of granola make for a great hostess gift, a jar of your own homemade granola would be an equally great (or even better) gift. As a bonus, you can make enough to give to a friend and to enjoy yourself! 

My cravings for granola have increased significantly now that I have been eating Greek yogurt on a regular, almost daily, basis. In addition to some fresh blueberries, a tiny amount of honey, and several dark chocolate chips, mixing in some homemade granola takes the yogurt eating experience to whole new level of deliciousness. I have discovered that I love a very nutty granola, one also having the flavors of maple and cinnamon as well as being chockful of dried fruit. Dried cherries and dried cranberries being amongst my favorites. So I decided to use this recipe from the blog as the framework in developing the recipe for this Maple Granola.

And there were a myriad of changes made to that recipe. From reducing the amount of oats, to eliminating the use of honey, to increasing the amounts of maple syrup, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and dried fruit, to adding pistachios, to altering the baking temperature. The combination of all of these changes resulted in an even more delicious, heartier, more satisfying granola. In other words, this may be the BEST granola recipe now on the blog. And it's now my favorite!

Without any artificial ingredients, this Maple Granola is naturally sweetened by the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. The added sweetness comes from the addition of the dried fruit.

Because this Maple Granola is load with nuts, it's one having a high level of protein. When compared to a store-bought granola, this one is so much healthier! With a shelf life of about 4 weeks, this Maple Granola is perfect for giving to and/or sending out to friends. It also makes for a great hostess gift!

I will be putting this Maple Granola on repeat for an indefinite period of time as I can't imagine getting tired of either making or eating obscene amounts of it. Not only because it is so deeply flavorful and textured, but it brings me joy every time I have some. Whether it's just a small handful to snack on, or a topping on my yogurt, or mixed with some milk, this Maple Granola has definitely become my latest obsession. And who knows, once you make this granola you might never again buy any from the Farmer's Market! 

Recipe

Maple Granola

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups (280g) old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup (92g) wheat germ 

3/4 cup (80g) oat bran

1/2 cup (72g) sunflower seeds

1/2 cup (113g) whole almonds

1/2 cup ( 58g) pecan halves

1/2 cup (56g) walnut halves

1/3 cup (66g) dark brown sugar

2/3 cup pure maple syrup (or could use as little as 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil or a high quality extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 large egg white, whipped to very, very soft peaks

1 1/2 cups (215g) dried fruit mixture (e.g., dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, apricots, etc.)

1/2 cup (78g) roasted and salted pistachios

Optional additions: chocolate chips, coconut flakes, cashews instead of pistachios.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F). Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds. pecans, and walnuts.

3. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and canola oil. Bring to boil. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and Kosher salt.

4. Pour over the oat mixture. Stir to combine.

5. Add the lightly whipped egg white. Stir to combine.

6. Transfer the mixture to baking pan. Evenly spread out on the baking sheet.

7. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Halfway through the baking process, stir the mixture. 

8. Remove pan from the oven and press the mixture down firmly with your hands or with a meat mallet. This will help create clumps when you break the cooled granola apart.

9. Top with dried fruit and pistachios. Note: I used dried cherries and dried cranberries. 

10. Let granola completely cool to room temperature. Break the granola apart into various sizes of clusters (not all of the granola will cluster). 

11. Store the granola in a tightly sealed storage container or wrap in cellophane bags tied with string/ribbon or a tightly sealed jar. Granola will be good for up to 4 weeks if stored in a dry, cool place.

12. Serve granola with milk or yogurt. Or top a bowl of ice cream with a handful of granola or just eat it as a snack!

Notes: (1) Use your favorite dried fruit. Use all dried cranberries, all dried cherries, all raisins, all dried apricots and/or any combination of them. (2) In addition to dried fruit add in semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup) for an even more decadent version. (3) The recipe can easily be doubled. Divide mixture between two large baking pans. If you are lucky enough to have a double oven, put a baking pan of granola in each oven. If you only have a single oven, rotate your two baking trays halfway through the baking process. (4) I generally buy my dried fruit from Trader Joe's. (5) If gifting this granola, I highly recommend putting it large canning jars. Not only do they make for a beautiful presentation, they increase the shelf life of the granola.

Chewy Ginger Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Filling

"You can be miserable before you eat a cookie and you can be miserable after you eat a cookie, but you can't be miserable while you're eating a cookie." (Ina Garten). That is one of my all-time favorite quotes from the Barefoot Contessa. So how exactly should you feel while eating a cookie? Or more specifically, how exactly should you feel eating this intensely spiced, textured Chewy Ginger Cookie w/ Cream Cheese Filling? Delirious, in seventh heaven, blissful, and/or obsessed? Yes, all of them. Because this cookie is so tantalizing to your taste buds you might remain on a cookie high for hours afterwards.

I have been obsessed with wanting to replicate one of my favorite cookies at one of my favorite bakeries (Broken Tart in Oak Park) for a while now. And I think I have come really, really close to creating one worthy of competing with theirs. With its crispy edges and slightly underdone center, this chewy ginger cookie paired with a luscious cream cheese filling is seriously ambrosial. If you love a spicy gingery, chewy molasses cookie, this cookie just might be the ginger cookie of your dreams!

Unlike most ginger cookie recipes, this one does not require any chill time. This is a cookie you want to spread (rather than puff up) and be on the slightly thin side (but still have some heft to it). And because it is made with only butter and not shortening or a butter/shortening combination, the cookie retains a buttery flavor even with the competing flavors of the molasses and the spices. There are many different spice combinations for a ginger cookie. The 2 to 1 ginger to cinnamon ratio along with some ground cloves and allspice give this cookie a perfect depth of spiciness. Please don't be tempted to scale back on the amounts of any of the spices or eliminate any of them as its this combination that gives the cookie its etherealness. 

If there was ever a time when a scale becomes more of a necessity than a nice to have, its in the making of these cookies. You want the cookies to all weigh the same (55g) so that when baked they come out the exact same size. This is important not only to ensure all of the cookies on the tray bake evenly, but to ensure the tops and bottoms of your sandwich cookies match up evenly. Note: This cookie uses the pan banging method and the use of a large round cookie cutter or bowl to shape them. Finished cookies should about 4" in diameter.

While the cookies are fabulous all on their own, they are next level when made into a sandwich cookie. The luscious cream cheese icing pairs perfectly with the cookies as it ever so slightly tempers the sweetness of the cookie. On a side note, a butter/confectionary sugar icing would make this cookie much too sweet. 

This is a large (slightly larger than 4" in diameter) cookie. Some of you will be able to eat an entire cookie in one sitting, while others of you may be satisfied after eating only a half of a cookie. 

Ginger cookie lovers are a diverse group of individuals. Some like a very crispy ginger cookie, some like a crisp around the perimeter and chewy in the center cookie, some like them thin and snappy, some like them thick and crunchy, and some like them dipped in white chocolate. This Chewy Ginger Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Filling will speak the ginger cookie love language to many ginger cookie aficionados. It might also redefine what Ginger Cookie Greatness should taste like. 

Recipe

Chewy Ginger Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Filling

Makes 20 bakery sized (4" sized) cookies or 10 bakery sized (4" sized) sandwich cookies

Ingredients

Chewy Ginger Cookies

3 cups (420g) all-purpose unbleached flour (e.g., King Arthur)

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (155g) dark brown sugar

6 Tablespoons (120g) molasses (see notes)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Additional granulated sugar for rolling

Cream Cheese Filling

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, slightly softened

4 cups (480g) confectionary sugar

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Chewy Ginger Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, Kosher salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter (about 1 minute).

4. Add in the granulated and dark brown sugars. Cream until creamy and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

5. Beat in the molasses.

6. Add in the egg and egg yolk, one at a time. Beat until well blended. Scrape sides of the bowl between egg additions.

7. Beat in the vanilla. 

8. Add in the dry ingredients in 3 additions. Beat until well blended. 

9. Make a small bowl filled with granulated sugar.

10. Create 20 balls of dough (55g each). Note: It's important that all balls of dough weigh the same.

11. Roll six balls of dough in the sugar. Place the six balls (well spaced) on one of the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set on the edges but still slightly soft in the middle. Remove from oven. Bang the pan on the counter. Use the bowl technique to round out each cookie (you want them as uniform as possible). Allow them to rest on cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes. Remove and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

12. Repeat with remaining dough balls.

Cream Cheese Filling

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter.

2. Add in the cream cheese. Beat until well blended.

3. Mix in the salt and the vanilla.

4. Add in the confectionary sugar in 3 to 4 additions. Beat until creamy and fluffy. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Fill a piping bag fitted with a round pastry tip. Pipe the icing on one side of the room temperature cookies. Top with another cookie. Press down slightly. Note: Pipe starting near the edge of the cookie and work inward.

6. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Note: Cookies are great chilled or at room temperature. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving if you like less chilled cookies. If well wrapped in the refrigerator they will be good for at least 4 to 5 days (if they last that long).

Notes: (1) I generally use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour. (2) I used Grandma's Original molasses, not the robust molasses. (3) 6 Tablespoons of molasses is a little more than 1/3 cup, but recommend you weigh it (as it's easier). (4) No chilling time is required for these cookies. (5) You will have a little of the cream cheese icing left over. Buy a couple of unfrosted chocolate muffins from the grocery store and ice them. (6) My other favorite Ginger Cookie is this one.

Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT (May 2025)

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

I could have waited until the official launch of the fall pumpkin spice season to share the recipe for this Spiced Pumpkin Bread with you. But I think it's a bit unfair to pigeonhole a moist, deeply fragrant Spiced Pumpkin Bread into a season or two. Nor do I think this scrumptious recipe should be held hostage by whoever it is that decides when pumpkin spice season should begin. And it seems I may not be alone in some of my thinking. Starbucks sells slices of their pumpkin loaf year-round. Canned pumpkin is available in the grocery stores year-round. Which, in my world, endorses the idea of putting pumpkin bread baking into the twelve months of the year category. With fall decorations and clothing already on the shelves and racks in the stores, it seems the seasonal boundaries some of us grew up no longer exist. So now we are all free to bake and savor Spiced Pumpkin Bread whenever our hearts and palates desire it! Even if that's on a humid 90+ degree day in July.

With four recipes for Pumpkin Bread already on the blog, why would I possibly think adding a fifth one makes any sense at all? The short answer is I think it makes perfect sense. The longer answer is I truly believe there is a better version of most things. We may be sentimentally attached to certain recipes (e.g, they were childhood favorites, they were firsts), however, that loyalty is often tested when we discover a variation that actually tastes better. After tasting this Spiced Pumpkin Bread, my faithfulness to all of the other pumpkin bread recipes on the blog was seriously challenged. Although I am still a bit attached to the Streusel Pumpkin Bread recipe I shared almost two years ago. But if I was forced to choose between that one and this one, well I would have to go with the recipe for this one. Because it would be the one I genuinely believe would win the throw-down, a county or state fair blue ribbon, and/or the heart one you are in pursuit of. Yes, this Spiced Pumpkin Bread is that good.

Like most "quick" breads, the dry and wet ingredients are mixed separately and then gently combined. This recipe follows that same rule. However, one thing I learned over the years is the importance of lightly beating the eggs before adding them with or to the other wet ingredients. The reasons for this are that it helps to ensure the yolks and whites are evenly mixed and it helps to incorporate some air in the batter. And that air contributes a slightly fluffier result.

The batter for this Spiced Pumpkin Bread is on the thick side. To achieve the most optimal flavor and texture, always let your "quick" bread batter rest for a short period of time. Not only does it allow the gluten to relax (which helps to create a tender crumb), it allows the flour to fully hydrate into the batter (which results in more even cooking). At a minimum I let my batter rest for 5 minutes, but more often than not my resting time is closer to 10 minutes.

I strongly believe "quick" breads are best made in metal pans. In other words, never ever use a glass pan to make a "quick" bread. And speaking of pans, I have come to love using a Pullman style baking pan when it comes to making quick breads. The finished bread as well as the slices have a gorgeous 'bought from the bakery' look to them. (See notes about the Pullman pan).

And you know how that crack down the center of the loaf makes the finished bread look even more beautiful? Well, that crack doesn't happen by luck or by accident. It happens when you coat a knife with oil (canola or vegetable) and score a line down the center of the batter. Use that "trick" when making any of your other quick breads (e.g., banana, cranberry, etc). I promise you and everyone else will be swooning over all of your baked breads!

In a preheated 325 degrees (F) oven the baking time for this Spiced Pumpkin Bread ranges from 90 to 100 minutes. The bread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the bread come out clean.

This Spiced Pumpkin Bread is moist, tender, deeply spiced, plush, and even has an irresistibly delicious sugary, crunchy top. It's everything a great pumpkin bread should be. And it's why you need not wait to make it until someone in social media tells you it's pumpkin spice season. Because we all know Spiced Pumpkin Bread isn't a seasonal bread!

Recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (314g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder

2 teaspoons (6g) Kosher salt

5 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon allspice

15 ounce (425g) can of pumpkin

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (105g) dark brown sugar

2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-3 Tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line an 8"x4" or 8.5"x4.5" or 9"x4" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter sides of pan (if exposed) and bottom of the pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Blend well. Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl, first add in the lightly beaten eggs. Then add in the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk to blend.

4. Add in the oil to the egg mixture. Whisk to blend. Add in the pumpkin. Whisk to blend.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Using a spatula fold until well blended.

6. Spoon the batter in the pan. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

7. Take a sharp knife, dip in some canola or vegetable oil. Score a line down the center of the batter, leaving a 1" border on each end. Score one more time (going in at least 1 1/2" into the batter.)

8. Generously sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

9. Place the baking pan on a baking sheet. Bake the Spiced Pumpkin Bread for 90-100 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Note: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the baking process.

10. Remove baked pumpkin bread from the oven. Let cool in pan 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

11. Cut into thick 3/4"-1" slices.

12. Store any leftovers (covered) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (if it lasts that long).

Notes: (1) I use a Pullman Loaf Pan (like this one) to bake quick breads. I love the flat edges and depth of the pan. You can find these pans on Amazon or at your favorite cooking store. (2) This would be a great bread to bring as a hostess gift, as part of a food package to a family member or friend, to a book club, to serve at a weekend gathering.....the list of reasons to make this Pumpkin Spice Bread are almost endless.

Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT, May 2025