Spiced Pecan Banana Bread

For those you who are invited guests at the home of your family or friends for Thanksgiving this year, congratulations. You have escaped the joy and madness of preparing the Thanksgiving dinner. For those of you who are lucky enough to be hosting the BEST holiday of the year meal, congratulations. You also get to enjoy the second BEST meal of the year. Otherwise known as the day after Thanksgiving leftovers. Quite possibly that second meals is the best reward for schlepping through grocery stores getting all of your ingredients, making second or even third trips to the grocery store because you had forgotten an essential ingredient, spending all that time on your feet making the meal, getting up early to get the turkey in the oven, and fretting over whether or not everyone will love the meal you pour your heart and soul into.

With everyone's attention on turkey, the sides, and pies, why on earth would I post a new recipe for a banana bread this week? Especially when there are already two of them in the blog's archives. Consider it my way of subtly suggesting a hostess gift idea for those of you who want to bring something other than a bottle of wine or candle to your Thanksgiving hosts and/or hostesses. Or maybe I just couldn't wait to share it with you. Either way you now have yet another Banana Bread recipe in your life to make. One you need to make so you decide if it rivals your favorite.

The funniest thing happened when I posted a couple of photos of this Spiced Pecan Banana Bread on my Facebook page over the weekend. At least five, maybe six of my friends, offered to share their favorite banana bread recipes for me to make as well! Little did I know I had so many friends passionate about their banana bread recipes! With claims of converting non-banana lovers and breads having a great crunch on the outside while being super moist on the inside, it looks like visions of over ripe bananas rather than sugar plums are in my immediate future. Which could mean that instead of three banana bread recipes posted to the blog, it's possible that number could climb in the months ahead! 

I actually set out to make a chocolate chip banana bread but changed my mind at the last minute. The scent of the spiced autumnal candle burning in the kitchen may have influenced the creation of this spiced, nutty banana bread. Or maybe it was being bombarded by images of pecan pies in the last couple of weeks that caused me to have pecans on the brain. With almost a dozen overly ripe bananas in the house, I was inspired to bake up a new, different, possibly better version of the banana breads already in my life. See notes below for the chocolate chip version of this banana bread.

The riper the bananas, the deeper the flavor. This recipe calls for four ripe bananas. Unlike other banana bread recipes where all of the bananas are added in to the batter at once, this one adds them in two different stages of the batter making process. Two are beaten with granulated and brown sugars and two are mashed and folded in with the nuts at the end. 

The Spiced Pecan Banana Bread bakes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To ensure the banana bread bakes evenly rotate your baking pan midway through the baking process. 

Allow the banana bread to rest in its' pan on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a cutting board or platter.

And the verdict on this banana bread version? Before I answer that I should probably tell you about the article "It's Okay to Be Good Not Great" someone sent me recently. One that has me now rethinking, over thinking, or thinking twice about throwing out the word 'great'. I wonder how long it will be before someone writes an article on the use (overuse) of the word 'epic'. Because if I have to sparingly use words like great, epic, and maybe even best, I will definitely have to step up my creative use of adjectives, analogies, hyperboles, and metaphors game. Okay, now back to the verdict. I liked it more than this first Banana Bread recipe posted on the blog and just slightly more than the Banana Bread Version 2 recipe. In other words I will probably be making this Spiced Pecan Banana Bread recipe more often than either of the other two. Not because the other two aren't good, but because this moist on the inside, slightly crunchy on both the inside and outside banana bread is pretty gosh darn awesome! Especially lightly sprinkled with confectionary sugar! And, if by chance there were beauty contest awards for banana bread, this one would be a serious contender for taking the crown.

As an added bonus, thick one inch slices of the Spiced Pecan Banana Bread would make for great french toast! Just saying.

Happiest Thanksgiving wishes and blessings to all of you. I hope your holiday is filled with some of your favorite foods, with the company of those you love, and the spirit of gratefulness. Safe travels to those of you traveling over the holiday weekend.

For those of you still deciding on which desserts or sides to serve on Thanksgiving, I posted a Round-Up of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts for the past two years. You can find them here and here. And you can find some ideas for Thanksgiving sides here.

Recipe
Spiced Pecan Banana Bread (inspired by multiple sources)

Ingredients
4 overly ripe bananas, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, and coarsely chopped
Optional: 1 - 2 Tablespoons Sanding or sparkling sugar
Optional: Confectionary sugar for dusting slices

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 5" inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper. Butter any exposed sides. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment place two of the bananas and the sugars. Beat at medium-high speed for approximately 3 minutes to create a fluffy, creamy mixture.
4. Add in the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well to combine.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Be careful to not over beat.
6. In a small bowl, mash together the remaining two bananas.
7. Fold in the chopped pecans and mashed bananas using a rubber spatula.
8. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sanding or sparkling sugar if using. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60-75 minutes, rotating the baking pan midway through the baking process or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clear.  Note: My baking time was 67 minutes.
9. Remove banana bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.
10. Serve thick slices lightly dusted with confectionary sugar.
11. Cover the cooled banana bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if not serving immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Warm slices in the toaster or in the microwave before serving.

Note: (1) I subsequently made a second loaf of the banana bread, a chocolate chip version. Instead of using one cup of coarsely chopped toasted pecans use one cup of miniature chocolate chips. Omit the nutmeg and ground cloves, but use one teaspoon of cinnamon. This version was even more heavenly than the spiced pecan version. So there you have it, now you two new banana bread recipes in a single post!

Autumn color in Michigan (November 2018)

Sweet Potato Meringue Pie

What would Thanksgiving be without pie? Simply the fourth Thursday in November. Pie is considered to be one of those quintessentially required desserts on the Thanksgiving table. Depending on which region of the country you reside, which pie is most likely to make a holiday appearance varies. Although in spite of these regional differences, pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies are generally considered to rank highest amongst favorites. But did you know Sweet Potato Pie places somewhere in the top ten? And I would venture to guess it might be in the top three if you are from or live in the South. Of the many things learned living in Mississippi for a short while was such a thing a Sweet Potato Pie. Up until that point in my life, my Thanksgiving sweet potato consumption was limited to baked or casserole versions. 

After my first bite of a Sweet Potato Pie I realized just how deprived my sweet potato eating life had been. My first one was an unadorned version. One not even accompanied by a dollop of freshly whipped cream or the non-dairy whipped topping usually found in the frozen food aisle. Regardless of the absence of a creamy topping, I was smitten. Dare I say I liked the flavor and texture of a sweet potato pie better than pumpkin pie?

I didn't think a Sweet Potato Pie could get any better until I saw one topped with a toasted meringue. I may or may not have been drooling at the sight of it.

In my collection of clippings from magazines was a Sweet Potato Pie recipe from a very old issue of Bon Appetit. It came from Nita's Place, a restaurant in Savannah, GA. It's owner and chef Juanita Dixon became legendary in the 1990s for creating some the most savory soul food ever to have been served in the South. Unfortunately that restaurant is no longer in existence, although fortunately some of her recipes were published in various publications. Thus keeping the legacy of Nita's Place alive. Thankfully I saved the recipe for it's Sweet Potato Pie. After making Juanita's pie for the first time year back, I never looked for another sweet potato pie recipe again. Because despite of my limited sweet potato pie eating experiences, I believed this was the pie to end all pies.

For the most part, the filling for the pie is relatively easy to make with the sweet potatoes cooked not in the oven but in the microwave. You could certainly roast them in the oven if you wanted.

The recipe called for making the filling in a food processor. Instead I decided to assemble it using a bowl and whisk. My way of paying homage to all of the sweet potato pies made centuries ago.

The recipe shared in Bon Appetit called for the use of a frozen pie shell (thawed and pre-baked). Was it because Juanita didn't want to share her pie dough recipe? Or was this one of her secret shortcuts? I am guessing it may have been the former not the later. Almost everyone skilled at making pies will tell you there is a world of difference between a store-bought and homemade pie crust. And for good reason. A homemade dough helps us to live our best pie lives. There are many different pie dough recipes out there. The one I share below comes from the recently published cookbook "Sister Pie" Make this pie using this recipe or the one you love most. Just make this pie.

Like a Pumpkin Pie, this Sweet Potato Meringue Pie requires the pie crust be blind baked. Often referred to as pre-baking the crust before adding the filling. To learn more about blind baking, take a few minutes to read this how-to piece published by King Arthur Flour as it's filled with some really good tips. In the directions below I share how I blind baked this pie crust.

Once your pie shell is blind baked and allowed to cool slightly, it's filled with the luscious sweet potato pie filling. Baking time for the pie will range from 40-45 minutes or until the edges are puffed and the center is just set. This pie is ready to be enjoyed as soon as it cools. But if you are looking to take your Sweet Potato Pie eating experience to a completely new level or seeking to create a show-stopper pie, you need to top it with toasted meringue. Trust me when I say you will be happy you did.

If you can make pie dough from scratch, you can make this meringue. Even if you can't make pie dough, you can still make this meringue.

Unlike a French meringue where you beat the egg whites and sugar until the mixture is light, airy, and soft or a Swiss meringue where you begin by beating egg whites and sugar over boiling water, this meringue is made by drizzling a 240 degree (F) sugar syrup into lightly beaten egg whites, then beating at a medium-high speed until it almost quadruples in volume, is shiny, and holds medium to firm peaks. If you have never had an Italian meringue before, you are in for such a treat! Once made, the meringue is first piped or spread onto a cooled Sweet Potato Pie then lightly browned using a kitchen torch. The final step in transporting you to Sweet Potato Pie heaven.

You may never want to eat Pumpkin Pie again after you taste this Sweet Potato Meringue Pie. But don't feel free you have to give up one for the other. There is room in the pie world and on your Thanksgiving table for both of them.

This may be the most heavenly, borderline decadent, jacked up, drop the mic version of a Sweet Potato Pie on the planet. Creamy, slightly custardy in texture with it's flavor deepened from brown sugar and warm spices, a flaky buttery crust, and oh, that fluffy, toasted meringue topping makes for one highly irresistible pie. And it might be the BEST Sweet Potato Pie you have ever tasted. Your Thanksgiving is about to get happier!

Recipe
Sweet Potato Meringue Pie (Recipe for the sweet potato filling is a slightly adapted version of a very old Bon Appetit Sweet Potato Pie recipe; recipe for the dough is based on the All-Butter Pie Dough from the cookbook "Sister Pie"; and lastly, the recipe for the Italian meringue is adapted from one shared by recipe developer, pie diva Erin McDowell)
Makes one 9" pie

Ingredients
Dough (Makes enough for two crusts. See notes below)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed, preferably European-style, straight from the refrigerator
1/2 cup ice cold water-vinegar mixture (See note below)
Egg wash: one large egg very well beaten

Pie Filling
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace (or if not available, use allspice)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup frozen non-dairy whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed

Meringue (see note below)
1 cup caster or granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Dough
1. In the bowl of a large-sized food processor, add in flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend.
2. Add in cubed ice cold butter, and pulse until mixture has pea-sized pieces of butter.
3. Slow pour in a half-cup of the cider-vinegar/water mixture. Process until dough just starts coming together. Be careful not over process. Note: If the mixture isn't coming together, add more of the vinegar-water mixture, one teaspoon at a time.
4. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and briefly knead until it forms a ball. Cut the ball in half, Pat each ball into a 2" thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 90 minutes or up to 2 hours.
5. When ready to blind bake your crust, preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
6. On a lightly floured surface, place one of the disks. Roll out the dough to a 13-14 inch circle (about quarter inch thickness). Roll up the dough and place in your pie tin/plate. Roll any dough hanging out from the pie tin under itself. Shape and/or crimp your pie crust as desired. Place pie crust back in the refrigerate for at least 30 but up to 2 hours.
7. Line the pie shell with aluminum foil, lightly fold the aluminum foil over the edges of the pie plate. Fill to the top with dried beans or pie weight.
8. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let rest for 6 minutes before removing the foil and beans. Brush the edge of the pie shell with an egg wash and return pie shell to oven and bake for 2-4 additional minutes to set up the base. Note: If the dough puffs up, puncture it with a fork.
9. Let pie shell cool briefly before pouring in the pie filling. Bake pie according to directions below.

Pie Filling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave on high until a knife pierces the center easily (approximately 7 minutes per side). Note: Choose sweet potatoes having a similar size.
3. Cut sweet potatoes in half and allow to cool slightly or until you can handle them. Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Mash until no large chunks remain. Measure out 1 1/3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. Set aside.
4. In a medium sized bowl, add in eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. Whisk until blended.
5. Add in the mashed sweet potatoes until well combined and smooth.
6. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Whisk until no white streaks remain. Pour mixture into your cooled blind baked pie crust. Smooth the top. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and put into the preheated oven.
7. Bake until the filling is puffed at the edges and just set in the center (approximately 40-45 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Meringue
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix briefly to combine. Set aside.
2. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Over medium heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the sugar-water mixture until it reaches a temperature of 235 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer (approximately 4-5 minutes). 
3. Begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed so they are lightly whipped and foamy by time the sugar-water mixture reaches 240 degrees (F). As soon as the mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove the pot from the heat and begin to slowly pour the hot sugar syrup along the sides of the mixing bowl. Increase speed to medium-high, add in salt and vanilla, and continue whipping until the meringue almost quadruples in volume and reaches a medium peak (approximately 3-4 minutes.
4. Prepare two or three pastry bags fitted with an assortment of tips (e.g., open star, closed star, French star, round). Divide the meringue between the bags. Pipe meringue on top of the cooled to room temperature sweet potato pie. Completely cover the pie in meringue or make a wreath-like design (leaving the center of the pie exposed).
5. Using a kitchen torch, toast the meringue to your desired state of brown. 
6. Serve immediately or within 2-3 hours. Once topped with the meringue the pie is best enjoyed the same day. If you carefully cover any leftover pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, it is still really, really delicious.

Notes: (1) You will have enough for two pies or a single pie with a top crust with this dough recipe. If not making two pies or a top crusted pie, keep dough well wrapped in the refrigerator for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (2) If you don't want to make your own pie (although I would encourage you to), use a refrigerated pie crust. Instead of blind baking, bake the crust until lightly golden brown at 450 degrees (F) for approximately 7-9 minutes. (3) To make the water-apple cider vinegar mixture, put 2 measured Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a one-cup measuring cup. Fill to the cup line with ice cold water. Keep the chilled water-apple cider vinegar mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use. (4) Topping the Sweet Potato Pie with the meringue is optional (but turns the pie into a showstopper). If not topping with meringue, serve the pie with some lightly sweetened whip cream or simply serve plain.

Three Oaks, Michigan (November 2018)

Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves

Considering that many view adding any new or replacing any beloved dishes to the Thanksgiving dinner table as lying somewhere between an unforgivable sacrilegious act or a punishable crime, it's a wonder there is a such a proliferation of Thanksgiving recipes shared on foodblogs, in magazines, or on social media at this time of the year. As the expectations for the dishes gracing the Thanksgiving table are often so deeply rooted in childhood memories, mothers and/or fathers often feel compelled to recreate a second Thanksgiving dinner for their families when the first one fails to live up to the twelve month anticipation. Just ask anyone who sat at a Thanksgiving table where the mashed potatoes and stuffing weren't homemade but came from a box or where the cranberry sauce was different than the one treasured for generations. For some, messing with Thanksgiving dinner traditions and revered family recipes can be discombobulating. Yet, for others the changes can be refreshing.

The stakes are usually pretty high for anyone who likes to break some of unwritten rules around the family Thanksgiving dinner. And for those making their 'first' holiday meal for family and friends, the pressure can feel almost insurmountable. Yet, in spite of this, we forge ahead with menu planning. Making certain the wine choices will garner rave reviews. Because at the end of the day, if someone doesn't like the food, they can always have more wine to numb their Thanksgiving dinner disappointment.

I fall somewhere between needing to have certain Thanksgiving dishes on the table to looking forward to making or discovering something new. My father's sage-y bread stuffing must be on the table, but that doesn't mean there won't also be a cornbread mincemeat sausage one too. We abandoned the canned cranberry sauce decades ago (no offense to those of you who are canned cranberries aficionados). After years of searching for the prefect cranberry side dish, this Spiced Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney emerged as the family 'it better be on the table' favorite. In spite of making this cranberry recipe discovery, I can't help but wonder if there might be one even better. So every year I get sucked into the Thanksgiving recipe rabbit hole. 

A few months back, a friend living in Colorado, one I have yet to meet but hope to some day, casually mentioned one of her favorite cookbooks, "Fancy Pantry". Any mention of a cookbook I don't own is akin to dangling a bag of my favorite chocolates in front of me. The urge to resist is a challenge, especially if I am hangry. Within days after hearing of this cookbook, there was an Amazon box sitting on my doorstep. As I thumbed through the cookbook, a number of recipes seemed to call my name. But the one screaming at me was for Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom.  I knew it wasn't going to replace the Thanksgiving cranberry chutney, God forbid, yet rather it would give me another reason to add more cranberry to the meal as well as to my holiday entertaining options. Yes, these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves were destined for the cheese board. Maybe spread on some brie or served alongside some other favorite cheeses (like goat or Port Salut). But beyond making an appearance during the appetizer course, these preserves would be also be perfect spread on a toasted English Muffin or atop a toasted bagel schmeared with cream cheese. 

I happen to LOVE everything about cranberries. From their deep red color to their tartness, I seriously experience a bit of rush when they first appear in the grocery stores. This recipe Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves recipe brings the total number of recipes on the blog featuring cranberries to fourteen! So I guess you can say I am a little cranberry obsessed.

I made several changes to the Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom recipe from the cookbook "Fancy Pantry". I reduced the amount of sugar from three cups to two cups because the ratio of sugar to cranberries (only 4 cups) seemed disproportionate; added some kosher salt to ramp up the flavor; and, increased the amount of cardamom from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon. Additionally I added both ground cinnamon and ginger to create a slightly more spicy preserve. 

Other than the cranberries, what attracted me to the inspiration recipe was the fact that these preserves were baked in oven, not made on the stovetop. If roasting was good for vegetables, it had to be equally as good for fruit too, right? Turns out roasting the cranberries not only made for incredibly flavorful preserves, the roasting process helped to keep cranberries relatively intact.

If you bought a jar of these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves in the store, you might expect to pay anywhere from $10 and $20. Yes, they are really that better than store bought good. But now you can create your own 'fancy pantry' preserves for a fraction of that cost!

These Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves had a perfect tart-sweet balance along with a subtle citrusy flavor, while the warm of the cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger add spicy undertones. Serve them atop some Brie or alongside/over goat or other creamy, mild cheeses to create a cheese course experience everyone will be talking about long after the meal ends. Put a jar of these preserves on your breakfast table and watch it disappear. Or make any recipe calling for the use cranberry preserves better with them. The possibilities for these preserves are almost endless.

If you were looking to add one new thing your Thanksgiving pre-dinner or holiday entertaining menus, definitely consider making these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves. I am fairly confident they will be making repeat appearances throughout the winter and at next year's Thanksgiving.

Thank goodness I was paying attention the day my Colorado friend mentioned a cookbook. And had not social media connected us in a roundabout kind of way, I wouldn't have ever known such baked cranberry preserve deliciousness existed. Nor would have this connection been possible. 

Recipe
Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves (several adaptations to the Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom recipe from the cookbook "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty)
Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients
4 cups (13 1/2 ounces or 386 g) firm-fresh cranberries, picked over and rinsed
2 small mandarin oranges or 1 medium seedless orange
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Spread cranberries in a 12 inch oval cast iron pan or 9 inch square glass baking dish. Note: Do not use an aluminum pan for roasting the cranberries.
3. Cut each orange into 4 pieces. Place in a small food processor and finely chop. Note: If using a thicker skinned medium seedless orange, remove the skin from the orange and scrape the white pith from the inside. Place the peels and pulp of the orange in the food processor. Note: I didn't want my oranges pureed into a liquid, so I stopped the food processor while there were still some chunks of the skin remaining. I removed them and chopped them smaller with a knife.
4. Stir the chopped orange, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt into the cranberries, mixing thoroughly.
5. Pour the water over the mixture, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees (F), remove the pan from the oven, remove aluminum foil cover, stir gently with a spatula and return to the oven.
7. Continue baking (uncovered) for 45-50 minutes, stirring gently every 15 minutes. Cranberries should be translucent and the syrup should have thickened.
8. Remove from the oven and spoon the hot preserves into a clean canning jar or jars. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Place cover on jar and refrigerate the preserves. Preserves be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Notes: (1) These preserves would pair well with creamy cheeses. They would make for a great topping on a round of brie (top skin removed) or served in a small dish on a cheese platter. Additionally, they would be perfect atop a toasted English Muffin or Bagel. Use these preserves in place of other preserves used in your favorite jam muffin recipe.  (2) Mandarin oranges are seedless. Use only seedless oranges. (3) I made the following changes to the original recipe: decreased the amount of sugar from 3 cups to 2 cups, increased the amount of cardamom from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon, and added cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt.

Driving along the back roads in central Wisconsin (November 2018)

Sea Salted Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free)

"Firsts are best because they are beginnings." (Jenny Han) My heels weren't exactly dug in nor has my mind ever been completely made up, but I have been somewhat of a "gluten-free" confections are as good as or even better than their "gluten" counterparts non-believer. This belief would be one falling into the polarizing, dangerous "opinions matter more than facts" way of thinking. Having been fortunate not to have any allergies or health issues requiring substantive changes in or restrictions to my diet, I haven't needed or been motivated to explore the "gluten-free" world. Specifically, the gluten-free baking world. Butter and flour are my jams. More often than not I gloss over the "gluten-free" recipes while thumbing through cookbooks or cooking magazines for all the aforementioned reasons. My dismissive blinders came off last week. Although there hasn't yet been a complete 180 degree shift in my thinking, the needle has moved considerably.  All because of these gluten-free Sea Salted Peanut Butter Cookies. Ones a taste-testing friend described as kind of like eating the cookie version of a salted peanut. And I just happen to love salted peanuts. Only eating these cookies is significantly more satisfying than eating a handful of salted peanuts.

For those of you who either from experience or opinion, have been reluctant to try any gluten-free version of your favorite cookies, stay with me here for a while. I have been your kindred spirit. For those you who have had a hard time believing any cookie made butter or flour could taste as good as (or better) than one made without them, don't abandon me yet. As I too have been living in that disbelieving camp.  And finally, for those you whose eyes have been fooled once or twice by beautifully arranged images of food, I too have been disappointed when the reality didn't match the image. 

While I was hoping the heads-up penny found the other day would have brought me luck in winning the lottery, I think the penny had other plans. Apparently, my lucky day was re-discovering the five ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie recipe from the "Ovenly" cookbook. I say re-discovering because this cookbook has been sitting on my bookshelf for more than three years. Shortly after the cookbook was released a number of other foodbloggers began making the Peanut Butter Cookies and singing their praises, loudly. Making these cookie three years later clearly prove I was not amongst the 'early-adopters or fast-followers'. No I would be a (gasp) laggard! Having never considered myself to be a laggard in anything, I will (begrudgingly) admit there may be some benefits to being one. Like learning about some of the adaptations or additional techniques used to make these cookies.

Rather than using white granulated sugar, this recipe calls for the use of light brown sugar. Which results in a softer, more pillowy cookie as well as one having a deeper flavor profile. The peanut butter to brown sugar to egg ratio is also slightly different than most other gluten-free versions of a peanut butter cookie. Instead of the 1 to 1 to 1 ratio, it's a 3/4 to 3/4 to 1 ratio. 

There are technically five ingredients in these cookies. The Ovenly ingredient list called for a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. I decided to double it. Skippy peanut butter was the recommended and preferred brand of choice as it was found to be the one to best help the dough retain its' shape during baking. The 16.3 ounce jar (if every last morsel of peanut butter is scraped from the jar) will almost give you the 1 3/4 cups needed. The jar may have been a teaspoon shy of the weight of 450 g (my weight was 445 g), but I didn't think it was enough to buy another jar of Skippy peanut butter (I am usually a JIF girl.).

The cookie dough is supposed to have the consistency of play-doh. This consistency helps to ensure the cookie holds its' shape during baking. Whisking the eggs and brown sugar together for at least one minute before adding in the vanilla and peanut butter is one technique. Freezing the bowl of dough for 15 minutes, stirring once, before scooping out into balls is another. I used both techniques. 

For large, bakery sized cookies use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop (#16). This sized ice scoop will yield approximately 12 cookies. For cookies approximately three inches in diameter, use a 1 1/2 Tablespoon sized ice cream scoop (#40). Baking time will vary based on the size of the cookies. The larger cookies will take 20-22 minutes, while the more medium-sized cookies bake in 16-18 minutes. 

Before putting the cookies in the oven, place the balls of dough in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. I would recommend scooping out all of your dough before you begin the baking process. Remove only as many cookie dough balls (about 8 or 9) as will fit comfortably (leaving at least 2 inches of space between each of them) on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Again, freezing the balls of dough prior baking will help them retain their shape better. 

While my baked cookies didn't look like a baked version of the cookie dough ball (as pictured in the cookbook), they spread slightly. However, they were puffy, pillowy, and on the thick side. Qualities I adore in a cookie.

When the edges of the cookie are lightly golden and cracked on top, they are done. Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet for at least five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. The peanut butter cookies should be completely cooled before being served or transferred to a tightly sealed container. The texture of the cookie on the day they were baked differed slightly from the ones wrapped well in a cellophane bag and eaten on day two. On day one, they were slightly crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. On day two, there was still some crispiness (but not as much) to the cookie's exterior, yet still soft on the inside. They didn't last past the second day so I can't tell you what they would be like on day three.

Did I love them more than the Chocolate Dipped Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies? No. Did I love them just as much? Yes. Would I make them again? Absolutely, definitely. Am I going to abandon my love and affection for cookies made with flour and butter? No. But am I going to look at gluten-free recipes differently now? Yes! My eyes and taste buds have been permanently opened to the delicious possibilities of gluten-free confections!

If there was a best 'first' gluten-free cookie to make, it should be these Sea Salted Peanut Butter Cookies.

Recipe
Sea Salted Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free) - (barely a change to Ovenly's Peanut Butter Cookies recipe from the cookbook "Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York's Most Creative Bakery" written by Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin
12 large cookies, 18-30 medium sized cookies

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups (335 g) creamy peanut butter (Note: A 16.3 ounce jar of Skippy peanut butter will yield the amount needed. Be sure to scrape the jar!)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups (445-450 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
Flaky sea salt for finishing

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line one large and one small baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and eggs for at least one minute. 
3. Whisk in the vanilla.
4. Add the peanut butter whisking until the peanut butter is fully incorporated and the dough is the consistency of play-doh.
5. Place bowl in the freezer, stirring once, for 15 minutes.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, place the balls of dough on the smaller baking sheet. Sprinkle each dough ball with flaky sea salt (recommend Maldon). Place in freezer for at least 15 minutes to help cookies retain a taller or thicker shape.
7. Remove 8 to 9 dough balls and place on the large baking sheet. Bake the medium sized cookies for 16-18 minutes or larger sized cookies for 20-22 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and cracked on top.  Note: Rotate the baking sheet midway through the baking process.
8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
9. Continue baking the remainder cookies.
10. Let cookies cool completely before serving. Store cookies in a sealed container. Note: These cookies are best eaten on the day they are baked. But they are still good on day two. 

The splendor of the Verde Canyon as seen while on the 20 mile train ride going through the canyon. Clarksdale, Arizona (October 2018)