Spiced Nuts

I had a container each of walnuts, almonds and cashews and was trying to figure out what to use them for.  I came across Emeril Lagasse's Spiced Nuts recipe (click here for original recipe) and decided to make them.  I adjusted the recipe a little bit and used what I had.  You can use any mixture of nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios or cashews.  These Spiced Nuts were super easy to make and are a great snack.  They are a combination of flavors, both sweet and spicy.  These Spiced Nuts would make a great gift during the upcoming holidays too.  My friend recommended adding fresh chopped rosemary to the spices so I will have to try that next time.  Enjoy!

Spiced Nuts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

6 cups unsalted mixed nuts (I used walnuts, almonds and cashews.)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

Directions

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Set aside.

In a bowl, mix spices together.  Set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium heat.  Add nuts and stir until they begin to toast, about 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add butter and stir until nuts begin to darken, about 1 minute.

Stir in spices, brown sugar, and water.  Continue to stir until nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.

Transfer nuts to foil lined baking sheet.  Separate nuts with a fork so they don’t stick together.  

Allow nuts to cool for at least 10 minutes and store in an airtight container.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Icing

These Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Icing are delicious.   I mostly followed Martha Stewart's recipe (click here for original recipe link), you can't go wrong with Martha right?  I shared these at a belated birthday brunch for dessert and I watched my friend's 2 year old gobble up an entire cupcake!  The "cupcakes" are also great without icing too, they are like banana muffins.  But I was told the icing is one of the best parts haha.  Enjoy!

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Icing

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for Cupcakes

1 ½ cup flour

1 teaspooon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 to 4 ripe bananas)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients for Honey Cinnamon Icing

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a bowl, mix sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add in bananas, eggs and vanilla.

Slowly add in dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Divide batter evenly in lined muffin pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean.

Remove cupcakes from pan and cool on wire rack.  

While cupcakes are cooling, you can make the honey cinnamon icing.

In a stand mixer, beat powdered sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and cinnamon until smooth.

Spread (or pipe) honey cinnamon icing on cooled cupcakes.

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Makes 12 to 15 cupcakes.

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

This Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is basically the same recipe as my One Bowl Banana Bread recipe with the addition of the cinnamon swirl.  I love how the top of the bread has a baked cinnamon sugar crust.   The bread is moist and delicious as usual, enjoy!

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup butter, melted (I microwave in a bowl for about 45 seconds.)

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 ½ cup flour

Ingredients for Cinnamon Swirl

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mash peeled bananas with a fork.

Mix in butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. 

Next, add in baking soda, salt and flour.

Pour half the batter into greased loaf pan.    

Sprinkle a layer of cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top of batter.

Pour remaining batter over cinnamon sugar layer.

Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top.

Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Slow Cooker Berry Bread Pudding

I took a chance during Hurricane Sandy to make a slow cooker meal on Monday!  Luckily I never lost power and I was able to make this slow cooker berry bread pudding.  I really liked this bread pudding but it was a little bit watery when I made it.  Next time I will probably use a little less milk and see how it turns out.   This is such a simple recipe and perfect when you don't want to bake something.  I have eaten this berry bread pudding for dessert and even breakfast already.  It's delicious!  Happy Halloween everyone! 

Slow Cooker Berry Bread Pudding

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 package of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (I used King’s brand, 12 count.)

2 ½ - 3 cups vanilla soy milk (You may use regular milk.)

4 eggs

¼ cup butter, melted

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ - 3 cups berries (I used diced strawberries and blueberries.)

Directions

Tear sweet rolls into bite size cubes; I tore each sweet roll into 4 pieces.

Spray slow cooker with non stick cooking spray.  Place half the cube rolls into the bottom of the slow cooker.   Top with half the berries.

In a large bowl, whisk together butter, soymilk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

Pour half the mixture over the bread cubes and berries.  Press bread down to ensure the mixture is being absorbed by the bread.

Layer with remaining bread cubes and berries.  Pour remaining mixture on top.  Press bread down gently.  (Optional – sprinkle some additional sugar on top.)

Cover and cook on low for 3-4  hours.  Turn on high for the last 30 minutes and leave the lid cracked up to let the steam escape.

It will be done when a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.   

Pumpkin Chicken

Pumpkin chicken?  Yup!  I needed to use up some leftover pumpkin puree so I thought why not.  I adapted this pumpkin chicken recipe from Witty in the City (original recipe here).  I had to use honey instead of maple syrup since I didn't have any.  This pumpkin chicken was actually a little on the spicy side, so if you like a kick, this is your type of chicken dish.  Serve this pumpkin chicken over rice or egg noodles and definitely spoon some of that extra sauce on top.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chicken

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (4 pieces)

1 cup pumpkin (plain puree)

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

½ teaspoon garam masala (or curry powder)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Place in baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, chicken stock, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, red chili pepper flakes and garam masala.

Pour pumpkin sauce over chicken.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Rotate baking dish halfway through baking and baste chicken with the pumpkin sauce.

Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Simple Berry Cobbler

This is truly a simple berry cobbler recipe.  I loved this berry cobbler, it is such a warm and inviting dish.  I served it with a scoop of TJ's frozen vanilla greek fat free yogurt.  It was delicious and is the perfect contract between sweet and tart.  You could also serve it with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, but I was trying to be somewhat healthy.  This simple berry cobbler is great as a dessert or even breakfast.  Enjoy!

Simple Berry Cobbler

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries

2 cups strawberries, diced (same size as blueberries)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, add butter and place in oven while preheating so butter melts.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Whisk dry ingredients together. 

Next, add in sugars and milk.  Whisk together until a batter forms and there are no more lumps.

Pour batter in the baking dish with the melted butter.  There is no need to stir the butter, it will come up around the batter and that is fine.

Top batter with the blueberries and strawberries.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  (It took me about 55 minutes to bake.)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I cannot get enough of pumpkin these days, and I have already made pumpkin cupcakes.  Since I made banana bread earlier, I adapted the recipe for this pumpkin chocolate chip bread.  This bread is moist, delicious and full of pumpkiny goodness!  Is pumpkiny even a word? LOL  This pumpkin chocolate chip bread is perfect for breakfast and I had a slice today with my morning latte.  I also shared the bread with some of my coworkers and everyone enjoyed it.  It is nice that I get to share my baked goods at work because I should not be eating it all myself!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup pumpkin

4 tablespoons butter, melted (I microwave in a bowl for about 45 seconds.)

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 ½ cup flour

½ cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together baking soda, salt, flour and cinnamon.

In another bowl, combine pumpkin, butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.

Combine the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan.  Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.