November 7, 2011 · 9:11 pm

Caramelized Onion Jam: A love story

Ladies and gentlemen….

I’m in love.

It’s caramelized onions.

I just can’t get enough!

For real…I thought this little jar would last quite a while.

I was so very, very wrong.

See…

the problem is that they go in EVERYTHING!

Which is less of a problem thing and more of an awesome thing except that now I need more.

An onion that is truly caramelized has a dreamy sweet onion flavor and a silky texture that’s to die for.

The best part?

Pretty much all I did was throw some onions in a pan and let them cook until they got that way.

It’s a thing I never knew I needed..but now I believe you should always always always have them on hand.

Let me share our love story in photos:

Here they are ready to roll!

We had some laughs, we shared lots and lots of tears (stupid onions), then we cooked together.

and we lived happily ever after!

Now the cool thing is…you saved yourself a step.

You know those recipes that say “prep time: 1 hour 4357y9274 minutes” or whatever?

And you know how it’s a lot because you have to caramelize some onions?

Already. Done.

Yeah…you’re a plan ahead-er.

Look at you all prepared for life/fancy pants recipes.

And look at you making those mashed potatoes gourmet with a flick of your wrist!

Oh hey, fancy pants omelet…I see you. I see what you did there.

High five, master chef.

Now go eat.

Pssssst!

I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs and I also love her list of ways to use it.  I tried at least 5 of these already and they’re all amazing:

So, what does one do with Caramelized Onion Jam? Let’s brainstorm!

  • put it on a pizza with Gorgonzola and pears
  • add it to crostini with figs and goat cheese & prosciutto
  • put it on a steak sandwich or burger with a grainy mustard
  • add it to pasta with roasted tomatoes and peppers
  • stir it into your mashed potatoes
  • shove some in your grilled cheese
  • put some on a hot dog
  • make an arugula salad with it
  • add it to a baked potato with sour cream
  • add it to an omelet with mushrooms
  • stand in front of your fridge and eat it directly from the jar

From Shutterbean!

Caramelized Onion Jam

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lbs. onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock (or veg stock or whatever)
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • salt

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions covered, stirring occasionally until translucent (about 15 minutes).

2. Add stock, vinegar, and sugar and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes.

3. Season with salt and let jam cool completely. Jam will last in the fridge covered for up to two weeks.

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Filed under Hodge Podge, Uncategorized

November 2, 2011 · 6:59 pm

Soft and Chewy Apple Spice Cookies

Apples.

We’re goin there.

These little beauties are a vital part of my fall experience.

I have fond memories of trips to the apple orchard to pick apples, choose our pumpkins for Halloween then make applesauce with Grandma once we got our loot home.

Yeah.  That was my real life. It has been a good one.

So obviously I obsessed over apple picking this year until we made it happen.

This time I tried something new…apple cookies!

Love.

So much love.

These are officially part of the fall/apple/baking tradition I hold so dear.

They’re so soft they just melt in your mouth and they’re bursting at the seams with apple apple apple!

(Side note: Daniel doesn’t like cooked apples…he actually generally doesn’t like apples much…but he liked these cookies.  Win.)

((Who doesn’t like apples…what is that?))

(((I love you, Daniel…)))

Maple is MADE for apples and this maple glaze is delicious but honestly…they didn’t even need it.

Apples have this on lock.  Maple or not.

And so…let us cookie.

Start with some chopped apples!

(Duh)

butter + sugar + egg + milk

+ flour of course…also spices…

= super soft, fragrant dough!

Now for the coup de gras!

A little apple folding…

A little action shot…

What can I say? It’s pretty exciting around here. Look at all that action!

Also…check out this apple to dough ratio

I feel weird calling it dough.

It’s somewhere between batter and dough.

Doughter?

Nope. Didn’t work.

Either way..super soft dough takes a sweet tropical vacay in my oven and comes back tanned and beautiful

Looks like they remembered their sunscreen!

Ignore that rogue smudge from some doofus piling these on top of each other.

(guilty)

((I’m telling you…they’re really soft.))

A drizzle of maple glaze, a nice cold glass of milk, a sunshiney day…

What more could you possibly ask for?

Oh yeah…

Some fellow apple lovers!

(except that good lookin one on the left…he’s more of an apple tolerater)

❤ Enjoy!

Apple Cookies

Recipe from Maple-Glazed Apple Cookies

For the cookies:
½ cup butter, softened (4 oz or one stick)
1 cup packed brown sugar (we had dark…light works too)
¼ cup milk
2 cups flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chopped apple
Glaze:
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons milk1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until well combines
3. Add egg and milk; stir to combine.
4. Add remaining dry ingredients (except apple) and stir just until combined.
5. Gently fold in the apples.  Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 10-12 min or until tops don’t look wet anymore
7. To make the glaze, whisk together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. When the cookies have cooled for a few minutes, drizzle each cookie with glaze.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

8 Comments

Filed under Dessert, Uncategorized

October 31, 2011 · 6:32 pm

Halloween-ish

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there has been a serious shortage of candy corn laden concoctions or cookies in the shape of pumpkins and ghosts on here.

Lately…Halloween and I just haven’t been friends.

It wasn’t until just now when a bunch of kids SO. EXCITED. to be dressed up and getting free candy that they were literally dancing on my doorstep screaming trick or treat then SPRINTED to the next house did I remember….

Oh. Yeah.

Halloween ROCKS!

Sorry I’m not sorry about the theme cookies and candy corn thing, though.

That won’t be happening.

I just can’t do it.

Also, I really hate candy corn.

I’ve got you more than covered on everything from here to the new year, though, fear not.

There is one thing I have always love love loved about this holiday and always will!

Pumpkin.

So! For you: a thought.

Remember Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread?

Add pumpkin.

Crazy talk, right?

It is.

It’s also awesome talk.

To make up for my lack of Halloween spirit I went a little crazy with Halloween features in picnik…

This is Laura!

She is responsible for the pumpkin pull-apart nonsense.

Thanks, Laura!

The boys enjoyed it too…

Enough to grab a hunk IMMEDIATELY after it came out of the oven.

Yep…it was risk-loss-of-tastebuds good.

((Do you SEE all those spooky effects?? I am SO spirited!!)

Oh! and if I WERE to make cookies in the shape of anything…

I would want them to look like this.

That lady does it right.

So Happy Halloween!

Have a piece of candy…or 10.

Remember what it felt like to wear your dream costume, ring a doorbell and get showered with candy.

Also add pumpkin to basically everything.

‘Tis the season =)

❤ Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Recipe from Pull-Apart Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread

**Note: This recipe is not the same as the regular cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread (but just as delicious) ((also pumpkin-ified))

For the bread:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

For the filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black).

2. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through.

3. Allow milk and butter mixture to cool a bit (until it’s warm but not hot) then add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).

4. Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

5. Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

6. While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Also, grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

7. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle(approximately…don’t stress about this) Spread the brown butter evenly over the dough then evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand.

8. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
***This part is just like the other recipe.  See this page for step by step pictures

9. In the meantime preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan, bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.

8 Comments

Filed under Dessert, Uncategorized