Deliciously tender, impossibly springy butternut squash muffins suffused with fresh ginger, cardamom and cloves.
old-fashioned blueberry muffins and the naptime chef cookbook
Brian and I have been working with Kelsey Banfield, otherwise known as the Naptime Chef, for a couple of years over on Babble.com’s Family Kitchen. Blogging alongside her, we’ve come to love her simple and classic recipes, many of which we regularly make here in our kitchen. Now I’m thrilled to say that she’s just come out with her very own cookbook. [Read more…]
cheesecake tart with lime-poached seckel pears
Pears often get short shrift to apples in fall, especially since they are ripe for such a brief period of time, bruise easily and are messy to eat. Yet they have a delicate flavor, and a pleasant, slightly grainy texture. But it’s more than that, pears are a quiet fruit that meld quite nicely with baked goods. And, though it’s sticky, having a little fruit juice run down your cheek is one of the true pleasures in life.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy pears is in this simple, tangy cheesecake with a pear rosette and lime-pear sauce.
- for the crust
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs roughly 6 - 8 whole crackers
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 pinches salt
- pinch ground cloves
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- for the filling
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- for the topping
- 5 seckel pears sliced substitute Bosc if needed
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 - 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3- inch segment of vanilla bean halved
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Also preheat a rimmed baking sheet. Combine everything but the butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the texture is consistent and gravelly. Drizzle in butter; pulse a few times. Using the flat bottom of a glass, press into a liberally buttered 9-inch tart pan evenly. Carefully set in the freezer for 15 minutes.
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Next, knock crumbs out of your food processor and wipe clean. Combine all of the filling ingredients and process for 30 seconds, until mixture is smooth. Pour into chilled crust, set on preheated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set and the sides have puffed up slightly. Carefully set tart on a wire rack to cool.
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While cheesecake bakes, prepare topping. In a medium saucepan, combine lime juice, vanilla extract, and salt, and cook over medium-high heat. Gently add pears; cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Pears will soften, but still hold their shape and a have bit of bite. Remove pears, turn heat to high and reduce remaining juices briefly, just until the liquid starts to change color. Pour syrup into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
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When tart has cooled completely, arrange the pears into a simple rosette in the center or scatter around the tart. Serve slices with a drizzle of pear lime syrup.
it takes two
A healthy muffin walks a fine line. I made these a week ago (to go with the fresh butter), and they were decidedly healthy (not in a good way). The second time around I think I got things just right. These muffins have plenty of caramel-y apples and are nice and moist. A little bit of whole wheat flour gives them a toothsome heartiness just right for this time of year.
Apple Muffins
(makes 12+)
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/3 cup yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1 or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups diced fresh apples
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin. In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients. In a larger bowl combine the butter, milk, yogurt, butter or oil, and the vanilla. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring as little as possible. Next, gently fold in the apples. Spoon into the muffin tins. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown. These muffins keep fine for a day or two, but are best enjoyed 10 minutes after they come out of the oven.