A love letter to fall, Part II.

I'm putting this recipe for pumpkin walnut bread on repeat, like a classic jazz record. I liken it to enjoying the sweet wails of Billie Holiday. Eat your heart out. It's that delicious, moist and quintessentially autumn. You may start to get sick of me and my fantasy island of fall, but work with me people, it's still 90 degrees where I live. I must recreate this beautiful season and the only way I know how to do so is to bake like a banshee. I actually posted this recipe in 2008, but I've adapted it slightly this time around and let's face it, you probably forgot about it anyhow. The only change I made was the sugar - I optend to go half brown sugar and half blond cane sugar. Oh I skipped the parchman paper, I hae pretty kick ass loaf pans, but if yours have seen better days, I recommend sticking with the parchment paper. Thank God for repeats.

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

by Cindy Mushet and Sur La Table

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup (2 3/4 ounces) water

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

1 cup (9 ounces) canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup neutral-flavor vegetable oil (such as canola)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (4 ounces) chopped toasted walnuts

Equipment

9 by 5-inch Loaf Pan, Parchment Paper, Large Bowl, Whisk, Medium Bowl, SIlicone or Rubber Spatula, Cooling Rack, Serrated Knife

Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center. Lightly coat the loaf pan with melted butter or high-heat canola-oil spray and line it with a piece of parchment paper that extends 1 inch beyond the edge of both sides of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt until thoroughly blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. Add the sugar and blend well. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and blend well.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until blended and smooth. Add the walnuts and stir until they are evenly distributed. Use a spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the top.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the bread is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. To serve, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife. Any leftovers should be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Getting ahead Pumpkin Walnut Bread freezes beautifully for up to 8 weeks when double-wrapped in plastic and placed inside a resealable plastic freezer bag. Defrost, still wrapped in plastic to avoid condensation on the cake, for at least 2 hours before serving.

Weekend Breakfast.

It's always a treat to go out for breakfast on the weekends, but there are days when staying in your jammies, brewing a pot of coffee and making breakfast yourself is just what the doctor ordered. If I go out for breakfast, I rarely choose pancakes and I make them on occasion, but I had the itch this past weekend to make some. I pulled out my copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks and gave her mother-in-law's recipe for sour cream pancakes. 

Let's just say these are probably the best pancakes I've ever made from scratch. I am that serious about these pancakes. The batter is delicate and egg-y. Crispy, buttery, light and melt-in-your-mouth happiness is the end result. These pancakes won't sit in your belly tormenting you and I didn't feel the usual side effects of pancakes, post-pancake coma. Blessing in disguise.

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes (adapted from Ree Drummond's recipe)

1 cup sour cream
7 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
butter
maple syrup

Place an iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.

Place the sour cream in a medium bowl. Dump in the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir together very, very gently.

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture. Stir together gently.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over. Cook for another 45 seconds and remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Top with softened butter and warmed maple syrup.

Though my preference is topping them with peanut butter and syrup. Don't knock it til you try it.

Muffin Mania.

I guess you could say I've been on a "muffin" roll this month. Last week Molly Wizenberg of Orangette featured a post on ginger muffins from Marion Cunningham's book entitled The Breakfast Book (which I am squeamishly trying to be patient for as I placed it on "hold" at the library). In the meantime, though I was pleasantly pooped after attending a book club meeting, Sunday evening I made a batch of these spicy and energetic little muffins.

At first I was a bit concerned with the amount of fresh ginger used in the recipe. I kept reminding myself, that if Molly used that amount, I should use the same amount too. Trust Molly, trust Molly, trust Molly. After this mini-meditation, I plowed through the simple recipe and this is how they turned out:

Allowing them to cool, I sliced one muffin in half and slathered some softened butter on top each half. I have to say it wasn't what I was expecting. Though the batter included a substantial amount of ginger, it wasn't over the top (or over the muffin top, if you're up for a pun). They definitely had a kick to them, but they were bursting with citrus and spice notes (an not overly sweet, which I like). Easy to see why popping another two into your mouth takes no effort. The batter could easily be turned into a quick bread too. Accompanied with a cold glass of milk, these muffins are a great way to start your day or start someone else's day. Consider serving them at a brunch or party as a dessert too.

what's in a name?

What's in a name? A name unlike any other by that name? Here in Fort Wayne, people have the misconceived idea that a bagel is a bagel. If it looks like a bagel and tastes like a bagel, it's a bagel. How poorly misguided my dear friends have become. Thank God, this 1/2 Jew is around to introduce you to what is known as the "bagel". There is much debate and scrutiny over this carbohydrated creature, but the truth is the best bagels are bagels from the East Coast. Many have spent hours, perhaps even years, researching and researching the science behind the bagel and the truth is....it's all about the water.

What your eyes are feasting on in the picture is an "The Works", the perfect culmination of salt, sesame, garlic, poppy seed, onion and plain all wrapped into this beautfil piece of bagel art. Toasted or untoasted, the delicate, chewy crumb of this bagel requires a spread of whipped cream cheese and a couple of pieces of smoked, cured salmon a.k.a. lox. However you top your bagel is your choosing, but if you're ever on the East Coast, make sure you try this phenomenon. The truth shall set you free.

Hmmmm....Flaky French Toast and Tropical Pancakes

After arriving in Los Angeles, we headed our way to the San Fernando Valley. We were most definitely hungry. ALERT! Don't purchase a snack pack on Northwest Airlines, it's a complete waste of your $5. Back to breakfast, therein resides one of the best breakfast joints in Los Angeles, Jinky's. The original is located in Sherman Oaks and since it's opening they have opened two other joints, one in Santa Monica and one in West Hollywood. Always packed and consistently good, Jinky's is a sacred place. I already decided what I was going to order, prior to even landing in California, the Sierra Mountain breakfast. Flaky french toast (egg bread coated in crushed corn flakes), scrambled eggs and a ham steak. Paul ordered the same with their chicken apple sausage. I also included a photo of Dad's tropical pancakes with mandarin oranges, coconut and macadamia nuts. The photos speak for themselves. A moment of silence for some of the best damn breakfast.