French Pear and Apple Cake (Gateau aux Pommes et Poires)

(slightly adapted from Everepicurious.com)

Serves 12

It's Thanksgiving and how I love to cook for the holidays!  Desserts are top of my list and I always like to try something new.  This recipe is light and less sweet than most and is even healthy with all the fruit that's included!  Bottom line, it's a no guilt dessert recipe!  Another reason for choosing to make this recipe is that I have a giant fruit bowl filled with fresh apples and pears.  The cake smells heavenly while it bakes and the presentation is beautiful!

                                        Here it is right out of the oven!

 

Ingredients:

• 4 medium pears, peeled with stem and core removed, and roughly chopped
• 2 medium apples, peeled with stem and core removed, and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon for dusting the apples & pears
• 1 tsp sugar for dusting the apples & pears
• ¼ cup Splenda baking sugar (or ½ cup sugar)
• 2 medium eggs, room temperature
• Pinch of ground sea salt
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

To make the moist topping, you’ll need…

• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 medium egg, room temperature
• 2 tbsp Splenda (or 3 tbsp sugar)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease a 10-inch springform round pan with butter and dust with flour, line the bottom with parchment, and set aside
3. Toss the apples and pears with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar & set aside
4. Beat Splenda (or sugar) and two eggs with a pinch of salt until well combined
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder
6. Carefully add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a little at a time, until completely mixed (Do not overmix!)
7. Add the milk and oil and vanilla into the batter, and thoroughly mix
8. Pour half of the batter into the cake pan
9. Place the pears and apples over the batter, then pour the rest of the batter over the fruit
10. Place pan onto a baking tray, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes
11. While the cake is baking, prepare the topping
12. Heat the six tablespoons of butter in a pan over low heat
13. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and three tablespoons of sugar
14. Remove butter from heat and carefully add the butter to the egg and sugar mixture, whisking while adding
15. After 30 minutes have passed, remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping over the cake
16. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until set & browned
17. Remove from oven, and let the cake cool on a rack for about 15-30 minutes, or until it is cool to the touch
18. Dust with confectioner’s sugar
19. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, and enjoy!

Harvest Pumpkin and Beef Chili

Here I go again!  I just can't help it!  I love chili and I love my slow cooker and I love the colors, scents, and temperatures of Fall in North Carolina.  How better to celebrate than with a delicious and easy pumpkin chili!  To the drawing board I went and came up with this recipe that hubby Ken declares is his favorite chili recipe.  While brushing my Maltese Zoey the other day, Dr. Oz invaded my space and was talking about the health benefits of beta-carotene in the diet and advised that pumpkin is an excellent source.  Thereupon I decided to devise a pumpkin chili recipe.  Now if you know me, you know that I used canned pumpkin rather than using a real one! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound sirloin beef tips

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 27-ounce can chili beans, undrained (I used mild)

1 15-ounce can seasoned black beans, undrained

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilis*

½ cup dark beer (I used Guinness)*

1 cup beef broth*

1 can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 package taco seasoning

1 small jar salsa (I used mild)

Fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil until tender & transfer to slow cooker.

Brown sirloin tips in same skillet and transfer to slow cooker.

Brown ground beef in the skillet until well browned and crumbly & transfer to slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir until combined.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

 *You can add more tomatoes, beer, or broth to reach desired consistency.

Top with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and frito chips.  

Southern Black-eyed Pea, Ham, and Collard Soup

Being a Southern girl, I grew up on black-eyed peas and they’re still a favorite!  Just plain ole black-eyed peas (of course cooked with a little bit of bacon) served over cornbread can’t be beat!  But just perhaps this black-eyed pea soup beats that.  I think perhaps it does!  I cooked mine in the slow cooker, but you can just easily do it in a large Dutch oven on the stove top. 

INGREDIENTS:
1 16-ounce package dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed*

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3-4 celery ribs, chopped

6 to 8 cups chicken broth*

2 cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

2 Tablespoons ketchup (or 2 Tablespoons tomato paste)

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ pound diced (cooked) ham

1 package frozen collard greens, thawed & well drained

Creole seasoning to taste (1 teaspoon or more)

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Quick soak the peas: Pick over peas and put them in a saucepan; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring water to a boil and boil peas 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Soak peas 1 hour. Drain peas in a colandar.

Saute onion and celery in olive oil until tender.

Put peas and remaining ingredients (except collard greens) in slow cooker and give a stir.  Cook on low for 8 hours. About an  hour before serving, add collard greens and stir to combine; continue to cook on low.   *If cooking on stove top, simmer all ingredients except for collard greens for at least one hour, or until peas are as tender as  you like.  Add collard greens and cook for an additional 30 minutes or so. 

Serve with freshly made chili cheddar cornbread for a tasty delight!

*Note:  You can use 4 cans of black-eyed peas if you don’t have time for the dried peas.

You can use more or less chicken broth for desired consistency.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

My hubby just loves bread pudding.  He grew up in New England where hot pudding are often served for dessert.  I had some Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl bread on hand which was just perfect for this bread pudding!  The result is a yummy bread pudding that is just pumpkinny enough!  

INGREDIENTS:

8 slices Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl Bread

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup golden raising

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup half & half

1 cup milk

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

Tear the bread into smal pieces and place in an 8-inch square baking dish.  Drizzle the melted butter over the bread.  Sprinkle with the golden raisins.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Pour this mixture over the bread.  With a spoon lightly press until the bread is covered.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Delicious served with whipped cream and/or caramel sauce!