Pears are the unsung heroes of autumn and winter! They might not get as much fanfare as apples or pumpkins, but they definitely deserve a moment in the spotlight. Pears and caramel are such a wonderful duo! Pears are naturally sweet, and caramel—well, it’s the golden champion of sweetness. The pear’s subtle sweetness balances out the intense caramel, creating a harmonious blend. They say opposites attract, right? Pears bring a touch of freshness and mildness, while caramel brings depth and complexity.
Pears are like the introverts of fruit—they’re quiet, unassuming and know how to make the most of fall and winter spices. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom—they all work well.
These bars are like a dessert bar and fruit crisp all in one. Thinly sliced pears nestled between layers of soft brown sugar crust drizzled with caramel sauce, then more crumbly goodness sprinkled on top. What’s not to love!
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Salted Caramel Pear Crumble Bars
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Crust/Topping
Soften the butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Add brown sugar & mix until creamed. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, & salt. Mix until a crumbly dough forms. Set aside a cup full of the mixture for the topping. Press the rest of the mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Filling
Thinly slice the pears. Combine brown sugar, butter & milk in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Lower heat & cook until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
When the crust is done baking, lay the pear slices over the crust in an even layer (overlapping if necessary). Pour the caramel over the pears, and sprinkle the reserved topping mixture over the top.
Baking
Bake for 22-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven & sprinkle with more sea salt to taste. Let cool slightly before slicing & serving.
Recipe Notes
- These bars are best eaten the day they are baked as they do soften after they sit a while. Nevertheless, they are still good in a softer form.
Couscous is a beloved and popular dish internationally. Although we know it has been around for centuries, its definite origins are unclear. Like pasta, many believe couscous was created in China, while others believe it originated in East Africa. More likely, however, couscous originated in Northern Africa. There is archaeological evidence that dates back to the early 9th century that consists of the kitchen utensil needed to prepare the dish from North Africa.
Over time, the North African staple became popular around Africa, in Andalusia, and the Mediterranean. Economic growth and the development of wheat farming aided in the acceleration and distribution of couscous. With increased migration from North Africa to multiple European destinations, couscous was popularized all around Europe and became very popular internationally, particularly in France.
In Morocco, couscous is a time-honored dish, typically served on Fridays and meant to be eaten with a group of people, either family or friends, or both.
In this recipe, chicken is roasted with assorted veggies, then served atop a mound of light, fluffy steamed couscous.
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Roasted Chicken & Veggie Couscous
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Instructions
Chicken
Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
In a small dish combine all chicken spices. Drizzle chicken quarters with oil & sprinkle seasoning combo evenly over all. Place chicken on sheet pan & roast slowly for about 1 1/2 hours.
Vegetables
In a zip-lock bag, place all prepared veggies. Add olive oil & close bag. Carefully toss veggies. When chicken has been roasting for about 3/4 of an hour, remove from oven & add the veggies to the sheet pan & sprinkle with salt & pepper. Continue to roast until chicken is cooked & veggies are tender crisp. While chicken & veggies are roasting, prepare couscous.
Couscous
Heat the 1/2 tsp of olive oil in a saucepan on medium. Add green onion, cumin, ginger & garlic. Cook & stir for about 3 minutes until green onion is softened.
Add honey. Heat & stir for about 30 seconds until green onion is coated. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Add couscous & the teaspoon of olive oil. Stir. Cover. Remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes without lifting lid. Fluff with a fork.
Stir in parsley along with salt & pepper to taste.
Serving
In a large serving dish, place couscous on the bottom. Top with roasted veggies & chicken quarters. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce if you prefer.
Recipe Notes
- If you wish, you could turn the heat up a bit when you add the veggies to the chicken.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party, attending a potluck, or simply craving something sweet, Halloween rice krispie treats are a classic choice. Loved for their crispy texture, chewy marshmallow consistency, and endless decorating possibilities.
Rice Krispie treats have been around for about 85 years. Snap, crackle, pop! These three words have become synonymous with Rice Krispies, the breakfast cereal made from pieces of crisped rice that, when combined with milk, emit a noise that you can probably imagine while reading this. Regardless of the last time you enjoyed a bowl of Rice Krispies in the morning, it’s clear that the beloved brand exudes childhood nostalgia. The iconic mascot trio, memory-stimulating sound, shape, and aroma are embedded into many memories.
Rice Krispies Treats are a legendary confection with an undemanding recipe that has graced several generations. Not only are the possibilities endless with these delicious treats that kids and grown-ups can enjoy but they can bring a challenging cake shape to life while making the process so much more manageable. Intricately sculpted cakes often have a surprise inside: rice cereal treats. Swapping traditional batter for these crispy treats provides structure and strength to modeled cakes that you just can’t get with fondant and modeling chocolate alone. And the best part is, the method you use to sculpt the cake afterward isn’t that different than when you sculpt a traditional batter-filled cake.
For some tasty little Halloween treats this year, I’m making some cinnamon bun rice krispie rolls with a cream cheese frosting. I can think of a few kids & adults who will enjoy these!
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Cinnamon Bun Rice Krispie Rolls w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
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Instructions
Rice Krispies
Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray well with cooking spray. Set aside
In a large pot, melt marshmallows, butter, vanilla & cinnamon over low heat. Stir until melted & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in rice krispies. Scrape rice krispie mixture onto prepared pan. Using well buttered hands, press out evenly into pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Filling
In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, butter, cinnamon & flour until creamy.
Assembly
Carefully spread filling onto the rice krispies. Sprinkle with pepita seeds. Roll up from the long side like a jelly roll while rice krispies are still flexible. Press firmly as you roll.
Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. When it feels FIRM, cut into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated blade & sawing motion. You should get approximately 24 slices.
Frosting
Beat together cream cheese, vanilla & powdered sugar until smooth. Place in a piping bag & pipe a swirl onto each slice. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you wish. Keep in refrigerator.
Fall is here and its pumpkin season! It’s like a pumpkin explosion in the stores this time of year with pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice Oreos, pumpkin spice M&Ms, pumpkin spice Ramen noodles, Doritos and so many others.
Unlike pumpkins, however, blueberries have a flavor that knows no season or food type. They pair well with just about anything, and pumpkins are no exception. Blueberries have just enough sweetness to complement pumpkin-y flavors and stay juicy during the baking process.
These pumpkin blueberry muffins make for an ideal autumn indulgence.
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Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins
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Instructions
Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 cup large muffin tin with parchment papers/cups
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree with milk.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter & brown sugar until creamy. Add egg; beat until fluffy.
Alternately add flour & pumpkin mixtures to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Combine blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour in a small dish. Fold gently into mixture. Spoon batter carefully into prepared muffin cups.
Topping
In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add pepitas & combine. Divide evenly over muffin batter.
Baking
Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool in pan for a few minutes then remove to a rack to finish cooling. Store muffins in a covered container.
Recipe Notes
- If you would prefer smaller muffins, divide batter between 12 paper lined standard muffin cups. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Nothing tastes more like fall than fresh baked pumpkin goods. I love just about anything with pumpkin in it. It definitely wasn’t always that way but it’s amazing how your taste buds change as time passes.
My original thoughts were to make some German pumpkin plachinda. It was one of those wonderful things my mother used to make that got pushed into the back of my memory.
It seems most recipes you find on the internet make plachinda as individual pastry turnovers with a pumpkin filling. I think I recall my mother making it in a rectangle casserole dish with the pastry on the bottom and up the sides and the filling showing.
I decided to do some ‘recipe development’ and try making some German streuseltaler and top it with a sweet pumpkin (plachinda) filling.
Streuseltaler was inspired by the round shape of the taler, a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in the currency called dollar.
Taler is a German word for coin, so the name of the dessert literally translates to streusel coin. Basically, a free form tart made with a yeast dough topped with a huge amount of streusel, sometimes filled with custard and often with a sugar glaze.
A traditional German streusel (streusel meaning something ‘strewn or scattered’ in German) bakes up into shortbread balls. It makes a crunchy, cookie-like top but is soft on the bottom where it meets the bread or fruit compote.
Streusel was first popularized in Germany. In its simplest form, it consists of flour, sugar and butter but gets even better with the addition of oatmeal, cinnamon and nuts …. just my opinion of course!
In the history of cooking, one could find recipes that have constantly changed and could be seen as a connecting link between modern times and our past. I guess this is my contribution to the evolution of plachinda.
For all of you who love pumpkin, here’s a treat you don’t want to miss!
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Pumpkin Streuseltaler
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Instructions
Dough
In a small bowl, add yeast, lukewarm water & 1 tsp sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes until frothy.
In a large bowl, combine yeast mixture, butter, salt, cinnamon, eggs & pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time, until well combined. Knead dough for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth & soft. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for about 1 hour or until double in size.
Filling
In a small dish, combine the filling ingredients, set aside.
Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembly & Baking
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface & divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a ball & allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
Space out the balls on parchment lined baking sheet. With fingertips or the back of a Tbsp., press out center of each ball to about 4-inch diameter. Add about a Tbsp of pumpkin filling to each dough piece & spread leaving a border around the outside.
Divide streusel topping evenly between the pastries. Allow to rise for about 15-20 minutes.
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Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In the meantime, you can prepare the glaze.
Glaze
In a small dish, whisk powdered sugar & lemon juice to a thick glaze. When streuseltaler are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
- The picture at the bottom of the recipe is MY version of my mother's plachinda. I had posted it on a blog in October 2016. She used to serve this wonderful pastry when she made a white bean soup. At the time I thought it was an odd combination but it works! Another one of those 'taste of a memory' kind of comfort foods.
The Bedfordshire Clanger is a very unique and little-known meat pie recipe from England, specifically (not surprisingly) from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England.
In centuries past many of the working husbands of the area used to toil in the fields there. Their wives, knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from the famed local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the hard-working man – handheld, portable and delicious
I guess you could say, the Bedfordshire clanger is not only a tasty treat but also a piece of culinary history that has stood the test of time!
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Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry
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Pastry
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Apple Filling
In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, cinnamon & brown sugar. Bring to a simmer then add diced apples, raisins, lemon zest & juice. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 7 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll the excess into a 3-inch length.
From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
On the 3-inch wide section of the pastry, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
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Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.
It’s the fall season, so bring on the chai flavored recipes! Fall can encompass many different flavors including apple, pumpkin, maple, cranberry and ginger just to name a few. To me, baked goods and chai spices are a no-brainer. Traditionally, chai is made into a tea which consists of milk, spices, sweetener, and black tea. Chai spices can be used for so much more than just tea. Once you make your basic chai spice recipe, there are so many ways to utilize it.
Chai can include several different spices. Cardamom is the most common ingredient, followed by a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, star anise and cloves. Pepper and coriander, nutmeg and fennel are also used but they are slightly less common.
In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting with the Trafalgar tour group in Istanbul. Arriving a day early gave us time to ‘snoop’ around a bit. Next to our hotel was a ‘Starbucks’, so we went in. When Brion ordered my coffee, they gave me a ‘Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte’ by mistake. That (pumpkin) chai flavor was just incredible. I have been addicted to it ever since.
A stay in Istanbul would not be complete without a traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, that winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores are a mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty. Modern hotels stand next to shore-front wooden villas, marble palaces in contrast to rustic stone fortresses and elegant compounds neighboring small fishing villages. Since Turkey actually straddles two separate continents, its culture features strong elements and traditions from both east and west. At that point in time, we found Turkey a relaxed country to travel in which made our time there very enjoyable.
These crescent rolls are a shortcut to making the classic cinnamon rolls using cream cheese pastry and that incredible flavor of the chai spice. Yum!
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Chai Cinnamon Crescents
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Instructions
Chai Spice Filling
Whisk together all chai spices with brown sugar. Set aside.
Crescents
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in cream cheese & shortening until mixture resembles coarse peas. Stir in milk. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough gently about 20 times.
Form dough in a ball then roll out into a 14-inch circumference. Spread butter over the surface of dough then spread spice/sugar combo (all but 1 tsp needed for drizzle) evenly over the butter.
Cut circle into 12-14 equal wedges. Roll each wedge from the outside edge to form a crescent shape. Slightly curve each one & place on baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until pastry is baked. Remove from oven & place on wire cooling rack.
Drizzle
In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese & butter until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp chai spice mix, powdered sugar, salt & vanilla. Beat until well combined then add enough milk to make a drizzle consistency. When crescents are cool, drizzle & serve.
Several years ago, Brion and I came across a deli we had never noticed before. It was called Chachi’s which proved to be a great find. After checking out the menu we decided on what they called a Cran & Brie Sandwich. OMG .. it was so good! Since then, we have had them numerous times so of course I had to see if I could come up with a copycat version.
Chachi’s Deli is a popular chain started in Calgary, Alberta and now has over 20 locations across BC, Alberta & Manitoba. The concept serves sandwiches with local ingredients, in a contemporary style butcher shop environment. They also serve mac ‘n’ cheese as well as other comfort food offerings. Known for sourcing high-quality ingredients from local partners, Chachi’s has built a reputation for delicious fast food and is raising the bar for ‘mall food’ although some find it a bit pricey.
In December 2006, the first Chachi’s opened in TD Square in downtown Calgary. Derek Brock and Jason Cunningham started the company because they felt there was a need in the marketplace for a premium sandwich offering, above what was being offered by the sub giants. The question that they were asking themselves was … what would happen if you made a sandwich with the best local ingredients possible? That’s how the first Chachi’s sandwich was made and that’s how the company started.
Derek Brock and Jason Cunningham first met over 20 years ago while working as managers at Starbucks Coffee. After forming a strong friendship, they partnered to open the first ever Jugo Juice in 1998. The Jugo Juice brand was a pioneer in the smoothie and juice industry and has since grown to a national chain with stores across the country.
Chachi’s Cran & Brie sandwich consists of roast turkey breast, brie, cranberry chutney, mayo, arugula, granny smith apple & rosemary. Here is my copycat version which I’m sure will never quite match the original but …..
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Copycat Chachi's Cran & Brie Sandwich
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Ciabatta Rolls
In a small bowl, combine yeast & 1/4 tsp sugar. Add lukewarm water set aside until frothy.
In the bowl of your food processor or mixer (with dough hook), add flour, salt, remaining tablespoon of sugar and rosemary. Pulse once or twice to mix.
When yeast is foamy, with mixer running, pour the liquid into dry ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, continuing to mix until dough comes together in a ball. Add a little more flour if necessary, but your dough should by very sticky.
Turn dough out onto floured surface & knead until smooth & elastic, about 20 times. Shape into ball & place into oiled bowl. Cover loosely & place in a draft-free, warm area.
When dough has doubled in size, turn onto lightly floured surface & knead just a few times to deflate. Do not over knead. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces & shape into 6-inch long rolls. Place rolls on parchment paper. Press down & outward to flatten them to about 1-inch thickness. Cover loosely with plastic wrap which has been sprayed with cooking oil spray & set in a warm place until doubled in size.
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When rolls have risen & oven is hot, Remove plastic wrap, poke top of rolls with fingers to create slight indentations. Drizzle olive oil lightly & evenly over rolls. Sprinkle with coarse salt & dried rosemary if you wish.
Slide parchment onto baking sheet bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown.
Cranberry Chutney
Place all chutney ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer & cook on low heat until cranberries pop & fruit is soft, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasonings or sweetness to your taste. Remove from heat & cool slightly.
Place chutney in a food processor & pulse a few times to puree ever so slightly. I like it to still have a nice texture but your not seeing specific chunks of apple.
Assembly
Slice the ciabatta rolls in half lengthwise. On the bottom half of each, spread cranberry chutney & top with deli roast turkey slices. Layer brie cheese over the turkey. Next lay slices of Granny Smith apple. On the top halves of the ciabatta rolls squeeze some mayo.
Place all prepared bottom & top halves of the rolls in a toaster oven to toast slightly & melt the brie cheese. When slightly toasted & brie is nice & melted, remove from toaster oven & top with arugula & bits of fresh rosemary (if you wish).
Recipe Notes
- Brion & I used a 'smoky bacon mayo' on our sandwiches & it was real good!
