Autumn Double Delights

When Fall comes in, I can't help but think about pumpkin to enhance my baking.  Something new this year, by Nestle, is Pumpkin Chips.  I saw it advertised on television, but couldn't find them in my grocery store, so I ordered on Amazon.

I can tell you, after sampling a few, these morsels do indeed taste like pumpkin!  Pumpkin was Kelly's favorite flavor; she always asked for Pumpkin Pie for her birthday, which was these month on the 8th.  I couldn't help, but think she would have really loved to bake something with these to celebrate, so I did in her memory.

One of Kelly's best friends from high school sent me this photo last week with a touching note of how she came to have it.

"The reason I'm writing is that this picture (which I'm fairly sure is Kelly) 

showed up in an old purse at my mom's house the other day.

...Kelly gave me this, I think it was probably back when you

moved to Laguna & Kelly and I would mail letters to

each other with locks of hair, pictures, & hilarious stories.

We must have exchanged baby pictures during that time.

In any case, I wanted you to have it on her birthday.

I think the fact that it just showed up after so many years

is Kelly letting us know she's still around.

Your daughter was one of those truly wonderful & warm & silly

individuals that always put a smile on my face."

So, with tears in my eyes, but a happy heart, I baked and came up with something pumpkin to remember all the good memories I have. (And, Lisa if you are reading this post, thank you for sending me the photo).

Autumn Double Delights

Chocolate~White Chocolate Chip Base

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Lightly spray a 13" x 9" pan with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix together.  Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Place the dough in the baking pan and use floured finger tips to spread the dough.

 Bake in the preheated over for 12 to 14 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you prepare the  Pumpkin Chip Blondie mixture.

Pumpkin Chip Blondie:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pkg. Nestle's Pumpkin Chips

1 1/2 cups lightly toasted walnut, coarsely chopped

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and melted butter together to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition to incorporate completely.  Stir in the dry ingredients and 1 cup of the Pumpkin chips and half of the walnuts.  Pour the mixture on top of the cookie base.

Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin chips and walnuts on top.

Bake an additional 25 minutes-tester should come out cleanly.  Allow the bars to cool about 1 hour before cutting.

I hope you're having a beautiful fall day and thinking about all the good memories in your life.  Thank you Lisa for adding to mine.  Enjoy!

    

 

Pumpkin Pie Blondies

Native Americans grew squash and pumpkins so it's very likely there was a sort of pie at the first Thanksgiving.  However, it wasn't until 1796 that the first pie (as we know it) was created by Amelia Simmons and shared in her book, American Cookery, by an American Orphan.  Her pumpkin "pudding" baked into a crust was the making of a long standing tradition; I know it was always on the dessert table when I was growing up.

Pumpkins, like squash, are native to North America.  It's rich in Beta-Carotene that generates Vitamin A in the body, but I'm pretty sure it was the taste that had everyone in our home asking for it for Thanksgiving.  I've done it completely from scratch, steaming and pureeing Sugar Pumpkins, but with so much to do over the next few weeks for work...this year it will be canned and canned is what I used to create these delectable Blondies!

Pumpkin Pie Blondies
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup Cinnamon Chips
1 cup White Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Butter and line a 12" x 17" baking sheet with parchment.

Toast the pecans in the oven for 7-8 minutes, then, rough chop or as I did, break them with your hands.

 In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, measure the brown sugar and break it up slightly on low speed.  Pour the melted butter over brown sugar and cream on low speed (so the warm butter doesn't splash up), then, increase to medium.  Add the pumpkin and mix again.  Next, add the eggs, one at a time, incorporated completely and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add to the batter with the Cinnamon Chips and about 1/4 of the chopped pecans.  Stir to combine completely.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to cover.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining pecans and White Chocolate Chips.

Bake for 10 minutes, then, lower the oven temperature to 325F-degrees and continue baking for 20-22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.

The best thing about blondies...they ship well and that's just what happened to these!

I wrapped each Blondie in wax paper and sealed in a cute Turkey box I found; off they go for special treats to the people I love, but won't get to see for the holiday.  Enjoy!
 

Pumpkin Blondies and a Special Give-Away

When I was in the fabric/quilt store a few weeks ago to look for the perfect fabric for October's Give-Away, it became abundantly clear that Kelly was going to have a say in this!  Rest assure I'm not crazy...at least not certifiable (LOL), but as I kept picking up bolts to decide, this fabric just kept screaming at me--"This one, Mom, this one!"

I should have prefaced this by saying that Kelly loved sunflowers and for awhile, collected prints for her walls, included one by Van Gogh, and had me sew a dress with sunflower fabric for an awards banquet she was attending.  I still have the dress and maybe one day I will remake it into something for Ari to cherish of his mama.  Also, I must tell you that when Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was bombarded with all sorts of lovely "pink" gifts, but told me one day, "Mom, I hate pink--I'd much prefer the color to be orange!"  You can probably guess that's why she loved anything pumpkin as well:-D

So, here is this month's Give-Away Apron--full of bold "artistic" sunflowers in yellows and orange on a black background, another favorite of Kelly's--in fact, her whole wardrobe was black for the most part.  One day, I saw her in a grey sweater and chided her for wearing something other than black and with her quick wit she responded, "haven't you heard, grey is the NEW black!"

Pumpkin Blondies
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree'
3 large eggs
1 T Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 3/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Brush a 12" x 17" baking pan with melted butter, line with parchment paper, then brush the melted butter again.

In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar with the melted butter until thoroughly mixed.  Add the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and beat on medium to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry ingredients, 3/4 cup of the chopped pistachio and 1/2 cup of the bittersweet chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.  Sprinkle the additional 1 cups of pistachios and 1 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then, lower the temperature to 325F-degrees and continue baking for 16 to 18 minutes until golden brown and set on top.

I cut the pan into 24 bars ( 4 x 6)--I like to serve a good-size bar!

This is going to be a special month of giving--exemplifying Kelly's generous nature, so keep stopping by for little surprises that I will be giving away. Enjoy!