Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

So the majority of my cookbooks are packed up(it took 21 boxes :P), and that is with me keeping out 22 “just in case” I needed them(is what I told my husband). Yet I still felt compelled to buy a cookbook this week. In my defense, It was pre-ordered so I actually forgot about it. I am a big fan of The Pastry Queen cookbook and have many a wonderful delight from that cookbook, some have even made it onto the blog. So I was very excited to see awhile back that Rebecca Rather(the author) was coming out with another cookbook…with this one focusing on Christmas! Oh happy day. I quickly pre-ordered that baby on Amazon and then forgot. So it was a fun surprise getting it this past week.
This cookbook, like the last one did not disappoint, though it has far few dessert recipes in it, which is fine since, believe it or not, we do eat things around here other than pastry and sweets.
The original recipe leaves the pear in slices(to lazy to make them all pretty) and has a wonderful sounding Amaretto whipped cream. I opted to drizzle caramel over mine since I had it in the fridge and I am trying to clean that out.
We sign our life away today, gulp. Such a surreal feeling, owing all that money to someone. Gulp. We should have our keys on Friday and that is when the fun begins…..

Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake

Topping:
½ cup salted butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 ripe pears, (I used a red variety that was described as sweet…but forgot the name :P)…the book suggests Anjou or Bartlett
2 TBSP finely chopped candied ginger

To make the topping: Chop pears into a dice, leaving the skins on; set aside. In a medium saucepan combine butter and sugar and bring to a boil. Take off of heat and whisk just to combine and pour into prepared pan.(This recipe calls for a 9 or 10-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall.) Sprinkle pears all over the pan and then followed by candied ginger. Set aside.

Cake:
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
½ cup milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 TBSP finely chopped candied ginger

To make the cake: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat for another 30 seconds. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. To the butter mixture, add the flour mixture in 3 increments, the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour, beating on low speed between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and candied ginger. Pour the batter evenly over the pears. Bake(at 350F) for about 45 minutes if using a 10-inch pan and about 55 minutes for a 9-incher. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a large cake plate. Let cool for about 15 minutes.

Adapted from The Pastry Queen Christmas by Rebecca Rather with Alison Oresman

First off let me just say how sorry I am that I haven’t really been able to get around and read other people’s blogs. I have been decent about getting stuff up of my own, but bad about getting to others. Sorry to say it will probably be that way for a couple more weeks.
I also seem to be missing all sorts of blogging events…sigh. One of the ones I missed that I thought was neat was to make a recipe that came from someone else’s blog. There could have been a ton that I chose but the other day I was on Culinary in the Desert and found gingerbread pumpkin bars. Boy did those sound like something I needed. The bars come with a glaze but I made most of mine without it and like them both ways. I really loved the gingerbread base, it was really buttery, but considering the fact that the recipe came from Land O’ Lakes butter, I guess I should not be surprised. When I make these again I will probably toss in a little candied ginger into the base for a little kick.
These are a great way to welcome the Fall season in to your home.
Have a great week, I am off to pack more boxes!!!

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars

For the bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup rolled quick oats

For the filling

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs

For the drizzle

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350

To make the bars

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and molasses until creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Reserve 3/4 cup of this mixture and place in a small bowl. Scoop the remaining mixture into a 10″ x 15″ baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray.

Add the oats to the reserved mixture and mix until combined - set aside.

To make the filling

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves - mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scoop the mixture over the uncooked base and use an off-set spatula to evenly spread the mixture over the top. Crumble reserved oat mixture over filling.

Bake until the topping is a golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the drizzle

In a small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix in just enough milk until the mixture will easily flow from a spoon - drizzle over cooled bars.

Adapted from Land O’ Lakes and found on Culinary in the Desert

Thanks everyone for the well wishes! I am very excited about the home. Can’t wait to get settled in and get baking in that kitchen.
My dog says thanks for all the compliments too. And to the person who said their dog would have eaten the eggs…my dog is a lover not a fighter(or chewer). However, dress up in a UPS costume and she will bark your head off.
Since the house has pretty much consumed our lives, we have not gotten to go and do some of our more Fall things, though we are going to the pumpkin patch…I refuse to buy mine at the store! So needless to say I did not make it out to a cider mill for fresh cider donuts. What is a girl to do? Drag out the fryer before she has to pack it up and make some of her own. Luckily, my upscale market carries fresh cider from the local mills and so it was just as good as if I were there(almost). 
I had a small mishap when I was boiling down the cider…I forgot about it until the smoke alarm went off….opps(I was busy packing). Let me just say what a bitch it is to get burnt cider off of a saucepan bottom! Holy cow. But when I bothered to pay attention they turned out beautifully!
There really is nothing better than a fresh, warm, spicy cider donut dripping with glaze!

Vermont Apple Cider Doughnuts
rec.food.recipes/Julia Collette/2001

1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp.baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
vegetable oil or shortening -for frying

GLAZE
2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup apple cider

For glaze, mix confectioners’ sugar and cider.
Dip doughnuts while warm;
serve warm.(I didn’t dip, I just drizzled the glaze over them)

Boil apple cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes; cool.

Beat sugar with shortening until smooth. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and reduced cider.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl. Add to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine. Transfer dough to lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2- to 3-inch doughnut cutter; reserve doughnut holes and reroll and cut scraps.

Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat to 375′F. Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon.

Source: The Recipe Link.com

A few months ago, Helene at Tartlette received a package from Hannah of Bittersweet. In that package were six little crocheted eggs. Helen decided to send the eggs on a journey to other blogging friends. Their first stop was to Lisa at La Mia Cucina. Then over to Mary at the Sour Dough. And to me, Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. At first I had though about baking with the eggs like Mary did. But then I thought it might be cruel to be breaking all those eggs and whisking them in front of them…I would hate for one of the eggs I was using to be a distant cousin of one of the eggs or something tragic like that. So I thought instead the eggs would reveal my exciting(well exciting to me) news. And with that…so begins the eggs journey with Peabody…and family.

Here the eggs are greeted by my dog, Skoshi, neither of them are sure what to think of the other.

Still figuring each other out.

Getting along just great and involved in some deep conversation.

Here the eggs got cozy and settled in to watch Hockey Night in Canada. My beloved Flames were on…and boy were the eggs excited about that. They also watched the Flyers game ealier that day.

Here is Mr. Happy egg because at this point the Flames were winning. I wont show you the faces that the eggs were making at the end of the game when the Flames lost in overtime. Who knew eggs could swear so much?

And here is where my news starts. See this? This is my apartment kitchen. It is the largest apartment kitchen I have had so no real complaints, it has served me well.

The eggs were more than content to be there…until…..

I took them to see my new kitchen! I will have double the space now. I am going from 4 drawers to 13. 13 cabinets to 22. Plus and island and under the stairs storage that is huge! Yes, ladies and gentleman this is what my stress has been over the past few months. Crazy us bought a house the same week the great housing market crash occured….but it all worked out…obviously. This is my first house ever so I am beyond excited! The main reason we bought this house was because of this kitchen…many, many baked goods shall come out of it. Hard to believe that in two weeks I will be a home owner.

It’s so big it wont fit in one picture!

Here are the eggs modeling my island for you.

And here they are on my stove. We had a little mix up with the builder last week as they gave me an electric stove. The problem was quickly resolved and my gas range is in place now. I just can’t go back to electric.

And there you have it. The eggs uneventful trip to the Pacific Northwest. I would have loved to have taken them a few places but instead they just watched a lot of hockey and helped me pack. They will be on there way to a new destination in just a couple of days…..who knows where that will be?