Once again, my ability to stop time has failed, and my birthday has rolled around again.
I’ll admit that 37 was not quite the year I thought it was going to be, it had a high learning curve, but then I guess you need those every now and then.

This year I will be celebrating in an unorthodox capacity…I’m going to Beer fest. I actually already went to one a couple of weeks ago, but this is the big Seattle one and I didn’t really have any plans. We are making the controversial (read most likely regret later) decision to bring the dog. My husband cringed at this idea, but it’s my birthday so he has to go along with it. Don’t worry, Crazy Cocker Spaniel won’t be doing any beer sampling. She will however most likely be annoying people and trying to jump and lick on them. Which some people like to get jumped…and licked, just not usually by animals.

I don’t usually bother with a cake for my birthday. Since my husband’s birthday is three days after mine we make cake for him. Unfortunately for me though, he likes BOXED yellow cake with STORE BOUGHT icing. Oh the horror. But as a good little wife I make it. I do however want a birthday treat of my own.

So when I ran across a recipe that encompassed all the food I love (except no bacon darn it all) I almost fell over. Pumpkin. Love that. Cheesecake. Love that. Bread Pudding. Duh, love that. But a Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread Pudding…are you F*ing serious with that. They were.
It was about as awesome as it sounds. Next time I might add a little more spice to mine but other than that, oh my. And now that I’ve made one, I see many more Cheesecake based Bread Puddings in my future. Watch out hips…here it comes. I topped mine with some butterscotch sauce that a friend of mine brought back from Oregon. You can use a caramel sauce just fine.

Hope everyone has a great Canada Day (those celebrating it) and I hope you all enjoy my birthday (July 2nd)…have a beer, it will be like you are with me.

Birthday Girl Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread Pudding
14 to 16 1/2 inch slices brioche

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon

For the topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Preheat to 350F. Set rack in middle. Spray a 9-x-13-inch oven proof glass (I used metal) baking dish with baking spray.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and mix until smooth.
Combine eggs, pumpkin, milk, heavy cream, salt, and spices in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment,. Beat until smooth. Add cream cheese mixture and combine.

Pour 1/2 cup custard in bottom of baking dish. Tilt and swirl dish until bottom is completely covered with thin layer of custard. Layer 6 slices of brioche on top of custard. Pour half of the remaining custard over brioche. Add remain brioche and custard in layers.

Use a knife to cut 8 slits though layered pudding. Cover the top of pudding with plastic wrap and press down gently with your palm. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle brown sugar over top of pudding. Pour melted butter over sugar.

Place baking dish on a rack in a large meal pan. Pour hot water from glass forming a water bath. You want to go half way up the side. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until top is nicely browned and the custard has risen to top of baking dish. Check water bath occasionally and add more water if needed. Do not let the water evaporate from the water bath.

Carefully remove baking dish room oven and water bath. Allow pudding to cool on rack 1 hour. Serve slightly warm or cold. Store covered with a paper towel and plastic wrap in refrigerator.

Adapted from Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters by Marilynn Brass and Shelia Brass

So it’s football time (FYI, just October 1st starts the REAL sport of hockey ). A couple of years ago my friend E’s husband was looking for one last spot in his college football pool (psa: gambling is wrong, don’t do it ). She sent around an email asking if any of our husbands would want to do it. I said that mine did not, but that I would want to do it. She said sure. So off the season went.

Now I do know somethings about college football, but truth be told, if I am not sure about the teams, I pull a total chick move and base my pick on their mascot. Sometimes I do this even when I know the teams. Let’s take Seattle’s own Washington Huskies vs the Oregon Ducks. You are probably saying no brainer and would pick the Huskies. I pick the Ducks. If you are saying why surely a dog could take a duck. If you are asking why, you clearly have never been attacked by a duck. And I have. Duck wins.

So in using this fool proof system, I won that year. When I met up with them to claim my prize, they were in shock that a girl showed up. Apparently, they thought Peabody was a man, and E hadn’t bothered to tell them otherwise. Well, those sore losers gave me my prize money, but then also told me that they wouldn’t be having me back next year. Well, E must have had a come to Jesus talk with her husband as the next year miraculously I was invited back. I won that year too.

I’m doing well so far this year. I was the only one in the group this weekend to choose the Huskies over the Trojans. Duh, everyone knows a dog can total beat a condom. But really what is it about guys being beat by a girl? They are already starting in about the fact that I can’t possibly win 3 years in a row. Why not? Threepeat baby!

And though I participate in these pools, I don’t really care about the games. So when they are on, I am usually off looking for an excuse to do something else. Bake.

I chose to update a bread I made a while back that was pretty popular, a pumpkin spice bread with a maple cheesecake layer. This time I tried to make it even more decadent. Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Turtle Bread. Pumpkin bread with a layer of caramel cheesecake topped with chocolate glaze, caramel sauce, and pecans.
Yeah, I know, yum.
This is a pretty easy recipe to make. I choose to make mine in mini loaves so I can freeze them. If you go that route, I would not glaze them until after you unfreeze them. And speaking of glazing them, if you do go and put caramel sauce on them, you are going to want to eat it that day. Hey, they are mini loaves, that’s not that hard to do. Heck, that’s breakfast at my house.

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Turtle Bread

Pumpkin Bread:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup pumpkin puree(plain, not the already made pumpkin pie kind)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

Caramel Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
2 TBSP Lyle’s Golden Syrup
2 TBSP Caramel Sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 large egg

Topping:
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
Caramel Sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 325F.

Lightly grease and flour three mini loaf pans (3 ½ -x- 5 inch).

Using a stand mixer (or a medium bowl and electric beaters) with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, syrup and caramel sauce for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add egg and beat for another minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl and add flour. Beat flour into mixture until fully incorporated. If using stand mixer, transfer cheesecake filling to a separate bowl. Set aside. If using the stand mixer, clean and dry the bowl to use again.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using a stand mixer (or a medium bowl and electric beaters) with the paddle attachment, place pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugars into the bowl and beat for about 1 minute.
Add flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined. This is a quick bread so you don’t want to over mix.

Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the three prepared loaf pans (I find it best to use an ice cream scoop. I like to use 2 scoops for the bottom). Spread the batter out evenly.

Spoon cheesecake mixture on top of pumpkin batter layer, a little less than 2/3 of a cup.

Scoop the remaining batter on top of the cheesecake layer, again about 2 ice cream scoops worth.

If you don’t want to bother with the layering you can just spoon some pumpkin batter, then cheesecake, then pumpkin batter again and use a knife to make swirls in the bread. Tastes just as good.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Let breads cool completely before glazing.

Pour chocolate glaze over breads, about 1/3 cup each. Sprinkle pecans on top of the glaze. Followed by extra caramel sauce if desired (but really, why wouldn’t you want it ).

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2-4 TBSP milk (depending on how thick you want your glaze)

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and 2 TBSP of milk until smooth and glossy. If you want a thinner glaze add more milk, 1 TBSP at a time.

Busy, busy, busy.

The In Laws are here in town and we have been a busy bunch. I read Taste of the South magazine and a while back they had recipes using a product called Cheerwine. It’s a cherry soda with a flavor that you can’t really describe. It’s like cherry cola, but then they took come of the cola out…it’s unique. So I made a cake using that for my In Laws since they were nice enough to bring out a 12 pack from Alabama (since you can only get it in the South to my knowledge).

That got my Mother-In Law and me talking about baking. She was in awe that I made my own bread often. She asked me what I baked the most and I told her, and I followed up with “but brioche is my favorite.”

“What’s that?” was what came out of her mouth. Right away, I knew that she was not going to be leaving my house this time around without getting to try some brioche.

They have been staying at a Holiday Inn Express, which every morning has cinnamon rolls, which they love. I figured I would give them a little twist on the morning treat that they have been eating all week.

There are two versions here. First just a plain old cinnamon sugar filled ones. The second uses Maple Butter (which is basically thickened up maple syrup), Dried Cranberries, and Pecans. Both are good. You don’t taste the pumpkin in the actual brioche, it just makes it a nice orange color and moist. So in order to taste a little of the pumpkin, I added it to the cream cheese frosting. Mmm, good.

The good news is that my Mother-In Law is now a fan of brioche. But then again, how can you not be.

Fall is Coming Pumpkin Brioche Snails with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

½ recipe Pumpkin Brioche (see below)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries
3 TBSP Maple Butter (if you can not find this use 2 TBSP maple syrup)
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 recipe Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Or just Cinnamon Filled

½ recipe Pumpkin Brioche
½ cup cinnamon sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
On a flour dusted surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 16 inches long, with a short end toward you.

In a small bowl, mash together the maple butter (or maple syrup) and butter together. Stir until combined. If you are making just the plain cinnamon sugar kind, skip this step.

Spread the maple/butter across the dough, leaving 1-inch strip bare on the side farthest from you. Scatter the  nuts, cranberries over the maple butter. If you are making the cinnamon sugar kind, spread the butter across the dough, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the butter.

Starting wit the side nearest you, roll the dough into a cylinder, keeping the roll as tight as you can. Place on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for about 10 minutes, this will make it easier for you to cut.

With a chef¢â¬â„¢s knife(I use a bread knife), using a gentle sawing motion, trim just a tiny bit from the ends if they¢â¬â„¢re ragged or not well filled, then cut the log into rounds a scant 1 inch thick. Put the snails inside the individual muffin holes. You may also use a round 8-inch cake pan (this recipe will use two). If using rounds, leave enough space for them to puff.

Lightly cover the snails with wax paper and set the baking sheet(s) in a warm place until the snails have doubles in volume, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Turn oven down to 350F. Rotate the pans 180 degrees, and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let cool for 15 minutes and frost with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting.

Pumpkin Brioche

For the Sponge:
¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup bread flour

Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment ans whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, and flour, forming a thick batter. Cover with plastic film and let rest in a warm environment until bubbles form, 30-40 minutes.

For the Dough:
5 cups bread flour
2 tsp salt
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ lb(2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1.Add the flour ans salt to the sponge, then add the eggs. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are absorbed. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will begin to slap around. Hold on to the mixer when necessary.
2.2. On medium-low speed, add the butter, 2 TBSP at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.(Recipe did not say to, but I switched to the dough hook at this point). Knead until the dough is shiny ans smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape out the dough, wash and dry the bowl, and coat it lightly with oil.
3.Place dough in the oiled bowl and turn it so that the top is coated with oil. Cover with plastic film and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
4.After the dough has doubled in volume, press down to deflate, folding one half into the other. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This is the second rise.

Pumpkin Brioche from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
4-5 cups powdered sugar
milk to thin

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes.

Add pumpkin puree and spices. Beat until fully incorporated.

One cup at a time, on low speed, add powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium after powdered sugar starts to incorporate and wont fly all over you.
Add powdered sugar until you reach desired consistancy.

Thin with milk if frosting is too thick.

So right after everyone seemed to be doing the Omnivore 100 meme, another one came out. This time about things that you had done in your life. Number 3….”Been apart of a hockey fight”. Several people when filling that out commented that they were interested in knowing how I would answer that question. So here ya go.
First off that question is vague. Hockey fight at a game where I was a fan or one in a game I played? For today’s story we shall focus on the latter. Yes, I have been in a hockey fight, two for that matter, and both with boys. I of course can not say a man, because no man would hit a woman, but onward with the story.
Fight number one I lost. I am playing. I score a goal. The next thing you know I was tackled by a very large man. He started pounding my head into the ice. I kept waiting for the referees to step in but they didn’t seem to (wimps). So, I threw off my one glove (since my other arm was pinned down beneath me) and I started punching. He wasn’t wearing a cage or shield so everything on his face was fair game. Meanwhile he kept beating me down. The refs finally came over and broke it up. I broke his nose, but he gave me a mild concussion and had me pinned the whole time so I consider him the victor of the fight.
Fight number two I won.  All night this guy was insulting me and so in return I paid the favor. After two periods of being jerks to each other. He was pushing on me and said, “ya wanna go”? I asked him “do you really want to get your ass kicked in front of God and every one by a girl?” That threw him off a bit. He shouted let’s go and threw down his gloves. I took off my helmet and gloves as well. I threw up my left arm as if to punch him. I noticed he was staring at that and so I gave him an upper cut to the jaw with my right hand. And down he went. In front of God and every one, he got his ass kicked by a girl. He laid there for quite sometime. Eventually getting up. He said nothing to me. Never said one thing to me the next time we played them as well. In fact, never again.
It’s a good time to bring this up since preseason hockey is just around the corner, in about two weeks to be exact. Then before you know it, October 4th will be here and regular season play will be on it’s way. Yes, everyone, the greatest time of year is approaching….Fall. Fall when I get to bake whenever I want without sweating. When my days can be occupied with watching hockey (and swearing at the TV screen). Watching the trees undergo a metamorphosis from lush greens to a rustic reds and glowing golds. And I get to eat all the foods I love…pumpkin being at the top of the list. Now, you can get canned pumpkin year round. But there is something about Fall that makes pumpkin just taste better.
I had been working on this idea for this bread in my head for awhile. And after a week of experimenting I finally got it where I wanted it. So you reap the benefits of my labor.
If you are allergic to nuts you can very easily leave them out. Also, if you are not a fan of maple (shudder) you can leave out the maple syrup and extract and just add vanilla.
So what have we learned here today boys and girls? Best not to mess with Peabody, as she may hit you.

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Maple Cheesecake Layer

Maple Cheesecake Layer:
9 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼  cup granulated sugar
¼  cup brown sugar
6 tsp real maple syrup (I use grade B)
1 tsp maple extract
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 large egg

Pumpkin Spice Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½  tsp salt
½  tsp ground cinnamon
¼  tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree(plain, not the already made pumpkin pie kind)
½  cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 ½  cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325F.
Lightly grease and flour three mini loaf pans. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the maple cheesecake ingredients; beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
In another bowl, sift together  flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
Place pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat for about 1 minute, until fully combined
Add flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined.
Fold in the pecans.
Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the three prepared loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of pumpkin batter layer and then pour on the remaining pumpkin batter.
Bake in preheated 325° oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve at room temperature or cool.