'Cause I'm all caught up in your sweet smile...

Apricot Pistachio Oatmeal Bread

Maple Pecan Streusel Bread

Today I have two sweet treats for autumn; both embrace warm flavors, texture from pecans and pistachios, and aromas that will transform your home into a fall fantasy. First, apricot pistachio oatmeal cookies, these delicious morsels embody warm cinnamon, sweet apricots, and buttery pistachios while creating a cookie that can be eaten for breakfast, served with an afternoon cup of tea, or after dinner with coffee. You could swap out the apricots for cranberries for a festive Christmas cookie. The second recipe, maple pecan streusel bread, has just moved into the number one spot in my book for fall sweet bread. As much as I cherish pumpkin bread, this was an unexpected and delightful change. The maple adds enough sweetness without being overpowering, and you may choose any kind of nut that you like (when I think of fall I frequently turn to pecans). This treat also contains a streusel layer in the center of the bread, that when baked flows throughout the entire loaf. By using Greek yogurt in the bread it keeps the recipe on the lighter side, while remaining incredibly moist. If you are in need of a fall hostess gift either of these would be charming. Apple cider, a warm blanket, a good book, and these sweet treats are the makings of a lovely afternoon.

Apricot Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste

Few grates of fresh nutmeg (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pistachios

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

With a mixer cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Turn mixer speed to low and add the oat mixture, and mix just until incorporated. Do not over-mix. Fold in pistachios and apricots by hand.

Lightly flour hands and roll dough into 1-inch to 1 ½-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple Pecan Streusel Bread

Ingredients for the Pecan Streusel:

1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients for the Bread:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

For the streusel: combine first 5 ingredients (brown sugar through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until well-combined. Stir in chopped toasted pecans.

For the bread: whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a large bowl, beat the yogurt, softened butter, & maple syrup until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined. Beat in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add in one third of the flour mixture. Beat in one half of the buttermilk. Beat in another one third of the flour. Beat in remaining buttermilk. Beat in remaining flour just until combined.

Spoon half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel mixture. Spread remaining batter over streusel; swirl with a butter knife. Sprinkle remaining streusel evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

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We don't care, we drive Cadillacs in our dreams...

When pesto is mentioned I envision bright sweet summery basil, while this is the traditional ingredient there are many variations of pesto. I adore mint, and believe that it is under-appreciated in savory dishes. Mediterranean, Northern African, and Middle Eastern cuisines have embraced this hearty herb for centuries while American cuisine typically limits mint to the dessert course (I feel this is a great injustice).  So, on a mission to bring mint into the spotlight, the pasta I share with you today is tossed in a mint pesto. In addition to this fragrant pesto I did a quick sauté of shiitake mushrooms and asparagus to add to the dish. The final finishing note was fresh salty feta cheese. I served this pasta warm, but it would be equally delicious chilled and served as a pasta salad.  Feel free to experiment with any veggies that look good in the store when you are shopping, and any hearty mushroom may be substituted for the shiitakes. I encourage everyone to experiment with different pesto combinations some others I enjoy are; cilantro and walnut and arugula and pecan. Enjoy!!

Pasta Tossed with Mint Pesto, Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms

Ingredients

3/4 lb pasta, such as cavatappi or penne (any short cut pasta)

2 1/2 cups mint leaves, stems removed, rinsed and dried

1/4 cup whole almonds, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced

3/4 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt and pepper

Zest of 1/2 a lemon

Feta cheese for garnish

Instructions

Put a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.  Cook the pasta as directed on the box.

While it is cooking, prepare the pesto.  You can do this in a food processor or blender, but I like doing it by hand, so as to not turn the pesto into mush.  To do it by hand, place the garlic clove on a large cutting board and add 1/3 of the mint leaves on top of that.  Using a large chef’s knife, chop the leaves and the garlic. Once it is finely chopped, add another 1/3 of mint leaves and continue chopping.  Repeat with the remaining mint.  Once this is done, add the chopped almonds on top and chop until they are incorporated into the pesto.  Add the cheese on top and chop and fold into pesto mixture to combine.  Add this mixture to a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup olive oil. Set aside.

At this point, the pasta should be finished cooking.  Drain and let cool as you cook the asparagus and mushrooms.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and let cook for a minute. Add in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the asparagus is bright green and, when you taste a piece, it remains slightly crunchy.

In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta with the pesto, making sure to coat each piece evenly.  Mix in the mushrooms, asparagus, and lemon zest.  Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, add additional salt and pepper.

Garnish with whole mint leaves and feta cheese.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

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