Breakfast Baking with King Arthur Flour: Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

We have something new in our neighborhood call "The Village".  It's a outdoor street-like restaurant and shopping area filled with new things...and Sur La Table!

I was so happy to get a Sur La Table in our area.  A foodie's candy store is always a kitchen store.  Plus, with the benefit of an onsite cooking classroom in the back I was in heaven! Browsing through the classes offered I spotted one where they partnered with King Arthur Flour to present a fun, hands-on class featuring Breakfast Baking.

If you don't know about King Arthur Flour, you are missing out! King Arthur Flour is America’s oldest flour company, founded in Boston in 1790 bringing top-quality flours to bakers in the United States. Today they reside in Vermont and produce some of the best flours I've ever used.

When I discovered King Arthur's All Purpose Flour I was making a family favorite of homemade egg noodles for a large group of people. The result from this flour was the most tender, soft noodles I've ever made. I've been using King Arthur's flours ever since. 

So I jumped at the chance to attend a backing class in conjunction with King Arthur Flour.  It was fabulous.  We made 3 different baked items in about 2 1/2 hours. Today I'm bringing you an autumn twist on a coffeecake, Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake.  

This is the perfect breakfast or dessert dish.  It has a wonderful Streusel topping with a cinnamon sugar swirl in the middle of the cake.  I love the pumpkin flavoring and the cake turned out moist and tender.  Just perfect.  Another plus it that it doesn't make a ton of cake so I'm not tempted to keep eating it day and night!  It takes a 9" round cake pan or you can use a loaf pan if you prefer.  Just the right size in my book.

Try this wonderful cake and let me know what you think. Remember to try King Arthur Flour as well.  You will definitely enjoy the product it produces.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

PREP:   20 mins. to 30 mins.
BAKE:   40 mins. to 45 mins.
TOTAL: 60 mins. to 1 hrs 15 mins.
YIELD:  about 12 servings


Topping
2/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, optional

Cake
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" square pan or 9" round pan.

2) To make the topping: Whisk together the sugar, salt, flour, spice, and nuts. Add the melted butter, stirring just until well combined. Set the topping aside.

3) To make the filling: Mix together the brown sugar, spice, and cocoa powder. Note that the cocoa powder is used strictly for color, not flavor; leave it out if you like. Set it aside.

4) To make the cake: Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth.

5) Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.

6) Pour/spread half the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it all the way to the edges. If you have a scale, half the batter is about 13 1/2 ounces.

7) Sprinkle the filling evenly atop the batter.

8) Spread the remaining batter atop the filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl the filling through the batter.

9) Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

10) Bake the cake until it's light brown on top, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.

11) Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve the cake right from the pan.

Yield: 1 cake, about 12 servings.
Source: www.KingArthurFlour.com   Published: 11/02/2013

Grilled Chicken with Spaghetti Pasta and Arugula

Need a quick 20 minute late summer meal?

Sometimes I just want to minimize my dinner preparations and cook an easy pasta dish.  We went to the farmer's market today and picked up a couple of fresh ingredients such as fresh tomatoes, arugula, and some lemons in anticipation of this meal.

Quick and simple.  That's the plan today.

The bright flavors of these ingredients make this pasta a light late summer meal.  Now you may be saying that it's already fall...well that may be all around the country except is sooo not true for Southern California.  Still singing the hot summer nights here. So this meal is just perfect.

The chicken in this dish is grilled, which you can grill indoor or out.  It provides great flavor to the dish and cooks up quickly when using thin breasts or chicken tenders.

If you want to get a great dinner on the table in 20 minutes this is you dish!  I promise you will love it and so will the family.

Enjoy!



Grilled Chicken with Spaghetti Pasta and Arugula

Serves 4

12 oz spaghetti
6 oz arugula
1 lb chicken breasts, thin sliced, cut into strips
3 T olive oil
3 T unsalted butter
1 T garlic, minced
1 c fresh tomatoes, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c Parmesan, grated

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Brush grate with oil.  Salt and pepper chicken to taste.  Grill chicken covered 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions (about 8-9 minutes). Place arugula in the bottom of a colander, and drain pasta over the arugula. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat oil and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, zest and lemon juice.  Pour over the pasta and toss to coat.  Stir in cheese.  Plate and top each serving with grilled chicken.  



adapted from Cuisine Tonight Fresh & Fabulous Spring 2014 Magazine

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kabobs

There is just something about eating food that's on a stick. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's just fun!  Any food on a stick.  It could be a popsicle, roasted marshmallows, satay...it's just really cool.

Today we are making kabobs.  They originated in the Middle East and are so popular all over now that you see them popping in many different cuisines.  We both love kabobs and find that they are quick and easy to assemble and to cook.  They are something that you can grill on a charcoal or gas grill and are usually made with beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and mixed with vegetables....or not!

I usually pick a theme for dinner and all the dishes are surrounding that theme. Today we are dreaming of Jamaica. I love, love, love jerk chicken and decided to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kabobs.  The perfect dish for grilling!

This is really simple to make.  You just take your chicken, some veggies, and some Jamaican Jerk seasoning and assemble your kabobs.  Serve it with some Coconut Rice and you are all set for night in Jamaica!  I happened to have a friend that just got married in Jamaica and she brought me some authentic Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, which I used but you can use any brand you like from the store. Mine was super hot (habaneros...) but I've found that there are many out there that are not quite that hot so everyone is happy.

So what's your favorite item on a stick?

Today ours is kabobs...but tomorrow who know?

Enjoy!




Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kabobs

serves 4

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 red onion, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1 summer squash, cut in half and into chunks
1 zucchini, cut in half and into chunks
Jamaican Jerk seasoning blend
skewers (wooden or metal)

Heat your grill (charcoal or gas) to medium high heat.

Cut your boneless skinless chicken into 2 inch chunks.  Sprinkle with jerk seasoning on all sides.  To assemble your skewers:  thread skewers with a pieces of onion, bell pepper, chicken, squash, and zucchini alternating.  I start out with 1 or 2 vegetables and then add chicken and alternate with more vegetables, ending with a vegetable.  About 4 pieces of chicken per skewer. 2-3 skewers per person.

Cook over medium high heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Rotate the skewers several times to cook all sides.  Serve with rice.