Rustic Roasted Veggie Tart and a Little Help for the Holidays from Kraft

It's possible that I was a mouse in a previous life based on my love of cheese.  I always keep a few cheesy staples in my fridge for recipe inspiration or just to perk up a dish.  And those Kraft bags of shredded cheese are such great time savers for quick weeknight meals.  With all the holiday entertaining this month, we've been going through our fair share so I was delighted to find great savings on Kraft products at Target.  In fact, Kraft is offering up to $20 in coupons towards their products there so check out the link at the bottom of this post for the savings.

And since I was stocked with cheese again, I made this ridiculously good veggie tart.  I've made it before with a traditional butter crust but this time I was in the mood for this olive oil dough.  It's much easier to make, has a wonderfully crumbly texture and the flavor of the olive oil compliments the vegetables in the tart perfectly.  You can use whatever vegetables you love or have on hand and whichever cheese you prefer.  I love the mild, creamy mozzarella for this recipe.  Enjoy!



Ingredients

Pastry:
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
6 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 Teaspoon salt
1 - 2 Tablespoons water, if needed

Filling:
3/4 Cup ricotta cheese
1 Small onion, peeled and diced
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano

1 Small bell pepper (color of choice), seeded and chopped
1/2 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 Small zucchini, peeled and sliced
1 Cup cauliflower florets
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 Cup Kraft shredded mozzarella cheese (or more, to taste)

Spread all the vegetables out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss with the two tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until they're a light golden brown.  Remove from the oven but leave it on.

Make the pastry but combining the flour and salt in a bowl and stirring in the olive oil.  Kneed with your hands just until thoroughly combined and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if the dough feels too dry or is crumbling.  Press the dough into a 9" round pan.  Because there is oil in the dough, you will not need to butter and flour the pan beforehand.  Place in the oven and par bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the dough is a light golden brown.  It will not shrink so you don't need pie weights with this dough.

While the pastry is baking, make the filling by adding the onion and minced garlic to a pan with the tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and lightly caramelized.  Remove from the heat, combine with the ricotta cheese and oregano and season to taste.  When the pastry is ready, remove it from the oven but leave the oven on.  Spread the ricotta mixture on the bottom of the pastry and top with the roasted vegetables.  Generously sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  Serve warm.  Makes approximately 8 appetizer or lunch servings and 4 dinner servings.  Or, if you love cheese as much as we do...2 servings. ;)


From shopping for gifts to planning family dinners, it’s hard to keep up with all your holiday to-do’s. This year, Kraft is helping out with great weeknight meals and entertaining ideas to make the season a little bit easier. Plus, Kraft is offering up to $20 in coupons, redeemable exclusively at Target, to make food shopping easier and to help you have a happy holiday season.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing

Pardon me while I take a moment away from the holiday cakes, cookies and cocktails to discuss a vegetable that hasn't been candied and topped with marshmallows.  No worries, though, because there are plenty more caloric goodies coming your way before we all wake up on New Year's Day and realize there are only 6 short months till bathing suit season.

We're actually big veggie eaters in our house, whether there's cake for dessert or not, and cauliflower probably makes the most frequent appearance.  We almost always oven roast it then serve it up with some Parmesan cheese but I was looking for a way to make it into a great salad.  I've used it raw that way before but roasting just brings out so much more flavor so we always revert to it.  But, why can't the salad be roasted?  Cooled and dressed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette it takes salad to a whole new flavor level.  So now, hot or cold, we're still going to be buying cauliflower by the truckload.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Cups cauliflower florets
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Teaspoon mayonnaise
1/2 Teaspoon mustard
1 Clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
Handful of Parmesan cheese, grated or in shards

Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the cauliflower is a light golden brown.

Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and garlic.  Whisk well, add the roasted cauliflower, season and top with some shards of Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle #HolidayFoodParty

So, we all know what you're supposed to do when life hands you a bowl of lemons.  But, what to do when life hands you a fallen crumb cake and you're supposed to give it as a gift?  If you've been paying attention around here at all, you know I am the queen of the crumb.  I can practically make a crumb cake in my sleep.  I add crumb topping to almost everything.  What on earth is the world coming to when my crumb cake fails??

Crumb Failure

This particular crumb cake was to be gingerbread flavored and the only unusual ingredient was molasses.  I don't know if that's what caused the crumb cave in but I suspect so.  Of course, people make molasses gingerbread cakes all the time but they're usually done in a square or rectangular pan.  I attempted to make it in a large round spring-form and I think that's where it all went wrong.  The thing is...when I say it all went wrong, I just mean the way it looked.  It tasted amazing!  I considered tossing it and remaking it in my square pan but it was way too delicious to toss.  And so I whipped up a lovely little no-bake pumpkin cream and dug out my mason jars.  So perfect for gift giving!  I may have kept one (or two) for myself so I can say for a fact that I managed to turn an odd but tasty cake into an even tastier parfait.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake:
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon molasses
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 Teaspoons cinnamon
1 Teaspoon nutmeg
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt

Crumb Topping:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Cream:
8 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup frozen whipped topping
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

To make the crumb topping, combine the sugar, flour, ginger and salt in a bowl.  Stir in the melted butter and let sit while you assemble the rest of the cake.

To make the cake, cream the eggs and sugar together using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer.  Beat in the butter.  Add the vanilla, molasses and sour cream and continue mixing until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Stir the flour mixture into the wet batter and mix.

To assemble the cake, pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9 x 13 baking pan.  In other words, do as I say, not as I did. :)  With your fingers, crumble the crumb topping evenly over the batter and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake cools, make the pumpkin cream by combining the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, whipped topping, vanilla and salt in a bowl and mix until completely smooth and all the ingredients are fully incorporated.  Place a large spoonful of the pumpkin cream into the bottom of an 8 oz. jar, cut up the cake into cubes and layer a few over the cream.  Repeat a couple more times and be sure to finish the top with some of the baked crumb mixture.  This amount of cream should give you enough for 4 jars but with enough leftover cake to make 4 more, if you like.

These delectable jars are also my contribution to the collective baking talents of the Holiday Blogging Group.  Be sure to check out the amazing creations from my fellow bakers below!

Edible Gifts (Crunchy Kahlúa Buckeyes with Sea Salt) #KahlúaHoliday

The holidays mean gift giving, and gift getting, but there's always the question of what to give.  Brian has an easy time of it because I just put everything I want on my Amazon wish list and he knows to look there.  But when I'm invited to someone's home, I think an edible or drinkable gift is always happily received.  Whether it's homemade or store bought depends on your level of comfort in making it but I like to do both.

Lots of folks give wine but it can be so much fun to give an interesting liqueur, maybe with a drink recipe attached.  This year we've made delicious cocktails with Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice and Kahlúa French Vanilla so both of those went into our gift baskets along with the recipes.  And for something sweet, because I always think there should be something sweet, maybe a homemade cake, cookies or candy.    This year I decided to try my hand at making some homemade candies and I chose one of my all-time favorite ingredients, peanut butter.

I normally associate buckeye candy with children.  Smooth, sweetened peanut butter balls dipped in sweet milk chocolate.  Yum!  OK, I'm just a big kid because I love them.  But around the holidays, Brian and I mostly entertain adults.  We serve grown-up food and alcoholic beverages so I decided to bring a more adult spin to this delicious candy.  Since, when we serve after-dinner drinks, they frequently contain delicious coffee flavored Kahlúa liqueur, I incorporated that into the chocolate.  A little bite from crunchy peanut butter and a sprinkling of sea salt to finish and I may have found my favorite new treat.  And as for that after dinner drink, the classic Black Russian with equal parts Kahlúa and Absolut Vodka over ice (recipe from Kahlúa 's web site) is one of our long time favorites.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Filling:
1/2 Cup crunchy peanut butter
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Coating:
1/4 Cup Kahlúa
4 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon milk
Handful of sea salt

Combine the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, confectioner's sugar and salt in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.  Use a small scoop or your hands to form balls and place them on a dish lined with parchment paper.  Insert a toothpick into each ball to make them easier to dip in the chocolate.  Place the formed candies in the freezer to harden while you make the coating.

Place the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted.  Add the Kahlúa liqueur and stir.  At this point, the chocolate may seize up a little.  If so, add the tablespoon of milk and continue stirring until it's smoothed out again.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer and, gripping by the toothpick, dip each one about 3/4 into the chocolate.  Place them back on the parchment paper, sprinkle on a bit of sea salt and refrigerate for about an hour for the chocolate to set up.  Serve them with or without the toothpicks.  I used a 1 oz. scoop and got about a dozen candies.

Want more holiday recipes and ideas? Be sure to follow Kahlúa on Facebook and Pinterest.

To get inspiration for more great recipes and entertaining ideas with Kahlúa and for a chance to win the ultimate holiday party, please visit www.kahluaholiday.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kahlúa.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Raspberry Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

Recently, Driscoll's asked me to create a recipe using their fresh raspberries and to talk about their Made with Love Holiday Sweepstakes (more about that below).  But it's the phrase 'made with love' that stuck with me because love is why I cook and bake special treats for Brian.  And I know how very much he loves my red velvet cake.  But when I first made it for him, he asked me why it needs to be red.  I didn't have an answer for him other than that it was traditional but he really dislikes the idea of the red food coloring that's commonly used.  Suddenly I had an idea.

I know raspberries and chocolate go well together but I also wondered if they would work to "dye" the cake.  Several containers of berries later, I had a new, natural and even tastier version of red velvet.  True, not quite as red as what you'd get with food color but a hell of a lot more flavorful.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cake:
2 Cups sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup vegetable or canola oil
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 Cup buttermilk
2 oz. (approximately) raspberry syrup (recipe below)
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon baking soda
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Cup Driscoll's raspberries

Red Raspberry Syrup:
1 Cup Driscoll's raspberries
1/2 Cup water

Chocolate Raspberry Glaze:
1 Cup Driscoll's raspberries
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1/2 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-2 Tablespoons milk or cream
Dash of salt

To make the red raspberry syrup, add the Driscoll's raspberries and water to a pan and simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer and return the liquid to the pot.  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so until the liquid is reduced by about half.  Allow to cool while you make the cake batter.

Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, add the sugar and eggs to a large bowl and cream together for a couple of minutes until the eggs are a light golden color.  Beat in the oil until smooth.  Add the vanilla, vinegar and buttermilk and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the raspberry syrup.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder.  In a small bowl, toss the raspberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour/cocoa mixture.  This will help prevent the raspberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake.  Add the flour mixture into the wet batter and mix.  Fold in the raspberries.

You can bake this cake in a variety of different ways - a 10-12 cup bundt pan, a tube pan, a 9" spring-form or four 4 1/2" mini spring-forms, which is what I did.  By dividing the batter, I can store some of the cakes in the fridge or freezer for unexpected holiday season company.  Whichever you choose, butter and flour your pans and pour in the batter.  If you're using the smaller spring-forms, fill them with about 2" of spare room at the top.  Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 50 - 55 minutes for a large cake or 30 - 40 minutes for the smaller ones or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool thoroughly before removing from the pan.

To make the glaze, add the berries and water to a pan along with the sugar.  Simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.  Add the chocolate chips to a bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir and continue to microwave (30 seconds at a time) until melted.  Add the raspberry syrup and salt.  Slowly stir in the milk, one tablespoon at a time until you have a good pourable consistency.  Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and top with some fresh raspberries if desired.  Makes approximately 12 servings.

Want to make something with love as well?  Enter the sweepstakes here for a chance to win a Kitchenaid stand mixer and a year's worth of berries.  And check out the Driscoll's web site for more ideas, recipes and inspiration.

The Rum & Maple Cocktail and Baked Brie with Rum Cranberry Compote #CaptainsTable

There's something about this time of year that brings friends and family together more often and our holiday entertaining has only just begun.  But that always leads to the question of what to serve.  We're all about great cocktails, as you should know by now, and love introducing our guests to new flavors.

Savory herbs are so interesting when paired with sweet ingredients and I've been playing with the combo of fresh thyme and maple syrup.  I love how it plays off the warmth of a good spiced rum and a touch of lime brings it all together in a great cocktail.

The Rum and Maple

Per Serving:
2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 oz. Maple Syrup
1/2 oz. Lime juice
Dash of Angostura bitters
1/2 Teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Add the thyme and maple syrup to a cocktail shaker and muddle together using a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon.  Add the rum, lime juice and bitters.  Fill with ice, shake well and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

So now on to the question of what food to serve.  Since I was already working with thyme and rum, I thought both could work double duty in the appetizer as well as the drink.

We've all seen wheels of brie baked in pastry and they have the advantage of being able to be made in advance.  You can prep it the day before and keep it, unbaked, in the fridge until just before guests arrive.  But I wanted to make it more special with fresh herbs and an interesting sauce.  Wines and liqueurs are frequently used in cooking to enhance flavor so I decided to add the spiced rum to a batch of homemade cranberry sauce.  As soon as I added it, it instantly gave the sauce a much deeper flavor.  A little something "extra" as it were.  It was amazing on its own, at our Thanksgiving table, and even better paired with the baked cheese.  And the fresh thyme, baked into my homemade pastry, played so well off the sweet and tart sauce that these baked bries have been disappearing quickly at our house.  Enjoy!

Baked Brie in Herbed Pastry with Rum Cranberry Compote

Ingredients

1 Round 7 - 8 oz. wheel of brie cheese
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon cream

Pastry:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Stick unsalted butter
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup ice water
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Rum Cranberry Compote:
12 oz. Fresh cranberries
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup water
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 Teaspoon salt
2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

To make the pastry, combine the butter, flour and salt in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles course crumbs. Add the thyme then slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

While the pastry is chilling, make the compote by placing the cranberries, sugar, water, salt and orange zest in a pot.  Simmer on a medium low flame for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries become soft.  Remove from the heat, add the rum and allow to cool.

When the dough has chilled, roll it out on a well-floured surface to approximately a 9" round.  Mound the cranberry compote in the center and place the wheel of brie on top.  Fold up the pastry and cut off the excess to use for decoration.  Flip the wrapped brie over, seem side down, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roll out the excess dough and cut out leaf shapes, if desired.  Mix the egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush it onto the pastry.  This will help keep any decorative leaves in place and allow the pastry to brown.

Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown.  Serve warm.

Note that I've been working with Captain Morgan Rum and Chef Hugh Acheson on the CaptainsTable challenge.  For every recipe we bloggers create with the #CaptainsTable hashtag, $1 will be donated to WhyHunger.  If you have recipes to share on social media, please add the hashtag as well and check out other ideas on their Facebook and Pinterest pages.

Captain's Table Challenge with Captain Walker #CaptainsTable

From time to time you see me create recipes for specific food brands and it's something I find both challenging and rewarding.  They're always brands I like anyway and I enjoy the challenge of creating new recipes and new ideas for using well known products.  And, if that product just happens to be a spirit, well... that's kind of extra fun.

In this case, the spirit in question is Captain Morgan Rum and, not only do we use it, but it's our house favorite.  But wait, there's more.  The recipes be judged by Top Chef Masters alum, Chef Hugh Acheson and he's partnered with Captain Walker to donate money to a very worthy cause.  For every recipe we bloggers create with the #CaptainsTable hashtag, $1 will be donated to WhyHunger.

So, starting tomorrow, I'll be bringing you cocktail and rum infused recipes for holiday entertaining and even Superbowl ideas in January.  Let the fun begin!

Note:  I was provided with 3 bottles of Captain Morgan Rum plus a small stipend to cover the cost of ingredients.

The Month in Review - November 2013

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving celebration yesterday.  We ate too much, drank too much and were up way to late.  It was great!  No 'black Friday' shopping for us today, though.  We're lounging around and enjoying the day off.

Before we head into December and all the holiday foods and drinks that are coming up, let's take a quick look back and a very delicious November.  Enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon and Walnuts

The Spicy Pumpkin

Sticky Figgy Bundt Cake

Cranberry Crumb Cake

Vanilla Cream Cocktail

Sage and Butternut Squash Pithiviers

Sweet Cinnamon Bread

Holiday Entertaining Tips with Kahlua

Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie with Peanut Butter Streusel

Herb and Walnut Pie Crust Leaf Crackers

Creamy Kahlua Trifle

Creamy Kahlúa Trifle #KahlúaHoliday

Of all the many desserts I make around the holidays, no-bake trifles are by far the easiest.  They're great make-ahead dishes and can be flavored in lots of different ways.  Lately I've been looking in my liquor cabinet for flavoring inspirations and my bottle of Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice is a growing favorite.  Added to a simple cream cheese base it gives this dessert much more dimension.  And yes, I took some help from the store with prepared whipped topping and a really good pre-made crust.  With dessert quickly out of the way, I could focus on a more elaborate dinner.

And while coffee or tea is the popular beverage at the end of the meal, the holidays give us an excuse to splurge a little.  I found this suggestion for Kahlúa Hot Coffee on the Kahlúa web site and it seemed like the perfect "extra" touch for holiday gatherings.  Just two parts Kahlúa to three parts coffee and garnished with whipped cream, cinnamon or shaved chocolate.  What a treat!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice
16 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup sugar
16 oz. Prepared whipped topping
1/4 Cup milk
1 Prepared graham cracker pie shell

Remove the pie shell from it's aluminum foil base and place in a plastic baggie.  Crush it with your fingers or use a rolling pin to turn it into crumbs.  In a large bowl, combine the Kahlúa, cream cheese, sugar, whipped topping and milk until fully incorporated.  Place about a tablespoon of the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of a single serving dish, add a tablespoon or two of the filling and repeat twice more.  You should have enough for 4 dessert dishes.  Top each one with about a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs and store in the refrigerator until serving.

Want more holiday recipes and ideas? Be sure to follow Kahlúa on Facebook and Pinterest.

To get inspiration for more great recipes and entertaining ideas with Kahlúa and for a chance to win the ultimate holiday party, please visit www.kahluaholiday.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kahlúa.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Herb and Walnut Pie Crust Leaves

Did I ever mention how much I love pastry?  To me, the crust is the best, most important part of a pie or quiche.  I'd even be willing to scoop the filling out if it meant more crust.  Well... almost.  But it does make sense that I love to make savory appetizers out of my favorite crust recipe.

Since we're right in the middle of holiday entertaining season and, with Thanksgiving just a few days away, my food processor has been working overtime producing dough.  Pies, crumb toppings, crackers...it's a baking production line in my kitchen.  These adorable little leaves get a slight crunch from chopped walnuts and a kick of flavor from fresh herbs.  Bring on the cocktail parties and enjoy!

Ingredients
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
1/4 Cup ice water
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
1/4 Cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the butter, flour and salt in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles course crumbs. Slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Combine the chives, chopped walnuts and grated cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

When the dough has chilled, cut it in half and roll each half out on a well-floured surface.  The filling will be sandwiched between each half so they need to be rolled out pretty thin.  Sprinkle the chive, walnut and cheese mixture over one of the dough layers and top with the second layer.  Using your rolling pin, roll over both layers to compress the filling and seal the edges.  Cut out shapes with your favorite leaf cutter and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown.  I used a 3" leaf cutter and got a dozen finished pastry leaves.

Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie with Peanut Butter Streusel

If I had to be known for a signature dish, it would probably be my apple pie.  It's our annual Thanksgiving dessert and Brian's particular favorite.  The first time I made it for him, a few months after we first met, he told me I should have gone into the apple pie making business.  And, naturally, I've been making it for him ever since.

But I've been wanting to play with some variations and I do love a good crumb topping.  So, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I gave my signature classic a new and very tasty twist.  We all know that apples and peanut butter are a good snack so why not have them play together in a pie?  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pastry Crust:
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
3/4 Teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons ice water

Apple Filling:
3 Golden Delicious apples (or other sweet apples)
3 Granny Smith apples (or other tart apples)
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Crumb Topping:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup peanut butter
Pinch of salt

To make the crust, combine the butter, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles course crumbs. Slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Peel, core and slice the apples. Combine them in a bowl with the sugar, lemon juice, flour and salt.

After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a well-floured surface until it's about a 12" circle. Lay it into a deep dish pie or tart pan (mine is 9" x 2 1/2") and pour the apple mixture into the dish.

Make the crumb topping by combining the sugar, flour, peanut butter and dash of salt in a bowl.  Using your fingers, crumble the mixture over the top of the apple filling.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until the top and sides are a light golden brown.  Makes approximately 12 servings.

Click here to see my original apple pie recipe

Holiday Entertaining and the 'House Special' Pitcher #KahlúaHoliday

I think the best part of the holiday season is getting together with friends and family.  And, although it can be relaxing to just be the guest, I actually prefer being the host.  Having a houseful of guests, eating, drinking, laughing and exchanging stories somehow makes the house feel like a home.  And I still remember all the parties my parents threw when I was a little girl.  I'd help my mother cook and decorate and I'd always be given a chance to join the adults for a little while before being sent off to bed.  Good memories.

Now that it's my turn to be the hostess, whether it's a dinner party or just cocktails, we always put out baskets of sweet and savory crackers.  Plates of assorted cheeses and smoked nuts are always popular and there's usually a crudites plate with a dip.  But while my parents always mixed up cocktails to order, Brian and I have learned over the years that's it's easier and more fun to pick a 'house special' cocktail and prep a big batch ahead of time.  Of course, we can accommodate anyone who prefers something else but most people enjoy our pitchers of 'special' drinks and each year we learn we have to make more.  Summer gatherings tend to involve fruit flavors and the blender but fall holiday entertaining in our house means pumpkin.

We have several variations but this year we had a chance to try the new Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice flavor and that is now the basis of our house special holiday cocktail.  For those of you that missed it a couple of weeks ago, here is the recipe again.  Simple multiply the ingredients by the number of guests you're expecting, pour it all into a pitcher, store it in the refrigerator and shake it over ice to order.  But don't be surprised if you have to make a second or even a third batch.  Cheers!

Per Serving:
2 oz. Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice
1 oz. Bourbon
2 oz. Half and half or cream
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon

Want more holiday recipes and ideas? Be sure to follow Kahlúa on Facebook and Pinterest.

To get inspiration for more great recipes and entertaining ideas with Kahlúa and for a chance to win the ultimate holiday party, please visit www.kahluaholiday.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kahlúa.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Sweet Cinnamon Bread

Don't you love the smell of cinnamon coming from the oven?  Lazy Sunday mornings, coffee, tea and a warm cinnamon treat for breakfast.  Sure, cinnamon rolls are amazing but I had something a little lighter and easier in mind.

Sweet quick breads are so easy to make and this one delivers on that delicious Sunday morning aroma and is packed with wonderful cinnamon flavor.  The top layer of cinnamon sugar gets a slight crunch in the oven for an extra treat.  And now, we're ready to get our Sunday started.  Or, even better, maybe we'll just take our coffee and cinnamon bread and go back to bed.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 Egg
1 Cup sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup buttermilk
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Add the egg and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat together using a stand or hand mixer.  Beat in the butter then add the vanilla and buttermilk and continue beating until everything is well mixed.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter.  Combine the light brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Butter and flour a loaf pan (I also placed a sheet of parchment paper in there for easy removal) and pour in half the batter.  Sprinkle on half the cinnamon sugar mixture and top with the remaining batter.  Using a butter knife, very gently swirl the dough, just a couple of times.  Top with the remaining cinnamon sugar and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Makes approximately 10 servings.

Sage & Butternut Squash Pithiviers (Savory Hand Pies)

As popular as pumpkin is in our house at this time of year, I think butternut squash shows up even more often.  It's a little sweeter and has a mild enough flavor to blend with lots of different recipes.  You can boil or microwave it but roasting brings out the best flavor and it's totally worth the time to do.  Know what isn't worth the time?  Cutting the dang thing.  I mean, if you have to then, you have to, but many markets sell it already peeled and cut up and I'm happily paying the extra few pennies for all that labor.  Even more happily, this recipe requires no pre-cooking but, since you'll likely have leftover squash, below are some recipe ideas.

So now some of you are asking what in the world is a pithivier?  I know I was, the first time I heard the term.  Basically, it's a little round hand pie with a mound of filling between two disks of pastry.  It's also a fun little word! :)  You can certainly use store-bought puff pastry and, that's probably more accurate for a pithivier.  (There's that fun little word again!)  But I didn't have any in the house.  I did have butter and flour, though, so I just whipped up a quick savory dough.

I actually made this same dough and filling a couple of weeks ago but in the form of a galette.  Oh, my, another fancy French term.  We're just lousy with them today, aren't we.  So, a galette is a rustic pie (translation: I was too lazy to form an actual pie).  I just rolled out the dough into a large circle, dumped the filling in the middle and rolled up the edges of the dough to hold it all in.  Brian's brother was coming over and the three of us were headed to a Halloween party later that evening.  I figured the galette would make a quick snack to tide us over until party food and the three of us polished it off in no time.  So, big rustic pie or individual hand pies, this is a great snack or appetizer to have around during the holiday season.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pastry:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
1/4 Cup ice water

Filling:
1 Cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into small, bite-size pieces
1/4 lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Salt & pepper to taste

To make the pastry, combine the flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  With the food processor running, slowly add the ice water through the feed tube and run just until a dough ball forms.  Pat it out on a floured surface, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When the dough has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it's approximately 10" around.  Use a circular cutter to cut out dough rounds.  Re-roll the scraps to get more rounds.  I used a 4 1/2" cutter and got 8 rounds but you can make them smaller to be more appetizer sized.  Combine the squash pieces, cheese and sage in a bowl and season.  Place a heaping mound of the squash filling, about 2 tablespoons, on each of 4 dough rounds.  Top each with the remaining dough rounds and press the sides together with your fingers or a fork.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and score the tops.  Pithiviers typically have spiral designs on top but I just made a few horizontal and vertical lines with the tip of a sharp knife.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the rounds are a light golden brown.  Makes 4 servings.

Other ideas for roasted butternut squash:

Butternut Squash Salad

Wheat Berry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad

Butternut Squash Pasta Bake