Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

ingredients

Cake:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut plus additional for garnish

Frosting:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (measured, then sifted)

preparation

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; dust pans with flour. Sift 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and orange peel; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and 3/4 cup coconut. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper. Turn cakes over, rounded side up. Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops of cakes to level.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in dark rum and vanilla. Add powdered sugar in 3 additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition (do not overbeat or frosting may become too soft to spread). Place 1 pumpkin cake layer, flat side down, on platter. Spread half of cream cheese frosting over top of cake to edges. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting over top (not sides) of cake. Sprinkle additional coconut over. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Cut cake into wedges and serve.

GOOD TO KNOW:
It's better to underbeat the frosting than overbeat it. That bit of restraint makes for a slightly firmer frosting that's easier to spread.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Pumpkin-Layer-Cake-240123#ixzz2mwz1eWii

Salad Dressing Principles

There is a guiding principle for making my own salad dressings that I follow: oil, tang and other ingredient. Oil can be traditional oils used in salad dressings or they can be something like an avocado that is oil based. By tang I mean the vinegar (balsamic, rice wine, white wine, etc) or you can also use citrus, it makes a fine ingredient in salad dressing. Other ingredients are the other flavors you want to add into the dressing (honey, ginger, garlic, herbs, mustard, jam for example a raspberry jam based dressing. (Note: for herbs you can roughly chop or for a smooth dressing blend them in a small hand blender. 

A dressing is basically an emulsion. Without getting too heavily into it (you can dive in depth at the links below) its essentially how to make the dressing thicken and bring them together so they don't separate. This involves having an emulsifier and bringing the ingredients together gradually (I use a mini hand blender/food processor and open the top put a little oil in, close, blend, open, etc) or if I am using a jar to shake the dressing I do the same process but shake it 10 - 15 times in between adding the oil. The second link below goes through a whole 101 in salad dressing, do the section on partial emulsions and then full emulsions. (Sample of a recipe that simply describes the emulsion process in a recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/veni-vedi-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html)

Finally, there are alternatives. Don't have oil on hand? You can use egg yolks (commonly used in caesar salad dressing). Want to take an oily dressing and make it creamy without adding mayonnaise? Add tofu and put it in the blender or use sour cream (fat free if that is what you are looking for) or even better plain yogurt. 

If you taste the dressing and it is missing something, often a dash of salt will help bring it all together. Another test for flavor if something seems missing is to run through the flavor sensations, for me the salad dressing is an art of finding the right balance between tangy, sweet, citrus, nutty, earthy, etc). 

Keep in mind that a standard proportion of vinegar to oil for dressing is 1 part vinegar to 3-4 parts oil
http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/become-a-better-cook-4 

For more on the science and a much deeper dive into these principles please read the following: http://debbrunson.com/2012/02/05/sauces-dressings-101-permanent-emulsions/

Simple Traditional Dressing (from Italy)
Olive oil 
Lemon juice
Dash of salt
(Used with arugula salad with lightly roasted cherry tomatoes and parmesan)

Orange Dressing
Orange marmalade, rice wine vinegar and sesame seed oil
Use reasonable portions, mix to taste or use above guidance (1 part vinegar to 3 - 4 parts oil)

Honey Lime Dressing
I use this base for an Asian flavored salad or a Mexican salad. 
Lime Juice
Honey
Splash of balsamic (can do it with balsamic or keep it more tangy with just the lime juice)
Olive oil 
Additional seasoning: ginger for an Asian based flavor, cumin and cayanne or pepper flakes for a mexican bent
Use reasonable portions, mix to taste or use above guidance (1 part vinegar to 3 - 4 parts oil)

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Lemon Basil Salad Dressing

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing - Get Your Feet in the ...

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Tangy Avocado Dressing

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Balsamic Salad Dressing 

Hearts of Romaine with Blue Cheese and Caper Dressing

Summer Bean Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Pecorino Fresco

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Chicken, Rice, and Mango in Lettuce ...

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Spicy Slaw

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Hot Niçoise Salad (Quick and Easy)

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Warm Chicken Sausage and Potato ...

http://feetinkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/10/cilantro-green-garlic-vinegrette.html

Cilantro Green Garlic Vinegrette

• 1 bulb green garlic, trimmed and cut in half (or 2-3 cloves regular garlic) - Green garlic is simply immature garlic and looks like a slightly overgrown scallion or green onion. I am sure you can use green onion just fine.
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 serrano chile, halved, seeds and ribs removed (or a jalapeno)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 pinches ground cumin
• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Add green garlic, cilantro, chile, olive oil, lemon juice and cumin to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt (I added a couple of pinches).

- See more at: http://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/chopped-romaine-with-pickled-vegetables-toasted-pine-nuts-and-cilantro-green-garlic-vinaigrette#sthash.bO3Cxr1L.dpuf

Hot Niçoise Salad (Quick and Easy)

Hot Niçoise Salad Gwyneth Paltrow

TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN, SERVINGS: 4, FAST, HEALTHY, STAFF-FAVORITE

Gwyneth Paltrow transforms one of her favorite salads, the Niçoise, into a hearty one-dish dinner by roasting tuna steaks on a tangle of beans, tomatoes, anchovies and olives.

1/2 pound green beans

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup pitted Niçoise olives (3 ounces)

1 cup roasted red or yellow bell peppers, cut into strips

Two 2-ounce cans flat anchovies packed in olive oil, drained and chopped

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Four 6-ounce, 1-inch-thick tuna steaks

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the beans in a steamer basket and steam over 1 inch of boiling water until crisp-tender, 4 minutes; transfer to a large roasting pan.

Lightly squeeze the tomatoes and add to the pan. Add the olives, bell pepper, anchovies and basil, toss with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the tuna steaks with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the tuna on the vegetables. Nestle 4 ramekins among the vegetables and crack an egg into each ramekin. Drizzle the eggs with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper

Roast the tuna, vegetables and eggs in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, until the fish is slightly rare in the center and the egg whites are set, but the yolks are still runny.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of oil with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and tuna steaks. Transfer to plates and serve immediately.

Suggested Pairing

Fragrant, strawberry-inflected Provençal rosé.

Making Homemade Ketchup

Spicy Slaw

Spicy Slaw

{gluten-free and vegan*}

makes about 4 cups

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green onion, white and light green parts, chopped
• 1 head purple cabbage, finely shredded (using a food processor)
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar (white wine vinegar is ok too)
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or vegenaise*
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons sriracha
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Chop cabbage, onions, and cilantro and combine in a large bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, make the slaw dressing. Whisk together vinegar, mayonnaise, garlic, sriracha, honey, and olive oil. Combine with the cabbage, onions, and cilantro. (Or, if you know you aren’t going to use it all, keep some of the dressing and the cabbage mixture separate for guaranteed freshness.)

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing
Epicurious | August 2013

From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living
Meatless


yield:
Serves 8
ingredients
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed
3 ounces baby arugula
preparation
1. Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard, and the toasted nuts in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add walnut oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified.

2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a colander to drain. Return pan of water to a boil.

3. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add green beans to boiling water and cook until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and cut into 2-inch pieces.

4. Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with dressing, toss to coat, and serve.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Arugula-Potato-and-Green-Bean-Salad-with-Walnut-Dressing-51190410#ixzz2eiKtgt2Q

Fish Marinade from "In the Kitchen with Pike Place Fish Guys"

Citrus Soy Glaze

1 c. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
Two 1/2-inch thick wheels fresh ginger

Combine in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Eyeballing it, reduce the mixture by half, or until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove the ginger and remove the pan from the heat. 

Variation: For added flavor, Taho adds the sauce directly to the pan in which he just seared his fish, scraping up the bits. Once the sauce is thick, he whisks in 2 - 3 T of cold butter.


Crybaby Marinade
Works great with warm water fish, such as catfish, bass or perch or with whitefish such as true cod, halibut, snapper, rockfish, or tilapia. More seeds you leave in the hotter it will be.

1/2 # jalapeno chilis roughly chopped
1 med yellow onion, cut in quarters
1 c lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 16 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 c teriyaki sauce 
juice from 1 lime
2 tsp kosher salt

Blend in blender. Marinade improves if allowed to sit in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.


Northwest Seafood Seasoning

1/3 c dried minced garlic
1/3 c dried granulated onion
1 T fine sea salt
4 tsp. dried granulated lemon peel
1/3 c dried dill
1/2 c paprika
2 T celery seed
1/2 c. dried parsley
1/4 c. medium grind pepper

Grilled Corn and Cheese Cakes

4 to 6 servings

2 cups frozen corn, thawed ¾ cup shredded smoked mozzarella (3 ounces) 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, divided ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon sour cream 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup creme fraiche, for serving

Grilled Corn and Cheese Cakes In a food processor, pulse the corn into a chunky puree. Place in a medium bowl. Add the cheese, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, chives, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined. Form the mixture into 9 balls and then flatten into patties, each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Coat the patties in the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the patties with olive oil and grill until toasted, 4 to 5 minutes each side.  Arrange the corn cakes on a platter and top with a dollop of creme fraiche.

instructions

In a food processor, pulse the corn into a chunky puree. Place in a medium bowl. Add the cheese, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, chives, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined. Form the mixture into 9 balls and then flatten into patties, each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Coat the patties in the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the patties with olive oil and grill until toasted, 4 to 5 minutes each side. 

Arrange the corn cakes on a platter and top with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Recipe by Giada De Laurentis

Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Preparation

• Set aside 1/4 cup sliced scallions. Pulse cilantro, garlic, citrus zests, citrus juices, soy sauce, oil, salt, and remaining scallions in a food processor or blender until a coarse purée forms. Set aside 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Chill at least 20 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade and place, skin side down, on a foil-lined broilerproof baking sheet; discard marinade. Broil chicken until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn; continue to broil until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 12–15 minutes longer. Serve chicken with reserved marinade and scallions.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2013/08/citrus-marinated-chicken-thighs#ixzz2ZXvRX7S7

Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemon

My note: This is the best carrot soup I have ever had! The only change I made was I threw in a few very small potatoes to make the recipe stretch (I didn't quite have enough carrots). Oh, and I added more than 2 T fresh lemon juice and I loved the deep citrus flavor.

Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds medium carrots, peeled, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons sour cream
1 small carrot, peeled, grated

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon peel; sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
Puree soup in batches in blender. Return soup to pot. Mix in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock, if desired. Ladle into bowls. Top each with sour cream and grated carrot.



Bon Appétit
June 1997


Want to see how other cooks rated and reviewed this recipe? Go to http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Carrot-Soup-with-Ginger-and-Lemon-4083?mbid=ipapp

Green Pea Soup with Ham

Note from author: I've eaten split pea and ham soup for as long as I can remember. On chilly days when my dad was being stingy with the heat, it especially hit the spot. But this concept is just as good in the springtime, when sugary fresh peas show up at the greenmarket. Although I must admit that I rarely feel like shelling peas at home after a long day in the kitchen, and I love frozen peas, which are consistently fine, so that's what I call for here. The finished dish is bright green and sweet, with little chunks of ham, carrots, and cool white blobs of crème fraîche floating on its surface.

Yield: Serves 4

For the broth
2 pounds meaty smoked ham hocks
1/2 medium Spanish onion, halved
3 small celery stalks, very roughly chopped
1/2 medium carrot, peeled, very roughly chopped
1 head garlic, halved horizontally, not peeled
1 fresh bay leaf, or 1/2 dried
6 black peppercorns

For the soup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons Maldon or another flaky sea salt
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Five-fingered pinch of mint leaves, plus some torn leaves for finishing
Two 10-ounce packages Birds Eye frozen baby peas
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
3 or 4 tablespoons crème fraîche

Make the broth: 

Combine the hocks, vegetables, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 8 cups of water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low, put the lid on, and cook at a nice steady simmer until the meat on the hocks is so tender it's almost falling off the bone, 4 to 5 hours.

Carefully remove the hocks and put them in a big bowl. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into the bowl, and discard the vegetables and aromatics. Let the hocks cool in the liquid.

When the hocks are cool enough to handle, pull off the meat in bite-sized chunks. Discard the bones and any hard bits and some of the fat, but don't throw away the skin—I add the skin to the soup in thin slices, along with the chunks of ham. You don't have to, but I like the way it goes sticky in the soup. You can keep the stock and meat (moistened with a splash of stock) in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days. Gently warm the meat and skin before proceeding with the recipe. This recipe requires only 4 cups of stock—you may freeze the leftover stock for up to a month for your next batch of soup.

Make the soup:

Put the butter in a large pot that has a lid and set it over medium heat. Once the butter starts to froth, add the onion, carrot, and salt and stir. Cover the pot and cook, stirring every now and again, until the onions are soft and creamy (but not colored) and the carrots are tender but firm, about 15 minutes.

Add the wine and bring it to a boil (turn the heat up if you need to). Let the wine boil until it's all but gone, about 5 minutes. Add the mint and 4 cups of the ham broth and bring the liquid to a boil, then add the peas. (At this point, the carrots will have bobbed to the top. I like to pick out most of the carrot chunks before pureeing the soup, then add them back after. That way, you can nibble on them in the soup, getting that bit of texture.) Cook at a simmer until the peas are warmed through and tender, about 5 minutes.

Blend the pot's contents, in batches, until smooth. Return all the bright-green pea puree to the large pot, add the ham pieces and carrots, and cook at a very gentle simmer for about 5 minutes, just to let the flavors mingle and heat the ham. Have a taste, and season with salt. How much you need to add will depend on how salty the ham hocks are.

Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, several twists of black pepper, and the torn mint leaves. Then add the crème fraîche in little blobs here and there, so everyone will get a bit. Serve the soup in the pot, with small bowls along-side.

IT ISN'T EASY BEING GREEN
I love to let the ingredients in this soup mingle in the pot for a few hours so the flavors marry. Doing this, however, sacrifices the soup's lovely bright green color for a pondy, murky one. I don't mind the color change, but some people might. If you'd like to make the soup the night before and want it to stay bright, set up a big bowl of ice water and set another big bowl inside. Once the soup is done, pour it into the bowl and stir until it's cold. 

Source Information
Reprinted with permission from A Girl and Her Pig by April Bloomfield, © 2012 Ecco an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Green-Pea-and-Ham-Soup-395073#ixzz2PtRZTC1M