Posted by Natalie on November 8, 2010 · 3 Comments
Ropa Vieja. Ever heard of it? It’s a classic cuban dish meaning “old clothes.” I know that sounds totally awful, but it’s so named for its long-cooked beef resembling shredded rags. Still not sold? Let me tell you my little story about ropa vieja.
I was first introduced to the dish on my 21st birthday. A few friends (including my fellow foodie
Em), my then-fiance-now-hubs and I went out to Philly’s famed Old City restaurant,
Cuba Libre. I’d been wanting to go there the minute I heard about it at least two years prior, but you know how college kids eat (not at fancy restaurants). I ordered the ropa vieja on a whim, just to try it out. People, that ropa vieja was a melt-in-your-mouth-I-think-I-need-thirds-no-fourths kind of meal. So clearly, I became obsessed.
Flash forward to a few years later, when I decided to quit pining for it and make it myself. I found a recipe on
Food & Wine, made it, and really enjoyed what I’d recreated at home. Then I promptly photographed it and forgot to share it with you. Until last night! Hubs and I went on our first good date in months to a little Cuban restaurant (
Emilio’s) where I had me some ropa vieja and remembered that I hadn’t shared mine with you. How rude of me! So here we are, and here it is, in all its glory.
The main part of the dish is the slow-cooked beef. If you’ve got that part down, you’re well on your way to a good dish. This recipe is done entirely on the stove top, but I’m sure there are oven-cooked versions out there, too. The beef is browned, simmered, shredded and added to a veggie/broth mixture and cooked until it looks like (you guessed it!) old clothes and tastes like magic.
I serve it over white rice, but it would be delicious paired with yuca (boiled or fried) or fried plaintains. Saffron rice would be excellent, too. Or maybe some black beans. Just go for all of it and have a Cuban feast.
The meat mixture is also great the next day. I like to wrap it up in tortillas with avocado. Quesadillas would be yummy, too. I’m really wishing I had some in the fridge.
I’m telling you, friends- in this case, I prefer old clothes to new ones.
Ropa Vieja
David Rosengarten, via Food & Wine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds flank steak, cut with the grain into 6 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 medium red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 medium green bell peppers, thinly sliced
14 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1/3 cup)
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
One 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes in puree, drained and coarsely chopped (4 cups)
1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering. Blot the flank steak dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown the meat over high heat, about 10 minutes. Transfer the browned steak to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat. Return all of the meat to the casserole. Add the water and 1 bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Transfer the stewed meat to a large bowl and cover with aluminum foil; reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf.
In the same casserole, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the onions and red and green bell peppers to the casserole and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Lay the cloves, cinnamon and the remaining bay leaf on a square of cheesecloth. Gather the edges and tie them with kitchen string; add the spice bag to the casserole. Stir in the tomatoes, capers and the reserved 3 cups of cooking liquid; bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat until the sauce thickens, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the spice bag.
Meanwhile, using 2 forks, pull the meat into long shreds. Add the meat to the sauce and simmer over low heat until warmed through, then serve.
Posted by Natalie on November 5, 2010 · 3 Comments
See! I wasn’t kidding about the healthy stuff.
I asked my trusty readers and
Facebook fans yesterday what veggies were intimidating to them and I got some good answers: eggplant, jicama, mustard greens, fennel, celery root, parsnips and cauliflower. Little did you know that I had eggplant, parsnips and cauliflower in my fridge already! I’m excited to show you some ideas on what to do with them.
I used to be a picky eater, but I’ve always been pretty friendly with cauliflower in my life. Maybe that’s because my mom was a big fan of the frozen veggie mix, but who’s to say (love you, Kath!). There are lots of ways to use cauliflower- you can steam it, puree it into a soup, mash it as a substitute for potatoes, eat it raw with hummus or dip, make a gratin or do a simple roast. Roasting is an easy way to incorporate veggies into your diet with lots of flavor and not much work.
I chose some Indian spices for this cauliflower; mostly because I used to go to this amazing pita spot in Philly where they had roasted cauliflower and this is as close as I can get to tasting it. I’d encourage you to try these spices even if you don’t think you’ll like them- the blend is mild and not too spicy.
If you’re looking for another pairing, here are some ideas:
cauliflower + bread crumbs + brown butter + parsley
cauliflower + cilantro + cloves + cumin + turmeric
cauliflower + curry + apple
cauliflower + roasted garlic
cauliflower + anchovies + red pepper flakes + garlic
Endless possibilities!
Keep sending your veggie suggestions to me and we’ll face your fears together!
Curry Roasted Cauliflower
Oven Love
1 head cauliflower, rinsed and chopped into florets
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (maybe 1/4 teaspoon each)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray (for easy clean-up).
In a small bowl, mix the spices. Toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil. Add the spice mixture and toss again. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring half-way through, until cauliflower is tender. Serve immediately.
Posted by Natalie on November 4, 2010 · 7 Comments
Fact: Healthy food can really taste good.
Conflicting Fact: It’s hard to eat healthy when things like
brownies exist.
I’ve always had food drama and I think I always will. Most of us Americans do. I try to have healthy habits; buying local and organic when I can, eating veggies, less processed stuff, you know. But then sometimes I do things like overdose on granola. What are you gonna do? Get back on the horse the next day and eat. those. veggies. That’s what.
So I’m going to work a little harder to show you the healthy stuff I eat. A lot of the stuff I post on Oven Love I don’t really eat much of myself.. I just have a little taste and then send it away. I want you to get a better idea of the way I try to eat, and maybe encourage you to make some healthy choices, too.
Enter the sweet potato.
I love this vegetable! It’s the kind of vegetable that tricks you into thinking it’s a carb, which is pretty awesome. If you’ve never tried sweet potatoes, fries are a great way to introduce them (baked and not fried, if you want to get the good benefits). They’re great for you- lots of vitamins (A, B, C) and fiber. I like to spice them up a little with smoked paprika- it’s a great compliment to the sweet potato flavor, but doesn’t overpower.
My tips for this recipe:
-make sure to coat the baking sheets with cooking spray to make sure the fries don’t stick.
-check them half-way through and move them around a little to cook them evenly.
-make a lot, they will go quick!
I hope you’ll enjoy the healthier recipes thrown in around here. I promise I’ll still sneak in some desserts amidst the veggies.. I don’t think I can resist! Are there any fruits or vegetables that you’d like to cook with but don’t know how to use them? Leave me a comment below or visit the
Facebook fan page and I’ll help you face those kitchen fears.
Sweet and Smoky Sweet Potato Fries
Oven Love
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch slices, then cut each slice into sticks. Place the sticks in a bowl and toss with olive oil, brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Spread in one layer on the baking sheets.
Bake 10 minutes, then switch the trays and bake another 10-15 minutes until the fries are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Serve immediately.
Posted by Natalie on November 3, 2010 · 5 Comments
Reese’s Explosion!
(The exclamation point makes this post so intense.)
So, I stocked up on candy this year in the hopes that we’d have trick-or-treaters at our new house, but alas.. just a few knocks on the door. We had about a billion treats left, and I was not about to let them sit around this house and whisper to me at night. So I decided to throw them all into a vat of brownie batter and send them off to work with the hubs. Perfect plan!
This was strictly a Reese’s operation, but only because it was the only type of chocolate candy we bought. Feel free to use whatever you’ve got. We were left with Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Sticks, Fast Break Bars and the old, loveable Reese’s Cup. Reese’s Explosion! (Overkill?)
So I went to work chopping up all of the chocolate:
(P.S. to the candy companies: I think there is too much extra packaging at Halloween. Just saying.)
I used the Baked Brownie batter* as my base, but like I always say, use your favorite, I don’t discriminate! I’m a fan of all brownies. I had about 1 1/2 cups of chopped chocolate, so I mixed half into the batter and saved half to sprinkle on the top. I made a half batch, so 2 cups would be just about right for the full batch.
I love the Reese’s colors, by the way. Very autumn-ish.
I highly recommend this tactic- get all of that candy out of the house before the holidays come along with all of their tasty pleasures. Save your calories for turkey, and pie, and stuffing..
Reese’s Explosion! Brownies (or Leftover Halloween Candy Brownies)
- 1 batch of Baked Brownie batter* (or your favorite brownie recipe)
- 1-2 cups chopped chocolate candy, divided in half
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Prepare brownie batter. (If using the recipe below, complete through step five.)
- Mix half of the chopped candy into the batter.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining candy on top.
- Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes than slice with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife with hot water if it gets too messy and sticky.
*The Baked Brownie
from Baked New Frontiers in Baking
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 11 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 8 ounces butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the sides and bottom of 9×13 baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder together.
- Put the chocolate, butter and instant coffee in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined; then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
- Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.
Posted by Natalie on November 2, 2010 · 3 Comments
Are you relieved that there’s no
pumpkin in this post? I feel like you might be. Joke’s on you, though- I still have lots of pumpkin inspiration that I plan on slipping in during the winter months. You’ll be pumpkined when you least expect it!
Back to today’s little treat. Let me introduce you to these Peanut Butter Pecan Blondies. They were supposed to be “Peanuttiest Blondies,” but my stash of
airline peanuts was not looking promising this time around. What was promising was the big bowl of fresh pecans on my counter; picked from a friend’s pecan tree and hand cracked by my sweet husband (who, by the way, is amazing at nutcracking. He turned out perfectly intact pecans like some kind of secret nutcracking ninja). It’s not just about peaches down here, people. The nuts are for real.
This is one of Dorie’s easier recipes (did I mention this is a TWD?)- always a welcome surprise when I leave it to the last minute. I’ve always been a fan of blondies (they have more fun), and am trying very hard not to eat them. I did have a teensy taste, and it was basically blondie heaven. Whatever you do, do not bring vanilla ice cream into this house or I will break. down.
I liked the mix of peanut butter and pecans. It gave the blondies a little depth, and I usually prefer the texture of pecans to peanuts (I’m a creamy PB person.. something about those peanut chunks..). I might up the cinnamon next time, though. Or maybe cinnamon ice cream!? Game over.
Thanks to Nicole at
Bakeologie for this excellent pick! You should definitely visit
Nicole’s blog– she’s adorable. Her blondies look soooo good, you’ll just die.
Posted by Natalie on October 30, 2010 · 5 Comments
Alright, homies. I think I’ve done this pumpkin thing to death. I’ve got some more pumpkin to share with you, but I think I’ll just sprinkle it in with the rest of the fall recipes. Speaking of sprinkles..
Here’s a second take on the
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Giants. I made these cookies smaller, removed the chocolate chips and added a tasty maple cream cheese frosting. A few simple changes and the recipe is transformed into a totally different cookie. I don’t know if I can choose which I like best.
These are great for a fall get-together or for kids’ lunches. I literally made them start-to-finish in 30 minutes and rushed out the door for a picnic yesterday. Yes, I said picnic! I can’t believe it’s still so warm down here. All you chilly Northerners are welcome to come visit!
I hope you enjoyed this little pumpkin series. I had lots of fun putting it together. Look forward to lots of hearty, cool weather recipes and holiday treats coming up. And, as always, I’m open to all of your suggestions. Email me at ovenloveblog@gmail.com or visit the
Facebook page with any ideas!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
by Oven Love, cookie recipe adapted from Vintage Dutch Girl
For the cookies:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Scoop batter with a small melon scoop or tablespoon and drop onto the parchment paper, leaving space between the cookies. Bake for 5 minutes, rotate in the oven, then bake 5-6 minutes more until puffed and lightly brown. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting: beat cream cheese until soft and creamy, add butter and maple extract and beat until combined. With the mixer running, add the powdered sugar slowly. Spread onto each cookie with an offset spatula or butter knife.
Posted by Natalie on October 28, 2010 · 8 Comments
Warning: Cookies may be larger than they appear.
I am loving these cookies! I made them today for a little gathering and I had to hold myself back from downing them all. I’ve seen this type of soft pumpkin cookie plenty of times around the internet, but this was my first time baking them. The recipe is probably the easiest cookie recipe I’ve made to date. Mix the wet, mix the dry, combine and bake. And they only take 10 minutes in the oven! Great quick recipe when unexpected company is coming or your kids forget to tell you about that school bake sale tomorrow.
They don’t look like it in the picture, but these cookies are pretty big. They’re all at least 3 inches across. It’s a generous single serving, but believe me, you’ll keep wanting more. I love the pumpkin and chocolate combo, especially with the cinnamon kick. If you’ve seen these cookies everywhere, it’s because they’re good. The next time you have a free 20 minutes, I’d spend them baking.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Giants
by Oven Love, only slightly adapted from Vintage Dutch Girl
makes 16-18 large cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Scoop batter with an ice cream scoop and drop onto the parchment paper, leaving space between the cookies. Bake for 5-6 minutes, rotate in the oven, then bake 5-6 minutes more until puffed and lightly brown. Let cool on wire racks before serving.
I hope you’ll stick around for the rest of
Pumpkin Palooza 2010. If you’ve got any must-make pumpkin recipes for me, comment below with links or email me at ovenloveblog@gmail.com.
Posted by Natalie on October 27, 2010 · 4 Comments
Are you pumpkin-ed out yet?
Hang in there. You can make it.
You’ll thank me next September when you’re searching for pumpkin recipes again.
I decided to do some savory pumpkin recipes to round out
Pumpkin Palooza. Wouldn’t want to be responsible for too many sugar highs, you know? That’s where the idea for a pumpkin focaccia began.
I’ve been getting into making bread lately. Bread for sandwiches, snacks, anything. I’m sort of boycotting store-bought bread because the homemade stuff is so good. Focaccia is a great snacking bread to have around- cheesy and crispy on the outside, chewy and fluffy on the inside. Love!
The procedure is simple- start the yeast, mix the main ingredients, let rise for an hour and then pop in the oven with your toppings. This is an easy one to throw together when you realize you’re out of bread. I think it would be great for kids, too- especially if you slice it into smaller “focaccia fingers” and had some marinara for dipping.
This would be great for a Halloween party, too. Get at it!
Pumpkin Parmesan Focaccia Bread
by Oven Love, based on a recipe from the Cooking Photographer
½ cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup canned pumpkin (Not pumpkin pie filling)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil, sea or kosher salt, rosemary, thyme and grated parmesan cheese for topping
1. Measure water in a wet measuring cup and stir in the honey and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer with a dough hook and add the flours, pumpkin, olive oil, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and the yeast mixture and knead for several minutes.
3. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead with your hands for a couple more minutes. Coat a large bowl with a little olive oil or cooking spray, toss in the dough turning coat once to coat, and cover in plastic wrap. Let rise for about an hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove the dough and spread out on the sheet with your fingers as you would a pizza crust. Poke the surface of the dough with your fingertips. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, rosemary, thyme and parmesan cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool, slice with a pizza cutter and serve.
I hope you’ll stick around for the rest of
Pumpkin Palooza 2010. If you’ve got any must-make pumpkin recipes for me, comment below with links or email me at ovenloveblog@gmail.com.
Posted by Natalie on October 25, 2010 · 4 Comments
Pumpkin Palooza continues! I was in a different location for the last four days and let’s just say that it made blogging a little difficult. But I left you salivating all weekend in anticipation, I’m sure. Well, salivate no more! The palooza continues with an ice cream recipe.
I was going to give you some plain-jane pumpkin ice cream, but an ingenious friend of mine made a comment on the Oven Love Facebook page that suggested adding gingersnaps into the mix. I decided to take it one step further and add gingersnap cookie dough. Maybe that’s one step backward since I didn’t go through with the cookie baking, but it was a step in the right direction. Genius idea, right?
I don’t know about you, but I’m a cookie dough person. I hate to admit it, but once I get a little taste of that stuff, it’s over. Forget that batch of actual cookies I thought I was going to make. The strange part is that I usually just eat it frozen or in ice cream, not from the bowl. Maybe I got used to not licking the spoon after having my own bakery business, I don’t know. Strange.
I wasn’t sure if the gingersnap dough would be too spicy raw, but it had just enough flavor for me. The ginger flavor came through strongest, so if you don’t like heavy ginger, I’d cut back a little. Oh and don’t let me forget to mention that the ice cream pictured is actually goat’s milk ice cream. I’ve been on a goat’s milk kick since I discovered it at my local farmer’s market. The stuff is amazing- you can substitute it for milk or cream, it’s milder than cow’s milk, it’s easier to digest.. I’m smitten. It had me at goat.
I bet you’re gonna like this ice cream. Goat’s milk or not. If you actually make this stuff, I think you’ll realize that pumpkins are permeating every facet of your kitchen and your life. Just surrender to the pumpkin madness and thank me later.
Pumpkin and Gingersnap Cookie Dough Ice Cream
(adapted from Pennies on a Platter and Robin Miller’s Newlywed Cookbook)
For the ice cream base:
5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I substituted raw goat’s milk for the milk and cream here.)
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks: set aside.
Warm the milk, cream, sugar, spices and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the edges begin to bubble. Gradually add half of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Turn the heat to low and scrape the yolks back in to the saucepan. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (between 160˚ – 170˚F).
Working quickly, pour mixture through a strainer and into a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved and cooled. Chill thoroughly in the fridge, preferably overnight. Now would be a good time to prepare the cookie dough (below).
Once chilled, whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, remove the cookie dough from the fridge and cut into bite-sized chunks. Return to the freezer until the last few minutes of churning. When the ice cream is ready, turn off the machine and fold in as much cookie dough as you’d like, quickly with a spatula. (I used about 6-8 ounces of cookie dough bits for mine). Store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for one to two hours before serving.
For the cookie dough:
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger (or less if you like)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
5 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a fork. In a mixing bowl, beat brown sugar, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, water and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix until blended. Roll dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze a few hours until hardened.
I hope you’ll stick around for the rest of Pumpkin Palooza 2010. If you’ve got any must-make pumpkin recipes for me, comment below with links or email me at ovenloveblog@gmail.com.
Posted by Natalie on October 20, 2010 · 5 Comments
You had to know I was gonna throw a pumpkin bread recipe in the mix! How can you not? It’s
Pumpkin Palooza, people.
I think quick breads are one of the best ways to use pumpkin. It’s hard to find a quick bread moister (? weird.) than one made with pumpkin. People who make great pumpkin bread are always showered with love, it’s a known fact.
Good thing this recipe makes it so easy to be showered with love. It’s simple, simple, simple. All of the pumpkin bread ingredients go into one bowl, all the cheese swirl ingredients into another. Mix them up, layer them, bake them. In an hour, you’ll be loved by everyone. Especially anyone who can smell this bread baking.. yum.
I wouldn’t change a thing about this bread. It gets better with every day it sits. I guess I wish the swirl was a little swirlier, but that’s just aesthetics. If I was one of those folks who said, “It’s all going to the same place, right?” I would say it. But that makes it sound like it’s just some random average recipe, and that is not the case here.
Have I mentioned the ricotta? I love ricotta, and I had to add it to this recipe. I thought it would be perfect with the pumpkin and a little unexpected. Next time, I might substitute all of the cream cheese for the ricotta and see how that goes.
A few little tips for this recipe- when you’re layering the batters, the cheese mixture will look a lot thinner, maybe even runny. Trust me- everything will magically right itself in the oven, and you’ll have a beautiful loaf. Also, make sure you use the biggest loaf pan you’ve got so this one doesn’t overflow. Don’t waste a bit of that batter!
Having trouble picking a pumpkin recipe yet? I say make them all. More to come tomorrow!
Pumpkin Bread with Ricotta and Cream Cheese Swirl
adapted from Brooke McClay at the Family Kitchen
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
5 Tbsp. butter
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour or coat a large loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, 3 eggs, milk, butter, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg until well-mixed.
In a second bowl, beat together cream cheese, egg, and sugar. Fold in the ricotta cheese.
Spoon a thin layer of the pumpkin batter into the bottom of the bread pan. Make a well in the center of the bread and spoon half the cheese filling inside. Cover with another pumpkin layer, then swirl the rest of the cream cheese into that layer before covering again with one last layer of pumpkin batter. Don’t worry if the cheese filling seems to be runny- it will thicken up during baking.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a thin knife poked into the center of bread comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
I hope you’ll stick around for the rest of Pumpkin Palooza 2010. If you’ve got any must-make pumpkin recipes for me, comment below with links or email me at ovenloveblog@gmail.com.
