november senses

november breezes.....brrrrrrrrr

.....just a few happenings from the past week...

seeing: snow. our first flurries in the valley, and the mountain tops are growing more white every day.

missing: not gonna lie, I am truly missing summer. November has me all like, "blehck." The high trails are done for the season, the low trails are too muddy to ride, the fall color is long gone, and the world is just a colorless brown hue.....all that + lots of wind. 

So summer, I miss you.

waiting: but I am anxiously awaiting for our first turns in fresh powder....hoping for a good snow year!

celebrating: last week I had my last clinical in long term care--woohoo!! Come January we start up in the hospital....equally exciting and terrifying.

feeling: so excited for Thanksgiving! I've always loved this day--it kicks off the holiday season, and I'm really a big fan of giant feasts, especially those with mashed potatoes. 

black fridaying: I 99% hate shopping, especially in stores, especially with crowds. Friday I'll be taking REI's #optoutside challenge and spending some time outdoors....which I guarantee is waaaayyyy healthier, and quite a bit cheaper than shopping, am I right?

eating: Buffalo Blue Cheese fries at Cubbys. 

Because......why not.

reading: Nothing exciting. At all. Pharmacology anyone? But I'm looking forward to Christmas break and hoping to read a book or two--any suggestions? Something easy and fast that I really don't have to use my brain for.....it is a break after all.

researching: I recently wrote a paper about the use of medical marijuana for children with epilepsy--it's a fascinating topic to me. If you like that kind of stuff (medical studies....or.....weed?) check out this TED talk --super interesting!

running: I'm trying to get out to clear my head when I can--Charly and I had our first sloppy/muddy/icy run of the season. Looking forward to more.

watching: with the dropping temps and the shorter days we find ourselves snuggling up in blankets watching a movie as a family each weekend. The last few Saturday evenings we've been glued to the screen watching Indiana Jones.....we love him!

driving: as I type this we are currently on our way over the river and through the........million miles of barren Nevada desert.....to grandma's house we go!

studying: everything. My first final is next week and then the rest are spread out over the following few weeks. bad news: these next few weeks will be nuts. good news: I'm so close to finishing my first semester!

cursing: My chickens. We added a few hens to our flock last winter and they have all been fighting ever sense. The last few months have been terrible....they are literally tearing each other to pieces (it looks like there has been a giant pillow fight out in the coop), and one of them is eating the eggs. EATING THEIR OWN BABIES! We are lucky to get out and get one before she tears into them all (still trying to figure out who it is). Anyone want chicken for dinner?

the lone egg...

baking: I mostly stick to my same ol' cookie recipes and Whitney Ingram's famous brownies , but this week we branched out. My mom used to make these around Christmas time when I was little, so I decided it was time to add these into the cookie rotation. 

I added some cinnamon.....just because.

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

(I take no credit for this recipe. It's Mrs. Martha's.....all I did was add the cinnamon, swap out the vanilla, and roll in granulated sugar AND powdered sugar

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon Mexican Vanilla (since I am not often in Mexico, I like THIS one)

1/3 cup milk

1 cup(ish) confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling

1 cup(ish) granulated sugar (I added a bit of cinnamon to this as well)

Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. 

Into a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. 

Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix on low speed until just combined. 

Divide dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, use your hands to roll each portion of dough into a log 16 inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.  (let's be honest, I didn't roll them into logs, I divided them up into four large lumpy roundish shapes, wrapped them up and put them in the freezer for about a half out, then took them out and rolled them into balls to roll in sugar)

Using your hands, roll the small pieces into balls.  Roll them FIRST in granulated sugar, then in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have flattened and sugar splits, 12 to 15 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

How was your week?

Gear guide: 

Basin and Range Vest

Willow Creek Leather Mystery Braid Cuff

FOR WINTER RUNNING I LOVE

-Athleta's Be Free tights--super comfy + warm, but breathable to you don't freeze in your sweat

-a good pair of wool socks

-skida head bands!

Food.

It's Monday, have a cookie.

It's Monday......and it's the worst, right? 

So let's all talk about something fun.

Let's talk about food.

I get through my week surviving on many-a-granola-bar. They are quick, easy, and the right bar (like THIS one) can calm my grumbly stomach before I head into a test. But all week long I dream about all the real foods I'll eat on the weekends. I'll cook! I'll bake! I'll grill! Maybe we'll go out! mmmmm.

I used to be really up on my Where-To-Eat Game. ( I even had a page for it! It's so outdated now....) I knew all the popular places, and exactly what to order. We don't get out much these days, so I feel a little behind in the times.

For example, I just had my first Pho over the weekend and WHAAAATTTT??? (try it at Oh Mai! in SLC) How have I been missing out on this my whole life? Why didn't you tell me? Also, since I can't get down to the city every night to satisfy my cravings, give me a recipe so I can make my own! 

Do you make Pho? Teach me. 

Please, teach me.

As long as we are talking about restaurants, I'll tell you about my current favorite place to eat. The only problem is....it's about 4 hours away from my house. The Burr Trail Grill in Boulder, UT is THE best burger I've ever had.....and that's saying a lot, if you knew how many burgers, from how many places I've consumed these last few years. But it's not just the burgers, it's the appetizers, and the PIE, and the everything else. Robby and I hit it over the summer and then we were down that way last weekend, and it is truly the best party my mouth has ever had. Try it...if you're ever in the middle-of-nowhere, Utah. (They close in October for the season and re-open in the spring).

Last year the famous Whitney Ingram told me to check out Aubergine in Orem. Locals, have you tried this place? THE best place to get your veggie fix. Their Mediterranean salads are my favorite.

And one last place to eat. Fridays we like to climb and then head over to Whole Foods for pizza. You can pick any topping and any combo you want, and we love it (and $5 off on Fridays!)

With the temps cooling, I'm using my oven more, and brought back THIS favorite chicken bake last week. My kids down it, and it makes great leftovers too. I added some kale and pine nuts to the mix this time.

And before we end, let's not forget dessert. Cookies. I have been tweaking this recipe for the last few months and finally got it just they way I want it--not too crispy, not too cakey, just right.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

• 
  
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup Turbinado Sugar (this gives the cookies a perfect crunch)
• 1/8 cup molasses
• 2 tsp Mexican Vanilla
• 2 whole eggs
• 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine sugars, molasses, and butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Starting with the mixer on low speed and increasing until it is on medium, beat until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a few minutes each. Add the vanilla extract, then scrape the sides of the bowl, and mix to combine.

Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, then mix on low speed just to combine, adding the chocolate and pecans as it mixes. Stop mixing as soon as you stop seeing the dry mixture, the less mixing the better!

 Line the baking pans with parchment paper.  Place balls of dough about 3 inches apart on baking pans. Bake until golden and just set, 11-13 minutes.  Remove from oven; let cool on pan 4 to 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Your turn--tell me about your favorite food right now! Where are you eating? Share your favorite recipes! 

And PLEASE, teach me how to make Pho!

Happy Monday!

whole wheat banana muffins with homemade coconut butter

Coconut Butter. 
I had never heard of such a thing until I stumbled upon this easy how-to.

And that, my friends, is why I sometimes really love the internet.
I always think about housewives back in "the day" and wonder what they did without new recipes at their finger tips every day.

I love trying new things, I love coconut, and who DOESN'T love anything with "butter" in the title, so I just had to whip this up.
All you need....
is....
drumroll......
COCONUT. 

That's it.

Unsweetened shredded coconut, which you can find in the bulk section of health food stores.
You can use any amount you like--for this I used 2 cups.

Dump it into your food processor
and go and go and go. 
Every few minutes you'll want to stop and scrape down the sides. 
After about 10 minutes you'll have silky smooth coconut butter!

Coconut butter sets up quickly and is solid at room temperature.
It can be flaked off easily, or microwaved for just a few seconds for the perfect drizzle.

And what better to drizzle it on, than muffins.

I don't make a lot of muffins.....
you see, when I think about muffins, they remind me of cupcakes, and I would much rather make cupcakes than muffins--wouldn't you? So I usually get distracted while thinking about cupcakes and forget I ever wanted to make muffins.
That was a long explanation, but it is all very true.

But these muffins are a great little snack, and one hundred times better for you
than a cupcake at snack time.
They are lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and nice and filling with whole wheat flour and oats.

Whole Wheat Banana and Oat Muffins
makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2c pure maple syrup
2 eggs
4 very ripe bananas
3/4c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2c whole wheat flour
1c whole oats (not instant)
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/4 almond meal (you can make your own after you make your almond milk)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

in separate bowl mix together flour, oats, flax, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.

mix coconut oil and maple syrup on high speed for a few minutes.
add eggs, one at a time until mixed in.
add vanilla, bananas, and buttermilk until well mixed.
slowly add in flour mixture, mix just until blended.
don't overmix.

spoon batter into muffin tins lined with wrappers or greased.
place on bottom rack in oven and bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.

top with your homemade coconut butter

enjoy!

traditionally

Let me start out by saying that Christmas is exactly one bajillion times better with children.

ONE BAJILLION.

The magic they bring to the season is so tangible you can pluck it out of the air and hang it on the Christmas tree.

Everything--even the simple little parts of our day are so exciting to them this time of year.

As parents, we have loved creating new traditions for our own little family,
but we have also had a lot of fun pulling traditions from our own childhoods.

Growing up, my own mom made lots of cookies.
Lots. Of. Cookies.
In every flavor, shape, and form.
Dipped. Sprinkled. Frosted.
But my favorite cookie out of all of them was
The Snowball.
A perfect little ball of buttery cookie, loaded with chocolate and nuts.

It is not officially the Christmas season until these cookies are baked, eaten, and shared.

And as much as I love to eat them, it's more than that.
I love to bake.
I love taking little bits of nothing, mixing them together in a bowl, and creating something warm and  wonderful.
I love teaching little hands how to measure and shape cookies.
I love watching them sneak a taste when they think I'm not looking.
I love the time we get to spend together-anticipating our creation coming out of the oven.

I think I have blogged this recipe every year for the past 5 years......it is that important.
Snowballs

I like to double this batch when I make it. 
They freeze well, and are perfect to pull out when you need to put together a quick plate of treats for a friend--just give them a fresh dusting of powdered sugar when you load them up on the plate.

3/4 c butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS water
1/8tsp salt
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour
(this time I added a pinch of cinnamon, just for kicks)
1 c chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts (I like pecans)
Powdered sugar, for dusting.

Cream butter, vanilla, water, sugar and salt. Add flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
 Form into 1” balls. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes. Roll in powdered sugar (or "make it snow" on top of them) while still warm.

enjoy!

We patiently waited for them to cool(ish), and popped them into our mouths.
It tasted just like Christmas.

What are some of your favorite edible Christmas traditions?

banana oat bread

It's been cold and rainy and all we've wanted to do was bake. 

This banana bread is made with whole wheat flour and oats, 

and lightly sweetened with maple syrup.

Banana Oat Bread

1 stick butter (1/2c), melted

1/2c pure maple syrup

2 eggs

4 very ripe bananas

1/2 c buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2c whole wheat flour

1c whole oats (not instant)

1/4 c ground flax seed

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

in separate bowl mix together flour, oats, flax, baking soda, and salt, set aside.

mix butter and maple syrup.

add eggs, one at a time until mixed in.

add vanilla, bananas, and buttermilk until well mixed.

slowly add in flour mixture, mix just until blended.

spoon batter into greased 9" loaf pan

place on bottom rack in oven and bake at 350° for about an hour--when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, you're done! 

*I covered mine with foil the last 15 minutes to prevent the top from getting too dark.

enjoy!

winter wednesday

I don't know about you, but for our family.....not a lot happens in winter. We're kind of boring. No big family vacations, no camping trips, no all day festivals with parades and fireworks, no soccer games, no races.....nothing. 

So instead, we celebrate the little things.

Family movie night.

Trips to the Library. 

The Children's Museum. 

Lunch with daddy.

An almost-60° day. This one was kinda a big deal. Shorts went on, shoes came off, the windows and doors were opened and burgers were grilled. In winter!! 

Sharing dessert with your family.
GIANT cookie+icecream+spoons+family=perfect

Chocolate Chip Pizookie

1/2 c butter
1/4 c white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used a combo of milk and bittersweet)
pecans (optional)
Cream the butter and the sugars until light. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing while adding the egg-mix until incorporated.  Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Combine the flour, soda and salt in another bowl. With a whisk, stir to combine. With the machine on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, careful not to over mix. Fold in the chocolate.

Press dough into greased tart pan.

Top with pecans if you like (we like).

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. We like our pizookie underdone, so it's nice and gooey in the middle. If you want it more done, bake it longer, well no kidding.

Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and lots of spoons.

Winter Survival Tip #7:
celebrate the little things

What little things are you enjoying?

chocolate.

Valentines Day is right around the corner......and to me, that means only one thing....

love? 

romance?

giant teddy bears holding hearts?

nah. 

chocolate. 

good. chocolaty. chocolate. 

Growing up, my favorite dessert ever, was chocolate pudding cake. We'd have it after Sunday dinner, nice and warm in little bowls my mom saved just for desserts. Chocolate pudding cake was so special, it had it's own bowl! I had a craving for some of this amazing dessert over the weekend, so we whipped it up, and enjoyed ever single bite.

It's cake.....but it's nice and "saucy".....and the bottom turns out to be a nice fudgy pudding. Top it with icecream and it's perfect.

Individual Chocolate Pudding Cakes

recipe from Martha Stewart

FOR THE BATTER
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup white chocolate pieces, cut into chunks (I used white chocolate chips)
FOR THE TOPPING
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, (for the topping)
5 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar, (for the topping)
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, (for the topping)
1 1/2 cups boiling water, (for the topping)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving


DIRECTIONS
Prepare the batter; Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
Stir together butter, sugar, and vanilla in another medium bowl. Stir in flour mixture and milk, then the chocolate.
Prepare the topping; Stir sugars in a small bowl, smoothing any lumps. Sift in cocoa powder; stir to combine.
Place 6 ramekins (each 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches deep) on a baking sheet. Pour in batter. Sprinkle with topping. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water into each. Bake until set, 25 to 28 minutes. Top with ice cream; serve immediately.
(but not so immediately that you blister your mouth.....it hurts)
yum. 


And while we're on the subject of chocolate......

MadeOn is giving away an Au Chocolate Gift Set to not one....but TWO lucky readers!
I love these little lotion bars! They smooth on perfectly, they're all natural, non greasy, and make your babies smell like chocolate.
chocolate babies. 
are you following?
they are made with real cocoa butter, coconut oil, and beeswax. that's it.

Head over to MadeOn, and check out all of their products 
(lotion bars, hair butter, diaper cream, bug block, yummy gift sets for your valentine...), 
because today through February 14th MadeOn is offering a 
10% discount to all my favorite people! 


Just enter "littlered" at checkout for your discount.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment and let me know your favorite chocolaty treat.....easy!

Two winners will be chosen at random from the comments, and comments will be accepted until Friday, 2/11 at midnight.

Tell your friends about this one.....they will not want to miss out!

Tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!

(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win)

GO!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I cannot get enough of this stuff. 

My sister found the recipe a few years back and knocked our socks off with it--and it was my first time experiencing the magic of browned butter. I usually make it around Christmas, and I think I ran out of time last year..... it's been a while, since I've basked it's tasty glory.

So I had a happy little reunion with this stuff last night....I might have accidentally had it for dinner. 

I was in the middle of wrapping them up two by two for teacher gifts and I had to sample every few perfect little cookies. 

whoops.

Please make them! They are so so good! They are a bit time consuming, but really easy to do. Your family will love you forever.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Recipe from Food Network

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons), browned

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups dry roasted peanuts

1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips

Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. 

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to cook until the butter browns and gets a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while beating. Then slowly add the butter and vanilla until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds more. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.

While mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, in 2 additions, mixing just until absorbed. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate pieces.

Divide the dough evenly into thirds, and put each portion in the center of a baking sheet. Shape the dough with slightly wet hands into logs about 2-inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake until set and brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. (For even baking take care to rotate the pans-- top to bottom and front to back--about half way though.) Cool logs on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board. (I cut mine right on the pan)

 Cut logs crosswise, with a long serrated knife at about a 45 degree angle, into 1/2-inch thick cookies (I made mine thicker)

 Place cookies cut side down on the baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the cookies over and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Cool biscotti on the baking sheets.

Perfect for dipping in milk or hot cocoa!

enjoy!

cinnamon brownies

Close your eyes. 

But open them actually, so you can read this... just squint. 

Imagine a cold evening. 

Your oven is on, heating the kitchen (and your cold toes), 
and the smell of brownies is dancing through the air. 

You pull them out. 

they're hot! 

But you dig in anyway. 

You may burn your tongue, but it's all worth it. 

Nothing beats straight-from-the-oven brownies....am I right?? 

Brownies always sound good to me, but I especially love them on cold nights. I saw this recipe over on hannah's blog a few weeks ago and knew I had to try it out. And just as I suspected, they're perfect! 

I swapped out the vanilla for mexican  vanilla (because I do that with about everything in the fall/winter) and added a bit of cinnamon....just to mix it up a bit.

Cinnamon Brownies

original recipe from smitten kitchen

10 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon mexican vanilla

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and place in the microwave, cooking in 30 second increments as not to over cook. Stir after each 30 seconds. Cook until butter is melted, and ingredients are well combined--it looks fairly gritty at this point, but it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. If you don't have a microwave, a double boiler will work just the same.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes.

Dig in with a fork.....or if you are patient,  let cool completely on a rack and then  lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares.

enjoy!

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

the perfect fall cookie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted slightly  from Martha Stewart

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks (1/2lb) butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon mexican vanilla

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

12 ounces good-quality chocolate, chopped, or 12oz chocolate chips

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter. Starting with the mixer on low speed and increasing until it is on medium, beat until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract, then scrape the sides of the bowl, and mix to combine.

Combine the rolled oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, wheat germ and cinnamon in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, then mix on low speed just to combine, 10 to 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from mixer stand, and stir in your chocolate.

Drop dough by spoonful onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and just set, 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool on pan 4 to 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Cupcakes with Mexican Chocolate Buttercream

these cupcakes are warm and fallish....without being too "pumpkiny".

and I'm always a lover of cinnamon and chocolate!

Roasted Pumpkin Cupcakes 

with Mexican Chocolate Buttercream

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

3/4 cup browned butter*

2 cups roasted pumpkin puree** (if you use canned pumpkin instead you may need to adjust your flour--fresh pumpkin contains more water than canned)

1 tsp mexican vanilla

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/4 tsp baking powder

*To brown butter:

Heat pan on medium heat.

Cut butter in to pieces and melt in pan.

Stir continuously. Butter will foam up.

After foam subsides, small brown flecks will start to appear in bottom of pan.

Continue stirring, until butter has reached a nice brown color, and nutty aroma.

When you want to lick the spoon, you know it's ready.

Turn the heat all the way down.

**to roast pumpkin ( smaller pie pumpkins or "sugar pumpkins" are the perfect size for roasting!)

-halve and clean pumpkin (save those seeds to roast with some olive oil and salt!)

-slice pumpkin into sixths

-brush with olive oil

-roast at 450° for 45min-1 hr depending on size of pumpkin (roast until fork tender)

-scrape insides from peel, and puree'

Preheat oven to 350°

Prepare cupcake pans with liners.

Beat sugar and eggs together until slightly thickened, about a minute.

Add milk, browned butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla, stirring just until combined.

Add flour and baking powder, beating until well mixed--about a minute. Don't over mix.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until tops are springy to the touch or a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

Remove from cupcake pan and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Mexican Chocolate Buttercream

5oz good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

8 TBS butter, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

2TBS baking cocoa

1 tsp mexican vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4-8 TBS milk

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat in butter until creamy.

Add powdered sugar, baking cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla. 

Slowly beat in milk 1TBS at a time until you reach desired consistency.

enjoy!