Tag: Autumn

Apple Cider Whoopie Pies

My love for all things pumpkin is no secret. But it’s about time I gave apples their autumnal spotlight! These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies combine two of my favorite things – whoopie pies and apple cider donuts – to make an absolutely wonderful fall dessert.

If you’ve never had a whoopie pie before, they are just two cake-like cookies with a creamy frosting sandwiched in between. These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies have two spiced apple cider flavored cookies, coated in a cinnamon sugar, and then filled with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients (makes 10 whoopie pies):

Cookies:

  • 1 1/4 cups apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup apple butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Frosting:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2  vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 8 oz powdered sugar

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Autumn Delicata Squash Salad

Note: I received a cooler bag with BrightFarms local leafy greens and salad ingredients in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I am so excited to share this Autumn Delicata Squash Salad recipe with you, thanks to BrightFarms!
I recently received a lovely delivery from BrightFarms, the leading provider of locally grown packaged salads.
BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse farms right outside the communities where they are sold, including one in Selinsgrove, PA, about 150 miles from Philadelphia. The indoor farming company has revolutionized what’s possible in the agricultural industry by growing produce indoors and in carefully controlled greenhouses without ever using pesticides.
Their products are:
  • Pesticide-Free: Proudly pesticide free and non-GMO to keep your family safe
  • Greenhouse/Sustainably Grown: Greenhouses provide the ideal environment to grow 365 days/year to peak flavor
  • Locally Grown: Greens are grown, harvested & delivered to stores in as little as 24 hours, so BrightFarms greens are at peak freshness and flavor when arriving in your fridge

My BrightFarms cooler bag was filled with a bunch of goodies, including the ingredients to make this delicious Autumn Delicata Squash Salad!

Ingredients:
Salad:
  • 1 (4 oz) container BrightFarms Keystone Crunch
  • 1 medium delicata squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

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Fall Sangria

Summer stuck around for a while in Philadelphia; it’s now October and the weather is just starting to feel like fall, so it’s time for some Fall Sangria!

I’ve wanted to make a fall sangria for weeks now, but wanted to wait for cooler weather to truly enjoy it!

I picked up a bottle of spiced rum from a local distiller, Cooper River Distillers a while ago, and have been patiently waiting for fall weather to enjoy their Driftwood Dream Spiced Rum in a recipe.

This fall sangria recipe includes red wine, apple cider, pomegranate juice, and spiced rum to make a tasty fall-inspired sangria.

Sangria:

  • 1 bottle red wine
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
  • the juice of 1/2 orange
  • 3/4 cup spiced rum
  • 1/4 cup spiced simple syrup (recipe below)
  • 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 orange, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
  • cinnamon-sugar, for garnish, if desired

Spiced Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 2 cardamom pods, smashed
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Continue reading Fall Sangria

Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing

It’s September which means apples are right in their prime season! Although apples are available year-round, most apples ripen in the August-October time frame. I’ve had a craving for apples ever since September began so I was so excited when I was contacted recently about trying an apple variety called SweeTango that I’ve never had before.

SweeTango apples a variety bred at the University of Minnesota and are a cross between  the Honeycrisp and Zestar! varieties.  The apples are crisp and sweet with a hint of citrus, honey, and spice and have a nice crunchy and juicy texture that’s perfect to eat raw. They have a beautiful coloring too — SweeTango is a blush apple with deep red coloration over a yellow breaking background. The variety first hit store shelves in limited quantities in 2009, and has since grown to achieve distribution across the U.S. and Canada. 

Photo Courtesy of SweeTango

I received two SweeTango apples in the mail and couldn’t wait to try them! One I saved for me to just enjoy on its own and the other went into one of the most delicious salads I’ve ever had, Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing! This salad is packed with a bunch of different textures and flavors which is what I really love about it. But the true star of the salad is the SweeTango apple!

Photo Courtesy of SweeTango

Ingredients:

Salad:

  • 2 cups red leaf lettuce, torn
  • 2 cups spinach leaves, torn
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 2 tablespoons dried cherries
  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 SweeTango apple, thinly sliced

Dressing:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • a pinch of salt and pepper

Continue reading Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing

Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, pumpkin season! My love of pumpkin flavored, well, anything, is well known among my group of friends. September means I am actually allowed to dive into my pumpkin obsession but it is still a bit warm so we will begin with a chilled version of my favorite gourd – Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes!

I had a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake post on here from 2011, but when I switched my blog over to WordPress, the post got a little funky. So I decided to make the milkshake again with a few changes.

Ingredients (makes 2 servings, multiply as needed):

  • 2 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 1 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 graham cracker (I used cinnamon graham crackers), crumbled

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Applejack Spiked Hot Cider

Well, we are apparently forecasted to get hit with yet another nor’easter on Halloween. I remember as a kid, some houses would serve us hot cider to keep us warm while trick-or-treating. Those (along with the houses with candied apples and tons of Reeces) were my favorite. Now that I no longer go house to house on Halloween, nor do I even get trick-or-treaters, I wanted to make a more adult hot cider to enjoy during the crummy weather, or Applejack Spiked Hot Cider, to be specific.
Cooking Light must’ve read my mind, because The New Way To Cook Light showed up on my doorstep this week, with a wonderful sounding recipe for Applejack-Spiked Hot Cider!
Ingredients:  (makes 6 servings)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 8 whole allspice berries
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 cups apple cider
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 (2-inch orange rind strips)
  • 2 (2-inch lemon rind strips)
  • 3/4 cup applejack brandy
  • for garnish (optional):
  •   1 tablespoon brown sugar
  •   1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Continue reading Applejack Spiked Hot Cider

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