Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Prep Time:

35 Minutes

Cook Time:

25 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

18

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 sticks Salted Butter
• 2 cups Pumpkin Puree (not Pumpkin Pie Filling!)
• 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 3/4 cups Boiling Water
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Maple Extract (optional)
•  FROSTING
• 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1 stick Butter, Softened
• 1 pound Powdered Sugar, Sifted
•  Dash Of Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Half-and-half Or Milk (more If Needed For Thinning)

  Preparation Instructions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with baking spray and set aside.
  In a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks butter. Whisk in pumpkin until it's totally combined. Whisk in boiling water until mixture is smooth and combined. Set aside.
  In a measuring pitcher, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and maple extract. Whisk and set aside.
  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Pour in the pumpkin mixture and stir until halfway combined. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the pan and bake the cake for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
  To make the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth. Add half and half and check the consistency. It should be somewhat thick but thin enough to spread in a thin layer.
  Spread the frosting all over the surface of the cake. Cut into squares and serve. Keep leftovers in the fridge, as frosting will get soft.
  NOTE: You may double the frosting amounts if you like a very thick layer of frosting!
  Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on November 20 2014

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings

The favorite bang bang shrimp is turned into the creamiest, easiest pasta dishes of all!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or more, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the sauce
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• Juice of 1/2 lime, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

• To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, garlic, lime juice, Sriracha and red pepper flakes; set aside.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
• Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta, shrimp and mayonnaise mixture.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

Notes

Adapted from Skinny Mom

Lamb Rogan Josh

Lamb Rogan Josh

Serves 6 to 8

For the spice mix:1/2 teaspoon cassia bark pieces (or a 1-inch whole piece)
3 whole green cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
5 whole Kashmiri chilies (or 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder) 
1 whole black cardamom pod (3 seeds only, use the rest for garam masala) 
2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika (optional, for color only)

For the rogan josh: 
2 1/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, marbled with fat
6 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
4 whole green cardamom pods
1 whole stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 
1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/4 cup hot chicken or lamb stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup Greek-style yogurt, at room temperature
1 large onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar, plus more to taste 
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
Salt to taste 
Large handful fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish

First, make the spice mix. Toast each spice (except for the paprika), one by one, for about 30 - 45 seconds (until fragrant) in a dry skillet over high heat, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool completely, then blend to a fine powder in a spice grinder.

Trim the lamb of excess fat, and then cut into large chunks. Rub the spice mixture into the lamb.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven, and sear the lamb pieces on all sides, being careful not to burn the spices. Don't crowd the pan; do this in batches, if necessary. I prefer to do this on a medium-low heat. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, and add the whole cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and fennel seeds. Sauté for 30 seconds, until the spices are fragrant, then add the hot stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for one minute.

Return the lamb to the pot. Whisk the cornstarch into the yogurt, then add this to the pot. Stir for a minute, and season with a little salt. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to very low. The sauce should barely be bubbling.

Cook for an hour. After an hour, uncover the pot. Taste and add a little more salt. Continue to cook, uncovered, for an additional 2 hours or until the lamb is very tender and the sauce is reduced.

Meanwhile, heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pan over low heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Caramelize the onions, stirring occasionally, until sweet and brown, about 40 minutes.

When the lamb is tender, stir in the onions, if using, and 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, sugar and red wine vinegar, as required to balance the flavors for a deeply spiced, rich sauce.

Stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice or tandoori roti.

Recipe Notes

• Slow Cooker Rogan Josh: Pre-warm the slow cooker while you prep the dish until the point where you add the yogurt. Add the yogurt, then transfer the whole dish into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Once the lamb is lovely and tender, stir in caramelized onions (which can be made ahead in a slow cooker, too) taste and season with red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir in the cilantro.
• Oven Rogan Josh: You can also put the dish into the oven to cook. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Once the yogurt has been added, cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and the lid, and place in the preheated oven for an hour. Take out, stir and season some more, then cover and place back in the oven for 2 to 3 hours, checking every so often, until the lamb is tender. If the sauce is drying out too much, add a splash of hot stock. Season with the red wine vinegar, sugar and salt, and stir in the cilantro to taste.
• I stirred in the caramelized onions at the end, instead of starting with them, is because it gives you the option of leaving them out. Like I mentioned, this recipe is closer to the Kashmiri Pandit version, so if you want to stay completely authentic, you can leave out the onions altogether.
• This is a fairly fiery dish. If you want to reduce the spiciness, use less of the peppercorns and chillies.
• Don't use regular chilies in place of Kashmiri chilies. Kashmiri chilies are much milder. If using regular chilies, use only one or two and increase the paprika, as they won't add the deep red color of Kashmiri chilies.

Pull-Apart Cheese Bread

How To Make Pull-Apart Cheese Bread

Serves 6 to 8

What You Need

Ingredients
1 round loaf artisan bread (16- to 20-ounce loaf)
1 1/2 to 2 cups (6 to 8 ounces) shredded cheese, like Monterey Jack, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, or a mix
Optional mix-ins: cooked bacon or sausage, minced chives or sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, chili powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter

Equipment
Bread knife
Cutting board
Mixing bowls
Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Slice the bread into cubes: Slice the bread horizontally and vertically into 1-inch cubes. Do not slice all the way through the loaf — leave bottom of the loaf intact with the bread pieces still attached.
3. Combine the cheese with any mix-ins: Toss the cheese and mix-ins together in a small bowl. This helps make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed when you stuff the bread.
4. Stuff the cheese into the bread: Gently stuff the cheese into the bread between the slices. Stuff between the vertical slices first, then go back and fill in the spaces between the horizontal cuts — it's a bit easier this way! It also helps to have a helper who can hold the slices apart while you stuff.
5. Pour melted butter over top: Transfer the stuffed loaf to a sheet of foil. Melt the butter in the microwave, then pour evenly over the loaf.
6. Wrap the loaf tightly in foil.
7. Bake the loaf: Bake the loaf for 20 minutes. Uncover the top and bake for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is totally melted and the top of the loaf is crispy.
8. Serve immediately: Serve the loaf while still hot from the oven.

Recipe Notes

• Make-Ahead Moment: The bread can be stuffed a few hours ahead of when you plan to serve. It will be fine on the counter for an hour, or you can refrigerate it (wrapped in foil) for a few hours. Wait to pour the butter over the top until just before you put it in the oven.
• The leftover edges make a great midnight snack — sprinkle with a little extra cheese and run it under the broiler until bubbly.