Fresh Pear, Ginger & Spice Bundt Cake or Cupcakes with Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze

Fresh Pear, Ginger & Spice Cake with Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze (Bundt)

This cake is our fall favorite! It is moist, flavorful and unusual. The directions below are for either cupcakes or a Bundt cake. The video demonstrates the cupcakes. After shooting the video, I decided to increase the oil and sugar slightly, to make it even moister, and increased the glaze by half again, as it needed just a bit more! This great on a brunch buffet, or as dessert. We love versatile! Be sure to use dead-ripe pears, locally-grown and tree-ripened are always the best!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, lightly-beaten

3 cups peeled and finely chopped Bartlett pears

1 1/2 Tablespoons freshly-grated ginger (may use jarred ginger paste, reduce to 1 Tablespoon)

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Grease and flour cupcake pans, or Bundt pan if making a large cake. 

Whisk together baking soda, salt, and spices together in a bowl.

Put oil and sugar into bowl of stand mixer and mix until creamy.  Add eggs and mix until well-combined.  Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, until just combined.  Add pears and ginger, then beat (at medium speed) until the batter thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes.  Fold in the pecans by hand with a rubber spatula. Scoop batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 15-20 minutes (check after 10 minutes, rotating pan if needed).  Run a knife or spatula around each cupcake, then let sit for 4 minutes before turning out onto a rack.   Bake the Bundt cake bake 45-55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean, then cool in pan for 20 minutes before turning out.

Place cupcakes on a cooling rack over parchment or wax paper.   Cover Bundt cake with a cake plate, flip over and allow to release from the pan. Allow the cake or cupcakes to cool just slightly.   Pour Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze evenly over the cake or cupcakes.  Serve warm, or cool completely and store in a glass or plastic storage container.

Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze:

6 Tablespoons (3 ounces ) unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Place butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until brown. Watch carefully, as it can go from light brown to smoke in an instant.  Pour into a mixing bowl, leaving the browned bits in the saucepan.

Cool slightly, then add the lemon juice, honey and vanilla and mix well.  Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.  (If glaze is too thick to pour over warm cake or cupcakes, add a few drops of milk until it is "pour-able"). 

Breakfast Sweet Potato Hash with Basted Eggs

Breakfast Sweet Potato Hash with Basted Eggs

This is one of Barry's and my favorite breakfasts!  I found a similar recipe in a Flat-Belly Diet Book, then altered it suit our slightly spicier taste.  Full of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and flavor, this breakfast will power you through the first half of the day without a tinge of guilt (or hunger)!  Try it and have an awesome day!  Serves 4

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 to 1 fresh Jalapeno pepper, with or without membrane & seeds, depending on your heat tolerance, may omit if heat is unwanted!

1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper or black pepper (Chipotle pepper will add more heat)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup canned black bean, drained and rinsed

1 medium sweet potato, baked just until tender, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Freshly-squeezed juice of 1 lime

Vegetable oil

2-8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)

Water

Salt and ground black or Chipotle pepper

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

Fresh cilantro leaves

Salsa, optional

Add oil to a large skillet (I prefer cast iron) and heat to medium-high.  Add the onion, red pepper, and jalapeno (if using) and saute until vegetables are beginning to soften and brown a bit.  Stir in chipotle or black pepper and salt.

Add the black beans and sweet potato cubes.  Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through and the sweet potato starts to brown in spots.  Stir in the lime juice and cook until it evaporates just a bit.  Divide evenly into 4 shallow bowls and keep warm while preparing eggs.

In another large non-stick skillet (with lid), heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat to medium-low heat.  Add eggs to the pan (do not crowd) and cook until the white begin to set.  Add about 2 Tablespoons of water to the pan and quickly cover with the lid.  Allow the eggs to baste (Steam) over low heat until the whites are completely set, including over the top of the yolk.  Sprinkle with salt and either black or Chipotle pepper to taste. 

Carefully transfer the eggs to the top of the hash.  Garnish with the avocado slices and cilantro leaves.  A slice of lime on the side is also good for those who love more acid (like me!).

Fresh Herb Dip Veggie "Pizza" Appetizer

Veggie "Pizza" Appetizer

I love recipes that can be used in more than one application!  Fresh Herb Dip is slathered over a crust, topped with finely-minced fresh vegetables, then sprinkled with cheese.  It is delicious! I have to credit my mother with this particular use as she came up with the idea.  Thanks, Mother!

1 crust of your choice: canned crescent roll dough pressed onto a sheet pan and baked (this crust is sweeter than pizza dough), pizza dough rolled out thin to fit into a sheet pan and baked, or take a shortcut and use a Boboli or other purchased crust, baked for a few minutes (these crusts are par baked and need a little more time in the oven.)  The crust can be any shape you like!  I used small 6-inch pizza crusts and cut them into little triangles-very cute!

1-1 1/2 cups Fresh Herb Dip, enough to evenly coat the crust

6 cups (approximately) of finely minced fresh vegetables; carrot, different colored peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, hot peppers if you like heat.  Use your imagination & the food processor to thinly slice and grate the veggies!

Grated cheese of your choice, a little or a lot

Coat the crust with the Fresh Herb Dip.  Toss together the veggies and scatter over the crust; press down a bit.  Do the same with the cheese, and press everything down firmly.

Cut into small pieces.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chai Tea Latte Concentrate

Iced Chai Tea Latte

Hot or cold, a chai tea latte is a treat!  Why pay more for a boxed concentrate when you can make your own version, without additives or the high price tag?  This definitely is worth the small amount of time it takes to prepare! And you can increase or decrease the flavorings to suite your personal taste; add a vanilla bean, increase any of the ingredients you love, or leave out the ones you aren't as fond of. If you wish, part of the sugar or honey can be replaced with Stevia or artificial sweetener for less calories.

Chai Tea Concentrate
Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 4 lattes

Ingredients
3 tablespoons sugar
8 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
1 slice ginger, peeled
5 whole cloves
6 whole black peppercorns
2 black teabags (3-4 for stronger tea flavor)
1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients except the honey in a pot. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat slightly, add the tea bags,  and let simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let steep for another 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, removing all the spices. Add the honey and stir. Taste, adding more honey if you like.

Cool completely.

The concentrate is easily doubled and will last a while in the fridge.

Chai Tea Latte

6 tablespoons Chai Tea Concentrate
3/4-1 cup milk of your choice*
Ice

*Replace cow's milk with soy, almond, or milk of your choice.  If using sweetened milk, adjust the sugar in the concentrate or the drink will be too sweet.

Pour both the Chai Tea Concentrate and the milk into a glass, stirring to combine them. Add a large handful of ice, and drink immediately.

This concentrate can be prepared as a hot drink for winter by warming the milk and chai concentrate slowly in a small saucepan until very hot. Serve in a mug.