KT Did It: Pecan Pie Bites

Happy Thanksgiving!

Woke up extra early this morning to get to the gym for that pre-feast workout, and it is a good thing too because I can expect an extravagant, delicious Thanksgiving meal at my sister's house this year. Between my mom and my sister, all of my family favorite dishes will be there including mom's cream cheese mashed potatoes, cheese creamed corn and cranberry jello salad...mmm!

And, of course, I cannot fail to mention the desserts - my grandmother's cherry cheese pie (made by my brother this year) and my mom's famous pumpkin cheese cake.

For my contribution to this year's feast, I will be bringing creamed spinach and, not surprisingly, a dessert!

Knowing that there would already be several desserts displayed, I wanted to make something that would hopefully not have too many leftovers. I also have a weakness for pecan pie. So, instead of making a large pecan pie, I decided to make bite sized pies. And here is how I did it!

What you need:

2 packages of frozen filo pastry cups (30 individual cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt


First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chopped pecans onto a pan and roast the pecans for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.












In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and corn syrup.












Add the egg, melted butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt to the mixture.
























Finally, add the pecans.












Fill each pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon of the pecan mixture.
























Bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, then allow the mini pies to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.












These are really easy to make, and you can double the recipe for more if you choose.

Hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with time spent with loved ones! And be sure to check out my blog during December for Kraftmas 2014!

KT Baked It: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bread

With Thanksgiving around the bend, the time for holiday baking is almost upon. So crank up the cardio, friends, because I'm beginning the baking season with a pumpkin bread that I grew up looking forward to my mom making this time of year: pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread. Yummy! I got this recipe from Taste of Home, one of my mom's favorite cookbook series. The recipe here is my version with a few alterations in the spices and without the walnuts, dates and raisin from the original recipe. The original recipe also provides a recipe for an optional frosting, which I did not make. This recipe is also great because it makes 3 loaves of bread, so you have plenty to share for the holidays.

What you need for the bread:















3 cups sugar
4 eggs
15 oz can of solid-packed pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
1 cup water
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg

What you need for the filling:
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each), softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

First, I made the filling. In a small bowl, combine all four ingredients with a hand held mixer. Set aside.















For the bread, begin by combining the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water. Mix well and set aside.






























Next, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a separate bowl.















Slowly add the flour mixture to the "wet ingredients" and mix well.















Next, grease and flour three 8x4 loaf pans. Fill each pan with about 1 1/2
cups of batter. Next, divide the filling equally and place over the bottom layer of bread batter. Finally, divide the remainder of the bread batter and spoon over top of the filling mixture.






























Cook the bread at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for approximately 65-70 minutes.

Voila! Delicious pumpkin bread to start off the holiday baking season.

KT Made It: Homemade Potpourri

Happy November!

Only a few weeks until Thanksgiving, and I am ready for the holiday season. In fact, I may or may not have been caught humming Christmas carols by my husband this morning...

While it may not be time for that yule tide spirit quite yet, there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to enjoy some seasonal crafts (and indulge in looking at some holiday recipes as well). And with my jar candles nearing their last scented breath, I decided to start off November with something that I've never tried to make before: potpourri.

There are two types of potpourri, simmering and dried. Both seem pretty easy to make with any array of spices, herbs, fruits, or flowers that you like. For today's craft, I decided to make orange spice simmering potpourri with some of the fruits and spices that I have around the house. I'm hoping to make some dried potpourri in the future with the growing pile of pine cones I've been hoarding and the pine needles from our Christmas tree coming the first weekend in December!

What you need:

2 large oranges
2 red apples
Cinnamon, ground or sticks
Nutmeg
Cloves, ground or whole
Apple juice concentrate
Vanilla extract
Large pot

First, I added about 1/2 cup of vanilla extract and the entire can of apple juice concentrate to a large pot on low heat, then added two cans of water using the empty juice container. 

Now you can start adding your spices. I started with 1 Tbl of ground nutmeg...

...then 1 tsp of ground cloves...

...and finally 1 Tbl of ground cinnamon. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Of course, you can use any amount of spices that you like, but these portions ended up working really well. 

Next, I sliced the oranges thinly and then added them to my pot of simmering water. 

The potpourri really started smelling wonderful! Eric could smell the aroma from his study and even came downstairs to see what I was making. 

Next, slice the apples and add them to the pot. You could add other fruits too, such as cranberries which would look very pretty! I'm hoping to use them in my Christmas batch of potpourri.

And you're all done! Let the pot simmer on the stove, and it will fill the house with that unmistakable autumn aroma. 

If you have a small crockpot or potpourri burner, you can put some of the potpourri in it and sit the pot to simmer in the living room or bathroom.

As you're letting your potpourri simmer, make sure to keep an eye on the amount of water in the pot! Add extra water and spices as the liquid decreases. And when you're ready to turn the pot off, store your potpourri in a jar for the next time you want to fill the room with that wonderful fragrance! It can even make a nice gift!