Stuffed Shells

Arroz con Pollo

Blueberry Coconut Buns

Sometimes you want a sweet bun. Not a cinnamon bun; not an orange bun; not a hot cross bun (although these are pretty good), but some kind of sweet bun. So you make up a sweet, yet fruity, and satisfying bun. Winter hasn't even started, but I'm already hankering after something that's a hint of tropical, and the freezer is stocked with blueberries that I purchased and froze like a maniac to use in power smoothies through the winter. So, why not pair these 2 flavours and see what comes of the marriage? Something delicious, let me tell you :) The tart and tangy flavour of baked blueberries mingles with a delicate hint of coconut flavour and boom! we're in Jamaica, man. No sweet bun would be complete without the requisite bit of cream cheese fluff on top, and the sweet creamy tang of the cream cheese frosting is a perfect accent to the fruity treat swirled inside the soft and chewy bun. I'd better give some away to avoid a sugar coma!

Blueberry Coconut Buns

You can use this basic sweet bread recipe for the bread. 

For the filling:

Assemble in the same way you would cinnamon buns. 
1. Roll out the dough
2. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle an even layer of unsweetened shredded coconut over the dough. Spread an even layer of blueberries over the dough.
3. Starting from one end of the dough, begin to roll into a log, packing it tightly to make sure your berries don't go rolling all over the place (a few renegades will inevitably be lost; just eat those!)
4. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into blah even sections. Arrange these sections in a greased and lightly sugared baking dish.
5. Bake in the oven at 
6. Top with cream cheese frosting (recipe to come later; I just happened to have some extra in my fridge from a friend).

 

Pumpkin Pie

 (Yes, I know the picture is dark; but the pie was darn good :p)

With the arrival of October, come the requisite pumpkin "items". Pumpkin cookies at Planet Organic (love these!), pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks (another guilty pleasure), pumpkin gnocchi (delicious in butter sauce), heck, why not go for a pumpkin facial while you're at it? And, of course, one cannot forget the mainstay of the Thanksgiving table: PUMPKIN PIE! (extra whip please!)

I wasn't a fan of pumpkin pie until I was about 11; I'd never tried it until then. As a kid, I couldn't fathom that giant orange fruit with the slimy insides being palatable. Picky eater? Yes, I think so. Then at a Thanksgiving dinner, a slice of pie with whip was placed in front of me, and a little girl with red pigtails dared me to try it. So, I ate every last bit; and liked it. The warm combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; the smooth texture of the puree; the cool and creamy whip melding with the crust and pumpkin. Definitely a favourite in my books :)  So now, after so many years of eating pie, I finally decided to try my hand at making the pie (the filling anyway; next year's feat will be making it all from scratch).

Pumpkin Pie (adapted from Canadian Living )

The recipe calls for pumpkin puree. I could've gone to the store to buy a can; but I went to the farmer's market, bought a sugar pumpkin; roasted that sucker and had enough puree to make a pie AND a loaf. Just a suggestion :)

1 pie crust (or make it yourself; I wasn't feeling THAT ambitious)
1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1/4 cup maple sugar (or syrup)
3/4 evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove (or ginger, if you really like ginger. I don't :|)
1/4 tsp salt

1. Whisk together the puree, sugars/syrup, milk, eggs, salt and spices in a medium-large sized bowl (or you could just put it all into the blender).
2. Pour into the pie shell and bake in preheated oven (425 F) for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for another 30 minutes (toothpick/knife inserted into centre should come out clean).
3. Cool and enjoy! (with extra whip!!)