Pumpkin Latte ~ Pumpkin Pie Spice

This is the same spice for Pumpkin Latte or Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Warning: you might be tempted to put this tasty spice on just about everything.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Combine cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg.  Whisk well to blend.

See recipe, Post of "Pumpkin Spice Latte".

Cafe Latte's Famous Turtle Cake

Cafe Latte's Famous Turtle Cake

Cafe Latte is located in the Studebaker Building in St. Paul MN and well known for their picture perfect desserts.  The owners agreed to share the recipe with a publication and today you can create this work of art.

Ingredients:
Cake
1 egg
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup good quality cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup hot coffee
Frosting:

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups good quality chocolate chips

3/4 cup caramel

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F  Grease three 9" cake pans covering the base with a disk of parchment paper.

In a bowl combine milk, egg, and vegetable oil, mix well.  In another bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.  Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until well mixed.    Gradually add hot coffee.  Scrape batter into prepared pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cakes rest in pans 10 minutes.  Turn out on wire racks to cool. 

Frosting:

Mix milk and sugar in saucepan.  Add butter and bring to a boil.  Add chocolate chips to pan and bring to a boil.  Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth.  If mixture is to grainy add 1 to 2 teaspoons hot coffee.

To assemble cake:

Place one layer, topside down.  Spread 1/3 of frosting over cake gently pushing out to the edges in a petal effect.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of toasted pecans.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel.  Add next layer top side down and repeat adding frosting, caramel, and pecans.  Add third layer top side down and repeat frosting with petal effect adding caramel and pecans.

Saucey Pulled Pork Sandwich

Saucey Pulled Pork Sandwich

Saucey braised pork on rolls topped with cheese definitely warm up the coldest winter day. Pulled pork does require some time in the kitchen, but the oven does the bulk of the work by braising the pork to melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The coffee is a surprising ingredient that adds a deep flavour to the mahogany sauce (and non-coffee drinkers might not even guess what’s in there). For entertaining, it’s easiest to make it ahead a day or two, then just reheat to serve.

Ingredients:

1½  cups (375 mL) strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup (125 mL) fancy molasses
1/2 cup (125 mL) ketchup
1/2 cup (125 mL) cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) dry mustard or Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
Salt
Boneless pork shoulder blade roast, 3 to 4 lbs (1.36 to 1.81 kg), tied
Rolls or buns, split
4 oz (115 g) smoked or sharp cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:

Combine coffee, molasses, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, ginger, cayenne and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until reduced by about half. Let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

Place pork roast in a deep baking dish or roasting pan. Pour sauce over roast. Cover with lid or foil, ensuring foil doesn’t touch pork; seal foil around edge of dish. Roast in preheated oven for about 3 hours, turning halfway and spooning sauce overtop, or until pork is fork-tender. Transfer pork to a bowl, reserving sauce in dish. Let pork cool slightly.

Meanwhile, skim fat from sauce and discard. Transfer sauce to a deep pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove strings from pork and, using 2 forks or your hands, shred pork into small pieces, discarding excess fat. (To make ahead, cover and refrigerate shredded pork and sauce separately for up to 2 days.)

To serve, return pork to sauce and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through. Season to taste with salt. Toast or warm rolls. Spoon pork and sauce into rolls and top with cheese.

Serves 8 to 12

 

Bacon Jam

Bacon Jam
Wonderful in mashed potatoes and
a great addition for baked beans.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. bacon, chopped into 1" chunks 

2 medium onions

3 garlic cloves

3/4 cup coffee

1/2 cup cider vinegar 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook over med.-high heat, stirring until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.  

Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes.  Add bacon and stir to combine.  Mixture will be syrupy.

Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.  

Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. 

 Let cool then refrigerate in air tight containers, up to 4 weeks.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Coffee Creamer

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE COFFEE CREAMER

1 cup powdered nondairy creamer
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix all together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Mocha Cappuccino Mix

MOCHA CAPPUCCINO MIX

Ingredients:

1 cup regular dry coffee creamer

1 cup chocolate drink mix
2/3 cup instant coffee crystals
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container. 

Add heaping tablespoons of mix to 8 oz. of hot water. Stir. Enjoy.