Time to VOTE for my cake on Bon Appetit's Holiday Bake-Off

Earlier this month I was invited to submit a holiday dessert for Bon Appetit's Blog-Envy Holiday Bake-Off. Bon Appetit has long been my favorite food publication, so I was thrilled and honored to receive their email.

In the spirit of the holiday season I submitted the Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Pomegranate Glaze. I think it hits just the right note for this time of year.

If you want to vote for me I'd be very honored. Voting is a very simple procedure:

1) Log-in to the Bon Appetit Blog-Envy Bake-off website.

2) Click "VOTE HERE" and you will see my Eggnog Cheesecake on Page 1 (the "cake" page)

3) Continue through each category and vote for one baked good per page.

4) Then click "Submit Votes" and you are finished.

I'll be back Tuesday a new webisode!

Savory and Sweet Spiced Walnuts

I prefer to make homemade Christmas gifts rather than buy them. Sure, I live in New York City, the shopping capital of the world, but giving my friends bags of my Savory and Sweet Spiced Walnuts, jars of Summer Apricot Jam and Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce simply feels more authentic and heartfelt then gifting something store-bought.

Call me crazy, but I find it fun to spend a few early December afternoons making Christmas gifts while my daughter naps. Then, when she wakes up, we spend evenings assembling gift bags, tying them closed with simple twine and handwritten tags. She is too young to understand the true purpose, but I can tell she already enjoys playing "Santa" and bringing her friends little bags filled with goodies for them to enjoy.

My tendency toward making gifts started at an early age. Growing up in Cooperstown all the families, including mine, spent the entire month of November cooking and baking treats to give away in December. In recent years my friend's husband dubbed it "The Great Cooperstown Snack Exchange" which is actually the perfect name for it. While replicating this idea in New York City would be totally impossible - can you imagine every resident running around to and fro handing bags of homemade cookies to each other (!) - I still manage to do this with my group of friends. We love getting together to swap goodies and stories, and the kids seem to enjoy it, too.

Despite the fact that I am going to ruin the surprise for my actual friends, I am going to disclose the contents of my gift bags this year post by post. Typically I start thinking about what I am going to be making sometime in October. In fact, this year I jotted down my first Christmas gift bag idea on October 12th to be exact - it is dated in my journal. While mulling over ideas I like to consider goods that will keep well, can be made in large batches and don't require expensive exotic ingredients. I prefer to make things that are unique, delicious and useful. That is, items that can be used to feed the family or for entertaining.

The first recipe I settled upon this year was my Savory & Sweet Spiced Walnuts. I love the way this recipe yields perfectly crunchy walnuts enveloped in a thin layer of sweet and salty spice. When I give these to my friends I often attach a little note that reads: -Salads -Snacks -Nut Bowls to indicate the variety of ways in which these walnuts can be enjoyed. They are incredibly versatile during the holiday season, there are any number of ways in which they can be used. I am particularly fond of sprinkling them in green salads along with crumbled blue cheese and a sharp vinaigrette.

One of the best parts about this recipe is that it is easy to make while my daughter naps, and the walnuts store very well in plastic bags until they are ready to be packed and given away. In fact, I have found that I can complete three double batches of these during my daughter's afternoon naptime. Once they are cooled, and my daughter has woken up, I enlist her help scooping the walnuts into clear bags to be tied with twine. This task entertains her to no end and is invaluable to me. Then we place the bags in a deep bag to be stored in our pantry until it is time to make the next Christmas gift in our trio.

Savory and Sweet Spiced Walnuts

adapted from The Uncommon Gourmet by Ellen Helman

3 c. walnuts

1 egg white from an extra-large egg

2/3 c. sugar

3 T. fresh orange juice

2 t. freshly grated orange zest

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place nuts in a large glass bowl. Then add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the nuts and toss well with a wooden spoon or clean hands.

3. Spread the nuts in one even layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Make sure to turn the nuts at the 15-minute mark to make sure they brown evenly.

4. After baking cool to room temperature and place in gift bags or an airtight container. They will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: Spiced walnuts are an easy, tasty gift to give. They are also great to have around the house, I love adding them to salads or using them to top casseroles.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making these takes about 5 minutes of assembling and the required 20 minute baking time, it could be simple.

Naptime Reviews: Small children have to be careful about eating these since they could choke, but adults adore them. When I leave them around the house while entertaining they are always gobbled up quickly.

'Twas the Night Before... French Toast: Webisode #2

Feeding a crowd shouldn't be difficult, especially during the holiday season. At this time of year I don't fuss around with complicated recipes, instead I concentrate on making meals that are easy to prepare ahead - even days ahead - and don't require constant attention. This casserole, which I've aptly titled "'Twas the Night Before... French Toast" is just the ticket when it comes to feeding a crowd for brunch.

My husband's Aunt Barbara (wife of the famous Uncle Kevin), gave me this recipe when I was showing signs of anxiety regarding an impending visit from loads of family members. She rightly noted that this casserole is absolutely mouthwatering - she has yet to have a guest turn it down - and is the simplest way to get a fabulous breakfast on the table with minimal stress. To complete the brunch table I set out a big platter of crisp salty bacon, jugs of warm maple syrup, juice and caffeinated beverages. Inevitably this turns my dining room table into a schmorgesborg of deliciousness that never fails to please even the pickiest of eaters.

This dish is a cinch to pull together a day prior - I complete the legwork during my daughter's afternoon naptime the day before - then it just sits, unattended, in the refrigerator until it is baked the following morning. For all you Naptime Chef's out there, it is important to note that it is perfectly acceptable to prepare this at 3pm one day and not bake it until 7am the following morning, I do it all the time. As exemplified below, this dish is intended to be made in advanced, doing so allows the bread to absorb more liquid and achieve maximum flavor.

Since this casserole truly is as beautiful and tasty as it sounds, I've made another video for your viewing pleasure. I hope this demonstrates how fantastically easy this casserole is to make, and what a wonderful solution it can be to feeding hungry mouths in your household (either visiting, or permanent residents) over the holidays. Enjoy!

The Naptime Chef - 'Twas the Night Before...French Toast from Kelsey Banfield on Vimeo.

'Twas the Night Before... French Toast

loosely adapted from Paula's Home Cooking by Paula Deen

1 large loaf Challah bread, preferably 1-2 days old so it is slightly hard

8 large eggs

2 c. whole milk

1 c. heavy cream

2 T. granulated sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. freshly grated orange zest

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg (or 1/4 t. jarred ground nutmeg)

1/2 t. salt

5 oz. frozen blueberries (or any other frozen berry that you would like!)

For the Topping:

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. chopped pecans

2 T. light corn syrup

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. freshly ground nutmeg (or 1/2 jarred ground nutmeg)

Fresh Maple Syrup for Serving

1. Thoroughly butter a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.

2. Using a bread knife cut the Challah into 1-inch thick slices and arrange in the baking dish so that they are slightly overlapping.

3. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, orange zest and salt. Whisk well so that everything is thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture over the Challah bread. Gently press the Challah down into the milk mixture so that the bread begins to absorb the liquid.

4. Pour the blueberries over the bread, tucking them between the layers and sprinkling them over the top as desired.

5. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator over night, or for up to 24 hours. While it rests in the fridge the bread should soak up all of the liquid and flavor.

6. The next day, preheat the oven to 350. Then, make the praline topping by combining the melted butter, chopped pecans, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and corn syrup in a bowl. Spread it evenly over the top of the french toast.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is toasted and golden brown.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This is a terrific casserole to serve a crowd for brunch, or just to enjoy with family. I love that the flavors can be tweaked as desired, feel free to substitute raspberries or cherries for the blueberries. And, if you'd like to use a different bread then day old french bread would work well, too. If someone is allergic to nuts, simply omit the topping.

Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see above, preparing this takes about 20 minutes. The rest of the "work" entails leaving it in the fridge and then popping it in the over the following morning. There is hardly an easier way to feed a crowd.

Naptime Reviews: I have yet to meet one person who does like french toast, especially this one. With all the rich flavors everyone from the grandparents to children adore this dish.

Mocha Brownie Tarts & Starbucks VIA Giveaway!

*Note* VIA Giveaway entry instructions at bottom of post!

Despite having a toddler I am not a big coffee drinker. It's not that I don't need caffeine to help me start the day - I have a cup of Scottish Breakfast tea every morning - I've just never acquired a taste for the actual brewed drink. However, I do like the more subtle taste of coffee when it is used in ice cream and baked goods, so when I received a free sample of Starbucks VIA last month I wasted no time getting started on baking my Mocha Brownie Tarts.

I know it seems strange that I like to bake with coffee in light of the fact that I don't drink it. But, trust me, using coffee as an ingredient in a baked good is very different then sipping it from a cup. Adding instant coffee or espresso powder to a batter is a fantastic way to enhance, or amplify, the flavor of chocolate. In fact, there are many recipes where coffee is added as a way to boost the richness of a cake, cookie or tiramisu. As you might recall, last February I wrote about my favorite chocolate cake from my friend Hilary, which calls for entire cup of strong brewed coffee. And, earlier this month, my Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies won the "Best Chocolate Cookie" contest on food52. (Don't worry, I'll write about those soon, but you can always pick up the recipe on that site if you need it right away.)

When I made these mocha brownie tarts the other week I opted to add the instant coffee granules straight, instead of brewed coffee. Adding all that liquid would have made them too cakey, and I really wanted to stick with the texture of a denser brownie. Since I was making them for a friend I also choose to use my favorite individual paper tart pans from the baking supply store in Chelsea. They are perfect for making small portions look elegant, and are very easy to transport.

Like all good brownie recipes, whipping these up during my daughter's naptime was a snap. It basically required the careful melting of chocolate, mixing of ingredients and proper baking time. When the tarts came out of the oven they were a gorgeous deep brown with a perfect crackly top. Not to mention, the scent of coffee and chocolate in our apartment after thirty minutes of baking was enough to make anyone start salivating. The aroma had even pervaded my daughter's bedroom to the point that she asked for "chocolate cake mommy!" the moment she woke up from her nap. She wasn't thrilled with the coffee undertones, but gobbled up a small piece pretty quickly.

I am thrilled to report that baking with the Starbucks VIA was a huge success. By adding coffee to the batter the chocolate flavor became deeper and more intense. The texture was identical that of a regular brownie, without being too cakey or dry. In the recipe that inspired this one Ina had also added nuts, but, frankly, I had no interest in that. Instead, I stuck with adding only the chopped chocolate bars - I don't like anything to stand between me and my chocolate. When my friend served these to her guests she gave them a choice of fresh vanilla whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream on side. Either option is a great idea, a mild, sweet accompaniment is a perfect way to balance the tarts intense chocolate taste.

In honor of the holidays approaching and my insistence that everyone start baking with instant coffee right this minute, I am giving away my two remaining packs (containing 3 servings each) of Starbucks VIA Extra Bold Italian Roast. According to my husband, they make a fantastic beverage, and according to me, they are excellent to bake with. I'll use a randomizer to pick the winners on Monday Nov. 23rd at 11:59pm EST and announce them at 7:00am EST on Tuesday Nov. 24th.

How to enter:

1) Leave a comment telling me your favorite way to enjoy coffee (drinking, baking or cooking?) and anything else you'd like to share.
2) Join The Naptime Chef™ Facebook Fanpage (if you have a Facebook Account)

Mocha Brownie Tarts

adapted from Barefoot in Paris, by Ina Garten
6 T. unsalted butter
20 oz. semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped in 1/4" chunks
3 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 T. VIA instant coffee, BOLD flavor (or any instant coffee you have on hand)
1 t. good vanilla extract
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. Kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour one 11" inch tart pan, or 5 individual tart pans.
2. Melt butter 16 oz. of chocolate together in a heatproof bowl. You can either melt the chocolate by placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water, or by microwaving it in 30 second bursts. Stirring after each interval. Make sure butter and chocolate melt and are stirred together completely - then set aside to cool.
3. In an electric mixer beat the eggs, sugar, coffee and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add melted, cooled chocolate and mix to combine.
4. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 4 oz. of chopped chocolate. Gently fold this into the wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared tins and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center of the brownie is puffed and crackly on top.
6. Cool brownies before removing from tart pan. Or, leave them in the individual pans and serve as is.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This is an adult brownie treat. It is a fabulous way to "dress-up" a basic dessert with flavor and flair, and is especially delicious served with fresh whipped cream at a dinner party. Or, even better, if you use individual paper pans, they make great gifts! I think they would be great with white chocolate chunks too, if you want to give them a new twist.
Naptime Stopwatch: Making this batter requires your full attention for a brief 15 minutes. My oven had just enough time to pre-heat before I had these ready to start baking.
Naptime Reviews: My daughter was not thrilled with the coffee undertones, but adults loves these. 

Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust & Pomegranate Glaze

It is easy for me to go overboard when consuming holiday desserts. I find it impossible to resist the tray after tray of sugary cookies and chocolate bark candy that are found at my every turn this time of year. After all, these treats only come around once every 11 months, which, in my mind, practically makes it a requirement to sample everything within arms length during this brief period. (I wonder, does eating Christmas cookies in December count as eating seasonally?) For those of you with more self control than I, here is a holiday dessert that is worth every calorie: Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Pomegranate Glaze. If you have to pick and choose the sweets you eat this holiday season, do yourself a favor and enjoy a slice of this. I promise, this cake is so good it is definitely worth passing up all of the peppermint bark, snickerdoodles, chocolate crackles and peanut butter blossoms in sight.

In our household I am clearly the one with the crazy sweet tooth. My husband and daughter both like treats now and then, but my daily routine requires at least two items of chocolate before 5pm, as well as a sweet dessert post-dinner. It is a good thing I live in New York, one of the few cities where you exercise without even knowing it. In fact on most days our car sits, neglected, in a garage 20 blocks away while the pedometer attached to the stroller (yes, they exist) calculates that I walk at least 3-4 miles. Rain or shine. It is a wonderful solution to enjoying holiday desserts - my mini-walking mararthons - the only problem is that I end up browsing boutique windows and food shops while en route.

Last week when we were trotting down Broadway at our usual brisk clip I noticed one of my favorite boutiques had set up a little display of Christmas packages in their window. Christmas?! Already?! How did it sneak up so soon!! It took me a minute to accept that the holiday season is truly upon us, but once I did, I got kind of excited. It is time for all of the fun holiday shopping, decorating, socializing, and, of course, cooking.

As I not-so-subtley noted above, there are several (hundred) Christmas desserts in my repertoire that I will be sharing with you, and today I am going to start off with a bang. I love making this cheesecake because it is terrifically simple and utterly delicious. When I made my first of many for the season last week I had no problem baking it during my daughter's afternoon naptime. In fact, the timing worked beautifully because it was able to cool fully prior to the addition of the glaze.

The best part about this cheesecake is that it tastes like the best version of eggnog you have ever had. Sweet, spicy and just a little boozy, it is a truly decadent adult treat. When I adapted this recipe long ago I added a gingersnap crust to balance the cakes smooth, creamy texture with a subtle crunch. The pomegranate glaze, inspired by a strawberry syrup I had once been served over cheesecake, gives the eggnog flavor a shot of sweet fruit, almost like a garnish.

I'll admit, I made this last week for us to enjoy all by ourselves. My husband adores cheesecake and I, feeling so incredibly inspired by the window display, couldn't help but get excited for the holiday season. It is more common that I take it to friends or add to our holiday buffet, guests are always wowed by the way the pomegranate seeds sit on top of the cake like little shiny rubies. I know I'll be making this again shortly, I already promised my friend Ashley I would bring it to her open house in a few weeks. Until then I plan to start dipping into the rest of my Christmas repertoire. But, for more on that, you'll have to wait until next week. 

Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Pomegranate Glaze

loosely adapted from the Mystic Seaport All Seasons Cookbook by Mystic Seaport Museum

For the Crust:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 3/4 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs

3 T. brown sugar

For the Cake:

32 oz. whipped cream cheese, softened

16 oz. sour cream (full-fat), stirred

1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter

5 eggs

2 T. cornstarch

1 1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 T. Dark rum

2 T. Cognac

1 t. nutmeg

For Glaze:

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

3/4 c. pomegranate seeds

1/2 c. POM Wonderful (or any other brand pomegranate juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan.

2. For the Crust: Prepare the crust by melting the butter and combining it with the gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar in a large bowl. Make sure all of the ingredients are moistened evenly. Press them into the bottom of a springform pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is nicely toasted. Set aside to cool.

3. For the Cheesecake: In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend cream cheese, butter and sour cream together until completely smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Next, add cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, rum, cognac and nutmeg. Beat on high speed until well blended. With the mixer on low, beat in eggs one at a time, making sure the mixture is very smooth after each addition.

4. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the cooled gingersnap crust. Then, wrap the pan very tightly with aluminum foil so that it can be placed in a hot water bath. (You are not going for looks here - wrap the aluminum foil as tightly as possible - you don't want the batter ruined by water seeping in!!) Then, fill a deep baking or roasting pan with water until it is at least halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake cheesecake for 60-70 minutes. Or, until it is set and the top is light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

5. For the Glaze: Add sugar, cornstarch, pomegranate seeds and pomegranate juice to a small saucepan. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and starts to get syrupy. Allow to cool to room temperature before drizzling over cool cheesecake to serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This is a decadent treat that is formal enough to serve at almost any occasion. If you want to play with the flavors you could try adding a cranberry or blueberry glaze, or do a graham cracker crust instead.

Naptime Stopwatch: The batter took about 15 minutes to make, and the pomegranate glaze another 10 minutes. It is important to prepare the crust before everything else, it needs to cool before the batter is poured on top.

Naptime Notes: My daughter wasn't excited about the pomegranate glaze but loved the cheesecake. My husband? Well, he could have polished off the whole thing if I'd allowed him. This is a great dessert for parties, too. It looks splendid on a buffet table.

Mom's Thanksgiving Corn Pudding with Parmesan Crust

As you might expect, putting together our family's Thanksgiving table is quite a circus. Over the years we have all become partial to our favorite dishes and expect them to be prepared for us year after year. My husband will not sit down to eat if there isn't a fresh pan of his mother's homemade corn bread on the table, and I won't even think of celebrating without my mother's corn pudding. Fluffy, rich and creamy, it is the most perfect savory pudding I have ever tasted.

I'll readily admit, I've been eating this all my life but didn't learn how to make it until I got married. At that point, my husband and I elected to start alternating family holidays, spending our first Thanksgiving with his parents, and, the following year, with mine. The arrangement made perfect sense in every way, except when it came to planning the menus. If we both wanted to enjoy our favorite dishes, it meant bringing printed recipes with us to our respective new family's. Thus, at our first Thanksgiving with my in-law's, I had to make my mom's corn pudding and add it to their already crowded table.


It took me a couple of tries to get the pudding right, but now I can practically make it in my sleep. In fact, these days I make it during my daughter's naptime on an almost weekly basis. After all, why limit a favorite dish to the Thanksgiving table when it can be enjoyed all year long?! Pulling it together is a simple affair, merely requiring careful stirring over low heat and the careful addition of ingredients. Then the whole dish is put in the oven to rise into a fluffy pillow of egg pudding chock full of creamy corn, topped with a thin and crisp parmesan crust.

When I first served this to my in-law's a few years ago I wasn't worried in the least. They are a family of foodie's, so I knew they would appreciate this classic Thanksgiving dish. They loved it's rich texture and flavor, agreeing that it was a great addition to their menu. Last year, when my daughter had finally graduated to solid foods, she enjoyed it too. In many ways it is perfect toddler food. The light, almost spongy texture is easy to chew and has a palatable flavor that is the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The recipe also allows for a bit of flexibility, sometimes I add diced jalapeno peppers to give it an extra kick.


I don't know about you, but I am thrilled Thanksgiving is right around the corner. For us, being married means we've been able to combine the best of both family's menus to create feasts that are hard to beat. This year we will be with my in-law's on Martha's Vineyard so I'll be making the corn pudding. It will be situated on the table right next to my mother-in-law's perfect roast turkey, to the right of my husband's favorite corn bread and south of my father in-law's oyster stuffing. And everyone will be happy.

Mom's Corn Pudding with Parmesan Crust
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. Kosher salt
3/4 c. whole milk, hot
1/2 t. nutmeg
3 eggs
1 12oz. can creamed corn
3/4 c. regular canned corn (not creamed)
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 1-quart casserole dish, set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, sugar and salt, stir to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in hot milk and stir until thickened.
3. Remove sauce from heat and stir in nutmeg, eggs, creamed corn and regular corn until just incorporated. Add jalapeno if using.
4. Pour into butter 1 qt. dish and spread parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until set and golden brown around the edges. It will be poofed in the top when it comes out of the oven, but sink a little in the middle pretty quickly. Don't worry, that is how it is supposed to look!

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This is a classic corn pudding recipe that is sure to please everyone. If you want to give the flavor a kick add the jalapeno, but, don't worry, the pudding is just fine without it, too. Play with it and have fun!
Naptime Stopwatch: Making the sauce takes about 15 minutes, then all that is left is the baking time.
Naptime Reviews: Everyone loves this pudding because it is so rich, without being overly heavy. My daughter loves this too, it is great for young kids as well as adults.

Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips: Webisode #1

It seems that Apple Mania has given way to Pumpkin Mania this month. While I've been chowing down on apples, I've also been opening can after can of pure organic pumpkin puree. There is no limit to the amount of dishes I've been making with the stuff, everything from savory pumpkin penne, to pumpkin bars, to sweet pumpkin pudding cake.

I'll admit, after making all of these dishes I was pretty sure I had exhausted my pumpkin repertoire until my friend Jennifer, an accomplished baker herself, handed me her Aunt Margie's recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips. Make it, she told me, you will love it. Apparently this bread is a legendary dessert in her family, which, as I soon learned, is for a good reason.

This bread has been on my weekly Naptime Chef baking rotation all fall. I most often make it while my daughter naps, and it also proved to be a great mother/daughter baking project. It is a deliciously simple recipe that yields a perfectly moist pumpkin cake, rich with cinnamon flavor and dotted with sweet chocolate chips.

When I was talking about this the other week with my friend April at Babble she suggested I make this into a video for the Babble Nibblers blog. Why not? I thought. I've been writing this website for almost a year and you all must be sick of just reading, reading, reading. Maybe it would be fun to start watching, watching, watching! So, without further ado, welcome to my kitchen and my first how-to video for Aunt Margie's Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips.

As always, I encourage comments, but please be kind to the newbie Naptime Chef's first web appearance!

Aunt Margie's Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips (and a Gluten-free note)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour (for Gluten-Free use Pamela's GF Baking Mix)
1 14 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. Kosher Salt
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
Yields:
36 Cupcakes or Two 9x5 Loaves or One Bundt Cake or Lots o' Mini-Muffins (use mini-chips for these!)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and prepare the pan depending on bundt cake, muffins or loaves.
2. In a mixing bowl combine eggs, oil and sugar. Then, add the pumpkin and mix well. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add this to wet ingredients until totally combined.
3. Mix in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon and pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake according to pan size as follows:
Cupcakes: Bake for 25 minutes Two 9x5 Loaf Pans: Bake for 45-50 minutes Mini-Muffins: Bake for 12-15 minutes Bundt Cake: Bake for 60 - 65 minutes
5. Once baking is complete allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then, remove it on to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: If you don't like chocolate chips you can certainly omit them, or substitute nuts. I promise, everyone will love this is if you add it to a buffet or serve it at a dinner party. I love that the recipe is so versatile, it's perfect for anything from muffins to cakes. Making this batter while my daughter naps is a snap, plus it is a fun baking projects for kids in the kitchen.
Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making the batter takes 10 minutes at the most. After that, all the remains is baking time.
Naptime Reviews: One of our friends, who does not like pumpkin, declared this delicious. She appreciated that it is not over-spiced. The pumpkin flavor is pitch perfect and contrasts well with the chocolate chips.

Penne with Pumpkin & Pancetta

When I told my husband I was making Penne with Pumpkin & Pancetta for dinner last weekend, he reached for the take-out menus the second he thought I wasn't looking. Unsure of what I would be serving - I mean, who pairs pumpkin and pancetta! - he later admitted to hatching a back-up meal plan. Sure, I'll be the first to admit that I've cooked up my share of questionable fare. It would be naive to think that everything I made was perfect all the time, but with this dish I was sure I had a winner on my hands. He was clearly wary of this confidence, but I knew I was right.

I am lucky to be married to such an adventurous eater, but even he has his limits. After a long day at work and chasing after a toddler he wants to chow down on a filling meal, not tenderly pick at mystery food in an effort to please me. Also, I am in the throws of teaching a toddler how to enjoy good food, something that is no easy task. To make it all work for me I try to make delicious, but practical, meals. We eat hearty lasagnas, seasonal vegetables and sweet desserts, not hand-rolled sushi or caviar on toast. I like to put new twists on the basics to make them even better than before.

Pumpkin Pudding Cake with Fresh Nutmeg Sauce

It's putting it mildly to say I've been eating a lot of pumpkin flavored foods this fall. Last month I told you all about my favorite pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, today I am going to tell you all about my Pumpkin Pudding Cake with Fresh Nutmeg Sauce (drooling yet?!), and next week there is even more to come.

Savory Cheese Biscuits with Paprika & Red Pepper

A cracker is just a cracker until it is a Savory Cheese Biscuit with Paprika & Red Pepper. I live in a neighborhood with at least six fantastic gourmet shops and farmers' markets and have yet to find a packaged cracker that tastes as good as these. In fact, it would be hard to qualify these as crackers, they are more like a savory short bread with a pecan pressed on the top. We love to snack on them at home on any given day, especially my daughter, who likens them to her favorite goldfish cracker snack.

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with Lemon & Olive Oil

If last fall you had told me that Gwyneth Paltrow would give me a great recipe for Brussels Sprouts I would have rolled me eyes. At the time she, an accomplished actress and protective mother, was easily the last person I would've turned to for cooking advice.

Then, last November, I subscribed to Gwyneth's website, GOOP, and started watching a her PBS mini-series, only to realize that she actually does know how to navigate a kitchen and feed her family. So here I am, a year later, preaching the word of Gwyneth's Caramelized Brussels Sprouts. Proving that great recipes can come from the most unexpected sources, I have her recipe on permanent repeat in my household. It is the most simple and delicious preparation for a vegetable, that, prior to her guidelines, was not exactly one of my favorites.