Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love Pumpkin Spice anything. When asked what their favorite flavor is, most folks respond with, "vanilla", "chocolate", "mint", or the like. Not me! My response is always pumpkin spice. As a result, I'm always trying the latest pumpkin spice flavored something to come out.
Randomperson: "Would you like to try this cardboard?"
Me: "Beg your pardon??"
Randomperson: "It's pumpkin spice flavored."
Me: "Oh! Well why didn't you say that to begin with? Of course I'll try it!"
Yeah, I know. Sad, isn't it? LOL
I posted a recipe a while back for Pumpkin Spice syrup and it was my go-to recipe until recently when I decided to experiment a bit.
I needed a recipe for a larger quantity. The previous recipe only made enough for a couple of days and I rarely (see: never) shared.
Also, I wanted to try to make a syrup that was a little more "everybody friendly." Just because I like my PSL (that's Pumpkin Spice Latte for those who don't know) with cinnamon and bits of pumpkin floating in the bottom, not everyone does. As such, that recipe doesn't lend itself to many uses other than coffee.
This new one could be drizzled over pumpkin loaf or ice cream or the top of a cheesecake... oh, I could go on and on!
Suffice to say that while the old recipe is still delicious and is one I will make again some day, the following is so much better for so many reasons and is now my new favorite.
Thanks to my son, Christopher, and my dear friend, Rachel H., for being my guinea pigs!
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
6 cups white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
5 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks (see notes)
5 whole cloves (see notes)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla
4 heaping tablespoons of canned pumpkin
cheesecloth (see notes)
Cut a small square of cheesecloth and place the ground spices and cloves in the center. Tie the cheesecloth to make a sachet.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine both sugars and water. Stir until dissolved. Add cinnamon sticks and spice sachet. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat and allow to steep for at least thirty minutes. (longer, if desired)
In the meantime, prepare four pint-sized jars (see notes) with lids in a hot water bath to sterilize the jars. Once steeped, bring mixture back to a full boil and cook for another few minutes. Turn off heat and remove the cinnamon sticks and sachet. Whisk in pumpkin* and vanilla until smooth. (Please see note regarding adding pumpkin!)
Remove jars, one at a time, from the hot water bath. Fill jar, leaving ¼ in. head space in the top. Wipe the rim clean with a damp cloth and place lid and ring on top. Turn ring just tight enough to secure it. Allow to sit undisturbed until the lid seals (lightly press the middle of the lid- if it pops back up, it isn’t sealed yet) and then tighten lid the rest of the way. Enjoy!
Makes 4 pints with approximately ½ cup left over.
NOTES-
*DO NOT be tempted to add the pumpkin while the mix is still boiling. If you do, the pumpkin will coagulate and you’ll end up with goopy, slimy “syrup” with a consistency somewhat like thick egg whites. (Just trust me- you’ll be glad you did.)
I like to use cinnamon sticks and whole cloves because I keep them on hand for other recipes. You can use 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp ground cloves instead; just add them to the spice sachet before you tie it off.
Don’t let making the spice sachet scare you! It’s actually very easy to do. You can also use a fine-mesh tea ball instead of cheesecloth. The end result will be darker golden brown syrup but the taste will be the same.
Don’t skip the step where you allow the mixture to steep.
Some jams/preserves/jelly/etc recipes require further processing by putting the jars into a pot of boiling water for additional cook time- this recipe is not one of them. Once the jars are sealed, you're done.
September 15, 2015
September 7, 2015
Congo Squares
Congo Squares... my goodness, where do I even begin to describe Congo Squares? They're kinda like a blondie, but not. They're kinda like a brownie but not quite because you don't use cocoa powder. Let's see, the best way I can describe them is to say they're like the best chocolate chip cookie you've ever had except they're bars instead of cookies.
They are somewhat temperamental to make, though, so please read all of the notes before you start. If they turn out cakey or hard instead of chewy and gooey, you've done something wrong.
Brimming with buttery, chocolatey, gooey, brown sugary goodness, Congo Squares are scattered all over the pages of my childhood. I can't recall a family gathering where someone didn't make a pan of them. They're definitely a family favorite.
I honestly have no idea where the name came from. Actually, I'm not even sure where the recipe came from either but I do know that my great-grandmother used to make them frequently. No one in my family can recall a time when there was no such thing as Congo Squares.
Grandma Helen took them to church social events often. My Mama also made them. Oddly enough, I didn't make my first pan of Congo Squares until I became an adult and had been married for 10 years. I have no idea why, really, I just never tried before.
You know how sometimes someone will give you the recipe for something they've made but when you try to make it, no matter what you do, you can't duplicate their results? Well, that's how Congo Squares are. Try as you might, if you don't follow a couple of seemingly insignificant little details that mustn't be overlooked, your Congo Squares are never going to turn out right. So please try to follow the directions to the letter or they absolutely will not turn out.
I can't tell you how long they last because they've never made it past a day at our house. In fact, I made a pan this afternoon but didn't have time to take a picture to include in this post because the minute they cooled, they disappeared.
Yes, they're *that* good. Trust me on this one. :)
Congo Squares
2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 sticks Parkay margarine (see notes)
1 pkg. (16 ozs) brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
3 eggs
1 pkg. (12 ozs) semi-sweet chocolate chips (see notes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 7x11 cake pans or one 10x13 pan. (see notes)
Sift together dry ingredients, set aside. In a saucepan, melt margarine and brown sugar together. Add nuts and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
After the butter mixture has cooled completely, add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each egg. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir only enough to incorporate ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips and immediately pour into prepared pan. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes and cut into squares while they’re still hot.
_____
*Please note- The recipe posted above is the original recipe. However, I have found that the following changes make mine turn out like they’re supposed to more consistently:
Use 2 eggs instead of 3
Reduce the flour to 2-1/4 cups instead of 2-3/4
NOTES-
As I said before, this recipe is somewhat temperamental to make. When done correctly, they turn out with a chewy brownie/blondie consistency with a crackled, glossy crust on top. When done incorrectly, they turn out cakey or hard and brittle. They're still tasty, they're just not as good as they'd be if they turn out correctly.
You *want* them to fall in the oven as they tend to be too cakey when they rise to the top of the pan. If they don’t fall on their own, shake the pan to help them fall.
Only use Parkay margarine (specifically); do not use real butter. The squares will stay soft and chewy once they cool if you use margarine due to the amount of vegetable oil/shortening used to make margarine. They’ll turn hard and somewhat brittle if you use real butter. My great-grandmother said to *only* use the Parkay brand of margarine.
I have found the following helps if you must use real butter in a pinch: add one tablespoon of shortening to the saucepan when you’re melting the butter and brown sugar mixture.
If you add the eggs to the butter and brown sugar mixture too soon, they’ll cook and cause the recipe to taste eggy. Try to let the mixture cool close to room temperature before you add the eggs.
The above ingredients are the original recipe. I usually omit the nuts and use 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 milk-chocolate chips.
This is optional but freezing the chocolate chips for at least 20 minutes before adding them to the recipe will keep them from completely melting in the oven. They'll still be melty and gooey, but freezing will help them keep their shape and prevent them from running into the batter.
Be sure to use all-purpose and not self-rising flour. Adding too much baking powder to self-rising flour will make the recipe turn out cakey and it will have a weird metallic/baking soda taste. If you must use self-rising flour, reduce the amount of baking powder to 1-1/4 teaspoons.
Using two 7x11 pans will make the squares turn out somewhat thinner.
Using one 10x13 pan will make the squares turn out thicker and a bit more dense than using two smaller pans. But if done correctly they will taste equally good.
You can use a 9x13 pan in a pinch but I have not yet been able to get mine to turn out using that size pan. They all end up too thick and/or running over the edge of the pan.
As with any recipe, using dark or coated pans will result in a medium brown crust; using an aluminum or enamel-coated pan will result in a light brown crust. However, the taste should be the same.
They are somewhat temperamental to make, though, so please read all of the notes before you start. If they turn out cakey or hard instead of chewy and gooey, you've done something wrong.
Brimming with buttery, chocolatey, gooey, brown sugary goodness, Congo Squares are scattered all over the pages of my childhood. I can't recall a family gathering where someone didn't make a pan of them. They're definitely a family favorite.
I honestly have no idea where the name came from. Actually, I'm not even sure where the recipe came from either but I do know that my great-grandmother used to make them frequently. No one in my family can recall a time when there was no such thing as Congo Squares.
Grandma Helen took them to church social events often. My Mama also made them. Oddly enough, I didn't make my first pan of Congo Squares until I became an adult and had been married for 10 years. I have no idea why, really, I just never tried before.
You know how sometimes someone will give you the recipe for something they've made but when you try to make it, no matter what you do, you can't duplicate their results? Well, that's how Congo Squares are. Try as you might, if you don't follow a couple of seemingly insignificant little details that mustn't be overlooked, your Congo Squares are never going to turn out right. So please try to follow the directions to the letter or they absolutely will not turn out.
I can't tell you how long they last because they've never made it past a day at our house. In fact, I made a pan this afternoon but didn't have time to take a picture to include in this post because the minute they cooled, they disappeared.
Yes, they're *that* good. Trust me on this one. :)
Congo Squares
2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 sticks Parkay margarine (see notes)
1 pkg. (16 ozs) brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
3 eggs
1 pkg. (12 ozs) semi-sweet chocolate chips (see notes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 7x11 cake pans or one 10x13 pan. (see notes)
Sift together dry ingredients, set aside. In a saucepan, melt margarine and brown sugar together. Add nuts and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
After the butter mixture has cooled completely, add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each egg. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir only enough to incorporate ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips and immediately pour into prepared pan. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes and cut into squares while they’re still hot.
_____
*Please note- The recipe posted above is the original recipe. However, I have found that the following changes make mine turn out like they’re supposed to more consistently:
Use 2 eggs instead of 3
Reduce the flour to 2-1/4 cups instead of 2-3/4
NOTES-
As I said before, this recipe is somewhat temperamental to make. When done correctly, they turn out with a chewy brownie/blondie consistency with a crackled, glossy crust on top. When done incorrectly, they turn out cakey or hard and brittle. They're still tasty, they're just not as good as they'd be if they turn out correctly.
You *want* them to fall in the oven as they tend to be too cakey when they rise to the top of the pan. If they don’t fall on their own, shake the pan to help them fall.
Only use Parkay margarine (specifically); do not use real butter. The squares will stay soft and chewy once they cool if you use margarine due to the amount of vegetable oil/shortening used to make margarine. They’ll turn hard and somewhat brittle if you use real butter. My great-grandmother said to *only* use the Parkay brand of margarine.
I have found the following helps if you must use real butter in a pinch: add one tablespoon of shortening to the saucepan when you’re melting the butter and brown sugar mixture.
If you add the eggs to the butter and brown sugar mixture too soon, they’ll cook and cause the recipe to taste eggy. Try to let the mixture cool close to room temperature before you add the eggs.
The above ingredients are the original recipe. I usually omit the nuts and use 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 milk-chocolate chips.
This is optional but freezing the chocolate chips for at least 20 minutes before adding them to the recipe will keep them from completely melting in the oven. They'll still be melty and gooey, but freezing will help them keep their shape and prevent them from running into the batter.
Be sure to use all-purpose and not self-rising flour. Adding too much baking powder to self-rising flour will make the recipe turn out cakey and it will have a weird metallic/baking soda taste. If you must use self-rising flour, reduce the amount of baking powder to 1-1/4 teaspoons.
Using two 7x11 pans will make the squares turn out somewhat thinner.
Using one 10x13 pan will make the squares turn out thicker and a bit more dense than using two smaller pans. But if done correctly they will taste equally good.
You can use a 9x13 pan in a pinch but I have not yet been able to get mine to turn out using that size pan. They all end up too thick and/or running over the edge of the pan.
As with any recipe, using dark or coated pans will result in a medium brown crust; using an aluminum or enamel-coated pan will result in a light brown crust. However, the taste should be the same.
Funeral Sandwiches
I found this recipe on Pinterest* a few years ago and began making them for Super Bowl parties. They were such a hit with my family and friends that I'm frequently asked to make them when we have parties or are invited to a party.
My brother told me once that they're "painful." I was surprised he chose that particular word and asked what he meant. He said, "They're like freakin' crack! I can't stop eating them and end up hurting myself because I ate so many."
LOL He has a point.. they're YUMMY!!
Enjoy!
Funeral Sandwiches
(Party quantity)
4 packages of King's Hawaiian Rolls (I use the small square rolls)
1 1lb pack regular ham (see notes)
1 1lb pack regular turkey
1 package (12 slices) Muenster cheese
1 package (12 slices) American cheese
1 stick of butter, melted
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. yellow mustard
2-3 T. brown sugar
dash of onion powder
dash of garlic powder
Cut the rolls in half and line the bottom of a cookie sheet with the bottoms of the rolls. Put one layer of ham over rolls, followed by a layer of turkey. Then layer cheese over top of meat, alternating between Muenster and American so that the cheese looks somewhat like a checker board when you’re finished. You don’t need to overlap the cheese because it will melt together and sorta spread out once you put the sandwiches in the oven. Put the top layer of rolls back on top.
Using a spatula or large knife, carefully cut the sandwiches along the pre-scored lines, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom layer. Do not separate the sandwiches- leave them close together.
Mix together the melted butter, Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drizzle the sauce over top of the sandwiches, making sure to drench each one and get down in between each sandwich.
OPTIONAL- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 4-24 hours. (This is why they’re called funeral sandwiches- they can be made up to a day in advance and then put into the oven just before you’re ready to eat.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted and bun tops are a bit golden.
NOTES-
Since I am usually making these for a party, I use 4 packages of Hawaiian rolls. This recipe is easily halved or doubled based on how many servings you need.
Line your cookie sheet with tin foil and then spray with non-stick spray for easy clean-up.
Use regular/plain ham and turkey. Honey-baked, hickory smoked, or other flavored varieties will make the sandwiches taste bizarre.
I use Muenster and American cheeses because I like the way they melt and it’s what my family prefers; you can use whatever variety you’d like.
You can adjust the amount of mustard, Worcestershire, and brown sugar based on your personal preference.
*I'm usually a stickler for citing my source when I post a recipe, however, I found this one on Pinterest. Since there are several pins that list this recipe, I'm not sure which one was the original source. For reference- several different versions of this recipe can be found on Pinterest. Thanks!
My brother told me once that they're "painful." I was surprised he chose that particular word and asked what he meant. He said, "They're like freakin' crack! I can't stop eating them and end up hurting myself because I ate so many."
LOL He has a point.. they're YUMMY!!
Enjoy!
Funeral Sandwiches
(Party quantity)
4 packages of King's Hawaiian Rolls (I use the small square rolls)
1 1lb pack regular ham (see notes)
1 1lb pack regular turkey
1 package (12 slices) Muenster cheese
1 package (12 slices) American cheese
1 stick of butter, melted
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. yellow mustard
2-3 T. brown sugar
dash of onion powder
dash of garlic powder
Cut the rolls in half and line the bottom of a cookie sheet with the bottoms of the rolls. Put one layer of ham over rolls, followed by a layer of turkey. Then layer cheese over top of meat, alternating between Muenster and American so that the cheese looks somewhat like a checker board when you’re finished. You don’t need to overlap the cheese because it will melt together and sorta spread out once you put the sandwiches in the oven. Put the top layer of rolls back on top.
Using a spatula or large knife, carefully cut the sandwiches along the pre-scored lines, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom layer. Do not separate the sandwiches- leave them close together.
Mix together the melted butter, Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drizzle the sauce over top of the sandwiches, making sure to drench each one and get down in between each sandwich.
OPTIONAL- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 4-24 hours. (This is why they’re called funeral sandwiches- they can be made up to a day in advance and then put into the oven just before you’re ready to eat.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted and bun tops are a bit golden.
NOTES-
Since I am usually making these for a party, I use 4 packages of Hawaiian rolls. This recipe is easily halved or doubled based on how many servings you need.
Line your cookie sheet with tin foil and then spray with non-stick spray for easy clean-up.
Use regular/plain ham and turkey. Honey-baked, hickory smoked, or other flavored varieties will make the sandwiches taste bizarre.
I use Muenster and American cheeses because I like the way they melt and it’s what my family prefers; you can use whatever variety you’d like.
You can adjust the amount of mustard, Worcestershire, and brown sugar based on your personal preference.
*I'm usually a stickler for citing my source when I post a recipe, however, I found this one on Pinterest. Since there are several pins that list this recipe, I'm not sure which one was the original source. For reference- several different versions of this recipe can be found on Pinterest. Thanks!
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