Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves about 12

Frosting
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (to taste, I use ceylon cinnamon for its mild citrusy flavor)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)

Cake
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon (regular cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 cup toasted walnuts chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Toast walnuts in baking pan until fragrant (10 min). Spoon and level your flour to measure and have your eggs at room temp. You may also place cold eggs in very hot tap water for 10 minutes.

Sift flour, salt, spices, baking powder and soda together and set aside. Mix oil, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and pumpkin together thoroughly. Add the eggs one at a time until combined. Mix dry ingredients in until almost combined. Dust walnuts with flour and fold into batter.

Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and rap it on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once the cake is completely cool, mix frosting ingredients together and whip on high for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to incorporate. Tate and adjust spices if needed. Frost cake and enjoy.

Posted by Kristan Ross

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 3/4 Teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven (or a 5-to-6-quart heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat butter over medium. Add onion, carrots, and thyme. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken in pot; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, dill, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With a fork, gradually stir in 1/2 cup milk to form a moist and soft batter. It should be just a little thicker than pancake batter and should easily drop from the tip of a spoon. (Add additional 2 tablespoons milk if too thick.) Set aside.
3. Stir peas into pot. Drop batter in simmering liquid in 10 heaping tablespoonfuls, keeping them spaced apart (dumplings will swell as they cook). Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm, 20 minutes. Serve.