Bites from other Blogs

The end of summer can be an exciting time for baking. Not only do you have the last of summer fruits hanging around – sometimes for weeks, depending on your part of the country – but you also have permission to start to bring in fall spices. I’ve baked pumpkin bread in the summer, but believe me when I say that people don’t get quite as excited about it as they do in the fall. You can get creative and you don’t have to be limited by seasonal traditions. I found plenty of inspiration this week, so whether you’re still celebrating summer or are ready for fall, you’ll find something here.

• Eazy Peazy Meals whipped up an Apple Pear Crisp that captures fall in every bite. Not only is it loaded with fresh fruit, but that fruit is enhanced with ginger, cinnamon and maple syrup. The unique topping uses pumpkin seeds, almonds and oats for a nutty, crunchy crisp that contrasts with the tender, juicy fruit.
• Zucchini season isn’t over yet, judging from the piles of it still available at my local markets, so pick some up and try Taste and See‘s Chocolate Chip Zucchini Skillet Cake. The simple cake is not only full of zucchini, but it’s loaded with oats, cinnamon, ginger and chocolate chips. The cake could be baked in a round cake pan, but the skillet gives the finished dish a fantastic, rustic look.
• From looking at the pictures, I’m not sure that I would be able to resist a batch of Mamagourmand‘s Butterscotch Apple Cheesecake Bars without quite a bit of willpower. The surprisingly simple bars use the same dough for the base and the topping – a dough that is packed with chopped apples, walnuts and butterscotch chips – and have a vanilla cheesecake layer in between. There is no shortage of flavor here, and the creamy cheesecake is just the right contrast for the fruit-filled cookie dough.
• The Honey-Glazed Apple Muffins from Truffles and Trends are a very tempting option for a fall brunch. The muffins are loaded with spices, brown sugar and – of course -plenty of apples. The crisp crumble topping mirrors those flavors, enhancing the spice and giving the muffins a wonderful texture. The honey glaze is drizzled on top just after baking, to add an extra pop of flavor and sweetness.
• Recipe Throwback – Make your next batch of brownies especially delicious by trying these Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies. The fudgy brownies are topped with a rich layer of ricotta cheesecake, so you get two fantastic desserts in every single bite. They also happen to be fairly easy to make and very impressive to serve, as if being delicious weren’t good enough!