Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Omigosh!  These donuts are the perfect beginning to a Labor Day weekend!  My workout partner and I enjoyed these this morning after a fat burner workout.  With our coffee, these were the perfect celebration to the beginning of fall!
I started at 4:22 am this morning.  We usually rise early to begin our 5:30 am workouts.  I had prepped everything the night before and it was in the oven in 15 min!  Another 12 min later, the donuts were being brushed with melted butter and rolling around in cinnamon sugar!
(I got this recipe from the blog CanYouStayforDinner.com.)

Mix all the wet ingredients and the brown sugar.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, and them combine them.

I just love my new donut pans! I sprayed them with coconut oil spray.

Pop them out of the pan while they are hot and then brush them with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar!

Delish!

Oh!  I forgot to tell you the best part...no oil or butter added in the donut recipe!  Only 170 calories each!

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

(adapted from BlueEyedBakers)

For Donuts:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 cup applesauce, (I used a Mott's applesauce cup)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

For Coating:

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  Spray 2 donut pans with coconut oil cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until combined.  

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.

Carefully spoon the batter evenly around the circles of the donut rings.  Fill each nearly to the top.  Bake for 12 min. Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another. 

when donuts are still hot, use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of butter onto each donut before rolling each into the cinnamon sugar, turning and swirling to coat.

Chicken Cacciatore

I made Sunday dinner for close friends who are moving away.  I wanted to make some comfort food that would make them feel like home.

You start by roasting the tomatoes, mushrooms, & red onion with a little vinegar & olive oil.  Season with salt & pepper.

In the meantime, season the chicken & saute in olive oil in a Dutch oven.

Remove chicken & deglaze with red wine.

Add a can of Italian tomatoes, a chicken bouillion cube and a little water.

Simmer and sit down and have a glass of wine while you wait.

Serve with cooked pasta, some french bread and a green vegetable! 
Yum-o-licious!


Chicken Cacciatore (adapted from Tyler Florence)
1 1/2 Lbs. plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (scant 4 cups)
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms (crimini)
1 lg. red onion, thinly sliced
5 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. red wine vinegar (you may use any type of vinegar)
8 pieces of chicken, skin removed & excess fat trimmed
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 c. red wine
1/3 c. thinly sliced basil
1 T. capers, rinsed & drained
1 chicken bouillion cube
12 oz. pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Combine plum tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion in lg. bowl. Add 3 T. olive oil and vinegar; toss to blend.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Spread vegetable mixture in single layer on a large rimed baking sheet.  Roast about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.  
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 T. rosemary.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil in heavy Dutch oven.  Add chicken and saute until golden brown, about 6 min. per side. Transfer chicken to bowl.  Add wine to Dutch oven and boil until wine is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 1 min.  
Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, 1/2 c. water and chicken bouillion cube. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 min. to blend flavors.  Return chicken to pot with sauce and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 25 min.  
Stir in roasted vegetable, remaining rosemary, half of basil and half of capers.  Simmer over med. heat until vegetables are heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  
Place pasta in large shallow bowl.  Top with chicken and sauce.  Sprinkle remaining basil and capers over all.