The kids started school yesterday.

One child refused to smile so this is our back to school pic.  It was a half day and it flew by.  This morning I got together with friends to celebrate the return of the quiet.  There was strata, fresh, fruit, coffee for people who don't really like coffee (the secret is ice cream), cheese danish, and laughs, there were lots of laughs.

cheese danish

one package of puff pastry thawed (I use Dufour)

filling

8 oz. cream cheese - softened

egg yolk

4 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch salt

egg wash

egg white mixed with couple Tablespoons of water

icing

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons milk (add more as needed)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  (check temp on puff pastry packaging some are better at 400)

In a small bowl mix filling ingredients together until smooth using a rubber spatula.  Set aside.

On a well floured surface, roll out puff pastry and trim edges so you have a fresh cut on each side.  Cut into 4" squares.  Place pastry on parchment lined baking sheet and scoop spoonful of filling in to center.  Brush edges of pastry with egg wash and fold over corners to seal.  You can draw in two or four corners depending on your preference.  You can also seal with a tiny square of left over puff pastry "glued" with egg wash where all the corners meet.  Sometimes despite all your best efforts, they burst open while baking.  Don't worry, those are great for taste testing.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Keep an eye on them since different brands of pastry tend to vary in cooking times.

Once cooled, they can be iced.  I mix the icing with a fork and simply drizzle it over the danish.

(If you like you can glaze the danish with warmed jam as soon as you remove them from the oven)

butternut muffins with maple cream cheese frosting recipe

Even on the dreariest spring morning it makes the day brighter.

I made smitten kitchen's lemon braid bread.  It is divine.

I'm not a fan of butternut squash. This means I'm never really sure what to do with them when they turn up on the CSA wagons.  I've tried roasting them, mashing them, turning them to soup, all which the spouse enjoyed, but not me.  I was doubtful when I saw Jamie Oliver turn them into cupcakes on Jamie at Home, but I brought the squash home, so I had to do something with it.

Besides ignoring it.

They have great texture and flavor, but I couldn't resist going over the top with the frosting to make it more of a cupcake and less of a muffin.  And let's be honest, who doesn't love toffee bits?

butternut cupcakes

adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 medium-sized butternut squash - skin on, deseeded, and roughly chopped

2 1/4 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

pinch salt

2 1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a food processor, blitz squash until finely chopped.  Add sugar and eggs.  Blitz to combine.  Add salt, flour, baking powder, spices, olive oil.  Blitz until well mixed.

Fill muffin cup no more than 3/4 full. Bake 20 - 25 minutes.

butternut cupcake frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, blend cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add flavorings and nutmeg.  With mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar until of a spreadable consistency.

After frosting the cupcakes, sprinkle the tops with toffee bits.