Sweet Potato Sourdough Challah

I've had challah before, both store-bought and home baked. It's one of our favorite sweet breads and I always serve it on Christmas morning and Christmas lunch too. I didn't think it will taste any better using sourdough starter and then I saw the beautiful photos of sourdough challah, adapted the recipe adding a large steamed and mashed sweet potato. I love the slightly tangy flavor and the soft tight crumb that reminds me of sponge cake. 

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The Daring Bakers: Sans Rival and Bibingka

cashew sans rival

fluffy soft bibingka baked with slices of salted duck eggs 
and Filipino white cheese

Catherine of Munchie Musings was our November Daring Bakers's host and she challenged us to make traditional Filipino dessert - the delicious Sans Rival cake! And for those of us who wanted to try an additional Filipino dessert, Catherine also gave us a bonus recipe for Bibingka which comes from her friend Jun of Jun-blog.

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Kabocha Mascarpone Pie

For our Thanksgiving pie this year I used kabocha squash instead of pumpkin and mascarpone cheese instead of evaporated milk. The pie is delicious and creamy and I love its flavor specially with a tablespoon of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of superfine sugar. It's the perfect ending to a satisfying dinner of turducken roll, gravy, bread stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and orange cauliflower, baked green beans casserole, and mini brioche rolls.

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Arroz Caldo

arroz caldo topped with crispy flaked chicken, chicken chicharrones,
crispy fried scallions and shaved garlic

Arroz Caldo, a favorite comforting and restorative Filipino rice dish was chosen by our host, the indefatigable super Mom Joy for November 2011 Kulinarya Cooking Club. Arroz Caldo comes from the Spanish arroz for rice and caldo for broth. I have featured Arroz Caldo once before and am reprinting 2 paragraphs from that post.

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