How To: De-Seed a Pomegranates

I'm sorry... what?  Excuse me?  Did you just say it's the middle of February?  

Please, stop.  Just stop. 

I didn't make it through my list of soups to make... oh great, it's already 70 degrees outside. 

I went to San Francisco and haven't even told you about it yet. (one word for now... Tartine)

I didn't get a chance to get crafty for v day this year.   

At least I'm trying to be proactive... I'm trying to wipe the cobwebs off this place. 

Sure, it's only been a couple of weeks but there has been a lot I want to share.  Time will come back one day... I can feel it. 

For now, I must talk about pomegranates and I must do it quickly.  These exotic puppies are already at the end of their season.  They are getting noticeably smaller and a bit sad on the grocery aisles... not nearly as plump and cheap as they were during the height of the season in December and January, but alas, it is still not too late.  

Grab a pom and let's get the seeds out of that sucker.  

Throw them in Greek yogurt, toss them in a salad or eat spoonfuls all on their own.  They are great.... and apparently super healthy... bonus points. 

What you need...

a pomegranate

a sharp knife

plastic cutting board (or anything you don't mind staining red)

a medium sized bowl, filled halfway with water
Warning:  Pomegranate juice will stain everything! Wood... clothes... white dish towels.  Unless you want everything a tinge of pink, make sure you are careful with this guy.  I like to use a plastic cutting board on top of my wooden board and I wouldn't be wearing my favorite white shirt... those seeds can spit. 

Lay your pomegranate on a plastic surface (or something you do not care about staining).
Slice off the top. 

Oh, now we are talkin... what a piece of art.

Using a sharp knife, cut along the white stuff... also known as the membrane.

Gently break apart the segments of the pomegranate.

Place each segment over the bowl of water. Submerge the segment and loosen the seeds.

The seeds will sink to the bottom and the white stuff will float to the top.

  Skim the white parts off, drain the water...

and there you have it... a bowl full of gems.
I had quite the plump pomegranate so I did not go after every seed.  If you want to get every last one, continue to submerge each piece in your bowl of water a loosen the seeds.

Pumpkin Nutella Cupcakes

 

At the ripe age of 27, I have yet to take the main responsibility for Thanksgiving dinner.  I have made a side dish or two, but the brunt of responsibility (and the turkey) have yet to come my way (and hoping I have quite a few years before that day comes).

Those that do have this responsibility should be given an award.  All those casseroles... one honking turkey... all hot at the same time with appetizers and pies on either side of the equation to make sure everyone is overly stuffed... big job... big, big job.

If you are in charge, good luck.

 If you are not, turn yourself into a really good guest and make these muffins/ cupcakes.

There is just something about Nutella that makes everything better.

If this looks a little familiar, that is because without the pecan topping and a different pan, you just saw this a few weeks ago in the form of loaves.

The Nutella surprise seems to be even better in cupcake form.  Bite into this oh so ordinary looking pumpkin bread to be met with a perfect pocket of Nutella.  Oh yeah, this is major.

But some occasions just call for the oh so wonderful and portable cupcake... and the pecans just added the perfect crunch to this combo.

Oh heavens you could be such a star at your relative's house when you show up with a plate of these.  Thanksgiving day is decadent... maybe share these for breakfast? Get the morning started right.

Pumpkin Nutella Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large or extra large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15 ounces) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
Cooking Spray
24 teaspoons of Nutella
1 to 2 cups chopped pecans
Cupcake liners
Step by Step
In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves and pudding mix; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Fill each cup 1/3 full with the pumpkin batter. Place 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of each cup on top of the pumpkin batter. Using a toothpick, swirl each dollop of Nutella slightly into the batter. Top each cup with more batter until they are filled 3/4 full. Top each cupcake with pecans completely covering the batter. Pack the pecans in tight because they will spread out once the batter rises a bit. Bake each pan for 25 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Bread

You know that list you have made of all the fallish foods you want to make? You have that right? It's full of apply, pumpkiny, hearty, stick your ribs kind of goodness. You don't have that? Let me help you start one. Here is your first recipe. Oh, you do have one? Well, you are going to need to scooch everything down and make room for this pumpkin bread at the top. If you have the slightest twinkle in your eye for chocolate, this is going to make your day. Two loaves. One to devour out of the oven and one to wrap up and make someone's day. Prasise the Lord for fall weather. Hallelujah for Nutella. Amen. From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy. Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Bread Adapted from Sing for your Supper Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 3 large or extra large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 can (15 ounces) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) Cooking Spray 8 tablespoons Nutella Step by Step In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves and pudding mix; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition. Lightly grease two large loaf pans with cooking spray. Fill each of the loaf pans with a quarter of the batter (in total, you will use half the batter). Place 4 tablespoons of the Nutella on top of the pumpkin in each loaf pan. Using a knife, swirl the Nutella around to make streaks of chocolate throughout. Pour the rest of the batter on top, making each pan equal with batter. Bake side by side at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out with no pumpkin batter. You might have chocolate on your toothpick, but you do not want to have any raw pumpkin batter. Cool for 20 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to five days. Serves 10-12.

Apple Crumb

Happy fall y'all.

We are getting a tinge of cool breeze down here in Houston, but after the summer we have had, it feels so right to not be sweating when you walk to your car.

We are not exactly in the throws of fall, but this apple crisp seems to do double duty for being a fallish dessert, but still a bit light if you are still in the midst of some 80 degree days.

A layer of soft warm apples topped with an oat, pecan spiced filled topping.  Yes, please.

So good, so easy.  Just do it.  Here's to fall... cheers.  

It would pretty much be a tragedy to not top this sucker with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream.

From my little kitchen to yours...Enjoy.

Apple Crisp
Adapted from Dave Lieberman
Filling
4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup sugar
1 medium sized lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher or sea salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
Vanilla ice cream (optional for serving)
Step by Step
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter; set aside. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/4-inch slices. Place apples in a large mixing bowl and toss with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon.  Pour into prepared baking dish, and spread out into an even layer. Set aside.

In another large bowl, mix together the nuts, flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Using a large fork or your fingers, gently work in the cold butter until pea-sized lumps are formed.

Top apples evenly with mixture and bake until apples are bubbly and topping is golden brown, about 45 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking. 

This can be made up to a day ahead.  Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature or reheat in the oven for 5 minutes.

Top with vanilla ice cream to serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. 

Spinach Salad with Pumpkin Seeds & Dried Cherries

Continuing the week of Thanksgiving ideas...

We are not big salad people.  I have nothing against it and I actually love a good salad, but I find it not so necessary for weeknight meals.  If I make a salad, it usually gets pushed aside when there are other things to eat like pasta.  However, here come the holidays and I found a perfect salad that would accompany hearty dishes.  It's a little bit special with pumpkin seeds and dried cherries, but still very easy and not many ingredients in the dressing. If you are starting to think about a Thanksgiving meal, this could be a perfect fancy, but not fussy salad for the big day.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Spinach Salad with pumpkin seeds and dried cherries
Adapted from Food Everyday, Martha Stewart
Serves 4
Recipe Notes
There are a few options when it comes to dried cherries.  The only ones I have found that I don't like are the brand Sunshine that come in a yellow package.  Other than that, I have tried a lot of brands and I like them all.
Ingredients
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup raw pumpkins seeds
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread raw pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast for 10 minutes, until seeds have puffed and lightly browned.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil until thickened and well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add spinach, red onion and cherries and toss to combine.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Drizzle

One of the biggest days for food is coming up... Thanksgiving.

Now most people have the same traditional meal every year with lots of family favorites, but just in case you need to spice it up this year, you need this cake.

I cannot believe that in over a year of writing at this lovely little location, that I have not shared this cake.  It's about as cozy and fallish as a cake can get.  Juicy bites of apple and crunchy nuts wrapped in a full-of-spice cake, drizzled with caramel sauce is about as dreamy as it gets on a cold day.

And I know pies are usually the star of Thanksgiving, but this cake would complement them well and be a little unexpected.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)

1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Nonstick cooking spray with flour

Ingredients for Caramel Sauce
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow.

 With mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.

Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.  Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack.  
Before serving, make caramel sauce.  Combine caramel sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until sauce is well combined and thickened.
Drizzle each piece with caramel sauce and serve immediately.  

Candy Corn Pretzel Bites

And so the million combinations for pretzel bites continue...

However, this time we are using a Hershey Kiss that is seasonal so you better act fast!

Have you seen these little guys?

Candy corn flavored Hershey Kisses.  My friend Jennifer introduced me to them and while I actually can't stand candy corn, these are pretty addicting.  Add a pretzel and a dark chocolate m&m and you've got quite the perfect little bite. 


Recipe Note
I have only seen the candy corn kisses at Target.  I scoured grocery stores for a long time so let me you save you a trip and just head to Target.  If you have made the original pretzel bites, know that these are a little different.  The candy corn hershey kisses do not harden as well as hugs do.  If you are making a big batch and want to throw them in a bag, I suggest making ones with double pretzels.  I had to lay them side by side with parchment paper on top or they get kind of melty on each other. 
Ingredients
1 bag candy corn Hershey kisses (see recipe note)
1 bag square pretzels
1 bag dark chocolate M&Ms
parchment paper
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place one kiss on top of each pretzel.  Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly melty.  Remove baking sheet from oven and top each kiss with an m&m.  Press down slightly so that the hershey kiss smushes down on the pretzel.  Optional:  Press another pretzel on top instead of the m&m.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

I have two things to tell you... First, yes, I know Thanksgiving is over and second, yes, I know this is a terrible picture.  So now that I have that out of the way let me start from the top.  I have had canned pumpkin in my pantry for weeks and along with my own cravings for something pumpkiny and delicious in November, I also wanted to follow through with the many of you who have been asking for pumpkin recipes.
Well, time just flew by and before I knew it, it was Thanksgiving day, and I was in the middle of Missouri to celebrate the holiday with my in-laws.  I knew there was sure to be some pumpkin, but I had no idea I would bite into what might be my favorite pumpkin dish ever.  Mr. Hungry's cousin, Sara, made this delightful dessert and just when I was devising a plan to butter her up for the recipe, she quickly told me that it was a Paula Deen recipe; pumpkin gooey butter cake!  I was actually very familiar with this because I have made the original gooey butter cake several times and had no idea the pumpkin version was so amazing.
Skip to the week after Thanksgiving when I decided to make a few holiday treats with my friend Jennifer... I had just had this amazing dessert and while the world has already been adorned in red and green since the first of November, I thought it would be an injustice to keep this a secret until next Thanksgiving.
We decide to make this and having talked this up like the Holy Grail of desserts, there were high expectations.  We tried our hardest to let it cool a little before taking a big bite.  Jennifer and I immediately looked at each other and I am pretty sure we had the same look and thought in our head... this tastes like... baby food!  I was very disappointed and just couldn't figure out what could have possible gone so wrong.  Feeling defeated, I took this one measly picture for the sole purpose of featuring this in my "fall flops" post that will be coming soon (yes, I have had my fair share of doozies).  Lo and behold, Jennifer took a piece to her husband and I decided to store it in the fridge thinking maybe Mr. Hungry will be so dillusional from studying all day that when he gets home, he will just eat this.
 Fast forward to the next day when Jennifer called and informed me her husband loved it.  I decided to pull this out of the fridge for just one bite and somehow it had transformed into the exact wonderfulness I had eaten on Thanksgiving day.  I decided to pull it out and give it another chance and everyone I fed it to, wanted more!
So I guess the moral of the story is that you could bake this the night before you planned on serving it.  Or maybe Jennifer and I were in such sugar shock from the taste here, and dollop there of all the recipes we were making, we could not comprehend that this was so amazing.  My brother is now begging for this so I hope to make it again soon and replace the pictures, but for now, bear with me.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
Adapted from Paula Deen
Recipe Notes
Be sure to buy canned pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling.  I made this mistake once with a pumpkin dessert and did not get the good thick taste of pumpkin I was looking for... you only make that mistake once.
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 package (18 1/4 ounce) yellow cake mix  
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Filling
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and 9x13- inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.  Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter well with an electric mixer.  Press the mixture into the lightly greased pan.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat until smooth.  Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat well.  Spread the pumpkin mixture on top of the cake crust.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure to not over bake... center should still be a bit gooey.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with fresh whipped cream.

Baked Brie + A Memorable Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving means many different things to many different people.  For some, it is highly anticipated to see cherished family and eat great food.  For others, it's a time to choke down grandma's fruit cake and spend the weekend with the only people they don't choose in their lives... family.  No matter where you fall on the scale, there seems to be a common thread... food.  For some, it's a traditional turkey and stuffing.  For others, it's tofurkey and brussel sprout.  No matter where you fall on this scale, everyone loves good appetizers.  I made this baked brie last year for our family Thanksgiving and I have to say it was quite a hit, and so simple.  Since I made this before I was sharing my Little Kitchen with the world, I do not have a picture of every step, but I promise anyone can do this.  The creaminess of the brie mixed with the crunch of the nuts and the slightly sweet tang of the apricot preserves all wrapped in a warm puff pastry is absolutely delightful.  Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I definitely consider myself to be in the first group of holiday goers... can't wait to see wonderful family and eat delicious food.
Baked Brie
Ingredients
1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 8 oz round brie cheese wheel
1/8 cup toasted pecans
1/4 cup apricot preserves
egg wash, one egg lightly beaten with one tablespoon of water
Step by Step
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Lightly grease a cooking sheet or use a non stick cookie sheet.
3.  Roll puff pastry out slightly on baking sheet.
4.  Sprinkle pecans in the middle of the pastry (no wider than the wheel of brie)
5.  Spoon preserves on top.
6.  Place cheese wheel on top of nuts and preserves.
7.  Bundle pastry dough around brie being careful to closely wrap the dough on the brie without letting the dough tear..
8.  Flip the pastry over and make sure all corners are tucked in underneath the pastry so that the preserves do not leak out while being cooked.
9.  Optional:  Use additional pastry to cut a shape and place on top of pasty dough.
10.  Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the pastry dough with the egg wash.
11.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
12.  Serve with your favorite crackers and fruit.

And on to what I call a memorable Thanksgiving... Last year was a first for me and my family. It was our first holiday that my brother and I would both be with in-laws.  I was excited to spend Thanksgiving with Mr. Hungry's family, but I did not want this year to be remembered only for the fact that my parents  did not have either of their children for the first time.  So instead, Mr. Hungry and I went to an extreme length to turn this into the most memorable Thanksgiving my family has ever seen.  We decided to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal a week before the actual day with everyone's favorite dishes.  This is all that my parents and  brother and sister-in-law knew.  They had no idea that when they arrived, there would be two pilgrims greeting them with costumes to turn this into a traditional celebration of Pilgrims and Indians.  Or that we would spend the night playing Thanksgiving themed games.  I will say, the first 10 minutes of my parent's arrival was spent with tears rolling down both of their faces in disbelief of Mr. Hungry in a pilgrim's cap.  It was memorable to say the least.  I have a feeling I will soon be getting in trouble for sharing these pictures, but I just thought if there was anyone out there that needed to turn a sad holiday into a memorable one, a few head dresses and prairie skirts can do the trick.  I was inspired to share this because I am again hosting our Thanksgiving meal tonight.  So no matter what your reasons are for needing to start new traditions for a holiday, there are plenty of ways to spice up a special day.

Life has been a little busier this fall so it will not be quite the same soiree(I think we might have set the bar too high), but I want to keep the tradition alive.  No costumes this year, but the menu is a Thanksgiving dinner with a twist.  I will get back to you shortly with recipes and how all of that goes.

My father... taking his role as an Indian very seriously.

Apple Bread

Finally... it is under 70 degrees here in Houston.  (Well, it keeps creepin up, but today I actually wore a scarf and it was glorious).  Whether the weather is cooperating or not, this apple bread will make you feel like you are in the midst of fall no matter what the temperature outside is.  This is one of my favorite fall recipes and it takes very little time to put together.  It's one of those recipes that a slice is just as good as breakfast, as it is for a late night snack.  The only problem is, it never lasts more than 24 hours around here... no matter how much I make.  

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Apple Bread
Recipe Notes
I used honey crisp apples, but I am sure any variety that you like would work just fine.  This batter gets very very thick.  I suggest using a sturdy wooden spoon to stir in the apples.
Ingredients
1 C. canola or vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 C. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
3 C. chopped apple (peeled and cored/ chopped into bite size pieces)

Step by Step
1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Beat sugar and oil together.
3. Add eggs and vanilla.
4. Combine dry ingredients separately, and add slowly to wet ingredients.
5. Mix in apples using a sturdy spoon, because the batter will be very thick.
6. Sprinkle generously with sugar after baking.
7. Bake in 2 large loaf pans for 1 hour 15 minutes. 


Makes two large loaves.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Tis the season to carve pumpkins and the saying, "One's man trash is another man's treasure," has quite possibly never been more true.  I am sure the majority of pumpkin carvers dig all that pumpkin goo out of the pumpkin, discard, and go on to carving the pumpkin.  Well, those precious little seeds can be quite the tasty snack if you are willing to deal with that pumpkin goo a little bit longer and clean them up. Enjoy.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds, cleaned with all pumpkin pulp discarded

Olive oil

Sea Salt

Step by Step

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  Pat seeds dry.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

3.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

4.  Roast seeds for about 25 minutes until lightly browned.  After 10 minutes of browning, shake pan to toss seeds and make sure are sticking to the pan.

5.  Let cool.  Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Cranberry & Fig Breakfast Cookie

So I am not silly enough to think that I have enticed all of you with this post, but I do know if you are a lover of figs like I am, you are very interested.  There is not a real fine line with figs... you usually love them or are scared of them, at least in their raw form.  I myself very much look forward to this time of year when figs are in the grocery stores and are reasonably priced.  I found this recipe a long time ago in some sort of health magazine.  They pitched these little breakfast cookies as a great snack or breakfast after a good run or workout.  Now I have to admit I made these for breakfast this week and I have no intention of going on a good long run before I have one.  However, they are a healthier version of one of my favorite muffins.  And back to those of you who are not a fan of figs, I would still encourage you to try this cookie because they are not overly figgy (yes, I said figgy), but the fruit adds great natural sugar.  The bites of sweet fig and tangy cranberry make this cookie such a perfect breakfast treat.

Cranberry & Fig Breakfast Cookie
Recipe Notes
If you cannot find figs, feel free to substitute more cranberries.
Ingredients
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped figs
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unprocessed bran OR old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Step by Step
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir in chopped figs, cranberries and vanilla.
3.  Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  In a separate bowl, combine flours, bran, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice, stirring with a whisk.
4.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring just until moist.  Gently fold in almonds.
5.  Drop a 1/4 cup of batter 4 inches apart on 2 nonstick baking sheets.  Bake in two batches for 12 minutes each or until almost set.  Cool 2 minutes on pans.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.