Friday, November 21, 2014

Pumpkins pumpkins pumpkins...


Growing up I have lots of memories of my mom cooking.  She's an amazing cook (I know I've said that before but its true) and she taught me everything I know...or should I say TRIED to teach me!!  (I am a little hard head)

One of our favorite things to make - especially at Thanksgiving time was Pumpkin Pie.  Oh my goodness but my mom made the BEST Pumpkin Pie!!  BUT...growing up and eating my moms pie and than other peoples pie I always noticed there was something a little different about her pie...hers was kinda a brownish-orange color, kinda the color of the spices used in it while every other pie was orange...WEIRD I know but it was a fact!  And I found that I perfered the flavor of my moms pie over others......

It wasn't until I was a teen that I understood why...my mom never used canned pumpkin...she always used fresh pumpkin...pumpkin she rendered down herself left over from Halloween. 



Canned pumpkin (or pre-bought pies) uses orange food coloring so you always get that orange color to your pie!  Since getting married I've followed in my moms footsteps and I've never used canned pumpkin...I've just rendered my pumpkins from Halloween down and freeze it so I can use fresh pumpkin all year long!  

I've had a lot of friends over the years ask me how to render down a pumpkin!  I know a lot of people get spooked with the taught of rendering a pumpkin but seriously its as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!!  I've shared this with lots over the years and I figured I should just wright it down now!  

RENDERING DOWN A PUMPKIN

1.  Cut in quarters and remove the seeds 
(Save the seeds if you wish to dry them and add seasoning) 
2.  Chop up into smaller pieces 
(Some people prefer to keep the pumpkin in two larger haves to bake) 
3.  Microwave in a covered dish until the pumpkin skin is very tender
(You can bake at this point on a cookie sheet but I prefer to microwave-its faster) 
4.  Once tender let cool 
5.  Once cooled cut of skin 
6.  Place in a blender and blend pieces until smooth
7.  Place 3 cups portions in bags and freeze  (3 cups is enough to make 2 pies) 
(some people like to can theres)



1.  Cut in quarters and remove the seeds 

2.  Chop up into smaller pieces 

3.  Microwave in a covered dish until the pumpkin skin is very tender

5.  Once cooled cut of skin 

6.  Place in a blender and blend pieces until smooth 


7.  Place 3 cups portions in bags and freeze  


Once you have your pumpkin rendered down your ready to make Pumpkin Pie!!  
Its really an easy recipe and it taste so GOOD!!  Its Seth and Joshuas favorite pie!!  

PUMPKIN PIE 
(I usually always double this so I can have 2 pies) 

2 eggs slightly beaten 
3/4 cups sugar 
1/4 tsp cloves 
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk 
1 1/2 cups pumpkin 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp ginger 
1 pie shell or crust 

Mix filling in order given.  Pour into pie shell.  Bake in preheated  425' oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350' and continue baking for 45 minutes or unitl knife in middle comes out clean.  Then cool...top with whip cream and ENJOY 

Gather all your ingredients 

Place all ingredients in bowl

Mix well

Pour into pie shell

Bake at 425' for 15 minutes 

VERY IMPORTANT...reduce heat to 350' and continue to bake for 45 minutes 

Cool and ENJOY 




Sunday, November 9, 2014

Yummy Pumpkin Streusel Bars

If I've said it once...I've said it a million times...

I AM FAR FROM BEING A PERFECT MOM!!! 

I don't always have the cleanest house..

I don't always have dinner on the table by 6...
Heck sometimes dinner is a fend for yourself thing...
Finding activities for my kids is always a challenge...

So lets just say...
I AM FAR FROM BEING A PERFECT HOMEMAKER!!!


I've mentioned not being perfect before but to try and work towards being a better mom I try and make breakfast fro my kids during the school week (now when my daughter lived at homed I feel short on his when she got into high school cuz she had to leave for school at 5:15 in the morning...um thats really early and I figured she could handle breakfast herself, she'll be a mom someday and would need to figure out breakfast for her kids so why not start now...see not a perfect mom).  Don't get me wrong, there is an occasional bowl o cereal in there now and than because its hard to come up with a varity of different meals every day...that includes dinner too!

But this time of year its totally easy...WHY cuz its Pumpkin season!!!    

So what did I find and come up for breakfast today...
PUMPKIN STREUSEL BARS  (Yummmmmmmmmyyyyyy) 
These are supper moist and delicious and can be served for breakfast or dessert! 

 Yes this would be my son stuffing his face with Pumpkin bars...
...after dunking it into his milk 
(oh and spilling it all over the table...messy child!)


STRESUSEL TOPPING 
~1/4 cup sugar 
~1/4 cup brown sugar 
~1/2 cup flour 
~1/4 cup cold butter 
~1/4 cup cinnamon 

PUMPKIN BARS 
~4 eggs 
~1 2/3 cups sugar 
~1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil 
~15 oz pureed pumpkin (I like using fresh pumpkin not canned but you could use can) 
~2 cups flour 
~2 tsp baking powder 
~1 tsp baking soda 
~1 tsp salt 
~1 tsp cinnamon 

GLAZE 
~1 tbsp butter, softened 
~1/2 tsp vanilla 
~1 cup powdered sugar, more as needed to reach desired consistency 
~1 tbsp milk, more as needed to reach desired consistency 
~1/4 tsp salt 

INSTRUCTIONS 

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
~To make streusel, combine sugars, flour and cinnamon into a bowl.  Cut cold butter into them until crumbs form.  Set aside. 
~To make pumpkin bars:  In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and beat until light and fluffy.  
~Add dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon, to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until well combined. 
~Pour into greased 9x13 pan. 
~Evenly sprinkle and distribute crumb topping over pumpkin bar batter. 
~Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until done and toothpick test comes out clean. 
~To make the glaze:  Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt and beat until glaze is smooth.  Add more powder sugar and milk as needed to reach desired consistency.  Pour over warm bars. 
~ Serve warm or cold.  




~To make streusel, combine sugars, flour and cinnamon into a bowl.  Cut cold butter into them until crumbs form.  Set aside. 
~To make pumpkin bars:  In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and beat until light and fluffy.  
~Add dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon, to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until well combined. 
~Pour into greased 9x13 pan. 

~Evenly sprinkle and distribute crumb topping over pumpkin bar batter. 
~Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until done and toothpick test comes out clean. 
~To make the glaze:  Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt and beat until glaze is smooth.  Add more powder sugar and milk as needed to reach desired consistency. 
 Pour over warm bars. 
~ Serve warm or cold.  


Breakfast is served!!

Yum
               yum
                            yum

Monday, November 3, 2014

Bitter Sweet feelings.....

Its always a bitter sweet feeling I get after Halloween! 



You see anyone who knows me - knows I LOVE this time of year...
You know, HALLOWEEN, THANKSGIVING,
 ummmmm BLACKFRIDAY (yes thats a holiday to some), 
CHRISTMAS and NEW YEARS!!

I also LOVE decorating my house!!  (I don't have nearly enough decorations...YET) 
I LOVE all my Holiday decorations. 
 Its fun putting them up...
taking them down is totally a different story though!!!!!
















When it comes to taking my Halloween decorations down - I have mixed feelings......
Why you ask....
Well first off I LOVE how my house looks with all the spooky decorations up.  Plus its the start of fall...you know cooler weather (well sorta for us in AZ).  
Its just fun...dressing up, the candy, the food, everything!! 



On the other hand I get SUPER excited when I take my Halloween decorations down - 
Again why you ask -
BECAUSE that means in less than a month it will be Thanksgiving...
and Thanksgiving is followed by
BLACK FRIDAY and 
DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS!! 

Black Friday in itself is a major holiday.  Unfortunitly it should now be called Black Thursday since most stores are open now on Thanksgiving night!  I have to admit I go out with my best friend Teresa to people watch...we don't necessarly go out to get all the major deals.  If we happen to come across a deal that makes the outing even sweater but really is all the people watching...so if you happen to be out on black Friday don't do anything silly cuz we are watching...oh and laughing!!  LOL 


And of course that same weekend its time to DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS!!  Christmas is my favorite time of year to decorate for!!  

And the other BEST part about Halloween and taking my decorations down...
CHRISTMAS MOVIES and CHRISTMAS MUSIC STARTS!!! 
In our house it'll be Christmas movies and music 24 hours a day!!  

It's so IS the BEST TIME OF YEAR ...
But taking the decorations down is always a
BITTER SWEET FEELING!!!