Pumpkin Muffins

Succes with a Pioneer Woman recipe again.

**I can make her recipes and feel sorry for myself for not making it to SLC today.**





I LOVE Pumpkin. Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Pie, Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Cake, etc. You name it, I'll probably love it.

These Muffins from PW were no exception. I tend to like chocolate with my pumpkin, so I skipped the raisins and added mini chocolate chips. And I skipped the frosting - only because I didn't have any cream cheese. I think it would be good though. Because I also tend to like anything with cream cheese.

The only problem with my infatuation with Pumpkin . . . . . Dave despises it. He hates pumpkin. He hates all winter squash for that matter. He tries to like it. He took a bite out of one muffin and threw it in the trash. Oh well, more for me and the kids - they share the pumpkin love with me!!

**With the crazy amount of pumpkins around here lately, I made my own puree for the first time. Surprisingly simple, and super good. Funny thing though - everything I make with it tends to be slightly pale - not the bright orange color we are used to . . . . . is Libby slipping some food coloring in with her pumpkin puree, or do I just have pale pumpkins?? Hmmmmmm

Cooking with Sourdough

My mom gave me a sourdough starter at the beginning of summer and I've been having a blast with it ever since. I'm determined to help my kids develop an appreciation for it. We're getting there. Anyway, here is a bit about what I've learned.

You keep your starter (or "pet" as some people refer to it as) in the fridge when you aren't using it all of the time. Some people are able to keep it on the counter because they use it so much. It needs to be stored in a container that doesn't completely seal (tupperware won't work, sorry) and it can't touch metal. This antique glass jar is perfect. You can find them at yard sales, 2nd hand stores, antique shops, or your grandma's basement.

The hard part about sourdough is planning ahead. You have to take your "pet" out of the fridge the day before you plan on using it. Dump it into a glass bowl, then add one cup of flour and one cup of water. Stir it up well, then place a towel over the bowl and let it ferment overnight.

The next morning you are ready to use it for whatever - pancakes, bread, pizza crust, etc. Here are the things I've tried, and so far I've loved them all:

Pancakes

Bread (not only is this a yummy and simple bread recipe, but it also tells you everything you want to know about the stuff.

Pizza Crust (scroll down for the sourdough one, and watch the video - it's super informative!!)

Hopefully (if you find someone with a starter to share, or if you are brave enough to make your own), you have as much fun as I have with this stuff. Once you get the hang of it, it's really quite simple.

Happy Cooking!!

Fresh Peach Pie!!

I know, another recipe, but you really should try this Fresh Peach Pie if you still have any fresh peaches around. It's delish.

Chili Relleno

The Buttermilk Garden is loaded with a variety of peppers, so we've been eating them all sorts of ways. One of my favorites is these:

Chili Relleno (Stuffed Chiles)

8 green chiles, long and straight
8 strips of Jack or Mozzarella cheese
Flour for dusting chilies
6 eggs separated
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
1 T. milk
4 T. flour
Dash of black pepper
Oil for frying chiles

Roast chiles in oven 350 F for 10 minutes, or until skin is easily removed. Take roasted chiles and place in a wet paper towel or kitchen towel and leave for 10 minutes. Remove skins, then rinse in cold water and paper towel dry.
Make a slit at the base of stem and remove seeds with scissors, but leave stem intact. Insert a strip of cheese in chiles and try not to tear chiles. Dust chiles in flour evenly and leave on nearby plate.

In a bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. In another bowl whip yolks, flour, milk, salt, baking powder and pepper. Blend and mix with egg whites.

Dust stuffed chiles with flour. Then dip floured chiles in egg batter and fry until golden brown. Drain lightly, then serve immediately.

My Kind of BLT

I've been taking lots of pictures lately, but not doing a lot of blogging, so I'm behind on my recipe posts. Here is my favorite sandwich from this summer - a BLT on whole wheat bread with your bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, miracle whip and mustard. It was a yummy dinner!

Salsa

Like I mentioned in the Ice Cream post, we had some chips and salsa that night too. I love chips and salsa. They made the perfect appetizer for everyone while we were waiting for the ice cream to freeze. Here are the 4 kinds we had:

Mango Salsa w/ Peach (from Costco) - one of the best mango salsa's I've had, although my favorite is I do like my other recipe for mango salsa. It's a toss up.

Guacamole - I just smash up a few avacados, throw in some finely diced onion, some cilantro, lime juice, salt, and a pinch of jalapeno. This one was gone right away.

PW's Fresh Corn and Avacado Salsa - all I can say about this one is YUM! I could have eaten it plain, with a spoon - but chips are so good.

Fresh Salsa - I make my salsa kind of like I make my guacamole - a little of this, a little of that, taste it and your good. Sorry. Start with tomatoes, onion, jalapeno & cilantro, then add some lime juice and salt and your good to go. I like to throw bell peppers in it too, just for fun.

Now I need some chips and salsa. Good thing I still have chips in the pantry . . . .

Ice Cream on the Brain

Since we moved into this house back in March I have yet to have a party or get together of any sort (other than the weekend Dave's family came to visit, but that doesn't count). This weekend we are having the first one, and it's an end of summer Ice Cream Party. I got Dave an Ice Cream Freezer for Father's Day and we've been having the most fun with it. I have invited several people with ice cream makers to come with their favorite kind ready to freeze. It'll be fun to try all of the different flavors - I hope.

So, I was thinking it would be fun to have a "Virtual Ice Cream Party" here on the blog. All you have to do is share your favorite Ice Cream recipe. If you don't make ice cream and don't have a favorite recipe (I'm so sorry for you), then just share your favorite brand/flavor/kind/etc. Come on, it'll be fun . . . .

I'll start.

If I am making it, I love a this vanilla recipe (it came with my ice cream maker) with any kind of mix in. So far we've done oreo cookies. This weekend we are adding reeces peanut butter cups. Yum. I am now wanting to venture out of the box and try this recipe for frozen yogurt. It looks fun - when I have the time.

If I am out and about and buying ice cream - my favorite is a Ben and Jerry's Super Fudge Brownie. I think Amelia might have gotten me started on this one years ago.

Now it's your turn:

(p.s. - Mo - if your are bored Saturday night, you should come - 6:30, my place - and don't worry about bringing ice cream - there will be plenty!!)

BBQ Heaven

Call me prideful, but there's just something about sitting down to a dinner that began and finished right on your own (or your dad's own) land. This feast was soooo good, and it all grew right here. We raise our own beef, so the steaks were ours, and the rest I got from the garden (I guess I should omit the salt/pepper/seasonings/butter/olive oil/vinegar - we didn't grow that stuff). I also used the bbq for all of the cooking of last nights dinner. Even the corn on the cob. I hadn't tried that before, and it was pretty fun - and pretty tasty too. The shish kabobs have red & yukon gold potatoes (I boiled them first), onions, a variety of summer squash, and green peppers drizzled with olive oil and salt & pepper. For the cucumbers I just add some vinegar, ice, salt, pepper and water to the mix of cukes, onions and green peppers. It was a good dinner.

Cafe Rio Pork

Every time I go to Utah, I have to get to Cafe Rio for some Pork Salad. It's been a really long time since I've been to Utah, and I've been craving some pork salad. So, with a freezer full of pork roasts, I went to the internet and googled it. I found this complete recipe for the salad. I followed the recipe (well, sort of) and it was awesome. My kids even loved it. I am now a fan of that blog too. I'm just a fan of food in general. Now go buy some pork and start slow cooking it. You won't be sorry.

Belgian Waffles

We've created a little Sunday tradition in our family - Waffles for lunch. And if we don't have fresh strawberries and whipped cream, I get a few whimpers from the kids.

This recipe is my grandmother's and it's quite simple and tasty.

4 eggs, separated
2 C. warm milk
2 T. sugar
1 T. yeast
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. oil

Beat egg whites. Set aside. Mix together milk, sugar and yeast. Add egg yolks & vanilla. Mix together then add flour and oil. Then fold in egg whites. May be kept covered in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Can use water instead of milk.

Cook on hot waffle iron.

If you don't have any strawberries - which you should this time of year - then maple syrup and powdered sugar will do. My other personal favorite is pear sauce. I throw a bottle of my canned pears into the blender, and whalah, pear sauce. It's awesome on waffles and pancakes.

Enjoy!!

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

I told you I would post more recipes once I got to cooking again. Well, I've somehow started cooking again. And what better place to start than COOKIES!!

This sweet little girl turned 16 last week and she asked me to make the cookies for her birthday bash. Wow. I ended up sending over 250 cookies with her, then we kept a few for ourselves. They were a hit, and only a few were leftover. Here are the recipes for the three different kinds of cookies:

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

I used the recipe on the link, only I replaced the chocolate chips with mini m&m's and I added vanilla. They were probably my favorite. They tasted like a big peanut butter m&m.

Velma's Soft Sugar Cookies

These were a fav of ours growing up. My old neighbor, Velma Lyle used to make them, and she always had some on hand when we would go and see her {which was all of the time, because she had the coolest barn to play in}.

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

Cream butter and both sugars. Gradually add vanilla and eggs. Slowly add oil and blend thoroughly. Add dry ingredients and blend again. Chill dough at least 1/2 hour. Roll into balls or drop by tsp onto cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of glass dipped in sugar to be very thin. Dough is very soft. Do NOT sift flour. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies, and I finally found a recipe I like. It's a huge batch - perfect for making ahead of time and freezing the balls of dough for a fresh cookie anytime (not such a good thing for my thighs though).

2 cups butter (4 cubes)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips

Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased cookie sheet by heaping tablespoons. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

I had planned on making snickerdoodles too, but ran out of time. All I can say about this craziness is that I am so in love with my new kitchen, and the convection oven!! Here's a shot of my sweet kitchen - and remember the view makes it even better!!

Recipe: Breakfast Potatoes

Sorry for the lack of recipe posts lately. I haven't been doing all that much cooking, as to be expected. My awesome sister and sister-in-law came from Utah just after I got home from the hospital with Nathan and not only did they come and clean for me and take care of me, but they loaded my freezer with yummy meals. They're the best. Really. Anyway, back to yesterday's potatoes. We were having hamburgers and I was trying to think of something quick to go with them, and I remembered PW making these Breakfast Potatoes a while back. They were tasty, and simple, and did I say tasty? I think I'll make breakfast burritos tonight with the leftovers.

Recipe: Cauliflower Soup

Tonight I was in the mood for soup, so I ventured on over to The Pioneer Woman and decided to try the cauliflower soup. It really was good. Vin wasn't too keen on it, but the rest of us really enjoyed it. So, if you're enjoying a little inversion outside like we are, this soup just might hit the spot.