Pumpkin Dump Cake

I love everything pumpkin and our blog has lots of tasty pumpkin treats to try out. This recipe comes from our youngest daughter, it is simple, easily and quickly put together and oh so yummy. It is nice to have these ingredients on hand in your pantry so you can easily make a dessert anytime. Our family all enjoyed it and I am sure your family will too.

• 1 30 ounce (887ml) can of real pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 16 ounce (473 ml) can of evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup white sugar (I would recommend less sugar by a 1/4 - 1/2 cup)
• 2 eggs
• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup butter

1. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, milk, sugar, spices, and eggs. Mix well.
2. Pour the mixture into a well greased 9x13 inch baking pan. 
3. Combine the cake mix, nuts and butter into a streusel and sprinkle over top of the pumpkin batter. 
4. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F and serve warm with lots of whipped cream! 

Mexican Smash Potatoes

It's Monday morning and you might have come looking for something to go with your coffee, but I'm thinking back to our Friday night casual eats. Mexican Smash Potatoes hit the spot for easy comfort food. Think of potato skins meets nachos for next weekend.
Recipe to feed two, but if you have more people just add more potatoes and toppings.

• 7 small potatoes
• 1/2 pound ground beef, fried
• salt
• pepper
• taco seasoning
• cumin
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 large Roma tomato, diced small
• 1 green onion, diced fine
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno, diced fine
• 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• salsa

1. Boil potatoes until fork tender. Do not allow to get mushy.
2. Drain and place potatoes on a baking sheet or in a cast iron fry pan that has been sprayed with none stick spray.
3. While the potatoes are still hot smash them with a potato masher. (see photo below)
4. Drizzle potatoes with melted butter and lightly season with salt, pepper, taco seasoning and cumin. ** you can let them sit at this point till you are ready to bake and assemble**
5. Place oven rack in middle of oven and turn oven to broil. Broil seasoned potatoes until they get a nice crust on them but are not dark. 
6. Remove from oven. Top with fried and seasoned (use any of the seasonings suggested in the ingredients to your liking) ground beef, tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. Top with cheese.
7. Once again place under the broiler until the cheese is nicely melted and bubbly. 
8. Serve with sour cream and salsa. 

White Chili ~Flash Back Friday

This is a tasty chili that will feed a crowd. Plan ahead because you need to soak the beans overnight. I first posted this recipe in early 2012 and you can find the original post here. This recipe originates from the Junior League of Seattle.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Great Northern white beans, rinsed and picked over
• 2 pounds chicken breasts (2 large half breasts are about 2 pounds)
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 cups onions, chopped
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 – 4 ounce cans chopped mild green chiles
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons each of  cumin, and dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded and divided
• sour cream
• salsa
• fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Place beans in a large, heavy pot. Add enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches. 
2. Cover and soak overnight.
3. Spread a little butter on the skin of each half breast of chicken and season it. 
4. Place on shallow pan and roast in 375 degree oven till cooked through, 45-60 minutes. 
5. Let cool. 
6. Remove skin and bones and cut chicken into cubes.
7. Drain beans into large colander. 
8. Heat oil in same pot. 
9. Add onions and saute over medium-low heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. 
10. Stir in garlic, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and cayenne. 
11. Saute 2 minutes. 
12. Add beans and stock. 
13. Bring to a boil. 
14. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 hours. 
15. Add additional water or broth if necessary (Can be prepared 1 day ahead). 
16. When you are ready to finish the chili cover and bring to a simmer before continuing 
17. Add chicken and 1 cup of cheese. 
18. Stir until cheese melts. 
19. Ladle chili into bowls. 
20. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro leaves to sprinkle on top.

Of course it’s up to you which of these additional ingredients you add to your chili.
We also like to serve this with some warm cornbread.
Serves twelve to fourteen…

Pan-fried Pears in Caramel Sauce

We enjoy warm caramelized bananas so I decided to try cooking up pears using much the same method.  They were delicious served up this way. 'Tis the season for pears.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 pears, peeled and sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• granola or nuts to sprinkle over (optional)
• vanilla ice-cream

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Saute pears for several minutes, turning over with tongs or lifter during the process.  Remove pears gently from pan once they are of desired doneness. 
2. Add sugar to butter in pan and cook until melted, while stirring. Reduce heat to low. 
3. Gradually stir in sour cream; cook 1 minute stirring occasionally.
4. Add pear pieces to caramel sauce and cook just until pears are heated through.
5. Spoon pears and caramel sauce into four dessert dishes.
6. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. 
7. Drizzle with additional sauce and sprinkle with granola or chopped nuts of your choice.

 

Creamy Potato Kale Soup

What do you do with a leftover ham bone after the ham dinner? Add to that a bag of fresh garden kale a friend brought over; I decided to make soup. Although we have several options on soups with potatoes and kale, I thought this one would have a slightly different twist, reminiscent of our Green Bean Soup.

Ingredients:

• ham bone with some ham left on (or 1 lb mini smoked ham hock)
• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 red chili pepper, dried
• 10 whole black peppers
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
•  4 golden potatoes, quartered and sliced thin
• 4 carrots, sliced thin
• 4 cups kale, stem removed, chopped fine
• 2 teaspoons better-than-bouillon or bouillon cube
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• chili flakes, optional
• cheese, grated, optional

Method:

1. Put ham bone in a soup pot and cover with water to cook.
2. Add onion, garlic and spices (tied in a cheese cloth or put in spice infuser) and bring to boil.
3. While it cooks, chop the vegetables. I kept skins on because they were thin.
4. Add potatoes and carrots to broth and simmer another 1/2 hour, until tender. 
5. Remove ham bone. Taste soup. Add bouillon flavor if needed. 
6. Chop kale and add to soup along with any shaved off ham pieces. Simmer 15 minutes.
7. Shake up flour and milk in a small jar and add to soup, stirring until it bubbles. 
8. Add cream just before serving. Serve with extra chili flakes and grated cheese. Serves 8

Beef Cabbage Stew

It's the season for comfort food and cabbage is one of those foods. This is a hearty stew that is wonderful served with fresh rolls on a cold day. This stew is a little spicy although I found it just right for my palate. I think this recipe would work well in a crock pot too.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 4 cups green cabbage, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 can 540 ml / 19 oz kidney beans
• 1 can 398 ml / 14 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato sauce, I used a hot and spicy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large sauce pan over medium heat cook beef, celery and onion and cook until lightly browned. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until cabbage and carrots are tender. 
3. Serve with warm rolls.
4. Serves: 6 - 8 

Bread for the Journey

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek His will in all you do and

He will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3: 5,6 (The New Living Translation)

I am sure these verses are familiar and a favorite for many of you as well.
I used this passage when I got baptized many years ago,
and still find great comfort in those words, but also challenging at the sametime. 

As I look at the picture I see a path I have never been down before
and I can't help but wonder what unknowns await me as I walk down it. In many ways it is just like the paths we choose in life. We don't know what lies ahead.  

Regardless of what awaits me, I need to completely rely upon God's wisdom, truth, goodness, grace and power for direction to help navigate that path. 

 I still lean too much on my own understanding more often than I care to admit to myself which leads to confusion and self doubt. I can't possibly navigate through life on my own strength and power. I have tried that and it leaves me feeling weak and at times barely able to stay afloat. I am still learning after all these years of being a Christ follower to actively seek His will in my life. That is a daily choice I must make.
Isn't it is just better to do that from the start, to follow His wise counsel through scripture and prayer believing He is able to to what is best for me?

Lord, create in me a heart that desires you more than it desires my own 
selfish understanding of things. May I always seek you in 
all I do to glorify only you and not myself.  Amen

Meringue Rhubarb Squares - Gluten Free

I froze my rhubarb this year following a 'trick'  told to me by my aunt who heard it from a friend who grows a field of rhubarb. Instead of cutting up the rhubarb before freezing, I froze the whole stalks.  I found that following this method the rhubarb did not have the tendency to form ice around the pieces and cutting up the frozen rhubarb just before using was like it was fresh!

I adapted this recipe from my friend Gwen's recipe. It is indeed a delicious dessert and while it has three steps/layers it is not difficult to make, nor does it take long. It is so good!!

For the base ...

• 1 1/2 cups Julie's flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum 
• 3/4 cups butter 
• 2 teaspoons sugar 

For the filling ...

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb 
• juice of one orange
• 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 beaten egg yolks

For the meringue ...

• 4 egg whites 
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar  

1. Prepare the crumb base. Since my wrist is often painful (rheumatoid arthritis) and using a blender difficult,  I put my flour and butter in my mixer and mix it until it forms fine crumbs.  So painless! 
2. Press crumbs firmly into a 9 x 12 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. 
3. Put rhubarb pieces, sugar, starch , orange juice into saucepan and cook, stirring until mixture thickens. 
4. Remove from heat, and add the beaten egg yolks. 
5. Cool slightly and spread onto baked base. 
6. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar and sugar until stiff, then spread over filling 
7. Return to oven for 15 minutes (If meringue isn't golden,  turn on the broil element for a few minutes but watch dessert carefully. It won't take long for it to brown) 
8. Remove from oven and cool - the base firms up nicely after it is cooled.  My husband likes this dessert warm , but I find the base crumbles before it is cooled  - my husband doesn't mind that., but I prefer the pieces to lift out nicely from the pan.  

Beef Stroganoff ~ easy and economical

This easy hamburger stroganoff has been a favorite in our home for many years.  I typically make it when the weather changes in Autumn. It is a comfort meal for us.  You can buy your own noodles or try your hand at making rustic random sized noodles that really are delicious and very inexpensive to make. If you buy your noodles the dish becomes quick and easy! 

Noodles

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Make a big well in the center of the flour and crack the eggs into the well.  Stir with a fork, incorporating the flour until you have a shaggy dough.
2. Turn the dough onto a counter and knead the dough until it is smooth.  If the flour doesn't quite want to completely knead in, that's okay, just leave the excess flour.  The amount of moisture you will need depends on the size of the eggs and the humidity in the kitchen.  
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes.  You can make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it.
4. If you have a pasta roller, use it to roll the dough thin, starting with a wider setting and running the dough through, changing the setting each time you run it through, making the space narrower until you have the dough noodle thin.  
5. If you are rolling your dough with a rolling pin, flatten it as well as you can with the heel of your hand, and then roll it with a rolling pin on a floured surface.  
6. Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut the noodles about 3/4 inch wide or however you prefer.  They do not need to be sliced too uniformly but should be similar so that they cook properly.
7. Once the stroganoff is started, put a large pot of salted water on to boil.  
8. When the stroganoff sauce is ready to serve, boil the noodles for about 2 minutes.  Test them in between to cook to your preference. 

Beef Stroganoff

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken or low sodium beef broth
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon base 
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• additional chopped parsley for garnish

1. In a large skillet or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the mushrooms have released their moisture and onions are translucent.
2. Remove mushrooms and onions from pan and set aside. 
3. In the same pan, scramble fry the ground beef until browned.  Add the onion and mushroom mixture back into the pan and add the flour, stirring a minute until the flour is well incorporated.
4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, the broth, bouillon base, and parsley.
5. Stir occasionally while the sauce comes to a simmer.   Simmer 10 minutes.
6. Add the sour cream and heat through but do not bring to a boil.
7. Season to taste.  Garnish with chopped parsley.
8. Serve over hot noodles. 

Bread For the Journey

In the past few weeks, God has been speaking to me about peace;

in particular, the many times I do not feel peaceful.
Times when I am upset with my husband, when I worry about my children, 
when I am afraid of what the future holds. 

The Bible assures me that through Christ's death I am granted peace with God 
upon my acceptance of salvation. 
I know that in my heart, so why don't I always experience this peace? 

In Ephesians 6 Paul uses the armour a Roman soldier would wear to illustrate how we as Christ followers 
need to prepare ourselves for battle with the enemy.

One part of that armour that I've never paid much attention to until recently is the footwear.  

Paul says, "our feet need to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." 

Ephesians 6:15 NIV

What part does footwear play in battle?  If we want to stand firm, we need shoes that grip,
if we don't want to lose our balance, our shoes need to provide good support,
when the terrain of a battlefield is rocky and uneven, we need shoes that give our feet protection
and when we are part of a defense line
we don't want to slip and fall thereby providing the enemy a way through our defense.

So what does peace have to do with battling the enemy?

When I am discontented, anxious, or fearful my state of mind and heart is far from peaceful. 

In fact it is a good indication that the enemy is making a successful assault on my life. 

 I may have peace with God but I am not experiencing the peace of God.

Isaiah 26:3 says, 

"You will keep him in perfect peace, 

Whose mind is stayed on You.  Because he trusts in You."

How do I keep my mind stayed on God?  How do I access the peace God promises?

  By always rejoicing in the Lord, by being gentle with others, 

by bringing everything to God in prayer, by trusting Him
 and by thanking Him.( Philippians: 4:4-7)

This brings the Perfect Peace that guards our hearts from Satan's darts,
strengthens us in the most disheartening circumstances,
and  unifies us as believers.