Pumpkin Cake

Welcome to post #2 for fall. We are having Pumpkin Cake today! Yummy!!

Pumpkin Cake

2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of apple sauce
1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 stick of butter
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder

1. Mix the brown sugar, whole wheat flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder together
2. add in the apple sauce and pumpkin puree
3. soften the butter and then add that in and mix well

Preheat oven 350
Bake for 45 minutes in a bundt pan
Let cool

Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Pie!!

So I was really nervous the first time I made pumpkin pie. First, I didn't think anyone would want it since I don't like pumpkin pie and second, I had never made pie before and it just seemed hard. But I said - what the heck let me go for it. I did - and it turned out amazing! Now I make it every year (okay well I've only ever made it 2 times but from now on I am making it every year).

The one good thing about this recipe is that it's healthy, so even after you're filling and high calorie Thanksgiving meal you can still have your cake  pie and eat it too!

Pumpkin Pie
1 can of pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 cup of packed light brown sugar
2
tbsp. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt
dash of pepper
2 tbsp. melted margarine (or butter)
1 1/4 cup of non dairy creamer
pie crust

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into crust.
Preheat oven to 375 and cook for 50 minutes.

To check to see if it is done - place fork in center. It should be firm. 

Thanksgiving French Onion String Beans

So a few years ago I tried to make a string bean recipe that had shallots on it and let me tell you the strings bean were all gone! Everyone love it. But what was left on everyone's place were the shallots. Lesson learned. The following year I made a string bean recipe from a recipe book I have and I've actually posted it on my blog under the Thanksgiving tab, but it's too simple and basic - not really the traditional feeling of Thanksgiving. The last 2 years my made the string beans - but this year it didn't turn out. This mean it's my turn to make them. Here is what I've put together as my taste tester before next November's Turkey Day!!

Thanksgiving French Onion String Beans

1. 2 lbs. string beans (fresh- cut at the stems and washed)
2. 2 tbsp. butter
3. 3 small onions - sliced
4. 1 tbsp. flour
5. 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
6. 3/4 cup of soy milk or milk (I don't mix meat and dairy together and since I make this for Thanksgiving I use soy)
7. dash of pepper, garlic

1. cook the string beans for 5 minutes in water
2. drain and cut into thirds.
3. mix the cream of mushroom soup and milk together
4. heat the butter in a pan and add the onion slices and french them until their soft - add the flour and brown them and allow the get hard and fried looking
5. pour the green beans into the baking dish - mix in the mushroom and milk mixture
6. sprinkle some pepper and garlic on top. Then add the onions
7. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes - add some bread crumbs and bake an additional 10 minutes

Real Carrot Cookies

"Real Carrot Cookies" are an excellent choice for someone who wants something sweet but still get some health benefits along the way. I made this for my mom's birthday and both and she and my dad loved, loved, loved it. They thought it was incredible! They raved and raved about it that night and then a few days later. To quote my dad "the best cookies he's ever had" and let me tell you in his 62 years on earth he has his fair share of cookies. I promise that you will love these and so will everyone else that you make them for. Enjoy!

Real Carrot Cookies

6 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
dash of salt
1/2 cup of quick or old fashioned oats
2 cups shredded carrots
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
your favorite frosting

Preheat oven to 350
1. mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking powder together
2. add in the eggs and melted butter and mix well
3. then add in the grated carrots
4. bake in oven for 25 minutes
5. let cool for 15 minutes before serving

Serve with your favorite frosting

Thanksgiving 101

So this post is very important to me because it speaks about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all that we are blessed with and to a time to give back to those who are not as fortunate as we are. It is also a time to spend with loved ones- family and friends and share in those delicious traditional foods. Thanksgiving is also a time when a lot of us eat more than we should. Did you know that on average a person consumes more 3,000 calories? How is that possible you ask? Well you have the appetizers which normally consist of nuts, poppy kock, mushroom puffs, olives and so forth- easy 400 calories right there. Then you have the turkey with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, string beans, rolls, butter, and all your other traditional family recipes and then you have dessert...So when I say 3,000 or more I stress the more. But it is Thanksgiving so why not eat as much as you want, right? WRONG! Thanksgiving is not a time to over do it- it is a time to indulge a little but you need to be careful how you indulge and where you indulge. In this post I will share a few recipes that you should all have. It will leave you feeling much better at the end of the day- both mentally and physically.

Appetizers
Serve: honey roasted peanuts, salted cashews, and mini clementine cuties

Main Meal
Serve turkey with homemade cranberry sauce (2 pints cranberries, water and sugar in the raw- heat up the cranberries add the water and 1/4 cup of sugar)

Spiced String Beans (3 lbs of fresh string beans with 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup of water- mix together and cook uncovered for 30 minutes


Mashed Potatoes (peel potatoes leaving some skin, boil them and then mash them - add 2 tbsp. of diced onions, 1 tbsp. of unsalted butter, dash of salt

Candied Sweet Potatoes (6 sweet potatoes -peeled and baked for 1 hour. cut them into cubes and pour over 1 cup of orange juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 c. bourbon- bake for another 45 minutes (stirring occasional)

Spinach Salad- 2 cups of fresh spinach, 1 8 oz. can of mandarin oranges, sprinkle some sunflower seeds, sliced strawberries and honey mustard dressing (light) mixed in.

Butternut Squash Muffins (skip the roles and use these instead)

Stuffing- 8 cups of whole wheat bread cubes, 1/4 cup of chopped celery, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, 2 cups of mushrooms, 2 cups of chicken broth, dash of salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp. onion/garlic mixture, 1/4 tbsp. fresh parsley- Bake in oven for 1 hour











Dessert
Peanut Butter Balls (14 oz of 100% natural peanut butter, 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 3 cups confectionery sugar AND 14 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips, boiling water and 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter) - mix peanut butter, vanilla, melted butter and confectionery sugar together and the roll them into 3 inch balls. place in fridge for at least 2 hours. Then in a double broiled melt the chocolate with the butter. Dip the firm peanut butter balls into the choc mixture covering half way. Place down on parchment paper and place back in fridge over night or until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Choc Chip Cookies 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened, 1 cup of 100% pure pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, tsp. vanilla. Follow these steps:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Crust Free Apple Pie (4 green apples peeled and slice, place into a baking dish, sprinkle with lemon juice, then mix 2/3 cups of veg. oil, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of sugar and 4 eggs. Mix together and pour over the apples. Preheat oven to 350 bake for 1 hour and then mix 1 tsp. of cinnamon with 2 tbsp. sugar and sprinkle over while hot. Serve cold or warm- but must let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Fresh Fruit/Nuts

And you can also search my blog for other favorites such as:
Baked Squash
Real Carrot Cookies
Moroccan Carrots
Nutella Balls
Apple Cranberry Crisp

Baked Squash with Brown Sugar

Okay this recipe might be the easiest one yet. And I know I say that all the time but this time I mean it. It is healthy, light and full of so much nutrition for you and your family. I love making this for my family in the fall. Squash is always ripe in the fall and is a very popular vegetable.

Baked Squash with Brown Sugar 
1 squash - peeled and cubed
2 tbsp. olive oil
dash of salt
4 tbsp. of light brown sugar
dash of cinnamon

1. preheat oven to 375
2. peel the squash and cubed it and evenly place accross a large bakign dish
3. melted the butter and then slowly add the brown sugar and stir until pasty
4. pour over the squash and then sprinle with cinnamon
5. bake for 1 hour



Serve!

Note- you can add this to your stuffing for Thanksgiving. It's a little different and it will add some extra color to your stuffing. If you do chose to add the squash- use 16oz of canned mushroom pieces, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, 1/2 cup raisins, 2 stalks of celery, 2 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 onion, 1/8 tsp. of garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 loaf of chopped whole grain gluten free bread

Thanksgiving Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I wanted (desperately!!) to do a Thanksgiving post but I was so busy cooking that there just wasn't time. So I decided to share one very yummy recipe. I know most people have pumpkin pie at their table but to me, that's just boring. Everyone does pumpkin pie, right? That's why I make pumpkin glazed cookies. They're absolutely delicious, I promise. (Disclaimer: Some of it is not so "healthie" but it is Thanksgiving after all and you have to live a little, right?) Here is my amazing recipe:

Thanksgiving Glazed Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 ts. ground netmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
1 1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of Splenda
12 oz. canned pumpkin puree
2 large organic eggs
1 tsp. PURE vanilla extract
3/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips (not healthy foodie)

Glaze (also not healthie foodie)
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. fat free organic milk

1. preheat oven to 350
2. mix all the dry ingredients together: whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, white sugar, splenda
3. then add in the  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin puree
4. mix well and add in semi sweet chips
5. grease a pan and with a spoon- spoon out the cookie dough onto baking dish- leave about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie
6. bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. let cool (about 1 hour to be safe)
8. melt the butter and add in the confectionery sugar, vanilla and milk
9 mix and drizzle over the cookies. Let stand for about 30 minutes and serve

Note: You can always make the cookies the day before but makes sure you drizzle the glaze the day you plan to serve.

Yummy!

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

The first time I had this I was 14 years old and at sleep away camp. I remember we only had it on Saturdays and the second it hit the table it was gone! I think I only actually got to eat it 2 out of the 4 Saturdays, but it made a huge impact on me. Then when I came home I told my mom about it and she found the recipe and now it's become a staple. We have it every Thanksgiving and when ever we are having company over for dinner we make it. Here is the recipe- you will love it!




Apple Cranberry-Crisp

3 green apples- peeled and cut into medium thick slices
1 can of jellied cranberry sauce- but you must buy the one without high fructose corn syrum
2 cups of quick oats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tbsp. maragrine
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. once you have peeled the apples and cut them lay them across a 11x7 inch pan
2. slices the canned cranberry sauce and lay it across the apples evenly
3. in a pan melt the butter and then add the oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon. Keep mixing together until it's lightly browned
4. preheat oven to 350*
5. Pour the oatmeal crumble over the cranberry sauce layer spreading evenly (you may need to add a little more crumble - just repeat the combination)
6. Bake for 45 minutes.
Let cool- it can be served warm or cold...Anyway you will love it!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

This is a famous recipe in my house. We make it every single Thanksgiving. Over this last year I developed a semi allergy to peanut butter. I can only have in limited amount which is so annoying because once I eat one peanut butter ball I want to eat 10 more! Not a good idea if your allergic but if you're not...you'll love these!! Promise!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
 Peanut Butter Mixture
14oz 100% natural peanut butter (just salt and peanuts)
3 cups of confectionery sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted margarine or butter

Chocolate Mixture
14oz semi sweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp. margarine or butter

1. Melt the butter
2. Mix all ingredients together (peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and butter)

Line a pan with waxed paper.
3. Form peanut butter ball mixture into 2-3 inch size balls (makes about 50)
4. In a double broiler melt the chocolate with the butter together

Dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate covering it half way.
Place the balls chocolate side down on the waxed paper.
Put in fridge for at least 2 hours (so the chocolate can harden).

Enjoy!!