Cranberry Monkey Bread by Amy Lannigan

When I was growing up, we would often have Monkey Bread on Christmas morning. It’s a simple recipe, but it always reminds me of Christmas. I thought I would put a spin on this recipe for you.  This makes a lightly spiced glaze that is a little different than the usual!


I like the fact that this can be made the night before and baked first thing in the morning, for an early breakfast.

Cranberry Monkey Bread

• 1 1/2 lbs. frozen dinner roll dough
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 3/4 – 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Grease a fluted tube pan. Mix sugar and spices together, then add orange juice and mix to form a
paste. Place one ­third of cranberries in pan, then continue to layer ingredients in pan as follows:

• Half of frozen rolls
• Half of sugar mixture
• One ­third of cranberries
• Half of butter
• Repeat layers once more.

Allow to rise at room temperature overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 min. Turn out onto
plate. (Be careful; these can be messy!) Serve warm.


Copyright CookingWithoutCorn 2014.

Hope this bread brightens your holidays!  Amy Lannigan

Crock-tober

Hey Mamma,
I think cooking dinner is my least favorite "mommy job".  It is inevitable, that by 4:30 when its time to get dinner started, the baby is crying, the 3 year old needs help putting doll clothes on, the dog vomits, so it takes me about 20 minutes to chop an onion.  Thus, my love for crockpot dinners!  They involve little prep, are generally super yummy, the house smells so good, and the hubs is welcomed home to a much more peaceful environment.

I though I'd post a few of my favorite crockpot recipes (not created by me- I am no Martha Stewart) and would love if people comment with their favorite slow cooker recipes as well.  Let's make 4:30 better for us all :)

Pulled Pork Tacos (Kate Walsh)

• 2.5 lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder (or 2 lbs chicken)
• 2 cups salsa
• 2 TBS chili powder
• 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 TBS dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Corn Tortillas
• Fixin's for tacos (sour cream, cheese, guac)

In the slow cooker, combine salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and salt.  Add meat and turn to coat.  Cover and cook until meat is tender (4-5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low).  Shred the meat with 2 forks in cooking liquid.  

Chicken Cacciatore

• 1.5 lb chicken breasts
• 1 red pepper cut into strips
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 jars pasta sauce
• 1 pkg portobello mushrooms sliced

In the slow cooker, put chicken breasts on the bottom then layer with veggies.  Top with pasta sauce. Sprinkle with dried oregano.  Cover and coon on low 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  Shred the chicken.  Serve over egg noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.  

What's for Dinner??? Recipes!

Helpful links:

www.suppersolutionsinc.com
www.relishrelish.com
www.eMeals.com
www.PlanToEat.com


From Sheryl Griebel:
Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Muffins
“I make these ahead of time for a healthy on-the-go breakfast.”

2.5 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (or less!)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 muffin tins with silicone or foil liners.
2. Place all of the ingredients, including bananas in a blender or food processor, and blend until oats are smooth. {I added the oats a cup at a time and blended in between}
3. Divide batter among cupcake liners, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


Vegetable Casserole
Makes 8 servings
“This slow-cooker recipe is a family favorite! It's a quick and easy option for Meatless Mondays. I added a couple of modifications to the ingredients list to save you even more time!”

Two 19-oz can cannellini beans
One 19-oz can garbanzo or fava beans
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto (or more!)
One medium onion, chopped (or the equivalent amount of frozen onions)
Four cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
16 ounce package refrigerated cooked plain polenta cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices (I find mine on the shelf in the natural foods section)
One large tomato, thinly sliced (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
One 8-oz package finely shredded Italian cheese blend (2 cups)
Two cups fresh spinach

1. Rinse and drain beans. In large bowl combine beans, 2 tablespoons of pesto, onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
2. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker layer half of bean mixture, half of polenta, and half of cheese. Add remaining beans and polenta. Cover; cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or on high heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Add tomato, remaining cheese, spinach, and radicchio. Combine remaining pesto and 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle pesto mixture on casserole. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Calories (kcal) 360, Fat total (g) 12, Cholesterol (mg) 26, Saturated Fat (g) 6, Carbohydrates (g) 46, Monosaturated fat (g) 1, Fiber (g) 10, Sugar (g) 8, Protein (g) 21


From Debbie Odom:
Almond Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup almond butter
1/3 cup honey (or 1/2 cup if you like it a bit sweeter)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (look for gluten-free and dairy-free if you are trying to avoid those)
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut (or if you prefer, replace with chopped nuts)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Oil baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
3. Stir together first 8 ingredients. Mix well. Make sure honey is fully incorporated.
4. Add chips and coconut.
5. Scoop with a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets. Bake 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.
Yield: about 20 cookies with a level 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop


Maple Salmon
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t garlic salt
1/8 t ground black pepper
1 lb salmon

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
2. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.


From Courtney Greedy:
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries

4 medium sweet potatoes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Cut sweet potatoes into steak fry size. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Stir well to coat evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly brown and soft.


Barley, Beef and Kale Stew

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
5 ½ cups veggie stock
28 oz. can diced tomatoes (BPA free, please!)
½ cup pearled barley
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 cups curly kale, chopped

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add beef, onion, carrots and celery. Cook until beef is browned, about 10 minutes. While the beef and veggies are cooking, place stock, tomatoes, barley, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a crock pot and turn on low. Add beef mixture and stir well. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours. Add kale and cook 15 minutes more.


From Stephanie Sullivan:
Pork Tenderloin

1 Pork Tenderloin
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
3-4 Tbs chopped garlic

Mix olive oil, soy and garlic in a large zip lock. Add pork and marinate in refrigerator 4-8 hours. Either grill or bake at 350 for 40-45 min. Save extra marinate - boil over med/high heat for 4-5 min (to cook raw meat). Serve over pork. I usually serve with green beans and rice pilaf.


Emeril's Wine Marinated Beef or Chicken Kababs

1.5 lbs beef or chicken cubed
4 tsp Emeril's essence
1/2 cup red wine
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs rosemary
1 Tbs thyme
8 oz button mushrooms, stems trimmed
1 onion (yellow or red) cut in half then quartered
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
12 cherry tomatoes

Place the meat in a large zip lock bag and toss with Essence. Add the red wine, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, Worcestershire, rosemary, and thyme and toss to coat. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge overnight.
Thread the skewers with meat and veggies. Grill on preheated grill. Serve with couscous.


From Kacey Olsen:
Smoky Beef Tacos
Serves 8

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
3. Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.
Tip: To soften the tortillas and give them a quick char, toast them directly over a low gas flame using tongs (or use a dry skillet on medium heat).


From Lucy Shirk:
Chili & Cheese Egg Casserole

10 eggs ~ Beat until fluffy

Blend the following:
1/2 cup flour (I have left out when feeding gluten free folks)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt (or to taste)
1 pt. cottage cheese (small curd)
1 lb. shredded Monteray Jack Cheese
1/2 cup melted butter
4-7oz green chilis

~ POUR into 9 x 13 buttered pan at 350 for 35-45 minutes (until slightly golden brown and not jiggly)

~ SERVE with salsa and sour cream if you like


From Angie Osborne:
Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

1 T brown sugar
2 t. butter
1 t. honey
1 T olive oil
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T soy sauce
1/2 to 3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 salmon fillet (recipe calls for 2 1/2 lbs., but I usually only make 1 3/4 - 2 lbs. for our family of 6. Although we never have leftovers!)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the brown sugar, butter and honey until melted. Remove from heat: whisk in the oil, mustard, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cool for 5 minutes.

Place salmon in a large foil-lined baking pan; spoon brown sugar mixture over salmon. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.


Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon, more or less, steak seasoning such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
(Note: I don't actually measure; I just sprinkle it all over.)
Bacon slices

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle seasoning over pork. Wrap in bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place pork on lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes. Then broil about 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. (Pork is ready when meat thermometer registers 155 degrees. Do not overcook!)


Baked Apricots
"This one is great with the bacon-wrapped pork"

2 cans apricot halves, drained
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Place apricots, cut side up, in bottom of pan.

Mix crushed Ritz crackers, butter, and brown sugar together. Sprinkle mixture on top of apricots.

Bake at 300 degrees 35-40 minutes.


From Kelly Nishi:
Slow-Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast
Serves 6-8

1/3 cup olive oil
One 2 1/2- to 3-pound bottom-round pot roast
Two large onions, quartered
Two celery stalks, thinly sliced (2 cups)
Two large carrots, thinly sliced (2 cups)
Three garlic cloves, minced
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
One cup dry red wine
One 1/2-ounce package dried mushrooms (such as portobello)
One tablespoon kosher salt
One teaspoon dried oregano
One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, chopped, liquid reserved
Extra wide egg noodles

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides. Transfer the roast to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. To the fat remaining in the skillet, add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add the contents of the skillet to the cooker, along with the mushrooms, salt, oregano, and tomatoes (plus 1 cup of their liquid).
3. Cook 8 hours on low heat, or 4 hours on high heat.
4. Serve with extra wide egg noodles.


Taco Soup

1lb ground beef (cooked and drained)
1 onion (chopped)
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn (w/juice)
1 can pinto beans (w/juice)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Boil. Season w/ salt and pepper. Simmer 1hr. Serve w/ chips or tortillas.


From Heather Milburn:
Gluten-Free Crusted Chicken Nuggets
“This is my recipe combined with another favorite recipe to make my kids' ultimate favorite chicken nuggets. It calls for a LOT of chicken because I make a ton at one time and freeze them for quick and easy lunches or dinners. Feel free to cut the recipe in half if needed.”

1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups gluten free flour
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup butter melted
4 pounds chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1 container gluten free cornflake crumbs or crushed cornflakes
2 teaspoons peanut oil

1. Heat oven to 400. In large plastic bag, combine flour, salt, pepper & powdered sugar; toss to mix.
2. Place cornflake crumbs in a different large plastic bag.
3. Dip chicken pieces into flour mixture.
4. Dip floured chicken in melted butter.
5. Coat with cornflake crumbs.
6. Place on cookie sheet.
7. Drizzle pieces with peanut oil.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

Green Smoothie Recipies

Hey Girls!
As a follow up from Courtney's talk the other week, there have been some requests to share green smoothie recipes!  One recipe is posted below (thanks Joanna!) and please share yours if you have one!  


Green Smoothie
- 1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice- 1 ripe banana, preferably peeled and frozen- 2 handfuls spinach- 1 T chia seeds or ground flax- 1 T nut butter- 1-3 ice cubes

Some other yummy ideas:

- Kale, Spinach, Celery, Cucumber, Lemon, Apple and for an extra zing, add Ginger 

- Kale, Spinach, Apple and Pineapple 

- Beets, Carrots, Celery, Fennel, Cucumber, Orange, Pineapple, Green Apple and Kiwi

Healthy Holidays!?

Do those two words really belong in the same sentence?

This time of year we are surrounded by decadence. Rich creamy foods. Beautiful Christmas displays. And more rich creamy food.

When it starts getting cold, our bodies naturally crave foods that will keep us warm. That means foods that are more likely to bulk us up. Our bodies have not realized we live in a world of down jackets and central heat. But really, who wants to gain the typical 5-7 pounds of Holiday weight? Not me, thanks.

So how do we avoid the Holiday bulge? 

1. Be picky. Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Decide what are your must have treats are for the holidays and mindfully enjoy them in reasonable quantities. If you come across something you don't love, remember you have a choice to pass it by.

2. Remember it is what we eat most of the time that really matters. That once a year Christmas dinner does not have near as much effect as what you are eating day in and day out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As often as possible, make healthy choices that will support you in feeling your best and having the energy you want to take pleasure in your daily responsibilities.

3. Enjoy downtime. Yes, this might mean those presents are not picture perfect. Or you have store bought cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning instead of homemade. Or you do most of your shopping online in the comfort of your PJ's sipping a warm cup of tea. Make rest a priority, get plenty of sleep and schedule in time for you to do what recharges you.

4. Make healthy movement a priority. Grab that sweet baby and dance your heart out to Christmas classics. Run errands on your bike (it's definitely warm enough this week!). When you are finishing up your shopping, park way out in the lot and power walk to the door. Bonus points for pushing multiple kids in the cart. Go for a run- walking is great too. Try an online yoga class- www.yogatoday.com is my favorite, they have a free class every week! Staying active at this time of year is key to balancing the gluttony of foods that surround us.

5. Don't stress. We all have extra tasks- shopping, cooking, cleaning, packing, driving- that we are responsible for at this time of year. But remembering to keep the stress level down by breathing and passing our burdens on to the Lord can help us turn a sky high stress level into gentle pressure that makes us productive.

Here are three of my favorite healthy recipes that look and taste decadent but are loaded with good for you stuff that won't weigh you down.

One Sweet Appetizer

For easier prep and more flavor, roast the sweet potatoes and heat the beans and spices the day before. Store in the fridge but allow them to come to room temperature before assembling.

3 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
15-oz can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
Feta cheese
A few sprigs cilantro

Preheat oven to 375. Using a large mixing bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and stir well to combine. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft and lightly brown. Remove from oven. While potatoes are cooling, place black beans in a saucepan with the oregano, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove a few tablespoons of the beans to a colander over the sink and allow to drain. Spread the roasted sweet potato rounds on a tray. Sprinkle each lightly with feta and beans, moving more beans to the colander to drain if necessary. Reserve extra beans for another use. Place a small piece of cilantro on each round and serve.

Pomegranate Kale Salad 

This hearty salad makes a great light lunch. Enjoy with some chicken or a hard-boiled egg for extra staying power. Repurpose the kale stems by adding them to soups.

6 cups curly kale, thick stems removed and discarded
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1 carrot, grated
Seeds from 1 pomegranate~ mine contained a heaping cup
Pinch black pepper
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw walnuts

In a large bowl, combine kale, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mix well to combine. Add carrot, pomegranate seeds, pepper, sunflower seeds and walnuts.  If possible, let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Store in the fridge, where it should keep for 3 days.

Date Oat Bars

Crust/Topping:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup oats

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

3 Tbsp cacao nibs

4 Tbsp + 2 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

16 medjool dates

1 tsp almond extract

4-5 Tbsp water

Using a food processor, grind almonds and oats until a fine crumble forms. Add salt, dates, cacao, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Process until well combined. Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil. Press crust ingredients into pan, reserving ½ cup for topping.  

Add filling ingredients to food processor. Process until a paste forms. You will probably have to stop and scrape the mixture down a few times before it really combines. Using a wet spatula, spread filling over crust. Sprinkle topping over filling, pressing down slightly so it will stick.

Chill in fridge overnight or in freezer for an hour before slicing. They might stick- I used a fork to slide them off the glass.

Gobble Gobble

My family is big. We come from an Italian background and probably fit most of the stereotypes you can think of. Not only am I aware of the very hour someone in my family goes into the hospital to give birth, but it is not uncommon for me to text my second cousins. It blows my husband's mind that we have roughly 40 stockings at my grandparents' house at Christmas time and I know the addresses of all those members.

Picture "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" only Italian. 

Of course that's not the only stereotype we fit into. 

Like most Italians, we like to eat........a LOT. 

Spaghetti has accompanied many Thanksgiving meals that I can remember. But, it wasn't the main course. It was more of a side dish, if you will. Just heap it onto the plate next to the mashed potatoes and turkey. Oh! And the turkey? We normally have two. "Just in case." 

The more the merrier! It was never a problem to show up with an unplanned guest at Thanksgiving dinner. It caused a bit of a stir, but the hustle wasn't because an extra guest may cause an inconvenience, it was the fear that we would......wait for it.....run out of food! The horror! 

Needless to say, it was never actually a reality to run out of food at Thanksgiving. And, although we no longer eat at my grandmother's house, my mom has been diligent in carrying on this tradition. Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving is spent ENTIRELY in the kitchen. 8 AM- 8 PM. It's a day of cooking. We make side dish after side dish after side dish. 

Here are a few of our favorites:

Pretzel Salad

2 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pretzels

3/4 cup melted margarine

3 Tblsp sugar

8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 scant cup sugar

3 Cups Cool Whip

2 (3 oz pkg strawberry jello)

2 Cups boiling water

2 (10 oz) pkg frozen strawberries

Mix pretzels, margarine and sugar well and press into 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes @ 350. Cool. 

Mix sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust. Dissolve jello in boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Pour over top of cream cheese layer and chill. 

Layered Lettuce Salad

1 head lettuce

1 cup celery, diced

4 eggs, hard cooked, sliced

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen peas, uncooked

1/2 cup green pepper diced

1 sweet onion, med diced

4 slices bacon, fried and diced

2 Cups Mayonnaise

2 tblsp sugar

4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

Tear the crisp, clean lettuce into small bite size pieces and place in large bowl or 9x13 baking dish. Later rest of ingredients in order given. Add the sugar to the mayonnaise and spread over the top as you would frosting. Top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8-10 hrs. At serving time, toss and garnish with parsley and additional bacon. 

Cranberry Marshmallow Salad 

(this is a great substitution for the traditional cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving)

1 (12 oz) pkg fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

2 cups sugar

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice

1 container Cool Whip

2 cups marshmallows

In a large bowl, stir together the pineapple (w/juice), cranberries and sugar. Refrigerate overnight. 

Before serving, stir in the Cool Whip & marshmallows. 

YUM!!!!!

These are just a few of the MANY different dishes we have on our Thanksgiving table. Did any of them seem weird to  you? Maybe. 

Give one a try and see if you have a new favorite!!! 

Happy Turkey Day!

Delicious Pumpkin Brownies!

If you are anything like me, I'm a huge sucker for anything pumpkin.  The day starbucks breaks out the pumpkin spice lattes is up there with Christmas.  This is my fav pumpkin recipe, so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 sticks butter, slightly melted (i always feel guilty at this part, but if you make them once a year, calories don't count)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup packed pumpkin puree (this is 1 cup, NOT the whole can)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups white morsels
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix flour, cloves, cinnamon and baking soda in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Mix in white morsels and walnuts.  Bake in greased 9x13 pan for 30-35 min.  Enjoy the deliciousness!  Stephanie

Links & a 'Welcome Fall' Recipe

Hi ladies!

Now that we have 2 weeks under our belts, I am already starting to feel like I'm getting into a rhythm. Anyone else? I hope you all enjoyed this morning and our amazing speaker. I know I took away some valuable tips and things to aim for in parenting my little ones and I am sure you did as well.

I came home to look up some of the resources John told us about and then thought.....'Hey! I should just post these on the blog!"

'The Story' 

'The Story for Little Ones'

'Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing'

'Christian Heroes Then and Now'

'Parenting With Love & Logic'

I have already added these to my "wish list" on Amazon. Can't wait to dig in!

Speaking of digging in......

On my way to church this morning, I passed by a pumpkin patch and felt the usual excitement in my heart (or maybe it's stomach.....) that comes to visit every fall. I heart fall. I even heart winter. But, I won't rush ahead and will instead, enjoy the riches of fall! Leaves, crisp air, pumpkins and yummy treats. Here is one of my favorites:
                                                                Pumpkin Roll

                                       

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat eggs for 5 minutes on high speed. Beat in sugar. Stir in pumpkin, flour, baking powder and spices. Pour into greased and floured 11 x 15 inch pan (cookie sheet). Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Prepare a towel-sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Remove cake from oven and turn out onto towel. Cut off edges and roll up, starting with the end (a short side). Refrigerate to cool.

Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 oz. softened cream cheese
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Beat together and spread on unrolled cake. Reroll and chill.


Maybe a treat for the weekend? Couple it with a mug of yummy coffee and a good book and it sounds like a mommy vacation to me.