Pumpkin Bread

Yes, I will continue to post awesome pumpkin recipes because it must be done year round!! It was so good that my family hogged it up and I had to have an extra piece just to ensure I got 2 pieces! I think I need to create a mommy stash of treats I like that they don't know about. lol This is from Four Sister's Kitchens, full of fun recipes and a lot of variety!

2 eggs

4 cups pumpkin

4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

5 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Combine the eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil together. Mix the spices together with the flour and add one cup at a time to the egg and pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in the chocolate chips if you choose to add them. Pour into 2-3 greased loaf pans and bake @ 325 for 1 hour or until the middle is cooked and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then take out of the pan and cool on wire rack.

Note: This bread freezes really well. Wrap in tin foil or saran wrap and then put in a freezer ziplock bag. You can also make muffins- bake @ 325 for about 20 minutes.

White and soft Bread

This bread is so great that I have helped two friends make it. Allison and Laurie, and they both loved it! It is fluffy! It has a perfect crust! It is great with any soup!

2 T yeast

1 T sugar

2 c. water, 110-115 degrees

Let stand 10 minutes

1 c. milk, warmed to 105

2 T. butter

6 c. bread flour

1 t salt

Let rise to double.

Put in pans, rise again

400 for 20-30 min.

Took a picture after I fed some to my kids. See, it really is that good!

Best Pumpkin Muffins Ever!!

I like pumpkin, so sue me! My whole family loves it! I wonder sometimes if pumpkin is only really appreciated because it isn't used all year round. Maybe pumpkin wouldn't be so special if it were? I think not, but then again, I like pumpkin, so sue me! This is a great recipe I got from cooks.com. Sometimes I can't find much there, but this was just yummy! So yummy, in fact, that when I got back from tutoring, they were all gone. The only evidence remaining: crumbs on the table.

I also used a cinnamon/sugar topping on these. I am thinking of replacing crumbly toppings with just cinnamon/sugar. It still gives it some crunch without all the extra fat and stuff. Yes, I know sugar isn't good for me either. Baby steps here! I am 7 months pregnant!

3 1/3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

3 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Mix dry ingredients and add:

1 c. oil

4 eggs

2/3 c. water

2 c. pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

Prepare muffin tins by greasing with vegetable oil or butter and sprinkling lightly with flour. Shake out excess.

Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Fat Friday: Cream Cheese Banana Bread

This recipe came from some old college cookbook and I haven't been able to make another banana bread since! Everyone we give it to loves it and wants more. It is just so soft, even the next day. Heaven in a loaf!

I gave some to the school teachers and bus drivers and it was just right.

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

¾ c. butter

Package cream cheese

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 c. flour

½ t. powder

½ t. salt

½ t. soda

½ t. vanilla

½ c. bananas (I use 3 whole bananas)

1/2 t. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

Topping: Mix with a fork and add on top before cooking

1 T. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1 T. butter

½ c. brown sugar

I made a boo boo and forgot to tell you to this makes two loaves! Just ask my two cute sisters in law who made one gigantic loaf! Either way works, but the one gigantic loaf will just take 1 1/2 hours to cook.=)

350 45-60 minutes

Sometimes takes longer. Even if it is a little doughy in the middle after 55sh minutes or so, it will set up fine.

Thanksgiving Recipes that Might Rock your World!

Don't you just feel full thinking about Thanksgiving?! I have some recipes that I would make if Thanksgiving were at my house. Thankfully, it is not! Here is one that my Aunt Jenny shared years ago! It sounds odd, but nothing could be more awesome! Just like Aunt Jenny.=)

I have so many wonderful blessings to be grateful for. My husband, my kids, my freedoms in this country, food, a house, a job and knowing that God is real and loves me. What more could you ask for? Hope you all enjoy your many blessings!

Pu Pu Platter

Really. this chestnuts, bacon and carmelized ketchup. You think you might not like it? Wrong!! So good!

I borrowed this picture from the Rachael Ray website because I didn't have a picture. Pretty huh?

3 can whole water chestnuts

2 lbs. bacon cut in half

Wrap bacon around each water chestnut and secure with toothpick. Bake on a cookie sheet with a rack for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. (Have never really used a rack and it's been fine.) Cool and then dip each into a mixture of 1 cup ketchup and 1 cup sugar. Drain the grease from the cookie sheet and bake again for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Sweet Potatoes

These are my favorite ever! Even my kids like them and that's saying something!

Best Ever Rolls

This woman with 8 children in my church made these for years, so you know they are perfect!

Roasted Squash

Pumpkin Bars

Don't get me wrong, I love pie! But these are just too yummy to pass up.

I was Featured! So Very Cheri

It makes me happy that people out in internetland are interested in what I have to say. I like sharing what I have learned and hope I can be kind of helpful to people looking for recipes. She featured my French Onion Rolls. Anyway, here is the blog, It's So Very Cheri. Cute and full of great ideas!

Family Home Evening: Thankful and French Onion Rolls

Tonight, Spencer did fhe for his first time. He wasn't too excited about it until he realized he got to pick who said the prayer and song.=) He did a great job! We made this turkey with what we are thankful for:

Dad: Heather (I do have a name besides mom!), Hailey, Spencer, Brooke

Mom: House and our approaching baby

Hailey: Food, Jesus, Church

Spencer: Heavenly Father, Family, House

Brooke: Owen's house (we said "friends")

It went pretty well and we talked about how to help others especially with all the blessings we have in our lives. We had sweet potato pie for dessert that Blake bought from the store. Not bad, but you know, many store bought are not as cooked as home cooked! But less dishes for me.=)

Song: Thankful Song

Thank thee for the world so sweet.

Thank thee for the food we eat.

Thank thee for the birds that sing.

Thank thee God for everything.

Quote:

1 Chronicles 23:30

And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even.

Scripture: D&C 59:7

Thou shalt thank the Lord they God in all things.

Goal:

To make sure we thank Heavenly Father for more blessings in our prayers.

Then, we watched The Grinch that Stole Christmas.

Because it's not right to post without a recipe, I have to share these bad boys! I used my regular roll recipe and put this coating on that I found at All Recipes. They just add more umph to the rolls. I did half with the coating and half without.

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/2 cup butter

Mix cheese and soup mix in one bowl and melted butter in another. Cover uncooked rolls in butter, then cheese mixture. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.

Some Stuff I Made

I am taking a small one day break from recipes. I do make other things besides food! Just not recently because I am so tired from being pregnant and 3 kids, but really, the sudden burst of energy should come soon, right?! Or does it not come with the 4th??=)

I have never made a wreath before. I have seen a lot of cute wreaths around and complied some ideas together to make this. (My 2 year old loves to pet the bird.) I got a dollar store wreath and wrapped it with some fabric I got awhile ago at DI (for 2 bucks for 3 yards!) Then made some rosettes and added a dollar store bird. My 6 year old had the idea to make a nest for the bird. I like her thinking!

This was fun and super duper easy. My kids love it. I use these pictures from these websites and printed them (free) . My color cartridge didn't work for some reason, but still pretty ok! I used a jam jar, pickle jars, soda bottles. Fun all around!

I couldn't resist putting these rolls in. I put the recipe here, but tied them in knots. This time I made small rolls and liked them even better! My family did too, in fact, they ate about 20 in 2 hours. Seriously! Come on, it's the weekend!=)

Overnight French Toast Casserole

I never post on the weekend, but seeing how it is General Conference for our church I couldn't resist! General Conference happens twice a year in our church and our leaders broadcast uplifting and inspiring messages about Jesus Christ and how we can improve our lives for the better. I always feel more uplifted after watching. Anyone can watch! To find out more, go here:

Moving on!! I thought I had the perfect overnight french toast recipe, wrong o! This is the perfect one! Although, I have decided I would cut the butter in half and the brown sugar to around half and it would be perfect. This baby I am carrying is not a fan of too sweet. My husband is. However, he is not carrying a baby! I got the recipe f:

1/2 cup melted butter

1 loaf french bread cut into slices

1 cup brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

5 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

Melt butter and pour in 9 by 13. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla separately. Layer bottom of pan with half the bread and Sprinkle half brown sugar mix over the bread. Layer second layer of bread. Pour egg mix over the bread making sure all are covered. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over top. Cover and refrigerate. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes at 350. Take off foil and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Homemade scones

I have been on a bread making streak recently! We were watching the Food Network the other day. (Bad to do that at night!) And we decided to make scones. These are the yummiest scones

This recipe comes from my great grandma. My mom made ham, eggs and scones every New Years Eve and we watched Star Wars. It has now switched to Harry Potter. We eat late at night and it is even yummier then! Ok, now I am starving.

If you don't believe me, ask my husband who ate the majority of them in 3 days. He even took them for lunch. Yes, he is a bread junkie.

These are thick and luscious and absolutely delicious with honey butter or chili or anything honestly!

Scones (Makes 25 or so)

½ c. warm water

1 pkg. yeast

½ c. sugar

½ c. butter

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 ¾ c. warm milk

5 ½ c. flour

Let yeast and water sit for 10 min. Add the rest of ingredients. Knead 10 min. Rise 1 hour. Roll out onto floured surface and cut into rectangles, about the size of a bar donut. Probably want 1/2 inch thickness. Heat oil hotter than the flames of h*^& or at least to 400 degrees. I use a frying pan that you plug into the wall. I am sure you could use a skillet, but just would take longer because it is smaller. Fry for about 45 seconds each side or until brown enough for you.

For rolls-400 for 14 min.

Bloomin' Onion Bread

Yes, this is as good as it looks. It isn't my photo though, it is from The Girl Who Ate Everything who is a gem among cooking sites. I made this for a girly get together when my husband was out of town and lets just say it was gone in 10 minutes.

1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread

12-16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.