Pumpkin Bread

I found this recipe using Google.  It was submitted by Laurie Bennett.  Any additions to her recipe by myself, my mom, or friend Rachel will have a star by them.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

15 ounces of pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup of water

3 cups of white sugar*(I used 2 c. white sugar and 3/4 c. brown sugar)

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder*(Mom said to add this-made the bread pretty)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon*(Mom said to add more than the recipe called for 1  1/2 tsp.)

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves(this is the ingredient I omitted and Rachel won!)

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. allspice*(Rachel's other secret weapon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour (3) 7x3 loaf pans.  I just used Pam.  Mix together wet ingredients.  Mix together dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir.  Pour into pans.  Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Yummy recipe that gets better the next day so it is best to bake it a day ahead.  It stays moist as long as it is kept covered.

Chicken Burrito Filling

This recipe is so yummy!  My friend Holly passed it my way-Thank you Holly!!!   I made it for dinner today and will definitely make it again.  Super easy.

Chicken Burrito Filling

Layer in Crock pot:

10 Frozen chicken tenders (I used three frozen chicken breasts)

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of chunky salsa

1 can corn, drained (or frozen corn)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 package of taco seasoning

Cook on low 4-5 hours, until chicken is done.  I shredded the chicken in the crock pot, mixed it all up, and then served it up with shredded cheese in a tortilla (I use the tortillas that you cook from Costco).  Top with sour cream or other yummy toppings.  

Holly's other suggestions: Serve with tortilla chips or on top of mixed salad greens with crushed chips, green onions, and Mexican style rice.

This had to be one of the easiest meals I have ever made and I had all the ingredients on hand.  I might even add a little rice to the mixture next time.  I had about half left after dinner (we are only a family of 3) so I will be freezing the mixture to break out again for dinner.  Love it!

Garlic Cheese Bread

I don't have a picture because we ate it all!  Basically, I had a loaf of sourdough bread and was thinking about making French Bread pizza.  Well, we ordered pizza instead but while we were waiting I made us an appetizer....like we needed more carbs with our dinner!

1 Loaf of Sourdough bread cut in half

Spread butter over halves

Sprinkle with garlic salt

Sprinkle with Kraft Parmesan cheese

Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese

Put under broiler.  Watch carefully until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.  I sliced my loaves again into smaller pieces for easy dipping.  Serve with spaghetti sauce for dipping.  Yummy!

Banana Popsicles

Okay, so this isn't an original idea by any means.  Julia is always asking for a "popcle" or popsicle.  I did find some popsicles that are rather small and only about 3 grams of sugar per serving.  But the other day I made a bowl of fruit for us to snack on and had half a banana left over.  So I cut it in two, stuck skewers in them, wrapped them in saran wrap, and stuck them in the freezer.  Today when she asked for a "popcle" I grabbed for a frozen banana and she didn't seem to mind.  

I always learn something after I make a dish.  And in typical teacher fashion, I like to "reflect" on what I could have done better.  I would definitely purchase some popsicle sticks instead of using skewers for this item.  So after I get more popsicle sticks I will be poking them into all sorts of fruits for my little girl to munch.  And I guess I could always cover them in chocolate and nuts someday for a special treat...just like at the fair.

Shish Keberries

I wanted a quick dessert that Cliff could possibly eat in the car on his drive to work.  I already had some cold strawberries sliced and found my bamboo skewers.  So I drizzled a little "Hershey's Shell Topping" and stuck them in the freezer to help the chocolate harden.  When I brought them out Cliff called the Shish Keberries and helped Julia master the technique of sliding the strawberries off without stabbing herself in the eye.  :)  Just a little twist on the chocolate covered strawberry.

Cheddar Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Another yummy recipe from Carianne.  This is super easy to make.  She even gave me a recipe for Mexican White Rice but I was missing the cilantro and opted for a box version instead.

Cheddar Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

4 Chicken Breasts

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 c. Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack

1 (14 1/2 oz. can) Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes-chopped

1 (15 oz. can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbl. cilantro

Directions

Spray large skillet with olive oil and heat.  Saute chicken until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.  Turn over and saute until cooked.  Sprinkle cheese over chicken ( all but about 1 tbls.).  In a small pan bring tomatoes and black beans to a boil.  Top the chicken with the black bean salsa and ad remaining cheese and cilantro.  Yummy!

Okay, I once again did not have the cilantro and the dish still tasted yummy.  I think I just need to plan an herb garden so I can pick the herbs as I need them.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I happen to love Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I am not always pleased with the versions that restaurants have to offer but Carianne gave me a great recipe!  Again, pardon my food picture taking skills.  I'm not sure how the magazines make food look so good.  While I know family living in Bakersfield is not in the mood for soup this is a super easy recipe.  Almost every ingredient comes out of a can.  I made enough soup to fill my entire crock pot.  I put some in a Ziploc baggy to be frozen until another time.  Two things I would change for next time: 1) I didn't chop my stewed tomatoes.  lazy me!  I would next time as then the tomatoes would be more evenly distributed throughout the soup.  2) I would add the cilantro!  I totally forgot about it until I took a picture.  The soup still tasted fine without the cilantro.  Thanks again Carianne for a yummy, easy dinner!

Carianne's recipe did not come with all the exact measurements as she is a "handful here, pinch there" kind of girl.  For those of you that are a little scared of this method I made note of the measurements that I used.  However, they are only guidelines.  You should do some tasting, just like Emeril, as you prepare your soup.  So here goes:  (my guidelines are in parenthesis)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

(Water for boiling, 10 cups)

Chicken Breast (I used 2)

Garlic (1 tbs. minced)

Pepper (1 tsp.)

Salt (1 tsp.)

Chicken Boullion (5 Cubes)

2 limes

2 cans Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes

1 can of Corn ( or 1/2 bag of frozen corn)

1 Lg. can Green Enchilada Sauce

1 7 oz can of Diced Green Chilies

Olive Oil (1 tbs.)

1/2 Onion (you can use a whole onion if you really like onions)

Cilantro

Directions:

Boil chicken in garlic, pepper, salt, limon and chicken bouillon.  Do not throw out water when the chicken is done.  Shred or chop chicken.  Saute onions in olive oil.  Chop up can of stewed tomatoes.  Pour into pot of broth a can of green enchilada sauce, diced green chilies, can of corn, stewed tomatoes, onions, and then add chicken.  Let cook for at least 30 minutes.  Carianne usually cooks her soup on low for one hour.  Add cilantro the last 15 minutes.  Carianne adds tortilla chips, cotija cheese and pepperjack cheese to each individual bowl.  I used a monterey jack/cheddar blend so feel free to play around with cheese that you will like.  I also like to make cornbread muffins.  I throw a muffin in the bottom of the bowl and pour soup on top.  Yummy!