What to do With a Pumpkin: Desserts, Decorations, Gifts and More

What to do With a Pumpkin: Desserts, Decorations, Gifts and More
As a Fall family activity, each year, I allow each of my five children to pick a pumpkin. As the family has grown throughout the years, it has become apparent to me that I need to come up with some creative ideas on what to do with all those pumpkins. There’s only so much pumpkin pie a person can eat!

Easy Chinese Food at Home | Econobusters

Easy Chinese Food at Home | Econobusters
Pop on over to to the blog today - we're talking Chinese Food at Home! Simple ways to cook Sweet & Sour chicken, egg rolls, fortune cookies, etc. Save money and have fun with the family! http://econobusters.com/easy_chinese_food_at_home/

Pumpkins,Pumpkins,Pumpkins : Chili's, Soups, Desserts & More

There was a time when I thought pumpkin was only good for two things: Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Bread. However, in this modern age of Reality TV: Food Network, Martha Stewart and The Chew, I now know there are many more creative things I can do with this orange Autumn squash.

Pumpkin pie smoothie or milkshake

 Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin (chilled)

• 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (chilled)

• 8 ounces vanilla yogurt or ice cream

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• Whipped cream, to taste (optional)

 

Directions

1. Combine pumpkin, milk, yogurt or ice cream, sugar and spice in a blender; cover.

2. Blend until mixture is smooth.

3. Pour into glasses; top with whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. Serves four.

Hearty Chicken Soup With Apples & Pumpkin

Add chopped pieces of apple and pumpkin to traditional chicken soup for a sweet and tasty treat.

• 1 whole chicken, cleaned, boiled, de-boned and shredded
• 6 cups of chicken broth or chicken stock that the chicken was boiled in
• 2 cups of chopped apples
• 2 cups of chopped, fresh pumpkin
• 1 cup of chopped celery
• 1 cup of chopped carrot
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/4 cup of olive oil or real butter
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• salt,pepper,garlic to taste as desired

1. 1. In a large soup pot, boil a whole chicken. Then cool, remove the skin, de-bone and shred
2. 2. In a skillet, saute carrots, onion and celery in olive oil or real butter with salt & pepper
3. 3. Add the carrots, celery, onion, apples and pumpkin to the broth and stock and bring to a boil.
4. 4. Add the chicken and reduce heat to a simmer.
5. 5. Add the cinnamon and season to taste with additional salt, pepper and garlic as desired

* Serve stew in clean, carved out mini soup bowl size pumpkins!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

• 1 box brownie mix (family size)
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Grease 9×13 pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Preheat oven and prepare brownie batter according to packaged directions. 
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. In small bowl, whip cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. 
4. Stir in pumpkin and seasonings. 
5. Drop pumpkin mixture by the spoon full over brownies. 
6. With a butter knife, swirl cheesecake into brownies being careful not to touch the bottom of pan. 
7. Bake according to box directions, or until brownies are set (about 30 minutes for mine). 
8. Cool 10 minutes and cut into squares.

Here's one more, I really like. My mom's pumpkin cake roll with cream cheese icing. It's great cold!

.Have more ideas and recipes you'd like to share? Send me a comment!

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : New Year's Day Black Eyed Pea Broccoli CheeseSoup

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.
Consider doing this one for New Year's Day. You might want to substitute cabbage for broccoli if you are from the south.

Black Eyed Pea Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients :

• 1 pound of ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 (12 ounce) can of black eyed peas, drained
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 1 (12 ounce) can of creamed corn
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1/2 cup of cooking oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pound package of frozen or fresh broccoli ( or fresh green cabbage pieces)
• 2 cups of water

Directions :

1. In a medium to large pot, boil the broccoli in the two cups of water.
2. Then add one ingredient at a time starting with the ground beef down to the cheddar cheese on the ingredient list. Stir between ingredients.
3. Let everything simmer together for about thirty minutes before serving,

Serve with hot buttered cornbread.
I also like to eat fried okra with my black eyed peas. Try it!

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup
This is a simple, inexpensive soup to make. Adapt this recipe to personal preferences. Consider adding broccoli or sausage for variation. My dad made this one when I was little. Now that I'm the cook, I top iit with shredded cheese, chives and bacon bits. It's like a baked potato soup! You could even consider leaving the peelings on the cooked cubed potatoes.

Ingredients :

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 (14-ounce) can vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk, divided
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 cups milk

Cooking Instructions :

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add potatoes, carrots, onion, and vegetable or chicken broth. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat.
2. While vegetables are cooking, make cream sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter; add flour, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and dill weed. Stir until cheese is melted. Set aside.
3. In a food processor or blender, in small batches, puree potato mixture with some of the milk. Pour blended potato mixture back into the soup pot. Add the cheese sauce, sour cream, remaining milk, salt, pepper, and chili pepper. Stir until thoroughly blended. Return to medium heat and heat until warm. Remove from heat and serve in soup bowls.

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Holiday Leftovers Soup

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Holiday Leftover Vegetable Beef Soup

Take a little of that roast, turkey, ham or chicken, whatever you have left over and almost every vegetable in the fridge and combine it with a few simple ingredients for a tantalizing hot soup to warm those cold bones on winter days yet to come.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs leftover cooked meat: beef, turkey, chicken, ham or sausage
• 64 ounces beef stock or beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• Italian seasoning, to taste
• ketchup, to taste
• 2 cups of cooked green beans ( you can also use any vegetables you have on hand or in the fridge, be creative)
• 2 cups of cooked green peas
• 2 cups of cooked corn
• 2 cups of cooked carrots ( use the carrot sticks from the party trays, cook and chop into pieces)
• 2 cups of cooked diced potatoes
• cherry tomatoes and chopped green or bell pepper if desired (party tray leftovers)
• 1 (32 ounce) can of vegetable juice or tomato juice
• 1 packet of instant au jus or instant onion soup

Directions:

1. In a large pot, cook onions, celery, and garlic in butter or oil until onions are golden.
2. Stir in the chopped cooked meat
3. Add the broth, vegetable juice and the Worcestershire, stirring to mix, and seasoning to taste with Italian seasoning and ketchup (how much you add will depend on how seasoned the meat and broth already are, so be careful here).
4. Once the soup base is set, add the vegetables one by one
5. Add the au jus or instant onion soup and additional water or beef broth if needed.
6. Let the soup simmer on the stove for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Cool, divide into cartons and containers and freeze until needed

Serve with hot buttered cornbread.
If you haven't added potatoes, this will freeze well. Potatoes become mushy when frozen.

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Easy Taco Soup

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Easy Taco Soup
Ingredients:

• 1 large family size can of ready to eat pinto beans
• 1 pound of ground turkey seasoned with taco or Mexican seasoning
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes & green chillis
• 2 cups of tomato juice
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup of taco seasoning
• 1 can of corn
• 2 cups of water

Directions:

1. Brown the ground turkey and onions together, drain any fat off
2. In a large 4 Qt soup pot, bring to a bowl the water and tomato juice
3. Reduce down to a simmer
4. Add the taco seasoning and blend well
5. Now add the beans, taco meat, onions, tomatoes, green chilies and corn. It's fine to dump everything into the pot.
6. Stir and keep warm until ready to serve.

* This soup can easily be dished up into individual serving or family size cartons and frozen until needed**
I love this with saltine crackers.

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Easy Bowtie Chicken Alfredo Soup

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Easy Cream of Chicken Alfredo Bow Tie Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. of canned or fresh cooked and de-boned chopped chicken breasts
• 1 15 oz. Classic Alfredo sauce
• 12 oz. box of bowtie pasta (cooked to package directions)
• 1 10oz can of condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup of milk
• Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper ( to taste)

Directions:

1. Start off by combining the condensed soup, milk and Alfredo sauce in a soup pot on the stove.
2. Stir well and heat until warm.
3. Add the cooked or canned chicken and the cooked bow tie noodles. Stir well again and keep warm.
4. Lastly, stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

This makes about 4 servings depending on the size of the soup bowls

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Chicken and Dumplings

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Chicken & Dumplings

• 1 large can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 large can of chicken breast
• 6 cups of chicken broth
• 6 cups of flour
• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder

1. Dumpling dough is made by combining the flour and baking powder first. Stir well.
2. Then cut in the shortening and keep mixing well with your hands.
3. Slowly add a little of the milk at a time until a rich dough is formed.
4. Flour a flat surface. Roll and flatten out dough into a large rectangle about a 1/4" thick
5. With a pizza cutter, cut dough into 1/2" X 1/2" squares
6. Boil the 6 cups of chicken broth and after it starts to boil, slowly add the dumpling a little at a time.
7. Keep a constant watch on it and stir continuously. Do not let dumplings stick to sides or bottom of the pot. Continue to cook and stir dumplings for at least 10 minutes in the boiling broth.
8. Then stir in the cream of chicken soup, chicken and a little milk.
9. This is the crucial part. Turn off the heat and stir continuously for the next five minutes to avoid scorching of the cram and milk.
10. Let everything stand and thicken up for 15 minutes before serving.

This does not freeze well, but makes enough for about 14 servings.

Wonderful with cornbread.

Winter Time Comfort Food Recipes : Mild Texas Chili

As the weather outside gets colder, my thoughts go to hot chocolate, hot soups, cornbread, chili and crackers.
Are you with me?
Here are some of my favorite winter time recipes.

Mild Texas Chili

• 4 pounds of ground beef, cooked & drained
• 1 can of tomato juice
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• Large chopped and minced onion
• garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste
• Add a large can of pinto beans if desired

1. Combine all ingredients together.
2. Stir and simmer at least an hour

Again, makes a lot, freezes well