Portabella Mushroom Casserole

In my neck of the woods it is casserole season.  Living at the beach in Oregon brings a cooler climate, especially in the mornings and evenings, that makes each day seem like the perfect blend of summer and fall.

Portabella Mushrooms are a family favorite because they are meaty in texture and have a mild earthy flavor.   My kids like mushrooms and this is a fun variety to buy at the store because they come in different sizes.  I usually buy the large ones in a 4 pack.  The mushrooms can be grilled (love the flavor when grilled), diced up for casseroles or used in stir frys.  These are just a few ways I incorporate them into our menu.

This casserole was a combination of a few ingredients that I had in my refrigerator.  I have a tendency to buy the mushrooms and then forget to use them.  I could tell I was nearing the end of their "fresh" cycle.  I recently switched to turkey sausage and find that these two ingredients pair well together.

On a scale of 1 to 10 this is an easy dish to prepare.  The kids love it and the leftovers leave you wanting more.

ENJOY!

Portabella Mushroom Casserole
4 servings

4 large portabella mushrooms
2-3 turkey sausage links (I choose the Italian flavor)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 small zucchini, diced small
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
2 cups of prepared marinara (homemade or store bought)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a casserole dish.  Add the 4 portabella mushrooms and prebake them for 15 minutes.

2.  Saute red onion and zucchini in olive oil until tender.  Add turkey and cook until done.

3.  Combine the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese together.

4.  Remove mushrooms from oven and layer the turkey sausage mixture with the ricotta cheese,  marinara sauce and mozzarella/parmesan cheese around the mushrooms in the casserole dish.  If you wish to slice or chop the prebaked mushrooms into smaller pieces you can before adding the sauce and cheese.

5.  Bake until bubbly--25-30 minutes for most ovens.

Recipe by Sherron Watson

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

This past summer we decided to eat less pork and beef.  The main reason is that we found that when we cut these two things out of our diets we felt better overall.  Pork especially had an impact for most members of our family.  I can't describe it exactly other than to say we felt blah after consuming bacon, pork chops or roast. Our kids still eat ham for sandwiches but I believe taking the dinner portions out of their diets has helped them digest the bit of pork they eat for lunch.  I have had the same reaction to beef.  I just feel better without too much of it in my diet. 

 In fact all meat makes me feel and react with a bright red nose, cheeks and chin.  I get small blisters around my face too.  I think meat may be a trigger for my GERD and Rosacea.  I have taken meat out of my diet completely for the last month and I feel great.  Honestly it has been easier than I thought because I can see and feel the difference this change has made in my life.  I will still continue to taste my recipes and, on rare occasions, eat a small amount of meat...but...it better taste dang good in order for me to put it into my body.

My family won't, nor should they, give up meat just because it triggers a bad reaction in me.  For this reason I still prepare meals for them that have lamb, chicken or turkey in some of the recipes.   We really like lamb.

I make a lot of pesto in the summer and sometimes I am down to the very tail end of the jar.  I decided to use it as a marinade with these lamb kabobs.  I know that lamb and mint go really well together.  I buy little bundles of mint but never manage to use the whole bunch.  This time I did because I added the rest to the pesto.

To bring out the flavor of the mint I also served the kabobs with mint jelly.  You can make this or buy it from most grocery stores.

Kabobs just scream summer to me.  Cooking on the grill on our back porch or at the park adds so much flavor to meat.  I love grilling.  I used metal kabobs but you can use the bamboo ones too, just soak them for 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.

Enjoy!

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

2 pounds leg of lamb roast cut into cubes
1/2 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
handful of mint leaves, washed and minced
olive oil to brush on grill

1.  Preheat grill or prepare coals.  I like mine hot so the kabobs take less time to cook.

2. Add the cubed lamb to a large bowl and add the pesto and minced mint leaves. If the marinade seems dry then add some olive oil.

3.  Thread the meat on the kabobs and grill.  Lamb does not need to be well done. In fact, we like ours to be pink on the inside.  The kabobs don't take long to grill.

If using metal skewers please be careful because they can get very hot on the grill.  Use a mitt to help rotate them or tongs.

Written by Sherron Watson

Hawaiian Meatballs

There was a time that Cory and I thought about moving to Hawaii.  We spent 6 weeks there during the summer of 2010.  I fell in love with the islands but there were a few things we were worried about and the longer we stayed the more diverse the islands became to us.   If it was just Cory and I we would have considered it but with 4 kids and the cost of living the reality of the move was not going to happen.  We still return for visits and have chosen to enjoy them as tourist instead of as home owners.

I was born on Midway Island which is not too far away....only 1500 miles...Okay so it's a bit far.  My dad was in the Navy and this is why we were stationed there. The sound of waves crashing against the shoreline sends a ripple of emotion through me.  I feel connected to the lifestyle.  My dad always reminded me of Jimmy Buffet because he had a very laid back approach to life and loved the water.  I remember being on the water at an early age wearing my life jacket and being dumped into the San Diego Bay more than I like to think about.  His catamaran was his toy and he wanted to share it with his kids.  I am not sure my Mom completely liked the idea but she went along on most escapes.

Living in Maryland and being so close to water has felt great.  I can see why the sea was a place that my Dad found his happy place.   While garage shopping last summer I found a box full of old cookbooks.  I quickly glanced through the titles and spotted a book on Hawaiian cooking.  The date on the inside cover read: 1973.  My heart pounded a bit with excitement as it often does when I find a cookbook that is not in my collection.  I thumbed through the pages and found several recipes that I knew my family would LOVE.

These Hawaiian Meatballs were located smack in the middle of the book. I soon discovered that the book was a compilation of recipes from a local newspaper. In my mind that read, "the best of the best" for that year. I took the liberty to alter the recipe a bit to accommodate my family's taste and used what I had on hand.

Oh did these taste amazing! They have been added to our rotation of recipes that I use when I have run out of ideas....it happens.  I made the meatballs from scratch but you can use frozen meatballs too.

I served the meatballs with rice and fresh fruit.  Let me know what you think!

Hawaiian Meatballs
Makes about 25--depends on size of scoop you use

Meatball:

1 package of meat with three kinds:  beef, veal and pork
1 egg
1/4 cup  diced bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Sauce:

1 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced small
salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, add more to taste

1.  Prepare sauce by including all ingredients into a medium sauce pan and bringing to a gentle boil.  Let simmer until thick.

2.  Make meatballs by adding all the ingredients to a medium bowl and blending well.  Shape meatballs by using a cookie scoop.  Line them in rows on a cookie sheet.

3.  Bake meatballs at 375 degrees until done, about 20 minutes.

4.  Transfer meatballs to a baking dish and pour sauce over the top.  Bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove and serve with rice.

Written by Sherron Watson

Steak Pinwheels

Have you heard there is a football game right around the corner?  I hear it's kind of a big deal to football fans.  Okay, it's the game of all games if you are a football fan, especially if your team is on the game roster to play.

Our team is not this year.  The Ravens surprised us though by making it to the playoffs and then they really surprised us when they won the first game over the Wild Card weekend.

Win or lose we are still fans.  We knew that they would need a few years to rebuild after losing so many key players after winning the Super Bowl.  Our family channels all of our team spirit into the teams that are left.

Hey, we are Raven fans but at the end of the day we are football fans too.  We just love a good game.  We love cheering for a team.  Our hopes were dashed when Denver was chased out of town a few weekends ago but now we have moved onto Seattle.

We lived in Seattle for a few years and our families are deeply rooted in the Northwest area.  If it didn't rain so much we might still live there.

Here is a simple appetizer that can be made the day before any event.  It doesn't have to be a football game.  I recommend they sit in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours before being served.  They hold together much better this way.  The pinwheels can be filled with any type of meat, any type of cheese, and you can use any type of wrapper.  These are flour. Honestly they wrap the easiest with flour tortilla but if you have food restrictions then use what falls into your dietary needs.

Horseradish Cream is easy to make too.  I love this cream served on these pinwheels but I also like it on red meat, baked potatoes and sweet potato fries. Horseradish is one of my all time favorite condiments.

Steak Pinwheels

4 large tortilla wraps (flour, rice flour, Paleo, etc...will work)
8 slices of roast beef or turkey
8 slices of thin swiss cheese
4-6 spears of asparagus, steamed until tender
1 bunch of chives, cut into inch pieces (garnish)
horseradish cream
mayonnaise

1.  The night before, lay out tortillas and layer the cheese and meat.  Place an asparagus spear on one end and start to roll the tortilla until a tube is formed. Wrap the tortilla tube in plastic wrap and let sit for 4-6 hours. Overnight is best.

2.  When ready to serve, remove from fridge and cut into 1 inch thick slices. Spread out on a plate.

3.  In a small bowl combine the horseradish cream and mayonnaise.  This is a taste as you go condiment.  Add more or less of what you want.  In a plastic baggie or piping bag add the sauce.  Snip the corner of the baggie and zigzag the cream across the tops of the pinwheels.  Lay a chive piece across the top. See picture above.

NOTE:  If you wish to add the cream sauce to the inside of the tortilla wrapper you may but the cream sauce will need to be made before the pinwheels.

Curry Chicken Salad

Here we are already, the middle of January.  Our year is already off to a start with time running a race that is still 11 months away until we see the finish line. We have had a chilling month so far.  I have felt a little house bound as the temperatures in Maryland are in the teens at night and the mid to low 30's in the afternoons.  We even had a few days with the  high temperatures struggling to reach 21 degrees.  OUCH--that is way too cold for me to be outside with the little kids.

We have spent our time indoors catching up on some reading.  I decided to read a few books that my daughter read for one of her college literature classes.  So far I am on book three of five.  I have read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.   I just started reading And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. The books haven't been what I would call light reading.  I find joy in reading books that are not necessarily in my wheel house of what I would normally choose.  These books are challenging me to think from different perspectives and giving me a glimpse into the lives of those that are less fortunate, struggling to find their place in this world, and trying to be the best person that their circumstances have allowed them in their lifetime.  I believe this is a great way to spend my time indoors.  I have also found time to knit and work on a few quilts.

I am proud of Isabella.  Over Christmas break the whole "I want to read a book" ignited within her little soul.  She has struggled to consider herself a reader because she finds certain sound combinations hard to pronounce and has been wary of reading on her own.  The first time she picked up a book and decided to read it herself almost brought a tear to my eye. I was sitting in the living room reading my book and she walked to our school bookshelf and pulled out a Toad and Frog book.  She spent the entire day reading the whole thing!  It was over 100 pages.  From that day forward she has proclaimed to all of us that she LOVES TO READ.  As a parent this is music to my ears and as her teacher my heart melted.  I knew of her struggle to want to read and how hard we worked on her vocabulary, blends and sounds and her struggle to read each day.  To see her find joy in reading has been so inspiring to me.

There is not a day that goes by that she does not say how much she loves to learn and that she loves school.  

I hear her reading everything now.  I hear the pride in her voice as she finally understands that to read and write, though challenging to learn at first, will open doors for her future and allow her to see a broader picture of the world she lives in.  We had a talk the other day about how fortunate and lucky she is to live during a time when she can learn to read and how empowering knowledge is as she moves forward with her life.  

Well, that is how we have been spending our time during this cold January in our home.  I have managed to make a few things that I think are worthy to post on the blog.  One of which is this Curry Chicken Salad.  I love chicken salad and my family loves curry. Combining the two isn't anything new in the culinary field but for our family it has been a great addition to our lunch menu.   

Thanks for reading and following along.

Have a great day!

Curry Chicken Salad

3-4 cups of cooked chicken pieces (about 3 chicken breast)

2 ribs of celery, sliced thin

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup red onion, diced small

1-2 Tablespoons of yellow curry

1/2 cup whole cashews

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise

squeeze of half a lemon

NOTE:  You really need to adjust the seasonings to what you and your family enjoy.  We like this salad to be made with lots of curry and creamy with extra mayonnaise.  Adjust the measurements accordingly.

1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

2.  Serve with crackers, on a sandwich, or with lettuce boats.  My kids also like this served with rice.  I personally like the salad warmed up a bit.

 Written by Sherron Watson

Gingerbread Cake #grainfree

Bread and cake are two things I don't eat very often and yet here is a recipe that has both words used to describe a Paleo inspired or grain free dessert.   The cake is grain free but our whipped topping in the photo is not dairy free.  The Watson kids don't have dairy issues and so I saved myself a bit of work and used a quick homemade whipped topping I use for my chocolate roll.  The chocolate roll has a gluten free version too.  You can use a coconut based whipped topping to make it completely Paleo.  I also made the coconut caramel sauce from scratch but you can easily use a regular recipe or even a store bought caramel sauce.  It's a busy time of year--make the parts of the cake that you have time for.  I actually left out the Brandy sauce because after 4 pages of instructions, one full page of ingredients, I figured the kids could do without the Brandy.  (wink wink)

My kids start to dread the month of December because this usually means that I am thinking about making a gingerbread house.  I thought about it for about 2 seconds this year and decided I would pass for these two reasons:

A.  We don't need the sugar in the house from the store bought candy.

B.  My nerves might shatter with one more failed attempt at making a gingerbread house from scratch added to my already long resume dating back to 1986 without a single successfully constructed and decorated gingerbread house. I am pretty sure Martha Stewart had something to do with my drive to make one every year...LOL

If you are new to my blog then this recipe is not typical of what you will usually find here.  I try to keep the recipes simple BUT every once in a while I need to make something fabulous and this cake was a great place to start our holiday baking.  I guess this cake is the gourmet part of the blog.  Don't let the long list of ingredients deter you from making this absolutely delicious cake.  I didn't have to buy one thing at the store because I already had every thing in my kitchen. When I visited NYC in October I bought myself the Wilton 5 piece layered cake set. The cake pans are about 8 inches round and 1 inch thick.  This cake is small but very very tall.


I never make cakes anymore and my kids miss it.  I want to start making a few more cakes in 2015 using this cake pan set.  I like how small the cake rounds are. The tall cake just looks awesome for the kids.  We can eat this cake, a family of 6, a bit easier than if I use regular round cake pans. It seems I was always throwing cake away--can you believe that--but I really did.

I found the original recipe over at Wicked Good Kitchen.  She has all of the instructions for the Brandy Sauce and the Coconut Cream Whipped Topping.  Below you will find my interpretation and the three components I used to make this awesome cake.

It requires time, I won't lie.  I made this cake while I taught Isabella school. It worked out perfectly because I was already in the kitchen area and had time to bake and teach while Isabella did her work.  I might even suggest that making the caramel sauce the day before will save you some time.  It took almost an hour and a half for me to make it and to allow it to cool.  The total time for the cake, sauce, whipped topping and assembly was about 2.5 hours.  And you know what?  I plan on spending that amount of time this week making it again--it was delicious!

This cake is a show stopper and one that will knock your socks off when you take your first bite.  To cut the cake you might have to have Ninja Knife Skills but having a sharp knife and a spatula helps a lot. I used the spatula or another knife to hold up the cake and the second knife to cut the slice.  The cake fell onto the spatula and I was able to transfer it to a large plate.  If you have extra whipped topping or caramel sauce, you can drizzle more on the slices.  To be honest--I used it all on my cake below--so next time I may save a bit for presenting the slices to my family.

The gingerbread cake is rich in flavor with the molasses and maple syrup. I wouldn't say the cake is super sweet (and I like that) but the caramel sauce and whipped topping balance nicely because they are sweet.  Make adjustments according to your family's likes and sweet tooth.

AGAIN--don't panic by the size of the ingredient list or steps.  It is not a hard recipe and is much easier than it looks. I promise!  Also, read through the instructions SEVERAL times before you make the cake.  I am always here to answer any questions.  Send me an email or comment and I will get right back to you.  It is worth the work!

Please share this recipe on Twitter, Facebook, Stumbled Upon, Pinterest or Google +.  It helps to spread this recipe with friends and neighbors.  THANKS!

Gingerbread Cake  #grainfree

Makes enough batter for 5 small round cake pans

Ingredients for the cake: 

I used the weight (grams) measurements to make my cake in the pictures.
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (144 grams) arrowroot starch

1 cup (112 grams) blanched almond flour (I made my own in the Vitamix)

½ cup (56 grams) organic coconut flour

¾ teaspoon (3.6 grams) baking powder 

¾ teaspoon (3.6 grams) baking soda 

1 teaspoon (4.8 grams) kosher salt 

2½ teaspoons ground ginger 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

½ teaspoon ground allspice 

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

6 large eggs, separate the whites and the yolks into two bowls

½ cup (168 grams) organic maple syrup (use the real stuff)

½ cup (144 grams) unsulphured molasses

 ¼ cup (56 grams) organic virgin coconut oil, melted, plus extra for pans 

¼ cup (60 grams) organic ghee or grass fed butter

2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract

¼ cup (60 ml) full fat coconut milk (use the milk only--the rest will be used later)

½ teaspoon cream of tartar 

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (use more if you love nuts, the crunch is great)

Ingredients for the Coconut Caramel Sauce:

Use the remaining can of coconut milk from the cake recipe above-roughly 3/4 of the can should be left. (15 oz can was used)

6 oz of real maple syrup

2 tablespoons grass fed butter or ghee

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon flake salt (reduce if butter is salted)

Ingredients for whipped topping:

For coconut whipped cream see the original recipe HERE.

For dairy version use:

1 small carton of heavy whipped cream

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons maple syrup (this can be replaced with plain sugar but you may not get the deep caramel color as seen in the pictures).

I recommend making the caramel sauce first.  This allows the sauce to cook, cool and be ready to work with when the cake is done.

To prepare the coconut caramel sauce:

1.  Use a heavy bottom pan. I used my 10 inch cast iron frying pan.  It worked great!  Set heat to medium high.  In the frying pan, add all of the coconut caramel sauce ingredients and whisk together.  Heat caramel sauce until small bubbles appear--gentle boil.

2.  Use only a wooden spoon to stir for the first minute.  Reduce heat to medium low and try not to stir too often until the end. I set my stovetop to 3 and it was hot enough.  The caramel kept a slow boil going for 35 minutes.  Watch sauce so it does not burn.  The caramel sauce will start to turn from a creamy pale color to a caramel color.  The sauce will reduce and become very thick, coating the back of the wooden spoon nicely.  

3.  When caramel is thick and not too dark, remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl.  Stir and let set to cool.  The color with cloud slightly once it is completely cool but when warmed again, it will return to a nice caramel color.

To prepare the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325.  I sprayed each of my five pans with cooking spray or you can use coconut oil.  The pans are so shallow that the layers pop out quite nicely.  If you are using larger cake pans, then see Stacy's site for instructions.

2. In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.

3.  In a large table top mixer (I used my Kitchenaid) add egg whites and cream of tartar.  Whip until egg whites are stiff.

4.  In a separate bowl add wet ingredients: egg yolks, coconut milk, maple sugar, molasses, and vanilla.  Whisk to combine.

5.  I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mixed together until combined.  I then added the egg whites and gently folded them into the cake mix. This reminds me of when I make our chocolate roll cake--kind of the same texture and process. Let the cake batter sit for 5 minutes.

6.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans in the bottom of each cake pan.  Add batter to each of the five pans.   The batter came almost to top of each cake pan.  Hit cake pans on table to release any air bubbles.  Bake until firm to the touch--about 12 minutes.  These are small cake pans so the cook time is very short.

7.  When baked, let cool for a few minutes and then flip them out onto a cookie wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the whipped topping:

1.  Pour ingredients into a bowl.  Whip until thick.

I used my Kitchenaid for this process but you can easily use a hand mixer too. The whipped topping comes out slightly brown because of the maple syrup.  I like the color of it on the cake.

To assemble the cake (finally, right?)

1.  Have the cooled cakes, the coconut caramel sauce and the whipped topping ready.  Drizzle the coconut caramel sauce over the 5 cake layers while on the cookie rack.

2.  I layered the cake like this:  cake layer, whipped topping, repeat until all 5 layers are used.  I topped the cake with the remaining whipped topping and drizzled more caramel over the top of the cake so that the sides were dripping with sauce.  

Store cake in the refrigerator.  I cover the cake with two huge pieces of saran wrap.  My cake was gone in about one day but I would say the cake is good for 3 days before the quality starts to fade--dry cake, etc...

Written by Sherron Watson

I have attached links to my amazon account so that you can see the products that I used in making this cake.  No purchase is necessary. I do make a small commission from all sales but that money is put back into the blog for recipe developing.  Thanks!



I use this brand of almonds to make my almond nut flour.  I know they have the skins on and honestly this has not made any difference in my baking when I process the flour in my Vitamix.   They are cheaper to buy in bulk too.

Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles

Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles are quite good if you ask me or my kids.  We make these all the time,  even in the months that don't begin with O or N.  Pumpkin is an ingredient that we like year round.

I can usually get about 10 waffles from each batch but it really depends on your waffle maker.  Honestly, I hope that Santa brings me a new waffle maker.  Ours just stinks.  It has hot spots that make the waffles stick and the grooves are shallow.  I really like the Belgian Style Waffle Irons--just in case Santa is reading this-- that flip over.


I have tried this with pumpkin pie seasoning and we don't like the flavor so I just stick with cinnamon. I use an amount that is not over powering.  If you want a cinnamon punch with your waffles then you will need to add more than what I have suggested.

I beat the egg whites before adding them to the pumpkin mixture and this creates a fluffy waffle while baking.  The waffles, when cooled, feel firm but when you add your syrup they melt in your mouth.  They kind of shrivel too.  Don't let this discourage you from making them--they taste amazing!

We eat our waffles with real maple syrup, lots of butter (see the picture), molasses, apple pumpkin butter or plain.  The baby likes hers just plain-nothing fancy for Miss Finnley.

Let me know how you like them or if you have any questions.

Please share on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Stumble Upon.  Thanks! This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small amount of money from any purchases.  The money is used to maintain my blog and create recipes.  

Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles
Makes 8-10

1 cup pumpkin (I use organic canned pumpkin)
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons Ghee or Grass Fed Butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup almond flour
6 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon --use more for a stronger flavor

1.  Preheat waffle maker.  I don't have any fancy switches. Just two lights: when it turns green I know that it is ready to use.

2.  In a large bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT the egg whites.  Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff.   Gently fold in pumpkin mixture to the egg whites.

3.  Spray waffle maker with your favorite non stick spray.  Add enough waffle mix to cover the bottom of the waffle maker.  Close the lid and let cook.  Mine take about 2 minutes to cook.

4.  Remove and let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and then serve.

Written by Sherron Watson

This is the pumpkin I use in our home. I buy it by the case. It is cheaper than buying it by the single can in our area.

Slow Cooker Apple Pumpkin Butter

This is the best apple butter I have ever made and I have made a lot of recipes trying to find the perfect texture and flavor.  I really really wish that I had tried adding pumpkin years ago; really, I do.

If you have read my blog then you may have heard me mention some apple butter that I had in a small town name Talkeetna.  It is the stuff that keeps me up at night trying to duplicate it and dreaming about the consistency.  I remember it being thick--very very thick and full of flavor.

This is just like THAT apple butter only THIS butter has pumpkin and I LOVE it.  I really really love it very very much.

It's late and I am loopy--LOL  Anyways this apple pumpkin butter is amazing. It is super easy too because you throw the ingredients into the slow cooker and let them cook, stir and sweeten.  We sampled it while the butter was still warm but I think it taste best after it has cooled in the refrigerator.

I thought this would make it until Thanksgiving day-NOPE. I have to make another batch this week. We have decided it is a tasty addition to our homemade multi-grain gluten free pancakes. It is--I won't lie.

The apple butter will be cooked with a sweetener but I always add more when it is done cooking.  This way I can make sure I don't get it too sweet.  While the butter is still warm I will add brown sugar until it is perfect for my family.  I have also used honey and coconut sugar to sweeten our apple butters in the past. My kids like the brown sugar.  I don't bake with it that often so I don't mind using it here in this recipe.

Please share on Pinterest, Faceboook, Twitter or Stumble Upon.  Thanks!

Slow Cooker Apple Pumpkin Butter
Makes about 2 to 2.5 cups

1(15 oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3-4 medium size apples--Granny Smith's are what I use
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning
1/3 cup palm sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt (sounds weird, but I like it with just a bit of salt)
optional--add brown sugar to sweeten when finished --to taste

1.  Prepare apples by washing, coring and quartering them.  I did not peel them either.

2.  Add ingredients to slow cooker, stir well and cook on low for 4 hours.  I have done this on high for 2 hours but you need to watch it. The edges get very dark and you don't want the butter to taste scorched.

3.  When apples are soft use a stick blender or potato masher to mix the butter when finished cooking.  I like mine with a few chunks so I don't blend until smooth.  This is just my preference, you do what your family likes: chunky or smooth.

4.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Written by Sherron Watson

Turkey Inspired Vegetable Platter

Yay!  One of my family's favorite holidays is finally right around the corner. It just so happens to be Cory's birthday too.  About every 7 years his birthday falls on Turkey Day.  

Last year we went to a friends home and I was invited to bring a vegetable tray. I googled a few different versions of turkey themed trays and came up with this version which is similar to what I saw online.  

I try to balance my colors so that there are an array of colors to work with to create the turkey's feathers and backside.  Getting the face just right was a bit harder than I thought because I had to figure out how to cut the red pepper to make the gobbler.  I used one black olive, cut in half,  and two round carrot slices for the eyes.  The beak is a cucumber cut into the shape of a triangle.  The face is the bottom of a green bell pepper.

The leaf lettuce is not necessary but I do think it adds a brilliant ruffle around the edge of the tray. It gives this turkey his "ruffled feathers" if you like.

I served the tray with our favorite dressing:  Parmesan Ranch.  The recipe can be found here.

I don't believe a recipe is needed to successfully make this tray.  Use your imagination, use your favorite veggies and make it as big or small as you like. This tray is HUGE.  I made it for 30 people.

The ingredients I used in the picture below are: carrots, celery, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, green leaf lettuce and romanesco.

You could also use:  red onions, green onions, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, mushrooms...I think you get the idea.  Go and have fun creating your next turkey platter.

Please share on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and StumbleUpon.  Thanks!

Written by Sherron Watson

Sliced Acorn Squash with Parmesan Cheese

I decided that I wanted to photograph my acorn squash with the seeds still inside the center.  I felt that the seeds are a part of the acorn squash that quickly get discarded and forgotten.

The detail of the webbed center with the slippery seeds shows that great effort has been put into the growth cycle.  Thankfully the seeds are easy to remove.  I use a large spoon and gently scrape the sides.  The seeds go down the drain and I am left with two halves. Have you ever saved your seeds?  Would you treat them similar to pumpkin seeds and eat them?  Let me know if you use them and how.

We are fans of squash.  On the blog you will find an array of squash recipes.  We eat one zucchini every day in either our breakfast or dinner.  I find that squash just fits nicely into most recipes that use eggs, vegetable dishes like soups and stir frys,  as well as, stand on their own in simple recipes.

Here are links to a few of our favorites:

Creamy Baked Acorn Squash
Kuri Squash with Sausage
Zucchini Cheese Souffle

I like to use simple ingredients when working with squash.  The tender squash meat is transformed when seasoned with a bit of extra virgin olive oil or grass fed butter.  Then if you decide to add salt, pepper and some seasonings the dish is expanding its flavor profile.  When the slices came out of the oven I decided to add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  I found when the the squash was broiled and the edges were browned that this added a wonderful finishing touch to this simple recipe.

So the question that I run into is this.  Is this considered finger food or not? 

Well, for me it is not finger food because I eat the green peel too.  The cooking at a high temperature softens the green peel to a degree that it is edible.  I have several friends and family that also eat the whole slice.  It is also okay to eat the slices like you would a slice of watermelon.  I would consider the guest at your table to see if they are comfortable eating finger foods.  Who knows, they might like it.

If you are inclined to share recipes on Pinterest, Stumble Upon, Facebook and Twitter, I really do appreciate each and every share.  Thanks! Sherron

Sliced Acorn Squash with Parmesan Cheese

1 acorn squash, cleaned out and cut in half
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Flake Salt  (I use this brand)
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Have a metal cookie sheet ready.

2.  To slice the acorn squash into 1/4 inch slices you will need a large sharp knife and a stable cutting board.  I used my belly to support the squash and pushed down on the knife to make the slices.  Trying to saw or cut them like a tomato did not work for me.  Use a technique that will help you achieve the result.

3.  Toss the slices in a large bowl with all of the seasonings and oil.  I did not give measurements because this step is based on your family and what they like.  I used my reliable 4 pack: salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.  I also added some fresh mint.  You add what you like and use seasonings that best fit into your family's appetite.

4.  Bake slices for 20 minutes of until tender.  Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the top layer of slices and broil until golden brown.

5.  I removed the cookie sheet and transferred the slices to a serving plate.

Written by Sherron Watson

Note:  I have included one affiliate link to show you the brand and type that I use. There is no obligation to buy.  I do make a small fee but this all goes towards ingredients for recipes.  

Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potato Sticks

I know I posted a sweet potato recipe last week and looking at my future post I have one scheduled again for next week.  What can I say?  We love sweet potatoes and I am having fun in the kitchen experimenting with creative ways to prepare and season them.

In my opinion honey and cinnamon taste well when tossed together with some butter.  I experimented with pan frying the sticks of sweet potatoe.  In the past, I have used leftover sweet potato to fry up the next day.  I wondered , "Could I cook the raw sweet potatoes by pan frying them and would they taste okay?"  Personally I have never had great success cooking a raw potato without precooking it first by baking, boiling or steaming them first.  I thought maybe the sweet potato would fall into this category too.

My surprise success at pan frying the sticks of sweet potato is met with enthusiasm because I felt confident that my future cooking plans with this ingredient could be expanded to include them in more recipes.  I am specifically thinking of using them in stir fry.

I will continue to play with sweet potatoes so don't be surprised if a few more recipes emerge in the next few months. I don't believe that this is a Fall ingredient but one that we should be enjoying all year round.

What is your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes? I am open to new ideas.

Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potato Sticks

2 cups of sweet potatoes cut into sticks  (try to keep them the same size)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1-2 teaspoons honey

Season with: cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

1.  Melt coconut oil in a medium frying pan.  Add cut sweet potato sticks and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drizzle honey over the sticks and toss.

2.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with seasonings.  Use as much or little as you desire.  If you wish to add some melted butter, go ahead at this time.

Written by Sherron Watson