211. Pumpkin Pudding

I cannot believe that it is October 1st.  Where does my time go and why does it fly by so fast?

Here we are though.

The leaves are turning red. The morning is cool.  The air fresh.

This morning as I walked Isabella to school I stepped onto my cracked cement steps, filled with my pots of flowers. The last few blooms of red, yellow, orange and pink trying to hold on for one more day.

The air is too crisp for me to not run back inside to fetch a light jacket.  My breath is visible as I run back outside to meet Isabella for our 5 minute walk to the school.

We notice that our neighbors tree has started to turn red.  We see the puddles left over from the rain the night before.  Change is coming.

I love change.  I love the feeling of something new in the air.  I am always reminded of the movie Chocolat and the wind that always signified change.

It's a good thing.

I have been ready for it to be cooler for a month now. Our summer was blazing hot.  Our waters too full of jelly fish to enjoy the beach.  We missed that family tradition and so we were longing for the traditions that follow us into the months of October, November and December.  My favorite time of the year.

This weekend we planned out our month with the kids.  We are heading to the tree house camp to spend 3 days as a family, we will hit the pumpkin patch somewhere close to our home, do a ghost tour of Annapolis and visit our family in VA.

Our month will be busy and it will go by way to fast.  Like last month.

How do we slow it down?  Do I want to?

For me, I plan it out.  If I don't then time goes by and we don't do anything fun, as a family or for ourselves.  It is important to make the time.  All too often I hear the words from my family, "do we have to go", "can't we stay home",  "lets go next week" or , and this is my favorite, "this will be so boring".

We go any way.  I listen to the groans, and words spilled under their breathe.  WHY?

I know.

I know that this might be our last time together.  I know that we always have a good time.  I know that I can't freeze time.  I know that my kids will grow up and be gone before either of us knows what hits us.

I know.

Time is unstoppable and so is our decision to live our lives.  If we don't do the things we talk about or plan then we will be 20+ years into our life and looking back wondering.

I don't ever want to do that.  I want to look back and know that I spent every ounce of my life doing something for good, sharing it with those that I love and spending my time wisely.

This time of year is always reflective because it is where some of my most precious memories reside from my own family growing up.  I travel back in time and think about time spent with cousins, traditions of pumpkin patches, dressing up in costume and laughing.

We can't stop time but we can certainly make the most of it.

I spent some time last week making pumpkin pudding.  Oh is it good!

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe that can be eaten in a dish with a bit of whipped cream or layered in a trifle with gingerbread chocolate cake and caramel.  The pudding is rich, thick and taste like pie.

It's a keeper of a recipe for this time of year.  ENJOY!

Recipe:  Homemade Pumpkin Pudding

2 cups f 2% milk
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup of corn starch or arrowroot starch
2 large eggs
1 cup of pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Toppings:  whipped cream, sprinkled cocoa powder and chocolate curls

In a sauce pan, add milk, brown sugar and corn starch.  Whisk to combine.  Bring to a boil.

Boil for 3 minutes.  It will start to thicken. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, add eggs. Whisk.

To combine the eggs with the boiled mixture you have to do several things.  You do not want to scramble the eggs so this step is required to slowly integrate the eggs into the milk mixture.

I use a measuring cup and take 1 cup and slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs.  Whisking the whole time.

This brings the eggs up in temperature so that they can easily be added to the remaining milk mixture.

Combine the two, by slowly pouring the egg/milk into the milk/sugar mixture.  Whisking the whole time.

Return to stove and bring to boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.

Pudding should be thick.  Stir in pumpkin, salt and pumpkin spice.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cooled.  For individual portions, add the pudding to the cups before the set.

Serve with whipped cream, chocolate curls and chocolate sprinkled cocoa.

Cantaloupe Salad

I know that Fall is upon us in part of the US, but there are others that are just starting to feel the first rays of sunshine or reaching a temperature that is still warm and hot but finally bearable.  Florida and Arizona come to mind for the later part of that sentence.

I for one will not complain that our temperatures are finally in the 70's and far away from the 90's of the last few months.

What I love about this salad is the combination of sweet from the cantaloupe and savory from the tomato and green onion.  This salad is delicious on its own with a bit of salt and pepper or I enjoy adding a bit of olive oil and a flavored vinaigrette.

The oil and vinaigrette stores are showing up all across the US.  If you are like me, I get a bit overwhelmed walking up to the oil aisle of my favorite grocery store.  There they are in their beautiful bottles, fancy labels and price points.

Where to begin?  Does it matter that one is $5.99 and the other is $25.99?

Samples are galore as you enter the oil and vinaigrette locations.  They are eager for you to try and taste their product, in some cases drink it.  LOL  I always feel so guilty taking more than I will use yet they fill it right up.

My favorite flavor is peach.  It has the fresh flavor of a peach that I miss this time of year. It is a gentle reminder of the summer that has past and the summer to come.  This is the flavor that I add to my cantaloupe salad.

I usually buy the Italian Herb Olive Oil.  It pairs well with most things that I prepare.  I am looking forward to returning and purchasing the garlic infused, now that sounds dynamic to me.

Enjoy this simple salad.

Recipe:  Cantaloupe Salad

1/2 cantaloupe, cubed
1 tomato, diced medium
1/4 cup of diced green onions
1/2 cup of cubed mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of peach vinaigrette (optional)  OR use your favorite flavor

Combine all ingredients, toss and serve.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Apple Nacho's

I remember coming home every day from school hungry.

I usually had cereal for breakfast and a school lunch.  Most of the time I did not eat lunch because I was too rushed to play.

After all, all the fun stuff happened on the play ground; not in the classroom.  Of course now I beg to differ.

At the age of 8, I was all about playing in the dirt, hanging upside down on the monkey bars and chasing my friends in a game of tag.

My friends and I would go into the furthest parts of the dirt fields.  This must have been strange to the school aides watching from the steps of the playground to see 4 girls run and spend their time dragging their feet in the ground, occasionally running around holding our hands like "hooves".  You know, your elbows bent to a 90 degree angle, close to your bodies with the tips of your hands curved.

Horses.  We were busy playing horses, building corrals and running free in the wind.  Our mains (strawberry blond, dark chestnut brown and blonde hair) blowing freely in the crisp California mountain air.

15 minutes. 30 minutes.

It did not matter how much time we had, we did the same thing everyday.

On the weekends we were riding real horses.  At school we were imaginary horses.  My Little Pony was a glimmer of an idea in some young entrepreneurs mind as we were playing the real thing everyday.

Coming home from school hungry, I would have enjoyed this treat welcoming me on the counter every once in a while.  I lived a different life.  I usually had another bowl of cereal or a Pop Tart.

I try to have healthy snacks ready for the kids because I know one thing after all these years, kids still come home hungry.  They may not be playing horses in the fields but they skip out a bit early on lunches to meet up with friends in the halls or the foyers of most schools.

What were your favorite after school snacks as a kid?

Recipe: Apple Nacho's

1 red apple, sliced thinly
1 green apple, sliced thinly
caramel sauce (recipe below)
mini chocolate chips

Spread apples on a plate.  Put caramel in a baggie to pipe on or use a spoon to drizzle sauce over apples.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

NOTE:  You can also serve the apples sliced with the caramel in a bowl.


Recipe:  Peanut Butter Caramel
This makes one cup of sauce.  It is great served over ice cream or over a skillet cookie.

1/2 cup of coconut oil, warmed
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon  of real maple syrup
1 tablespoon of vanilla
pinch of salt

Combine all of the above ingredients into a blender.  Blend for 3 minutes until thick.   Refrigerate leftovers.

Apple Dip

"An apple a day will keep the doctor away." 

I must have heard this several times a week as a kid.  I tell my own kids this more than they probably care to admit.

I think fruit is important and sometimes it's boring to just eat a plain apple or banana.  

I try to come up with creative ways of encouraging the kidlets and their friends to eat a bit healthier.  I say a bit, because the dip is, well, a bit sugary.

We make our popcorn in a plain brown bag with REAL butter and salt.  That's it; nothing more or nothing less.

I found a small bag of Halloween popcorn that the kids must have gotten last year hidden behind a box in my pantry yesterday. 

 SCORE, was my first thought. 

 YUCK, was what happened after I tried the first popped kernel.

I personally could not handle all of the "seasoning" on the popcorn.  

I will stick to buying my organic, Amish sold popcorn kernels.  I love the whiteness of the popcorn once it is popped.  I can gage the amount of butter and salt.  It works for us.

This little after school snack has been a treat in our family for a few years.  We shared it with the cousins and now they love it too.  

The apple is crunch, the dip is soft.  The apple is sweet and the popcorn is salty.  With this combination you will soon find yourself looking into the bottom of an empty bowl.  

Oh, maybe that is just me…LOL

It's pretty dang good.  I recommend it.  ENJOY!

Recipe:  Apple Dip

1 package of cream cheese, soft

1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend all together until smooth.

You will need apples, popcorn and dip.  Take apple wedge, dunk into dip then roll in popcorn.  DONE.

Puff Pastry Buffalo Chicken Appetizer

I love to make my own puff pastry.  It is time consuming, but the flavor is amazing.  When you take that first bite and the layers just snap apart in your mouth as your teeth cuts through each flaky tier, you can't help but smile with pride.  

I always wait anxiously the 24 hours it takes to make the puff pastry wondering several things:

1.  Did I just waste $8.00 dollars worth of butter?

2.  Will it rise in the oven?

3.  How am I going to use this much puff pastry?

The recipe I use makes a lot and so, it should be noted, that having a few recipes on hand is a good 

idea.

I always use the left over dough to make bread twist or cinnamon sugar treats for the kids.

I brushed these pieces with butter and sprinkle Old Bay Seasoning on them before baking.  "Super good"..direct quote from one of the teachers at school.

I get a little bit excited about my puff pastry or I should say Emeril's because it's his original recipe that I use.  You can find my step by step pictorial HERE if you would like to make your own.

Fear not, because store bought works too!

I have readers that range in "new" to experienced", so I like to give lots of options.

I knew that a buffalo style appetizer was in the works when I made my first batch of puff pastry.  I felt that the buttery layers combined with a cheesy sauce and spice chicken would shine.

I will be honest...THEY DO!..LOL

The key to making this appetizer be a success and not a mess is having the circles of puff pastry large.  I used a 3.5 round cookie cutter.  The cheesy sauce should be kept to a small spoonful.  If you add too much they will spill over.  By adding the chicken after they bake, you insure that the layers all rise.  You won't have the doughy bottom.

You are now prepared to make an appetizer that is sure to impress your friends.  These can easily be made at home, covered and transported to your game day party.  If they need to be warmed up, just pop them into the oven ( heated to 325) and warm for 10 minutes. 

Recipe:  Puff Pastry Buffalo Chicken Appetizer

Makes 24, depending on size of circle cutter used 

1 box of puff pastry, thawed

2 cups of cooked, diced chicken breast

1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce

1/2 (4 oz) package of cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1/4 cup of diced celery + 1/4 cup for garnish

1/4 cup of gorgonzola cheese

1 cup of jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425.

Dice and cook chicken, drain off any juice and add hot sauce. Keep pan warm on stove. You will add the chicken right before serving.

Flour your surface and roll out pastry thin. Less than 1/4 inch. Using a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles place them 1 inch apart on cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Combine in a medium size bowl cream cheese, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of celery, gorgonzola cheese and jack cheese. Blend until well combined.

On each pastry circle add a small spoonful of cheese mixture. Spread with the back of the spoon until the center is covered. Leave the edges of each circle clean from filling. If you add too much it will spill over onto the pan when baked.

Bake for 20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown on the middle shelf.

Remove from oven and gently place a scoop of buffalo chicken in the middle. The middle will sink a bit. Garnish with diced celery.

205. No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls

Balls is such a funny word.

In our family for a while we just could not even mention the word without someone dying of embarrassment (usually our pre teen son) or a joke being cracked (usually by Dad).

I say balls to my 5 year old and she is running to the closet to get her soccer ball or basketball.

Words.

I love words.  I always have.  Challenge me to a good game of Scrabble or Boggle and I would stop almost anything to play.

Words can be funny, terms of endearment, hateful, loving, harsh, whispered, spelled out or shortened to an acronym.

Words connect a family, a recipe, a thought.  We must always choose them wisely.

In using the name balls for this recipe,  it just fit.  Orbs sounded to scientific.  Circles too boring.  Round cookies was not specific enough.  So you have balls.

No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls that are easy to prepare and a change from the ordinary no bake cookie.

Enjoy!

Recipe:  No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls

1 cup of almond meal (buy at Trader Joes)
1 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened
¼ cup of peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar, for tossing each ball in


Combine all ingredients, except powdered sugar, in a large bowl and mix until a dough is formed.

Using a cookie scoop, firmly pack the scoop and place each scoop on a cookie sheet.

Chill for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl add powdered sugar. Remove cookies from fridge and toss each cookie in powdered sugar until well coated. Shake off excess.

Place on a plate and chill for 10 minutes.

Keep leftovers in refrigerator

204. Parmesan Ranch Salad Dressing

Raise your hand if you grew up on Hidden Valley Ranch.  

Yeah, me too.

We ate this stuff on everything and with anything.  Most notably pizza and mashed potatoes.

Salads? 

 Right.  

NEVER! Not as kids at least.

When I got a bit older we slowly used it to dip a carrot or two, this was on a rare occasion, every once in a while and usually when our Mom wasn't around.  If she thought my sisters and I were eating a vegetable of our own accord, who knows what type of hysteria that could send her into.

I must have ruined myself.  I have tried this dressing at different times of my adult life and, honestly, I can't stand it.  I am convinced they sold out and changed the recipe.  It taste of artificial sugars and blandness.  

When we eat out, I usually get ranch on the side and then something else.  On the rarest of outings, do I find a salad dressing, let alone, a ranch that I love.

I do eat a lot of salads, especially being wheat free. Most restaurants have some type of lettuce entree that I can usually eat if nothing else will work.  So dressing is important to me.

I have honestly thought about taking my own dressing with me when we go out to eat.  

Doesn't that defeat the reason for going out?  LOL

I make Parmesan Ranch Dressing two ways: thick and thin.  Thick for us to use as a dip.  The obvious, thin for salads.  I personally like it thick on my salads too but my family does not.

My favorite way to eat this salad dressing is to buy those little heads of lettuce, they usually come 4 to a package at Whole Foods.  They are the perfect size for a single portion of salad.  I wash the green and purple leaves with ice cold water to keep the crisp green leaves at their best.  I give the small head a shake or two and then I ever so gently twist the end off.  It feels almost violent at how easily it falls off into the palm of my hand.  The lettuce tearing at the resistance of being twisted against its will.  

I unroll two sheets of paper towels and lay the leaves out to dry.  I fold the two sheets together to sop up the pools of water that nestle in the crevices of the leaves ridges.  Once dry, I transfer the leaves to a plate.  I cut up celery, carrots and bell pepper into long sticks.  Grab a small bowl of salad dressing and find a quite place to sit at our table.  Usually looking into our back yard at the trees swaying back and forth in the wind.  

Taking a lettuce leaf and holding in the palm of my hand, I lay a stick of carrot, a stick of celery and one of bell pepper.  Roll it up and dip it into the Parmesan Ranch Salad Dressing.  What emerges is a thick white blend of sour cream and mayonnaise, sprinkled with garlic and green onion.  The obvious presence of parmesan is visible.  This is where the flavor resides.  

I double dip, again and again.  

My belly is happy, my taste buds are satiated.  

Such a simple item to have in your arsenal of condiments.  I have blended this into mashed potatoes, steamed cauliflower and creamy soups.  

Tell me what your favorite salad dressing is below in the comments.  I am always on the look out for new flavors.

Recipe:  Parmesan Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of finely chopped green onion
splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt
dash of pepper

Combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

NOTE:  If you wish to make this thinner, add a small amount of milk or buttermilk.  Shake or stir really well.

I have not tried substituting yogurt for the sourcream or mayonnaise, but this is an option if you are trying to reduce fat.


  

Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies

When you find a cookie this AMAZING, you realize it just has to be shared. 

Neighbors, friends, kids and spouses will sing your praises for days or even weeks once they bite into the perfect balance of soft and crunch of this cookie.

Of course the combination of Nutella and Peanut Butter are already a proven dynamic duo.  Our family enjoys this combination in smoothies, syrups, brownies and cakes.  Why not a cookie too?

A bigger note of importance for me, no wheat!  

I made a batch of these and within minutes they were gone, like a speeding bullet they vanished into thin air. 

Let me know in the comments below how your family enjoyed these cookies.  

Recipe:  Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies

recipe adapted from simplyscratch.com

1 egg

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of milk

1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup of Nutella

3/4 cup of Old Fashion Oats, not cooked

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium size mixing bowl or a table mixer, mix until smooth: egg, brown sugar, milk, peanut butter and Nutella.

Add the salt, baking soda and oats. Stir well.

Use a cookie scoop and drop cookies every two inches onto to parchment paper.

Bake for 8 minutes.

Cool cookies for 2 minutes on cookie sheet and transfer to cookie rack.

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

I have argued back and forth with myself if I should share this recipe or not.

The flavors of zucchini, eggplant and cheese paired with a homemade marinara sauce and cooked slowly over a few hours have created a casserole that left my tummy very satisfied.

With a satisfied belly and flavors that proved to be wonderfully matched, why would I not want to share this dish?

Quite simply, the dish was difficult to photograph.  I could have spent more time arranging each piece of eggplant, every drop of sauce or place the spinach just right.

There is a bit of chatter among bloggers and photographers about how much is too much when it comes to photographing food.

I admit that I spend more time than some because I want the presentation and the props to create a mood, setting or feel along with the food that is presented.  This is not from a desire to have the perfect dish but more from a sense of working in the business, experience and years of looking at food in magazines, papers and on blogs.

When I first started years ago I did not know all of the tricks of the trade.  My lighting was off, the silverware was placed wrong or my focus was off, too much bokeh usually.  Bokeh is the blur you create in the background of most images.

It took me lots of trying, playing, researching and developing of my own skills before I started taking the pictures I wanted.  Even today I get all jelly-legged and excited when I come across a blog or picture that causes me to stop and stare in awe.  When this happens I reevaluate my own photography skills and try to determine what I need to improve upon.

I believe that we are in a constant state of improving when it comes to mastering our own craft.  My craft happens to be photography and cooking.  Someone else's may be sewing, computer programming or design.

Getting back to this recipe, I felt that the images would not conjure up the desire in my readers to give this dish a try solely on the basis of the image.

When I see the pictures this is how I feel, this is what it invokes in me.  My mind is a dreamer, a drifter and a romantic.   I see a hearty meal prepared by loving hands.  I want to imagine a family that has been hard at work in the fields of the farm, working the soil and creating a deep hunger with in themselves as the hours pass by.  I go back to a time with castles, moors and moats.  I see the tartan plaid worn by the village people, the pottery plate and the silver utensils.  All  ready to hold the feast that is rich in flavor, texture and color. It stirs a warmness in my belly.  I see the sauce being soaked up by a loaf of warm bread.  I see a meal that is fit for a hungry man.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  It tells far more than we may want to believe.  It is the first contact that you have with a recipe.  It stirs your taste buds, reminds you of a memory.

This is why I was worried that you may or may not find this dish appetizing.  If you have made it this far I am grateful that you took the time to dig a bit deeper.  The Eggplant Parmesan Casserole is a keeper in my home.  It may not look like much but I can't wait to prepare it again.

When a recipe does that to a person, then you know it's a winner.

Recipe:  Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

• 1 large eggplant, peeled
• oil for pan
• 2 cups of flour
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of fresh spinach, washed
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch
• 5 slices of provolone cheese
• 1 package of fresh mozzarella, the log
• 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 4 cups of marinara or meat sauce, homemade or store bought

NOTE:  To make this dish gluten free, I used an equal combination of almond meal and brown rice flour to dip my eggplant in.  You can also use white rice flour.

Preheat oven 350.  This dish was created to use in dutch oven or deep oven proof stone bowl.  Below is a picture of the dish that I used.

To prepare the eggplant: Peal the eggplant with a potato peeler.  This makes the eggplant less bitter. Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices.  Heat oil in a large saute pan.  Place the flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Add the milk and one egg to another bowl.  Dip each slice into the milk and then the flour.  Fry on each side until golden brown.  Set aside.

When you have the eggplant fried, zucchini sliced, spinach washed then you are ready to start layering your dish.  I mixed and matched my layers with veggies, using the three cheeses through the dish.

This is an example of how I layered mine.

sauce

spinach

parmesan cheese

eggplant

mozzarellaCheese

sauce

zucchini

provolone Cheese

eggplant

mozzarella Cheese

sauce

zucchini

spinach

sauce

mozzarella cheese

Cover the casserole with a lid or foil.

Bake the casserole for 1 hour and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Pictures below will help you see some of the layers.

Chocolate Brownies #GlutenFree

Chocolate, coffee and almond meal make this brownie rich in flavor and moist in texture.  This brownie is a gluten free treat that will fool your friends.  I have topped it with  caramel and a few toasted nuts.

Recipe: Chocolate Brownies
Serving size: 12-16 brownies depending on size of each one

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes


1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of light olive oil
4 large eggs
1 cup of almond meal (store bought or made at home)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of finely ground coffee
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup of nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium size bowl, combine sugar and oil. Using a hand mixer, blend ingredients well. Adds egg and mix on high speed for 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine vanilla and coffee powder. Stir and set aside.

Add almond meal, salt and cocoa to sugar/oil mix. Using a spoon or spatula mix together until smooth.

Add coffee/vanilla. Stir well.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Line a 12 X 8 ,or pan of your choice, with parchment paper.

Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until brownies puff up in the center.

Cool on wire rack. Once cooled, brownies will settle.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a table top mixer;  add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla.  Beat cookie dough for 2 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Mix well.

Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Prepare cookie sheet with spray or laying down a piece of parchment paper. Scoop cookie dough two inches apart onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

½ C butter
1 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup of Rice Flour
1 tsp GF baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar together.

Add egg, pumpkin & vanilla. Combine together well.

Add all dry ingredients. Stir well.

Add chocolate  chips.

Prepare pan with spray or parchment paper. Scoop dough two inches apart.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. (They're best a little underbaked, so they are still really soft.)

Remove to cooling rack and let cool.

Turkey Legs

I know, a post about cooking turkey legs.  Something so simple that it may not warrant a bit of time as a full post.

Except they are so delicious, make a great addition to soup, can be used in enchilada's and are the perfect size for a family of one or two.

I remember being a young couple living in TX at Bergstrom Air Force Base (which is now the airport in Austin) and being overwhelmed with the idea of cooking a huge turkey.  First, I did not think we would eat a whole turkey; secondly, I did not know the first thing about preparing a bird, a whole bird.

So for these two reasons-easy to prepare and can be used in so many things-I decided to go ahead and write a short recipe of how I prepare our turkey legs.

I buy two at a time from Whole Foods and they range in price from $4-$5…very affordable.

I set my oven to start preheating to 425 degrees while I get the legs ready to cook.

I use four basic ingredients:

salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

Now if I want to jazz up the flavor I can add any or all of these:

curry powder
cumin
dried herbs: thyme, rosemary, basil or oregano
onion powder
Old Bay Seasoning (Maryland  required spice that works on everything…LOL)

I like to use my cast iron pans but you can use any pan the legs fit into.  Try to give them some room, I try to keep them from touching.

Bake for 20 minutes, turn legs, and bake another 20 minutes.  These legs are larger than chicken legs and I like to check the internal temperatures to make sure they are done. Use a thermometer to do this.
Internal temperature should not be below 165 degrees.

Remove from oven and let legs rest for 10 minutes.

I have served them whole, one per guest.  Picked the meat off and used them in a variety of recipes.  Used the leg bones to make broth.

Turkey legs are simply useful in my kitchen when it comes to creating easy or gourmet dishes.

Cheddar Cheese Crackers #glutenfree

UPDATE:  2-5-2015  Hi, I had a comment that a reader made the crackers and they spread on the cookie sheet and did not hold their shape.  I have remade them again, using the instructions below, and I didn't have the same issue. I will note that I use a high end sharp cheddar cheese.  I use Cabot to be exact.  My oven temperature holds at 400 degrees so it is very hot.  I will include a few pictures below to show you the batch I just made.  These are white because I used white sharp cheddar cheese and not the orange this time.  I also tried putting the dough in the freezer but it made it very brittle and hard to work with.  I recommend if you do this, letting it warm up a bit before trying to roll it.  My cracker dough is similar to pie crust--its thick.  If your dough, after adding the milk, is not coming together in a ball, then add a drop or two more milk until it forms a ball.   I hope this helps and please leave a comment if you have any questions or comments. The thinner the dough is rolled, the crispier the cracker gets.

  I just ate 10 crackers--LOL  I forgot how good they are!

Before they went into the oven.

After baking for 10 minutes.

My cutting set up and how thin I roll the dough.

I enjoyed these tasty cheddar cheese crackers with tuna fish and an extra slice of cheese for lunch the other day with my husband.  My taste buds were pleasantly surprised at the flavor of sharp cheddar.

The crispy cracker was a welcome to my longing for something crunchy.

I was delighted that I made these from scratch.

The cheddar Cheese Crackers are gluten free but you don't have to eat that way to enjoy a delicious alternative to a store bought product.

Some times labels can scare us away from trying something new, especially if you feel that flavor and texture will be sacrificed.  I was satisfied with the results and wanted to share this with my readers.

All of the products can be purchased at a health food store, Whole Foods or most major grocery chains in the baking aisle.

This recipe calls for Potato Starch, not to be confused with Potato Flour.  You will NOT get the same results, please check the packaging carefully.

I used a sharp cheddar but you could easily use a milder cheese or a different variety, like parmesan.

The shape of my cracker was achieved by using a special round cookie cutter that I received as a gift from my kids.  It has a scallop edge and makes the crackers into a cute "RITZ" shape.

Honestly, I was too lazy to make a fish and make Fishy Crackers with this recipe but you could definitely do that if you have the cutter and the time.

Enjoy these simple crackers with your favorite topping or eat them straight from the cooling rack (they may not last any longer than that).

Recipe:  Cheddar Cheese Cracker
Makes roughly, using a 1.5 inch cookie cutter,   35-40 crackers

1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons of butter, soft
3/4 cup of potato starch (Not potato flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon flax meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons of milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

I used my table mixer with the paddle blade.  You can use a bowl and hand mixer too.

Combine all of the ingredients.

Mix until a smooth dough is formed.

Add a piece of parchment paper to a cookie sheet.

With a separate piece of parchment paper on your work surface, add the dough.  Add another piece of parchment paper to the top of the dough and push down.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between the two parchment paper pieces until you reach your desired thickness. I think 1/4 inch is too thick, I like mine a bit thinner than this.  They do puff when baked and to achieve the crispy texture, they cannot be too thick or they will be soft.

Using a cookie cutter of your choice, I used a 1.5 inch scallop cutter, start cutting out your shapes and moving them to the cookie sheet.

I used a knife and my hand, lifting the bottom piece of parchment paper, to help get under the dough.  Most of the shapes came right up but there were a few that needed help.

Place shapes every inch.

Bake crackers for 10 minutes.  I turned my tray, because of how my oven cooks, every 5 minutes.

If you like your crackers to have a nuttier flavor then add 2 extra minutes to the bake time.   The edges of the crackers will be darker.

Store the crackers in a baggie or sealed container.