Fall Favorite

 

Who doesn't love pumpkin bars? If you don't, then skip this recipe. If you do, then this recipe is for you!

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 cup oil
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 15x10 pan (large jelly roll sheet) by spraying with cooking spray. Blend all bar ingredients and mix at low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Cream butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; mix on low until sugar is combined and then mix on high until fluffy. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Store in refrigerator.

Yields approx. 24 bars.

Source: I got this recipe from a Thanksgiving Point recipe packet that I either received in the mail or got at the Thanksgiving Point deli...but now I don't remember which.

Notes: This is fall dessert goodness at its best. Besides, these are beyond easy and they feed a crowd. It is a great dessert if you need to take something to a family or social gathering.

Fun for the Kids

 

If you want to make the kids a fun dessert, but also want to make them work for it, this is the recipe for you.

Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
12 tablespoons rock salt
1 quart-size plastic baggie
1 gallon-size plastic baggie
Ice

Directions:

Put vanilla, milk, and sugar into a quart-size bag. Then close the bag and seal it shut with duct tape. Place the quart-size bag inside the gallon-size bag. In the gallon-size bag, put about 2 cups of ice (filled half way) and add the rock salt on top of it. Close the big bag.

Shake the bags for about 10 minutes, or until you have reached your desired ice cream consistency. Remove the quart-size bag from the gallon-size bag. Wash or remove salt from bag (so it doesn't get in the ice cream when you open the bag). Cut off a corner of the quart-size bag and squeeze the ice cream into a cup or bowl.

Serving size: Makes 1 serving.

Source: We have been making this for a long time. I found this recipe years ago on a website, but I don't remember specifically which one.

Notes: You can use any kind of milk for this activity: heavy whipping cream, half-and-half, whole milk, 2%, 1%, even skim milk. It just depends on what you have on hand and how rich you want your ice cream to be.

Also, even with all the shaking in the world, you are going to get a soft ice cream consistency. If you want it more firm, you can ripen it in the freezer for an hour or longer.

You can create different flavors by using chocolate milk (or adding chocolate syrup to the plain milk), by adding strawberry syrup to make strawberry ice cream, or caramel syrup to make caramel ice cream, etc. You can also add fun toppings (such as your favorite candies, crushed cookies, or mashed or chopped fruit).

 

Above: I used packing tape to seal my quart-size bag because I was out of duct tape! I also doubled the recipe and put both servings into the quart-size bag this time. It worked fine.

 Above: We had a little ice cream left over, so I put it in the freezer, but I forgot to take a picture of it after it had ripened. So, all the pictures you have are when it was in the soft serve phase. I also tried a slightly different version that I found in a book, but now for the life of me, I can't find my copy of it. When I find it, I will post it here.

Pioneer Style

An activity I did with my kids recently was to make homemade butter. It is really easy to do...it just takes a little muscle and some energy. Try it!

Homemade Butter

Ingredients:

1 pint heavy cream

Directions:

Fill airtight containers approximately half full with heavy cream. Securely cover containers and shake until thickened and the butter separates from the buttermilk.

Drain off buttermilk. Serve immediately, or put into butter molds or any fun shaped molds and put into the refrigerator to set up. Remove from mold and let soften at room temperature when ready to serve.

Source: This is a recipe I have made since I was a child, but I found a version online at Allrecipes.com, submitted by DD123. You can find it here. If you don't have the energy to shake your butter, you can use a food processor. I will include that recipe below.

Notes: The most recent time I made this (when I took pictures), I made only a very small amount. I wanted to show my boys how to make homemade butter...but I didn't really need a whole pint's worth of homemade butter. So, I used a small jar and only used about 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. I like to use mason jars with tight fitting lids to make butter. I find that it goes a little faster (and it is a little easier) if you fill the jar a little less than half full (with a small jar, I would suggest 1/3 full).

You can also add salt, if you like (as done in the recipe below).

Homemade Butter (Using a Food Processor)

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Pour cream into a food processor or blender. Process for 10 minutes, or until the butter separates. Strain off the liquid. Season to taste with salt if you like. Press butter into a small bowl with the back of a spoon to further remove liquid.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Brian Perspect. You can find it here.

Super Easy Freezer Meal

 

In my search for easy freezer meals (that can be taken to neighbors in need or used for my own family in a pinch), I came across this meal. It is so easy to throw together! I am going to type the recipe as originally written and then discuss my changes in the notes.

Swiss Cheese Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (or enough to fill a 9x13 pan)
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
Stove Top Turkey or Chicken Stuffing
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Cover bottom of pan with chicken.

Lay the Swiss cheese over the chicken.

Mix cream of chicken soup and milk together until creamy. Spread mixture over chicken.

Top with 1/2 bag (or more) of stuffing. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Serve over cooked white rice, if desired.

Freezer directions:

To freeze, cover bottom of pan with chicken and top with Swiss cheese and cream of chicken mixture. Freeze. When needed, thaw in fridge overnight and then top with stuffing and melted butter and bake as directed.

Source: I found this on Pinterest. It is on a site called Or So She Says and you can find it here. Great pictures there, by the way. I also found it on this site as well. No pictures on the second site, but the recipe is listed in a much easier to read manner.

Notes: I did not serve my chicken over rice. I figured that with the stuffing on top, I had my carbs and grains covered and I didn't need to add more to it. This is down home comfort food and it is just so easy to make. The only thing I don't like about it when it comes to being a freezer meal is that you can't just simply pop it in the oven as is. You have to thaw it and then do a little more prep before it is ready for the oven. In that case, something like a baked pasta or enchiladas wins because you can just pop those in the oven. However, you can't beat this ease and speed of preparation, that is for sure.

Above: I added the whole box of stuffing. Hey, if I am going to skip the rice, you had better bet I am going to use all the stuffing! Besides, I love stuffing! Since I used all the stuffing, I would increase the melted butter next time to 1/2 cup (or one stick). Yeah, not the healthiest way to go, but there you have it. :)

Copycat

Since my oldest son is allergic to tree nuts--especially cashews--that means going out to a Chinese restaurant is out. If we want to eat Chinese food as a family, it has to be made by me. My family growing up had a tradition of having Chinese food on New Year's. So, I made some Chinese food at home for us to share that night. Here's a new and great recipe I found.

Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
Ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 (5.6 oz) packages refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles, any flavor (found in the produce section of the grocery store)
2/3 cup diagonally chopped celery
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped cabbage

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Set aside.

Remove Yaki Soba noodles from packages and discard flavor packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes, or until onions start to become soft and translucent. Add cabbage and saute until wilted and softened.

Toss Yaki Soba noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.

Source: Favorite Family Recipes. You can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, this was spot on. It tasted just like the chow mein from Panda Express. It makes a ton, but the leftovers were great too.

I had never bought Yaki Soba noodles before, so I was confused in the grocery store when I didn't find plain noodles. They come in different flavors. Just grab any flavor and discard the flavor packets. The noodles are all the same.

Also, excuse the darkness of the pictures. Blasted winter lighting! It is so hard to take a good picture when it is pitch black outside...and when I am by no means a professional photographer!

Just Like Mom Used to Make

Well, as with many recipes (since my mom makes so many of them), my mom has lost this recipe that I was fond of during my teenager years. I am going to do my best to recreate it here.

Cube Steaks with Creamy Onions

Ingredients:

3 medium sweet onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick) or flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Cooking spray
1 pound beef cube steaks (4 cube steaks)

1 (8 oz) container of sour cream (full-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free work fine)
Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Directions:

Creamy Onion Sauce:

Cut onions in half and then slice lengthwise. Melt butter in large pan over medium-high heat and add onions. Saute until lightly browned and softened. Reduce heat to medium and add sour cream and Worcestershire sauce, to taste.

Cube Steaks:

Mix baking mix or flour with black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Heat large pan over medium-high heat. Dredge cube steaks in baking mix/flour mixture. Spray pan with cooking spray and place cube steaks in pan. Pan-fry the cube steaks until golden brown on each side.

Serve cube steaks topped with creamy onion sauce.

Source: I pretty much came up with this one from memory since my mom didn't have the recipe anymore. I had helped her make it enough times while I was in junior high and high school that I remembered enough about it to recreate it.

Notes: I could just eat these onions plain. They are so good. Be careful not to overheat them because you want to retain the creaminess of the sour cream. If they are cooked over too high of heat after you add the sour cream, it will lose the creamy texture.

This is definitely comfort food...kind of diner-style food, but good nonetheless.

Chicken Tonight!

 

We make a lot of chicken in our house (mostly because my picky eater little boys will almost always eat it). Here are some great recipes for chicken breasts that I have recently discovered.

Grilled Caesar Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)

Directions:

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the dressing, oil, mustard, and garlic. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees F.

Yield: 4 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I opted to broil this rather than grilling it. However, next time I might try baking it in a baking dish along with the marinade. This was so flavorful. Very good!

Country Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 to 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Brush chicken with butter. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. Baste with barbecue sauce.

Grill 4-6 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F, basting and turning often.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I chose this because it is a great pantry recipe. I always have chicken in my freezer and I had all the ingredients for the barbecue sauce on hand in my pantry. The barbecue sauce was really good. It had a great flavor.

Broiled Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 thin slices deli ham
4 tablespoons honey-Dijon salad dressing, and additional for dipping, if desired
4 thin slices Swiss cheese

Directions:

Broil chicken 4-6 inches from the heat for 3 minutes on each side. Brush with butter. Broil 4 minutes longer, or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F, turning and basting occassionally.

Place a ham slice on each chicken breast; broil for 1-2 minutes. Spread each with 1 tablespoon dressing; top with cheese. Broil for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 4 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't really get a good picture of this one. It isn't because it was ugly, but because I made it during the darkest part of winter and when it is pitch black at 5:30 p.m. at night with no natural lighting to be found, the pictures turn out a little dreary too. However, this chicken was anything but dreary. It was super easy and really tasty.

Also, in order for a prettier piece of chicken, I would suggest spreading the chicken with the honey-Dijon dressing first and then topping it with the ham followed by the Swiss cheese. If you go ham, dressing, and then cheese (as instructed in the recipe), your cheese will look yellow, as mine did. No matter though, it was delicious any way you layer it. I used a honey mustard dressing because I couldn't find one that was specifically honey-Dijon.

Bonus...

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 yams or sweet potatoes
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash and pierce yams or sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

Scoop out the yams/sweet potatoes into a bowl. Mash with desired amount of butter and salt and pepper.

Source: My stepmother does this for Thanksgiving. I LOVE sweet potatoes this way.