Pumpkin Sheet Cake

This is from Taste of Home's 1995 Oct/Nov magazine.  Allen made it 4/28/96 (he was 8 years old).  He liked it best with no frosting.  I made this with Blue Hubbard Squash 10/29/17 for Bart, me and Allen Miller. Marie was in NC visiting a friend.

2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting:
1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
5 Tbl butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tsp milk or heavy cream
chopped nuts

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil.  Add eggs; mix well.  Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and beat until well-blended.  Pour into a greased 15 x 10 in. x 1 in. baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool.  For frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Gradually add sugar; mix well.  Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency.  Frost cake.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Yield: 20-24 servings.  

Pumpkin Spice Bread Deluxe

This is terrific, and I would make it to give as a gift!  I used homegrown pumpkin, so it was a bit more fibrous than the canned stuff, but I think that made it even better.  I got the recipe from my old Good Housekeeping Cookbook (1986) that I found at a thrift store.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9" by 5" loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, mix first 6 ingredients.  In medium-sized bowl, beat eggs with pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup and salad oil; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened.  Gently stir in raisins and pecans.  Spoon batter evenly into loaf pan.
3. Bake 1 1/4 hours or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

Peanut Noodles

1 box spaghetti noodles
2 Tbl sesame oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped.  Keep white and green separate.  Use green for garnish.
1 Tbl minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger (I keep mine in the freezer)
1/3 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbl cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
peanuts for garnish

Cook and drain spaghetti
Meanwhile cook sauce:
Heat sesame oil in pan over low heat and cook scallions until tender.  Add ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Increase heat to medium and add peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes.  Stir until combined.  Remove from heat.
Toss spaghetti with sauce and garnish with sliced green scallions and peanuts if desired

Pumpkin Bars

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 and 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 can pumpkin (not pie filling)

Directions
Set out the cream cheese and butter to reach room temperature.  Get out the eggs right away also.

Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & soda), and set aside.
In a large bowl, comine eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkins until light and fluffy.  Add the dry ingredients, gradually.  Mix well.

Spread batter in a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.  (Not dark)  Can line with parchment paper, greased.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely.

Frosting:
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 cup softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbl heavy cream or milk

Cream together butter and cream cheese until soft and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream.  Mix on high speed until smooth and creamy.

These make a great breakfast treat!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes are delicious - Mom made them for Bart and me this morning.  We are in Berne for Bart's birthday weekend.  They didn't puff up as much as I would like, so I'm going to increase the baking powder.  We had them with great breakfast sausage on the side, and homemade maple syrup on top.
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 Tbls sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1 1/2 Tbl pumpkin pie spice

Whisk pumpkin and egg until smooth.  Mix dry ingredients, and add to wet ones.  Fry on cast iron skillet or griddle.

The extra pumpkin (if you get it from a can) would make great smoothies.  You could even freeze it in ice cube trays.  Or make pancakes again soon :)

Blueberry Lemon Bread

from Bed & Breakfast Cookbook's Newcastle Inn in Newcastle, ME
6 Tbl butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 1/2 tbl grated lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice

Grease and flour a loaf pan.  In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs and mix.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the milk and sifted ingredients alternately to the creamed mixture.  Stir in the blueberries, lemon rind, and juice.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Makes 1 loaf.

Curried Spinach Soup

Recipe from Bed & Breakfast Cookbook
Broad Bay Inn and Gallery, Waldoboro, ME

5-6 Tbl Butter
3 large onions, thinly sliced
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
4 cans (10 1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 1/2 cups milk
salt to taste
1 small bay leaf
1/2 tsp tarragon
1 10-oz pkg frozen spinach
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp curry powder

1 cup heavy cream
Fresh Mint

In a heavy pan, melt the butter.  Saute the onions in the butter until wilted.  Add the potatoes, broth, milk, salt, bay leaf, and tarragon.  Simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the spinach and continue to simmer until the spinach defrosts.  Puree in a blender.  Rinse the pan and return the pureed mixture to the pan.  Add the soy sauce and curry powder.  Taste and adjust the seasonings.  Chill.  Add the heavy cream, and blend well.  Garnish with fresh mint.  Serves 10-12.  Bart and I had this on 6/21/03, and he loved it.

Blueberry Pecan Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Recipe from The American County Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook from a B&B in Maine called The Island House in Southwest Harbor, ME on Mount Desert Island

Grease a Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, cream:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

In a separate bowl, sift together:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Measure
1 cup sour cream

Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternatively until all are combined.

Combine:
 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Measure 1 cup blueberries

Put 1/2 the batter into the bundt pan and spread evenly.
Sprinkle with half the nut/sugar mixture.
Put half the blueberries over that.
Put the rest of the batter over the blueberries.
Repeat with nut/sugar mixture and blueberries.

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Tamale Pie in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
• 1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Sour cream and additional minced fresh cilantro, optional

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper.
2. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker; stir in the beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilada sauce, onions and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.
3. In a small bowl, combine muffin mix and eggs; spoon over meat mixture. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Or put muffin mix on top and transfer to 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream and additional cilantro if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Originally published as Slow Cooker Tamale Pie in Taste of Home August/September 2010, p 57

Nutritional Facts

1-1/4 cups (calculated without sour cream) equals 392 calories, 16 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 107 mg cholesterol, 1,149 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein.

Szechwan Chicken with Cashews

I made this 2/25/88, also for Allen's 6th B'day, and again 5/4/94 as marked in the Betty Crocker International Cookbook.  The last entry says "no onion or peppers;  add 1/2 head bok choy and lean straw mushrooms.
2 whole chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
1 egg white
1 tsp cornstarch1 tsp salt
1 tsp finely chopped ginger root (I grate it)
Dash of pepper
1 Tbl peanut oil
6 scallions (with tops), chopped (reserve 2 Tbl tops)
1 large pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 can (4 oz) button mushrooms, drained (reserve liquid) or straw mushrooms
2 Tbl Hoisin sauce
2 tsp chili pepper paste or 1 tsp chopped dried red pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbl cornstarch
2 Tbl cold water
2 Tbl soy sauce

Cut up the chicken.  Mix egg white, 11 tsp cornstarch, ginger root, soy sauce and some black pepper in a 2 quart glass bowl; stir in chicken.
Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Heat 1 Tbl oil in wok or skillet until hot.  Stir fry cashews until light brown, about 1 minute; drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Heat 2 Tbl oil until hot.  Add chicken; stir fry until chicken turns white, about 3 minutes.  Remove chicken.  Heat remaining 1 Tbl oil until hot.  Add green onions, green pepper, mushrooms, hoisin sauce and chili pepper paste.  Stir fry about 1 minute.  Add chicken, chicken broth and reserved mushroom liquid; heat to boiling.
Mix 2 Tbl cornstarch, 2 Tbl water, and 2 Tbl soy sauce; stir into chicken mixture.  Cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in cashews; garnish with reserved green onion tops.

Hummus

1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained.  Reserve liquid.
Tahini or 1/2 cup sesame seed blended with reserved liquid and 1 clove garlic, halved (in blender)
3 Tbl lemon juice
1 tsp salt
If you are using the sesame seed combo, blend that first, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until of uniform consistency.

Guacamole

2 very ripe avocados, mashed
1 small onion, minced
1 green jalapeno chili, minced
1 Tbl lime juice (lemon as subs. if nec.)
1 tsp snipped cilantro (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium tomato, chopped

Mix avocados, onion, chili, lemon juice, cilantro and salt.  Stir in tomatoes.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Also great on cheeseburgers.  I have substituted salsa in a pinch for everything but the avocado.

Seneca Griddle Cakes

This recipe is from Applehood and Motherpie, one of my favorite cookbooks.  My notes next to the recipe say: 2/10/94  Bart's first day back to work after Renee's birth and I got breakfast in bed!  "Another Applehood success," said Bart.
9/16/94 - about time we had these again.

1 cup yellow stone ground cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder - make sure it's fresh
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbl melted butter
2 cups buttermlik
 bacon grease

Hint:  Cornmeal requires a longer frying time than wheaten cakes.
1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Combine slightly beaten egg yolks, butter, and buttermilk.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold egg whites gently into batter so it remains fluffy.
4. Cook pancakes immetiately, in bacon grease on hot griddle, to a rich brown color.
from Pamela W Cheek

French Bread

I make this whenever we want garlic bread to go with Italian food.  I know, I know, why French bread for Italian food?  What can I tell you?  It's that good.  This is from a cookbook I've had since we first got married, and I used it a lot back then because it was one of my only cookbooks:  Betty Crocker's International Cookbook.
This makes 1 loaf.

Put these ingredients in the bread machine on the "dough' setting.
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 Tbl sugar - or if you're trying to get fructose out of your diet, try brown rice syrup, really!
11/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 Tbl dry yeast.  Don't buy the little packets; get a bigger container - it's soo much cheaper, and keeps just fine in the fridge.

Later on you will want
1 Tbl cornmeal
1 egg white and
2 Tbl cold water
but don't put these last 3 ingredients in the bread machine.

So, now you've run the bread machine on the dough setting, and it's done.
Punch it down and let rest 15 minutes.  Don't try to get every air bubble out -that's too much.  Just punch it down a couple of times, and that's enough.
Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Grease it, and sprinkle with cornmeal.
On a big giant cutting board (or your counter if it's got a big clean area, which mine often doesn't), roll dough into rectangle, 15 x 10 inches.  Roll up tightly; seal edge.  Place on parchment papered cookie sheet.  Make 1/4 inch slices in loaf at 2 inch intervals, or make 1 lengthwise slash.  Brush top of loaf with cold water.  Let rise uncovered until double, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Heat oven to 375.  Brush loaf with cold water.  Bake 20 minutes.  Mix egg white and 2 Tbl water; brush over loaf.  Bake until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes.

In a pinch, you can skip the second rise if you don't punch it down, and just gently dump it out of the bread machine onto the parchment paper.  No rolling, no second rise, just pop it in the oven.

Greek Pita Pizzas

Made this 5/2011 - It was delicious.

6 oz lean ground beef or venison
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp snipped fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2  6 oz whole wheat or white pita bread rounds
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
12 pitted kalamata olives, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium, nonstick skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is browned; drain off fat.  Stir tomato sauce and rosemary into meat mixture in skillet.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
2. Carefully split pita bread rounds in half horizontally; place pita halves, rough side up, in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted.
3. Top toasted pita bread with meat mixture; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven.  Top with spinach, tomato, feta cheese, and olives; serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

Cheddar Biscuits

This is delicious, and has no sugar.  The original recipe called for 2-3 Tbl of cracked pepper, but Bart knocked my grinder behind the stove while trying to get out the salt grinder that I had knocked behind the stove.  So I used a generous sprinkling of Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute.

4 c bread flour
2 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbl 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's
1 1/2 c milk
1 egg
1 tsp water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a bundt pan.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cheddar and seasoning; mix well.  Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and add the milk all at once; stir just until moistened.
Knead by hand in the bowl until just mixed completely, but no more.  Pat into bundt pan.  In a small bowl, whisk egg and water.  Pour over batter.  Bake for 18 - 22 minutes.  Serve warm.

Breakfast Casserole

4 cups cubed, day-old bread
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mexican  cheese
10 eggs
4 cups milk
1/2 tsp Adobo
Salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup diced asparagus
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup mushroom slices

Butter a 9x13 inch pan.  Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish and sprinkle with the cheese.  In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt and Adobo.  Pour the mixture over the cheese and bread.  Sprinkle with asparagus, bacon and mushrooms.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven, form a tent over the baking dish with foil to prevent burning, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.  Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into squares.  Serves 10.

This would be great to serve at the family reunion in Minnesota.