Call me lazy

So call me lazy because even I don't like searching my blog for recipes!

When I come across recipes we try and actually like here at the Brady Bunch House, I simply just copy the recipe to my blog. Yesterday, as I was looking through cookbook after cookbook looking for a recipe (which I thought was in a book), I realized it was on my Blog!

Since moving to Washington, I have realized we only utilize one cookbook, because it sits on the cookbook stand next to the stove. In an attempt to expand our menu I will be moving our favorite recipes to a new blog: TheBradyBunch Best Bites.

For those wishing to follow us or take a sneak peak come check us out: http://bradybunchbestbites.blogspot.com/

Leftover pumpkin puree

I wish I had gotten this a week ago, when I accidentally bought the wrong size of pumpkin puree and ended up throwing the extra away because I had no clue what to do with it.  This was taken from Simple bites, these ideas/ recipes use 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree or LESS!

Stir it Into Your Favorite Beverage

It seems that this time of year, recipes for Pumpkin Spice Latte’s abound. But don’t limit it to just latte’s. Stir some purée into your favorite hot chocolate recipe, make a milkshake or smoothie, add it to some hot apple cider or even a cup of spiced tea. Just don’t forget to add some Pumpkin Spice!

Recipes:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte | Sugar Crafter (uses 1.5 tablespoons)
• Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate | Kitchen Simplicity (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Pie Blizzard | Dulce Dough (uses 1/4 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Smoothie | Healthful Pursuit (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Vietnamese Iced Coffee | Food + Words (uses 1 oz)

Use it in Sweets and Baking

Not all sweets use a large amount of pumpkin. If you find a recipe that interests you, and uses a small amount of pumpkin, make note of it so you can reference it later.
Make sure to include it in some of your tried and true favorites as well. Stir some into rice pudding, frozen yogurt or ice cream, vanilla pudding or substitute it for some banana in banana bread.

Recipes:

• Pumpkin Bao Buns | Stetted (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies | Two Peas & Their Pod (uses 1/2 cup)
• Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecakes | Gingerbread Bagels (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Biscotti | Dessert for Two (uses 1/4 cup)
• Pumpkin Chai Spiced Mantecados | A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa (uses 2 oz)
• Pumpkin Garlic Knots | Handle the Heat (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Semifreddo | Tartelette (uses 1/2 cup)

Serve it Up for Breakfast

Mix it with cream cheese and spread it on a bagel, stir it into oatmeal or your favorite pancake recipe. Breakfast is the perfect vessel for including small amounts of pumpkin. Try mixing some into yogurt and layer it with granola to make a parfait or turn it into a spread and eat it with toast.

Recipes:

• Microwave Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal | The Craving Chronicles (uses 2 tablespoons)
• Pumpkin Spice Pancakes | Pennies on a Platter (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese | Easy. Everyday. Eats. (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Granola | Baking Bites  (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Maple Butter | Healthy Happy Life (uses 1/2 cup)
• Maple Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Breakfast Parfait | The Yummy Life (uses 1/2 cup)

Use it for Dinner

Pumpkin isn’t only for sweets, it has it’s place on the dinner table too. Stir some into risotto or a creamy pasta sauce. Add it to soup to give it some body and warmth or use it as a substitute for squash to switch up an old favorite.
Don’t forget about mashed potatoes! Give them a well-buttered look by adding a few tablespoons of pumpkin purée in while mashing. Delicious!

Recipes

• Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce | Cheeky Kitchen (uses 1/2 cup)
• Super Mac & Cheese | Simple Bites (uses 1/2 cup)
• Easy-As-Pie Pumpkin Rotini | Simply Stardust (uses 6 spoonfuls)
• Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter | Dishing up Delights (uses 1/2 cup)
• Spicy Pumpkin Hummus | Once Upon a Cutting Board (uses 1/2 cup)

With a little bit of creativity no pumpkin need go to waste. Have fun experimenting and if something doesn’t turn out, don’t sweat it. That’s all part of the fun of experimenting in the kitchen.

Pumpkin Bread - Simple Recipe

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted
1 can (16 ounces) pure pumpkin

Grease and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix: flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large bowl.

In separate bowl whisk: eggs and sugars; whisk in melted butter until fully incorporated and then pumpkin.

Beat wet ingredients into dry ingredients until smooth; divide between prepared pans.

Bake until golden brown and cake tester comes clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then run a knife around pan to loosen.  Turn loaves onto wire rack to cool.

Quick Yeast Rolls

Since our household is doing the October Unprocessed Challenge, I am constantly looking for recipes.  Although I have several homemade roll and bread recipes, I am always looking for new and quicker recipes.  Today I found this recipe at allrecipes.com

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease 8 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix the shortening, sugar, and hot water. Allow to cool until lukewarm, and mix in the yeast until dissolved. Mix in the egg, salt, and flour. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size.
3. Divide the dough into the prepared muffin cups, and allow to rise again until doubled in size.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

coffee, coffee, coffee

Since I started drinking coffee about 8 years ago, for medical reasons, I am always looking for yummy ways to make coffee.  I came across this recipe today at www.simplebites.net.

Flavored Toffee Caramel Dessert Coffee

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk chocolate toffee bits (Such as Heath Bar bits)
• 5 cups hot brewed coffee (decaf is fine)
• 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce or ice cream topping

1. In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add vanilla and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready for use.
2. Stir toffee bits into hot brewed coffee. Let sit for two minutes then strain and discard any leftover bits.
3. Divide coffee into 5 separate mugs. Top with whipped topping then drizzle with caramel sauce.

Let there be scones!

Most days Eric comes home from work for lunch, but often times he is stuck in meetings that run through the lunch hour.  Due to Eric being allergic to mayonnaise, he often is unable to eat most lunches that are provided at his work, he often eats just the chips, cookies, and scones.  This got me thinking...I love scones, yet haven't ever made them.

I found this recipe on http://www.simplebites.net/.

Basic Cream Scones

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, cold, cubed
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

1. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. With a pastry cutter, cut in butter until the butter is roughly pea-sized. 

2. In a small bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add cream and sugar and beat well.

3. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and fold gently to combine. Stir as little as possible. Add in currants or desired ‘extras’.

4. Using your hands, gather the dough into a rough ball and place on a floured counter top. Pat into a disc about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles with a sharp knife or make shapes with a cookie cutter.

5. Place in an airtight container or plastic bag, label, and freeze OR bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

To bake from freezing: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place frozen scones on baking tray and bake 12-16 minutes, or until sightly golden. Baking time will vary according to size of scones.

 I used fresh blueberries and raspberries, which were unsweetened.  I did sprinkle sugar on the top for a little extra sweetness.

Let there be rolls

If the kids had a choice we would have homemade rolls every night with dinner.  Although I have tons of different bread recipes, they always chose the same thing...Butterhorns.  This recipe is not my own, so I'd like to thank Better Homes and Gardens (New Cook Book 1989) for this recipe.

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening, margarine, or butter (I use butter flavored Crisco shortening)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Combine 2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl. 
Heat and stir milk, sugar, shortening, and salt just till warm (120-130 degrees (shortening is almost melted at this temp.))  Add to flour mixture along with eggs.
Beat in mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
Beat on high for 3 minutes.
Using spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough onto floured surface and knead in enough of remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic.
Shape dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl.  Turn once to grease entire surface.
Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (about 1 hour).
Punch dough down.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide dough in half.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Roll each half of the dough into a 12-inch circle.  Brush with melted butter.  Cut each circle into wedges.
To shape: begin at wide end of wedge and roll toward point.  Place point side down on baking sheet, placing rolls 2-3 inches apart.  Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 30 minutes).
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

I can't wait to make these...Pie in a jar

These are individual-sized pies made in little glass jars that can go straight from the freezer to the oven. They are made in (short and squatty) half-pint jars.

Step 1 - Pie Dough
You can use either store bought or homemade

Step 2 - Make a topper and line the jar
Roll out a small handful of dough, this will be the topper. Use the ring part of the jar as your cutter, cut tops and set aside.
Use the remainder dough to line the jars. You do not need to grease the jars. Take little pieces of dough and press them against the bottom and sides of the jars, making sure that the dough goes clear up to the top of the jar.

Step 3 - Filling
Each jar will need about 1/2 cup of filling.

Step 4 - Topping
Make sure your 'top' has a vent so steam can escape. When your topper is ready place it on top of your pie. Since you used the lid as your cutter, your top will be large enough that the outside edge will go up the side of your jar. Press the two seams of dough together with your finger to create a seal.
You can also use a crumb topping instead of a dough topping.

Crumb Topping for 4-6 jar pies
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp oats
1/4 Tbsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp cold butter
Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Add oats. Stir to combine.

Step 5 - Freeze them
When your pies are assembled, placed the metal lids back on and seal them tight and place them in your freezer.

Step 6 - Bake them
Place jars on cookie sheet
Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes or until tops are golden brown. If you bake them fresh or unfrozen bake for about 45 minutes.

Step 7 - Serve them up
Depending on your type of pie, you can either pop them out of their jars and serve them on a plate or eat them right out of the jar.

Recipe obtained from Our Best Bites, http://www.ourbestbites.com/

Banana Oat Muffins

Since Ms. Bre LOVES banana bread, we are always searching for new recipes. Lately we have been making muffins since they require less cooking time, which in turn reduces her time of 'stalking' the oven till her bread is done.

This morning we found the following recipe, but omitted the chocolate chips since Breanna doesn't like them. We also made full size muffins, instead of the mini muffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 cup uncooked quick oats
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
1 large banana, mashed
1/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375
Combine:
Yogurt, milk, oats, vanilla, and egg.
Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow oats to soften.
Add:
Banana
In seperate bowl combine:
Brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Stir flour mixture into yogur mixture, do not beat or over mix.
Add:
Mini chocolate chips
Spoon batter into 3 mini-muffin tins coated with cooking spray.
Bake until golden brown: Mini muffins 15-18 minutes; Regular muffins 25-30 minutes.

For anyone doing weight watchers, here are the point values for this recipe:
1 mini-muffin = 1 point each
1 full size muffin = 3 points each
If you omit the chocolate chips
1 mini-muffin = 1 point
1 full size muffin = 2 points