Pumpkin Cream Cheese Trifle

I am a nostalgic fool. Almost anything that reminds me of the past, especially of my parents, I feel like I need to save. My mother passed away 12 years ago and now my Dad is suffering from Alzheimer  He still remembers me and my siblings and things from his childhood but very little of anything else. I was going through my old recipes, the ones that are kept either in a shoe box or loose among the pages of your favorite cookbook. I found a slip of paper with my dad's handwriting on it. I knew immediately what it was. One of my favorite dessert recipes. Written on this same piece of paper is the info about my cousins baby. That baby is now 34 years old with two children of her own. Dad had called Aunt Eda to get the recipe for me and found out that her daughter had just had her first baby. So before writing the recipe down he got the baby's important info, i.e. weight, length, name. Just a scrap of paper, but also a scrap of history now. Crazy. But this recipe is crazy good! I did change out the chocolate pudding for pumpkin pudding for fall. You gotta love it.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Trifle

Crust:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour and sugar. Cut cool butter into flour mixture as you could a pie crust. Stirr in nuts. Pat into a 9 x 13 dripper pan and bake @ 400 ºF for 15 minutes. Crumble crust. Set aside.

Pudding
Part 1:
2 cups milk
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
8 ozs. cream cheese room temp

Combine cornstarch, sugar, salt and spice. Pour milk into a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Whisk in cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. When thoroughly cool beat in cream cheese until smooth.

Part 2:
2 sm. pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk

Whisk together and let sit until thick. Add. . .
6 ozs. cool whip thawed. Fold until combined.

To assemble trifle, cover bottom of dish with some of the crumbled crust. Spoon on some of the pumpkin pudding, then more crust. Spoon on the vanilla part of the pudding, then more crust and repeat with the pumpkin part. top with cool whip and crumbles.

Shortcut: Combine parts 1 & 2 of the pudding and just layer with the crust. Or layer with Cool Whip and crust.

Spoon Bread

Bread, bread, bread. You can never have enough bread. That is what my taste buds say over and over. My body doesn't always appreciate my insatiable appetite for the warm, make-the-house-smell-like-a-million-dollars comfort food. But my Zumba teacher knows that is what really keeps me coming back to class. So I should really say that it's the best of both worlds because I do love Zumba as well.


Here is the latest bread that I tried. It is something I found on Pinterest. It is very similar to my Artisan/bucket bread but it is stickier and you just spoon it into a pan as soon as all ingredients are stirred together. So I call it Spoon Bread.

1 Loaf Recipe

1 3/8 cups warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 3/4 cups flour

Measure flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and whisk together. Set aside. Measure warm water (not hot and not, not cold), into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top of water. Add dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until all are combined. Spray a regular loaf pan with Pam. Spoon dough into pan and tap lightly on counter. Allow dough to double in size rising to just over the top of the pan. Bake at 350º F for 35 minutes or until the top is a golden brown. Brush top of bread with butter and try to wait 10 minutes before cutting it.

4 Loaf Recipe

5 1/2 cups warm water
7 teaspoons instant yeast
2 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
11 cups flour

Same directions as above except divide the dough into 4 loaf pans that have been sprayed with Pam or well greased with Crisco.
 

Warning: Only make 1 or 2 loaves at a time because you will eat it all in one sitting. If you should have any left over it does make terrific toast. :)

Crunchy Pumpkin Parfait

While I was still in the middle of my pumpkin craz this fall, I happened upon this recipe on Pinterest. I wanted to make it as soon as I got home. Well I am also in the mood to use up any leftovers I have so I made it a little different and a lot easier. And everyone in my house loved it. We ate the entire recipe while we sat around the counter deciding if we really loved it or just liked it. Such good times. Here is what I did. First I made some Pumpkin pudding:

Pumpkin pudding:

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 pinch of salt

3 cups cold whole milk

3/4 cup canned  pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Measure cornstarch, sugar, spices and salt in a bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. Measure milk into a sauce pan. Turn heat to medium high. Stir in dry ingredients and whisk until mixture starts to boil and thicken. Add pumpkin and whisk until completely smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool.

Now to assemble the parfait. I didn't have any granola so I found some granola-like cereal, Honey Bunches of Oats. I wanted it to be a little healthier than a normal dessert and since I had some vanilla yogurt that I needed to use up I quickly had my other 2 layers. When the pudding was cool I layered the pudding, then the yogurt, and topped with the cereal and repeated those three layers. So delicious. It was great for a dessert and breakfast the next morning was easy and yummy. I wouldn't suggest that these be made very far in advance as the cereal will go soggy.

Corn Salsa

Nothing like home grown garden tomatoes. I didn't used to say that but I do now. I can remember my grandparents walking out into their gardens, picking tomatoes off the vine and then taking a big bite out of one. As a kid I thought that was so gross. Now I can't eat a hamburger or salad without one. What would be the point of a hamburger or salad without their favorite sidekick! This corn salsa is not something I had as a child but with all those tomatoes needing to be used up it is a creative, delicious and fun dish. You can use any fresh veggies you have in your garden and any spices from your garden or cupboard. You might even like to add fresh fruit even though the corn itself is quite sweet. Right now my favorite spice combination is cumin, lime and cilantro so that is what I used. Have fun making your own combinations but try mine first.

1 1 pound bag frozen petite white corn - thawed

4-5 tomatoes diced in large pieces

2-3 avocados cubed

2 15 oz. cans black beans - drained and rinsed

cilantro

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/3 teaspoon onion salt (or 3 green onions diced)

1/3 teaspoon garlic salt 

2 tablespoons lime juice

Mix all ingredients together and try to let it sit for 30 minutes. If you're like me you won't be able to wait that long. But if you start eating it right away don't add more salt of any kind or it will be too salty in 30 minutes.

Eat with your favorite tortilla chips.

Primary Compassion Quilt

I am LDS and every 6 months our church has a 2 day conference with meetings for the entire world wide church. On Saturday evening the men and young men 12 years old and above have a special meeting. They go to the church and watch it.We have a special meeting for women the week before General conference and it is amazing. But on the night the men have meetings we do something fun. We women affectionately call this 'Ladies Night'. It has always been a fun time for me and my girls. We will go out to dinner and a movie. Go shopping. Sometimes we stay home and watch our favorite 'chick-flick' Anne of Green Gables. Now that my family has grown and we have 7 women and lots of children, we stay home and have a potluck meal and do a craft. With the grandchildren getting older I thought we should have a fun, yet meaningful activity for them (which helps to corral them for a minute, but just a minute.) Six months ago they made quilt squares by painting their hands and pressing them on to pre-cut fabric. I was amazed at how careful and patient they were. I had had images of paint all over my house. Then they turned their hand print into something like butterflies or turkeys or flowers, etc. They and their mothers were so creative. Our plan was to give this quilt to a sick child at Primary Children's Hospital. They signed their names and wrote sweet little 'get-better' wishes to the child. But the squares sat and sat on my counter until I finally moved them into the sewing room.

Between the guilt and needing another activity for the littles to do, I remembered the quilt. I sewed the squares together, added a back and batting. Then all that needed to be done was to tie it. Well, 7-year-olds are not the best knot tiers. They seem to be able to tie everything else in knots but when it is time to tie a real knot it just wasn't happening. I was a Cub Scout leader for years and taught many a little boy to tie square knots. I guess there is a reason that they start when they are 8. But the littles were so darling and careful as they worked. When we were finished and the quilt frames were put away I checked their knots. Most of them were just half knots like when they are tying their shoes. So maybe it was more my instructions than their skill. So I simply retied the stitches and had a fun time looking at all their squares again.

Pumpkin Chocolate Waffles

I am posting this recipe again and with good reason. My son came home from college this weekend. It's always a wonderful treat for me so I wanted to make some treats for him. I made these yummy pumpkin waffles for breakfast because I'm still in my pumpkin craze. 

I thought it would be so special for him. When he came in the kitchen he inhaled deeply so he could get a really large dose of the yummy smell. When I presented him with the waffle he wanted to know where the chocolate chips were. He had made these last week but added chocolate chips to the batter. It shouldn't have surprised me that he would add chocolate chips after all I always had to add chocolate chips to his pumpkin muffins. What did surprised me was that he had actually taken the time to make them at his own apartment.

So the top picture is my waffle with lots of butter and the above picture is his with chocolate chips in the batter and then again on top. We both had Apple Cinnamon syrup. I was surprised that even with the large Ghirardelli Chocolate chips they didn't stick to the waffle iron. It seems like my children are always teaching me new things, even things that I thought I was pretty good at doing. Gotta love them.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Here we go again with another pumpkin dessert. This time for pumpkin cupcakes. They are very light and fluffy. And with cream cheese frosting you'll have a hard time deciding between pumpkin and carrot cake. This a recipe by Sue Case with only a few adjustments.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In your mixer combine sugar and oil. Add vanilla and pumpkin then beat in eggs one at a time. Combine all the remaining ingredients and gradually add to the mixer. Spray 12 large muffin tins or 24 regular muffin tins with cooking spray. use cookie scoop to evenly proportion batter into cups. Bake 350ºF. Large cupcakes 18 minutes, regular cupcakes 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Mix together until creamy. Spread over cooled cupcakes.

Pumpkin Bars

What would we do without our girl friends. One of mine gave me this recipe. These are probably my favorite thing made into a sheet cake. Moist, flavorful and delicious. Whenever we cater anything together these little yummies are always on the menu.

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

2 cups pumpkin
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour

Mix together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into greased sheet cake pan (cookie sheet with sides). Bake 350ºF 17 - 20 minutes. Cool and frost with :

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Mix together until creamy. Spread over cooled pumpkin bars.

Pumpkin Bread and Muffins

Fall is in the air and so pumpkin is on my mind and taste buds. There are so many things I love to make with pumpkin. Desserts, breads, soups. WOW it is so great. So I am starting off with a recipe from a dear friend who is a fabulous cook. Thanks Carol. It's a good old standard pumpkin bread that I always make into muffins for breakfast. I love to add raisins and oatmeal to mine but the rest of my family loves chocolate chips in theirs. So sometimes I add oatmeal and chocolate chips to compromise. But you could probably have fun and add whatever sounds good to you. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Bread

1 large (40 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs (beaten)

3 cups sugar

3 1/3 cups flour*

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cloves (optional)

Nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, craisins, white chocolate chips, etc. (optional)

*For breakfast I use 2 3/4 cups flour and 1 scant cup oatmeal.

Mix all ingredients together until smooth (except the last ingredient i.e. nuts, raisins). Fold in nuts, raisins or whatever now. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans. Bake 350ºF for 50-60 minutes.

For muffins: Grease muffin tins. Use a medium size cookie scoop to fill cups. Bake 350ºF for 12-15 minutes.

Ritz Breaded Chicken

Sometimes I remember things and I am sure, in fact positive, that I am remembering them correctly. Then I realize a little too late that I remembered wrong. When it's my husband telling me he thinks I am not remembering  correctly I am not happy with him. Then I assure him I am right. When it turns out that I am not right he doesn't usually say anything because he knows I already feel bad about it. This time when I thought I knew exactly what I was doing when I made this chicken. I was totally happy after eating it that I remembered wrong. I love Ritz crackers and I don't know why I didn't think of this before. The buttery flavor is so delicious that no seasonings are needed but they are fun to try. So the first time you make it leave the seasonings out and the 2nd time add something like savory or thyme to the Ritz crumbs. Anyway have fun eating my mistake.

Ritz Breaded Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (opt.)
1/2 teaspoon savory, or thyme (opt.)

If using large, thick chicken breasts, cut in half width wise so that they are a little thinner.  Place chicken in a bowl and drizzle butter over and stir to coat evenly.

Grind up the Ritz crackers to a nice crumb in a food processor. If using spices add them to the crumbs now.

Dip each piece of chicken into the crumbs and coat completely.

Layer the chicken in a single layer in a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover pan with foil and bake @ 400ºF for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and crispy.

I serve mine with Smashers and Chicken Gravy.

Chicken Gravy (Easy version)

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Milk butter in a sauce pan on the stove top. Let butter brown slightly and add sour cream. Mix well. Add soup and enough milk to make a nice sauce. Not too thick and not too thin.

Super Hero Capes

L's Birthday Party Favors

L. wanted to have his 'friend' birthday party in my yard this past weekend. And since Avengers just came out on  DVD he wanted a super hero party. He had to fill me in on exactly who everyone is and what their specialty is. It sounded like that they would need to have super hero capes to be these special heroes at a birthday party. So L.and his mom went on the internet to find me some examples of their symbols. Then he told me what color each cape should be. Next we went to Walmart to get some inexpensive fabric. Here is what we came up with:

There were no girls allowed at this party, of course. But I made a cape for his little sister B. because I knew that when the party was over she would really want one and I hate crying grandchildren. L. didn't seem to make any fuss when I made headbands for B and her friends. Go figure! :) Gotta love the littles.