Bread & Chili for an Autumn Day

This week I doubled the recipe and baked enough pumpkin bread for two events: a early Thanksgiving dinner for a local homeless shelter and a our monthly church potluck. I haven't made pumpkin bread in a few years, but can always count on it when I go home for Thanksgiving. I also tried a new chili recipe, adapted from Offbeat & Inspired. It's always fun to find new flavor combinations. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

(Makes 2 large loaves or 3 small loaves)

2 2/3 cups Sugar

2/3 cup Canola Oil

4 Eggs

16 oz Pumpkin puree

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

2/3 cups Water

3 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Cloves

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Cinnamon

dash of Allspice

dash of Ginger

In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients, mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine dry ingredients, mix well. Add dry to wet and stir well.

Grease baking pans and pour batter 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Serve alone, or top with Cream Cheese frosting.

Turkey Apple Squash Autumn Chili

Olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 large Onions, diced

1 large Red or Yellow Bell Pepper
1 lb. lean Ground Turkey
2 cans of Diced Tomatoes

1/2 large Acorn Squash, diced
1-2 large Apples, diced

1 tbsp. Honey Mustard
Black Pepper
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp. Espresso Powder
1/2 tsp. dried Rosemary
1 tsp. Chili powder
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Ground Sage

2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
2 cups low sodium Turkey Broth

Roast acorn squash on a greased baking pan at 400 degrees.

In a large pot, sauté onions and peppers with oil and garlic. Add ground turkey and apples. Cook until meat is browned and apples veggies are tender. Add spices, etc. Stir well, and then add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes.

 

Acorn Squash, Sausage, and Spinach Pasta Bake

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a blog called A Household Almanac. It's a beautiful website, and one of the recipes inspired me to adapt this one. It turned out very well, a perfect fall-day meal.

Acorn Squash, Sausage, and Spinach Pasta Bake 

inspired by the Rachel Schultz Household Almanac

 

1/2 large Acorn Squash

1 pound Sausage

1 cup Spinach

1 Onion, diced

3/4 box/bag  of medium Shell pasta

1 cup Ricotta

1 tbsp. Garlic

2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

Ground Sage

Oregano

Basil

Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Cook acorn squash in a covered pot with steamer. Cook until fork-tender. Allow to cool and scoop out squash.

Sauté sausage and onion in a skillet. When sausage is mostly browned, add spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted and remove from heat. Add squash, ricotta, garlic, vinegar, and spices. Stir well, then combine with pasta.

Grease large baking pan and pour in pasta mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top begins to brown.

Two Baby Shower Cupcakes: Pumpkin and Chocolate Zucchini

This weekend I made decorations and cupcakes for my friend's baby shower. They turned out so well! I've made these cupcakes before, so these are officially tried-and-true recipes. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

(makes 10 cupcakes)

1 cup Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Dash of Cloves

1 cup Pumpkin puree

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

2 large Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir well.

Fill cupcake cups ¾-almost all the way full. Bake 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees, or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Allow to fully cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

(makes 16 cupcakes)

2 ¼ cups Flour

1 ½ tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 ½ sticks Butter

1 ¼ cup Brown Sugar

3 large Eggs

3/4 cup Milk

3 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup grated Zucchini

1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

1 Tbsp. Butter

3 squares Baking Chocolate

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

2 Tbsp. White Sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir well.

Grate zucchini and set aside. In a small microwavable bowl, combine coconut oil, butter, chocolate squares. Microwave until chocolate is melted. Add zucchini and cocoa powder.

Fill cupcake cups ¾-almost all the way full. Bake 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees, or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Allow to fully cool and frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potato and Thyme

This is my first soup of the 2014 Fall season. I've never made a Split Pea soup before, so I thought I'd give it a try. It turned out very well.

Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potato and Thyme

3/4-1 cup low sodium Bacon (or Turkey Bacon), cooked and diced

Oil

1/2 Onion, diced

Garlic

1/2 medium Sweet Potato, diced

1 medium Potato, peeled and diced

1 smaller Leek, diced

1 cup dried Split Peas, washed and looked over

Thyme

Black pepper

1/4  tsp. Turmeric

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

4 cups or 1 carton low sodium Chicken Broth

1 cup dried Split Peas, washed and looked over

Cook the bacon as desired (in oven or on stove-top), until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel.

In a large pot, sauté onions, leek, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and garlic with oil. Season with Black pepper, tumeric, and thyme. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and split peas. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook until the split peas are done, about 1 hour. About half way through, add diced bacon.