Pumpkin Crisis

Have you tried to buy canned pumpkin this year? It seems there is yet another shortage. We hear this every year about this time when last years crop runs out and this years crop is being processed and shipped. There always seems to be a few weeks of panic while everyone wonders if this years holiday table will be missing it's beloved pumpkin pie.
This year there does seem to be some relevance to the panic though. It appears that the excessively rainy spring and summer has caused many of the seeds to rot in the ground. That combined with a persistant rumor that there was a fire in the Libby's facility in Florida.
I did find some Laura Lynn brand pumpkin at the Ingles on Tunnel Road, they had just a few cans left. According to my research Libby's processes 90% of all the canned pumpkin sold in the US. My money says they process it for Laura Lynn, I sure hope so, now that I am the proud owner of 3 regular size cans and 3 jumbo size cans.

Lacy-Jay becomes very unhappy when I mess around with the Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe. She is a purist when it comes to her pumpkin pie. I can have pumpkin cream pies, pumpkin rolls or pumpkin squares but the traditional pumpkin pie must take center stage. One year I spread a tablespoon of maple syrup on top of each pie because I loved the way it made it look, all pretty and glossy, gee...... you would have thought I poured Draino over the top to hear her tell it.

Head on over to the store and grab you some pumpkin cause today I am posting everyones favorite pumpkin pie recipe as well as a couple of other winners!!

Oh, yeah, when you find your pumpkin be sure to post and let us know where you got it!!

Libby's Traditional Pumpkin

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.POUR into pie shell.BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. (Susan's note: whipped cream NOT optional).
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Libby's Pumpkin Roll

CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.)

Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.
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Pumpkin Fudge

2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped nuts - pecans
½ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Cook the sugar, pumpkin , cornstarch, evaporated milk and pumpkin pie spice until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water, or until reaches 236* on a candy thermometer. Add the butter, vanilla, and chopped nuts. Beat with a wooded spoon until the mixture is creamy. Pour into a buttered plate and allow to cool. Cut into small squares.

So, until tomorrow...............
S~~~

Secret Ingredients

What is your secret ingredient?
I was thinking tonight as I was fixing chili for supper about ingredients that we all use that might not be the norm in a particular dish.
Several came to mind:

• Softened butter in deviled eggs
• Lipton Cream of Chicken Soup Mix (dry) in creamed potatoes
• V-8 Juice in chili
• Pinch of salt in orange juice
• Vanilla in hot chocolate
• Sage in meatloaf

These aren't so unusual, but I am sure you have some great secrets to share. Post them for us all to try.

This is the chili recipe that we have decided over the years is our favorite. I welcome (beg) each of you to post your favorite chili recipe. Now that fall is upon us we will have lots of cool night to enjoy a hearty bowl of chili.

Our Favorite Chili

1- lb. ground beef

1- medium onion - diced

1/2 red bell pepper - diced

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1- 6 oz. can tomato paste

1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1-15 oz. can chili beans

3/4 cup V-8 juice

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. kitchen bouquet

Brown together ground chuck, onions and bell pepper. Drain well. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for at least an hour, adding a bit of water if needed.

So, until tomorrow...........

S~~~

Ode To Summer

Well, today is the last day of summer. The last day of my favorite season. Soon our precious little hummingbirds will make their way south to winter in the warmer climate. We can see changes in their habits already, they are much more active right now and seem to be eating more to get ready for the long journey. In a few days we will wave goodbye to the tiny little birds that keep us entertained from the kitchen window spring and summer. The feeders will come down to be stored until late March when we will once again be on hummingbird alert.

The photo is one of the little fat fellows, told you they were pigging out. Sadly, I couldn't find a good photo of one of the gorgeous ruby red throats to share

Tomorrow brings fall and with fall comes my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. Fall also brings Lacy-Jay's birthday which sometimes coincides with Thanksgiving. October will be here soon and I will drag out my fall decorations and start making my lists for Thanksgiving. Fall will be good, especially this year.

So, until tomorrow............

S~~~

New Product Alert

Yesterday as we were heading to Asheville I took an excited phone call from Lacy-Jay that went something like this:
" Oh my gosh, Mamma, you have got to try the new Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses!!"
To which I replied, where did you get them? Target was the answer, so, of course, Target became our new destination. Not only do they have Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, but also Candy Corn Hershey Kisses. Don't you know I had to buy one of each, they were on sale. I love both varieties, but I might give a slight edge to the candy corn flavor. That said, pumpkin pie in a tiny Hershey kiss is incredible too. Give them a try and let us know what you think.
I am thinking that a homemade soft gingerbread cookie with the pumpkin spice flavor pressed into the top and returned to the oven for a couple of minutes just might be over the moon. I'll let you know!

Supper tonight is a recipe that I won a contest with back in 1985. I submitted it to the now defunct Home Cooking magazine that had readers vote on published recipes. I won $50 and had the recipe published in a blue ribbon winners edition.
I haven't made this main dish casserole in several years but today's rainy weather had me looking for comfort foods. Not only is it a work in simplicity and big on taste but it is economical to boot. I think I might add it back to my rotation. It may also be done in the slow cooker.

Potato and Beef Casserole*
Oven Fried Okra
Cottage Cheese
Florida Seasoned Garlic Pull a Part Bread
Decadent Heath Bar Cake

Potato and Beef Casserole

6 medium potatoes
2 large onions
1 lb. ground chuck
2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup
2 soup cans milk
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown and drain ground chuck. Set aside. Thinly slice potatoes and onions and layer in a sprayed 9x13 inch pan, salt and pepper, making two layers.
Spread browned and drained ground chuck over top of vegetables.
Whisk together soup, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and milk. Pour soup mixture over ground chuck.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350* 2 hours.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

September Seasoning

Ronnie is still on his fried chicken kick so supper last night was his choice.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Rice and Gravy
Dressing (Stovetop cornbread flavor)
Butter Beans

I cheated on the dressing by using Stovetop, cooked by package directions and adding a 1/2 can of Cream of Celery Soup, a small diced onion, extra sage and pepper. Then I turned it into a sprayed 8 inch baking pan and baked it for 20 minutes at 400*. Real homemade dressing is a hours long process in our family, so we only have it at Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I posted the pumpkin pecan bars earlier in the week and failed to mention my recipe for pumpkin pie spice. My family loves anything pumpkin, so, long about this time every year I start looking for different ways to fix this gorgeous fruit. While, I am not fond of the store bought pumpkin pie spice, somehow it always seems bland to me, I am a fan of the convenience of having this blended spice on my shelf. This particular blend contains all those spices that I love in the fall. It is a touch heavier on the nutmeg, which is a favorite of mine. I just mix up a double batch early in September and have it handy throughout the upcoming holiday season. If I haven't mentioned Penzey's spices lately, now is a great time, www.penzeys.com.


Pumpkin Pie Spice

8 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tsp.ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

So, until tomorrow..........
S~~

Cool Nights and Home Cooking

Supper last night was a variation of a recipe that has been around for quiet a while that everyone raves about from time to time online.
The Ingles had nice chuck roasts on sale, so I picked up a nice sized one on Sunday for a slow cooker meal this week. I love coming home to the smell of supper cooking. I seem to use my slow cooker more in the fall/winter months than spring/summer months for whatever reason.
Anyway, the original recipe simply has the seasoning packets and a 1/2 cup of water. While this is a good roast, last nights roast was wonderful. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Supper last night:
To Die For Beef Roast (modified)*
Creamed Potatoes
Carrots and Peas
Cole Slaw
Biscuits

To Die For Beef Roast (modified)

1 medium size beef roast
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet Italian dressing mix
1 cup vegetable stock (Kitchen Basics - in a carton) may sub beef stock, broth or consomme
1 can beef consomme
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. celery seed

1 large onion - sliced in 1/2 inch slices or wedges

Optional:

baby carrots
small potatoes
mushrooms

Add the onion and any other vegetable you use to the bottom of the crock pot. Place roast on top of vegetables.
Mix broth, consomme and red wine with seasoning packets, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, pepper and celery seed. Pour over roast.

Cook at medium heat 8 hours. I never worry too much about over cooking this roast. Mine has been in as long as 10 hours and it was fine.

So, until tomorrow........
S~~

Grilling Again

In the waning days of summer I feel like we need to be outside as much as possible. I love to grill then sit out on the deck with the candles burning and the music playing. Sometimes we talk sometimes we just sit quietly for minutes at a time.

Supper tonight was:

Citrusy Chicken*

Parmesan Thyme Couscous

Corn Pudding

Green Beans

Honey Wheat Bread

Paula Deen's Creamy Pumpkin and Pecan Bars*

This chicken was so tender and moist. Great flavor too. I think I will mix several batches of the marinade and chicken in freezer bags to have ready for a handy freezer meal. Just take it out of the freezer and refrigerate in the morning and cook at 400* for about 45 - 60 minutes covered when I get home from work.

Citrusy Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon, juice of
1 lime, juice of
3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. agave syrup (may substitute 1 tsp. brown sugar)

Place the chicken in a plastic ziploc bag.
In a small bowl, combine juices, oil, herbs and spice.
Mix well.
Add to chicken in bag and turn to coat.
Marinade at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.
On a prepared grill, cook chicken over medium high heat until done.

NOTE: I hesitate to list a cooking time here. It depends on how high the heat is, how thick the chicken is, was it room heat or cold when placed on the grill.......

I always bring my meats to room temp before cooking, they cook much more evenly.

Usually chicken breasts take 7-8 minutes on the first side and 5-6 on the second side. This would be for regular thickness, not the thin and fancy ones, they are much too thin to grill well.

Paula Deen's Creamy Pumpkin and Pecan Squares

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter- melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese- softened

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (16 oz) box confectioners sugar

Whipped cream (optional)

Ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, butter, chopped pecans, and 1 egg. Press mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 3 eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth. Pour over prepared crust. Bake 35 minutes. Cut into squares to serve. Serve with whipped cream and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

This was decadent. A perfect fall dessert. The only change I made was add 2 tsp. of my homemade vanilla to the filling. In the future I might pre-bake the crust for about five minutes before spreading the filling and then continue baking.

I really think the sugar could be cut a bit also, a full box is a bit much. I think 2/3 of a box might be plenty.

So, until tomorrow.........

S~~~

A Simple September Sunday

Today was just simple. I love that word. I love simplicity. I love clean straight lines. My house reflects the same. Lots of khaki, white and navy.

I haven't always wanted simplicity, after all, I was a child of the 70's with all the psychedelic hues and bright colors. I lived through the 80's with the mauve and florals that gag me now. Worked so hard through the 90's that I'm not sure what fad happened then. Now in 2009, I just need clean, neat and orderly.

So supper tonight was a work in simplicity.

Crispy Parmesan Bites w/ Veggie Dip

Shrimp Scampi*

Baked Potatoes

Crusty Bread

Shrimp Scampi

1 lb medium shrimp - raw and deveined (either shelled or not your choice)

1 stick butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 Tbsp. pepper

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. Old Bay

1/4 cup chopped parsley ( may sub 1/8 cup dried parsley)

Melt butter and add wine, garlic, seasoning and herbs. Stir in shrimp coating well with the butter mixture. Bake at 400 approximately 12-15 minutes if frozen, 10 if fresh or thawed. Stir after the first 5 minutes. Be careful not to over cook. They are done as soon as they are pink.

So, until tomorrow..........

S~~~

Just Rambling

http://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-Gourmet-2-Inch-Cheese-Knife/dp/B0000DJYYP/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1252423261&sr=8-17

This was my Labor Day purchase. After all, shouldn't we reward our labor on Labor Day?

I love kitchen gadgets, my husband would tell you it is a sickness. I love the feel of having the perfect tool for the job.

Another favorite kitchen gadget is my avocado masher:

I picked this one up a while back at Williams Sonoma. I just checked their site and it apparently isn't available there anymore. Should you happen to come across one don't hesitate to buy it, I use it for so many things besides guacamole.

Another obsession of mine is office supplies, especially pens, my husband and co-workers would tell you this is a sickness. My perennial favorite pens are extra fine point Pilot brand. Currently I am using the Precise V5 RT.

http://www.pilotpen-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=PIL%20PV5R-GRN

As a general rule green isn't one of my favorite colors but I love using a green pen. The ONLY time I will use a black pen is on legal docs.

I will also only use one brand of highlighters as well.

http://www.sharpie.com/enUS/Product/Sharpie_Accent_Highlighter_Liquid_Pen_Style.html

Coral is my color of choice here, but I use the others in the package too, as color coding is yet another obsession.

The back to school sales always fuel my need for office supplies.

So, Until Tomorrow..................

S~~~

Happy Labor Day

The last holiday weekend of the summer.............
We can already feel the change in the air, see slight color in the hills and notice the lengthening of the shadows. Summer of '09 will just be a sweet memory in a few weeks. Fall is coming on fast so we need to grasp every second of summer possible.

Our labor day was near perfect. We did the things we love, shot the guns, grilled out and had supper on the deck, sat around the fire pit listening to music, relaxed in the hot tub and enjoyed that feeling that only comes when you have extra time. Normal weekends fly by as we try to catch up from the work week, but the three day weekend has a completely different dynamic. Love that extra day.

Supper tonight was a bit on the traditional side:

Morning Glory Burgers (2/10/2009)
Potato Salad
Baked Beans
Roasted Corn on the Cob
Apple Crisp

As I was making the potato salad I was thinking how odd it was that I have had 2 different people ask me recently about the "secret" to perfect boiled eggs. For at least the last 20 years I have used the no boil method:
Bring eggs to a boil and remove from heat. Cover with a tight fitting lid and let sit 15 minutes for hard boiled, 12 minutes for medium and 10 minutes for soft boiled. Rinse with cold water until cool enough to peel.
A tip that I just love for easy peel eggs is to add a tablespoon of salt to the water before it boils. Adding vinegar to the water accomplishes the result. Salt is easier for me as it kept beside the cooktop.

Hoping your Labor Day was as perfect as ours.

So, Until Tomorrow...........
S~~~

Remember Me ???

I have been an unreliable blogger lately. I have a bunch of honest excuses, computer problems, lack of motivation, etc............................ but the real reason is that Ronnie and I had a few days off and I just needed a break from a computer for a bit. At work the lions share of my work is done in front of a computer and most nights I come home and bo up in front of the kitchen laptop. I was on computer overload.

Anyway, I am back and looking forward to transitioning back into fall cooking. Admittedly, fall isn't my favorite season, I always seem to think of it as the harbinger to winter, but fall foods are true comfort foods. Soups and stews, roasts, hearty pasta dishes, chicken and dumplings, prune cake and carrot cake are all dishes that I associate with the cooler temps.

I have a favor to ask of you. Have you tried the "Coon Hunters Cake" at Moon Doggies on the 5 lane in Marion? For those of you not from Marion, it is a simple yellow cake with a pineapple topping. Last week I tried to re-create this cake and I was close but not quite there yet. It is really good and I would love to make it at home if anyone has a recipe.

For supper tonight I tried a new recipe, zucchini lasagna. We really enjoyed it. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Zucchini Lasagna*

Tossed Salad

Honey Wheat Bread

Zucchini Lasagna

2 1/2 cups zucchini- sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 2 -3 zucchini)
1 lb. ground chuck

1 small cup onion - chopped
1 - 6 oz.- can tomato paste

1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 garlic clove - minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg - beaten
3/4 cup cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded (divided)

1 teaspoon flour

Cook zucchini until tender, drain and set aside. Brown ground beef with onions, drain. Add next 9 ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 10 minutes.

In small bowl slightly beat egg.
Add cottage cheese, half of shredded cheese and flour.
In (1 1/2-qt.) casserole arrange half of the meat mixture. Top with half of the zucchini and all the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat and zucchini.
Bake uncovered at 375 * for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

So, until tomorrow...............

S~~~