Recipes
Pumpkin Bread in a Mason Jar
Happy Thanksgiving Week!
What are y’all doing right now?
Planning your menus, planning your diet and exercise regime for after your menus?
Maybe doing lunges or stretching out your muscles to prepare for the Black Friday Madness?
Well, I am making bread. That’s right!
Bread!
But not just any kind of bread. Pumpkin Bread!
This is a great Southern Recipe!
We are going to be on the road this Holiday and we always end up stopping along the way for breakfast. This usually consists of Bojangles.
Now, any good Eastern Southerner typically knows about “Bojangles”. The good ole Fried Chicken Restaurant.
I have decided this time will be something better. Pumpkin Bread!
I made them in Mason Jars, so the “Babies” can just eat their bread with a spoon in the car.
Hopefully, this means less clean up for Z and myself. I guess we will see.
The best thing ever is Fresh Canned Pumpkin. Store bought is completely fine too. I just happened to have a jar in my pantry that my mom had given me.
You can make this in a loaf pan, muffins, or even little mini poppers. I thought the mason jars gave it a fun twist. I sprayed the inside so that they wouldn’t stick.
Make sure you wipe off the rim of the jar afterwards so that the lids will seal.
A funnel is a great tool to use to keep batter off the rim.
I filled the mason jars about half way full and set on top of a cookie sheet.
I baked them at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until a toothpick came out clean. Then I sprinkled additional finely chopped walnuts on top.
And sprinkled each one with a little powdered sugar!
While they were still hot, I topped each one with a lid/seal. They will actually seal on their own after a few minutes, just like the canning process.
Did you know they will last up to 6 months sealed ! ? !
However, these won’t make it past the morning!
When ready to serve, you can either run a knife down and around all the sides of the jar, and tapping the bottom a bit, it will come out as a “log”. Simply slice it and serve.
OR!
You can do my personal favorite and what we will be doing tomorrow morning.
AND…..
Taking a spoon…..
Sit down……
Open the lid/seal……
and go to town! Yum!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Recipe: Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
– 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
– 1 1/2 cup Sugar
– 3/4 tsp. Salt
– 1 tsp. Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
– 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 large Eggs
– 1/3 cup Water
– 1 cup Fresh Pumpkin or Store Bought
– 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts, plus more finely chopped Walnuts for Garnish (Optional)
– Powdered Sugar
Directions:
– Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
– Combine all dry ingredients (except powdered sugar and walnuts). Mix well.
– In another bowl, conbine pumpkin, water, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Mix well.
– Add dry ingredients to mixture and beat thoroughly.
– Stir in nuts and pour batter into greased loaf pan or 1/2 way up greased mason jars.
– If using a loaf pan, bake 75-80 minutes. If using mason jars, bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle, comes clean.
– Cool 15 minutes in loaf pan and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. If using mason jars, sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts, powdered sugar and carefully put lids/seals on top and twist to tighten. *Jars are HOT! Be careful!
Mom’s Southern Stewed Apples
The other day was Em’s 7th Birthday!
I cannot believe enough time has passed to be able to say that.
I always try to make everyone’s favorite dinner for their birthday. My mom has always done that and it always made me feel so special. I have tried to continue this tradition with my own family.
One of her favorite things is my Mom’s Stewed Apples. She can eat enough to make her sick…… and I don’t blame her. I have to hold back myself.
They are SOOOOO good!
First, take some Granny Smith Apples. (I use the whole bag because I like to make a lot)
Peel, core, and slice. ( I use a peeler first, then put them under this handy little baby made by Pampered Chef)
I fill them up in the pot first to see how high they go. Then I put them into a seperate bowl while I ……..
Melted half a stick of butter in the saucepan,
Added some Cinnamon,
And for whatever reason, felt there wasn’t enough butter, so I added another half stick of butter. Yes, there is now 1 whole stick of butter in the recipe and YES! I’m SORRY! : D
Then I added a 1/2 cup of sugar and mixed until it was dissolved.
Add the apple slices.
Toss the apples until they are completely coated in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
This is what they looked like after 20 minutes.
And this is what they looked like after 45 minutes. Softened and DELICIOUS!
Complete YUMMINESS!
Recipe: Mom’s Southern Stewed Apples
Inredients:
– 1 Bag Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
– 1 stick Unsalted Butter
– 3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
– 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
Directions:
– In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat.
– Add cinnamon and sugar and mix well.
– Add apples and stir, mixing well in cinnamon/butter/sugar mixture. *Bowl will be very full, so be careful mixing.
– Allow to simmer on medium low, stirring occasionally for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are soft and tender.
*Make sure you stir occasionally! If not, sugar/butter mixture may burn.
Chili
Who doesn’t love a good pot of Chili????
I’ll eat it anytime of the year, but there is something about a nice hot bowl of Chili when the air outside is cool and crisp and leaves are starting to fall…….
Ok Esther! Stop watching one of your “Chick Flicks”.
But, seriously….
How could you say no to this?!?
Well, I bet you can’t.
SO!
Because I love you . . . . . .
Very, very much . . . . . . .
And because I meant to do this last week, but couldn’t because my house got TORE UP AGAIN . . . . . .
I shall now give you the Recipe to this Wonderful thing called, CHILI!
(Please hold your applause until the end)
It goes a little something like this,
Recipe: Chili
Ingredients:
– 2 lbs. Ground Beef
– Nonstick cooking Spray
– 1 Large Onion
– 1 Green Bell Pepper
– 2 cups Chopped Celery
– 2 (28 oz.) Cans Diced Tomatoes
– 1 (28oz.) Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
– Ground Cumin (to taste)
– Chili Powder (to taste)
– 1 Packet Chili Seasoning (I use reduced Sodium)
– 1 (14.5 oz) Can Black Beans, (drained and rinsed)
– 1 (14.5 oz) Can Light Red Kidney Beans, (drained and rinsed)
– 1 (14.5 oz) Can Pinto Beans, (drained and rinsed)
– Toppings: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Chopped Green Onions
Directions:
– Brown beef in skillet, drain and set aside.
– Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
– Add onion, green bell pepper, and celery and saute for 10 minutes or until vegetables start to soften.
– Stir in diced and whole tomatoes. Break whole tomatoes up just a little bit so they aren’t too big and bulky.
– Add cumin and chili powder, to taste, and allow to cook for 10 more minutes.
– Add the beans, reserved brown meat, and chili seasoning packet.
– Partially cover and let simmer for 2 hours.
– Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
NOTE: If you want, make 1 day ahead. Chili gets even better the day after!
Enjoy!
AND……
Happy Monday!
-Esther
The Great Smokey Mountains ! ! ! (Part 1)
October is THE month to take a trip and explore some of the South’s most beautiful scenery.
SO!
That is exactly what my family and I did this passed weekend.
When I was a child, my family went to places like Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC and Grandfather Mountain, in Linville. We did this for two reasons. One, they happen to be in North Carolina where I am from. Two, the trees are so beautiful this time of the year with their ever changing colors and it’s crisp Fall air. I wanted to let my kid’s experience this too.
Since, they have never been to the Mountains before, I knew they were going to have a blast!
We couldn’t have picked a better weekend to go. It was almost as if the leaves were literally changing color right in front of our eyes. NO KIDDING!
Our first stop was Tweetsie Railroad. It is the best place to take your kids! It has everything from Cowboys to Indians……..
to even TRAINS! (Hence, Tweetsie Railroad).
The Cowboys put on a little skit for you and you go for a train ride. Along the way, the train stops a few times……
and you even get ambushed by Indians! Oh my! This guys was great, because bless his heart! He held that pose for me for a few minutes because he could see I was trying to take his picture! Haha! I guess he felt sorry for the lady with the bulky camera and all her settings. (Note to self: Sometimes, you just need to keep it on auto!)
Let me just tell you, all the landscaping was beautiful too. I need to hire the same landscaper.
I honestly don’t know what is wrong with me. Ever since I started to have children, I have become afraid of my own shadow. I remember riding on these ski lifts when I was a kid and purposely trying to shake them and scare the bajeezus out of my mom. Now, I have become my mom. I couldn’t even breathe without thinking that one or all of us were going to fall out of those things! Oh well, there goes ever trying to attempt to ski on a mountain.
At the top of the ski lift, they had more fun things to do. They had a little petting zoo with goats, white deer, and even llamas.
Not sure if “Oscar” was trying to kiss me or spit on me! He was THAT close. No zoom lens here!
I know they say you aren’t suppose to show people pictures of your home because of Paparazzi and all, but I thought I would share a picture of my “home in the mountains”.
AND while I was at it, I thought I would share a second picture of my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th homes as well.
We had such a great time at Tweetsie!
While we were there, we got to. . . . . . . . . . . .
Let our 3 year old son play with firearms . . . . . . . . .
Lock our children up . . . . . . . . . .
And even embarrass my husband. *Don’t ask me what the girls are doing???
So I would say we had a fantabulous time!
Check out part 2 tomorrow. (Grandfather Mountain) : )
– Esther
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
You must be logged in to post a comment.