Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Moist, delicious pumpkin muffins. My daughter absolutely loves them! This is a modified version of Whole Spelt Pumpkin Muffins from 100 Days of Real Food website.

1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup (or 1 small box) Craisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin/cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
Mix together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Then, add in the eggs, honey, pumpkin puree, craisins, chocolate chips and melted butter. Mix together until well combined.

Pour the batter into the liners (about 3/4 full). Bake for between 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.

Scrumptious Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cookies

2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(optional) powdered sugar for dusting when taken out of the oven



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients first, then work in wet ingredients. Drop spoonfulls of mixture onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 14 minutes - take out and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup

Always popular on a chilly fall or winter day! My friend Amanda introduced me to this recipe and I've made it many times since - always delicious!

Turn your crock pot/ slow cooker to low heat. 

Add: 

2 cans of Rotel original diced tomatoes (don’t strain)

3 cans of sweet corn (don’t strain)

3 cans of chili beans (don’t strain)

2 packages of taco seasoning

1 chicken breast (I put in frozen, but fresh is fine too)

Cook in slow cooker all day on low heat – shred chicken after it’s been cooked.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese, Frito chips and sour cream. 

Enjoy!

Comforting Potato Soup

Perfect for a cool evening - comfort food! I serve with cheddar biscuits.

6-7 medium unpeeled potatoes diced into larger pieces
1 1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1 pint half & half
7 stalks celery thinly sliced
1/2 large onion thinly diced
6 chicken bullion cubes
1 package bacon diced small and cooked in pan until crispy (drain and set aside)
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon rosemary minced small
1 tablespoon sage minced small
1/2 cup parsley (optional)

Add your diced potatoes & bullion cubes into a large pot and add water just to the top of the potatoes. Boil until just tender, then turn heat down to medium and add celery and onion. Simmer for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add garlic salt, bacon, rosemary and sage - then, slowly add in the cheese. Stir and turn soup to low. Top with parsley if you choose.

Bacon, Tomato and Ranch Pasta Salad

Delicious as a side, and great for Natalie's school lunches

1 large tomato diced
1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
1/2 small red pepper finely chopped
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives halved
1/2 cup crispy bacon pieces
1/2 cup Uncle Dan's/ Hidden Valley mix (ranch packet mix)
1 package bow-tie or shell pasta

Take half a package of bacon, dice it up and cook it until really crisp, cool and add to large bowl. Cut up tomatoes, olives, parsley, green pepper and red pepper, add to bowl. Make the ranch as instructions say, add 1/2 cup to bowl, cook pasta until soft, rinse with cold water, add to bowl. Mix, enjoy!

Grandma Pearls' Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons warm water


Preheat oven to 350 - line pan with parchment paper. Roll into balls and press flat with a fork. Bake cookies for 15 minutes.

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

Easy, fast and delicious!

1lb hamburger meat
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic
1 package bakery made hamburger buns (I toast in oven with olive oil)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 small green pepper (chopped)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Saute the onion and green pepper on medium heat until just soft, put to the side. Brown the hamburger and then add the onion and green pepper back to the pan, then add the spices and diced tomatoes. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the ketchup.
                                                 Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve over toasted buns.

Moist & Delicious Zucchini and Cranberry Bread

• My Favorite Zucchini Recipe
• 
  This year we started our first little garden. It did well, and we were able to harvest some big zucchini's! This recipe is my favorite way to use them up! 

• 
  
• Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl.
• Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and 1/2 cup apple juice/ or apple cider. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

These can be made into muffins  - just fill regular sized cupcake pan with cupcake papers, fill 3/4 full with mixture and bake for 20-25 mins or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

• 
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice
• 1/2 cups dried cranberries