Pumpkin Soup Recipe

I had never heard of pumpkin soup until my pen pal in Germany sent it to me.

There are different ways to make pumpkin soup; one way is more of vegetable soup and the other more like a dessert.

For vegetarians or gluten intolerant, there is even a way for you. Here is my recipe for pumpkin soup. 

With fall in the air and pumpkins we grew in our garden, this soup is so good!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Soup Recipe:

• 6 cups chicken stock or  6 tsp Gluten-Free vegetable base for the vegetarian 6 cups water 
• 4 cups pumpkin puree 
• 4-6 potatoes cubed
• 4 carrots

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon  black pepper; or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; or to taste
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)
• 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Instructions to make Pumpkin Soup Recipe:

1. If you are using fresh pumpkin from your garden, you will need to cut it up and cook it down. If you are like many people, you will use canned pumpkin. Either way is OK, it will not affect the taste. Heat the chicken stock (or vegetable base), water,  potatoes, pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.  
   Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
2. Be careful when doing this step, as it is very hot.
3. Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered.
4. If you want it sweet and more like pumpkin pie this is when you would add in the brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.
5. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and enjoy. 
   
   

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookie_Gluten-Free, Soft and Delicious:

Gluten Free Cookie Soft and Delicious

Baking season is upon us once again so why not try a new recipe this year. 
I did, I took a new cookie recipe and adapted it to our needs and what I had on hand. 
This version of peppermint hot chocolate brownie cookie is gluten free, soft and delicious. Add it to your Christmas baking list, and to your recipe box so you can make this gluten free minty cookie any time through out the year.

Ingredients to Make Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookie_Gluten-Free, Soft and Delicious:

·       2/3 cup olive oil

·       1½ cups organic monk fruit in raw blend; or 3/4 cup monk fruit in the raw blend & 3/4 coconut sugar for a sweeter cookie

·       1 T. water or crème de menthe

·       1 t. vanilla or crème de menthe

·       6 drops of Organic Peppermint Oil, essential oil not extract

·       2 eggs

·       1/3 cup dark cacao powder

·       ½ t. Himalayan salt

·       ¼ t. baking soda

·       1½ cups Bob Red Mills, Gluten Free all-purpose flour or Bob Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour

·       3/4-1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions to Make Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookie_Gluten-Free, Soft and Delicious:

1.     Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2.     In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and stevia/sugar blend.

3.     Mix in the water/crème de menthe, vanilla/crème de menthe and peppermint oil. Add the eggs and continue to blend.

4.     The recipe called to combine all dry products in another bowl; however, I have always found this an unnecessary step. Gradually add the cacao powder, salt, baking soda and gluten free flour. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

5.     Stir in the dark chocolate chips.

6.     Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes for a soft cookie.

7.     Let the cookies cool slightly, and then dive in to get that nice minty chocolate flavor.

8.     I got 21 cookies so adjust accordingly to the size you make yours.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs_Delicious and Healthy

 Deviled Eggs or Angel Eggs as our family calls them are a favorite side dish for a carry in meal. However, I never liked them. I thought it was a good way to ruin an egg, the reason being, I do not like mayonnaise or mustard.

This holiday season I wanted to try my hand at making guacamole-deviled eggs, however, the recipes all differed far too much. I remembered mom making standard deviled eggs and just adding mayonnaise and mustard to the egg yolk left extra filling in the bowl. So taking four eggs and adding two avocados and other ingredients I knew there would be way too much filling for the eggs.

Keeping this in mind, I thought I would simply make my guacamole recipe using avocados, cumin, garlic powder, sweet onion, tomato, jalapeno peppers, lime juice and salt and pepper. Normally I would have used a red or orange sweet pepper for the guacamole; I simply did not have any.

After boiling a dozen eggs, peeling and cutting them in ½, making the guacamole, I took an egg and did a trial run. I popped out the egg yolk then added the same amount of guacamole and mashed it all together. I then filled the egg halves and tasted. It was an oh my goodness moment. The taste of this deviled egg was one that I could enjoy.

Since I made a large batch of guacamole, I could enjoy guacamole deviled eggs as well as dip and eat chips and crackers.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Brownies

Gluten-Free Zucchini Brownies

Baking gluten-free was once something I only did for my sisters and nieces, however, after seeing an herbalist to help get healthier I was placed on a no peanut, wheat, rye, barley oat and corn diet. 
I am actually finding the no corn part to be the hardest as it is in everything, however, this recipe for gluten-free zucchini brownies is delicious and fits the bill.

 

 

 

Ingredients for the Zucchini Brownies:

• ½  cup cacao powder
• 1 ½  teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ½  cup coconut oil/olive oil; your choice
• 1 ½  cups coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla
• 2 cups garden fresh zucchini; shredded 
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour; I prefer Bob Red Mills all-purpose gluten-free flour
• 3-5 tablespoons water; only if needed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; optional

   

  Ingredients for the chocolate frosting:

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼  cup butter or coconut oil; melted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼  cup almond or cashew milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions to make the Zucchini Brownie:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Using a 9-inch x13-inch glass baking pan and spray it with cooking spray.
2. In your mixing bowl, (I do not believe in using more than one bowl); therefore, add the ingredients in the order listed adding the water last to make a thicker batter. The water you use is determined by the moisture in your zucchini.  Do not add too much water or it will be more like cake than a brownie. ***I made the Gluten-Free Zucchini Brownies without any added water.
3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. While the brownie is baking, whip up the frosting. Spread the frosting on the brownies after they have cooled a little. I prefer to frost the brownies while slightly warm; however, you can do as you like and wait until they are completely cooled.
5. Cut into squares and watch the Gluten-Free zucchini brownies disappear.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta an Easy One-Pot Recipe

Mac and Cheese is a favorite one-pot pasta meal for children, however, you want a something more. Cheesy Chicken Pasta an Easy One-Pot Recipe will do just that.

This recipe is very versatile, change it up to suit your family's taste. It is also a way to use leftover chicken breast or holiday turkey.

According to Wikipedia, “In cooking, the Italian expression al dente ( /ælˈdɛnteɪ/; Italian: [al ˈdɛnte]) describes pasta and (less commonly) rice or beans that have been cooked so as to be firm but not hard. "Al dente" also describes vegetables that are cooked to the "tender crisp" phase - still offering resistance to the bite, but cooked through. Keeping the pasta firm is especially important in baked or "al forno" pasta dishes, where the pasta is cooked twice. The term "al dente" comes from Italian and means "to the tooth" or "to the bite", referring to the need to chew the pasta due to its firmness. Pasta that is cooked al dente has a lower glycemic index than pasta that is cooked soft.^"

Ingredients needed for Cheesy Chicken Pasta:

• 1-16 oz package of pasta your favorite kind; Rotini, Farfalli Bow ties, Conchiglie Shells etc.
• 1-16 oz jar Cheesy Ragu Double Cheddar or Roasted Garlic Parmesan
• 10-12 oz chicken breast, cubed
• 3 oz French Fried Onions; French’s or any store brand will work

Instructions to make Cheesy Chicken Pasta:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a pan that can go from the stove top, directly in the oven, fill with water and heat to boiling. Dump in the pasta and cook until lightly al dente. Drain off any excess water.
3. Pour the Ragu Cheese into the pasta, rinse the Ragu jar with a little milk and swish around and pour in the pasta, stir.
4. If you are using leftover chicken, cube it and add to the pasta. If you want to take the easier route, use canned chicken breast. Without draining, add it to the pasta.
5. Top with the French-fried onions and place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Making cheesy chicken pasta is an easy one-pot recipe.

Aunt Thelma's Banana Bread Recipe

Warm fresh baked banana bread is good, however, Aunt Thelma's banana banana bread recipe is excellent, moist and so easy to make. Bananas are great sources of vitamins, such as B6, C and Potassium, and loaded with fiber too. According to world’s healthiest foods, “Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.”
As long as you do not get crazy and eat the whole loaf of banana bread, you are adding goodness to your diet. Consider making Bake Aunt Thelma's Banana Bread recipe.

Ingredients to make Aunt Thelma’s Banana Bread:

• 2 cups coconut sugar
• 1 cup butter or olive oil
• 6 very ripe bananas mashed
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 loaf pans

Instructions on how to make Aunt Thelma’s Banana Bread:

1. Move your oven rack so it is in the center. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven does not have a timer, 20 minutes will suffice.
2. Sift dry ingredients; salt, baking soda and flour, 3 times and set aside for later.
3. Mash the bananas, mix in the sugar, softened butter and eggs. Beat it well.
4. Add in flour mix little by little and mix well.
5. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans and bake in the preheated 350-degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Slice it up warm and enjoy!

Tip: I got the banana bread recipe from my aunt however; another person shared with me how she simply swirls a fork through the mixture to make it light and fluffy. Great idea to keep in mind and share with others in case they do not have a sifter.

Cornbread Recipe

Homemade Chili

Cornbread, soup, and the desire to stay warm go hand-in-hand with the cooler seasons, however, do you have a good cornbread recipe?

Like many good recipes; they have been handed down from generation to generation, and cornbread is no different.  Why serve your homemade soups with just plain old crackers?

Cornbread Chili topped with Cheese

 
Change it up from time to time with a good homemade cornbread.

Ingredients for Cornbread:

• Mixing bowl
• 1-cup cornmeal
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1-cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½-cup sweet cream
• 2 eggs
• ¼ olive or canola oil
• Electric mixer
• 8 or 9-inch square pan

 

Instructions to make Cornbread:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the pan.
2. Taking a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
3. Add the eggs, milk and cream. Using the electric mixer beat until smooth.
4. Pour into the greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center and when it comes out clean, it is ready to remove from the oven.

Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits: Homemade, Healthy and Delicious

 Do you buy or make your dog biscuits? I have done both, the dollar store dog biscuits are great to have on hand,  however, this healthy and delicious, easy to make recipe for apple cinnamon dog biscuits made with fresh organic apples and homemade apple juice is a healthy treat and will have your dog begging for more.

 

Ingredients to make Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits:

• 4 Cups wheat flour
• ½  Cup Cornmeal
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil; or preferred choice
• 1 Tsp of Cinnamon
• 1 Apple; grated or chopped into pieces
• 1 1/3  Cup apple juice or water
• Baking dish sprayed with a non stick spray

Instructions to make Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits:

1.     Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.     In the mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, egg, oil and cinnamon.

3.     Add the chopped up apple, apple juice or water; mix until it starts to form a dough ball. Pour out onto floured counter top or cutting board. Knead the dough until it looks like bread dough.

4.     Spread the biscuit dough onto a baking dish until it is ¼ -½ inch thick. For smaller dogs such as Hope, score the biscuit dough horizontally then vertically to make 1-inch squares. If you puppy is a large breed such as Po, you may prefer to make them a 2-inch x 2-inch square.  Reminder you are not cutting all the way through just scoring the dough.

5.     Place the pan of biscuits in the preheated oven for an hour. The cinnamon is going to smell like heaven while the biscuits are baking, and they will look good enough to eat.

6. Let the biscuits cool completely and you will see how well your dog likes them. Our dogs Hope and Po liked them really well.
7. Break the biscuits apart and store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

The homemade apple cinnamon dog biscuits smelled so good while baking, I actually thought about eating them. Try making your dog some of these dog biscuits soon.

Amish Drop Sugar Cookie Recipe

With the holidays right around the corner, people are baking cookies for family and friends. If you are one who will be baking cookies, you might consider the Amish drop sugar cookie recipe.

Unlike some sugar cookies, these are easy to make and soft and delicious. Amish drop sugar cookies start with real butter, which is so much healthier than margarine and shortening containing hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils have trans fat that can lead to heart disease, cancer, bone problems plus so many other health problems and diseases.

Good cookie recipes such as the Amish drop sugar cookie recipe start with real butter. Not only are they healthier, provided you do not eat the whole batch, they simply taste better.

According to Mercola.com butter is better than imitations because; “Butter is a rich source of easily absorbed vitamin A, needed for a wide range of functions, from maintaining good vision to keeping the endocrine system in top shape. Butter also contains all the other fat-soluble vitamins (D, E and K2), which are often lacking in the modern industrial diet.”

Both Dr Mercola and the Mayo Clinic agree that butter is better than hydrogenated margarines or shortenings, as they are contain trans fat, which leads to heart disease, cancer, bone problems so many other health problems and diseases.

“When it comes to fat, trans fat is considered by some doctors to be the worst type of fat. Unlike other fats, trans fat — also called trans-fatty acids — both raises your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your "good" (HDL) cholesterol. A high LDL cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women.” Therefore, when baking cookies for your family and friends, consider making your recipes a tad healthier yet still delicious.

Ingredients needed for making Amish drop sugar cookie recipe:

• Non-stick spray
• Baking sheets
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1-cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Sprinkles or colored sugar

Instructions on making Amish drop sugar cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the baking sheets by spraying with a non-stick spray.
3. Cream together the sugar and butter; add the eggs and beat well.
4. Add in the sour cream or yogurt, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla; little by little add the flour and beat until completely mixed.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets.
6. Sprinkle on the cookie dough, candied sprinkles or colored sugar.
7. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.

 If you are one that will be baking cookies for Christmas, consider my recipe for Amish drop sugar cookies.

 

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana on a Stick

Frozen chocolate covered banana on a stick are so nutritionally packed and great on hot summer days. If you have a hard time getting your children or grand children to eat enough fruit you may try offering them frozen chocolate covered bananas. Even our fussy grandson loves them, in fact the only reason I made frozen chocolate covered bananas was that he requested them.

Bananas, the high-energy fruit, have vitamin B6, C and potassium in them making them a very low calorie nutritionally packed fruit. According to the world’s healthiest food, “Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.”

Thanks to the discovery by George Washington Carver, we can enjoy the high protein nutrient packed peanut butter. Enjoyed by all, peanuts or peanut butter is consumed by shelling and eating them at ball games or as simple as a PBJ sandwich.

Combining all the goodness of chocolate, bananas and peanut butter to make this cool treat just makes sense to me.

Ingredients needed for making frozen chocolate covered bananas:

• Bananas
• 1-12 oz package dark chocolate chips
• 2 or 3 tbsp peanut butter; natural, crunchy or smooth
• Wax paper
• Popsicle sticks

 

 Instructions needed for making frozen chocolate covered bananas:

1. Purchase bananas that are ripe but not overly ripe. Getting a firm but sweet banana is necessary.
2. Peel the bananas and depending on the size, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Insert the stick about ½ way. If you insert it to far the banana may break and if not inserted far enough it will fall off the stick when dipping. You will get the feel for it after the first attempt.
3. Melt the dark chocolate chips. You can melt in the microwave or on the stovetop, however I find using a double boiler system to melt the chips is the best way to control the texture. Add the peanut butter of choice. Some might prefer to use the natural peanut butter that has no salt and sugar added, some might prefer chunky or smooth. There is no right or wrong.
4. Dip the banana in the chocolate mixture and gently move it around to make sure it is covered.
5. Shake the excess chocolate off the banana and put it on the wax paper.
6. After you have dipped the bananas in the chocolate mixture, place them in the freezer.  My grandson and I really love them. Mine may not be as pretty as the carnival chocolate bananas; however they still taste good; I am not sure why I had not tried them before. 

    

   Tips on making frozen chocolate covered bananas:

•  You might have to thin your chocolate chips, the bags recommends using solid shortening.

• Do not over heat the chocolate; it will dry out instead of melting. Slowly melting the chocolate is better.
• If frozen bananas are not your thing, try putting them in the refrigerator to chill long enough to set up the chocolate.
• On these hot summer days, I hope you try this delicious recipe for frozen chocolate covered bananas.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip: Fluffy and Delicious

 Growing pumpkins in our as close to organic garden as you can find, I have used them in many ways from pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin black bean burgers and now pumpkin cheesecake dip which is fluffy and delicious.

First seeing the recipe for pumpkin cheesecake dip on facebook, I instantly clicked on the link for the recipe. I scanned it and saved the page. While I was at work, Mozilla shut down and I lost my page.

I started searching pumpkin dip and realized there were many versions; however, I ended up combining two recipes to incorporate the ingredients I remembered. Now while my fresh cooked pumpkin is not as thick as the canned stuff, I will continue to use it as I know where these pumpkins come from and how near organic they actually are.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip: Fluffy and Delicious

 

·       1 8-oz package cream cheese; softened

·       2 cups of powdered sugar

·       1 tsp Orange Juice

·       2 cups of fresh pumpkin or 1 15-oz can of pumpkin

·       1 tbsp ground cinnamon

·       1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

·       1 8-oz container of whipped topping; thawed

Instructions to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip: Fluffy and Delicious

 

1. In a medium bowl or blender, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth.
2. Gradually mix in the pumpkin whether you use fresh cooked or canned.
3. Add the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and blend until smooth.
4.  Fold in the thawed whipped topping.
5.  Chill the pumpkin cheesecake dip until serving with apples, crackers or cookies.

Alternate recipe for Pumpkin Fluff Dip Recipe:

• 1-15 ounce can of pumpkin
• 1-16 ounce whipped topping;thawed
• 3-small boxes of vanilla pudding
• 1-3 tsp of pumpkin spice; spice to personal taste

Guacamole Recipe: added health benefits

A good guacamole recipe is great to have and eat however; did you realize the health benefits the avocado provides? Yes, the guacamole recipe has a few calories, therefore, don’t be piggy and consume massive amounts daily, however enjoy the added health benefits of the avocado and all the ingredients it takes to make it.

According to the world’s healthiest foods, “Arthritis—including both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis—are health problems that have received special research attention with respect to dietary intake of avocado.” World’s healthiest foods continue to say, “

The term "anti-inflammatory" is a term that truly applies to this delicious food.”

Nutrients and daily values in 146 grams or 1-cup of Avocado:

• Fiber    15.4 grams
• Vitamin K   48.3 units
• Calcium 28 mg
• Folate          186 mcg
• Vitamin C    23 mg
• Vitamin E   4.76 mg
• Potassium      1116 mg
• Magnesium     67 mg
• Vitamin B6  .591 mg
• Sodium          16 mg
• Sugars            1.2 g

 The nutritional facts provided by the ndb.nal.usda.gov

 The anti-inflammatory nutrients of the avocado are things such as antioxidants, beta-carotene, apha-carotine, vitamin C and E, selenium, zinc omega-3 fatty acids and the list goes on-and-on check it out.

Now factor in all the other ingredients it takes to make a good guacamole recipe and the added health benefits. You have cumin, onions, tomatoes, red peppers, fresh lime juice and garlic.

Ingredients for this Guacamole recipe: added health benefits

•  4 medium avocados cut in half and seed removed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup sweet white or red onion; minced
• 1 medium, ripe, Roma tomato; diced
• 2 hot peppers of choice; such as the jalapenos or spicier Serrano’s
• ½-¾ cup sweet red bell pepper; minced
• 4 tbsp Lime juice, fresh or concentrate
• Himalayan salt; to taste
• White or black ground pepper, to taste
• Hot sauce and cilantro; optional

 Instructions for this Guacamole recipe: added health benefits

1. Wash the avocados before cutting them open and remove the seeds. With a spoon or rubber spatula, scoop out all the meat from the avocados into a bowl.
2. Mash the avocados but do not puree` them. A few chucks are just fine.
3. Dice and or mince the onion, tomato and hot peppers of choice.
4. Fold in the cumin, garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers and lime juice.
5. Add the salt and pepper to suit your own personal taste. Gently fold once again.
6. If you enjoy the taste of cilantro and hot sauce, add it at this time.
7. Seal airtight and refrigerate. Use within a day or two for the best flavor.

Any guacamole recipe is truly made to suite your own personal taste. Just remember avocados are good for you in moderation. Change up the recipe to make it as hot and spicy as you enjoy it.  Use fresh and healthy vegetables and you will have a guacamole recipe: added health benefits too.