Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread

This is a moist but hearty bread that is lightly spiced & not too sweet.



Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pepitas, pecan or walnuts
1/4 t cinnamon

Bread:
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
Pinch of ground clove
1/2 t salt
1 cup oats, both quick & old fashioned work fine
1/2 c dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. This recipe will make 1 tall loaf or 2 shorter loaves. The large loaf, in 8 slices, is 330 calories per slice. A short loaf cut into 8 slices is 165 calories per slice. (For reference Starbucks pumpkin loaf is 450 calories per slice.) Grease and flour either 1 or 2 loaf pans and set aside.

In a small bowl stir the topping ingredients together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and yogurt until well blended. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and oats.

In another bowl toss the cranberries with a teaspoon of the flour mixture to coat. Set aside.

Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and fold together with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Don't over mix.

Pour the batter into 1 or 2 pans. Sprinkle the topping over the top and lightly press it into the surface with your finger tips.

Bake the large loaf for 50-60 minutes or the small loaves for 35-40. Test with a toothpick. This bread is very, very moist and not too sugary making it great for breakfast!

Grandma's Salsa

Grandma Fran's salsa recipe as she's made it for years from the vegetables grandpa grew in his garden.

Grandma’s Salsa 

4 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes

2 cups chopped, seeded green or yellow mild peppers (Anaheim or Pasilla)

 1 cup chopped, seeded Jalapeños

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cider vinegar

Prepare home canning jars and lids.

Combine everything in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Carefully pour hot salsa into prepared hot jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust caps.

Process for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Remove and cool on the counter. Make sure all the lids have popped before storing in the pantry.

Meatballs

These are really good meatballs for a sandwich. They are firm enough that they don't crumble apart but are still moist. They are also onion free, which was the initial criteria for trying them out because of a friend with an allergy, but they truly are so good you don't miss anything. 

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 1/2 t dried basil
1 1/2 t dried parsley
at least 1 T chopped garlic, I used 2
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 c bread crumbs

Mix everything except the bread crumbs in a bowl using your hands. When the egg is incorporated and the herbs look evenly distributed mix in the breadcrumbs. It will look dry when compared to say a meatloaf  mixture but its ok.  Let it sit on the counter for 15 or so minutes- this will help it to roll easier.

Then, roll them to whatever size you like. I use a 1 oz ice cream scoop to get consistent size and end up with 25 meatballs.

I like to brown mine well in olive oil and then transfer them to the sauce to simmer. You can also bake them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so.

Christmas 2011

A few of our memories of this holiday season. 

Or should I say a few of our good memories that didn't involve pneumonia; that WAS NOT a gift.

Kyla met Santa at Disneyland. Now we don't do "Santa gifts" at our house but I've got no beef with the guy. And like everything Disney, it was done right. Truly the best Santa suit I've ever seen.

Kyla also met a storm trooper. It was hard to tell if she was more excited about meeting Santa or the trooper.

It was fun to see the kids actually interested in seeing each other open gifts this year.  It's like seeing selfishness slowly falling away.

Grant's favorite gifts this year were Legos and... pajamas. Look at his face (below) have you ever seen a kid so excited to get pajamas?

He is so into Legos right now that he spent the gift cards he got from aunts and uncles on more Legos. A Star Wars fighter, Batmobile, & Joker helicopter to be precise. 

I just love how rich the colors came out in this one. Kyla is wearing the  Santa footie PJ's Grandma Connie gave her for her birthday in November.

Kyla's favorite gifts this year were a new watch and the purple dress with matching earrings that she's wearing, and looking far too grown up in, below.

My favorite memory this year happened on Christmas eve. After dinner we all got our Bibles and bible studies and sat together at the table. Kyla and Grant each have a daily devotional book at their reading level. They took turns reading the Christmas lesson from their books to the family. William then read the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke. We prayed together. Then we used some questions for that scripture our church had put together. I was able to see both educational growth, from their reading aloud, and spiritual growth, from their understanding and follow up questions. I thank God for that time. I was truly blessed by it.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

This is the salad dressing that first made my kids like salad.

Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

• 2 T. smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. chili oil, if desired
• grated ginger to taste, if desired
• 1/4 c. canola oil

Put the peanut butter in a bowl and slowly wisk in soy sauce. Add vinegar, sugar, sesame and chili and wisk. Add the oil either by slowly wisking in or putting everything into a mason jar with the oil and shaking until combined. Chill for 30 minutes in order to let the sugar dissolve. Shake again to combine before dressing your greens.

Roasted Garlic Ranch Dressing

Grant has an extreme fondness for Ranch dressing but I can't stand Hidden Valley. We keep it on hand for him but if I'm making a salad for a nice family dinner or for company I won't put that stuff on it. I've tried several recipes for Ranch style dressings. I've tweaked them and played with them and this one is the winner.

It's also really good in the summer with half an avocado (or more if you like) blended into it. Of course if you add the avocado leftovers can't really be saved because they'll brown.

If you give this a try let me know what you think.

Garlic Ranch Dressing

• 6 cloves garlic, roasted
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 mayo
• 1 T cider vinegar
• 2 T fresh or 1 t dried parsley
• 2 T fresh chives ( or the green from 1 green onion, but use chives if you can. The flavor is so much better)
• 1/2 t seasoned salt
• 1/2 t pepper

Put the garlic, milk, sour cream, mayo and vinegar in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Roughly chop the herbs. Add the herbs, salt and pepper to the food processor and pulse a few times. If you over process/blend it your dressing will turn green. It will still taste good but it’ll be green.

Dressing will look a little thin. Put it in a jar in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to allow it to thicken up.

*If you want to extend the shelf life of the dressing use canned evaporated milk instead of fresh.

Thumb Typist

Driving home from Disneyland (or should I say passenger-ing home as William is driving) and thinking about how overdue I am to update here. This is coming at you by way of my thumbs and courtesy of my iPhone Blogger app.

I haven't written for a few reasons. First I was waiting for something that would blow minds & be worthy of the time taken to read it. Second, bronchitis struck my lungs and I. So my focus was on breathing not blogging. Third, and probably the biggest reason, this goal of working towards greater thankfulness in my heart, for this stubborn woman is not neat or eloquent. It's not pretty & I've been working up to being this honest.

First bit of honesty, before the full blown bronchitis I came down with laryngitis. I lost my voice almost completely and my first thought was, "God's taken my voice right now because my voice hasn't been sweet or thankful lately". Truly I hadn't been metering my words in either quantity or attitude. My tone of voice hadn't been very kind. How embarrassed am I to say that at 33 years old? During that time I couldn't have raised my voice to my kids even if I had tried to until I passed out. However when I do have my voice all those bad habits with it seems to happen before I even realize I've done it. If being without a voice is what it takes to keep my voice the way it should be, I'm no better than a drunk who won't stop driving while intoxicated until there's a breathalyzer installed in their car!

Second bit of honesty, I was worn out. I was tired. I don't know how to be worn out, tired and not let it show. Is this selfishness? The world says take time for yourself. The Bible says die to self and pour out everything you have. How do I reconcile this with the health limitations I've experienced over the last year? I've felt like there wasn't much to pour out. I used that as an excuse to be grumbly and unthankful.

Final bit of honesty, because I don't have a nice, tie it all up story to end with I'm gonna share somethings I am thankful for:
1) I'm thankful that I have a family. And I'm thankful that they keep loving me...even on the days that I wonder if I'll ever be pleasant to be around again.
2) I'm thankful that in every challenge I'm reminded that God hasn't given up on me. He's still shaping me into something better; the image of his Son.
3) I'm thankful that my husband is made of strong stuff & willing to talk with me about all the big questions and half formed epiphanies that fill my brain.
4) I'm thankful for the moment yesterday when Grant grabbed my hand and gave me a big smile for no reason.
5) I'm thankful that we're almost home. I appreciate that I have a home to say that about.
6) I'm thankful that Kyla had a good birthday today. I'm glad that she knows that she's loved.

P.S. I was to tired to proofread this last night so it's now being posted the following morning. If you'd read some of my rambling run-ons, you'd thank me.

God bless.