Pumpkin muffins

I would have posted pictures of the actual muffins, but they are no longer available for documentation!! So, you'll just have to make these and see for yourself how amazing they are! (especially this time of year with a morning cup of coffee!)

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree' (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

~Spray 12 muffin baking pan with non-stick cooking oil.
~In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, brown and white sugars, eggs and vanilla.
~Beat until well blended
~In a smaller bowl, combine all dry ingredients, including nuts. Blend well.
~Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
~Stir only until blended. Do not overmix!
~Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.
~Bake for 25 minutes.
~Cool for one minute, remove from pan.

(150 calories per muffin)

*Variation: You can bake this batter in a 13x9 greased pan and drizzle with a glaze for a more dessert-ish type result. Very good either way! (bake for 30 minutes, or until done)

Fireside Coffee

2 cups powdered cocoa mix
2 cups powdered coffee creamer
1 cup instant coffee (regular or decaf)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

~Mix all ingredients, place in tins or jars.
~To enjoy a cup, mix 2-3 heaping Tablespoons
add mix to 2/3 cup hot water. Enjoy!


Variations:
~Omit the spices and crush 1 cup of after dinner mints to add to mixture.
~Use flavored coffee creamer.

Make it special by adding whipped cream and sprinkling a 1/2 teaspoon of mix on top of all. Pretty!

Baked Polenta

5 cups water
1 cup coarse-ground yellow cornmeal
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I used a part of a pepper, so as to not make it too spicy.)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil, add salt. Whisk cornmeal into boiling water. Cook on very low until thickened and tender for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add pepper, cheese, butter, and salt. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour polenta into baking dish and bake 45 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve with pasta sauce, if desired.

Roasted Applesauce

This recipe is amazing. If you like roasted vegetables, you will love this applesauce recipe. It is not runny; it is thick and rich and tastes like apple pie filling!



10 whole apples (Macintosh, Fuji, etc) I cored my apples, but left the skin on.
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons butter(cut in small pieces)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
dash of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash ground cloves

Preheat oven to 425degrees.

~Put water, sugar, butter, lemon juice and salt into a roasting pan. I used the bottom of my broiler pan.
~Place apples on top of sugar mixture, put in oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
~Put apples through a food mill or press mixture through a strainer to remove skins.
~Add spices.
Enjoy!

Bread and Butter pudding

A delectable old-fashioned dessert that emerges puffy from the oven, then falls slowly; golden and slightly crusty on top, it's soft and spoonable inside. Some purists don't even care to flavor this pudding with vanilla and cinnamon, preferring just the good buttery flavor.

Bread and Butter pudding

~lots of soft butter
~7 slices of good quality white bread (not wonder variety)
~1 quart (4 cups) of milk
~3 eggs, slightly beaten
~1/2 cup sugar
~1/4 teaspoon salt
~1/2 cup raisins
~1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
~1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Spread a generous amount of butter on one side of each slice of bread and line the bottom and sides of the baking dish.

Mix together the milk, eggs, sugar, salt, raisins and vanilla and cinnamon, if you are using them, and pour over the bread.

Place any extra pieces of bread on top and press down so they are submerged.
Let stand for 10 minutes.

Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 30 minutes more.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Irish stew

The simple goodness of lamb and roast vegetables tasting of themselves. So delightful on a autumn evening.

Irish Stew

-2 pounds boneless shoulder of lamb, in 1 1/2 inch cubes
-2 Tablespoons shortening
-1 cup 1/2 inch carrot slices
-1 cup cubed white turnip
-1 potato, peeled and cubed
-1 onion, sliced
-salt to taste
-freshly ground pepper

Take care to trim off most of the lamb fat.

Melt the shortening in a heavy pot, add the lamb cubes, and brown them well on all sides.

Stand back while you pour 2 cups of boiling water over the lamb-it will sizzle and sputter.

Cover and simmer for one hour.

Add the carrot, turnip, potato, onion and salt and pepper, cover and simmer 30 minutes longer or until the vegetables are tender.

Serves 6