Christine's Corner

Baked Salmon with Browned Butter Sauce Gets An "A"

2012-01-31T20:44:00.000-07:00

Another Pinterest find was this delicious Baked Salmon with Browned Butter Sauce from Foods Of Our Lives. We felt like this recipe earned an "A."

One of the best features of this recipe is that it is quick and easy with a great presentation. This makes is great for entertaining. Who doesn't need easy go-to recipes for that? The baked salmon was moist and the easily-made butter sauce was oh-so-fabulous!

I did not use filets with skins on, just regular filets. I also didn't use sea salt, but used regular "real" salt. You cannot make this recipe without butter! Don't try it with any reduced-cholesterol spread or such stuff. This has to be the real stuff, baby. Don't overcook your salmon. Many people do, and then it is tough and dry. And expect to receive an "A" grade on your dinner.

Words of Widsom From Japan

2012-01-29T20:14:00.003-07:00

When we lived in Tokyo, we quickly learned to ~~laugh at~~ appreciate the way that the Orientals “use” the English language. Apparently, they like using English, they just don’t always have a great command of the proper meanings.

Our Japanese friend, Kenya, posted this on his Facebook page, which made me laugh:

I have no idea what his message is as he only wrote:

変な看板――英語も日本語もちょっとずいぶん変だけど，こんな看板を作る人たちの勇気（？）に脱帽。

I'll never know what "The nation most greatly buys the knife website" actually means, but it gave me a laugh, and a craving for those yummy 7-11 frozen lemonade thingys.

Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake Gets a "C"

2012-01-27T20:33:00.004-07:00

Have you discovered Pinterest? I sure have and I have found lots of delicious recipes on it that I've been trying out and wanted to share with you.

This week we tried Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake from Life as a Lofthouse. I love the idea of cooking a cake in a crockpot. Putting it on and letting it go for two hours only to return to a delicious dessert is really convenient. However, I am giving this recipe a C.

The chocolate was very strong -- a dark/semi flavor. My family would have liked it a tad sweeter. The special part of this cake is supposed to be the lava and the picture shows a nice, rich, syrupy lava. But our cake produced a thicker, more hot fudgy style sauce. The cake itself was alright, nothing spectacular, but ok. So, overall, it was fairly average. A fun idea with the crockpot, a cake that is not embarrassing to serve to guests, but nothing that will wow them.

Biscuits & Gravy

2012-01-24T21:18:00.004-07:00

Several things escaped us this Christmastime, one of which was Biscuits and Gravy. So, on a recent wintery weekend, we made the traditional sauce. We're a bit famous for our tasty country juice because of its fantastic flavor and perfect thickness. Perhaps you'll want to make a batch yourself. Here's how:

In a heavy cast-iron pan, brown one pound regular country-style sausage. Do NOT use something like Jimmy Dean or other heavily overly-spiced and overly-preserved sausage. That's just wrong.

Personally, I like to break the meat up quite small. You may leave it in bigger chunks if you like. Once browned, remove the sausage crumbles from the pan, leaving the grease and tiny bits.

Add enough butter (sausage isn't usually all that greasy) to make 4 tablespoons.

Whisk in 4 tablespoons flour and stir over medium high heat, stirring continuously.

Allow flour to brown, stirring continuously to keep from burning.

When flour mixture is browned, gradually add 2 cups Half & Half, continue stirring.

Cook until mixture bubbles around the edges and thickens. If your gravy is too thick, add milk or Half & Half, 1 tablespoonful at a time. Pepper generously and return the sausage to the gravy.

That's it, you're ready to pour the gravy over delicious biscuits. You may notice that there is no picture of the finished product. Uh, well, that's because, we just. couldn't. help ourselves. Sorry! But, um, they were tasty!

Simple Solutions - Oil

2012-01-20T21:51:00.001-07:00

Problem: You fry or saute something and you have a bunch of oil left in the pan. You could pour it into a can, if you have one. You could pour it into a clean diaper, if you have one (another post for another day, but, trust me, it works).

Solution: Drop a piece of bread into the oil. Even pretty dry bread will work. (Try to keep children for snitching a bite out of it first!)

The bread absorbs a lot of oil!

Enough that you can finish up with a paper towel and a good washing.

Quick and easy solution to a greasy problem.

Simple Solutions - DVDs

2012-01-16T21:42:00.001-07:00

Problem: I have my DVD's on shelves that are much too deep for them. This means that they never sit nicely and evenly on the shelf, and more importantly, some DVD's would slip behind and get lost. It was easy to push them too far back, hard to pull them forward. You get the idea.

Solution: Curtain rods! That's right. I pressed simple tension curtain rods at the right depth between the cabinet sides so that the DVD's wouldn't fall backwards.

Now they sit evenly and no one gets lost! Don't you wish curtain rods held everyone--er, I mean everything in line?

Perfection in the Round

2012-01-12T21:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Elizabeth made us a batch of simple chocolate chip cookies. Nestle's Toll House Cookies, to be exact. This is the recipe my mom always made and these cookies were SHEER PERFECTION! They were the perfect sweetness, the perfect chocolate, the perfect crisp outside and the perfect chewy inside. Oh, be still my heart! I ate ~~two, three, fo . . .~~ never mind. I enjoyed every single bite! Try them yourself.

Original Toll House Cookies

1½ cup shortening and/or butter*

1 cup + 2 Tbsp brown sugar

¾ tsp water

1½ tsp. baking soda

3 cups + 6 Tbsp flour

1 cup chopped nuts (opt)

1 cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar

1½ tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1½ tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugars, vanilla, water and eggs. Add soda, salt and flour. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.

*Elizabeth used butter-flavored shortening

Celebrating 36 Years of Adventures

2012-01-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our anniversary a few days before the end of the year. While we didn't cruise the Mediterranean or lounge in a lanai in Lahaina we did have a rather memorable evening.

Thanks to the generosity of our children, we treated ourselves to a fabulous dinner at Chef's Table in Orem. How can an evening that starts with baked French Onion Soup au Gratin, Maryland-style Crab Cakes, Parma Pork Tenderloin with Corn and Porcini Mushroom Risotto and divine Mousse au Chocolat go badly? Dinner was fabulous, with a beautiful view overlooking the dazzling city lights.

Then, we got to the car. Which wouldn't start. At all. Nothing.
Click. Click. click.

Paul went back inside and the manager was happy to come help us. With jumper cables and a battery charger thingy they worked and worked and still --- nothing. Not a spark. After thirty minutes of jiggling, attaching, reattaching, surmising and trying we still were dead in the middle of the parking lot.

I glanced up to see a man in a white coat, striding across the parking lot.

Chef Troy (right), co-owner and chef, came to see what he could do to help. Wait! Who's running the kitchen? What about the next order of Prosciutto-stuffed Chicken to go out? What about the hungry couple on Table 3 with the crying baby?

But Chef Troy pulled out his trusty large pocket knife and began scratching at the battery cables. I couldn't believe it. It made me laugh to see the chef out there, but he seemed as comfortable under the hood as he would in the kitchen.

Finally, everyone agreed that we were beyond help (many have thought that before) and we resorted to calling John's Towing in American Fork. Some people go for carriage rides after dinner. We took a tow truck. Kudos to our driver (whose monogramed shirt I couldn't read). He loaded our car and then we climbed into the cab with him for a ride to our front door. (I've never been in a tow truck like the one below but it is an interesting vantage point, right out in front.)
I got a new starter for my anniversary present. Ah, so sweet. Just what I always --wanted-needed. But never really knew. Some anniversaries are just magical.

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

2012-01-03T07:00:00.002-07:00

You may know this fantastic dessert by one of its more infamous names ("Girdle Buster" or "Better Than . . . " um, never mind, you know what I mean . . .) but this perfectly-innocent-and-yet-sinfully-delicious dessert is called Chocolate Pudding Dessert in the Lion House cookbook, and my house, and we LOVE it. It is easy to make and easy to eat. Why not bust out the new year with it? Shall we begin?

Ingredients:

1½ cups flour

1½ cubes butter (3/4 cup)

2/3 cup chopped nuts

1 cup powdered sugar

1 8-oz pkg softened cream cheese

1 9-oz carton Cool Whip

3 cups milk

2 pkg (3-oz each) instant chocolate pudding -- you may also substitute other flavors. Butterscotch is wonderful, so is lemon, banana or coconut cream.

Combine flour, butter and nuts and cut together as for pie crust, until they resemble coarse meal.

Press well into a 9" x 13" pan. Bake at 325̊ for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Prepare pudding according to package directions, using 3 cups milk. Set aside.

Meanwhile, beat together sugar and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add one-half the Cool Whip. Spread on cooled crust.

Spread the pudding on the cream cheese layer.

Spread remaining whipped topping on pudding layer.

Sprinkle with additional chopped nuts or chocolate savings if desired. Chill several hours or overnight.

I used homemade toffee bits with chocolate and nuts on my chocolate and crushed Butterfinger candy bars on my butterscotch flavor. Excuse me now, the leftovers are calling my name . . . .

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2011-12-23T20:24:00.002-07:00

"There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ.

"Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and peace each day of the year. It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.

"Because He came, there is meaning to our mortal existence.

"Because He came, we know how to reach out to those in trouble or distress, wherever they may be.

"Because He came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again because He came.

"Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life.

"May His precious Spirit be with us, and may He ever be the center of our celebrations and indeed of our very lives. . . "

---Pres. Thomas S. Monson

Remembering Aunt Betty

2011-12-13T19:39:00.002-07:00

With loving memories of my dear Aunt Betty who passed away December 13,
at 96 years of age. She lived well and loved many and I was among them.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-05T08:41:00.001-07:00

The Christmas season is about families and that's where my attention is right now.
Hope your holiday is merry and bright.

With Sympathy

2011-11-26T21:39:00.002-07:00

We are saddened to let you know that our son-in-law, Dustin, died tragically on Thanksgiving evening, leaving our daughter, Elizabeth and three beautiful daughters. We appreciate your love, prayers and support. We will miss Dustin in our lives.

Mini Indian Corn Placecards

2011-11-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

Need a last minute idea for cute Thanksgiving dinner place cards? These mini Indian corn captured my attention and made for an easy place card.

I simply wrote names, added a little leaf, inked the edges and tied with twine.
Very festive, don't you think?!
Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Do Aheads

2011-11-18T15:18:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is next week! Eek! Are you ready? Did you know that there are lots of things you can do ahead? Here are a few of the do-aheads that can really save you time on the big day:

SHOP! Seems like a no-brainer, but I can't believe how many people wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to do all the shopping for the holiday. Go now while the stores are stocked and the aisles are empty. You may need to make a quick last minute run, but that's a lot better than buying everything.
TABLES: Prepare your table linens and centerpieces ahead and set them aside. If your are using the good china that's packed away, get that out and ready to go. I like to use natural things like nuts, acorns, wheat, all of which are long-lasting.

FREEZE: Rolls can be shaped and frozen, ready for rising and baking. Cookie dough is great made ahead, as is pie crust. Cakes freeze best without frosting. Some casseroles and side dishes can also be made ahead and frozen. Think way ahead and make and freeze extra for Christmas, too.
STOCK: If you make your own turkey stock for gravy, etc. you can do so with turkey legs and pieces purchased ahead of time.
CRANBERRY SAUCE: Fresh cranberry sauce is so much better than canned. Make it several days ahead and refrigerate.
BUTTER: Flavored butters such as herb butter, cinnamon or raspberry butter can be made a week ahead. Click here for some recipes.
GRAVY: Roast a couple of extra turkey legs on Tuesday or Wednesday (don't you always need more than two anyway?) and use the drippings as the basis for your gravy, made a day or two ahead, too.
CUT: cut up vegetables and ingredients for stuffing and such one day ahead.
PIES & SIDES: Most pies can be made the day ahead as can many side dishes

With a little planning, early preparation can make for a stress-free turkey day!

Cone-acopia

2011-11-15T07:00:00.003-07:00

Need a cute Thanksgiving decor or favor? These are fun and easy! Take waffle sugar cones and dip the end quickly in water. Carefully bend the softened tip up. Next, melt chocolate coating or chocolate chips and dip the rim of the cone in the chocolate and then into chopped nuts. Allow to set on waxed paper. Fill with candies and nuts. Add a name for a place card, if you like. Cute, huh.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread and Other Variations

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last post we made Honey Whole Wheat Bread, but you might want to shake things up occasionally. Using the same bread recipe, make Cinnamon Swirl Bread with these changes:

Divide your dough into loaves and roll out the dough like you would for cinnamon rolls.

Then cover generously with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up into your loaf and place in the pans. Be careful to roll tightly so you don't end up with huge holes (air pockets).

Bake the same as wheat bread and enjoy your delicious swirl!

Try some other variations such as adding raisins to your dough while mixing and then a cinnamon swirl. Add 3 Tbsp freshly grated orange peel and 1 cup craisins to the dough for Orange Cranberry Wheat bread. Add nuts, seeds or your favorite other goodies! Go crazy!

While I think my bread is pretty darn good, my sister-in-law, Julie, is the real pantry goddess. She offers fantastic classes regularly at her home and you can read about them on her blog The Polka Dot Pantry. If you go, tell her hi from me!

Honey Wheat Bread

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days when you run out of milk and bread and life is suddenly upended? What would happen if you couldn't go to the store to buy them? I'm not suggesting you start milking your own cow, but knowing how to make bread is a pretty valuable skill.

My first loaf of bread was a brick. Literally. Could have been used as a door-stop. In fact, I think we might have. My next few loaves were graciously eaten by my parents, with my father explaining that, as a boy, they ate milk and bread with a little sugar all the time. I'm pretty sure his mother's bread was a lot more delicious than was mine.

I am a self-taught bread-maker and there have been lots of mistakes, but they have brought me to this point where I make a pretty good loaf -- tender, moist and really quite easy. And start to finish, takes only about 1 1/2 hours, most of that is watching it rise. Come on, I'll show you how:

The best bread will come from freshly ground wheat. Yes, you can buy wheat flour at the store, but you've probably got all that wheat in the basement or under the bed anyway. A good wheat grinder is a big investment but well worth it.

This recipe calls for 12 cups of flour and you can achieve that by grinding 8 cups of wheat. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Feel that flour! It's warm and moist and smells delicious. You can just tell it's going to be good bread.

The next important ingredient is the yeast. If you will be baking regularly, then one-pound bags are fine, but if you're just starting out stick with smaller jars because yeast does lose its oomph after a while.

Fill your mixer with 3 1/2 cups warm water (about 115-120 degrees). Go ahead and measure it until you're used to the correct temperature just by the feel. (By the way, you need a big mixer for this recipe. If you're using a standard Kitchenaid, you may want to half it.)

Sprinkle 3 Tbsp yeast over the top of the water. I give is just a little swirl to mix it in. Let it stand for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

If it isn't bubbling like this,

your yeast may be too old to make your bread rise. This is good to know before you add everything else!

Add the remaining ingredients: one 12 ounce can evaporated milk, 3/4 cup oil, 1 cup honey. Wait! Did you know that if you pour the oil into your measuring cup first and then measure the honey, that it will just magically slide right out of the cup?

Add 1 or 2 cups of white flour (adds extra gluten) and 4 to 5 cups of the wheat flour. Begin mixing together, add 1 1/2 Tbsp salt. Continue mixing, adding flour until you've added about 10 or 11 cups.

Now, you have to start to watch. As you continue to mix, sprinkle the flour over the dough, allowing it to mix in, until you have a dough that is soft but not sticky. It may be a little tacky to your touch, but not really sticky. Don't worry if you don't add all the flour. Some days are like that.

When your dough has been thoroughly mixed, knead it for 8 to 10 minutes. If you're using a mixer, you can read a book while it does the work. Otherwise, it's all muscle, baby.

Place the dough on a lightly floured board. If you fear that you've used too much flour already, you can oil the board and avoid incorporating anymore flour. Divide dough into three or four sections, depending on the size of your pans.

This recipe makes three 2 1/2 lbs loaves or 4 smaller loaves. Shape dough into loaves and place in well-oiled pans.

Cover the bread with a clean towel and allow them to raise in a warm place until they are almost the desired bread size, generally several inches above the rim of the pan. (Remember to account for a little oven-spring.)

When loaves have risen, place them in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 25-35 minutes (the larger the loaf, the longer the time). When they're done, remove from the oven and brush the tops with softened butter and remove from pans within about ten minutes.

The last step is the hardest -- try to keep everyone from cutting the bread and smothering it with cold butter and warm honey for a little while. Try. It's hard. Let it cool a bit first.

Next time -- Cinnamon Swirl Bread!

P. S. A little tip for cleaning up: When water hits that flour and bread dough, it's going to get all balled up and crumbly and messy (that's the gluten working), so I try to use as little water as possible for countertops and such. Use paper towels first, then when all the flour is off of everything, use the wet cloth. Don't clean your wheat grinder with water. Instead just brush it clean with a pastry brush.

Lion House Ginger Cookies

2011-11-05T08:45:00.000-06:00

Fall is the perfect time for delicious Ginger Cookies. Unlike the dry, hard "crisps" you buy in the store, these soft, chewy cookies have the perfect ginger-taste. Eat them plain, with milk, nuzzled into a delicious vanilla-bean, butter pecan or coffee ice cream, or go wild and make a Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfait (remember these?)

LION HOUSE GINGER COOKIES

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg and beat well. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon, and add gradually to creamed mixture. Chill dough. Mold dough into balls; place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overbake. Cool on wire rack. Store in covered container.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Notes: A small cookie dough scoop makes molding cookies into balls easy! But, if you don’t have one, you can achieve nice shapes with two spoons and maybe your hands. I like to roll the balls lightly in granulated sugar before placing on cookie sheet for extra sweetness.

Exiting the Funeral Home

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

"One Way -- Exit Only." I think that says it all.

A Plump End to Pumpkin Palooza

2011-10-31T04:24:00.000-06:00

And so, we come to the end of Pumpkin Palooza! I hope you have enjoyed sharing some fun ideas all about pumpkins. if you tried anything new, I'd love to hear about it. If you just had fun, that's good, too. We celebrated Halloween early at our house and I wanted to end our All Things Pumpkin extravaganza by sharing a few pictures:

Can you recognize this wizard?

Hailey thought Caleb had a "scary" clown face.

"I'm a fairy princess, like my mom and my aunts!" (Wish we could have seen that!)
Peyton stayed home, dressed as a sick little boy. :( sad.

Sadie (flower) and Celeste (Griffendor Lion) enjoyed hanging out together
on the grass until it was their turn for pictures.

Some of us just let the kids get dressed up.

Some of our grown-ups join in the fun -- themed, of course (we're sort of organized like that.)

And some of our families just simply go all-out-crazy-town.

But we don't let costumes get in our way of fun! Donuts before dinner??

The kids "ate it up!"

Can you remember where the witch in the hat is, or the pumpkin and the cat?
Cast a spell, Harry.

Nana-witch read us "Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies" before we got so busy eating dinner and trick-or-treating to all Nana's doors that we forgot to stop and snap a picture. You'll just have to imagine how very much fun we had! And so, from our house to yours . . .

Fresh Pumpkin Puree

2011-10-30T06:40:00.000-06:00

You're probably using lots of cans of pumpkin for all your yummy recipes -- and mine which we've shared this month :) -- but you can make your own delicious pumpkin puree for this coming year and now is the time. It is lighter in color and texture and gives a delicious fresher taste to all things pumpkin.

Begin by using sugar/pie pumpkins. These are smaller than the kind used for jack-o-lanterns. They are sweeter and meatier.

Cut them and scrape out the seeds. (You can save them and roast them, but I don't like to eat seeds. Makes me feel like a parrot.) Arrange the sliced pumpkin on a baking sheet, bake at about 350 until they're done. Depending on the size they could be 30 minutes to 90 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and remove from the rind. Puree the pumpkin in the blender or food processor and wah-lah, you're done!
I package each 16 oz in freezer baggies, recipe-ready. That's all there is to it and you can make your own delicious pumpkin goodies for pennies! (Defrost puree in the baggies quickly by putting them in warm water for 10-15 minutes.)

My Favorite Pumpkins

2011-10-29T09:13:00.000-06:00

I have fourteen of the cutest little pumpkins who call me "Nana." Jacob was the first, born on October 29, 2003 (this was his first official Halloween '04. Isn't he cute!?). They're my favorite pumpkins. Wishing Jacob a Happy Birthday today!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

Many of the recipes you're using this fall call for Pumpkin Pie Spice. You probably dive into the back of the spice cabinet and look for it behind all the dozens of other tiny bottles you rarely use. I'm a big fan of keeping around only the basic spices and making your own blends as needed. Did you know that ground spices begin to lose their potency and only last about a year? So, ditch the jar from 2008 and make your own. Adjust it as you want, to bring out your favorite flavors.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Combine all ingredients for desired mix and blend well. Store in a small, airtight container.

Square Pumpkins

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's okay to put these square pumpkins where the round pumpkins usually go. Aren't they cute? And super easy. There are lots of them around BlogWorld, but I found these here

Pumpkin Bread

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love the rich flavor of this moist pumpkin bread and really, the only way to make it better is to add a cup or two of chocolate chips and nuts! Paul loves to eat it with cream cheese. Try it toasted, too! It makes a delicious hostess gift for your next holiday invitation and it's a great Christmas neighbor gift.

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

1 1/3 c. oil

5 eggs

1 16-oz can pumpkin

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

2 3-oz pkgs vanilla pudding mix

1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix oil, eggs and pumpkin in mixing bowl and beat well. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix till blended. Stir in pudding mix. Pour into greased large loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

Jack-o-Lanterns

2011-10-25T08:56:00.001-06:00

It's time to carve your jack-o-lantern for Halloween. Typically, carved pumpkins only last about a week or so. People claim that various substances work to preserve the pumpkin longer but science experiments prove that the best thing to do to preserve your jack-o-lantern is nothing. Not bleach, not Vasoline, not hair spray. Just carve and leave and toss after a week or ten days.

But there are a few things you can do to make your carving a little easier.

Draw your design on the pumpkin with a whiteboard marker. Mistakes are easily erased and a pattern makes carving easier.
Rather than simply cutting the lid in a circle, cut a small notch in the lid. This helps you line the lid up easily, not twisting it around until you find the right fit. Also, cut the lid on a slant, toward the center of the pumpkin, which prevents the lid from falling in as the pumpkin naturally shrinks.
Consider other opening possibilities: cut a whole in the back of the pumpkin instead of the top, or even cut the bottom out of your pumpkin and place the carved jack-o-lantern over a candle. (Best to put the candle on a mason jar lid to protect surface.) Or, really turn things around and use the stem for part of your design (like a nose)!
Scooping out the inside is handy with an ice cream spade or scoop. Starting at the top, scrape the sides around the insides, spiraling to the bottom. Then, just dump the seeds and stuff out of the inside.
If you accidentally cut the tooth or the eye, use a toothpick in the cut piece to fasten it to the pumpkin.

Of course, you can really take jack-o-lantern carving to a new level . . .
Interested in why we call them "Jack-o-Lanterns"? Here's why (according to the History Channel):

"People have been making jack-o-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

"Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."

"In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o'lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o'lanterns."

Boo!

2011-10-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

Emma is quite a crafty girl and her blog is always full of fun ideas. She gave me this darling sign for my birthday this year and since it features a pumpkin, it certainly had to become a part of Pumpkin Palooza 2011! Thanks Emma, I love it!

Happy Birthday Pumpkin Pie

2011-10-23T09:37:00.003-06:00

I don't remember quite when I fell in love with Pumpkin Pie (sometime shortly after this photo was taken, no doubt) but it quickly became my standard birthday fare. I had a delicious pumpkin pie for each birthday dinner throughout most of my life and, often, a cold piece for breakfast the next day! My mom's recipe -- the best one ever -- came from the back of the Libby's pumpkin can.

MOM’S PUMPKIN PIE

2 unbaked 9" pie shells

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cloves

3 cups pumpkin

2 large cans evaporated milk

4 eggs

Combine ingredients and mix together until smooth. Pour into unbaked pie shells.

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350° and continue baking 35

more minutes or until custard is firm and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

P. S. Thanks to everyone who contributed to my special "memory letters" for my birthday. They are a tremendous joy! I love you all

Pumpkin Place Cards

2011-10-22T09:18:00.000-06:00

I love mini pumpkins for so many things. They're perfect for place cards!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Pecan Syrup

2011-10-21T09:21:00.002-06:00

On a rather leisurely Sunday recently, we indulged in a perfect autumnal breakfast: light and fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes smothered with ~~candy~~ Pecan Syrup. (They'd be great for a supper, too, or lunch or a snack or whenever!)

PUMPKIN PANCAKES (from thesisterscafe.com)

2 cups flour (can use white or white and wheat flours)

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground all spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup buttermilk (I do an overflowing 1/2 cup)

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

In one bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, oil and vinegar. Combine dry ingredients separately and then stir into pumpkin mixture just until combined. Heat your pan or griddle (lightly butter or oil if it is not seasoned), using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with syrup.

PECAN SYRUP

½ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup maple syrup

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and allow it to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

Genny's Pumpkin Bars

2011-10-20T08:46:00.000-06:00

Genny's pumpkin bars are famous around our house. They've been gobbled up at many a party or event. Their delicious spice and pumpkin moistness topped with smooth cream cheese frosting makes them a perfect fall treat.

GENNY’S PUMPKIN BARS

2 cups flour

1 ½ cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cloves

4 eggs, beaten

16 oz. pumpkin

1 cup oil

In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves. Stir in beaten eggs, pumpkin and oil. Spread into ungreased pan (10x15x1). Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes. Cool for several hours before frosting with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

½ cup butter or margarine

2 tsp vanilla

4½ cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add sugar, one cup at a time. Beat until fluffy; frost cake when cool. (Top with nuts, if desired)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Forget about dinner. Tonight is all about dessert!

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Pumpkins Glam!

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

My neighbor's family mod podges pumpkins every year. They use festive colored napkins and tissue paper and make colorful, creative orbs. Sounded fun, but when I saw these glammed up pumpkins I thought I had to give it a try!

Pumpkin Vase

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Company coming? Cut the top off a pumpkin and fill it with fresh flowers (keep those seeds and strings inside to help hold the stems. Fill with water. Aren't pumpkins wonderful?

Pumpkin Roll

2011-10-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Don't let this fancy pumpkin roll scare you; it's really not that hard to make and is a real show-off for family and friends.

Pumpkin Roll

Cake
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup walnuts (optional), chopped

Filling
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

For Cake
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a clean, thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

For Filling:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Makes 10 servings

Mama’s Notes: Don’t let the rolling up part scare you. It’s not that hard. The best towel is a cotton tea towel (not the terry cloth type). You can spray the wax paper with Baking Pam, too. Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

Pumpkin Shakes

2011-10-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's Saturday night, so grab some of this:

Add a little of this:

and some frozen chunks of this, if you have some

Put it all in one of these and zhhhhhhhhuuuuuu

and you get these

(okay, well, you have to add the pretty napkin, leaves and little pumpkins in a pretty vase,
but yours will taste great anyway!)

Pumpkin Votives

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love these tiny pumpkins carved into votive candle holders. (These are from www.yourhomebasedmom.com) So easy, so festive. You can remove the candles from the tin and often at this time of year you can find orange votives which would look cute, too!

(P.S. I've done the same thing with apples and they're darling as well.)

Fabric Pumpkins Link

2011-10-13T15:47:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Brooke for noting that the link to the Fabric Pumpkins (see Oct 7th's post) was not working. Here it is:

http://bloggingwithholly.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-requests-for-pumpkins.html

Now, go make ya some cute ones!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

2011-10-13T07:00:00.009-06:00

Made these delicious pumpkin streusel muffins with some fantastic chicken and pear salads the other night. Oh, so tasty, but they'd go great with a pot of steaming soup, too. Ummm. Tasty!

PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

For the muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup pureed pumpkin

For the Streusel:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray regular muffin in with non stick spray. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Using a mixer, mix the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk and cream. Add pumpkin puree. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly between the muffin tins, filling to the very top and a little over.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the crumble. Crumble on top of each muffin batter. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Makes 12 muffins

Pumpkin Topiaries

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love these pumpkin topiaries. Instructions say to impel the pumpkins on a large metal skewer. That sounds dangerous, but the results are so festive!

New Life for Old Pumpkins

2011-10-11T07:00:00.002-06:00

I think it was shortly after the World War that I bought these pumpkins . . . okay, so maybe not that long ago, but they are OLD! And, they are BRIGHT! This photo doesn't do them justice but the leaves are kelly green and the pumpkins, well, they'd be safe on any deer hunt. So, needless to say, they're not often used for decor anymore.

I recently bought these. No, not to wear. . . Can anyone really wear these things???

So, I stuffed the pumpkins into the legs, did a little ribbon magic and tah-dah

New life for some old pumpkins!

Kneader's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, the smell . . .
Oh, the taste . . .
Oh, the chew . . .
M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, eggs, butter and pumpkin. Cream together until color lightens. (Cream very well before adding flour) Scrape down the bowl. Mix for 1 more minute. Add flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Mix until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on outsides edges.

Vinyl Pumpkin Messages

2011-10-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to use my Cricut to make cute vinyl messages on my pumpkins.

Pumpkin Soup Bowls

2011-10-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Serve soup or chili in pumpkin bread bowls. My local grocery store makes them, but it's easy to do at home with a good bread recipe and a little food dye. A nice artisan bread dough would be great!

Fabric Pumpkins

2011-10-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love these fabric pumpkins!?! I do. They look elegant yet not stuffy on this darling mantel and what a fun table decor, too. You can get instructions on how to make them here. I just might have to dust off the sewing machine for these.

Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had to go to meeting and you really didn't want to go, but then you get the kids fed and started on the homework and you run a brush through your hair and pull on a skirt and race out the door. And then, after all, you're glad you went. You get something out it that can benefit your life.

Well, this happened to me years ago when I attended a stake meeting and they served Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake for refreshments! It was so delicious that I snuck another piece. I would have taken three or four if I could have fit them into my Primary bag! Instead, I settled for the recipe and have enjoyed it ever since. It's easy and great to serve a crowd.

1 29-ounce large can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 yellow cake mix

1 cube butter

Whipped Cream

Mix all ingredients together, except cake mix and butter. Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan. Sprinkle cake mix over mixture. Drizzle butter on top. Bake 350^o for one hour or until pick comes clean. Serve warm or cool, with whipped cream. You can add chopped nuts or coconut to the cake mix for an extra yummy crunch.

Pumpkin Servers

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Mini pumpkins are great for holding dip for veggie trays. If you're rather in the mood for a light dessert, fill your pumpkin with a caramel dip and serve with apples, pineapple, pound cake, cinnamon sugar tortillas and strawberries.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits

2011-10-04T07:00:00.001-06:00

Here's an easy and completely delicious pumpkin recipe for dinner tonight. Personally, I like to make my own Gingersnaps but you can use packaged ones in a pinch. (Note to self: post my Gingersnap Cookie Recipe in November.)

1 15-ounce can Pure Pumpkin
4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Ginger
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Sugar
12 Gingersnap Cookies

Crush 8 of the gingersnap cookies. Beat together the pumpkin, cream cheese, brown sugar, and spices until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, beat together the heavy cream and sugar until thickened.

To assemble the parfaits, divide half of the pumpkin mixture into four cups. Sprinkle half of the gingersnap crumbs over the pumpkin. Spoon about half of the whipped cream over the gingersnaps in the four cups. Sprinkle with the remaining gingersnap crumbs. Spoon the remaining pumpkin over the gingersnap crumbs. Top with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish each parfait with a gingersnap cookie. C

All Dressed Up in Ribbon and Bows

2011-10-03T07:00:00.002-06:00

You like to get all dressed up for a party, don't you? Well, so do pumpkins!

Using mini and sugar pumpkins (the kind you can actually cook afterward to make a pie) and ribbons from your stash, you can create this fun centerpiece.

This pumpkin is wearing one of those cute, sparkly, wired tags, just looped around the stem.

I love the black and white polka dot ribbon. Reminds me of Lucille Ball!

Candles, berries and leaves are great accessories for dressed up pumpkins.

The pumpkin on the left sports a little "Boo" tag. Mix in other Halloween decorations like the Haunted House behind these pumpkins.

This pumpkin is wrapped up just like a gift. Using thick ribbon gives a fuller look. If you need to, use straight pins to hold ribbons in place.

Unlike guests at your Halloween party, some pumpkins are allowed to be naked.

Use candle holders to set pumpkins on various levels.

Of course, if this is a little too much for your holiday party and
you're a more simple girl, try this cute bowlful of punkins: