Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Thanksgiving is fast approaching!  I just found out this week that Thanksgiving is NEXT week.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Actually, I do.  I was hoping that I still had a few more weeks until Christmas.  Aren't we all?

For now, let me tell you a little about this pie.  This is my grandmother's pumpkin pie recipe.  Its what has been served at our Thanksgiving table for over 60 years.  Its a no bake pumpkin pie recipe made with unflavored gelatin.  Its so funny, until I went to college I had no idea that most people bake their pumpkin pies.

I love this recipe because the pie is so moist and delicious.  I never have to worry about the top of my pie cracking or having it dry out.  My biggest problem is when little fingers poke holes in it while its chilling.  Someday I'll miss having little holes poked in my pumpkin pies.

Another option to serving this in pie shells is to make a graham cracker crust and press it into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Then pour the pie filling over the crust and chill. 

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Makes 3-4 pies

1 large can pumpkin
6 eggs, separated
4-5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
dash of salt
1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup milk
2 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the cold water and set aside.  In a large pan, heat the pumpkin, egg yolks, pumpkin pie spice, salt, 1 cup of sugar and milk.  Cook and stir until the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and add the gelatin to the pumpkin mixture.  Allow the pumpkin to cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with 3/4 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.  Add to the cooled pumpkin mixture.  Mix well.  The pumpkin will lighten in color, but continue stirring until it is a uniform color.  Pour into baked pie shells and chill until ready to serve.

Source:  Family recipe

Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread

 Hello beautiful!  Doesn't that bread look impressive?  Think it's complicated to make?  Think again!  This was so simple that it only took a few minutes more than making a normal loaf of bread.  You could wow your family or neighbors with this loaf.  The bread has a subtle pumpkin flavor and the cinnamon filling will make you think you're eating a pumpkin cinnamon roll.

I kid you not, this bread didn't last 15 minutes once we started eating it.  My kiddos were pulling this apart as fast as they could swallow it.  I'm thinking of making this for my neighbors for Christmas gifts this year.  They'll think I'm a much better baker than I really am!  :)

I think next time I make this I'll leave off the glaze, hide it from my family and let it sit for a day and try slicing it for french toast.  It would make a fabulous breakfast!  But seriously, I don't think I could keep my paws off this long enough!  It is goood!

Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread
Makes 1 loaf
  
For the bread:
  
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour

For the filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Glaze:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat  2 tablespoons of butter and  the milk until the butter is melted and the milk is warm.   Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a dough hook and allow to cool so it is about 100-110 degrees F. Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof until foamy. Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.  Brush the dough evenly with 2 Tbs. melted butter.  Then mix the sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.  Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 36 squares (that's 6 horizontal rows by 6 vertical rows). Stack the dough squares into piles 3 pieces high.  You'll have 12 stacks of 3 squares of dough. Place the stacks of dough vertically into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime preheat the oven to 350°. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Then remove from the pan and let it cool upside down on a cooling rack.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar.  Pour over cooled bread.

Source:  Adapted from a Sunny Side Up in San Diego

Easter Noodle Nests

Its spring break and all of my kiddos are home from school.  Its sometimes a challenge keeping them all busy since there is such an age range between the oldest and youngest.  But I know that making treats is something kids of all ages love.  With Easter coming I thought it would be fun to do an Easter themed treat.

These Noodle Nests are a lot of fun!  Its hands on and very sticky and gooey--everything every kid wants in a treat.  We colored the marshmallows pink and filled ours with jelly beans for eggs and my 8 year old daughter set chick shaped marshmallow peeps on the nest for a mommy bird.  It was a fun time.

Easter Noodle Nests
Makes 5-6 nests

4 cups chow mein noodles
3 cups marshmallows
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
jelly beans

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.  Pour the chow mein noodles in a bowl and set aside.  Melt the butter in in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.  Pour the marshmallow mixture over the noodles and stir until well coated.

With buttered hands, divide mixture into 5 balls.  Make an indentation in each ball with the back of a buttered spoon.  Allow to cool, fill with jelly beans and eat!

Source:  A Mommy's original recipe

Harvest Pear Salad

This is my new favorite salad.  It showcases all the wonderful flavors and colors of fall and winter.  We always have a special family dinner on Christmas Eve and this year I served this salad.  It is sweet and tangy and has such interesting texture.  Its easy enough to make everyday, but special enough for holidays and company.  It can also be a main dish by adding the chicken or turkey.

Harvest Pear Salad
Serves 8-10

Salad

2 pkgs. Spring mix salad greens
4 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey, optional
2 medium pears, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing

6 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Toppings

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until blended.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad, sprinkle with salad toppings and serve immediately.

Source:  My friend Lacey W.

Turkey and Cranberry Braid

For the next few days I'll give you some ideas for using up those Thanksgiving leftovers.  This is one of my favorite recipes.  I wait all year to make it.  It is an entire Thanksgiving meal in one pan.  Last year this took second place in a Thanksgiving recipe contest sponsored by a local newspaper.  This is delicious and beautiful.

Turkey and Cranberry Braid
Serves 6-8

1 loaf of bread dough (use frozen dough or make your own)
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 1/2 cups turkey gravy or 1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup stuffing
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Roll the bread dough onto a greased 10 x 15 cookie sheet.  To make the braid, cut 1 inch strips along both of the long sides.  The strips should be about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.  This will leave a 4 inch rectangle strip in the center for the filling.  Combine all the other ingredients.  Spoon the filling down the center of the rectangle.  Starting at one end, pick up one of the strips and lay over the filling.  Alternate on each side to form a crisscross pattern.  Let rise for 25 minutes and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Source:  The Daily Herald Newspaper November 2000

Soft and Chewy Gingersnaps

I was really hoping to post the soup I made for dinner, but it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.  Its a great recipe, I think it just needs some tweaking.  Instead I have a fabulous recipe for Gingersnaps.  I've had this for years and as luck would have it, my son decided to try it yesterday.  Before now, the only gingersnaps I've ever had are the super crunchy ones that you get in a 3 pound bag at Walmart around the holidays.  Its so sad that I didn't know what I was missing.  Homemade gingersnaps are soft, chewy, sweet and delicious!  They would be amazing crumbled over ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.  But my favorite way to eat them is hot out of the oven!

Soft and Chewy Gingersnaps

3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
pinch of cloves
white sugar for rolling the cookies in

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Cream the shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Form into small balls about the size of a walnut and roll in sugar.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Source:  An old church cookbook

Homemade Caramel Apples

I love making caramel apples in the fall!  But I hate using pre-wrapped caramels to do it and I've had a hard time finding a great homemade caramel recipe until now.  I ran across this a few years ago in a Taste of Home magazine.  I've probably tried 5 or 6 different homemade caramel apple recipes over the years, but I always come back to this as my "go to" recipe.   My kiddos had a blast drizzling on melted chocolate and peanut butter and white chocolate all over them.  Then they doused them with sprinkles and crushed Oreo's. 

I will give you a few tips to make your caramel apple experience easier. 

• Make sure your apples are room temperature.  If they're cold the caramel won't stick well.
• These are best when eaten at room temperature.  If you store them in the fridge, let them warm to room temperature before you eat them.
• Make sure the spot you set your finished apples has been sprayed with cooking spray, even if you are setting them on waxed paper.  Trust me on this one!
• When you dip the apples be sure to turn them slowly to keep from getting air bubbles in the caramel.

Homemade Caramel Apples
Makes 10-12 apples

1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
Dash salt
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 to 12 Popsicle sticks
10 to 12 medium tart apples, washed and dried

In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter; add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
Insert Popsicle sticks into apples. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Set on greased waxed paper to cool. 

Source:  Real Mom Kitchen