Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin Waffles
Makes 8 round waffles
slightly adapted from Pumpkin Waffles Blog

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.
2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.
3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.
4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.
5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form– about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.
6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.
7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.
8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.
9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter!

Moroccan Quinoa

I pulled this recipe from nestle.com via Tastespotting and oh boy is it a keeper!  This is a great side dish to serve with meat or fish.  The flavors are perfect together.  I loved this one and will be making it again soon!  This is by far my favorite quinoa dish I've tried.

 

Moroccan Quinoa 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup water

1 cup apple juice

1 cup ivory quinoa, rinsed

1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Ground black pepper

Directions: 

1.  Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

2.  Stir in water, apple juice, quinoa, bouillon and cumin. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook for 15 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed.

3.  Remove from heat; stir in cherries/cranberries. Cover; let stand for 5 minutes. Add cilantro and pine nuts; fluff with fork and serve. Season with pepper.  Serves 6.

Pigs in a Blanket

I discovered this recipe about 12 years ago in a Taste of Home magazine.  I had just one child, a toddler,  at the time and thought this would be a fun, hand-held, non-messy food for her to eat.  Fast forward 12 years, 3 states, and 3 kids later, and this recipe has become a family tradition.  I love to make this every Halloween for a quick, grab and go meal before trick-or-treating.  My kids love them so I know that even amidst the excitement of the night they will eat without complaining before they hurry off to the candy fest.  To ease preparation at dinner time you can prepare the dough and wrap the hot dogs earlier in the day and then refrigerate them on a greased baking sheet until 45 minutes before you want to eat.  Then simply remove from the fridge, allow to rise for 30 minutes, and bake as directed. 

Pigs in a Blanket
Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
• 1/3 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons shortening, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 12 hot dogs
• 2 slices process American cheese

Directions:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in milk and water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, shortening, salt, remaining sugar and enough flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Cut a 1/4-in.-deep lengthwise slit in each hot dog. Cut cheese slices into five strips; place one strip in a slit of each hot dog.
• Punch dough down; divide into 12 portions. Roll each into a 5-in. x 2-1/2-in. rectangle and wrap around prepared hot dogs; pinch seam and ends to seal.
• Place seam side down on greased baking sheets; let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 12 servings.

Hearty Turkey and Bean Chili

I've never found a chili recipe that works for my whole family so I'm always on the lookout.  I found this recipe for turkey and bean chili over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and tried it last night for dinner.  My kids gobbled it up and even had seconds!  I think they loved because it wasn't too spicy and because there wasn't any "gross stuff" in it (the red pepper is camouflaged nicely).  I love that it uses ground turkey and two kinds of beans.  It has great flavors and a very subtle heat.  We ate it with cornbread and some fruit on the side. 

Hearty Turkey and Bean Chili
*Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (16-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, brown the turkey with the onion and garlic over medium heat, until cooked through, breaking up the ground turkey into pieces as it cooks. Drain off extra grease. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook 1-2 minutes until slightly tender. Add the rinsed and drained beans. Stir. Add the remaining ingredients and spices. Stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes (or upwards of an hour if you have more time), stirring occasionally and making sure the chili isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips, if desired.