Great Harvest-ish Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I found this recipe and have tweaked it a little to make it healthier!! It's really yummy although not quite as spectacular as Great Harvest. I'm not that magical. Anyway it's a good recipe to try.

2 c white flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
3 c sugar
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t salt
16 oz canned pumpkin
1 c oil (I did 1/2 c oil, 1/2 c plain yogurt)
4 eggs
2/3 c milk
1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans or three 8x4 loaf pans.
Mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnimon, nutmeg, and salt together and set aside.
Mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, and 2/3 c milk together and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter in prepared pans. Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Simple Crispy Dijon Chicken

Sometimes you want a meal that is good, quick and has very few ingredients that come straight out of the pantry. Well here you go. I made this last night for my girls and they wolfed it down. I made mine with thin cut boneless pork chops, but you can do chicken too.

1/4 c Dijon mustard
1/4 c evaporated milk
1/4 c plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken breast or pork thin cut

Stir together evaporated milk and mustard in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Heat non stick skillet to med-hi heat and place small amount of oil in center of pan to prevent sticking.
Dredge meat in milk mixture first, then roll in breadcrumbs. Place in hot pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side (depending on thickness of meat)
Serve with a veggie and rice or pasta side. Enjoy

Stacy's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

My sister Stacy makes these every year for Halloween and she always puts a generous plop of cream cheese frosting on each one. They are delicious with or without frosting of course.

1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
1 3/4 c canned pumpkin
2 3/4 c flour
1 T baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ginger
2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together shortening and sugar. Then add eggs and pumpkin. After the pumpking mixture is well incorporated, you can add all dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips last. Bake 10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.
Cool on a wire rack and top with a dollop of frosting!

Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1-2 t vanilla
3-4 c powdered sugar (just keep adding until you have a nice thick consistency)

Pumpkin Roll

So I copied this basically from My Kitchen Cafe, and my resuts were great! I tweaked the frosting a bit and added the white chocolate chips. I also did not do the nuts. I took it to a Halloween party and everyone loved it! I will definately make this recipe again!

1 c sugar
3/4 c flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
2/3 cup mashed (canned) pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cup powdered sugar
1 c white chocolate chip (sprinkled on top of frosted cake)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 X 10-inch jelly roll pan. Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and leave an inch overhang on each of the short ends of the pan. Lightly grease the wax paper and sides of the jelly roll pan.
*Tip: Make sure the wax paper isn't hanging over the edge too far, or it will smoke. Just keep it about an inch around the edge and you'll be fine.

Mix the sugar, flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, eggs and pumpkin in a large bowl. Once mixed, pour mixture over the waxed paper. Sprinkle the walnuts, if using, on top of the mixture. Bake for 14-15 minutes until edges pull away from the sides of the pan and center is done.

Lay a large dishtowel on the counter top (it is best to use a dishtowel without any texture - a tea towel or similar towel works best). Spread a thick dusting of powdered sugar all over the towel. When the cake comes out of the oven, turn the pan upside down on the powdered sugar-laden towel so the wax paper is on the top. Gently peel off the wax paper, being careful not to tear the roll. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the pumpkin cake up with the towel to cool. While the roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until it is light and creamy. Once the roll is cool, unroll and with an offset spatula, carefully spread filling in an even layer over the cake. Sprinkly white chocolate chips on top of frosting. Roll it up without the towel and place in the refrigerator (covered with plastic wrap or wax paper) for about an hour before serving.

Asian Noodles and Peanut Sauce

I have been making this recipe for a long time, but for some reason, never have gotten it from my Cooking Light Cookbook to the food blog! Again, I have adapted it for my own needs. . It is a huge hit with ALL the kids and me and Peter too!

8 oz. uncooked Udon or spaghetti noodles
6 Tbls. Water
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbls. brown sugar
2 Tbls. low-sodium (or not) soy sauce
2 Tbls. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil.
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. chile paste with garlic
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups snow peas
1 red pepper chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
3 chicken breasts, diced

Cook chicken breasts dice and set aside. Bring water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions, drain. Stir fry peppers, and carrots for 3 minutes until soft set aside.

Combine 6 tablespoons of water, and next 7 ingredients and chile paste if desired and garlic in a small sauce pan. Stir with a wisk until blended. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.

Combine noodles, peanut sauce, peas, carrots and peppers and chicken all together in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Easy Monday Night Stir Fry

For those of you who read this blog, you KNOW I am a stir fry girl. Love 'em. Easy, packed with veggies. Love it.

Anyway, I am also a huge fan of the Pioneer Woman food blog. . . Most commonly called "foodie p*rn" in our house because she posts delectible pix of fab food. I personally LOVE her picture by picture style (even though I don't typically need the demo) I still think it is fun to get the play by play. It makes it so visual I can almost taste it!

ANYWAY!

Here is a new favorite stir fry that I picke up from her. Enjoy!


MONDAY NIGHT STIR FRY!

Spinach Bowtie Salad

I found this recipe on a food blog (Sorry, I can't remember where!) But I was on the hunt after I had a fabulous Spinach-Bowtie pasta salad at a church event. . I think this is pretty much it, but I am adapting it a bit. So yum. ENJOY!




SALAD:

2 cups cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
1 - 16oz. bag bow tie pasta, aka farfalle (cooked)
1 1/2 bag spinach, I use LOTS of spinach
1 - 6oz. bag craisins
3 - 11oz. cans mandarin oranges (drained)
2 - 8oz. cans water chestnuts1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (toasted in oven) - this is optional.
6oz. honey roasted peanuts


DRESSING:
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
6 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper


DIRECTIONS: Cook the pasta. Set aside.Mix the ingredients for the dressing together.Pour the dressing over cooked, drained bow tie pasta and marinate. I tried adding the cooked chicken in this marnade, but it was really just too overpowering. Put the rest of the salad ingredients in bowl (except peanuts because they will go soggy).Add pasta mix. Stir until all the salad is coated with the dressing.Add peanuts last, right before serving.

Bagels

This recipe was posted on my friends blog, and I made them, and LOVED them! SO YUM! And easy too.

Give them a try. Lots of good for little effort.

http://www.somethingfortheroad.com/2009/06/seriously-easy-seriously-yummy-bagels.html

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2/3 c quinoa, rinsed and drained
6 red or orange bell peppers
1 T olive oil
3/4 c diced carrot
1/2 red onion diced
1 10 oz package frozen spinach thawed and drained
1 15 oz can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 t chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Boil quinoa according to package directions. Remove pepper tops, stems and seeds. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil peppers for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and saute until soft. Stir in spinach and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in quinoa and chili powder. Fill peppers with quinoa mixture and place upright on a baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Add just enough water to form a very thin layer in the bottom of the dish. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Serve immediately.