Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese

I'm not sure if it's because on Okinawa we don't have fall weather (temps are in the 80s everyday) and I'm feeling a little homesick, or if it's because of the nostalgia that pumpkin pie flavors create, but I'm really enjoying making things with pumpkin this year. I saw a version of pumpkin cream cheese on Pinterest and thought, "I can do that!" so I set about making my own version. I used pumpkin pie filling but you could use pureed pumpkin too. I thought that it tastes like pumpkin cheesecake! Spread over english muffins or cinnamon raisin bagels, this pumpkin pie cream cheese is the perfect fall flavored breakfast!

Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese

Printable Version

Four servings

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup pumpkin pie filling

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or use a combination or cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that equal 1/2 teaspoon)
Dash of salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. 

Serve on toasted bagel or English muffin. 

Meatless Mondays: Kickin' Black Bean Soup

Meatless Mondays are back! It's been a while, but it is my goal to get back to eating vegetarian at least once a week. This spicy black bean soup is a perfect Meatless Monday meal: it's hearty, healthy, and has some kick to it! I cooled it off with a squeeze of fresh lime, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It's a wonderful, filling soup that is a cinch to make! From start to finish this soup takes less than half an hour. 

Kickin' Black Bean Soup
Modified From Let's Dish
Printable Version
Makes 4 bowls
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (I used about six slices of pickled jalapenos from a jar)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Julio's Seasoning (a gift from our awesome friends from TX!) or a dash of cayenne
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups beef stock or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions
Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and Julio's seasoning. 

Add the beans and broth and simmer for fifteen minutes. 

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender then return to a pot (or use a hand blender directly in the pot). 

Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. Ladle into individual bowls and add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Excellent with tortilla chips!

BLT Pasta Salad

This crowd friendly pasta salad puts a spin the traditional BLT by turning it into a pasta salad. It can be made ahead and served cold or served warm right after you make it. It makes a huge batch and even tastes great the next day as leftovers. I added chopped avocado the next day we ate it and it made this yummy salad even more delicious, so if you like avocado I would recommend putting it in your salad from the beginning. 

BLT Pasta Salad
From a bird and a bean
Printable Version
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
12 ounces corkscrew shaped pasta
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces lean bacon
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayo (for a lighter version use 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped chives (I used green onions)
5 cups lettuce (Bibb or romaine) chopped
1 avocado, chopped (optional)


Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, as the package directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl and set aside. Meanwhile cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. 

Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. 

Crumble the bacon into bite sized pieces, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta. 

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and three tablespoons of chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce and toss again to coat. 

Garnish with the reserved bacon, remaining 1 tablespoon chives, and avocado. Serve at room temperature. Note: if going to refrigerate and serve later make sure to reserve the lettuce, along with the avocado, 1/4 cup of bacon garnish and 1 tablespoon chives to add in right before serving!

Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

I've tried lots of combinations with Nutella: Nutella and toast, Nutella and ice cream, Nutella and bananas, Nutella and a spoon. Somehow it had never occurred to me to eat peanut and Nutella together. Ohhhhh was I missing out! These cookies take your regular peanut butter chocolate thumbprint cookies to an entirely new, better level. They melt in your mouth and are just the right level of richness. Another bonus is that they are gluten free!

Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
From Bell'alimento
Printable Version
Makes about 20 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
9 teaspoons Nutella

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into your stand mixer add sugar, peanut butter, egg, and baking soda. Mix until completely combined. Measure approximately 1 teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place onto cookie sheet and gently press dough ball down using the palm of your hand. *Your hand will get very greasy, but that's part of the fun, right?! 

Space approximately 1 inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Using a teaspoon, make gently make an indention in the middle of each cookie. 

Fill with a dollop of Nutella (this will get messy too). Return tray of cookies with Nutella to the oven and bake an additional 2-4 minutes until golden. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool before enjoying with a big glass of milk (you will need it).

Grandma Hutch's Ice Box Rolls

I grew up eating these rolls of my Grandma Hutch's. She often made them at Thanksgiving and I remember very clearly using them to sop up gravy and mashed potatoes. My Grandma Hutch was an excellent baker so anything that came out of her oven was delicious. 

There are many things I love about this recipe - the fact that it is from my Grandma and has been handed down to her daughters (my aunts) and now to me. The fact that they are called "Ice Box" rolls because you must refrigerate them overnight before letting them rise. 

And I also love that this recipe allows you can to make three separate things: dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or pizza dough. I think this recipe is a wonderful example of how inventive and creative women in my Grandmother's generation were!  They couldn't run to the store for pre-made pizza dough or rolls in a can or frozen cinnamon rolls...they made all of that from scratch. I have now made all three and I like the cinnamon rolls the best but my husband  votes for the dinner rolls with a dab of melted butter on top. 

Grandma Hutch's Ice Box Rolls
From My Grandma
Printable Version
Ingredients

1 tablespoon Crisco

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cup hot water

1 egg

4 cups sifted flour

1 package yeast

Directions

Put Crisco, sugar & salt in bowl.  Add hot water.  Stir to mix and melt Crisco and dissolve the sugar and salt.  Add 2 cups of flour and yeast and stir.  

Add beaten egg and mix well.  

Add the last 2 cups of flour, mix well.  Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.

For Dinner Rolls:  For rolls, shape & put in greased pan to let rise for 3 hours.  Bake @ 425 degrees for 17 minutes. 

For cinnamon Rolls:  Can be made into cinnamon rolls too!  Roll out dough, spread with margarine, brown sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon & nuts if you like. 

Roll up as a jelly roll, cut and place in greased pan with a little margarine & brown sugar in the bottom of the pan which will make a caramelized topping on the rolls.   Let rise for 3 hours, bake at 425 degrees for 17 minutes.  After removing from oven, immediately flip out onto wax paper to cool.

 

For Pizza Dough:  Use as is, roll out and place in pizza pan, no need to rise. Grease the bottom of the pan before placing the dough on it. Top with sauce and your favorite pizza ingredients. Bake at 425 for 17 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.