Cranberry-Pecan Pumpkin Bread

I make this bread every Thanksgiving. It’s like edible baked Autumn.  It’s got texture, body and flavor. It’s sweet enough to serve with dessert but so pretty served with dinner. Besides, can you have too many dishes on the table for a holiday? But don’t limit yourself to just one day! I make this bread other times too. It’s great with coffee for breakfast, it goes fantastic served with salad, and I serve it as a sweet bread side dish with all of our regular staple dishes (soups, stews, even pasta…) to give them a Fall feel. No one is disappointed to see this bread being served.

As organic as possible:

1 cup Brown sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup cooked or canned Pumpkin

1/2 cup Walnut oil

2 Eggs, beaten

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground Ginger

3/4 cup dried Cranberries

3/4 cup chopped Pecans

1/4 cup Water

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix sugars, pumpkin, oil and eggs. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. In a small bowl toss cranberries and pecans with a couple tablespoons of the flour and spice mixture. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and combine. Add the cranberries and pecans and stir until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 65-75 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack*.

*If using a molded loaf pan: The bread does rise. I have used a thin string to slice the loaf and give it a flat bottom to invert onto a plate. However, I have found that the best method (and prettiest on a plate) is to use a serrated knife and cut the loaf about 1/2″ over the loaf pan. That is also the best part about using the loaf pan, because you get to eat some of it without cutting into the presentable part! (And you’re going to want to taste it right away.)

Cool completely before slicing.

Life Bellissima’s Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am loving my WordPress Cooking Challenge to make recipes of fellow bloggers! (Of course what’s not to love when you’re making chocolate chip cookies?) And I’m almost to the finish line! My seventh selection, out of eight recipes to try, was from Life Bellissima, a beautiful blog about her faith, family, recipes and life on a farm- including chickens (My dream! And, by the way, if she starts roasting coffee and opens a little cafe, I’m moving my family to Idaho!) Anna of Life Bellissima, is also an advocate of organic eating, just another thing we have in common. Sometimes you just have those instant connections, when you know you are kindred spirits (like from Anne of Green Gables). This is one of those times.

Going through this recipe was fun. Firstly, I rarely use almond milk in baking (for no particular reason). But it was fun to feel like I am making a treat with a different kind of nutritional value. It also called for coconut oil, which I have out on the counter top at all times, but I don’t think I’ve put in my cookies before. I love trying new things! However, the best part of this recipe is that there are no eggs, so it’s is nice to have a cookie recipe in case you are out of eggs (which Anna probably isn’t since she has chickens…). But is even better when you can without hesitation tell your assistant, aka your four year old daughter, that yes indeed she can eat taste the batter!

Anna did mention that she had to bake the cookies a little longer than the recipe she adapted these from, and I did too (about 14 mins, as opposed to 11). And even though I let them set for a while, they were still so soft and pliable that some of them could still fold and break… which was AWESOME! They were so soft and chewy! And very chocolate-y. I loved them and so did my my nine year old chocolate officiant. He aptly claimed they taste like “brownie cookies”!

For the original recipe and instructions visit Life Bellissima!

A Tale of Three Dishes Part III

The last of my trilogy in the Tale of Three Dishes of elusive foods from my travels is different from the rest. The other dishes are delicacies I have been unable to replicate. No amount of research and effort has allowed me the pleasure of recreating or enjoying them again. All I have is an increasingly distant memory of the taste and pleasure I received by eating them. This is an unfortunate tale of an edible experience I’ll never know.

Last year we had a family trip planned in the spring to finally see the Grand Canyon. It’s one of the wonders of the world that I’ve never been able to experience first hand, and it was finally time to be able to take in the beauty. The trip was still in the planning stages when Owen was informed that he was required to go to Porto, Portugal during the very same week of our projected vacation. Alas, my canyon experience would have to wait… looks like we’re all going to Portugal!

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As anyone traveling with children knows, it gets increasingly difficult with the more children you have, especially when they are young. I wasn’t willing to spend the money on the first class flight that Owen’s company was sending him on for myself and three children, so I began to research more affordable options. Our arrival time would be similar if I just planned to leave a little earlier, and it was actually more economical to book a hotel room in Frankfort to accommodate a long layover on our flight home. However, I started to get concerned about traveling alone with the kids. What if I had to go to the bathroom and the stroller holding the two babies didn’t fit? I didn’t want to leave Isaiah alone to watch them in an airport. Owen had to work many of the days we were there… The only thing to do was bring “Nanny” Tara. Believe it or not it was still a substantial cost savings over flying with Owen, and the peace of mind was priceless.

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Owen was able to meet us at the airport and we (luggage and all) were able to fit into a large taxi to drive us to our hotel. Gone are the days when we could get away with sleeping in the corporate hotel room, now we have to add on a suite. Fortunately the hotel was modern, beautiful and accommodating! There was plenty to do there, a swimming pool and restaurant; which is comforting to know when planning a trip with kids since you can’t always project what’s going to happen. But more impressively was that there was so much to do within walking distance, because we could always stay-in at home and we were here to see the city of Porto!

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It was also good to know that taxies were relatively inexpensive and could accommodate three children and two adults because shortly before I left for our trip I found out I was pregnant with our fourth child, and didn’t feel like walking! (Although I still did plenty of sight-seeing by foot.) The city was beautiful and had the best of what all European vacations had to offer in my opinion. There were sandy beaches and cafes full of pastries and good coffee; there was rich history and beautiful architecture; and there were plenty of parks and attractions (such as an aquarium and museums) to do with the kids.

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Almost everywhere we went offered a menu in English, which was very appreciated since I don’t speak any Portuguese. It is also one of my joys in life to try new cuisine. Sadly, however, my current condition, being with child, prevented me from being my usual adventurous self (it also prevented me from touring the wineries and enjoying the famous Port wine). Overall I was having quite a bit of food aversion so I tried to stick with dishes I knew. When I saw “Francesinha” on the menu of almost every Portuguese restaurant I was truly curious and my not-pregnant self would have tried it in a heartbeat. But it translated on all of the menus as “special sauce,” which was so (almost comically) non-discript that I couldn’t force my queasy stomach to do it. I did inquire further about the sauce on more than one occasion which was also funny because apparently many of the “special sauces” are a house secret, which only fueled the mystery. And when finally one of the descriptive words included liquor, well that was it. I didn’t think my sensitivity could handle it. So alas, I have regretted the not trying of the special sauce ever since, and unfortunately the Francesinha eludes me, and in truth I may never know what I have missed.

Asiago Jalapeno Cornmeal Muffins

I love pairing corn bread and corn muffins with thick soups and stews. And although I am a fan of just about all standard cornbreads, sometimes its fun to spice it up. This muffin can stand up to something with a little heat, like chili. I know many recipes call for cheddar with jalapeño, but I think the peppery flavor of Asiago does something even better. I also believe that if you are going to put the name of something in the recipe you should taste it; so if you like jalapeño, this recipe is for you.

As organic as possible:

1 1/2 cups Cornmeal

1 cup Flour

3 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Baking powder

3 Jalapeños, seeded and diced

4 oz Asiago cheese, shredded, plus more for topping

1/3 cup Sunflower oil (or oil of your choice)

2 Eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 400º. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients; cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Then add jalapeños and cheese, toss well in cornmeal mixture. In a separate bowl whisk together oil, eggs, and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until incorporated. Fill the muffin tin to the rim of each cup and sprinkle with cheese for topping. Bake for about 22-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. For another layer of flavor, top with a pat of butter and serve while warm (next to a bowl of something hearty and warm).

Loving Lately❤

Loving Lately #1: Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit

The concept of “barefoot shoes” has been around for a while; the idea that you want to feel as if you are not wearing a shoe. Except if you’re like me (and many others) you still want protection from rugged terrain- and pebbles. In my first edition of Loving Lately you saw my love of a “barefoot” sandal from Exodus. I really think I’ve become a minimalist in shoe wear since having children. I want something light weight, supportive and secure (the last thing I need while carrying a baby (and at least 2-3 bags at any given time) is a tripping hazard…) I’m more of a walker than a runner. But that won’t deter me from getting a “running” shoe. These are comfortable and cute, great to accompany jeans and an active wear, and perfect for around town from the post office to the grocery store and everywhere in between.

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Loving Lately #2

A couple years ago we took a trip to Louisville, Kentucky. We have some great friends that live in Kentucky who recommended a trendy café called Please and Thank You. One of the most difficult things about traveling for me is finding places to eat that uphold our ethics when it comes to food. We really try to avoid genetically modified ingredients wherever possible. (Shout out to Chipotle, thank you for making strides in the fast food business!) Please and Thank You had some organic options and they served coffee from a local Louisville roaster, Argo Sons Coffee. As a souvenir I picked us this classic diner style coffee mug. Because I choose to use a dishwasher rather than wash it by hand, it is losing it’s print. So be it. But to preserve my fond memories, I am showing my love (of coffee, traveling and American nostalgia).

Easy Honey Cake from Natascha’s Palace

My blogging friend Natascha from Natascha’s Palace currently resides in Spain. I am envious of her cookbook collection and I enjoy how she incorporates what she is currently reading into her posts. From Julia Child to Monet, she has a fascinating way of bringing their recipes to life; all the while sharing her personal journey as a teacher, traveler, and wife… Thank you Natascha, your blog is a joy!

I love that the recipe called for “de miel” (honey), I feel so cultured! And I love that Natascha used a beautiful flower, (I tried to emulate her pic, but I am not sure my flower is edible). Aside from the beating the egg whites until stiff (because sometimes I can be lazy)… this was such an easy and delicious recipe! The aroma really made me love the smell of my kitchen and being that the mornings and evenings are getting quite chilly, it was lovely to finally have something baking in the oven! The honey drizzled on the top of this cake really kept it moist. And the hint of cinnamon in every bite was just enough to give a little depth. I really enjoyed this cake (as well as my friends and family) and it seemed like such a perfect dessert to add other ingredients. I thought “wouldn’t it be fun to throw in some pieces of chopped apple?” I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Baking season is here!

Thankfully Owen fulfilled my Christmas request a couple years ago and bought me a food scale from Sharper Image, because the measurements are in grams, not cups. Which for whatever reason I couldn’t get a clear translation on, so I got precise and weighed it out. I have included my dry ingredient measurements for you! My liquid measuring cup has ml’s on one side, phew! For the original recipe visit Natascha’s Palace!

As organic as possible (my input)

120 ml honey, plus more for topping

3 large eggs, separated yolks and whites

2 Tbsp sugar

150 ml milk

120 ml olive oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp (rounded) baking powder

Confectioners sugar for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a cake 9″ round cake pan, set aside.

Heat the honey in a small pot until it is liquid-y, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Beat the egg yolks and sugar into the honey, add the milk, cinnamon and oil, mix well. Sift flour and baking soda in a large bowl, add the wet ingredients and combine. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the flour mixture until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes and remove from pan onto a cooling rack. When cooled completely sprinkle with confectioners sugar and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

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Lynz Real Cooking’s Chicken Divan

I am thoroughly enjoying my WordPress Cooking Challenge from Healthy in All Hues to make the dishes of 5-7 fellow foodie bloggers. (I chose 8!) I not only enjoy creating recipes, I love making other peoples’ recipes! Why not support my fellow bloggers and try new dishes? Brilliant!

Lynn has an amazing blog about raising nine children and the ups and downs of her experience living in Saudi. (I’m captivated.) At first I was thinking, nine kids! How does she have time to cook? And then I thought, all of those mouths to feed, she probably never leaves the kitchen!

Why have I never heard of Chicken Divan? I am thankful to Lynn for sharing it! It’s nourishing and well, for lack of a better word, delicious! The ultimate retro comfort food! There were a couple steps, and I was moving along… and then I got to the curry. All of the sudden I was reminded of my grandmother, and then I was connected in a much deeper way. And the warm fuzzies kept coming as it baked in the oven and filled my home with a heart-warming aroma I was not accustomed to, but will be from now on. Honest to goodness it just kept getting better!

I prepared the recipe with rice just as Lynn had done in her photo. My only dilemma was that my sauce seemed a little wetter than the one in her picture, so I served it in a bowl over the rice. No disappointment here, it was fantastic, scrumptious and everything I want my food to be! I called my sister right away to say she had to make it for her family. By the way, this is going to be a staple in my repertoire! No wonder everyone (but me) had heard of it before! I think I might start a new challenge: make everything on Lynn’s blog! For the original recipe visit Lynz Real Cooking.

As organic as possible: (my input)

4 slices bread

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1 large crown broccoli, cut into bite size pieces and steamed

5 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 cup mayonnaise

1 large can chicken condensed soup

2 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp curry

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 300º

Place bread on baking sheet and place in oven, cook until toasted and turn the oven up to 350º. When cooled break into pieces and toss with melted butter. In the meantime, layer a large casserole dish with the broccoli followed by the shredded chicken. Mix the mayo, soup, water, curry, and lemon juice in a large bowl and pour evenly over the broccoli and chicken. Top the mix with the shredded cheese and toasted bread pieces. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Enjoy the smell of your kitchen. Serve warm (on a bed of rice). YUM!

A Tale of Three Dishes Part II

Isaiah and I were again tagging along on one of Owen’s business trips. This time he was visiting one of his company’s plants in the charming town of Bretten, Germany. Many of the his colleagues lived in or near town and coming here was a little like a business reunion. Isaiah and I were accustomed to camping out in our hotel room, frequenting nearby parks and strolling through town. Part of the routine often included Owen participating in business dinners with visiting customers, so we were comfortable fending for ourselves. At times reservations had been made before our trip began and we knew which nights Owen would be away, but lining up our evening wasn’t always easy, as many times there was no set plan of “when and where.” Since I didn’t have an international cell phone, the only way Owen could get in touch with me was to meet back at our hotel or call the room, but if Isaiah and I were out exploring we needed to be flexible with our dinner plans.

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Little park outside of the hotel

One afternoon the baby and I returned to the room for his nap. By the time he woke up I knew Owen would be coming back soon, so I didn’t want to head back out. To pass the time I took out the crayons and paper I had packed. There was a perfect little desk in the corner for coloring shapes and practicing our colors. Isaiah was sitting in a chair and completely content, so I thought it would be a good time to run to the restroom. I left the door open so I could hear him and dart out if he started to move, besides I just going to be a minute. Right as I was walking out, I saw him standing on the chair and losing his balance. I couldn’t get there fast enough and he came crashing down, catching the side of his face on the corner of the desk.

My heart sank as I rushed to comfort him and inspect his injury. All of the sudden I felt home sick and helpless. I had no idea where the nearest medical facility was located, and no car to get me there anyway. Thankfully there was no bleeding, and I was able to get a wash cloth of cold water to sooth his wound and help with the swelling. It didn’t take long to see he was going to have a black eye. By the time Owen called to say we had been invited to his co-worker’s home for the evening, I had calmed down a little. After explaining to him what had happened and expressing my concerns about being good company, Owen and his friend convinced me that going there was the best option since his home had a medicine cabinet and some basic supplies, not to mention he was an asset as a translator if need be.

Picture taken a few days later, sob.

Picture taken a few days later, sob.

When Owen picked us up from the hotel, Isaiah and I were doing better. Owen was quick to put my mind at ease, professing (as I think many dads do) “it’s not that bad.” We arrived at Martin’s home and were greeted by his welcoming family. It was their custom to eat a large lunch and not very much for dinner, but they did put out some homemade bread, cider, and jams, a slaw like salad made from their very own garden vegetables and a few kiwis. The night was very comforting after the upset we had in our hotel room. Martin’s wife practiced her English with me while his daughter played the piano for us and his son brought out a box of building blocks for Isaiah.

His wife and some of the homemade goodies.

His wife and some of the homemade goodies.

Isaiah taking a turn at the piano.

Isaiah taking a turn at the piano.

The night had been just what I needed and the next day I was again feeling relaxed about our stay (as opposed to trying to book the first flight home). I had even decided I would take Isaiah out for the afternoon. Owen had told me about a restaurant I should try at the square around the corner from our hotel. This was my favorite part of town. The brick paved thoroughfare was really for pedestrians only (although occasionally there would be a random car parked in front of a shop). The path was lined with quaint little stores, one sold chocolates, another sold kitchen wares, a couple sold clothing, etc. Owen had explained that a particular restaurant, the second one with outdoor seating on the north side of the road, had a pizza type dish that he thought was pretty good. Trusting his recommendation, I made it our quest of the day.

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What I am about to tell you next is as serious as I can be. I had never tasted anything like this before. One word, flammkuchen. It wasn’t really like a pizza or flat bread I’d eaten. It was amazing! It had a thin crispy crust, there was some sort of beautiful white sauce, the cheese was mild and flavorful, the onions were soft but firm and sweet, and the bacon, oh the bacon; it was perfectly salty, crispy and chewy all at the same time. Together the combination was out of this world. It’s not to say that I had tasted flammkuchen and had a standard to measure it by, but I’m pretty sure I hit the jackpot! Life changing. Honestly it’s worth booking a vacation over.

I posted this picture only because there are remnants of the flammkuchen on the table.

I posted this picture only because there are remnants of the flammkuchen on the table.

Sweetima’s Chocolate Mousse

One of the best parts about food blogging is you are constantly coming across new blogs with interesting recipes. Sometimes there is an instant connection, something intriguing that makes you want to know more. For me, I was instantly curious about Sweetima’s soft faded pictures of sweet treats. They all look beautiful, fluffy and light… and I’m a sucker for beautiful desserts.

I was always a salty person growing up, I’d take a bag of chips over brownies, ice cream or cake any day of the week. But that all changed during my first pregnancy. In strong waves of desire, I craved chocolate. All of the sudden I understood words like chocoholic. Nothing else but chocolate would do. When the pregnancy was over, my love of chocolate remained. Now I am officially a sweet and salty person.

I was having a strong yearning for chocolate on the day Sweetima posted the recipe for Chocolate Mousse, and I made a comment (and a mental note) to try this recipe. When fellow blogger, Healthy in all Hues, posted a challenge to make other food blogger’s recipes, it was just the incentive I needed!

The recipe was easy enough to follow, but I must admit I had a little complication with the method. I was doing okay until I had to whisk the egg whites over simmering water. In my prior experiences I whisked the egg whites at room temperature… and this time I really had to be careful not to let it scramble! Maybe because it was only one egg white? Probably because I could use more practice!

I also got a little panicked when the recipe said to divide the mousse into two portions. I don’t like to feel like I’m not going to have enough food. (I felt like my three year old getting one scoop of ice cream.) To compensate I made plenty of whipped cream, more than the optional amount suggested. But I assure you, the recipe was right! The mousse was rich, decadent and satisfying, more than I needed to appease my chocolate appetite.

For the original recipe and more sweet treats check out Sweetima!

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately #1: Back to School Hairdo’s and Clothes

How cute are all of these back-to-school pictures on Facebook? All those sweet little faces headed off to face the challenges of the day, fill their heads with letters and numbers, and socialize with their peers! (I saw a few pretty cute homeschoolers out there too!) Isaiah has had surfer dude or skater dude hair for a long while. So when he decided to go short like “Captain America hair,” it was such a fun change. I haven’t seen him with hair that short since he was a toddler! Momma loves her boy!

  
Loving Lately #2: Little Spoons

If you know anything about me, you have an idea that I am a kitchen ware and utensil fanatic. I’m crazy about the stuff. And there must be a lot of us out there because it’s everywhere! (Has anyone gotten anything from Pioneer Woman’s new line? …I’m just waiting for an excuse, like in celebration of the next pay day?) Anyway I saw these spoons at Homegoods the other day. And they say cocktail spoons, which is all fine and dandy, but how cute are they going to be when I serve them with aside a latte?  (Note to self learn how to make a real latte.)