Phone Friday: Pumpkin, Kale and Hashbrowns

Hooray for Friday! 

On Sunday I suddenly contracted a nasty head cold that lasted for a few days. I was unable to do as much recipe testing for y'all as I had planned. There's always next week!

I cooked up some pumpkins for puree the other day, and Reuben requested that I roast the pumpkin seeds. I used Nourished Kitchen's method for soaking and cooking them, except I only tossed them in 2 tablespoons of butter instead of the egg whites and other seasonings. They were quite tasty - I had to stop Reuben before he ate them all. :)

I made kale chips for the first time! It's surprising how easy they are. All you do is wash the leaves and cut out the center rib, massage them with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 300 for about 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. They got really crispy. Helen loved them.

This morning I had some extra time to make breakfast, so I decided to make hashbrowns. They're Reuben's favorite. He loves them so much that he found a recipe and made them himself the other day. He claims that the ones I made were twice as good as his (I used the same method), but I think it's because of all the butter I put in the pan.

Here's the method: Grate potatoes (we've used russets or reds) over a bowl of cold water. Rinse and squeeze out the excess water using a dishcloth or paper towel.
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium high heat and melt lots of butter (I used half a stick for 2 potatoes). Add the potatoes in a thin layer, turn the heat down to medium and season with some salt and pepper. Cook until crispy. Flip and cook until the other side is crispy. Devour.


Have you tried any new, delicious food this week?

xoxo
Erica

Friday, November 7, 2014

Phone Friday: Pumpkin, Kale and Hashbrowns

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Phone Friday: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ever since I discovered that you can mix your own spices I have shied away from the pre-mixed store-bought varieties. I'm sure there are some lovely blends out there, but there's just something nice about knowing exactly what and how much of everything goes into your seasonings. 

Plus, if you prefer to use organic spices, it can be a more affordable option. I like to buy my spices a little at a time from the bulk bins at our local health food store. That way I don't keep an entire bottle of cloves in my drawer for a few years until it goes stale. 

Note: If you don't like a particular spice used in the recipe, feel free to leave it out! Also, if you're out of a spice (with the exception of the cinnamon), it's not going to be the END of the world if it isn't put in. 

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

adapted from My Baking Addiction

Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice, optional (I didn't have any on hand so I left it out)

Directions:

Mix everything together and store in an air-tight container. Use as you would store-bought pumpkin pie spice.

Looking for some pumpkin recipes?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scones




Perfect Pumpkin Pie




Pumpkin Pie Pudding

From Around the Web:

Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze from Cookie + Kate

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Almond Crunch from Zoe Bakes

Pumpkin Spice Brulee Crullers from Deliciously Yum

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars from Detoxinista

Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes from Honey and Jam

Friday, October 17, 2014

Phone Friday: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

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Pumpkin Pie Pudding

As I've said before, pumpkin is my favorite of all the pies. However, there are few days besides Thanksgiving and Pi Day that I feel inclined to attempt an acceptable pie crust. If only I could find a way (besides using shortening: the horror!) to make a good pie crust without tears, blood and sweat. 

Thankfully there's this delicious little thing called Pumpkin Pie Pudding. It's hardly more trouble than regular homemade pudding (which is stupid easy), and has the lovely, spicy flavors of a pie.

I was a bit apprehensive about the outcome of this pudding. I've made some pumpkin flavored recipes that didn't exactly please (I don't know if I can ever bring myself to make a pumpkin smoothie again). But to my relief, this was scrumptious. Helen loved it, and so did Reuben. 

Is is every bit as good as pumpkin pie? No, but it's so much easier (and just about foolproof). Make sure to serve with a big dollop of whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding Recipe

Adapted from Health.com

Makes about 4-6 servings

Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sucanat
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, preferably organic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg, for serving

Directions:

1) In a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the eggs. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.

2) Temper the whisked eggs by slowly whisking in about half of the hot milk mixture. Pour into saucepan and return to heat. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.

3) Remove from heat and whisk in the pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into a heat-proof storage container (I used a large glass bowl). 

4) Let cool a bit then press plastic wrap onto the surface to keep the pudding from developing a skin. Let cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve with plenty of whipped cream and a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg.

Note: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own. I would never share something with you guys if I didn't care for it.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scones

Hey everyone! Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just TWO days away? I don't know about you, but I'm not feeling very prepared. I still need to get into town and buy ingredients. So much for making things ahead of time.

Guys, I'm pretty proud of these scones. I just love how the photos turned out. Make sure you stop by the Tasty Kitchen Blog for the recipe and my step-by-step instructions!

Are you feeling prepared for the big feast? 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scones

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Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Call me massively boring, but pumpkin is my favorite of the Thanksgiving pies. Of course I love my share of blueberry, apple, banana, and coconut (I could go on. I adore pie.), but I always reserve a spot on my plate for a slice of pumpkin.

Maybe I love it so much for the simple reason that it is so iconic. Or perhaps because it isn't overly sweet like some pies (I'm thinking of YOU, pecan pie). Or its smooth texture and spicy flavors. It's just so satisfying. 

If you've never made a pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkin (as opposed to canned), I urge you to give it a try. Ree Drummond has an excellent tutorial for how to oven roast pumpkins for puree. I've used it twice already this year.  I really think it makes a huge difference in the flavor of your pie.

This recipe (from Ree's new cookbook) took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. But the flavors and texture were spot on. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: PIE CRUST HATES ME. Yes, this one happened to turn out quite well in the end. but not before leaving some of its butter on the bottom of my oven to smoke up the house. Ah well, I'll perfect my crust making skills someday.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving pie?

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays | server 8-12 | Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 2 cups pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, homemade or canned
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice or sweetener of choice

Directions:

1) Roll out your pie crust and place it in a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp the edges or decorate as desired. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 C).

2) Place all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until nice and smooth. Pour into the prepared pie crust and slip into your preheated oven.

3) Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 C). Bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until the filling isn't wet, but still moves a bit in the middle when jiggled. If the crust is getting too brown for your liking you can always cover it with tin foil or a crust shield. 

4) Cool the pie and serve cold or at room temperature, whichever you prefer. Whipped cream is a MUST. 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

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