Pumpkin Bars

The only two recipes that I have ever made with pumpkin was pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie.  Sad--I know so I had to fix that!  I made pumpkin bars (yes--I know--not much variation), and they were such a big hit!  They were moist and spiced just right.  To me, they tasted like pumpkin pie but without the crust!  Simply delicious.

{Yummy and moist!  My brother loves to stuff a whole square in his mouth--he has also claimed all of them as his, and I practically had to sneak one to eat it (I made two batches and hadn't even tried them!)}

Another very easy recipe--mix the dry ingredients together then the wet and then combine the two, bake, and serve!  LOVE easy!  In fact, they went sooo quickly, I forgot to get a picture of the first batch!  They are so easy that I whipped them up a few days after the first batch--surprise they went just as fast!

{Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately}

{Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients}

{Pour in a baking dish, bake, and serve!}

{Side note--This is how my kitchen looks when I am doing 3 (yes THREE) recipes at once!  Utter chaos!!!  I'm making 2 loaves of sourdough bread, roasted apple spice cupcakes, and pumpkin bars--usually I would make dinner too, but I was exhausted after making everything else!}

Pumpkin Bars

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, beaten and at room temperature
15 oz pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.
4. Spread into a greased 9x13 ovenproof dish.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Cool and cut.

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes?  Anyone try pumpkin soup?  I might have to try one myself!

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Banana Bread Ice Cream

I am always so happy to have my brother in town.  My family would be in constant stitches with him around; we always have a blast together.  So when he came in for my wedding/vacation, I try to do anything for/with him.  He requested a banana bread ice cream, and I was only too happy to fulfill that wish.  However, I had no clue how I was going to do it!

{Banana Bread Ice Cream}

I really don't know how smitten kitchen does it, but she posts a recipe that I need about 1-2 weeks before I realize I need it!  She posted this recipe on vanilla custard with roasted blueberries towards the end of August, and I immediately printed it out to try because I have a thing for puddin' especially homemade puddin'.  Seriously...  I have no clue why--I just do.  Plus the roasted blueberries sounded good too!

{Whisking egg yolks and brown sugar}

{Adding flour to stablize the mixture}

I decided to modify her recipe just a bit--I used brown sugar instead of regular sugar, added carmelized bananas, and roasted walnuts.  To say that this ice cream is spot on for banana bread flavor is a SEVERE understatement!!!  Add chocolate or peanut butter chips, and it goes to another level!

{Adding the hot half and half}

{Cooking the custard until it gets thick}

I have made custards/pastry creams a lot in my culinary career, and they are a pain.  However, this recipe is fool-proof; the flour helps to stablize the mixture.  Which means this recipe is EASY!  Believe me, the original custard recipe is going into my arsenal to pull out when I'm craving puddin' or a base for fruit tarts!

{Cooked and thickened custard}

{Be sure to cover the surface of the custard or it'll develop a 'skin'}

{About to carmelize bananas}

{Roasted walnuts}

{Carmelizing bananas!}

Banana Bread Ice Cream

Makes 3 quarts

Ingredients

4.5 cups half and half
14 egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
12 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons butter, cold
3 ripe bananas, cut lengthwise and then in half
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup walnuts, roasted

1. In a small saucepan, heat half and half until warm.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until it pales in color; this wil take 3-4 minutes by hand or 1 minute with an electric mixer.
3. Whisk in flour to fully incorporate.
4. Whisking the whole time, drizzle the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at first. Once about 1/4 cup has been incorporated, add the milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
5. Put egg and milk mixture into a pan and heat it over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble. Once it bubbles, whisk for another 2 minutes then remove from heat.
6. Stir in vanilla extract and butter until combined.
7. Place pan in an ice bath to cool mixture quickly.
8. Pour into a large container; press plastic wrap onto the top to prevent a 'skin' from forming. Place container in the fridge overnight.
9. Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan until hot; place bananas in the butter and allow to carmelize on both sides.
10. Place bananas in a container and cool overnight.
11. Place custard in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
12. Once custard is at a soft-serve state, mix in carmelized bananas and roasted walnuts.
13. Freeze overnight.

What do you like to make when your family comes over?

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Beef and Cabbage

After a visit to some of my family (aka the future in-laws), Ben and I came home loaded with home grown beans and cabbage (YAY!!!).  Ben is strange in that he doesn't really like cooked cabbage, but he'll eat it raw all day long (seriously--I watched him bite into a head like an apple!).  My grandma makes a wonderful recipe she calls Beef and Cabbage; it's one of my comfort foods along with grandpa's cornbread.  :o)

Beef and Cabbage is simple yet delicious, and this one is healthy!

Beef and Cabbage

Serves 4

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon steak seasoning

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 large (or 2 medium) cabbage, cleaned and chopped into strips

1. Brown beef with onions and garlic.
2. Add steak seasoning.
3. Add diced tomatoes and cabbage.
4. Cook until the cabbage is softened (about 15 minutes).
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Serve and enjoy!

What are some of your comfort foods?

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Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella

I have never been a big fan of eggplant mainly because it was one of those 'gross' foods no one wants to eat.  Plus, preparing eggplant puts off a lot of people (including me), but I saw this eggplant recipe on one of my favorite blogs, smitten kitchen.  I knew that I HAD to make it!

{Cheesy and lemony goodness!}

Ben was skeptical at first--he was not a fan of eggplant either.  However, it was lost in the wonderful flavors of cheese, lemon, and oregano.

{The Dreaded Eggplant!}

{Eggplant needs to be salted to draw the bitterness and water out}

{Getting everything ready while the eggplant sits}

{I did not take off the peel on the eggplant because the original recipe didn't call for it, but I would recommend it!}

{Heating everything through before it goes in the oven}

{It smelled heavenly going into the oven!}

Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella

Serves 4

1 1/4 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound chicken breast, diced
8 ounces orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, rinsed
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon lemon juice

6 ounces mozzarella (firmer is better here) cut into 1/3-inch dice

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

3 medium tomatoes, diced

1. Sprinkle your eggplant generously with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes. (Use this time to get the rest of the ingredients ready) After 30 minutes, rinse it well and pat it dry on towels.
2. Preheat your oven to 350.
3. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and once the oil is shimmering, add the eggplant. Fry for 8 minutes, stirring pieces occasionally. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
4. Add celery and carrots to remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes before adding onion and garlic. Cook together for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Add chicken and cook through.
5. Stir in the orzo and tomato paste and cook for two minutes more.
6. Off the heat, add the oregano, mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, fried eggplant, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, many grinds of black pepper and the stock and mix well.
7. Transfer mixture to an ovenproof baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then bake 20 minutes without the foil.

Do you have a vegetable you have been dreading to make?  If so, drop me a line, and I will tackle it for you!

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