2. Pumpkin Cookies from My Baking Addiction. I always have a soft spot for iced cookies, and these ones- made with two cans of solid pumpkin, are like having pumpkin pie in cookie form!

3. Pumpkin Soup (from Sweet Pea) is something we like to have all year round, not just in October. This recipe is made with vegetable broth, so it’s perfect for vegetarians, but feel free to use a good chicken broth. Smooth and comforting.

4. Finally, this Chickpea Pumpkin Cake (from Mixing Bowl) is an Indian recipe for a cake that’s meant to be “eaten at breakfast, with a glass of milk”- but I’ve had it straight from the oven, and wow.

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes?

Labor Day Luxuries: Pancakes & French Toast

September 4, 2009 | Posted by Lorraine as Breakfast Foods, Holiday Fun at 12:12 pm | Comments »

I love Labor Day. Not only is it my last chance to wear white, it’s usually a long, lazy weekend, spent puttering around the kitchen, watching lots of tv, and watching the husband fire up the grill for some smokey barbecue goodness. Long, lazy days like this call for long, leisurely breakfasts- and here’s one of my favorites: pancakes and french toast with some fried eggs.

Do you need recipes for the above, really? Here’s a link to my favorite pancake recipe, and for perfect, perfect, perfect french toast, see below:

Delish French Toast

1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 slices stale bread (I like a good, hearty country loaf, but it’s really up to you)
4 tablespoons salted butter

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, honey and salt. Pour into a shallow pan (like a pie pan) and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 375F. Gently dip your bread slices into the egg mixture, allowing to soak for around half a minute on each side. Let these sit for around two minutes.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Place 2 slices of your nicely soaked bread at a time into the pan, and cook until golden brown and delicious.

Serve immediately with or without your stack of pancakes, and some well-fried eggs.

Yum! Candied Yams

August 31, 2009 | Posted by Lorraine as Baking, Holiday Fun at 12:29 pm | Comments »

There are those who say that Candied Yams are a holiday dish, to be prepared and served only alongside the Thanksgiving turkey or the Christmas goose. I am not one of those people. I think Candied Yams should be served year-round, to accompany any dish of your choosing. And may I suggest serving it alongside a Crown Roast of Pork? Seriously, that’s how my husband’s family always serves their Roast Pork- and now I can’t imagine not having one without the other.

And if the thought of a sweet and gooey marshmallow-topped dish frightens you in any way, remember this: yams are good for you.

Anytime Candied Yams

Ingredients
6 yams (or sweet potatoes), washed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
cornstarch, to thicken
marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large pot, boil yams until barely tender. Drain, then let cool. Once cool, peel and cut into chunks. Transfer to a baking dish. In a medium saucepan, cook cinnamon, butter, brown sugar and lemon juice over low to medium heat, until just simmering. Add around 2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 teaspoons water). Stir quickly until it thickens. Pour over yams in baking dish, and top the whole thing off with marshmallows. Bake until tops of marshmallows are golden and oozing with goodness.

You can omit the marshmallows entirely as well if you’re not a fan. Seriously, though, who can ever say no to roasted marshmallows?

Mother’s Day Ambrosia

May 10, 2009 | Posted by Lorraine as Breakfast Foods, Holiday Fun, Recipe at 5:44 am | Comments »

One of the nicest Mother’s Day traditions is making your mom breakfast in bed. Now, while you can certainly go the whole nine yards and whip up any number of breakfast dishes, sometimes you want something simple. Healthy. And absolutely delicious.

Enter this Ambrosia, which I promise you is as lovely as its name. Here’s how to make it:

Mom’s Ambrosia
Ingredients:
5 ripe oranges, peeled and sliced
1 medium-sized banana, peeled and sliced, and sprinkled with about 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional. Omit if Mom’s just not a “coconut person”).

Method:
In a medium bowl, combine orange and banana slices. In a separate bowl, mix together orange juice, lemon juice, and honey. Pour over the fruit slices, and top with coconut. Serve chilled, with a silver spoon.

The secret here is using the very best ingredients you can buy: organic oranges and bananas, freshly squeezed orange juice (although Tropicana will certainly do in a pinch), raw organic honey… well, you get the idea. After all, your mother deserves nothing less.