Who We Are and Who We Want to Become

"If we see healthy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see these choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding." ( link)

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

(link)

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I don't think I'd ever had pumpkin soup before I made it myself, a few years ago. To tell the truth, it sounded kind of weird because I had only had sweet pumpkin recipes. But I gave it a try and by now it has become a Family Favorite! I look forward to this time of year when pumpkins are more plentiful and I start craving all those yummy fall recipes.

I found this recipe at Pumpkin Nook, a great place to find delicious ideas. And the only thing I changed was to omit the cinnamon.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Yield: 6 servings

16 oz. pumpkin (fresh pureed or canned)
13.75 oz. chicken broth
1 large onion
2 carrots, sliced
2 c. half and half or evaporated milk (in a pinch, I've also used regular milk)
1/4 c. sour cream
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 tsp. (or less) salt

bacon bits, optional

In large pot add chicken broth, onions, carrot, baking soda, salt and pepper.

Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until carrots are soft.

Put vegetable and broth into a food processor or blender--or use immersion blender--and blend until smooth.

Return to pot.

Add pumpkin and half and half.

Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Serve topped with sour cream and bacon bits, if desired.

Pumpkin Pancakes and Homemade Maple Syrup

We have consistently loved this recipe for a couple years now, which means it is now officially a Family Favorite. So filling and so tasty!

My original post:

Every now and then I'll make pancakes for dinner, which delights my kids. The other night, since we had the fresh pumpkin puree I had just made, I revisited last year's pumpkin pancake recipe. It was just as good as we remembered. (The only variations I made were to substitute honey for sugar, and whole wheat flour for white):

Pumpkin Pancakes
Yield: 12-16 pancakes

1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 Tb. honey
1 c. milk
2 eggs, separated
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tb. vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients and spices in bowl.
In second bowl, whisk together, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, milk, and vegetable oil.
Stir wet ingredient into dry ingredients.
Use mixer to beat egg whites until peaks form. Then, fold them into the batter.*
Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto greased griddle/fry pan and cook until golden brown.
Serve with syrup (or honey).

*I recently tried making things easier on myself by not worrying about this step with the egg whites and the pancakes turned out just as good!

Last year we preferred the taste of syrup to honey on these particular pancakes, so this year (wanting to avoid the corn syrup, etc), I made my own syrup, using the (modified) recipe below.

Homemade Maple Syrup
Makes 2 cups

1 c. water
2 c. raw sugar
1 Tb. maple flavored extract*

Bring water and raw sugar to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in maple extract; simmer 3 minutes longer.

* If you don't have the maple flavoring, use 1 Tb. vanilla extract and 2 Tb. butter instead.

(Note: I would love to use real maple syrup, which would be even better-tasting and also more nutritious, but its cost, particularly in the western part of the United States, is prohibitive for us.)

Sweet Potato Fries

I didn't think I'd ever like another sweet potato recipe as much as my Baked Sweet Potato Chips or Best Thanksgiving Yams, but this recipe makes the cut! And really, what's not to love about butter and cinnamon? 

You can find the original recipe here.

Sweet Potato Fries

1/2 c., plus 2 Tb. butter
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Remove pot from heat and stir in cinnamon. 

Add potato wedges to butter and toss to combine. Season potatoes with salt and pepper.

Spread potatoes in even layer on baking sheet. Roast potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Remove from oven to serving dish and serve.

Zucchini Bread

I originally posted this recipe a couple years ago. Since it continues to be a Family Favorite, I'm reposting it now, with an updated picture. Don't finish up zucchini season without making this at least once!

Original post:
This is--so far--the only guaranteed way I've found to get my kids to eat (and enjoy) zucchini. I'll continue trying other ways--which my husband and I like--but for now, thank goodness for this recipe! It makes a good dessert, yet is healthy enough for a snack or even breakfast.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

Makes 2 loaves

3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c. honey
3 tsp. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini

3 c. whole wheat flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs. Add honey, grated zucchini, vanilla, and oil. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients, mix well. Pour batter into well greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until done.

Pioneer Stew

My family likes this stew almost as much as my mom's traditional chili, and that's really saying something! I first posted this Family Favorite two years ago. (This updated picture shows that this time I made it with stewing beef instead of ground beef.)

Original post:
Not long ago, a former roommate of mine gave me a bean recipe* that I thought sounded fantastic. So I made it and it was! Note: The ground beef could easily be eliminated and it would still be a delicious dish.

Pioneer Stew

1 1/4 c. (1/2 pound) dry pinto or kidney beans (I used both) (or 3 or 4 cans of beans)
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef
1/2 c. finely diced green pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
one 16 oz. can whole kernel corn with juice (I used frozen mixed vegetables instead)
one 16 oz can tomatoes with juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I only had mild)

Cook the beans, using package directions (and/or my tips here).

In skillet, cook ground beef, chopped onion, and green pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat.

Add meat mixture, corn, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt to taste to beans. Simmer 20 minutes. After tasting, I always add more chili powder too, and even a bay leaf if the taste still isn't savory enough.

Combine 1 tablespoon flour with 2 tablespoons water. Stir into stew, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese.

*Recipe attributed to a cookbook put out by the Kolob Springville Utah Stake Relief Society and Home Storage Committee - June 2004.

Cornbread

I first posted this recipe three years ago. It continues to be, not only a Family Favorite, but also a staple side dish--and very easy to whip up.

Original post:
The first time I remember tasting "someone else's" cornbread--at Marie Calendar's, as I recall--I thought it tasted like cake! It was much too sweet for my liking and turned to sticky paste in my mouth (like white bread does). Not long ago, my preschool-aged daughter tried her first cornbread that someone else had made, and she said the exact same thing, which I found ironic. I still prefer Mom's recipe above all others I have tasted, and especially love that it really tastes like it's made with cornmeal. This is the real deal--undoubtedly much the same as what our ancestors would have made back before the widespread use of white flour.

CORNBREAD

2 c. whole wheat flour
8 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. honey
4 beaten eggs

2 c. milk
1/3 c. oil

Stir together first 3 ingredients, then add cornmeal. Add other ingredients and beat just until smooth. 
Pour into greased 9 x 13" pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees, or until browned slightly. Serve with butter and honey.

Note: I used to let each person cut their own piece of cornbread in half and spread butter and honey inside it, but now--as shown in these pictures--I slather both on top of the whole hot pan-full at once.