I love to cook. Baking, frying, mixing, stirring, chopping....I love it all. My food usually turns out pretty well...I did once forget the baking powder in a sheet cake, and I once burnt ribs so bad we had to evacuate...but otherwise I've been fairly successful.
Now I'm wishing I had photo evidence of that super flat cake...that my husband still ate by the way, because he's a trooper.
So yesterday I was watching The Food Network Thanksgiving Specials all day, before and after church. I was dedicated. So of course I had to get my bake on, I mean we do have a turkey and potatoes and such, but I thought my family would appreciate some baked goods rather than Bobby Flays eleven layer potatoes.
So here are three recipes I made over the weekend. I've got some pumpkin, pecan, cream cheese, and graham crackers left over so I think I'll host my own version of Chopped Wednesday morning and see what I can cook up. Wish me luck!
Pumpkin Bread
Food Network
Now I'm wishing I had photo evidence of that super flat cake...that my husband still ate by the way, because he's a trooper.
So yesterday I was watching The Food Network Thanksgiving Specials all day, before and after church. I was dedicated. So of course I had to get my bake on, I mean we do have a turkey and potatoes and such, but I thought my family would appreciate some baked goods rather than Bobby Flays eleven layer potatoes.
So here are three recipes I made over the weekend. I've got some pumpkin, pecan, cream cheese, and graham crackers left over so I think I'll host my own version of Chopped Wednesday morning and see what I can cook up. Wish me luck!
Pumpkin Bread
Food Network
My family loves bread. Like Oprah has nothing on us...we could eat bread all day every day. I started making bread from scratch this passed summer with zucchini. My good friend sells her own produce and makes sure my kids are never wanting for fresh fruits and veggies...so of course I had to throw in some unhealthy goodness with it.
So I decided to try my hand at pumpkin bread, and it turned out so yummy! I sent half a loaf to my neighbors and we ate the other half of one last night. But we have another loaf...that might make it to Thanksgiving. If not I'm sure I can whip up another batch.
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
4 eggs lightly beaten
16 ounces of pumpkin
3 1/2 cups of flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( I used a little more, but I love the spice)
1/2 tsp cloves
2/3 cup of water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two loaf pans with non-stick spray.
Stir together oil and sugar. Make sure to get it all, it will be syrupy
Mix in eggs and pumpkin
Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl
Add water to dry ingredients
Mix it all together and pour it in you pans
Cook 50 minutes, check with toothpick
Apple Pie
So I decided to try my hand at pumpkin bread, and it turned out so yummy! I sent half a loaf to my neighbors and we ate the other half of one last night. But we have another loaf...that might make it to Thanksgiving. If not I'm sure I can whip up another batch.
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
4 eggs lightly beaten
16 ounces of pumpkin
3 1/2 cups of flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( I used a little more, but I love the spice)
1/2 tsp cloves
2/3 cup of water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two loaf pans with non-stick spray.
Stir together oil and sugar. Make sure to get it all, it will be syrupy
Mix in eggs and pumpkin
Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl
Add water to dry ingredients
Mix it all together and pour it in you pans
Cook 50 minutes, check with toothpick
Apple Pie
Apple pie...what can I say about it? It's delicious? It's all American? It makes my house smell amazing while it's cooking? All so true!
This was the second dessert pie I've ever made, and I employed some Food Network know how on that store bought crust.
6 medium sized apples ( I used honeycrisp from Aldi)
3 tsp Apple Pie Spice (cinnamon, nutmeg & all spice)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbs flour
1 store bought pie crust
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 tbs cinnamon
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Set out pie crust for about ten minutes
Peel and core your apples, slice into thin pieces, or chop and dice. Whichever you prefer.
Dump apple pieces into a large bowl and add dry ingredients. Mix and stick in the fridge
Un- roll 1 pie crust into a pie pan
Mix eggs, water, and cinnamon
Brush your egg wash onto your pie crust and sit in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes.
Pour Apples into crust and top with your other crust.
Brush egg wash onto top crust
Cut out fun shapes (or boring ones like I did) from pie crust
put in the oven for 40-50 minutes
Let rest two hours.
Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies
Barefoot Contessa
This was the second dessert pie I've ever made, and I employed some Food Network know how on that store bought crust.
6 medium sized apples ( I used honeycrisp from Aldi)
3 tsp Apple Pie Spice (cinnamon, nutmeg & all spice)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbs flour
1 store bought pie crust
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 tbs cinnamon
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Set out pie crust for about ten minutes
Peel and core your apples, slice into thin pieces, or chop and dice. Whichever you prefer.
Dump apple pieces into a large bowl and add dry ingredients. Mix and stick in the fridge
Un- roll 1 pie crust into a pie pan
Mix eggs, water, and cinnamon
Brush your egg wash onto your pie crust and sit in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes.
Pour Apples into crust and top with your other crust.
Brush egg wash onto top crust
Cut out fun shapes (or boring ones like I did) from pie crust
put in the oven for 40-50 minutes
Let rest two hours.
Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies
Barefoot Contessa
Richard and I have old people names, and old people taste in cookies. We love Oatmeal raisin cookies, and the kids don't! Hahaha! We can eat all of these without sharing!
Also, my friends have been telling me I need a stand mixer...this recipe solidified that fact for me! Hand mixing this was so hard I broke out in a sweat and my biceps are like bursting out of my shirt sleeves today.
2 sticks of room temperature butter
1 1/2 cups of pecans
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups of raisins
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Spread pecans on baking sheet and put in oven 5-10 minutes, u till they are crispy
Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together (on low if you have a stand mixer)
Mix in eggs and vanilla
Mix together dry ingredients
Slowly add dry ingredients to mixture
Chop pecans
Add pecans, raisins and oats to the mixture
Scoop out and place on cookie sheet. Use an ice cream scooper or your hand, big or small
Cook 11-14 minutes
Also, my friends have been telling me I need a stand mixer...this recipe solidified that fact for me! Hand mixing this was so hard I broke out in a sweat and my biceps are like bursting out of my shirt sleeves today.
2 sticks of room temperature butter
1 1/2 cups of pecans
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups of raisins
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Spread pecans on baking sheet and put in oven 5-10 minutes, u till they are crispy
Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together (on low if you have a stand mixer)
Mix in eggs and vanilla
Mix together dry ingredients
Slowly add dry ingredients to mixture
Chop pecans
Add pecans, raisins and oats to the mixture
Scoop out and place on cookie sheet. Use an ice cream scooper or your hand, big or small
Cook 11-14 minutes
So there are some goodies. I can't wait to pack some homemade bread and cookies for my husband to take in the truck. Do I hope the other drivers get slightly jealous? Yes, yes I do 😉