Pumpkin Bread

This is one of our family's favorite quick breads. I got the original over at Tammy's Recipes and made a few modifications to make it healthier. This time, I used homemade pumpkin puree that I had in the freezer from last year and it turned out perfect....so I think it's safe to say that pumpkin freezes extremely well!

Recipe: (yields 2 loaves)

2 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2/3 cup water (I used 1/2 cup because my pumpkin puree was pretty soupy)
2 cups pumpkin (or one 15 oz can)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking soda
1 T. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, oil, and eggs. Stir in water and pumpkin and nuts, if using. (I just use a few nuts to sprinkle on top of one loaf).
In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Add to creamed mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans, sprinkle nuts on top if desired. (I like walnuts)
Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes, then remove to cool on a wire rack. Best to wait until cool before cutting, but this bread sure does taste good fresh out of the oven!

Freezes beautifully if well wrapped in foil.

Mudder Dear

I don't know what has gotten into Marissa. As of yesterday, she is only referring to me as "Mudder" (mother), which is rather odd when you're used to being "Mom" or "Mommy". What's even funnier is that she makes a point of calling me that all the time; for example, where she used to say, "Okay" if I told her to do something, now it's "Okay, Mudder".

She's also establishing some independence in the bathroom; where she previously always wanted me in there with her, now she is demanding privacy. She'll call when she needs help, of course, but all attempts at assistance when she doesn't want it are quickly rejected.

Just a couple of weeks till her birthday...and she's growing up so fast.

Mound Bars

I made these to share at our Community Day at church last Sunday. I avoid baking with coconut for our family because Grant doesn't like it but consider that a minor tragedy since I absolutely adore it, except on shrimp....blech. Mounds and Almond Joys are some of my favorite candy bars and I was excited to see a recipe for a similar tasting bar on Allrecipes. I've been waiting for a chance to make these for quite awhile. I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed....these are extremely tasty! And VERY easy.

Recipe:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free is fine)
2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press into a 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 15 minutes. Now you can do one of two things. Either (1.) Sprinkle the coconut over the top and drizzle the sweetened condensed milk on top of that or (2) Mix the coconut and milk together and spread on top of graham crackers. I did number 1. I think next time I'll try option 2. Whatever you choose, get the coconut and milk on top. Bake for 15 minutes. Melt the chocolate chips and milk together and stir until smooth. Spread on top of warm coconut. Chill before cutting. Can be stored room temp or in fridge. Delish!

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

How much would you pay for this beauty? Would you believe the lady that bought it at the silent cake auction held for my MOPS group got it for only $20? Now that's a bargain to be proud of, I think. I mean, the ingredients and platter alone cost me over $13, not counting the time and energy spent making it. Well, the lucky lady is the mom of our favorite babysitter, and she was deliriously happy to get it. She took it home and came back to the church Community Day and found me, saying that she had sampled it at home and that....well, I won't mention all of her comments, but let's just say that she's freezing it in small slivers to enjoy for the next few months and doesn't intend to share with her husband.

My family wasn't too keen on me donating it without them getting some, so I'll probably be making one sometime soon.

Now, methods of baking cheesecakes vary widely, and I try different things to prevent cracking, like water baths, different baking temps, etc. I have yet to find a foolproof method. This particular cake has turned out perfectly for me before, but this time had a gigantic crack. I am not going to recommend a certain way to avoid that, as obviously I haven't mastered it.

Oh, by the way, I got the original recipe from Allrecipes, but my version is a bit different.

Recipe:

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
5 T. butter
14 oz package caramels
5 oz can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted, divided
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 T. flour
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine cracker crumbs and butter and press into a 9" springform pan, going about an inch up the sides. (This is important, so that the caramel layer won't stick to your pan.) Bake for 10 minutes.
Melt the caramels with the milk on the stove over low heat until completely smooth.
Reserve about 1/3 cup of caramel, and pour the rest into the crust. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup pecans. Stick into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Melt the 3/4 cup chocolate chips and let cool a bit.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar and blend until smooth. Add the eggs, flour, and vanilla and mix just until combined. Do not overmix! Add the melted chocolate and stir.
Pour over caramel/pecan layer and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until center is barely set.
Let cool on a wire rack, then stick in the fridge overnight.
Before serving, melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips with milk and stir until smooth. Spread over top of cheesecake. Drizzle with reserved caramel sauce and sprinkle with reserved pecans.

I have to say, this is probably my favorite cheesecake. I love the chocolate truffle one, and the white chocolate raspberry, and many others....but this is pretty unbeatable.

Precocious nearly 5 year old

These photos were taken last Sunday (October 5) at our church Community Day. Corban decided he wanted to climb this rope and just headed right up. He made it all the way past the top knot before deciding he had gone far enough and was coming down. We were pretty impressed!

Last night he and I were having a little one-on-one time and the conversation turned to babies. We've had several friends give birth recently, and another is due in a few weeks, so babies are on his mind, and oh, not to mention that he's mildly obsessed with having a baby brother.

Corban: "When a baby comes out, does it hurt?"

Me: (big pause) "Well, yes it does. But only for a little while, then you're so happy to have the baby and you feel better."

Corban: "There must be a hole for it to come out of. And I know the doctor helps."

Me: (longer pause....why am I always the one to get stuck in these conversations?) "Yes, there is. And the baby slides right out."

Corban: "Yeah, because it's wet."

Me: "Uh huh....." (thinking, how did he remember that? From a new baby book? not sure)

Corban: "So, where is the hole?"

Me: (why, why, why me?) "It's in the mommy's private parts".

Corban: "I think it's time to go brush my teeth now."

End of conversation. Whew.

Milestones

My baby girl, almost 13 months, is finally starting to walk! She took her first steps a few weeks ago but hasn't really gotten up the courage to try again, until just a couple of days ago. And last night, she walked 11 steps on her own....we were all cheering and she was so proud of herself.

I'm really glad...because now that the weather is cooler and I'm dressing her in pants, all that crawling around sure gets her dirty and covered with Monty hair, not to mention is hard on the pants.

Oh, and in case you're interested, she is fully weaned, as of about 2.5 weeks ago. This child just got tired of nursing. I guess I consider myself blessed, because it can be terribly difficult to wean a child that is not ready when you are (so I've been told, none of my kids have been much interested in nursing past about 12 months). But I can't deny that it was like a little stab in the heart one afternoon as I asked her if she wanted her "nursies" and she looked up at me with those big blue eyes, shook her little head, and distinctly said, "Uh uh".

She did continue humoring me for a few more days, as I could tell she was very reluctant to nurse but would for a few seconds to "do her duty", but as soon as I stopped, there were no complaints and I think she was relieved to no longer have the pressure.

I have friends that have no fondness for nursing and do it just for the health of their baby and can't WAIT until it's over......not me. Despite the occasional inconveniences of it, I love the bond that nursing creates and I love the time it gives me to cuddle my baby one on one. It's a very precious stage of life in my mind, one I will cherish the memories of forever.

What IS that noise?

Question: Have you ever unwittingly turned on the blender to medium speed with a metal spoon inside?

Don't.

It's scary.

Let's just say that it makes an atrocious sound of metal grinding on metal clanging on glass, followed by the lid flying off and graham cracker crumbs exploding out all over the kitchen while you stand there with your heart practically stopped in your chest in horror, trying to figure out what in the world is happening before you have the presence of mind to turn the darn thing off and quickly unplug it just in case it decides to freak out on its own.

Not that this has EVER happened to me.

Okay, so maybe it did yesterday. I'll never be the same again.