Pumpkin Days

Every fall I use pumpkin in new ways. Over the years we've made frozen pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin yeast rolls, pumpkin butter and pumpkin pancakes.

Last Saturday we enjoyed Susan's Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins ~ a big YUM! I doubled the chocolate chips, like she suggested, and we didn't regret it! My family declared them a "keeper".

Last night was a rare occasion at our house. Tim and I were ALONE! I decided to make pumpkin biscuits, and a big salad. I made a bed of chopped romaine. In the center I put a rounded scoop of tuna salad, and then I sprinkled chopped red peppers, black olives and farmer's cheese all over the top. It was pretty and tasty! Everything was simple, yummy, and peaceful. :) Tonight we were back to normal with all the kids around the table!

I found the recipe for the Pumpkin Biscuits at About. com:Home Cooking.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (and maybe a little more, see instructions)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Place flour mixture in a food processor, fitted with the metal blade. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Remove to a bowl and stir in pumpkin and milk. Mix just until moistened and a soft dough forms. If the dough is too wet to handle, stir in additional flour, just enough so you can handle it.

Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured board. Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut into 2-inch circles. Place on prepared pan 1 inch apart and brush with melted butter. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve pumpkin biscuits right out of the oven with butter, honey, or honey butter.

Yield: about 12 biscuits

note: I changed the amount of baking powder from 3 Tbsp. to 1 Tbsp. When I prepared these I couldn't imagine that they would need 3 Tbsp. Using 1 Tbsp. worked out just fine.

Anticipating the tomorrows

While we are enjoying making the most of today, we are also anticipating many wonderful events coming up within the near future. I'm sure you all are, too!

Kiersten is especially looking forward to Christmas. It will mean a trip to the "city" to see Grandma and Grandpa. When we return my little brother and his wife will arrive. Kiersten already has presents lovingly wrapped up and waiting for them. She's counting the days...literally!

Yesterday, we sat down and made a quick little calendar for her to keep right beside her bed. We outlined all the "happy days" between now and the BIG day ~ the day we get to see those that we've been away from for so many, many days.

Oh, and there are many prayers going up that we will have lots of white stuff while Justin and April are here! Kiersten even dreamed about it last night.
The last time we had snow while Justin was home.

Stretching those kitchen dollars

I really enjoyed this post at Bread and Roses. It's packed full of great advice on getting the most for your dollar in the kitchen and you will be living "richly" if you follow her advice.

I found the above blog through Gumbo Lily, who I always enjoying reading. If you visit Gumbo Lily, check out the photo of the deer in her header!!! Jody took that picture while she was out on her daily walk. Amazing, isn't it?! Zeke and I were very impressed!

I recently stretched our dollars by making strawberry syrup for our puffed pancake. We were out of agave nectar and maple syrup has been scarce around here. I had frozen strawberries on hand for smoothies. Making the syrup was so easy and is such a treat!

Living in Today

Wise words from Susan at High Desert Home:

I think it's good to be aware of what is happening in the world and then to do whatever we need to do (or can do) to care, to help those who need help, and to bring about change. But I also think it's wise and good to continue to find joy and beauty in the daily blessings, as long as we have them. To refuse to be all-consumed with circumstances, to overworry about them, and to focus on them so intensely that it keeps us preoccupied or brings us low.

I certainly don't consider myself a worrier. But I do like to be able to "do" something about a situation if I something is causing me concern. I do tend to want to talk a lot about my feelings and concerns and perhaps I sometimes tend to look at the worst case scenario.

All that to say, the situation in our country at the present has me quite worn out. I didn't think I was stressed but apparently I must be. Here I go, breaking the good advice Susan gives, talking about the political problems of our country. But I'm so broken hearted over decisions that have recently been made; decisions that will change the landscape of this country for my children and their children. My concern is not for our financial well being but for the very heart of our country~our freedoms.

I've called and written my leaders. I've done all I know to do at this time. We will continue to be conservative financially as we will probably face leaner times ahead.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
~Jesus

I've decided to go on making the most out of every day. Not spending each day thinking of how I'll handle tomorrow if this or that happens but I'll live today just as fully as I can. I think this is what Jesus would have me do. I'll take what is handed me today. And tomorrow I'll do the same. I find it stressful to think too far in advance. I need to cherish the moments I have right now. I have no guarantee of tomorrow, anyhow.

We used the good china today.........and we had fresh flowers on our table, too! Just to be honest, though, chaos reigned in the house, everywhere but at our table. As chaos may be reigning in the world around me, my home can be that little island of peace that we all need.

A few good blogs......

Path to Freedom.....always inspiring to me. Sometimes after seeing their pictures I have to run out and do a bit of work in my own garden. My children love to watch the videos they post and they enjoy seeing the pictures of all that is going on. I love their spirit of gratitude.

101 Cookbooks.....lots of yummy food here.

Making Books Blog.....Susan doesn't blog daily or even weekly but I love so many of her ideas. I don't know that I've ever made any of the "books" that she demonstrates but I enjoy reading about her ideas. Maybe because I enjoy almost anything that involves paper; I always have!