Pumpkin Bread

In the fall, there's nothing like coming home to the smell of baking bread in the oven. My husband and children especially love pumpkin bread. It's one of the best autumn treats! While searching for tasty and healthy recipes online, I came across this simple recipe on "Cooking with Cakes" baking blog. While the site's pumpkin bread is smothered with cream cheese frosting, I left my pumpkin bread plain and simple. No one in our house complained, because they didn't know it was an option! Moist and full of flavor, it's a great treat for breakfast and snacks. And it was a wonderful gift (recipe included) for our new neighbors. So get baking and welcome fall with this easy recipe!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread

INGREDIENTS --

• 15 oz Libby's Pure Pumpkin Filling
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar
• 5 Large Egg Whites
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 1 1/2 tsps Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• Crisco to grease (Note: you can use Spray Pam)

DIRECTIONS --

1. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, white sugar, baking soda, salt). In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, egg whites, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon), mixing thoroughly until smooth. (Note: make sure brown sugar is loose before combining with wet ingredients - it will be easier to combine and will avoid leaving clumps.) When ready, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir thoroughly, utilizing an electric mixer if necessary to create a thick, smooth mixture. 
2. Pour pumpkin mix into well-greased loaf pan (mine was 9X5) and bake in oven middle rack at 350F for 60 - 70 minutes until cooked through. 
3. When finished, set aside and allow to cool.
4. When bread has cooled, carefully remove from loaf pan and place on wire rack. Immediately plate and serve. (Without the frosting, nutrition facts are -- Calories: 257 Fat: 8g, Carbs 40g Protein 6g)

You can find the complete recipe, including the frosting, at:

http://cookingwithcakes.com/brown-sugar-cinnamon-pumpkin-bread/

Fiesta Crockpot Chicken

Over the years, "Taco Tuesday" has meant an easy meal with taco meat, soft tortillas, handfuls of cheese, and mounds of sour cream.

But to break the monotony of ground meat and packaged Mexican seasoning, I came up with a tasty chicken version. It's one of my favorite recipes that can be used in so many different meals. Fiesta Chicken can fill a taco, top a salad, create a casserole, or just be eaten with some melted cheese and a dollop of sour cheese. Yum!

Plus, it's made in the crockpot. One more reason to love "Taco Tuesday"!

Fiesta Crockpot Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts (cooked in the crockpot and shredded)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained)
1 jar salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook the chicken breasts for 4 hours on high. Then shred with a fork. Add rest of ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours.

Then, as mentioned above, serve Fiesta Chicken in any Mexican dish you like. Enjoy!

Blackberry Cobbler for the 4th!

Fresh blackberries have always been a favorite fruit in our house. So last year, when my husband added an orchard and a garden to his hunting camp, he made sure to plant lots of blackberry vines.

Starting in early June, my daughters and I began joining him to "pick the crop" off the trellises. (Although at times, there was more eating than picking!) The vines, thick with our crop, reminded me of the verse from John 15: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing". This was Jesus' acknowledgement that his living energy as well as his spiritual reality, would continue to nourish and sustain us. What an incredible gift from God! Read more at: http://www.gotquestions.org/true-vine.html#ixzz36S49okX4

We also gathered peppers, okra, kale, cabbage, tomatoes...enough produce to fill our fridge and to give to family and friends. Although we shared some of the blackberries, the majority have made their way into our "can't-believe-this-stuff-is-kinda-good-for-me" blackberry cobbler.

My oldest daughter found a great recipe that she altered to make it even healthier. We'll definitely add it to our 4th of July menu!

Blackberry Cobbler

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed & drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter and coconut oil until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water until mixture is evenly moist.
3. In another bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and blackberries. Transfer to a cast iron skillet and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Drop spoonfuls of dough into the skillet over the blackberry mixture. Place skillet on foil lined baking sheet.
Bake 25 minutes, until dough is golden brown. (Optional: top with a scoop of ice cream.)

Enjoy a fresh dessert for the Fourth of July - or anytime!