Pumpkin Butter Bars

Can you believe it… already November 1st! Since it’s the first of the month, our monthly neighbor magazine gets published and I can finally reveal what recipe I wrote about in my Resident Recipe column. Below is my article:

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what you are thankful for. I am grateful for my friends and family, but after eating far too many pumpkin butter bars from my neighbor Betty, I have to say that I am extremely thankful for pumpkin desserts!

Betty’s favorite time of the year is Thanksgiving. Accordingly, her favorite store to visit is Williams-Sonoma. If you’re a foodie or simply like to cook, you’ve probably stopped by a WS store and seen their vast selection of cookware, baking goods, recipes and fine linens used to set a gorgeous dinner table. In addition, you’ve probably had a chance to sample some freshly baked goods from their in-store kitchenette.

A few years ago, Betty walked into Williams-Sonoma and was greeted with a batch of Pecan Pumpkin Butter Bars. “They were amazing,” Betty exclaimed, and now makes these bars every year during the holiday season. Her friends and family love them – including me! In addition these tasty bars yield a warm and festive aroma that will make you never want to leave your kitchen. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Butter Bars

Ingredients

1 package yellow cake mix; set aside 1 cup

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 eggs

*1 jar Williams-Sonoma Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter (13.5 oz)

1/8 cup milk

1 Tbsp. flour

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Divide yellow cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl. Stir the melted butter and one egg into the cake mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ inch pan.

3. Mix the jar of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter with two eggs and milk. Pour this result over the cake mix.

4. Stir the reserved cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of pumpkin layer.

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Serves: 24

Recipe from: Williams-Sonoma

Happy Halloween and Oreo Spider Web Cookie Pizza

First of all, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Second, I’d like to extend a BIG thank you to Christi over at Love from the Oven. Last week, Christi posted a fun Oreo Recipe Challenge Giveaway on her blog through OREO’s “Play Up Dessert” program. As a huge Oreo fan, I was totally on board and surprisingly was one of five lucky winners!

While I’m pretty good at art and drawing (I took a few art classes back in middle and high school), I normally am not one to spend time decorating desserts. It’s partly because I don’t have kids, and partly because my time is so precious. I’d rather make something easy, quick and delicious (such as cookies) and not worry about making them pretty. Plus, when Matt is hungry, the time clock is ticking….I better get something on the table before he gets cranky. 🙂

Surprisingly, this Oreo Spider Web Cookie recipe was extremely quick and easy. It was also simple to decorate, and you don’t have to be “artsy” to make it look fancy. If I had kids, this would be something I would make with them. Enjoy!!

P.S. A few Halloween jokes you might like….

How do witches keep their hair in place when flying? They use ‘scare-spray’.
Why can’t skeletons play music in church? Because they have no organs.
How do you tell twin witches apart? You can’t tell which witch is which…
Why isn’t Dracula invited to parties? Because he’s a ‘pain in the neck’.
What is a vampire’s favorite ice cream flavor? Vein-illa.

Spider spatula, OREOs, Halloween sprinkles, cupcake cups, apron and ‘Eeek’ plate included!

Combine finely crushed OREOs with melted butter.

Press onto bottom of pizza pan and bake for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate and whipped topping for 30-40 seconds in the microwave.

Combine instant pudding whisk with milk and whisk until thick for 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping.

Spread pudding mixture over cooled crust.

Place chocolate mixture in a small plastic bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner.

Pipe chocolate in spiral circles to form a web.

Drag the toothpick through the lines to resemble a spider web.

Add OREOs. Use REESES Pieces as the eyes and licorice as the spider legs.

Decorate edges with Halloween sprinkles.

Oreo Spider Web Cookie Pizza
Ingredients
25 Halloween OREO cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping, divided
1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cup cold milk (I used skim)
3 pieces black or red string licorice (10 inch), cut into 1-1/4-inch pieces
6 small round candies (I used REESE’S Pieces)
1 Tbsp. leftover melted chocolate or ready-to-spread frosting
2 Tbsp. Halloween sprinkles

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Crush 22 cookies to form fine crumbs; mix with butter. Press onto bottom of 12-inch pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Meanwhile, microwave semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup whipped topping in microwavable bowl on HIGH for 30-40 seconds or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 30 seconds. Cool slightly.
4. Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 minutes. (Pudding will be thick). Stir in remaining whipping topping; spread onto crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.
5. Spoon chocolate mixture into resealable plastic bag; snip off small piece from one bottom corner of bag. Use to drizzle chocolate mixture in spiral motion over pizza. Gently drag toothpick through lines to resemble spider’s web. Refrigerate 1 hour.
6. Meanwhile, decorate remaining cookies with licorice pieces and candies as shown in photo, using remaining chocolate to secure pieces to cookies.
7. Place decorated cookies on pizza just before serving. Garnish edges with sprinkles.

Yield: 16 servings

Meet with Cake Boss Buddy Valastro

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Have you ever watched TLC’s Cake Boss? I’ve seen it a few times and Buddy Valastro amazes me with his extravagant cake creations!

For those of you who are big fans of this show, you and three friends have the chance to meet with Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, tour the Cake Boss facility and win four seats to a baking class with Marissa Lopez, winner of Next Great Baker. Sounds like a baker’s dream, right?

Unfortunately I’m not giving away this awesome prize package… Instead you can do some good and bid on this Cake Boss experience, which is featured in the fifth annual Celebrity STOMP Out Bullying Auction at Heritage Auctions.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

If you didn’t know, October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, and STOMP Out Bullying is the leading national anti-bullying organization for kids and teens in the U.S. This year Heritage has teamed up with with this organization and is offering people the chance to bid on really cool items like an experience to meet Cake Boss, a VIP package to meet Paul McCartney, tickets to Dancing with the Stars and more!

Time is ticking… the auction ends on Halloween night at 10 pm CST, so get to bidding! Learn more and/or bid in the auction here: www.HA.com/526)

Tortilla Chicken Chili and Color in Motion 5k Winner

You know you’re in Dallas when the temperature drops 18 degrees in just one hour. On Thursday afternoon it was 80 degrees F and 50 minutes later, it had dropped to 62 degrees. It didn’t stop there. Friday morning started out cold, but just seemed to get colder. This morning we saw our first freeze. (If you’re from the northeast or somewhere that has cold weather, you’re probably laughing at us Texans. Sorry, but when it gets cold here, we get excited!!)

Since it is chilly, this tortilla chicken chili should be perfect for your lunch or dinner today. I was looking for something quick to make for dinner, and while the sauce is not homemade (it’s a packet of McCormick Original Chili Seasoning mix), it was pretty good.

Did I mention this chili was super easy to make? It takes less than 30 minutes (including prep and cook-time) and would be a great meal if you’re pressed for time but want something quick. The chili almost tastes like a chicken enchilada since the addition of tortilla chips gives this chicken chili a traditional cornmeal flavor.

But before I get to the recipe, I want to announce the winner of my Color in Motion 5k Giveaway. Congrats to Liz N, who has won a free registration for her and a friend!

If you didn’t win, I still have some good news… just for reading this blog, you will get 15% off the price of registration for the Color in Motion 5k. Simply enter the promo code DALLASDUO15 to save 15%. You can register here: http://colorinmotion5k.com/

Color in Motion 5k

Alright; now back to the tortilla chicken chili. Step-by-step instructions and pictures begin. Enjoy and I hope everyone stays warm!

Cook chicken in large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Stir in seasoning, beans, tomatoes, corn, water and tortilla chips.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with shredded cheese, if desired.

Tortilla Chicken Chili
Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 package McCormick Original Chili Seasoning Mix
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans
1 can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn or whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips (bite-sized pieces)
Shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions
1. Heat lightly oiled large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomatoes, beans, corn, water and tortilla chips. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 6 (1-cup) servings
Recipe from: McCormick

{GIVEAWAY} Color in Motion 5k

The summer is over. You’re probably not too worried about keeping your girlish figure anymore, right? Wrong! With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to stay fit as you prepare for all those delicious treats. I’m talking candy corn, Reese’s peanut butter cups, cookies, cupcakes, and all the Halloween candy you’re probably going to be eating as leftovers after October 31st!

What better way to help fight off a few of those pounds than to run it off in a 5k? If you haven’t heard, Color in Motion is coming to Dallas and it is going to be a blast! See what Morgan at Color in Motion 5k has to say below:

“Color in Motion 5k organizes 5k’s across the country that have a surprise at every kilometer; COLOR! The difference between these 5k’s and other 5k’s is that they jazz the race (and the racers!) up with bursts of color. You start out all fresh and clean in your white t-shirt, and by the end of the race you are covered in vibrant springtime camouflage.

Color in Motion 5k is coming to Dallas on November 17th, 2012. A portion of all registration fees will be donated to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Find out more information at http://colorinmotion5k.com/event/Dallas“

Sound fun? Sounds like a blast to me…I’ve already registered! As you can see, I ran cross country in high school and have since then run the in the Austin Marathon, the Dallas Turkey Trot, the Cowtown in Fort Worth, and lots of fun 5k’s at Texas A&M – GLOW, Run for the Ring, Splash for Cash, etc.

{GIVEAWAY TIME}

Now it’s your turn…. Color in Motion 5k is giving away a FREE 5k registration pass for one winner (plus a friend).

TO ENTER…

To enter this giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:

“What is your favorite pre-race/pre-workout meal?”

Is it something light like oatmeal and a banana? How about pb&j? Or is it more like scrambled eggs, bacon and toast? Just tell me what you eat before a race and you’re automatically entered to win a a free registration to the Color in Motion 5k in Dallas on November 17th, 2012.

THE RULES

One entry per person, please.

Please include your email address so I can contact you.
Contest ends Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:59 pm CT.

Winners will be announced Saturday, October 27, 2012.

Good luck!

Giveaway sponsored by Color in Motion 5k.

Halloween Cookies

Boo! Are you ready for Halloween yet? Maybe these festive cookies will put you in the mood. If you can see in these photos, the date says “10.19.2007”. It feels like just yesterday that I made these cookies, not five years ago!

Back in October of 2007 I was a sophomore at Texas A&M University (Gig ‘Em!). Since College Station is so close to Houston, I would visit my Aunt Jolene and we would bake literally all weekend long (in addition to watching my little cousins play their Saturday soccer, football and baseball games).

Five years ago today, Aunt Jolene and I made these festive Halloween and fall cut-out cookies. I took half of the batch home to my friends at A&M, while Jolene gave the rest with her three grandkids.

Aunt Jolene can make, bake and paint just about anything. From homemade wreaths to custom oil paintings to decorated cakes and cookies, she’s literally a Martha Stewart clone! While I love arts and crafts, I’m not one to start a project like this on my own. Arts & crafts take awhile – not to mention all the cleanup involved – and thus you’ll only see me working on projects like these when I have someone to help me. It’s more time efficient and way more fun when you have an extra person around.

While these cut-out cookies look hard to make, they are actually pretty simple. The key is to find the right cookie cutter shape. Once the dough is made, you roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick. Then, using your favorite cut-outs, create your desired cookies – whether it be cobwebs, ghosts, pumpkins, or festive leaves. Once the cookies have been baked, let them cool completely.

The final step is icing them. The cobwebs and ghosts were actually the easiest (and prettiest) cookies. Start by creating a fine layer of white icing all over the surface of the cookie. Then, create black and orange icing with food coloring. We placed the icing in small zip-lock bags and cut a tiny hole from the corner of the bag. Using the black icing, simply pipe an outline around the cookies. For the ghosts, you can add black eyes and the letters “B-O-O” in orange. For the cobwebs, we piped two black circles coming out from the center dot. Then we connected the outer points of the cookie to it’s center. Simple, yet elegant!

For the pumpkins, use the orange icing to cover the surface of the cookie. For the leaves, do the same with orange, green, yellow or red icing. Next, we outlined each cookie in yellow icing. (Again, pipe it with a small hole cut out from the corner of a zip-lock bag). For the pumpkins, use green icing to great a stem and curly cues coming down. Use the remaining yellow icing (or color of choice) to pipe the veins of the leaves and the lines of the pumpkins.

Good luck and have fun!

Halloween Cookies
(Recipe can be used for Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, and other holiday-inspired cookies.)

FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour

ROYAL FROSTING
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. butter flavored extract
5-6 Tbsp. water
Food coloring

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. To prepare cookies: Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flavorings and mix. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder and add 1 cup at a time, mixing to form a dough.
3. Roll 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
4. To prepare frosting: Mix the meringue powder and confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla and butter extract and enough water to make of spreading consistency. Beat until smooth. Add food coloring. Spread on the cookies and decorate as desired.

Yield: 3 dozen
Recipe: from Aunt Jolene – adapted from the Lone Star Five Star: Culinary Creations for Every Occasion (The Junior League of Plano).

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats and Aggie Football

If you’re an Aggie, you bleed maroon, especially my husband Matt! He is a die-hard Aggie, and when it comes to A&M football, you better not cross him!

Last Saturday the Aggies played Louisiana Tech. At the half, you would have thought we had the game in the bag, and so did the players…. we were up by 27 or 28 points! Well, that wasn’t the case. LA Tech must have had a great pep talk in the locker room because they came back strong. While they were never ahead, they came close, and you should have seen Matt! He was so nervous he could have given himself a heart attack. Matt played football for Texas A&M back in the early 2000s. He was the cornerback and was FAST! 4.27 second 40m fast. I guess you can see that he’s pretty invested in Aggie football.

Texas A&M upsets no. 1 OU in 2002.

Matt is the short one in the middle 🙂

Me on the other hand, I get bored pretty easy. My mother-in-law, Paula is kind of like me, so we decided to cook up something sweet: Chocolate Oatmeal “Dawg” Cookies and these Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats. I’ve never made the homemade treats before, so I was super excited.

They are super easy and and only use four ingredients. I think it took us only 5 minute to prepare them. Paula told me a story about how a she had to make Rice Krispies Treats for all of Matt’s sixth grade class. She said the other moms would complain about getting their hands all sticky. Paula had no complaints and no messy hands because of her method of making these. Enjoy and until the next A&M football game – “Gig ‘Em Aggies!”

*FYI – I did not have my trustworthy Canon Rebel at the time, and was forced to use my ghetto Blackberry Torch phone instead. 🙂

Just four ingredients: Rice Krispies, marshmallows, peanut butter and butter.

Microwave peanut butter, butter and two marshmallows (to get the excess peanut butter off the spoon) for 30 seconds.

Add the rest of the marshmallows and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds.

Stir marshmallow mixture until well combined.

Pour in the Rice Krispies cereal.

Stir until well combined.

Press into greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Cool completely and cut into squares.

Add peanut butter M&Ms, if desired!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats
Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 package (10 oz.) marshmallows
3 Tbsp. butter
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions
1. Microwave butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds. Microwave marshmallows for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until well combined.
2. Stir in Rice Krispies cereal.
3. Press cereal mixture into greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Let cool completely and cut into squares.

Easy Parmesan Risotto

About a month ago, our neighbors invited Matt and me over for a nice dinner, and boy were we impressed! On the menu was osso bucco (don’t even ask me how to pronounce it), Ina Garten’s Easy Parmesan Risotto, a caesar salad, and an amazing 3-ingredient icebox chocolate cheesecake from Food & Wine!

Everything was delicious, but I was most impressed by the risotto since it is super simple to make, and yields a 5-star presentation at any dinner table.

Combine Arborio rice and chicken stock in dutch oven and cook for 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

A few weeks after dinner at my neighbors, I took my turn at whipping up a batch of Parmesan risotto. Matt was actually out of town at the time, but I wanted a home-cooked meal. I was on the phone with my mom while cooking and she couldn’t believe how I was making such a fancy meal just for myself! I told her, “You won’t believe how simple this recipe is…honestly it probably takes a total of 15 minutes hands-on time; the rest of the action takes place in the oven!”

Like I said, risotto is super easy to make. Simply pour your chicken stock and Arborio rice into a Dutch oven and then let it cook in the oven for 45 minutes. During that time, I got a full in-home weights workout while catching up on my favorite soap opera, The Bold and The Beautiful.

Add remaining chicken stock, Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.

After 45 minutes, simply add the rest of the chicken stock, Parmesan, frozen peas, wine, salt, pepper and butter. That’s it… all done! However, since I didn’t want to eat just rice for dinner, I grilled up some shrimp seasoned with salt, pepper and a little Parmesan for my source of protein.

Excellent meal. Quick. Easy. It would impress just about any guest at a dinner party. Enjoy!

In a grill pan, heat shrimp over medium-high heat.

Cook shrimp until opaque and slightly firm.

Easy Parmesan Risotto topped with Grilled Shrimp

Easy Parmesan “Risotto”
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.
3. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from: Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? by Ina Garten

Pan-Seared Barramundi, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

As mentioned before, I write a monthly Resident Recipe column for our neighborhood magazine. For the month of October, a resident submitted a warm, autumn-inflused fish recipe with vegetables for a healthy weeknight meal. I hope you enjoy! The article is below:

In the culinary world, these neighborhood residents are the perfect family. Sally and daughter Morgan love to create and cook, while husband and son love to EAT!

Despite a busy lifestyle as wife, mother of two, sales executive, and volunteer, Sally and daughter Morgan (student at Oklahoma University) do not fail to disappoint when it comes to preparing a delicious and well-thought out meal.

When Sally and Morgan decided to create dinner for this magazine, they had a set of three goals which must meet their “approved criteria”: 1) it must be nutritious 2) you can make it in under an hour 3) it must be delicious!

The dinner they created aligns with their cooking goals by combining their love of fresh fish and seasonal vegetables. “If you have not tasted barramundi fish, then head over to your favorite fish monger and buy some” Sally says. Hopefully you will enjoy this meal as much as these neighborhood residents do. Bon Appetite!

Pan-Seared Barramundi, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs. barramundi fish

2 large sweet potatoes

1 pack of brussels sprouts

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)

5 Tbsp. Montreal chicken seasoning (divided)

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 jar of Green Chili Stew (Cookwell & Company from Central Market)

1 lemon

1 fresh garlic clove

1/2 cup cream

PAN-SEARED BARRAMUNDI

1. Bring the barramundi close to room temperature. Season well both sides of the fish with Montreal chicken seasoning (one side with skin on).

2. Prepare the saute pan with 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Place skin side down first and cover with a lid until halfway done (approximately 5-7 minutes).

3. Turn the fish over and squeeze half of a lemon on top of the fish. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth into pan and cook remaining 5-7 minutes. Check the inside of the fish to ensure it is cooked through.

GREEN CHILI STEW

1. In a saute pan, cook the garlic for approximately 2-3 minutes in 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and then pour 2-3 cups of the Green Chili Stew into the pan, on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 squeezed lemon and cream to the stew and cook on low for 5-10 minutes. The flavors will meld together. Salt and pepper if desired.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES
1. Skin the sweet potatoes, cut into horizontal halves, then into thin rounds, and put them in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, Montreal seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Toss the potato rounds to ensure they are evenly coated. Place in a single layer on baking sheet.

2. Cook the potatoes at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then turn them over. Cook until a little crispy around the edges (approximately 10 minutes).

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1. Wash and cut brussels spouts in half, let some of the individual leaves fall from the core (this will make delicious, crispy brussels sprout leaves). Put the sprouts in a bowl, toss with remaining olive oil, Montreal seasoning and red pepper flakes.

2. Place in the oven at 400 degrees F. and cook for 20 minutes (or until they are soft but not mushy).

3. Divide the fish onto 4 plates (skin side down) and top with green chili stew. Spoon out the brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Fall is officially here! October has arrived and brought some must needed cooler mornings to those of us living in Dallas. Since I have been feeling festive, I thought I would try a new recipe from Tracy’s Culinary Adventures for Pumpkin Oatmeal.

I am a huge fan of all things pumpkin as you can see from the recipes below:

In addition to quick breads and desserts, I’ve seen pasta, ravioli, risotto, and other main courses containing pumpkin, but I’ve yet to try anything that is not a sweet.

Since I am a HUGE fan of oats, I decided to give this pumpkin oatmeal recipe a try. The taste was great! For those of you who like to eat healthy, this is a perfect morning pick-me-up. The oats are simple to make and should keep you feeling full until lunch.

In addition, every time you open up a can of pumpkin puree, you expose yourself to a wealth of nutrients. One cup of pumpkin puree contains just 83 calories and 1 gram of fat. It is loaded with more than 38,000 international units of vitamin A per cup, which helps support cell reproduction, vision health, immune function, bone healthy, healing and fetal development. It also contains a bulk of vitamin K, small amounts of vitamin B, potassium (more so than a banana), antioxidants, and 7 grams of fiber. Read the full article on health benefits of pumpkin puree at Livestrong.com.

You can make this oatmeal as sweet or non-sweet as you want. Feel free to add maple syrup, honey or brown sugar to garnish. I like adding a tablespoon of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter which has 0 grams of fat and only 30 calories. You can also add dried cranberries or raisins in addition to chopped pecans or walnuts. Enjoy!

Bring pumpkin puree, water, milk and spices to a boil.

Add oats, lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 more minutes.

Stir occasionally, until oats have absorbed liquid, are tender, and the oatmeal has thickened.

If desired, garnish with maple syrup, dried cranberries, pecans.

Pumpkin Oatmeal
Ingredients
1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 cups water
2 cups milk (or water, if you prefer)
2 Tbsp. raisins (plus extra for serving, if desired)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or substitute with a combo of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg)
2 cups oats (old-fashioned)
Optional: garnish with maple syrup, honey, dried cranberries, pecans or pumpkin butter

Directions
1. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, water, raisins, salt and pumpkin pie spice to a large saucepan. Set over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add the oats to the pan and lower the heat to medium. Continue cooking oats for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the grains have absorbed the liquid and are tender.
3. Serve with additional raisins or dried cranberries, pecans, or drizzle with maple syrup, honey or pumpkin butter.

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe from: Tracy’s Culinary Adventures