Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

I had some pumpkin I needed to use, so made these delicious pumpkin pancakes. I found the recipe in Taste of Home magazine. I've altered it slightly.

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup pecans, toasted

1 1/2 cups flour

3 T. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup ricotta cheese ( I didn't have this, so just added a little more pumpkin and milk)

In a small saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add milk, pumpkin and cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls on a hot griddle. Turn when edges turn dry and bubble form on top. These take a little longer to cook than regular pancakes. Serve with the brown pecan butter.

Creamy Orange Jello Salad

I got this recipe years ago from my sister-in-law, Ada. It is my go to recipe when I need to take a salad to a church function, family gathering or potluck. My husband's office recently had a Halloween potluck, so this is what I made. It's easy, creamy and yummy.

1 6 serving size cook and serve vanilla pudding (not instant)

1 6 serving size orange jello

1 12 oz. cool whip

2 0r 3 cans mandarin oranges

Cook pudding according to pkg. instructions, using 3 cups water INSTEAD of the 3 cups milk. After boiling, remove from heat and immediately add the pkg. of jello. Stir until dissolved. Let cool, then put in the fridge to set. When firm, transfer jello to bowl and use a hand mixer to mix in the thawed cool whip. Add mandarin oranges. Put back in the fridge to set up.

You can use any combination of jello flavor with fruit that you like. Strawberry with fresh strawberries is also good.

Veggie Penne

I got the idea for this recipe from an email of parenting tips. Blake and I have added/changed a few things, so here is the new improved veggie pasta dish.

Ingredients
2 1/2  cups sliced carrots (3 large carrots)
1  can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic (undrained)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can corn (drained)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
16  ounces multigrain penne pasta
2  tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Cook the carrots in lightly salted boiling water in a covered saucepan for 10 minutes or until they're tender. Drain and set aside. Put tomatoes and corn in saucepan and add garlic salt and Italian seasoning and heat through. Use a food processor or potato masher to puree/mash the carrots. Add carrots to tomatoes and corn and stir.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and combine w/ tomato sauce in a large bowl. Serve with Parmesan.

Ono Burgers

I got this recipe years ago from a cook on the noon news. He claimed he got it from a little cafe in Hawaii where these little sandwiches were very popular. They are good and easy to make.

Brown 1 lb. hamburger with one chopped onion. Drain. Add 1 box of sliced mushrooms( or you can use canned mushrooms) and saute.

Add:

1/2 lb. cheese, grated

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp. minced or crushed garlic

Dash of Worcester

1/4 cup (or so) ketchup

1 can olives, chopped (Using a knife you don't care about, just chop the drained olives right in the can)

Pickle relish, opt. (I don't usually put it in)

Salt and Pepper

Mix all together in the fry pan. Toast 6 buns under the broiler. Load this mixture on the open buns (you can sprinkle a little more cheese on top if you would like,) then broil and serve.

Honey Cashew Green Beans

I was asked to cook a huge bag of frozen green beans for a funeral luncheon. I couldn't just take plain green beans. So I went to allrecipes.com and found this delicious recipe to fancy up the green beans. The recipe called for fresh green beans, but frozen worked beautifully.

1/2 lb. green beans or a bag frozen

Big handful of coarsely chopped cashews

1/2 stick of butter

1 heaping T. honey

Steam or cook beans in water until desired softness. While they're cooking, heat a small skillet and saute the cashews in the butter for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the honey. Put cooked beans in a serving bowl and pour nut mixture over the top. Stir until all are well coated.

Rice and Bean Quesadillas

I got this off my friend's blog and we loved it.

1 cup cooked brown rice, warm or at room temperature
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1-2 cups shredded cheese

Saute the green onion and green pepper in a little bit of olive oil. While sauteing, add the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic salt, and cilantro (use dried if you don't have fresh, that's what we did). Add lime juice, rice, and beans. Mix well until warm and reduce heat to low. Prepare quesadillas in olive oil with cheese and rice and bean mix. Serve and enjoy!

Ginger Snaps

That don't . . .snap, that is. These are soft and delicious and I'm sorry. You'll hate me because they are absolutely irresistible. I got the recipe years ago from my sister-in-law, Lorene. They are the perfect fall or Christmas cookie. Enjoy!

3/4 cup shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco sticks)

3/4 cup real butter

2 cups sugar

Cream together well, then add

2 eggs

1/4 cup molasses

Beat well. Sift or stir together and add:

4 cups flour

2 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

Beat all together. Put in fridge for a 1/2 hour or so. Make dough into balls. Roll the balls in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes. Glaze cookies while they are still warm.

Glaze

Powdered sugar, HOT water and 1/4 tsp salt. Add water a little at a time until it makes a nice glaze consistency. You can dip the cookies in the glaze( put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch glaze drips) or just spread glaze on the tops.