Perfectly Pumpkin

I really enjoy seasonal cooking. 

Part of why I like it is because 
even if the weather isn't what I desire,

the food can still be yummy.

Some of my favorite seasonal recipes are Autumn recipes.

Pumpkin and squash.

Soups.

All those things that start the cozy feelings 
in preparation for winter.

Sooooo . . .

for dinner last night I created a delicious menu 
full of Pumpkiny goodness.

On the Menu:

Pumpkin Soup

Fresh French Bread from my favorite local bakery

(The Brass Cupcake)

Adult Beverage: White Wine Beverage 

(made with peaches instead of plums)

Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Okay, so all of the recipes I used are stolen more or less. 

So I have used photos from the points of origin 

and then linked back to them so that you too 
can have a fun Fall feast.

The exception is the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

The photo above and the link are to a recipe 
I found online that I would like to try,

 but I have not yet tried.

Instead, I did things simply this time.

I just made my normal Cafe con Leche 

(AKA Cafe Latte)

using Cafe La Llave brand espresso and my cafetera.

I left it hot unlike my preciously posted ice mocha version.

You can read a little more about this from the previous post here.

Then I added a splash of pumpkin pie spice, sugar to my taste, 

whip cream atop, and a little more pumpkin pie spice for prettiness.

I hope that you try out some fun seasonal recipes. 

I have used the Pumpkin Soup recipe for three years now, but the other were all new to me.

I found most via Pinterest.

Enjoy your Fall.

Winter will be here before we know it.

Super Simple STAR Spangled Pizza

Let me just be up front with you,

this idea was STOLEN!

Well, at least modified.

For Valentine's Day the oh so adorable Kate from 

See Kate Sew

made this heart pizza.

I copied her then too.

The Cuban Cowboy loved showing off his left overs. 

You know those construction guys are easily impressed.

I thought that I should bless him with lovely leftovers again,

so I grabbed out my star cookie cutter.

Picked up my Costco Pizza

and  together

they went to work.

Costco pepperoni is RIDICULOUS.

Really, does anyone need that much pepperoni?

This is a great way to get rid of some,

plus it cuts back on the calories.

Woo hoo for that.

I cut each star out,

since Costco pepperoni is super thin it is easier to cut if you stack multiple pieces.

Easier and faster.

Then I began to place them in the pizza

'til it looked all pretty like this.

Bake that bad boy.

Sizzlin' goodness awaits only minutes later.

If you feel bad about tossing all of that excess pepperoni,

you can do as I did and save it for an antipasti salad the next day.

Muah hahahahaha 

GENIUS.

Okay, not really.

Just cheap.

Lots of love.

Go be festive for your kidlets 

and leave the hubby some left overs

 so that he can show off how much his wifey cares.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

YUMMY!!!

This is seriously one of my favorite recipes that I use.

I adapted it from author/musician Kelly Minter's recipe,

which can be found in her Bible Study on RUTH.

purchase here

Not only is her study AMAZING

because it shows what an important role Ruth has in God's plan

and demonstrates so many key things that we can learn from her, 

but it is FUN!!!!

Each week has a suggested play list and recipes to serve at the study.

These recipes ROCK too.

I just started another study of her's,

No other Gods, with a group of ladies.

purchase here

I am not sure if I am more excited about getting into the word

or eating some delicious food from her recipes.

The first one from last week including a ridiculously awesome
Butterfinger cake.

Well, anyway,

here is one of my FAVORITES altered just a bit to suit my ridiculously picky tastes.

If you would like to check out her recipe,

you can pick up a copy of the study here.

The * mark an alteration, most likely in measurement.
The ** marks an addition that I have made.
She does also call for Picante sauce, but I don't eat tomatoes.

Okay, so . . . 

INGREDIENTS:
*4-6 chicken breasts boiled
*3 cups canned chicken broth
8 burrito sized flour tortillas
1/2 cup tightly packed cilantro
**1 small can green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
**1/4 cup cream cheese
1 Tbl flour
1/2 stick butter
*Jack cheese (preferred amount)
*Cheddar cheese (preferred amount)
1 can of black beans

DIRECTIONS:
In a blender combine cumin, cilantro, sour cream, cream cheese, enchilada sauce,
and 2 cups of the chicken broth.
In skillet or sauce pan, heat butter and add flour until smooth.
Slowly add the remaining cup of chicken broth until smooth and creamy
(more flour can be added to make it thicker).
Add sauce to the blender.
This is the "gravy."

To make enchiladas:
Take each tortilla and fill with chicken, cheese, and beans.
Roll and then add to a 9x13 pan, seam side down.
 Fill pan with gravy, completely covering the enchiladas.
Sprinkle more cheese on top (I use a profuse amount)

Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes.

YUMMY DELICIOUSNESS IS ON IT"S WAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes, and here are some cute new items that my auntie sent me 

last month for my birthday that I wore while making 

this delish dish.

She did such a great job sewing these,

and they just fit my kitchen perfectly.

Southwest Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite quick recipes.
We actually had it tonight.

I love how easy it is to whip up,

and it is EXTRA yummy too.

Ingredients:

Leafy lettuce of your choice

Corn

Black Beans

Green Onion (or other onion)

Cilantro (if on hand)

Other vegis that you have on hand that you think will work.

Tortilla chips--crushed

Chicken (optional if you are vegitarian it can go bye bye)

Dressing (Ranch or Creamy Cilantro or BOTH)

Cheddar Cheese

So first cook up your chicken, unless you buy pre-cooked Tyson strips.

I cooked up chicken this time in some chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Taking a picture when something is steaming isn't easy.

While it was cooking I placed all of the vegetables and the beans in my favorite Mikasa bowl.

I always use it for this salad.

Then I added the crushed tortilla chips.

Followed by the chicken when it was done cooking.

Finally I added shredded cheese on top of the HOT chicken so that it would get melty.

Finally I mixed the two dressing on top and tossed.

Ranch is always BEST homemade and this Fresh and Easy dressing is AMAZING.

It was ready to serve up.

Healthy. Yummy. Filling.


Meals like this are great for the summer time.
They also make great sides for BBQs and other gatherings.

Quick Banana Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The other night The Cuban Cowboy grilled up some delicious 

teriyaki burgers, and I wanted to make something to go with.

I have an abundance of black bananas in my freezer waiting to be baked 

up into delicious goodness.

Plus, I knew I had to open a fairly large can of crushed pineapple for the burgers.

The light bulb went off in my head and a new recipe was born.

This recipe may remind you of a mixed drink.

Maybe there should be a matching drink recipe using Malibu

 Pineapple Rum and Malibu Banana Rum. 

What do you think?

source

 I will have to work on that,

well if I ever buy any alcohol.

The chances of that happening . . . slim to none.

It may be a good drink though, 

or I suppose you could add these ingredients to the list if you wanted.

Anyway, on to the recipe.

Here is what you will need.

1 yellow cake mix 

eggs (per box)

water (per box)

oil (I used 1/4 cup instead of the 1/3 called for 

because there are so many other moist ingredients in this recipe)

Powdered sugar

Raw sugar

crushed pineapple

2 black bananas

Okay, so the directions are fairly straight forward.

Grease your baking pan.

Covered lightly with powdered sugar.

Spread crushed pineapple over the bottom of the pan.

Make cake per box directions, with exception of oil noted.

Also, add your bananas and about 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple.

Mix well.

Bake per box directions.

After the cake is done cooking, 

pull it out of the oven and sprinkle raw sugar on top while it is still HOT!

The sugar will become sticky and Y*U*M*M*Y!!!

Now you can let it cool and serve.

Easy Peasy!!!!

Enjoy!

I know we did.

Pickyness Overlooked

Hi, my name is Jayna and I am P*I*C*K*Y!!!

Seriously. I am one ridiculously picky gal.

Here's the SHORT list of what I will not eat.

bacon, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupe, honey dew, ham, little smokies, calamari, milk, eggs, etc.

This list can seriously go on and on.

So, this brings me to today's recipe.

BACON WRAPPED SMOKIES

WHAT?

Bacon?

Smokies?

Do I even like these things?

No, but for some reason this recipe makes them ROCK!!!

I first tried this last Spring when I was prego, so I thought that may have explained for LOVE for them.

Last week I decided that I would go ahead and try to make them for mysel.f.

YES! I STILL LIKED THEM!!!

So what are they exactly?

Well, pretty much they are what they say they are.

Ingredients:

Bacon

Little Smokies

Brown Sugar (This is the secret to my LOVE)

What to do:

Cut your bacon stips into thirds.

Wrap each smokey with a piece of bacon, using a toothpick to secure.

Lay on a cookie sheet.

COVER completely in brown sugar.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

VOILA!

YUMMINESS AWAITS!!!

Kiwi Lime Shrimp

About a week ago

the library volunteer brought in some recipe books

for the moms to look at.

I spied a dish I thought looked delectable.

I didn't have a chance to write it down

because I was chasing Monster and entertaining Roly Poly.

However, the ingredients were easy enough to remember, 

and I knew the changes I wanted to make 

(eg no jalapenos because I don't do spicy).

Also, I rarely accurately measure for dinner, 

so no measurements needed.

This is how the meal turned out.

Looks DELICIOUS, right?

Okay, so here's what it includes.

Shrimp: 

about 20 shrimp sauteed in oil.

I used Wild Tree garlic and lemon grape seed oils

(about 1/2 tbl each)

I also added about 1/2 tbl minced garlic.

Kiwi Topping:

4 Kiwis chopped

about 1/8 c. Cilantro finely chopped

Juice of 1 small lime

Mix all of this together and serve on top of the shrimp.

For a side dish I made a simple cold lentil salad.

Prepare lentils according to directions on pkg.

*remember not to add salt to boiling water because it will toughen the lentils

Let cool in fridge.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Add 2 garlic cloves minced

mix and serve.

This simple salad was surprisingly good.

Lentils are also EXTREMELY good for you.

This is a GREAT, low calorie meal.

Plus it is really fresh and summery for the months to come.