Friday, November 11, 2011

November 11, 2011

11-11-11...pretty cool date!

It has been a pumpkin week around here! I processed a few pumpkins and then went on a pumpkin recipe spree. We tried a pumpkin chip cream pie, but the only one who liked that was Hannah. We of course roasted the pumpkin seeds, which were delicious. Other pumpkin recipes we made were pumpkin lasagna and pumpkin squares. The pumpkin lasagna was not a keeper, and I actually made the pumpkin squares two days in a row! There is a funny story behind that...

The day after I made the pumpkin squares, the kids and I came down to the kitchen to make breakfast and pack school lunches. They both wanted a pumpkin square as the their dessert, but I couldn't find them! How is it that I lost an entire pan of pumpkin squares? Only three had been eaten the night before...it turns out that Ryan took the whole pan into work to share with his co-workers! I was glad some folks from his work were able to enjoy them, but the kids were a little less than thrilled. Because I still had fresh pumpkin puree in the fridge I whipped up another batch. Needless to say, since we didn't have any other keeper recipes this week, I've included this one. Any recipe we make twice in one week is certainly worth sharing!

I realized that I told you about my kitchen renovation, but never shared some before and after pictures. It took a while, since I did almost all of it myself, but it is finally complete! I removed the wallpaper and painted, and refreshed the cabinets with a few coats of semi-gloss white and new hardware. I am really pleased with the way it turned out, especially as I looked back at the old kitchen pictures! I am so thankful the wallpaper is down! And to have a double oven in a single oven space...fabulous, especially with as much as I love to cook!!!

Here are three pictures showing the transformation:

With wallpaper and old appliances

Fresh paint and new appliances

And finally with new tile backsplash and painted cabinets with new hardware

We loved the countertop in the kitchen, and I knew I had a VERY small budget, so I used the counter as an inspiration piece and jumping off point. All in all, I am very pleased with the finished kitchen. :) Come on over and share a meal with us!

Here's hoping that this coming week has more keeper recipes than this past week!

Tried and True
Pumpkin Squares

Pumpkin Squares


Ingredients & Directions
* 1 package yellow cake mix
* 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
* 1 egg

1. Reserve one cup of the cake mix to use in the topping.
2. Grease or spray a 9x13 pan.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Mix the remainder of the cake mix, the egg and the butter together. Pour into the prepared pan, pat until the entire bottom is covered. This will be the crust.

* 2 cups fresh pumpkin (or 15 oz can of pumpkin)
* 2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2/3 cup of evaporated milk (one 5 ounce can on evaporated milk is prefect)

5. Mix these ingredients together and pour over the crust.

* 1 cup of reserved cake mix
* 1/4 cup of white sugar
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 cup softened butter or margarine

6. Mix these ingredients together and sprinkle over the top of the filling. The consistency should be sand-like.
7. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm or cool, possibly with whipped cream of Cool Whip if you like.

Notes
These are one of Ryan's favorite desserts. He and I enjoy them as they are, but the kids love to add whipped cream to any dessert. They keep well stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 2-3 days. Let me know if they last that long at your house when you make them!