Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

I didn't eat very much pumpkin stuff last year and this year I am making up for it.  I made Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal this morning and it was very good.  If you have never tried baked oatmeal it is kind of like oatmeal and breakfast cake collided.  I have made baked oatmeal several ways and this is now one of my favorites.  The recipe itself is not very sweet but if you like it sweeter, you can add more sugar.  Instead of adding more sugar, we just did yummy toppings.

 I topped mine with peanut butter, maple syrup and pumpkin granola

 Fresh out of the oven

 I divided ours into four so we each got a full serving of oatmeal

Enjoy!

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
(4 big servings or 6 small)
2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (optional but pretty tasty-could do nutmeg and ginger)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. brown sugar (or more if you like it sweeter)
1 egg, beat
1.5 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup chopped apple (or raisins-I used apple but would like to try raisins or chocolate chips)


Preheat oven to 375.  Combine the dry ingredients including brown sugar.  Combine the wet ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the dry.  Add chopped apple and stir well.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until center is set.  Allow to cool slightly, cut and top with favorite toppings.
Topping ideas:  peanut butter, any nut butter, granola, syrup, honey, chocolate chips
Adapted slightly from Kath Eats

Have a good weekend everybody

Pumpkin Madness

I am loving all the pumpkin goodies on the shelves.  My Mom and I went to Trader Joe's this week and they have all things pumpkin.  We got really excited and stocked up.  We are talking pumpkin spice chai, pumpkin granola, pumpkin butter, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancake mix, pumpkin coffee...you get the point.  We didn't get all of these things but we are enjoying the pumpkin granola and coffee.  This is a great chance to talk about the pumpkin smoothie I have made a lot lately.  I have been enjoying it for breakfast and really enjoy it.

Smooth, creamy and delicious

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp peanut butter (approx.)
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. chocolate carnation or nesquick
sprinkle cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
5 ice cubes
1 large ripe frozen bananas

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Enjoy

Green Chili Cornbread

This is a long time favorite, okay since college favorite!  It is Cliff's favorite cornbread and I have not made it enough lately because I was avoiding corn for a while.  I have come to believe corn in moderation won't mess with my stomach so I was happy to make this cornbread at Cliff's request.  We ate it with our Four-Bean Vegetarian Chili the other night. 

 I really enjoy this with a little butter

Cliff really enjoys it with a load of butter

Green Chili Cornbread

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup creamed corn

1/4 cup green chili (a little more if you like)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour (I use a little wheat flour or oat flour for 1/2 of the flour)

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease and 8 inch square pan.  Melt butter and transfer to a large mixing bowl;  stir in sugar.  Quickly add egg and beat until well blended.  Add green chili and creamed corn.  In separate bowl combine buttermilk with baking soda then stir into egg mixture.  Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until a few lumps remain.  Pour batter into prepared pan. 
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday to all.  Hope you enjoyed the weekend!

Vegetarian Chili

Over the past year I have made an effort to have meatless meals several times a week.  I also have vegetarian friends so it is nice to try new things when I am cooking for them.  A couple weeks ago we had our good friends Kourt and Keith over for dinner (Kourt is a vegetarian), so I got to try a new chili recipe I found.  I will definitely make it again because it turned out really good.

 It has 4 kinds of beans.

 I had to take a picture when I saw how much butter Cliff put on his corn bread

 Awesome friends

 It was very yummy topped with sour cream and cheese.  Recipe for cornbread coming soon

 They were kind enough to bring over this delicious cheesecake.  We had coffee with it:)

Then we went to the pavilion to hear Florence from outside her concert, it worked and it was free!  It also poured on us, we just toughed it out with a couple umbrellas and rain jackets.  It was a lot of fun.

Four-Bean Vegetarian Chili

1 medium onion

1 green bell-pepper, diced

1 carrot, diced small (optional I just added it because I had it)

1 stick celery, diced small (optional)

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 can black beans, drained

1 can great northern beans, drained

1 can white kidney beans, drained

1 can fire roasted tomatoes in juice

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 cups vegetable broth (you could use beef or chicken broth if you don't care about meatless)

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Pepper and taco seasoning to taste as needed

In a large pot saute the onion, bell pepper, celery and carrot in olive oil over medium heat.  Add seasonings and when they start to get tender pour in your broth.  Add drained beans and tomatoes in juice to the pot.  Give everything a good stir and bring to simmer.  Let simmer at least 15 minutes, longer if you can.  I let mine simmer for about an hour.  You could also do this in a crock pot if you wanted dinner to be ready when you got home from work.  Serve with cornbread.  Enjoy!

I got recipe from Daily Garnish.  I only made a few adjustments  

 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1