Pumpkin Gingersnaps

I'm going to agree with Wirrek that pumpkins are fair game for this challenge.

Pumpkin Gingersnaps from Peas and Thank You. I used regular butter (not vegan), but followed everything else in the recipe. Mine didn't end up crispy, but I really liked the chewiness of them. They were a big hit in our house and will be made again soon.

One thing I like about vegan cookie recipes is that you can eat the dough raw. I also like that I can let the kids help and lick their fingers with no worries of salmonella.

Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin is technically a squash, right?



So, anyways, Blog Stalker strikes again. Michelle posted these awhile back and I have been dying to make them. They were delicious! I love scones, but never had made them. I told the kids that scones were like cake, so they were into it.



Andy even ate a whole one for breakfast. Wow!

Chicken-Butternut Tagine

I made this recipe last week for the second time, well before I knew it was squash month! I don't have any pictures, but this is too delicious not to share.

Chicken-Butternut Tagine Recipe Link

I ended up using more squash, and raisins instead of plums, and it was fantastic. This dish has a whole lot of flavors, so if you don't care for complex foods, this might not be right for you, but if Moroccan is up your alley, indulge in this healthy choice. Yum.

November Challenge: Squash

Kerri asked if I would be willing to step up and give the November challenge.  Since it is so practical this time of year, I thought it would be ideal to offer up a squash challenge.  There are so many varieties out there and I've yet to try a few of them. Its an often used side dish at thanksgiving so everyone should be able to participate. Soups, roasted, steamed, in casseroles... let the imagination run wild!

Orange Chicken

Since this month our challenge is to make something that begins with the letter "O," I thought it was the perfect time to try this recipe for Orange Chicken.  It's actually titled Panda Express Orange Chicken (find the original recipe here) but I didn't think it really tasted like Panda Express nor did I follow the exact recipe. I  was hoping to go a tad bit healthier  and didn't want to fry the chicken in batter so I just lightly tossed the chicken pieces with some sesame oil and did a quick cook on the frying pan.  I followed the sauce directions as per the recipe, but I think I would make some changes to it next time using some orange juice in place of the water.  Even without the deep frying of the chicken this turned out quite good.

Orange Chicken

2 pounds boneless chicken pieces, skinned

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 dash crushed hot red chilies

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon rice wine

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

***Orange Chicken Sauce***

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon water

5 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons white vinegar

Directions:

Cut chicken pieces into bite sized pieces, toss with sesame oil and cook in a large frying pan (or wok, which I don't have) lightly sprayed with cooking spray, until cooked through; do not over cook.  Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add and stir-fry crushed chilies and green onions. Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds. Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil. Stir water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Add to chicken and heat until sauce is thickened. Serve with rice or noodles.  Yields 6 servings

(another) Overnight Oatmeal - 3 of 3

This one is by Alton Brown. I have made it a few times before, but with the cooler weather, it seemed like a good opportunity to make it again.

My only change is that I only used about 1 cup craisens total. I started it at about 10pm.



This is what it looked like at 7am.



I let my kids choose their toppings. This was James's.



He was excited:



Andy wanted nothing to do with it. Not even the chocolate chips!

Oregano and Orange Salad aka Tiger Paw Salad - 2 of 3

The recipe this post is based on is actually orange and oregano salad, but I feel like I have done too many orange things.

It has been my dream to do a great tailgating meal. You would think I would have already done this, but it takes quite a bit of planning and you have to have a good game time. Finally this year, I did a pretty good one. I had made that Rachel Ray salad a couple of years ago, liked it, and kept it in mind for exactly this purpose.

My changes:

- Used some mixed greens as a base.
- Used a white wine vinegar for the dressing and chopped up the oregano and put it in the dressing.
- Mixed dressing and greens.
- Arranged orange slices and red onions over the greens then sprinkled Clemson Blue Cheese (at $11.99 a chunk!)

I served it with Giada's Italian Muffletta. It was impressive. I should have took a picture before cutting into it.



All in all, a great lunch for a 3:30 game.



The game ended about 7...should have prepared dinner as well. Ooops!