Pumpkin Muffins

I do have a favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. I really like it and I think it is still my favorite. However, it was my turn, well, my son's turn, to bring snack and I had nothing to send. I did a quick search through my pantry and my recipes and decided to try this recipe. I would have made my usual one, but no eggs. Yay vegan recipes!

These turned out really good, but I am concerned with the amount of sugar and oil in them. However, texture and sweetness were pretty much spot on, so that just might be what it needs to be!

Salt Baked Potatoes from Cooks Illustrated

Baked potatoes are my favorite food. When I saw the recipe for Salt Baked Potatoes in Cooks Illustrated, I thought, "why mess with perfection?" Then, my blog crush posted that she made these, so of course, I had to. The first time I made these, Mark had not even finished chewing his first bite before announcing these were the best potato he has ever eaten. The are pretty good. The normal variety are also fine in a pinch. These are pictured with chickpea cutlets and kale chips.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars

November challenge: cooking with fruit



I had my eye on these all through November and never made them. Never made them in December either, but luckily, I really loaded up on canned pumpkin in those months. Finally made these this week. YUM! They are the perfect snack bar. The texture is good, they don't fall apart when you eat them. Flavorful, yet not to sweet. I liked them and so did James. Andy wouldn't touch them, even with the chocolate chips. Oh well.

Getting back in the swing...hit me one more time!

Computer died. Blogging stopped. Better now.

So, new challenge. This would have been a great one for December, but we will just do it for January. Take any challenge from the last year and submit one more recipe from it. I found that I kept making recipes that would have been perfect for "last months challenge" and still wanted to share.

If I may suggest a challenge...

I don't know what the protocol is for who gets to choose the monthly challenge, but I have a dilemma and a challenge for the rest of you.

We got back from Thanksgiving to find out that the control panel on our glorious built-in double oven was fried. Meaning: my Christmas present this year is getting the oven fixed. And since it's a discontinued model, it's also a very expensive and back-ordered Christmas present.

I'm lucky that we're traveling for Christmas so no entertaining responsibilities fall to me, but I have to make it through the next month with no oven.

Enter my challenge: Make something seasonal without the use of an oven.(For extra points, no stove either.) Inspire me. It's going to be a long month of crockpot suppers.

Cranberry sauce

This one is totally a cop out. It is barely a recipe and I didn't take a picture. However, it reminded me that I meant for this challenge to be cranberries. I always buy a couple of bag and don't use them. This time, my husband requested "homemade cranberry sauce". We didn't do a formal thanksgiving dinner at home, so this was made the sunday after with a new turkey.

Cranberry sauce

1 bag cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
zest from one orange
juice from one orange

Combine all ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes until "done".

That is all!

Spiced Apple Pear Butter

Long time, no post. sorry...

I made this recipe from the Whole Foods flier for Spiced Apple Pear Butter. It turned out really good and I've been enjoying it on toast all week. It would also be really good on oatmeal.

My toast fixings: