Favorite Cranberry Bread and (modified) Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

I fully admit to slacking in the blogging department and am trying to get back into the habit. At the moment I find things complicated by an almost 2-yr. old taking up what's left of my lap (which is not much, considering that Sunday marked 32 weeks into this pregnancy) as she is attempting to write her favorite letters: D-Daddy, E-Eileigh, B-Boone, M-Mama, P-Papa, G-Gramma and the occasional K-Kitty or other letter she can think of at this point in time. (I should clarify that this is exactly how her letters are stated, i.e., "D, Daddy" is the letter's full title and description). During these writing attempts she frequently leans over my arm to reach various other writing utensils or objects of interest and thereby further complicates my typing attempts. I wouldn't trade it for the world- but will have to remember in the future to blog when she is occupied elsewhere (as in, fast asleep in her bed).
Thanksgiving was spent in Washington at Mike's parents' house and we had a great time catching up and relaxing. Thanksgiving dinner was a feast to be sure and I enjoyed every bit of it, including the leftovers. Sometimes I think I love Thanksgiving more because of the great leftovers and fasba (a Mennonite low German term for coffee and sandwiches but applied by our family to specifically mean dinner rolls stuffed with leftover meat and cheese and slathered with mayo and mustard). Although I did not get to indulge in the fasba tradition this year I did come home with some leftover turkey and decided to tweak a new recipe I've been wanting to try and use turkey instead of the sausage the recipe called for. I spent a good amount of time last week roasting pumpkin seeds and cooking and baking our garden's Halloween pumpkins into "canned" pumpkin which I was able to use for this recipe as well. It turned out quite tasty- even my non-pumpkin-loving husband enjoyed it.

Sausage (or Turkey), Pumpkin and Mushroom Pasta

2 cups uncooked multigrain bow tie pasta
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (or substitute leftover turkey)
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup white wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used white wine- Riesling- and really think it made for great flavor!)
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the sausage, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chicken broth, pumpkin, wine, sage, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Drain pasta; add to the skillet and heat through. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese and parsley.
  

I also wanted to share my recipe for Cranberry Bread- I'd baked a loaf since I had fresh cranberries on hand and then brought it with us to WA. So far it's been deemed a winner by all who partake! I know I love it. I've also made it with apple juice instead of orange juice and omitted the orange peel so Eileigh can enjoy it but personally I like it best with the hint of orange flavoring. Don't forget to add the glaze- that's Mike's favorite part. :)

Favorite Cranberry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cold butter
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins

STREUSEL:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold butter

GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons orange juice

• In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, orange juice and peel. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and raisins. Transfer to a greased 8-in x 4-in. loaf pan.
• Combine brown sugar and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For glaze, combine confectioners' sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over bread.
  

4x4in'

Today Mike had a wild hair to pack us up and head off to the mountains for a nice little day trip. He was pretty excited and of course his girls love to be wherever he may be so we got ready (as fast as two girls can) and saddled up. Eileigh commandeered Selah's new carseat so we didn't have to switch hers from my car to the truck. Our main goals were to have fun enjoying each other's company, find some snow and be able to see some of the key areas Mike haunts during hunting season(s). In honor of an old tradition (from my childhood, of course) we agreed that whoever spotted the first deer/elk gets $0.25. I think with inflation this price should definitely have increased over time but we decided to stick with the historical precedence. Having spotted the first and only deer (a tiny buck) I now wish I had opted for the increased rate but so it goes. Eileigh did great, loving the bumps and contentedly munching on rice cakes and apples while I on the other hand had to have Mike stop the truck just about every few feet due to the vicious combination of rutted roads, a 30-wk. pregnant swollen belly, and sadly abused little bladder. I determined not too far into the start of the trip that I would not voluntarily be making any more such trips until after the baby is born.
When we got to the snow Eileigh excitedly walked around, occasionally touching it but mostly checking out her snow-covered boots and saying "Walkin'." Recently everything ending in "-ing" gets the "g" dropped: walkin', dancin', singin', Mornin'!!- her favorite greeting as of late. We all had a great time taking pictures and enjoying the crisp peacefulness of the snow-covered woods.

Treats, no tricks!!

She didn't say "trick or treat" but she would say "knock-knock"

Check out Eileigh's name in the pumpkin- we carved it with a nail when it was just a little gourd (are pumpkins gourds?) and the name grew bigger with the pumpkin!! Courtesy of our garden.

Boone had this look on his face a few times throughout the night... cutest spider ever.

Just to clarify: Eileigh was a flower. :)

Halloween Eats

Last night everyone minus my youngest sister Emily (who had to work night shift) came over to our house to enjoy a little get-together before heading out to a few of the neighbors' houses for some laid-back trick-or-treating. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post soon of the kids in their outfits- until then I will share a few recipes we utilized to make the evening's meal frighteningly delicious. :) The Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili I've made before and liked it even better this time around (throwing in a few of my own twists) and my mom made a big batch of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls that not only went great with the chili but also make for a great breakfast the next day!!! (and snack... and lunch...).

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili (Crockpot)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped (I used a red bell pepper this time, just as good)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained (this time was 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans)
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey (this could be any meat, really- I used leftover pork from making Spicy Carolina BBQ Pork and leftover chicken from making homemade chicken broth- I think the spicy pork really made the dish- I'll add the recipe on at the bottom of this post)
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).


Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
1/3 cup instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 teaspoon salt
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

ICING:
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the eggs, shortening, pumpkin, milk, sugars, pudding mixes, salt and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle; brush with butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges.
Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into 12 slices. Place cut side down in two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, combine the water, butter and cinnamon. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over buns. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen.

Spicy Carolina BBQ Pork (Crockpot)

2 onions, quartered
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (4-6lb.) boneless pork butt or shoulder roast
3/4 c. cider vinegar
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Hamburger buns

Place onions in crockpot. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper and rub mixture over roast. Place roast in crockpot. In a bowl, combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Drizzle 1/2 of vinegar mixture over the roast. Cover and refrigerate remaining vinegar mixture. Cover; cook on Low for 10 hrs. or High 6 hrs. Remove the meat and onions and drain. Shred meat and serve with onions on hamburger buns. Use the remaining vinegar mixture to drizzle over the sandwiches.

Poppers

I'm not sure what the official name is but I've always called them "Poppers"- which of course Eileigh now calls them that as well. They're the puffy little seed balls that fall from what I believe are oak trees... please feel free to have actual knowledge of their title but I'll continue to refer to them as poppers. :) The best thing about them is the delicious crunch they let out when stepped upon. When the first ones started falling I pulled Eileigh out of the stroller during our walks and let her try her foot at it- it took her a little while at first but now she's an old pro. My mom now saves poppers from her walks and will bring them over for Eileigh to crush on our back deck. This afternoon we enjoyed a rare treat. My mom, Eileigh and I met my Dad over at my grandparents' farm where my Dad had spent a decent portion of time raking together all of the poppers that had fallen from one of their huge trees. Eileigh was in popper heaven and soon moved from annihilating single poppers to running through the pile and decimating several clusters in one fell swoop. My mom and I had our own fun "helping" Eileigh- as we liked to call it. Ahhh, the simple pleasures in life.

Oh My Word!!!

I can hardly believe the amount of words (and sometimes the actual words) coming out of Eileigh's mouth!! Nothing "bad", don't get me wrong- I just didn't expect Eileigh to pick up on some of the things she has. In the last two weeks I think her vocabulary has just about doubled. She's throwing out phrases right and left and I hear my own words being repeated often. I've also noticed that she pays special attention when a word or phrase is said with emphasis from me- those words will definitely get repeated. Our first instance actually occurred during our camping trip at the coast. Before Mindi, Boone, Eileigh and I ended up at the Marine Science Center, we had planned to go to the Aquarium. Unfortunately as we drove up, a big sign had been set up announcing that due to special events the Aquarium was closing that afternoon at 3:00pm- and it was 2:45pm. Mindi scoffed in disgust as I declared, "That's crap!" Suddenly from the back seat I heard a sweet little voice pipe up, "That's crap! That's crap!" Mindi and I didn't know quite what to do and tried to smother our giggles so as not to encourage Eileigh's new phrase, courtesy of her mother's potty mouth. Thankfully after a few tries on the phrase she gave it up. I've really been trying to watch it while I'm driving and most of the time I do pretty well, occasionally letting an "Oh my WORD!" slip out (believe me, pre-kid it was much more colorful) but even still, Eileigh chimes in "Word! Oh my! Oh my!"
Other favorites of hers include "All gone" and "I know". Some of my favorites to hear her say are "Stinker" (teen-ter) and "Buster" and "Honey". She's repeated "Bye, sweetie" at bedtime and every now and then when she wants Mike for something she calls out, "Mike! Mike!" Whoopsie- I think that one's from me as well. :) Mike isn't overly thrilled at it but I think it's hysterical (on the inside; on the outside I tell Eileigh to say Daddy).
Eileigh is my God-given daily reminder to think before I speak!!

Pumpkin Dessert Squares, Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast

This last Friday we had a good-bye and good luck potluck for a co-worker who is on to greener pastures and will be sorely missed. Luckily someone reminded me the day before so I had ample time to whip up a contribution to the meal. I'd been wanting to try the Crunchy Pumpkin Dessert Squares and they were not only really easy to put together but also very yummy with Cool Whip on top! Cool Whip makes everything taste better, in my opinion (not to say that this dessert needed it). I also threw Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes in the crockpot and let that cook at work until lunch time (turned out it needed a little bit more time than planned due to a few lid-lifters- you know who you are!!!). :) Finally, I wanted to share the Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast recipe because it's delicious (the sauce is fabulous) and goes wonderfully with the Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes. I made them both for dinner last week and everyone heralded it a success.

Crunchy Pumpkin Dessert Squares

• 1 can (30 ounces) pumpkin pie filling
• 1 can (12 ounces) fat-free evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup reduced-fat butter, melted
• 1-1/4 cups fat-free whipped topping

In a large bowl, combine the pie filling, milk and eggs; beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cake mix and pecans; drizzle with butter.
Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 20 servings.


Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes (Slow-Cooker)

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I've used both sweet potatoes and yams- they're both tasty, just depends on your personal preference)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat butter, melted (Yeah, I just use regular butter)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place sweet potatoes in a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Combine the pecans, coconut, sugar, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt; sprinkle over potatoes.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in extracts. Yield: 12 servings.


Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast

• 1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (Our family is a big fan of Cattleman's)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 boneless rolled pork loin roast (4 pounds) **(I used two smaller pork loin roasts- one about 2.5 lbs., one about 1.5 lbs. and cooked them together for about an hour and a half total time, including glazing)
  

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, apple juice, barbecue sauce and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside 1 cup sauce.
Place roast in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-3/4 hours. Spoon a third of the remaining glaze over pork. Bake 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting twice. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 16 servings.