Pumpkin Cake

Yes. Another pumpkin recipe.  But seriously.

It's Thanksgiving.  And I love it.

  the end.

Pumpkin Cake

 1 1/4 c oil
 4 tsp vanilla
 1 c honey
 3/4 c pure maple syrup

 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce 
 4 eggs
 2 c pumpkin or 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin
 1/2 c wheat germ
 3 1/2 c whole wheat flour
 2 tsp baking soda
 2 TBSP cinnamon
 1 TBSP nutmeg
 2 tsp ginger
 2 tsp ground cloves

Combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients, mix well, and combine with wet ingredients.
Mix until blended.

Bake at 350˚ for 40-50 minutes for two 8" cakes and around 35 minutes for a 9x13.


Serve with Cream Cheese Frosting and Enjoy!

Chicken Haystacks

I grew up making many recipes with a can of soup, and I only recently decided to figure out how to avoid them. Yes, I am slow. Tomato soup? Tomato juice, something to thicken it, and some agave. Cream of chicken? It's a chicken gravy: butter, whole-wheat flour, and chicken stock. So, here is my Chicken Haystacks recipe. I also realized that I could make Chicken Pot Pie by using this chicken-gravy base, throwing in some vegetables, and putting it into a whole-wheat pie crust. Voila! Two recipes in one! This is a super easy recipe, but oh, so yummy.

Chicken Haystacks

Throw 6 chicken breasts (salted and peppered) into your slow cooker until done (around 4 hours depending on your slow cooker and the size of the chicken), or cook your chicken however you like.

Make a roux with the butter and flour, then add the chicken stock. Make it as thick or thin as you like:

1 stick butter

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (approx.)

3 cans (regular size) chicken stock (or make your own)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook two cups brown rice per directions on the bag. It will take about 40 minutes. This is the base of the haystack.

When the chicken is done, mix it with the gravy. Yes, it's so complicated. The chicken and gravy go on the rice, and then we pile on the goods!

Stackables:

Celery (Cut up one bunch)

Cashews

Crushed pineapple

Green Onions (chop up one bunch)

Pepper (I prefer yellow--chop one up)

Water chestnuts (sometimes I enjoy these on top; sometimes I feel they detract--you decide)

Chow mein noodles usually go on these, but they're made with white flour and sugar, and they're very processed (maybe I should experiment with making my own). If anyone knows of a good substitute for them, or if you think of anything else that would be great on haystacks, let us know!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Since it's Fall--wait, what am I saying? Pumpkin is good in any season. Anyway, since it's Fall, and pumpkin is more in abundance, I'll add to the sweet, pumpkin goodness that's found here. We love to modify Martha Stewart's cupcakes, so when I saw she had a Pumpkin Pancake recipe, I was all over that like Pooh on honey. These are creamy, yes, creamy, and wonderful. We top them with Jessica's homemade syrup (but we use 1 cup maple syrup instead of 1/2 cup honey or agave). If you're feeling really indulgent, you can top it with homemade whipped cream (sweetened with whatever you like), and it tastes like pumpkin pie--I lie not.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Whisk...

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (or sucanat or coconut sugar)

2 teaspoons + a pinch baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt;

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

In a separate bowl, stir together

1 ¼ cup milk

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg

Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes; serve with syrup or whipped cream (or both!). Makes 8 to 10.

Pumpkin Cookies

You may not know this about me, but I'm famous. Sort of. Well, not really. But everybody knows I make the best pumpkin cookies in all the land. So, when I started eating healthy, nourishing foods, I felt a little sad to lose my reputation. However, it is not gone! No one has missed the old ones at all! Here are my yummy cookies:

Pumpkin Cookies

1 c. pure maple syrup
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. olive oil
2 t. vanilla
4 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking soda
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. ginger
1 t. cloves

(Some people would defile the pumpkinny goodness by adding chocolate chips. I don't. I'll tell you why in a minute.) Mix ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350.

Here's why I don't use the chocolate chips:

FROST WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. Oh, yes. Bring it on.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
1/3ish c. pure maple syrup
1 t. vanilla

Hallelujah.