the soup bowl

I'm hooking up with Jodi for a soup swap.  The idea is that everyone who participates, posts a delicious soup recipe and we're all blessed in the sharing.  Click here to find the links that will take you to all the recipes. 

My soup is a fall favorite.  My mom's church served this every year for the Mother-Daughter Thanksgiving tea. I begged the lady who was in charge of the menu for the recipe and apparently it was the recipe on the evaporated milk can.  No matter,  It's got the perfect blend of savory and the pumpkin adds a hint of sweetness underneath all the flavors. 

2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder ( LOVE this stuff!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (I don't have white pepper so I just use my regular pepper)
3 cups chicken broth
1 15oz can pumpkin (make sure it's plain pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie pumpkin with spices)
1 12oz can of evaporated milk

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes or until tender.  Stir in curry powder, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Add broth and pumpkin; bring to boil.  (keep an eye on it while it's coming to a boil)  Reduce heat to low; cook stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes.  Stir in evaporated milk.  Transfer mixture to blender and process in batches.  (Be sure to leave a vent hole when processing hot liquids....trust me!)  Blend until smooth.  Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

Enjoy!  And thanks to Jodi for hosting the Soup Bowl....we'll be having lots of soup in the coming days! 

odds and ends....and a Christmas wish (at the very end..)

We're on our break from school and most of the big list items are checked off so I've been able to enjoy some of those little things that make the house and the holidays special.  We made this snack mix for Mckenzie's basketball teammates.  Lip gloss tied to each bag was the perfect teen gift. 

John Samuel and I finished his art project together.  We simply tied strips of fabric around a coat hanger circle and added a bow at the top.  His art teacher had the kids make these in class and that was the day that my guy was sick, so she saved him a set to work on at home.  He found the perfect hanging spot for his Christmas wreath. (my bedroom!)

I wasn't liking the veggies prints in my family room for Christmas.  The carrots sort of clashed with the pine and the angels, so I made a quick cover up! 

I printed out the letters to spell NOEL on some craft paper and cut them to the size that I needed.  I simply taped them to the glass right over the offending veggies....wa~la....Christmas art!  (After Christmas I'm planning to print the letters for SNOW- the veggies can re-appear in the spring)

I always like to take something homemade to our neighbors for Christmas. Some families are getting this snack mix.  It is always a hit with everyone and it mixes up very quickly.  I packaged it up in quart mason jars and added a tag and a bow.

and some of our neighbors are getting these cookies....

The nice thing about these cookies are that you make up the dough and roll it into logs.  I store the dough in my fridge and when I'm ready to bake cookies, I simply roll a log in some colored sugar, slice and bake.  I love that we can have freshly baked, homemade cookies at a moment's notice!  (note: I only baked mine for 10 minutes instead of the 12-16 that the recipe calls for....otherwise, they were way too crispy!)

I've found that these pretzel bags make great treat bags for cookies...the size holds just the right amount of cookies to bless singles and older couples!  The tags came from eighteen25...feel free to link up and print your own. 

Anyways....thanks for sticking around through such a long and rambly post....I'm going to take a break and finish up some secret Christmas knitting and enjoy the days leading up to Christmas. I'll be back after Christmas. 

I'm so thankful for each one of you who visit and take the time to comment and share.  I'm so very blessed by your friendship.   I want to wish each of you a blessed and peaceful Christmas.  I hope that your homes are places of joy and wonder as Christmas approaches.  May you find time to abide as the shepherds did many years ago and may the Christ Child change your life as He has changed mine.  Merry Christmas friends. 

ginger gems and pumpkin dip

Do you have seasonal foods that you only seem to make at certain times of the year?  I tend to have an collection of desserts and dishes that I only make in the autumn.  Pumpkin cake, pumpkin curry soup, and pilgrim cakes, just to name a few.

Ginger gems are one of those cookies that just scream autumn to me.  They are ginger snaps that you dip in a creamy pumpkin dip.  The crunchy/chewy cookie and the creamy sweet dip are perfect together. 

I gathered this recipe from a friend many years ago and it's one that's stood the test of time. (thanks Beth Ann!)  I go back to it over and over again.  When I made them to take to a meeting, my guy asked me why I didn't make them all summer.  I was trying to explain to him that they were an autumn treat.  "Mom", he said, "These are too good to be just for autumn time. Make them all year."  Well.  There you have it.  I guess we'll be enjoying these year round. 

Here's the recipe in case you'd like to try them:

Ginger Gems

*3/4 cup shortening         *4 TBSP molasses           *1 cup sugar             *1 egg

*2 cups flour                  *2 tsp baking soda           * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

*1/4 tsp. nutmeg              *1/2 tsp allspice               *1/2 tsp. cloves

*1/2 tsp. ginger

Cream shortening, sugar, molasses and egg.  Add dry ingredients.  Chill for 1 hour.  Roll into balls and then roll in sugar.  Bake 10 minutes at 375 until edges are light brown and middles are soft.  Serve with Pumpkin Dip. 

Pumpkin Dip

*15 oz. can pumpkin pie filling (without the spices)

*1 8oz. block of cream cheese, softened

*2 cups powdered sugar

*1/2 tsp. ginger

*1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix and chill. 

still not tired of it yet....

It's hot here this week.  (Temps in the 100s and heat indexes into the 115s!)  Way too hot to cook and heat up the house with the oven or stove.  These are great days for cold plate dinners.  My favorite cold plate meal has got to be a big leafy green salad with all the fixins.   I've been making this current salad for months now and I could eat it every day...seriously.  It's so good.  It's also a nice salad because you can tweak it with what you have on hand. You can mix it up so that you won't get tired of it even if you do happen to eat it every day for a week.  (trust me, I know!)  I've decided to call it the "still not tired salad".  Here are the building blocks, but feel free to add your favorites and make it yours. 

one bowl of leafy greens (romaine, iceberg, green leaf, baby leaf...whatever you have in the fridge)

shredded carrots
sliced cucumbers
crumbled blue cheese (although when I've been out, I've used shredded cheddar and that's been good)
craisins
sliced almonds
Good Seasons Italian dressing (I use the packets and make my own...I swear this dressing makes the salad...no substitutions here)

Feel free to add:

chopped broccoli
chopped cauliflower
chicken stripes or steak
grape tomatoes
sunflower seeds
or whatever your heart desires

Mix every thing together and dress the salad ahead of serving.  A dressed salad allows all those ingredients to get together and mingle, which results in great flavor.   Have fun and don't forget to share a couple of those baby carrots with your favorite pooch. 

Molly is always underfoot when she hears the salad shredder come out of the cupboard.  If you don't have a salad shredder (which I only have because my mom was cleaning out her kitchen) use a grater and grate your carrots.  Do you have a favorite summer cold plate meal that you love to make when the temperatures sky-rocket?  If so, please share, the forecast is looking like we're in for some sizzling summer weather. 

a blogger's sampling

I had some girl friends over for a get together on Friday night.  Moms only.  No kids.  No husbands.  Molly, the dog was there, but that's OK because she's a girl too.  We grilled out and sat around on the deck until long after the sun had gone behind the trees.  We lit candles and laughed into the night.  It was a wonderful time.  We actually completed entire conversations.  It was such a treat. 

Whenever I know I'm having 'company' I love to try new recipes.  I like to experiment on my guests and this get together was no exception.  I chose 3 recipes that I'd book marked while browsing blogs.  This is my blogger's sampling.... 

vanilla cupcakes from leslie  {I'm convinced that these little babies are cousins to pound cake....they were a huge hit....the cake is dense and rich...and the batter was just as good as the cupcakes!  we ate them with berries spooned over them!  swoon.}

oreo cream fudge from kris  {if you have a serious sweet tooth, these are for you!  they were so easy to make....but be warned!  They are RICH...and oh so good.}

cucumber limeade from marta  {i can't wait for another excuse to make this!  everyone loved it...this drink is crisp and cool and perfectly refreshing for hot summer picnics and dinner parties....no one drank anything but this the entire night.  wonderful stuff!}

So, there you have my blogger's sampling....it was a fun way to try out some new recipes.  I highly recommend any of these recipes if you're having a get together of your own.

my recipe binders

Several years ago, I started compiling our family's favorite recipes into binders.  I bought some 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 binders and some page protectors and typed our 'go to recipes' into the computer.  Then I printed them on card stock and popped them into a binder.  These binders have gotten a work out.  I pull them out weekly when I'm meal planning or looking for last minute supper ideas.  Because the recipes are in the computer, I've printed out copies for friends and even made a couple of 'cookbooks' to share with friends who were moving.  

 But of course, over the years since everything was first put into binders, I've acquired several new 'keeper' recipes.  They've been piling up in my cupboard and I've gotten tired of rifling through the pile to find the one I wanted....so, over the last week, I took some time and typed in the new recipes.  My friend (hey Laurie!) asked me how I knew which recipes to add and which recipes didn't quite make the cut.  My answer was the test of time.  If I find myself making a recipe over and over again (and it's getting eaten over and over again) then that recipe belongs in my binder! 

I started with two binders and now I'm up to three.  I spruced up the covers with some fresh scrapbooking paper...(thanks for the inpiration on that Kristyn) I'm thinking one day when my kids are ready to start their own households, that these will make wonderful housewarming gifts! (and at the rate I'm going...there will be plenty to share!)  These binders are not only stuffed full of special recipes but memories as well! 

quilted gifts

I had some leftover blocks from my scrappy log cabin quilt. I was planning on making them into pillows but I've seen some cute pot holders around the blogosphere and thought I'd try my hand at making some for Christmas gifts. I sandwiched a layer of batting and insul-brite between my front and back fabrics. Then I quilted the top with a traveling line that makes a square into the center of each potholder. (A more experience quilter could probably tell you a name for what that's called...not me) Finally, I top stitched the edges. I like how they turned out...I kept the one I made first for myself...it's rather wonky. But, I really got some practice using my walking foot! These will be fun to give with my favorite cinnamon rolls for Christmas. ( I made them last year and they were so delicious...the recipe makes about 7 pans of rolls...enough to enjoy and give away!)
Enjoy your holly days...may they find you full of joy!

chili season!

Fall means so many things...hot apple cider, pumpkins, crunchy leaves, wool sweaters and chili season! One of our favorite autumn/winter meals is chili. It's a two night meal if I make a big enough pot. On the first night we eat it with corn bread and then have it the next night over baked potatoes. Here's our family recipe for chili!

Fiesta Chili

1 large onion chopped

1 lb. ground beef

1 green pepper chopped

Brown the above ingredients in pan.

Then add:
2 -14 1/2 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 cup picante sauce or salsa (whatever I have on hand)

1 packet of chili seasoning....use your favorite

I always double this recipe...but I don't always double the green pepper and onion. Go with the amount that you think your family will like best. Serve hot, with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and corn bread!

Enjoy...and then head over to Jessica's for a lot more great soup, chili and stew recipes! Stock up on recipes now, it's chili season!

got zucchini? {+ a giveaway}

If you have any friends, family or neighbors that have a garden, or if you yourself have a garden...you've probably got some zucchini on hand. {snicker, snicker} Here's a great zucchini muffin recipe that comes by way of our good friends. Rebecca made these when we were over for dinner and none of my kids would try them. (I think the green flecks scared them away) When we got home, I made a batch and had the kids try them. (I thought it wouldn't be very mannerly to strong arm them in someone else's home!) Anyways, they loved them - so much so that in church the other week, our Pastor had tons of garden produce lining the pulpit area for people to take home. There were about 300 ears of sweet corn, squash, cucumbers, peppers and zucchini. It looked great all spread out on the alter. My little guy kept elbowing me saying, "Mom get the zucchini...so you can make more muffins." Who knew? I've never seen a 7 year old boy so intent on me bringing home zucchini!

Becca's Zucchini Muffins

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl:

3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar ( I used Demerara Cane sugar....but you can use white sugar as well)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 TBSP cinnamon

Stir in:

3 eggs

1 cup oil (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)

1 TBSP lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini ( I usually have leftover, so I freeze it in 2 cups amounts, for another time)

Place in muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20 minutes! Enjoy!

The muffin cups I use are a brand new find for me. They are 100% unbleached baking cups by If You Care. I love them. My muffins just slide right out of them. They are environmentally friendly too. Seriously. I feel about these muffin cups the way my boy does about the zucchini. I bought an extra pack to share. So, in honor of my one year blogiversary...I'm doing a little giveaway. Just leave a comment by Tuesday and I'll enter your name for an opportunity to win. Here's what's up for grabs! Some of my favorite things. [a handmade project tote in blues, yellows and greens, a dishcloth knit in my new favorite waffle knit pattern, a skein of baby yarn, a candle, a tissue holder, and some baking cups] I can't believe it's been a year since I started this blog. Thanks Kristyn for the encouragement to jump in! (August 5th, 2008 was my first blog post) I've met so many wonderful people and been inspired so often. It's been a great year and I want to thank you for joining me on my new adventure. If you'd have told me all the blessings that were to come just from starting a blog, I'd have laughed at you (politely of course) - but it's so true. This blogosphere is a wonderful place. Have a great weekend...I'll be back with a winner some time on Tuesday.

All American

Happy 4th of July to everyone! Thanks just doesn't quite seem to be enough to say to all the men and women who are serving or who have served to make this nation safe and free! As we enjoy our picnics and fireworks, they serve and risk their lives. I'm truly grateful for the freedom that they keep for us each and every day. Say a prayer for them today for protection and for their families that have sacrificed just as much. We're celebrating tonight with a cookout. Today is also my parent's anniversary. They have been married 46 years. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I love you both so much! My dad likes to joke that when everyone else was celebrating their independence he was losing his. (course, mom could say the same thing...she's just more tactful than him!) He picked out the menu for tonight's meal. We're having hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, watermelon and potato salad. I made Gigi's lemon pie for dessert. My potato salad is All-American....it's old fashioned and delicious. I got it from a friend years ago, it came from her husband's grandma. Everytime I make it, people love it.
The dressing is a cooked dressing, but it is so worth the extra effort! I hope you enjoy it! All American Potato Salad

Cook a 2 quart saucepan full of potatoes. (I use red skin potatoes, peeled and cubed). Cool. While the potatoes are cooling mix up the dressing:

::2 eggs beaten ::1/2 cup sugar ::1/4 cup vinegar

::2tsp table mustard (the yellow kind) :: 1/2 stick of butter

In a small saucepan, bring the above ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly and remove from heat. Cool and add 1/2 cup mayo. Add celery seed to taste. Add salt and pepper.

In a large bowl mix potatoes, chopped onions, chopped green peppers (you can omit these, if you prefer), chopped celery and chopped boiled eggs (4). Add dressing and chill. Enjoy! Hope you have a wonderful Independence day!

using my fruit

The kids and I went strawberry pickin' for a second time on Tuesday. My girlfriend, Pam, and I decided we needed to make some strawberry jam. Pam's my jammin' friend. I have only canned jam with her. (I'm not sure I could do it without her..she brings the canner and the expertise) Anyways, we headed out to the strawberry fields early Tuesday morning to gather our berries. The pickin' was nothing like our first trip. Because of all of the rain we have had, a lot of the berries were over-ripe. We really had to search for good berries. They were there, but it was tough pickin'. Much of the fruit was rotting, soggy or moldy. I swear those moldy ones looked like little mice under the strawberry leaves. eeeewwww! While we were picking I commented, "Look what happens when you don't use your fruit." Nobody else seemed to sense the profoundness of my statement. But it really hit me right between the eyes. I've been thinking about it ever since. I believe we've all been given three T's...time, treasures and talent. I also firmly believe that we should use those things to encourage others and glorify the Lord. When we don't use the fruit that we've produced...it just goes to waste. It rots and gets all creepy on the vine. But when we use our time, talent or treasures to bless others, to invest in our children, to spread the good news; we actually produce more fruit. As the fruit gets picked...new fruit has room to grow. The strawberry patch shut down the next day. Too many unused berries went to waste. I don't want to waste my fruit...I want to share it with those in my life, even if I have to boil it and add some sugar. So, I encourage you to use your fruit...really those around you will be blessed!

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work...." Colossians 1: 10