Quinoa Black Bean Salad

We scored with this awesome recipe. The kids ate it up happily and the hubs asked if there were leftovers. Um, nope! This combines healthy ingredients and lots of flavor. You won't be disappointed. Its a great choice for a meatless or vegan option. I also happen to love the blog it came from, mostly because the author is a cute friend of ours from college...and she's rocking it in the mommy food blogger world. Thanks Christy!

Quinoa Black Bean Salad
www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cups uncooked quinoa
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup frozen corn
2 (15oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Rinse the quinoa in a strainer. Sometimes it can have a bitter taste on the outside so rinsing gets rid of this.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes or until onion is soft.
3. Add he quinoa and vegetable broth to the pan. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in lime juice and frozen corn into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is heated through.
5. Finally, mix in the black beans and cilantro. Garnish with chopped avocado if desired.
6. Serve hot or cold. Store in refrigerator.

Note* Some of my kids (and husband) opted to add a little shredded cheese & sour cream to the top.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Happy Halloween! We started out our holiday with some festive pumpkin pancakes and boy does it smell like fall in here! These contain the perfect blend of spices and warm you up on a chilly morning. Serve them with hot maple syrup (pure is best) and a dallop of whipped cream (we made ours look like Jack-O-Lanterns) for a fantastic fall or festive breakfast!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling...we prefer Libby's) 
1 egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp vinegar

Mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Set aside. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/3 cup for each pancake. The batter is thick, so you may need to spread it out with the back of a spoon. Brown on both sides and serve hot with pure maple syrup. 

Caramel Apple Pie

Nothing says fall than hot apple pie. But in truth I'm not all that keen on pie crust...So, a traditional double crusted apple pie is not my favorite...this pie however might be the most delicious combination of apple and pie ever to mingle. It has the WOW factor at first bite! 

Caramel Apple Pie

Crumb Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter

Stir together brown sugar, flour and rolled oats. Cut in butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.

Pie:
1 pastry crust* (You can use any crust you like. My personal favorite recipe is listed below)
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 3 large apples)
1 recipe crumb topping
1/2 cup pecans (optional)
1/4 cup caramel topping** (Store bought caramel works fine but I've included the recipe we use.)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, stir sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Toss apples until coated. Put in pie shell and sprinkle crumb topping on top (you might have to press it down a little). Put pie on foil lined cookie sheet. Cover edges of pie with foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans and caramel sauce while still hot. Cool on wire rack.
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*Big-Batch Freezer Pie Crust

6 cups flour

2 tsp salt

2 1/3 cups vegetable shortening

1 1/3 cups cold water

In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add cold water all at once. Mix lightly with a fork until water is absorbed and mixture forms a ball. Divide dough into 6 equal portions; then shape each portion into a ball. Flatten each ball slightly, place in freezer Ziploc bags, making them airtight.

Each ball is enough to make one 9" pie crust.

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To make crust for a pie WITHOUT top crust:

Partially thaw 1 ball of pie crust. Roll out dough to thin 11" circle. Place dough, without stretching, in a 9" pie dish. Flute edge.

If recipe calls for a baked pie crust, preheat oven to 425. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool; fill and bake as recipe directs. (HINT: if you place tin foil over shell and fill it with uncooked beans (for weight) and cook it for 8 minutes and then take beans and foil out and cook for 3-4 minutes until brown, you get a perfectly flat shell on the bottom, with no bubbles.)

To make crust for a pie WITH a top crust:

Use 2 balls of dough. Roll out 1 ball (as outlined above.) Fill pie. Roll out second ball; place top crust over filling. Seal and flute edge. Cut several slits or designs in top of crust to allow steam to escape.

-Can last well in freezer for 6 months.-
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**Buttermilk Caramel Topping:

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup real butter (no substitutions)

2 Tbsp corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup and baking soda in a 4 quart pan. Bring mixture to a boil. and reduce heat to low. (Make sure it is still bubbling...) Cook, stirring very frequently for 7-9 minutes or until the syrup reaches a rich golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Poppy Seed Glazed Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Need a little something substantial to take to a party? How about hosting a girls' lunch where you provide the main dish and your friends bring salads and sides? This sandwich is simple and always a big hit! 

photo courtesy faithfulprovisions.com

Ham & Cheese Poppyseed Sandwiches

Nicole Klika

24 dinner rolls (I use Hawaiin King b/c they are a little sweet)1 lb chopped ham
1 lb sliced Swiss cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp mustard (I use dijon)
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 tsp onion flakes or powder ( optional...I use powder )

Preheat oven to 350.
Stuff buns with ham & cheese and then line closely in a 9x13 pan.
In a saucepan, mix remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
Pour sauce evenly over sandwiches.
Bake covered for 15 minutes and then uncovered for 5 minutes.

Hoot Owl Cookies

I love holidays and I love traditions with my kids. Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. There are so many opportunities to be together doing fun fall things together...apple orchards, pumpkin patches, nature walks...and of course, fall baking. These cookies have been made in Kandi's kitchen since I was a little girl. They are adorable and the kids start asking about them as soon as October hits. 

Hoot Owl Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour (If dough is a sticky, add a little more)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp water (optional...check the consistency. It should be dough, not crumbly...but also not too sticky)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/4 tsp soda
m&ms and cashews

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla well. Melt chocolate in a separate bowl. Set aside to let cool. Add dry ingredients gradually to egg mixture. Beat well. Add water if needed. Put 2/3 dough on a flour board and mix in chocolate. Roll into a log (looks like a large tootsie roll...) Roll out white dough and fold around chocolate dough. Chill 1/2-1 hour in tinfoil. Slice. Press two slices together slightly to make the eyes. Pinch ears. Add m&ms and cashews. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. 

Baked Apple Dessert

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we are in love with picking our own apples lately. The orchards are fun and the apples are delicious! We are especially loving Zestar and Honeycrisp. But when I have fresh delicious apples in the house I have a problem. I CRAVE baked apple dessert. Its kind of apple crisp-ish except soft which in my opinion is SO MUCH BETTER. This is a childhood favorite. I love, love, love it. We may or may not have made it twice this week. And bonus, it makes a to die for breakfast. Leftovers are totally husband approved. 

Baked Apple Dessert

6 cups apples, peel and dice

Spread them in a 9X13 pan

Cover with: 

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

(Note: I always double the sugar mixture. I love it gooey.)

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Top with one of the following:

whipped cream (again, the REAL thing...no fake stuff. ;) ), vanilla ice cream or a little half & half

Apple Pudding Cake

Fall is in the air! The weather is changing and we have been frequenting the local apple orchards. It is my favorite time of year in Minnesota and my favorite time to bake all things apple and pumpkin. This recipe is one that I have enjoyed for as long as I can remember. It is the perfect dessert to serve to dinner guests. It is unique and combines flavors that you might not consider putting together...until now!

Apple Pudding Cake

Blend: 

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

Add: 

1 egg

Beat together.

Add:

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp soda

pinch salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

2 cups diced apples

Spread in a 9X9 pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 

(Note: 9X13 pan for a double batch)

Lemon Sauce

Mix well:

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/8 tsp salt

Stir in: 1 cup hot water

Cook until thickens; turn to simmer for 15 minutes stirring often. Add 2 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla and the juice of one lemon.

Serve warm and top with whipped cream. (Note: It's a sin at our house to use anything but real whipping cream...no cool whip or whipped topping from a can! Use real whipping cream, whip it and sweeten with sugar and vanilla.)