Visions of Pumpkin Bread Danced In Their Heads

Baking has never really been my forte. However, I do have a pumpkin bread recipe I have spent some significant time perfecting that has been well received. As I sit here after whirlwind days filled with baking, wrapping and celebrating holiday festivities, I thought I would take some time to share this much requested concoction. Decorate up a pretty plate with some seasonal candy to garnish and you have a ready made gift for family and friends. Pumpkin bread is moist, flavorful and makes a sweet breakfast sidekick or a delicious dessert. With this foundation, you can also experiment with additions like chocolate chips, exotic coconut or crunchy nuts. It is yummy all on its own, but also enticing when topped with a spread of creamy butter or a dollop of cream cheese frosting. Not exactly figure friendly, it is a perfect pairing to warm up any fall or holiday gathering at a time of year when little indulgences delight the spirits as well as the tastebuds. Buon Appetito ~ Sarah Pumpkin Bread à la Chateau Wahlen Ingredients Pumpkin Puree  {Most recipes call for 1-15oz can of pumpkin puree. I suggest being generous with the puree. I utilize the puree made from our home grown pumpkins* and usually add the whole quart jar of puree.}   4 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour or line with parchment paper** three loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar until well blended. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *See earlier blog posting about how to grow and prepare your own  pumpkins for puree, decoration and more! **I highly recommend Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Pan Lining Paper.  It is AMAZING. Allows for even cooking and super easy cleanup.

It's Beginning to Taste a Lot Like Quinoa

The little trendsetter that it is, quinoa is not going anywhere anytime soon. Although a somewhat controversial food, quinoa is everywhere. Check out some fun facts about the protein, health-packed goodness: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Quinoa. It is a fascinating food all on its own, but even better when crafted into full-flavored, wholesome fare.

Looking for a new take on side dishes for holiday dinners and parties? I have a winner! This sidekick will please even the Grinchiest of quinoa nay-sayers. It is quite easy to whip up, and results in a cheesy, delicious goodness that will combine nicely with any meal. Paired with a beautiful Christmas turkey or  even a BBQ feast, it is extremely versatile. Makes for a lovely vegetarian plate, as well as a protein-packed infusion if you want to add some chicken or tuna to the mix. It is also a delectable entree to create on Sundays and parcel out for appetizing lunches throughout the week.
Buon Appetito!
~ Sarah 

Quinoa Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups shredded cheese {cheddar, colby-jack, etc}

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa *{see directions below}

2 cups cooked broccoli **{see note below}

Freshly shaved parmesan cheese

Bread crumbs {'Progresso Garlic & Herb' is a delicious choice}

Garnish with some fresh parsley after cooking for a beautiful finishing touch

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow casserole dish with olive oil.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, sugar, black pepper and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the cooked quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.  

Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of parmesan and bread crumbs to taste. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbly on the edges.  

Makes about 8 generous 1/2 cup servings. Easily doubled if you are hosting a multitude of peeps. :)

*To Prepare Quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible.  Fluff with a fork.

**If you are looking to save time and/or have a little less tedious prep, you can use Green Giant's Broccoli Steamers. However, make sure you are getting the 'Broccoli Florets' and not the "Broccoli Cuts', otherwise you will end up with a bag of mostly stems. Steam the broccoli as directed on package, and then add to the mix with the cooked quinoa as designated by the recipe. 

'Tis the Season for Savory

*Sparkliest of holiday wishes to one and all from Chateau Wahlen!* On this second Sunday of the beautiful season of Advent, we celebrate peace and continue to anticipate the blessings abundant during this holy time of year. A joyful Feast of the Immaculate Conception to our Catholic friends as well!

Winter is indeed upon us and the weather is cold....brrrr! I love this time of year, and enjoy being bundled up at home with a warm fire and a Christmas movie or a great book. This is also a time of year when I love to be in my kitchen creating {who am I kidding, there really is not a time when I do not love to spend time crafting in la cucina :)}. That said, there is nothing much better than bringing together some lovely ingredients for a savory soup to enjoy on these crisp days and nights. One of my favorites is a White Chipotle Chicken Chili. It is a light but hearty and comforting chili, filled with yummy spices, not to mention one of my favorite ingredients in the world, wonderful cilantro! Add fresh made guacamole and some warm tortilla chips, and you will have a meal fit for royalty. In addition, preparing this dish fills your home with a scent that is heavenly and welcoming. Makes a great freezer soup too. This particular recipe serves about 8, but can be easily doubled. Enjoy!

White Chipotle Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder or chili seasoning
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• salt 
• cracked black pepper
• 4 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Push the onions to one side of the pan, add the chicken and garlic, and sprinkle with the chipotle chile powder, cumin, cracked pepper and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until most of the chicken is opaque on the outside, 5 to 6 minutes.

*Note: If you do not have a large enough Dutch oven to maneuver steps 1 and 2, it works out just fine to use a large, deep saute pan to cook the onions. Simply transfer the onions to your stockpot while cooking the chicken, garlic and spices in the saute pan. Combine all ingredients in the stockpot and proceed as directed.

3. Stir in 3 cups of the beans and 2 cups of the broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the remaining beans and remaining 1 cup broth. Process to a smooth puree.

5. Stir the bean puree and half-and-half into the soup. Divide the soup into bowls and serve hot, sprinkled with cheese and cilantro. A dab of cool sour cream  on top would be a nice option as well.

Recipe Tip:
If you want to prepare your own cooked white beans for this recipe, you'll need 4 1/2 cups (from 2 1/4 cups dried).

Buon Appetito ~ Sarah

Indian Summer and the Mighty Pumpkin

For me, there is no better time of year than Indian Summer. Sweet warm days bookended by crisp mornings and evenings. We also refer to it in our house as "football weather". I love it! Aside from giving me a little shot of extra energy, it also inspires us to get out into the garden to reap the end of summer bounty. Of course, this leads right into the kitchen for some creating. Fall cooking is fabulous!

One of our favorites to grow every year is a big beautiful crop of pumpkins. Paul and I get so excited to see the little plants emerge out of the dirt in early summer and begin to spread their gorgeous foliage across the yard. The bright orange flowers that open up big and splendidly every morning make a lovely ground cover while we await the wonderful fruit. Pumpkins are hearty and pretty easy to grow. They do like a lot of space, so make sure to prepare your yard accordingly and plant wisely. You can do so much with them once they arrive! We always save a couple for carving, but the majority of them we harvest for making crunchy pumpkin seeds and pumpkin puree. Put into jars and frozen, pureed pumpkins offer the possibility for loads of cooking ideas at your finger tips throughout the year. Yummy pumpkin bread, healthy soups, pumpkin butter, all-natural baby food, holiday pies...I have even wrapped the jarred puree and attached recipe cards to make fun, affordable, easy gifts.

Note: There are different types of pumpkins. For best flavor, use the larger, jack-o-lantern pumpkins for carving and smaller, sweeter pumpkins for your baking and cooking needs.

In the spirit of the spectacular Indian Summer we are so blessed to be enjoying, here are some pumpkin tutorials for you with love from Chateau Wahlen.

Harvesting & Storing Pumpkins

Sometimes planting pumpkins so that they can be enjoyed through the mid-late summer months means having to harvest them before the heart of fall and Halloween time. Never fear though, this is one instance where you can have your cake, er pumpkin and eat it too! Pumpkins can be harvested and put into dry storage for up to three months if prepared properly. So, you can harvest them before they get too ripe or spoil and then keep them until you are ready to utilize partake in some pumpkin festivities. Here are some tips for harvesting:

      A pumpkin is ripening when its skin turns a deep, solid color (orange for most varieties).

     When you thumb the pumpkin, the rind will feel hard and it will sound hollow. Press your nail into     

      the pumpkin's skin; if it resists puncture, it is ripe.

      To harvest the pumpkin, cut the fruit off the vine carefully with a sharp knife or pruners; do not tear.    

      Be sure not to cut too close to the pumpkin; a liberal amount of stem (3 to 4 inches) will increase the       

      pumpkin's keeping time.

      Handle pumpkins very gently or they may bruise.

      After you have harvested your pumpkins, the next step is prepping them for storage.

      Mix a solution of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water. It does not matter how much, as long as you make the 

      mixture 50/50. 

      Run the mixture all over the pumpkins, including the stem ends. The vinegar solution kills the 

      bacteria, which allows the pumpkin to be viable in dry storage.

      Let the pumpkins air dry and handle them as sparingly as possible to avoid redistributing bacteria to 

      the fruit.

      Place in dry, cool storage until you are ready to use.

Pumpkin Puree

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Cut pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Set seeds aside for baking later.

Scrap out the stringy center.

For small pumpkins, halves are fine. Medium pumpkins should be cut into quarters. Larger pumpkins should be cut into eighths.

Line large cookie sheet with tin foil or parchment paper.

Place pumpkin onto the the cookie sheet.

Bake until soft. Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the pumpkin. Recommend checking after 30 minutes and then adding 10 minute increments until done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, peel away the pumpkin's skin using a sharp knife.

Cut into smaller chucks and puree in blender, adding small amounts of water as needed for puree to become thick but smooth.

Pour puree into glass jars, leaving enough room at the top for expansion (about 1 inch).

Allow puree to cool, seal with lid and place in freezer for storage.

Fresh, healthy pumpkin at your fingertips for a year filled with cooking adventures!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1. Clean the seeds. Not the most fun task, but worth it in the end. Clean the gunk off of the seeds and wash pumpkin seeds in cool water. 

2. Boil for 10 minutes in salt water.  Add the pumpkin seeds to a medium-sized pot of water, along with 1 tsp salt. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes over low-medium heat. This method helps make the pumpkin seeds easier to digest and produces a crispy outer shell during roasting.

3. Drain the seeds in a colander and dry lightly with a paper towel or tea towel. The seeds will stick to the towel, but just rub them off with your fingers. The seeds do not have to be bone dry, just lightly patted down.

4. Spread seeds onto a baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Massage oil into seeds and add a generous sprinkle of your favorite seasoning. Suggestions include sea salt, cayenne pepper, Johnny's seasoning, Italian seasoning...the possibilities are almost endless. Try to spread out the seeds as thinly as possible, with minor overlapping.

5. Roast seeds at 325F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Roast for another 8-10 minutes During the last 5 minutes of roasting, remove a few seeds and crack open to make sure the inner seeds are not burning (you don’t want the inner seed brown).

Voilà, the perfect healthy snack!

Buon Appetito ~ Sarah

Enticing Enchiladas

My husband Paul might well roll his eyes at the idea that I have actually "landed" on anything when it comes to cooking, as I am notorious for continually refashioning and teasing concoctions in the quest for culinary perfection. However, after many attempts and tweaking, I have finally landed on an enchilada recipe that I feel confident sharing. It is a spicy, flavorful creation that pairs well with sides of Mexican rice, black beans, tortilla chips and some fresh guacamole.

In the spirit of discovering the hidden culinary genius in all of us, I highly encourage experimenting with the recipe until it fits your distinctive style and tastes.
Buon Appetito! ~ Sarah

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Packet of Spicy Taco Seasoning
1 Small White Onion
2 Cups Grated Mexican Cheese
2 Large Cans Enchilada Sauce (*Recommend Rosarita's)
1 Small Can Fire Roasted Green Chilies
1 Small Can Sliced Black Olives
1 Cup Cottage Cheese
8 Large Flour Tortillas
Chipotle Chili Pepper Seasoning
Fresh Minced Garlic
Fresh Cilantro
Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Brown the beef in a skillet and drain excess fat and grease (if you use 96/4% ground beef, you won't have much). 

Prepare beef with spicy taco seasoning as directed. 

Mix in fresh minced garlic to taste (I use around 1 tbsp). 

Mix in chopped white onion. 

Let mixture simmer while you prepare the other ingredients. 

Mix together a little more than half of the grated cheese, cottage cheese, chopped cilantro (to taste) and green chilies in a separate bowl. 

Combine all of the prepared ingredients together.

Put some olive oil on a paper towel and generously rub the inside of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. This will prevent sticking. 

Portion the mixture into the tortillas and wrap burrito style. Place in pan. I usually put five horizontally along the 13 inch side of the pan and three vertically in the space that is left. 

Pour the two cans of enchilada sauce over the tortillas so that they are covered completely. Top with the remainder of the grated cheese. 

Drain the can of black olives and sprinkle over the top. 

Add fresh cilantro and chipotle chili pepper seasoning over the top. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

Remove foil and place back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes to assure top cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving. 

Magical Hair Product

A little health and beauty segment today... In a moment of self disclosure, I will admit that I have hair issues! The Native American side of me allows me long, dark, thick and fast growing hair, for which I am very appreciative. On the flip side, it also comes with a natural tendency towards oiliness. I grew up watching my dad struggle with the same issue. So, I share this as an intro to the product I am promoting in this post. Because my hair gets oily very quickly, I have always felt the need to wash my hair every day in order to avoid feeling like I swam through the an oil slick just hours after taking a shower. In addition, I have hesitated to use creme rinse/conditioners because it felt as though the use of them just expedited the problem. This of course often left my hair feeling tangled, breaking, appearing dry and hard to manage. As a result, as much as I love having long hair, I have not always been able to feel confident with it. Admittedly, first world problems.

Luckily, I have found a product that has literally changed my hair life! Meet 'Sexy Hair Healthy: Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment'. Long name, fantastic results.

It is incredible! This product leaves your hair silky soft, detangled, manageable and smelling lovely! If you are struggling with tangles, dryness, frizziness or the effects of over-styling, you must try it.

Simply wash your hair as normal. Towel dry hair and comb through with a big tooth comb. Put a thin, quarter sized dollop of the product in the center of your hand. (*I have hair that is below my shoulders. The shorter the hair, obviously the less you will need.)  Pull hair into a pony tail at the nape of the neck with your hands and rub the oil through the hair from the back of the pony tail through to the front. Continue running the oil through your hair all over the lower half. There is no need to put it up into the hair on the crown of the head. Any excess can be rubbed through your hands, onto dry spots of your face, etc. I like to take any excess and rub it onto my elbows. It is a natural oil and is absorbed into the skin nicely and without leaving any greasy residue behind. Combing through the hair again at this point will help disburse it throughout the hair. Then style normally. You will find that this product shortens drying time and leaves your hair frizz free, tangle free and feeling soft & silky!

Think Pretty Thoughts ~ Sarah

*WARNING: When traveling with this product, place the container in a sealed plastic bag. I have found the bottle likes to leak if not kept standing up straight.

Sidewalk Inspiration

I saw this during one of my runs this week and it made me smile. It was accompanied by several other chalk drawings that included the words "hope", "don't worry, be happy" as well as some flowers, smiley faces and rainbows. Such a simple gesture by some neighborhood children, but the pure simplicity and goodness that oozed out of the display was enough to make me reflect upon the beauty and joy that can be discovered when we pay attention to the little moments that surround us every day. So, I offer this up today in the spirit of scattering the tokens of wisdom found on life's adventure in order to potentially benefit all along for the journey.
~Sparkles, Sarah

Swimmingly Delicious

This is one of the best recipes for salmon I have ever encountered in my cooking adventures and I highly recommend it. The salmon turns out beautifully flaky and moist. The salsa adds a wonderful crisp, freshness! Great served on its own, with tortilla chips, over some mashed potatoes or on top of some salad greens. The possibilities are endless. Makes for a lovely summer meal...delicious and nutritious! 
Buon Appetito ~ Sarah 

Grilled Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Mango Salsa

(Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net)

Blackened Seasoning:

•    2 teaspoons ground paprika

•    2 teaspoons dried leaf thyme  

•    2 teaspoons onion powder

•    2 teaspoons garlic powder

•    1 tablespoon granulated sugar

•    2 teaspoons salt

•    2 teaspoons black pepper

•    1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to your taste

•    1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

•    3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

•    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients together and mix thoroughly. 

Top the salmon with a bit of olive oil then spread a nice coating of the blackened seasoning over the top 
of the salmon.

Pineapple - Mango Salsa:

•    1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

•    1/2 small fresh pineapple, diced

•    2 tbsp minced red onion

•    1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

•    1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

•    Juice of 1 lime

Chop all the ingredients and place in a bowl, add the lime juice and combine gently until well mixed.

Place the salmon, skin side down, directly on the grill or on top of 

tin foil (for easier clean up). If you are cooking directly on the grill, turn every 2-3 minutes to prevent the skin from sticking. If you cook on tin foil, don't bother turning it and cook for 5-7 minutes or until you place a fork in the fish and twist, if it's flaky then remove from grill. Top with the pineapple mango salsa and enjoy.