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.

Summer Jam Session

How fun is it to trek down to the roadside berry farms and pick out some luscious fruit?! I love making jam in the summer and then having it fresh in the refrigerator for all kinds of use throughout the year. The additional can be frozen and pulled out as needed. I am grateful to my generous mother-in-love for first introducing me to this kitchen art form and teaching me the basics. This recipe is fabulous. Unlike most recipes, it does not call for the addition of pectin. This means a little more attention to detail while cooking, but the result is a gorgeously colorful product that explodes with just the right blend of tarty sweetness and consistency. In the spirit of reuse and recycle, I have found that old containers from Talenti Gelato work wonderfully, as opposed to buying new glass jars, but either is suitable. Just make sure to let the jam cool down before pouring into the plastic jars or they will melt. Makes for a lovely summer gift idea as well.  
Buon Appetito ~ Sarah

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 flat red raspberries {roughly 2 1/2 lbs}
• 2 pounds white cane sugar {adjust according to your preference in the tart vs sweet scale}

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Place a saucer and five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later. We enjoy our jam with the natural seeds. However, if you prefer a seedless jam, just have ready a medium-mesh strainer or chinois suspended over a heatproof bowl.
• 2. Combine the berries and sugar in an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or a wide nonreactive pot. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring and mashing constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the juice begins to run from the berries. As soon as the sugar dissolves, increase the heat to high. Continue to cook, stirring very frequently, until the mixture boils. Boil the mixture vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Best to begin testing for doneness after 10 minutes.
• 3. To test for doneness, remove the pan from the heat and carefully transfer a scant half teaspoonful of jam to one of your frozen spoons. Return the spoon to the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see whether the jam runs; if the jam does not run, and if it has thickened to a near-jelly consistency, it is done. If the jam runs, return the pan to the stove and cook the mixture for another few minutes, stirring and testing again as many times as needed.
• 4. Using a stainless-steel spoon, skim any remaining foam from the surface of the preserve. If you don’t mind seeds in your jam, skip ahead to step 5. If you prefer seedless jam, quickly transfer the jam to the mesh strainer and force as much of the preserve as possible through it by pressing on it with the back of the spoon. Discard the seeds. Skim any foam that lingers on the surface of the strained jam.
• 5. Pour the jam into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

*Savory Italian Split Pea Soup with Sausage*

This is one of my favorite soup recipes!

Ingredients:

16oz bag of split peas {rinsed and sorted}

10-12 ounces of smoked sausage {andouille or

kielbasa both work well}

3 medium carrots

1 medium onion {yellow sweet} chopped

4-5 golden potatoes

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1-2 tablespoons rosemary {fresh if possible}

Black pepper

At least 40 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth

Directions:

1)   Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat with some

olive oil. Add sausage {cut lengthwise into halves, then cut into ½ inch pieces} and cook 5-8 minutes or until browned. Add in garlic and Italian seasoning while cooking.

2)   Slice up carrots and potatoes to bite-size pieces and chop onion.

3)   Combine sausage, carrots, split peas, potatoes, onions, marjoram, bay leaf, rosemary and black pepper to taste. Pour broth over mixture. {I used about 40 ounces to start. As the soup cooks and thickens, you may want to add more broth, depending on how thick you prefer your soup.}

4) Cover; cook on low 4-5 hours or until the peas are tender.

     Remove and discard bay leaf. Soup will thicken as it stands.

Serve with some crusty rosemary potato bread and vintage extra sharp white cheddar cheese. Perfect match :)

Boun Appetito!

Sparkles & Blessings,

Sarah