Creamy Maple Syrup

 

I love breakfast food.  But lately, I have been a little sick of breakfast, and I realized why.  It's because I am bored with the syrup!  I found this recipe for Creamy Maple Syrup, and suddenly, my waffles were exciting again!

Creamy Maple Syrup

slightly adapted from: abountifulkitchen.com

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. maple flavoring

dash of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and brown sugar to a boil.  Let it boil for one minute and then remove it from the heat and stir in the maple flavoring, salt and vanilla.  Serve it over your favorite (again) breakfast food.

Overnight Oatmeal

I guess it is time to jump on the Overnight Oats bandwagon.  I saw a recipe for this one day, and the next day, the Internet was feeding me recipe after recipe of overnight oatmeal.  I've read many of the recipes, and they are all very similar, so I'm putting this on here as the base that I have been using, but you can change it up and add any fruit/nuts/nut butter/flavoring/yogurt that you think would be delicious, and it probably will be!  I eat mine cold, with granola and fruit on it, and it has been a delicious, hearty, quick meal in the morning for me.

Overnight Oatmeal
by: www.abountifulkitchen.com

1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. almond milk
1/3 c. old fashioned oats
1 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Pour all the ingredients into a jar, shake it up really well, and place it in your fridge overnight or for 8 hours.  The next morning, give it another shake to stir it up again and then pour it into a bowl.  Top with granola, fresh fruit or coconut.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

This was my pick for my Thanksgiving pie this year (The kids and I go over our pie wishes each year and try to make at least a few of them.  I love Thanksgiving pies!!)  It was my first time making a cheesecake and using my springform pan that I've had for 16 years, so that was exciting!  I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great!  The pumpkin flavor was light, the cheesecake flavor was mild and the white chocolate and graham cracker crust both added a yummy sweetness.  Making it was a little time consuming, but it wasn't difficult, and it was SO delicious!  I would definitely make it again!

Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

by: melskitchencafe.com

Crust:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 14 rectangle crackers)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 c. salted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

3 packages softened cream cheese (I used Philadelphia brand because I wanted it to set up right and had read on her blog that more expensive brands work better)

1 1/2 c. sour cream

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1 tsp. vanilla

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (or 2 c. homemade puree, which is what I used)

White Chocolate Mousse Topping:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

4 oz. softened cream cheese

4 oz. white chocolate, melted (I had also read on her comments that a nicer brand of white chocolate work best-I used Lindt)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  For your crust, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter and press it into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.  Line a baking sheet with foil and set the springform pan on it while baking, for 8 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden.  Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.  Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.

For the cheesecake, whip together the softened cream cheese and sour cream and then add the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and mix it until it is combined.  Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.  Pour the batter onto your crust and spread it evenly.  Bake it on the foil lined baking sheet for 45-60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.  Be aware, a 9 inch pan will be more full and will take longer to bake.  Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. 

For the white chocolate mousse topping, beat the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix it until slightly stiffer peaks begin to form.  In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy.  Add in the white chocolate and mix it until it is smooth and creamy.  Gently fold together the white chocolate and cream mixtures until the mousse is nice and creamy (fold gently and carefully so you don't deflate the cream).  Spread the topping over the cooled cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.  Serve and enjoy!

 

Acorn Squash in the Instant Pot

 

 

This has been a great year for squash in my garden!  I cooked my acorn squash up tonight, and it turned out delicious and was so easy.  I didn't even peel it first!  So fast on the prep!

Acorn Squash in the Instant Pot

1 Acorn Squash, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces, with seeds removed

2 Tbsp butter

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1 c. water

fresh rosemary

Place your cut squash in your Instant Pot, sitting on the trivet.  Add 1 cup of water.  Sprinkle the squash with the salt and pepper.  Rub the rosemary between your fingers and sprinkle it over the squash.  Cook it on high pressure for 8 minutes and do a quick release.  And enjoy!

 

Korean Rice Bowl

I made this the other day for something easy and different, and my family loved it!  It really was so quick and easy and used ingredients that I always have on hand.

Korean Rice Bowls
by: therecipecritic.com

1 lb. ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. pepper
cooked rice
sliced green onions for garnish

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and minced garlic until the beef is cooked through (no pink).  Drain any grease.  In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, crushed red pepper flakes and pepper.  Pour it over the ground beef and let it simmer for one minute.  Serve it over the rice and garnish it with the green onions.

Grandma Losee's Famous Banana Bread

My Grandma Losee recently passed away, and it was mentioned multiple times at her funeral how she was known for her Banana Bread.  This came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because that isn't something that I remembered her for.  But, when her recipe got passed around the cousins, and I made it and then tasted it, the taste totally brought back feelings of being at Grandma's when I was younger!  And, it is a really moist, delicious banana bread.  So now, I will remember Grandma when I eat her yummy banana bread!  She was an amazing woman!  (My kids dove right into the loaf before I could even take a picture, so I put in a pre-cooked picture, but know that looked and tasted amazing).

Banana Bread

by: June Losee

3 or 4 ripe bananas (I used 4)

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/8 c. melted margarine (I used butter)

optional 1 c. chocolate chips or nuts

Mash the bananas.  Add the other ingredients and mix it well.  Stir in the chocolate chips or nuts.  Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake it at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

Our Favorite Quinoa and Ground Beef Sloppy Joes

 

This is our family's favorite sloppy joe recipe.  Full disclosure: I don't have an actual recipe.  I make it to taste every time.  But, I can never remember exactly what I add and I always end up googling "Sloppy Joe Recipe" so I can see a general idea of what to add.  So, this time I paid attention to what I added so that I can put the recipe on here and find it for next time!

Our Favorite Quinoa Sloppy Joe Recipe                                                                         

by: Carolyn

1/2 or 1 pound ground beef
1/2 c. quinoa
ketchup (if I were to guess, I would say close to a cup of ketchup)
about 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (or regular)
onion powder
garlic powder
salt
pepper
about 3 dashes of liquid smoke (this is to taste-add a little less than this and then add more if needed)
about 1 c. water

Cook your quinoa according to package directions (I cook mine in double the water in my rice cooker).  In a large frying pan, brown your ground beef over medium heat.  Drain the grease and add your cooked quinoa to the pan.  Add the ketchup, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and liquid smoke and stir it well.  Taste it!!  If it doesn't have enough flavor, add more garlic, onion or salt.  Taste it again!! Add more of what you feel like it might need.  Repeat as needed!  Stir it again.  Add the water and stir it well.  Simmer it over medium low heat until you are ready to eat it.  (And maybe taste it one more time to see if needs anything else!).  Serve on a hamburger bun (or hotdog bun, as you see in my picture) with sliced cheddar cheese.