Applesauce/Pumpkin Spice muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups flour (I like to combine 1 C white with 1/2 C whole wheat

and 1/2 C oat flour, but you can do any combination.)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 C sugar

1 egg

1 C applesauce OR pureed pumpkin

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 C oil

1/2 C raisins (optional)

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.   Cream oil and sugar, beat in egg, applesauce, and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened.  Fold in raisins.   Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until muffins test done.  Cool in pan 10 min then serve!

Contributed by Amber Parkinson

Ward Halloween Party

Here are some pictures that Brother Barber took at the Ward Halloween Party.   It was a lot of fun and we are so grateful to everyone who participated!  If you would like a copy of any of these photos, email me at the address on the top right and I'll send it to you.  Thanks!  

Br. Morley won the costume contest for the "Funniest Costume"

Costume contest winner for the "Most Creative"

Contest winners for the "Best Couple Costume"

Pumpkin Soup

1/2 lb ground sausage
1 med onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4-6 C pumpkin puree (depending on how thick you want it)
1 can chicken broth
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 C heavy cream (or sour cream)  (I like to omit this and then give everyone a dollop of sour cream on their soup so they can stir it in.)

Sautee the sausage, onion, and garlic.  Then, add the remaining ingredients and simmer until well cooked.

Contributed by Amber Parkinson

A Few Leftover Pumpkin Ideas

Instead of throwing your pumpkins out this year, try using them in some recipes!   Here are a few ideas:

1.  Parfait-  Stir 1 cup pumpkin puree into vanilla yogurt.  Layer with granola for a parfait.

2.  Sugar-and-Spice Pumpkin seeds-  Toss pumpkin seeds in melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  Bake at 300 degrees until golden brown, about 30 min.

3.  Pumped-up pancakes-  Add 1/2 C pumpkin puree and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice to your favorite pancake batter.  Cook, then top with a dollop of pumpkin-flavored whipped topping (next).

4.   Mousse Head-  Fold 1 C pumpkin puree and 1 Tbsp pumpkin-pie spice into 2 Cups whipped topping.  Use a dollop on top of hot chocolate.

5.  Hummus-  Combine 2 Cups pumpkin puree, 2 Tbsp tahini, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp olive oil, and 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and salt in a food processor.  Serve with toasted pita bread.

6.  Pumpkin snowballs-  Combine 1 Cup oatmeal, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 3Tbsp pumpkin puree, 1/4 C brown sugar, and 1/4 C raisins in a mixing bowl.  Form into 1-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar.

7.  Puddin' Pie- Combine 1 packet instant vanilla pudding, 1/2 Cup milk, 1/2 Cup pumpkin puree, and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.  Pour into a premade graham cracker crust. Chill 2 hours.

8.  Oats and Honey-  Stir 1/4 C pumpkin puree into prepared oatmeal, and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

9.  Quite a spread-  Stir in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into cream cheese.  Spread on toast or bagels.

Canning Taster's Table

CANNING TASTER'S TABLE

On September 13th, we had a canning taster's table, with a few demonstrations of things people like to preserve and they talked us through the recipe and then we got to sample some of them!   

I was so impressed with the skilled people we have in our ward.  I have heard many people say that canning is a lost art anymore.  If you didn't learn it from your own mother,  it can be kind-of a scary undertaking!  But, there are so many resources for those who want to learn.  There are so many women in our ward who know how to preserve a lot of things who are willing to share!   The Ball Blue Book of preserving is available at the Tremonton Recreation offices (by the fair grounds) for only $5 last time I checked and is a wonderful resource.   And, once you have done it a few times, it gets easier.  

Why learn to can and preserve food?  It can be a lot of work (some things are more work than others to can) but it CAN also be very rewarding.  After canning a large batch of peaches or salsa, sometimes I leave it on the counter for a few days just so I can admire my work.  :)  Considering the time it takes, it may not always be cost effective if you have to buy all of the ingredients from the store, but if you can get free apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc (or get them dirt cheap), or grow your own, then you can save a lot of money.  (Not to mention less preservatives and a better tasting product.)  Just knowing that you can be self-reliant is a really neat feeling, too.  

Janet Misrasi showed us all of the many things she has dehydrated this year and let us sample many of them.  I was amazed!!  She didn't have any recipes because it is pretty self-explanatory, but this is the book she has been using:

Dehydrated fruits make wonderful snacks or trail mixes.  She has dehydrated a variety of vegetables, which you can use in soups or for travel/camping.  You can even dehydrate cheese and make your own spices!  If you have any questions, I'm sure Janet would be happy to share!  

In addition to this, we had a number of people share canning recipes they like to use.  I have included these in the posts below.   If anyone else has a canning or preserving recipe they would like to share with everyone, please email it to me at the address at the top right of the blog.  

Carrot-Cuke Relish

Carrot-Cuke Relish                                        Tiffany Conger

4-6 unpeeled lg cukes, coarsely ground (3 ½ C)

6 med carrots, coarsely ground (1 ½ C)

2 med onions, coarsely ground (1 C)

2 T pickiling salt                                            1 ½ tsp celery seed

2 C sugar                                                        1 ½ C vinegar

1 ½ tsp mustard seed

Combine ground vegetables and salt.  Let stand in a bowl at least 3 hours, drain.  In large saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed, bring to a boil.  Add ground veggies and simmer 20 min.  Pour into hot clean jars leaving ½ in. headspace and adjust lids.  Process in boiling water bath for 5 min.   Start timing when water returns to boiling.   Makes 5 half-pints.  

Mom's Homemade Salsa

Mom’s Homemade Salsa                                          Amber Parkinson

35-40 medium tomatoes                             ½- 1 C vinegar

 3 bell peppers                                              4-5 cloves garlic, mashed

6 onions                                                       6 T salt

½  to 1 C chopped cilantro                          1 Tbsp cumin

5 sm jalapeno peppers                                 1 Tbsp oregano

3 12 oz cans tomato paste                          

(optional- 2 C black beans- ½ C softened overnight or 1 can)

Blanch the tomatoes (dip in hot water for about 30 sec.) then peel the skins off and dice.  Dice and mix in remaining ingredients.   Stir in a large pot until boiling.  I like to strain out any extra juice so it is thicker.

Process in half-pint or pint jars over 15 min. in a boiling water canner.  

Canned Salsa

                                                                                          Gerry Cowley


1/2 bushel tomatoes, diced
5 lg onions, ground
5 lg bell peppers, ground
20-27 jalpeno peppers
1 C sugar
1 C cider vinegar
1 C canning salt

Process in half-pint or pint jars over 15 min. in a boiling water canner.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

Canned Apple Pie Filling                                          Sharla Nelson

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white sugar                                   10 cups water

1 cups cornstarch                                         3 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp ground cinnamon                                2 drops yellow food coloring

¼ tsp ground nutmeg                                  6 pounds apples

2 tsp salt

1.     In a large saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add salt and water and mix well.  Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice and food coloring.

2.     Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.

3.     Peel, core, and slice apples.  Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.

4.     Fill jars with hot syrup, and gently remove air bubbles with a knife.

5.     Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 min.