Veggie Casserole

Sometimes Tink and I talk about going vegetarian, but then Bubba and the Goose threaten to run away from home and we shelve the discussion. Even so, I try to sneak in a vegetarian dish every once in a while. This recipe is so delicious that no one misses the meat. It makes a fabulous side dish, too.

You will need:

2 cans french-style green beans
1 can white corn
1 onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 small chopped potatoes
any other veggie (I used zucchini and yellow squash)
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 T butter
*************
1 sleeve butter crackers
1/4 cup butter



I forgot to include the corn in the picture....



Saute the onion, potatoes, and carrots in a frying pan with a tablespoon of butter. Make sure everything is tender before removing from pan. You won't be cooking the veggies in the oven, just heating everything through.



Chop the zucchini and yellow squash into slices and then in half. When the onion/potato/carrot menagerie is tender, remove from pan and throw in the zucchini and squash with 1T butter. They don't need to be too tender. I like a little bite with my squash.



Add the green beans and corn to a large bowl.



Now add everything to the bowl (except the 1/4 cup butter and butter crackers).





Spread into a 2 qt baking dish.



Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a bowl.



Look how cute these Halloween Ritz crackers are!! There is a witch's cauldron, a pumpkin, and a ghost. I usually use Keebler Butter crackers, but the Ritz were on sale and I got twice as much for $1 less. I was excited. :)



Crush up one entire sleeve (and try not to "sample" as many as I did, forcing you to open up another sleeve). Add the crushed crackers to the butter.



Spread on top of your casserole.



Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly and hot.



Now feast!



Halve this recipe and use a smaller baking dish if you think you will have leftovers. The casserole is good the next day, but not as great as the first night. I think it's because of the crackers. But it is sooo good the first time. And good for you!



Enjoy!

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Ah, Sunday morning. I love to get up late, know there is nothing vital that has to be done, and spend my time baking and reading. As promised, here is a recipe to use up your leftover pumpkin after making pumpkin cookies. After I made these all I heard from my family was, "mmmmmm." Then, "can I have another one?" These donuts (doughnuts) are super easy, baked instead of fried, made with whole wheat, and incredibly delicious.

You will need:

2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (I only had 3/4 of a cup and it worked perfectly)
2 eggs
2 T milk
1/4 cup butter (Smart Balance)
1 tsp vanilla



Put your Smart Balance (room temperature), pumpkin, and sugar in a large mixer bowl.



Mix until combined.



Then add your eggs, one at a time.



Stir together the 2T of milk and the vanilla and add it to your pumpkin, sugar batter.



In a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.



With mixer on the first setting, slowly add the flour mix.



When it just starts to come together, turn off the mixer and use a spoon or spatula until combined. Don't overmix!





If you have a donut pan, awesome! You can use it. If not, you can use a muffin tin. Just make sure to grease it really, really well. Don't use the little paper linings or you will lose half your doughnut when removing them. I have a nifty little pumpkin cake pan that was a gift one year from my recently married friend. It is perfect for this recipe. I greased it really well, even though it is non-stick.



I got nine little pumpkin donuts. If you use a muffin pan you will get 12. I kept filling my pan until the batter was gone.



Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes. I had to bake mine for 12 minutes because they were so large.



Cool your doughnuts on a wire rack and when they are ready, grab a small bowl and mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 1/2 T milk.



Mix until no lumps remain and the glaze is runny. You want to be able to pour it onto the doughnuts.



I spread wax paper under my wire rack and just spooned the glaze over the doughnuts.



These doughnuts are fluffy, soft, and moist. The cinnamon glaze is light and adds the perfect amount of sweetness without being overwhelming. I'm not big on frosted doughnuts. I like them lightly frosted or not frosted at all. If you like more frosting, double the glaze recipe and dip each doughnut into it. My kids wiped their doughnuts all over the wax paper that was covered in glaze. :)



Enjoy!

Mustard Chicken

This recipe is a new addition to my repertoire. In fact, I've only made it once but it was a big hit. (Except with Tink, who doesn't eat chicken anymore because of her pet chickens. She says they can smell it on her when she eats chicken and it hurts their feelings.) I had 6 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and needed to make something quick, but was tired of the same old chicken I always make. (And I was out of lemons so lemon chicken was out. I never get tired of that recipe.) Plus I have a ton of mustard because I'm kind of a mustard junkie. This recipe is the result.

You will need:

paprika
pepper
salt
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into thirds)
1/2 cup dry cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup milk (any type)
2 T flour
2 T mustard (any flavor)
a bit of oil



Pour a little bit of oil into the bottom of a frying pan (I used electric) and crank the heat to medium high. Place the chicken in the pan and sprinkle with paprika, pepper, and salt to taste.



Cook for 4 minutes and then turn over. Sprinkle with more paprika, pepper, and salt. Cook for 4 more minutes.




While the chicken is cooking, add the flour and milk to a small bowl.



Mix until no lumps remain.



When chicken is finished cooking the second 4 minutes, remove from pan and set onto a plate.

Add cooking wine to the pan and use a spatula to scrape up all the tasty bits.



Then add the flour mixture to the pan and cook until thickened. About 2 minutes.



When thickened add the chicken broth and mustard. I used Dijon, but you can use regular, horseradish, honey mustard. Honey mustard would be excellent.



Mix thoroughly and then add chicken back to pan. Turn the heat down to medium and cover the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes or until all traces of pink are gone.



When finished cooking, use a spoon to pour the sauce over the top of the chicken and serve. It would be great over rice or in a salad!



Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies

Fall is officially here in Florida. We have opened the windows, turned off the air conditioning until next June, and have started getting out the Halloween stuff. My favorite, favorite time of year! We really get into Halloween, much more so than xmas. Sorry Santa, but zombies are way cooler. :) So to kick off the season I made pumpkin cookies today. They are my brother's favorite cookies. He says they taste like little, portable pumpkin pies.

You will need:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin



Cream together the butter and sugar. Then add egg.



And vanilla. Mix




In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. If you like, you can substitute 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon.



Mix together and add to butter, sugar, egg mixture.



Stir together.



Measure out one cup of the pumpkin, but save the rest. You are left with about 3/4 of a cup of pumpkin. Store it in the fridge. Perfect for pumpkin donuts this weekend!





Add pumpkin to cookie dough.



Mix until just combined.



Drop by large spoonfuls onto parchment (or lightly greased) cookie sheets. I got 9 on each sheet.



Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. They will be slightly soft in middle when done baking.





Cool on a wire rack.



When cookies are completely cool, make an icing from powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and orange food coloring.



Whisk together.



Now frost your cookies. I usually only frost half and leave half plain. They are amazing either way!





Happy October! Enjoy!!