Pumpkin Bread

This is a bit of a recipe showdown. I grew up eating some of the most delicious pumpkin bread south of the Mason-Dixon line. It just so happens that delicious doesn't equal nutritious, despite the bright orange color. Even though I embrace my inner health nut now, I need food that tastes good. A few easy substitutions reduced the amount of fat and sugar without sacrificing any flavor. Portion control is also important- Ninnie Marlene's was baked in loaf pans and I remember cutting myself HUGE slices. Making pumpkin bread in muffin cups helps you keep track of how much you're eating.

BONUS: Your house will smell like a Yankee Candle.

I'm posting both recipes here, the original by my grandmother and the updated version by me.

Ninnie Marlene's Pumpkin Bread, as written out by my mom

Mix together in a medium bowl:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix in mixer:
1 #2 can pumpkin
3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs

Add dry ingredients to wet alternating with 2/3 cup of water. Nuts or raisins optional. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes at 350. Makes three loaves. Brush the top with syrup while still warm-I know! It's so wrong, it's right.

The pictures below illustrate my updated version.


In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, add pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, and yogurt.

Whisk the wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.


Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in three batches, alternating with 2/3 cup water.


Stir until just combined.


Using 1/2 cup measure, fill muffin liners until almost full.

This recipe made 19 muffins. If you want smaller muffins try using a 1/3 cup measure- you can probably get 24.


Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Rotate the racks halfway through cooking.

Time for pumpkin bread glamour shots!

Work it....work it....

A little to the right...


Now vogue.


Healthy Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
*would've added 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg if I had any
1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
2 cups canned pumpkin (not the pie mix!)
3 eggs

2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir the sugars, applesauce, yogurt, pumpkin, and eggs until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches alternating with 2/3 cup water.

Using a 1/2 cup measure, fill the muffin liners until almost full. Bake 30 minutes and rotate pans halfway through cooking. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Simple Saturdays: Turkey Taco Salad

We've been experiencing this crazy hot summer along with the rest of the country. The humidity is out of control and our lack of air conditioning has made it downright unbearable at times. I've started taking cold showers- several times a day. This has made for super crazy hair.

The heat changes our eating habits. Instead of stews, chilis, homemade breads, and other big heavy meals, we look for lighter foods. Something that doesn't require the oven and takes minimal prep time.

That's not to say I haven't been baking- I have. Bikram baking. However, at the moment my camera is indisposed (read: lost). Pictures of recent cooking adventures- including campfire Quik-E pies to come.

This recipe is simple and easily adaptable. Change up the ingredients and seasoning to create your own customized salad!

Turkey Taco Salad

2 tsp olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 can black beans (I get the Cuban Style black beans from Trader Joes)
1 medium onion (red or yellow), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
salt and black pepper to taste
3 dashes hot sauce, optional
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 bell pepper, diced
2 lime wedges
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Start by preheating a pan and olive oil over medium heat. Add turkey, onion, and garlic. Saute until turkey is browned and onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the black beans, with their juice. Toss in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a bubble and then reduce heat to low, to keep warm while you make your salad.

On a plate, combine lettuce, bell pepper, and any other vegetable you like. Squeeze the lime wedges over the salad. Top with a hearty scoop of turkey/black bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Party time! Excellent!

Though I tend to be an introvert, I do love throwing a good party. It's the hostess in me- I blame it on my Texan roots. Nothing makes me happier than making large amounts of food only to have it quickly devoured and appreciated by friends and family. Or coworkers. Or strangers.

Heck, in high school, I used to bake cookies and offer them up to random people in the hallways before class. I met a few skeptics, but who can resist free & delicious cookies?

No one.

As an adult, this need to feed has manifested itself into regular potlucks at our house. For the past three years we've been hosting Pumptoberfest, a celebration of all things pumpkin held in October. We've had pumpkin bread, pumpkin beer, pumpkin dip, pumpkin cookies, savory pumpkin turnovers, pumpkin fondue, butterbeer (although no pumpkin is involved in this drink- it's highly festive). When Pumptoberfest the 4th rolls around this year, you'll be seeing the results right here.

We also had a back in the day potluck, where people brought family and lunch box favorites. And our most recent potluck was a Pajama Potluck. I believe this to be the biggest hit thus far. Everyone brought breakfast food, we set up a Make Your Own Waffle Bar, mimosas and white Russians were poured, and the best thing? You got to wear pajamas!! Best party ever.

This picture showcases baked eggs- yum, cream cheese brownies, and coffee cake. And a few empty plates. These events are for eaters- not dieters. Baked French Toast was also involved.

A waffle creation! The MYOWB included blueberries, chocolate chips, pecans, & homemade whipped cream and strawberry compote for topping. Yum! You can also see pictures of the chocolate chip cookies from this entry. I had made them earlier that day and had some leftover. Nothing goes to waste at Betty's house!

A slightly more formal affair occurred back in April. My mom held an open house for her newly renovated and stupendously amazing condo and asked me to cater. I graciously agreed to fly across the country just for this event. Or maybe I already had plans to go home. And my sister's baby shower was that weekend. But still.

Having never catered before, this was a bit of a slapdash sort of thing. Though I like baking in bulk, the largest event I had ever hosted was Thanksgiving for 25. And that food is super easy and made for a crowd. This posed a bit of a challenge.

We kept the spread simple, focusing on finger foods, but trying to offer sweet and savory options- heavy hors d'oeuvres. We didn't really stick to a theme for the food, unless the theme was food we thought people would like to eat.

We served sausage balls, caprese salad skewers, Irish Coffee Cupcakes, Pineapple Cupcakes, Fruit Pizza, Snowball cookies, artichoke dip, deviled eggs, and chips & salsa. See? Random. But tasty.

Even though it was an odd combination of food, it made for a really pretty spread. Mom also has some great Fiestaware serving platters that I *love*.

Caprese Skewers- could not be simpler to assemble and people go nuts for them!


Irish Coffee Cupcakes- still amazing.

Pineapple cupcakes. I used Paula's Basic 1-2-3-4 cake recipe and added a cup of pineapple preserves and some lemon zest. Top with a cherry, pineapple cube, & drink umbrella garnish.


Fruit Pizza and Snowballs. For the fruit pizza, simple bake off some puff pastry, brush with apricot preserves, top with berries and slice. Cute, huh? Snowballs are glorified sugar cookies, but a childhood favorite of mine and my mother.

Other recipes used can be found here:

Artichoke Dip

Sausage Balls


What kind of parties do you like to throw??

Mixed Berry Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

I'm in the process of converting all of my favorite treats to whole wheat/whole grain. I prefer the nutty taste and chewy texture- the health benefits aren't bad either.

That's not to say that this is a healthy pie by any means. It has butter and cream cheese and sugar and cornstarch. But, all things in moderation, right?

I'm still working on perfecting the pie and pie crust. The filling in this pie really holds its shape- probably due to the cornstarch. I plan on experimenting with tapioca and flour to see what kind of filling they produce. Plus, I just LOVE tapioca. In any form.

The crust isn't going to blow anyone away- it's not overly flaky, but probably could be if you're a better crust handler than me. I must get a pastry blender!

It has a nice crisp crust, fresh out of the oven, and the nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour balances well against the sweet-tart fruit.

Note: The only difference between this and the Blood of a Terrorist Pie is the top- use a crumb topping for BoaT Pie.



Pie crust isn't hard, but it does take a little bit of forethought. Combine all of your ingredients in a freezer safe bag and freeze for at least 1 hour before preparing. Some people freeze their bowls and utensils, too. I'm too lazy for that.



Thaw out your berry blend. If, for some reason, you forget this step (ahem, me) slightly frozen berries work well, too.

Remove your frozen flour/butter/cream cheese mixture from the freezer and place in a large bowl. This part gets a bit messy- you'll want the space to work with.

Using your pastry blender- or your hands (like me)- work the flour into the butter and cream cheese. You're aiming for pea sized bits of fat throughout.

Now for the liquid. Some people use ice water, Cooks Illustrated recommends chilled vodka, others use plain milk. I decided to add some flavor with this vanilla almond milk. Plus, I didn't have any of the others.

Add 4-5 tbsp of almond milk- just enough to bring the dough into a loose ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour before rolling. You could also freeze- if wrapped a bit better, or refrigerate overnight.

While the crust is resting, make your filling. Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, and berries. Add a teaspoon or two of vanilla. You could use white sugar here too- if you're a sissy afraid of flavor.

Mmm...berry goo.

Flour a large surface with all-purpose flour.


Flour the rolling pin, too. Throw some on your hands, as well.

Unwrap your dough.

Throw some flour on top.


Roll out carefully. Start from the center and roll out in one direction at a time.


See those streaks of butter and cream cheese? That's what makes the crust flaky and yummy.


To check if your crust is rolled enough, put your pie tin down on top. You'll want it to be at least an inch or two wider. My pie tin has holes in the bottom to ensure proper browning. It also means you can't make a crumb crust without some finagling.


To get the crust into the pie tin, carefully roll it on to your rolling pin.


See? Rolled.


Lift it up into the pan and unroll into the pie tin.


Trim off the excess leaving a half inch extra. Press the crust into the tin, making sure to push it down into the edge.

Pour in your filling.

Bring the scraps together in a pile and roll out again. Cut into strips or another design, if you're feeling creative.


Rustic is another word for homemade which is another word for unprofessional. Works for me.

Bake for about an hour. Yum.

Cut some tin foil strips and cover the edges of the pie. This part browns the first so you want to keep it from burning. Remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.




Mixed Berry Pie Filling

1 16 oz. bag of frozen mixed berries, thawed
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Combine all ingredients and stir to mix and release juices of berries. Fills 1 9-inch pie.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, spooned into cup and leveled
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz. unsalted butter, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
4 oz. cream cheese, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
4-5 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze at least 1 hour before mixing.

Remove frozen ingredients from freezer and place in medium bowl. Using your fingers, work butter and cream cheese into flour until there are pea-sized crumbs. Add almond milk until a loose ball forms. Wrap ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough on a surface floured with all-purpose flour- make sure to flour your hands and rolling pin, too.

Bake filled pie at 350 for about an hour.

Homemade Granola Bars

In college and high school, we used the term "granola" to explain a special kind of person. Someone who wears Birkenstocks exclusively, enjoys herbal tea regularly, and who probably eats organic, free-range, cage-free, sustainable, recycled granola.

Perhaps you would enjoy an example?

I went to high school with this girl...we'll call her Lola*.

*Name changed to protect the truly crunchy. PS- it's not me. This girl was WAY more of a hippy than I've ever been.

Lola marched to a different beat, a beat that no one else heard.

To call my hometown "preppy" doesn't even begin to touch it's yuppy core.

Lola wore linen- everyday. The looser the tunic, the floppy the pants, the better.

Lola was an artist- last I heard she went to RISD where I'm sure she was hugely successful.

But what made Lola truly stand out was the pouch she wore around her neck.

Any guesses what was in the pouch? I'll wait.

Shark tooth? Nope. Lucky penny? Nah. Lock of boyfriend's hair? Getting warmer.

It was her pet sugar glider.


Apparently, she needed to bond with them, so she wore them all day long.

So to review- she was/is GRANOLA.

This is also granola. Making your own granola bars is not only easy, but can make you feel somewhat superior. Who else will take the time to make nutritious power-packed snacks?

Make. Eat. Feel self-righteous.


Preheat your oven to 350. Line an 8x8 glass Pyrex with aluminum foil (or parchment paper if you're fancy) and grease well.


In an extra large mixing bowl, add oats, flour, and salt. Make sure you use the biggest bowl you've got, 'cause this is gonna get messy.

Take out your nut of choice. If it's already chopped small, you can throw them in. If they're whole, you need to take 'em down a notch.

See? Smaller.
Throw the nuts and the chocolate chips into your big bowl.

Stir it all about.


Add in your nut butter (I used sunflower seed butter) and agave.


Here comes the only hard part- you gotta mix this stuff up! Pull on your Pop-Eye pants and stir until really well combined. Once you think you've got it, drizzle on the water & vanilla and STIR SOME MORE.


Dump the sticky mess into your dish.


Pack it in really well. Use the heel of your hand to smush it in and make sure you get the corners. The tighter you pack this, the less of a chance you'll have loose bars.

No one wants loose bars.


See? Tight.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Mmm...golden brown.

Before slicing, you gotta do two things.

Thing #1) Cool the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.

Thing #2) Remove aluminum foil/parchment paper sling from the pan and place in fridge. Cool here at least 1-2 hours- til cold to the touch.

THEN you may slice.


I made my bars snack size and got twelve out of my pan.
Here's the money shot- check out those OATS!


Chocolate Almond Granola Bars
Makes ~12 granola bars

1 2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup light salted, roasted almonds- chopped
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8 x 8 Pyrex dish with tin foil or parchment paper. Grease well.

In a very large bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, chocolate chips, and almonds. Stir to combine. Add sunflower seed butter and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. This will take some arm strength. Drizzle the vanilla and water over the top and stir again to distribute evenly.

Pat the mixture into the pan making sure to really pack it in. Use the heel of your hand to smush it in.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then remove the foil/paper sling and put in fridge to cool an additional 1-2 hours before slicing.