Crockpot Pumpkin Chili

So the rage all over the blogs this year is pumpkin chili. At frist this was a turn off for me but after reading several reviews I decided to try it one night when my hubby was at work. This recipe is fantastic. You really don't taste the pumpkin and it make the chili so thick and creamy. My kids had 2 big bowls of it and loved it. I did tell them what was in afterwards and they were like it is yummy. Enjoy


Slow Cooked Pumpkin Chili


1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb of ground beef
1 – 15 ounce can of pumpkin
2- 14 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of dried parsley
2 teaspoons of chili powder ( add more if you like things spicier)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin


Cook onion and ground beef until onion is tender and the beef is done.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Place meat, onion, garlic mixture into a crockpot.
Add remaining ingredients.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Serve and enjoy.

Pumpkin Muffins

I know that it is the wrong time of the year for pumpkins but I still had a can from Thanksgiving so I decided to make chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.


Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup oil(I used 4oz applesauce)
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
3/4 c canned pumpkin (1/2 of 15 oz can)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Grease 12 medium muffin tins, or 6 jumbo muffin tins. Mix all ingredients with hand mixer. Bake for 20-25 minutes (a little longer for the jumbo muffins!)I was able to make 18 small muffins. Enjoy

A few of my Thanksgiving recipes!!

Since the hubby is deployed to Iraq this a group of us wives got togetether and we all made a little bit of the dinner. Here is what I made and brought. The sweet potatoes were a big hit because of how sweet they are. I can not stand marshmellows so I don' make them the traditional way.

Recipe 1

Corn with Fresh Herbs
1 bag frozen niblet corn
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp fresh chives
1/4 tsp saly

Place corn in the strainer and hold under cold water.

In 12 inch skillet heat butter over medium high heat until foamy. Add corn and remaining ingredients. Cook 3 to 5 minutes

Recipe 2

Pumpkin Pie( this was my first attempt at pie and it came out really well)

Crust
1 pillsbury pie crust, softened

Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs beaten

Heat oven to 425. Place pie crust in a 9 inch glass pie pan .

In large bowl beat filling ingredients with mixer and pour into pan. Cover crust with strips of foil to avoid burning.

Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350 and bake 40-50 minutes longer. Remove foil last 5 minutes of baking. Cool 30 minutes and refrigerate.


Recipe 3

Praline Sweet Potato Casserole(Reba's recipe)

Ingredients
1 can (40 oz) sweet potato, drained
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs

Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350f. Grease shallow 1 1/2 qt casserole. In bowl mash sweet potatoes; stir in sugar, butter,vanilla, cinnamon, salt and eggs. Spoon into prepared casserole. Mix topping ingreidients; sprinkle on potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes.

Cheesecake- Swirl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

So I got this recipe from cookiepiebklyn.blogspot.com. I love both cheesecake and pumpkin so I decided to make this today and will be taking a loaf of it to a friend for Thanksgiving. I did modfiy the recipe a little bit but I think that it came out really really well. I even got my 3 year old invovled and she loved mixing all the pieces togetether.

Cheesecake-Swirl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin BreadMakes 1 9-inch loaf

Cheesecake swirl:
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
4 oz. sour cream, at room temperature (Orignal Called for 8 oz)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Pumpkin bread:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda'
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt1 cup sugar
7 1/2 oz. pumpkin puree (half of a 15-oz. can)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (original called for 1/2 cup)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (Original Called for 3/4 cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mist a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Make the cheesecake swirl: In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the sour cream, egg, vanilla and salt and beat until well combined and smooth. Set aside.

2. Make pumpkin bread: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt; stir with a fork to mix well. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then beat again until just mixed. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Spread 1/3 of the pumpkin batter in the loaf pan, then spread about 1/3 of the cheesecake swirl over the pumpkin batter. Repeat layers, ending with the last of the cheesecake swirl. Run a sharp paring knife through the layers to create a swirl pattern.

4. Bake the bread for 75 to 80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out bread and let cool completely. To store, wrap well in foil and refrigerate.