Homemade Pumpkin Puree

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has begun. I know many have already pulled out their Christmas decorations. Trees are selected, ornaments are removed from their special packages, family recipes are located, wrapping paper selected.  I, along with everyone else, love Christmas, but....I also love Thanksgiving. Let's slow down a little bit and enjoy this great day before we rush to celebrate Christmas--although Jesus' birthday is worth celebrating!

In trying to slow it down, I decided to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I normally make my own pumpkin pie- homemade crust and all. This year, however, I decided to make the puree too. Below are the steps to make the main ingredient to that yummy pie. 

*Allow a good three hours. :) We're really slowing it down. 

1.  Grab small pie pumpkins.

2. Remove stems. Cut in half. This is where my husband really came in handy, or I am just very weak. ;)

3. Remove the guts. More than the picture. Scrape them clean. 

4. Line a pan with aluminum foil. Place a little vegetable oil on foil. Place pumpkin on the pan, cut side down. 

5. Rub lightly with oil and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork goes through easily. 

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out.

7. Puree it in a blender, food processor, hand mixer, depending on the consistency you like. I like my pumpkin smooth so I used the blender. 

NOW GO MAKE SOME BEAUTIFUL PIES!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Slow Cooker Orange-Cranberry Sauce

In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a fan of crock pots. You can do so much with them! From squash to shredded chicken...even apple cider! This slow cooker cranberry sauce is so tangy and delicious, your family won't know it took hardly any work on your part. But that's okay, we'll keep it our secret. :)

Ingredients

12 oz. bag whole cranberries

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 c. water

1 Tbsp. orange peel, grated

1 cinnamon stick

Directions

Rinse and drain cranberries.

Transfer berries to the slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Cover and set on low 2-3 hours or until cranberries begin to pop and soften.

Remove cinnamon stick and mash cranberries.

Keep cover off and turn it up to high.

Cook 15-20 minutes longer, uncovered, to help thicken the sauce.

Serve warm or cooled.

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(Directions with Photos)

Rinse and drain cranberries.

Transfer berries to the slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Cover and set on low 2-3 hours or until cranberries begin to pop and soften.

Remove cinnamon stick and mash cranberries.

Keep cover off and turn it up to high.

Cook 15-20 minutes longer, uncovered, to help thicken the sauce.

Serve warm or cooled.

Sourdough Herb Stuffing

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is the stuffing. I've tamed down the amount that I eat now that I've gotten a little older. (It may not be appropriate or very classy for a grown adult to be picky and heap their plate with only stuffing and skipping the veggies during dinner like a child.) However, I still feel like I get my fair share. :)

Ingredients

12 oz. sourdough bread

1/2 c. butter

1 large onion, diced

3/4 c. celery, diced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper

1 tsp. ground thyme

1 tsp. ground rosemary

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 (14.5 oz.) cans low sodium chicken broth

Directions

Cut bread into 1/2 inch chunks. Spread evenly onto a large baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 50 minutes, or until dry. Let cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet or pot, melt butter and cook until it begins to turn brown.

Remove about 3 tablespoons of the browned butter and set aside. 

Add onion and celery to the butter in the pot and cook until softened. (Veggies will begin to look translucent.)

Transfer vegetables to a small bowl and mix the seasonings in.

Using the now empty pot, pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.

Continue boiling the broth until it reduces to about half the amount.

Add onion & celery mixture to the dried bread and pour in the reduced broth.

Stir once and let sit 10 minutes.

Stir once more and transfer to an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Drizzle the top with remaining browned butter that had been set aside earlier.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown and crisp.

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(Directions with Photos)

Cut bread into 1/2 inch chunks. {You could also use a hearty white bread if you don't want to use sourdough.} Spread evenly onto a large baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 50 minutes, or until dry. 

Let cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet or pot, melt butter and cook until it begins to turn brown.

Remove about 3 tablespoons of the browned butter and set aside. 

Add onion and celery to the butter in the pot and cook until softened. (Veggies will begin to look transluscent.)

Transfer vegetables to a small bowl and mix the seasonings in.

Using the now empty pot, pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.

Continue boiling the broth until it reduces to about half the amount.

Add onion & celery mixture to the dried bread and pour in the reduced broth.

Stir once and let sit 10 minutes.

Stir once more and transfer to a baking dish (about 8x8 inch). 

Drizzle the top with remaining browned butter that had been set aside earlier.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown and crisp.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Festive DIY Centerpiece

As long as I can remember, my Mom has loved tablecloths. Growing up, us kids would always procrastinate setting the table and throw a heavy sigh in the air when Mom would say "Get the good tablecloth, please. And pull out the placemats, too". We would always argue that it wasn't necessary. "They're just going to get dirty anyway and we'll have to change it again".

As I get older, I realize more and more how my little quirks are so much like my Mom's. Don't worry....I think it's a good thing. :)  One of them is my need for a tablecloth. (It also probably has something to do with the fact that our table top looks pretty rough, but that's beside the point.) I now understand my Mom's desire for everything to look "put together" by making the table look nice.

To pull everything together, it's always a nice touch to add a centerpiece. This post will give you an idea on how to pull a fun and festive centerpiece together with items you probably already have. Be festive and frugal. :)

This is what my centerpiece contains:

Vase: crystal ice bucket

Ribbon: wired burlap (found at Walmart or craft stores)

Fillers: {First, a large can of tomatoes to take up space} 

Bottom- dried black beans

Middle- old fashioned oats

Top- popcorn kernels

Candles: small red candle & 2 candlesticks