(zippy) Pumpkin Muffin Doughnuts

OKAY, girlies...you should be ecstatic over this recipe.

Not only is there NO SOY FLOUR involved, but it also calls for a real egg. Like a real, live baaahk, baaahk chicken egg! Aren't you happy? For those of you who have bought your soy flour, there are plenty more recipes calling for it. But to be fair, I decided to do an old-fashioned recipe with old-fashioned, easy-to-find ingredients. OH!!! I also used SALTED BUTTER! :)

And since my e-mail has been filled with questions about the "special flour", unsalted butter, organic sugar and sea salt...they are just what I use. You can most definitely use regular sugar, butter, salt and eggs.

The reason I am detailed about ingredients: In the past when I have given out recipes, friends will make something and they will comment that it didn't taste "the same". AND I have asked for recipes and when I make it, it doesn't taste anything like it {like my MOMMA!!!!!} so, I like exact ingredients and I write them up with the boring details, so that if somebody tastes something I have made...they can re-create it and then go from there on how they would like to improve and change it up! And I am sorry about those of you who do not have Trader Joes or Costco. I think I would die. BUT, you may have some stores that we don't that may have even better ingredients to choose from!

Alrighty! Enough blah.blah.blah! Hope this all makes sense.


Pumpkin Muffin Donuts

Lisa Pearson

Goodness Gracious! These little muffins were looooong overdue for a teeny tiny makeover!

1/3 cup pure pumpkin {no spices added}

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 EGG

1 1/2 cups flour {I like the wheat/white mix from Costco}

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg...fresh ground if possible

1/2 cup 2% milk


Dunking Ingredients:

1/2 cup SALTED butter

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon


Directions:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream pumpkin, sugar and egg. Add dry ingredients and mix until mixture is thoroughly combined. Add milk gradually while mixing. Using ice cream scoop, Fill 8 greased muffin tin holes. Bake @ 325 for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Combine dunking sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Melt butter in a bowl.
Dunk {I love that word!} warm muffins in melted butter and then right into the cinnamon sugar. Take a big bite with an ice cold glass of milk and jot down a note to yourself to be sure to double the recipe next time!!!!

OVER THE TOP VARIATION!!! Combine 1/2 cup organic sugar, 1/2 stick of unsalted melted butter and 2 Tbsp. light rum. YEP! RUM! Dunk in rum sauce and then coat in cinnamon sugar! YOU will be IN.LOVE!




In other news...I was so excited to meet my bloggy friend, Chelsia today! She is adorable and oh.so.sweet. We could have talked much longer!! Thank you, Chelsia!!

Laurissa started her second year of college and has changed her major!!! She will be studying to go into the medical field.

Caleb had his second surgery last week to remove some pins and to manipulate the hand for MORE x-rays!

We were "shooting star" hunting last night and did not spy one.single.one! BUT the sky was magnificient!

Once again, the fridge is empty and I am pretty sure I just went shopping. I think we have elves that eat between the hours of midnight and 5 AM!

My momma brought a homemade berry pie to go along with our dinner the other night. There is one sliver left that needs to be eaten before the elves get to it!!!

I think I need to make some more pies in a jar to give away! They just make you feel so loved! {No need to write emails of concern...I already am fully aware that I have food issues...what is wrong with food=love?} At least has been proven...scientifically! :}

LOVE to YOU

...and Happy Happy Wednesday!


Shared with: comfy in the kitchen, newlyweds, Stone Gable, hungry little girl, the picket fence

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Organizing Receipts...the simple way

With school just starting and with the holidays right around the corner, I thought I would share a very simple way of organizing your receipts.

It can be so frustrating hunting for the one receipt you need. How many of us have spent hours looking everywhere but in the fridge trying to recoop the one receipt you need?

Well...not anymore! Of course you will need to take a moment and file it, but it will be worth the few minutes you take when you know exactly where to find it.

I used to file receipts according to who the item belonged to. Let me tell ya, that does NOT work when you bought two different things for two different people at the same store. I know. I am very slow, but it took me forever and a day to figure it out.

SOOOOOOO...I bought white CATALOG ENVELOPES, not too big and not too small. Each store that we buy from on a regular basis has its own FILING TAB marked with the store name.





For example: TARGET has its own envelope. Everything we buy from Target goes into that envelope.





All CATALOG ENVELOPES are placed into the MAIN file labeled RECEIPTS. I have a "to file" section on my desk and that is where the receipts are put until they drive me crazy and I take the time to file them. It only takes a few minutes and it is so nice to know where to find what you need. It is especially great for GIFTS. Not just at Christmas-time, but year-round.

I always ask for the gift receipt and include it with the gift, but you have no idea how many times it gets lost and YOU have the back-up! YAY!!!

I bought FILING TABS that are really tough and they can easily be repositioned.{POST IT...from Staples in the filing section}







Since I can hardly read my own writing, and I love a clean and simple look, I used my very very very very favorite label maker with a small font to label each tab.





That is it! And by the way, if you are using smaller envelopes there is NO WAY one can stash receipts that expired in 2005!


***WHAT ABOUT STORES YOU RARELY PURCHASE FROM? Each family member has their own envelope for this. For example: Rarely do I shop at Nordstrom...but once in awhile I do, so, I would file that under "LISA".

Hope this makes more sense to you than it does to me. TUTORIALS are not my thing.

Happy Organizing! You will feel oh.so.domesticated once your receipts are organized. Just think of all the extra time you will have to do other things...like LAUNDRY and carpool!

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Mexican Stacki Upi Bowls

I realize, for most, picnic season is over...but the fun can be enjoyed ALL YEAR LONG!

Picnics are also dinners to-go when you are taking people meals! Did you know that? I am just kidding...but since I LOVE LOVE LOVE picnics...I like to think of it that way. Doesn't that sound like a fun thing to get to do???



We grew up on Javanese Stacki Upi's {frequently requested}...but this is the Mexican version:

Steamed Jasmine rice...white or brown

Yumm sauce {from YUMM Cafe} I am working on figuring this sauce out. This is optional...we just started using the sauce.

Warmed black beans

Grilled Chicken breast or rotisserie chicken from Costco {also optional}

Sliced olives

Cilantro, soaked, washed and patted dry, then chopped

Shredded Tillamook Cheese

Avocado, diced

Sour cream and Salsa

Jalapeno rounds...yummy!


That is it!

For a Picnic:

Just layer ingredients into to-go containers...send extra sour cream and salsa in portion cups.

For children: Layer rice, olives, cheese and chicken

***I have also sent all the toppings in individual chinese to-go boxes {Cash and Carry} and boxed up the rice in a large BIO BOX {Cash and Carry} Whatever floats your boat or what will work best for whom you will be taking a picnic to. :}

PLEASE don't forget the lemonade! REALLY, you neeeed this.

Sugar cookie sandwiches with lemon buttercream frosting for the filling

Don't forget to include fun napkins {inexpensive at IKEA} and plastic ware so there is no clean up or dishes to return.






For at home: Simply set out a large bowl of rice and all of the individual toppings on a kitchen island or dining room table and serve it buffet style.

For my birthday dinner, I wanted the table set nice, so I set the table with cloth napkins, silverware, champagne flutes and straws, PINK LEMONADE {A MUST WITH THIS MEAL!} ice water, candles and a birthday banner {more on this next week!!!!} and the dinner was set on the island along with the plates.

I served corn on the side along with spinach...chips and salsa. Easy peasy!!! You can make it as simple or as fancy schmancy as you like...but as you can see you will not be slaving over this very fun and healthy dinner. Best of all, if someone doesn't like something, they don't have to pick it out! YAY!

***Skewered grilled shrimp can dress this easy dinner up if you like***

Happy Saturday!!!



Shared with: Pink Saturday

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Scott's Firehouse Cornbread

I know a few of you are less than thrilled with reposts...but some of the oldies are goodies and I love passing along things that I enjoy with you...even if it is old news! :}

Have a Happy Day!



A few years ago, my hubby and I hosted a weekend conference for married couples. We chose the video series LOVE AND RESPECT by Emerson and Sarah Eggerich. We LOVE them. I think if you are planning on getting married or have been married for 99 years, there is something we all can learn!

Emerson was explaining how important it is for a man to feel respected by his wife while at the same time it is very important for wives to feel loved by their husbands. Respect for a man is one of his deepest needs.

I know. This is a cornbread post...not a marriage post. :}

During the conference, I took notes, shook my head in agreement, laughed at stories Emerson told as my hubby and I had plenty of inside jokes. I think, though that some things I smugly tuned out because after all we had been married for about 17 years, which is 17 years longer than a lot of people!

That verynext day. YEP. Sunday afternoon. As I was working on the weekly menu and finishing up the grocery list, I asked Scott if there was anything else he could think of that I needed to pick up at the store. He said, "BISQUICK."

I was thinking to myself: I do not buy BISQUICK. I do not use BISQUICK. It takes just a few minutes to make whatever it is that one might need BISQUICK on hand to make. There is no nutritional value in BISQUICK. In years past I made my own version of BISQUICK...why on God's green earth would you ask me to buy BISQUICK?!

My response: "There is NO WAY I am buying BISQUICK!!! Why do you need BISQUICK?" Scott: "Well, I thought I would make dinner and I wanted to make you a really good cornbread!" Snooty tooty pouty ME: "What's wrong with the one I make?" Okay the conversation went on and on. He was so sweet and was fine that I refused to buy the BISQUICK. OH.WHAT A SPOILED BRAT I was being...to say the least...all OVER BISQUICK!

As I was finishing up the shopping I headed down the baking aisle. All of a sudden, I felt absolutely horrible. Not to mention feeling like a total hypocrite. I walked past the bright yellow boxes of BISQUICK. I immediately called my hubby and apologized. He said, "that's okay, honey, you're right. I'm glad you are so careful with what you buy and how you take care of us." I started tearing up. I grabbed a BIG box of BISQUICk and quickly headed to check out.

Scott met me in the garage and carried in the groceries. As soon as he pulled out the yellow box, he had the biggest smile ever! He gave me a huge kiss and promised me it was going to be THE best cornbread EVER! Guess what? He was right. It is my absolute favorite and everybody else in our family loves it, too!

BISQUICK is regularly purchased and even has it's very own glass container with a little label that reads "BISQUICK". You may think this is funny, but it serves as a reminder that I am called to respect my husband and in return he will show me love. The principle works in reverse as well. The more my hubby shows me unconditional love the more I respect him.


"Nevertheless let each individual among you also LOVE his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she RESPECT her husband." Ephesians 5:33



Scott’s Firehouse Cornbread


2 cups Bisquick

6 Tbsp. cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or {1/2 cup coconut oil for vegan}

2 eggs or {2 tablespoons soy flour for vegan}

1 cup milk or {1 cup unsweetened soy milk for vegan}



















*Mix Bisquick, cornmeal and sugar together.

*Melt 1/2 cup butter in microwave.

*Add milk and eggs to melted butter.

*Stir.

*Pour milk mixture into Bisquick mixture.

*Stir.

*Pour batter into 8x8 greased baking dish.

*Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes until golden
brown.

Whatever you do, don't forge the honey butter OR yummy jam!!

Honey Bear Butter

1 stick of butter, softened

1/4 cup honey

a pinch of sea salt

*Mix ingredients together and whip for a couple of minutes until it is fluffy.

*Place into glass container and store in fridge.

*You will want to get it out a bit before serving so that it softens a bit.


Variations:

Add buttermilk instead of regular milk.

Soymilk may be substituted for regular milk.

Add: 1 jalapeno, 1/3 cup white cheddar and 3 sliced green onions, thinly sliced.





Shared with:  the Hungry Little Girl

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End of Summer 2011

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