Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

It's that pumpkin time of year again.  Yes, I am one of those people who look forward to the Pumpkin Spice Latte at my local coffee shop every fall!  So if you like me are craving all things pumpkin .. try these yummy muffins today.

~ Connie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

• Baking spray with flour

• 1 c.

  unsweetened pumpkin puree

• 1/2 c.

  packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 c.

  granulated sugar

• 1/2 c.

  vegetable oil

• 2

  large eggs

• 1/4 c.

  buttermilk

• 1/2 tsp.

  vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 c.

  all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp.

  pumpkin pie spice

• 3/4 tsp.

  baking powder

• 1/2 tsp.

  baking soda

• 1/2 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 1 c.

  mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, or spray with baking spray with flour.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup mini chocolate chips.

3. Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup or scoop, drop a level scoop of batter into each lined muffin cup. Top the scooped batter evenly with the remaining ¼ cup mini chocolate chips.

4. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.

Tip: Double the recipe and freeze half the muffins. Take them out to defrost overnight at room temperature for a fresh treat!

A meaningful gift

Earlier this year my sister shared with me an idea she is doing for her granddaughter.  She purchased a Bible with wide margins for journaling and drawing and she is using this Bible in her daily prayer times.  Kate plans to do some journaling in this Bible for her granddaughter Bea as she prays for her and thinks of verses that she wants to share.  Beatrice is just a toddler now but this will be a special gift in the future from her grandmother on her confirmation day.  

I really loved this idea and want to start a similar one for my oldest granddaughter who is 7.  I still have a few years to get this project done before Adalynn makes her confirmation ... so I was happy to find a similar Bible in my local Christian bookstore. 😊  I think this truly could be a meaningful and lovely gift.

~ Connie

White Chicken Chili

 

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• ▢1 small yellow onion , chopped (about ½ cup)
• ▢2 garlic cloves , finely minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder)
• ▢2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢2 4 oz cans diced green chilies
• ▢1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢1/2 small lime , juice from
• ▢salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• ▢2 15 oz cans great northern beans
• ▢1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• ▢1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
• ▢2 heaping cups cooked chicken , shredded (rotisserie or left-over chicken*)

Topping Suggestions:

• ▢Fresh cilantro
• ▢shredded cheese
• ▢tortilla chips
• ▢green onions
• ▢avocado

• Heat olive oil in a large (5-6 quart) pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Drain and rinse beans in a strainer.
• Measure out a big ladleful of the beans and add to a food processor with a splash of broth from the soup. Puree until smooth (this step is optional but helps to yield the creamy and thick texture we want from this chili!) .
• Add pureed beans, whole beans and corn to the soup pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cooked chicken.
• Serve garnished with cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado slices and tortilla chips if desired.

My first baby quilt project

These fabrics are now becoming my first handmade quilt project.  In the last couple of years I have gotten back into sewing as a hobby.  When my kids were small I enjoyed sewing for them but when two small boys caused a sewing machine mishap the sewing ended.  I was soon too busy anyway with kid activities and running my design business to find time to sew.  Last fall John surprised me with a new sewing machine and I have certainly enjoyed getting back to sewing.  Grandkids are a great excuse to sew up some fun projects!  There have been craft aprons and overalls and frilly little pink dresses and of course there are many Christmas ideas on my project list.  

Learning to quilt has been something new to learn and I first experimented with a quilted bag that I call my "Gram bag".  It's a bag I can take on my visits with the grandkids and it's filled with craft supplies, snacks and story books.

Now I am on to my next quilt project which will be a crib quilt for my new little grandson.  It's been a learning process and it certainly has a few mistakes but in all I am quite pleased with my quilt.  Hopefully at Christmas it will be a gift that is loved and appreciated for a long time.

Let me know if you sew too!

~ Connie

                                My quilted "Gram Bag"                                 

                                            

Lemon Bundt Cake

 

One of my favorite cake recipes is my Aunt Jane's lemon bundt cake.  I love it so much I usually have it on my birthday every year.  This month my daughter Abigail is turning 27 and she asked if I would make that cake for her birthday.  She says it's her favorite cake too.

The recipe is simple and oh so delish!

Lemon Bundt Cake

1 lemon cake mix

1 box instant lemon pudding

1 c. milk

3/4 c. oil

3 eggs

Mix all ingredients as directed on cake mix.  Grease a bundt cake pan well.  Pour in batter evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes in pan then invert on serving plate to finish cooling.

When completely cool glaze with a mixture of 1 c. powdered sugar and 1/3 c. lemon juice.  the glaze can be tinted with yellow food coloring if desired.

If you need an easy and delicious cake try this one.

~ Connie

Canning time!

 It's that time of year when I am up to my eyeballs in tomatoes!  The tomatoes are John's babies in the garden and he faithfully prunes, fertilizes and waters all season.  As a result we usually have a bumper crop and I am kept busy for weeks making salsa, making tomato sauce and making homemade BBQ sauce.  It's a lot of work but everything tastes so good when it is homemade!  And I really enjoy having a stock pile of salsa and sauces to use in recipes all year long.  So if you garden I hope you are enjoying this harvest season too.  Before too many weeks pass our gardening season will be wrapping up.  So enjoy all that fresh summer produce while you can.

~ Connie

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

 

• Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• 
  
• Ingredients
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil (vegetable or canola oil)
• ▢1 pound ground chicken
• ▢4 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢1/2 sweet onion , chopped
• ▢1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢1 cup carrot , shredded
• ▢1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage
• ▢3 green onions chopped

    Sauce

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro , chopped
• ▢1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
• ▢1 Tablespoon chunky peanut butter , or smooth
• ▢1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• ▢2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• ▢crushed red pepper flakes , to taste
• ▢Boston Bib lettuce , or romaine lettuce leaves

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chicken, garlic, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.


• Add the carrots, cabbage, and green onions, cooking an additional 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• In a small bowl, combine the sweet chili sauce, ginger, chunky peanut butter, and soy sauce, and crushed red pepper. Stir until smooth. Add to pan along with chopped cilantro. Stir to coat.
• Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves and enjoy!