Food For Health
When we think of pumpkin we usually think about the traditional things like carving a pumpkin for Halloween and roasting the seeds which is so delicious, and pumpkin seeds are packed full with nutrients, or the traditional thanksgiving pie the pumpkin pie but pumpkins can be made in so many different ways from soup to a pumpkin mash and pumpkin is packed full of vitamins.
Pumpkin is known for its high amounts of vitamin A and helps to keep healthy eye sight. Pumpkin is full of fiber and a diet high in fiber helps you to feel full longer so eat some pumpkin and you won't need that late night snack before bed, This year go ahead and take the time to roast those pumpkin seeds after you carve your pumpkins because pumpkin seeds are great for the heart and they help to boost your mood Pumpkins help fight off the biggest bad guy CANCER. And it helps to prevent wrinkles.
For all my fellow gardeners out there I looked up some tips on growing pumpkins.
Pumpkins are easy enough to grow if you'd like to start a pumpkin patch in your backyard. You just need to designate a nice big space for them. They take a long growing season so you'll want to plant them as soon as there is no more signs of frost like around May, Ill remind you next year for those of you that have to deal with the good ol winter or if you're lucky like we are then there will be no signs of frost all year so go ahead and plant yourself a pumpkin patch. They need a lot of water and a lot of compost. When you water them try not to get the leaves wet this will prevent rotting and they need a deep water so let the hose run for awhile. Pinch off the fuzzy end of the vine after a few pumpkins have come on to stop the vine growth so the energy can be directed towards the fruit. As the fruit develops you should give it a very gentle turn to help it keep its round shape but don't hurt the attachment vine because this will ruin the fruit.
PUMPKIN SOUP
Large, woody pumpkins are perfect for jack-o’-lanterns; save the tender little ones for this savory soup. well-deserved treat after a chilly leaf-raking session.
The Nice lady at the Pumpkin Patch turned me onto this Pumpkin she said its the best for soups, and she was right it was delicious!!
The pumpkin can be roasted a day ahead, removed from the skin, and refrigerated until you’re ready to make the soup.
INGREDIENTS
1 (4-pound) sugar baby pumpkin, cut in half and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-dice bacon (about 3 slices)
1/2 cup small-dice shallots (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup dry (fino) sherry
2 cups stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
Parsley Croutons, for garnish (optional)
1 (4-pound) sugar baby pumpkin, cut in half and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-dice bacon (about 3 slices)
1/2 cup small-dice shallots (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup dry (fino) sherry
2 cups stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
Parsley Croutons, for garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Rub the cut halves of the pumpkin with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up and roast until fragrant, tender when pierced with a fork, and golden brown, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
Using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh, place it in a medium bowl (you should have about 3 cups), and set it aside.
Place the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until crispy and the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add the shallots to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock or broth, water, thyme, and reserved pumpkin and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam from the hot soup to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Place the blended soup in a clean saucepan. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the reserved bacon and the croutons, if using.
Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Rub the cut halves of the pumpkin with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up and roast until fragrant, tender when pierced with a fork, and golden brown, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
Using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh, place it in a medium bowl (you should have about 3 cups), and set it aside.
Place the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until crispy and the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add the shallots to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock or broth, water, thyme, and reserved pumpkin and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam from the hot soup to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Place the blended soup in a clean saucepan. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the reserved bacon and the croutons, if using.
We got that recipe from this website: http://www.chow.com/recipes/28963-roasted-pumpkin-soup-
Pumpkin Cheese Cake
| 1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies) |
1/4 cup butter, melted 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ounces white baking chocolate, melted and cooled 3/4 cup canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg ALMOND TOPPING: 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon sugar
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in melted white chocolate.
- Combine pumpkin and spices; gently fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until center is just set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients; spread in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice. Cool.
- Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen cheesecake; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Transfer topping to an airtight container; store in the refrigerator.
- Remove sides of pan. Just before serving, sprinkle topping over cheesecake. Yield: 12 servings.
We got that recipe from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/white-chocolate-pumpkin-cheesecake-with-almond-topping
Apples are in season right now and good thing too because they are perfect for a great game of bobbing for apples at your Halloween parties this year. They are also a great health food to help counteract all of the crazy GMO candy we will be letting our children eat during the night of Halloween and probably the next week after Halloween too, unless you are awesome and tax the kids stash for yourself so they only have half the candy and let them eat all of it in one night so it can just be done and out of the house. Great plan!! When the kids wake up the next morning with a candy hangover and rotting teeth why not throw some apples in their diet. Apples just so happen to be great for your teeth. they boost your immune system, detoxify your liver, they even help with both diarrhea and constipation.
Apples are known to help prevent both of those awful diseases. In fact studies have shown that people who eat a diet that is high in fibre are less likely to get Parkinson's disease. On a more Halloween Creepy side if you eat to many apple seeds it'll poison you and you'll die. You know what else will kill ya pesticides If you are getting your apples from the grocery stores just make sure you give them a really good wash before eating them. Apples are highly sprayed with pesticides and since you eat the skin of the apple you too will ingest those pesticides and we all know that aint good for the ol body.
Apple French Toast
Apple French Toast
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
6 slices bread
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving
3 apples, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup maple syrup
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of ground cinnamon in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the bread in a single layer, turning until all the egg is absorbed.
STEP 2
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter, and add apples, stirring to coat until starting to caramelize. Add the water, cooking until water has evaporated and apples are tender, about 4 minutes.
STEP 3
Pour in the maple syrup and a dash of ground cinnamon; simmer for a minute to combine.
STEP 4
In a large, heated nonstick skillet, melt about 1 tablespoon butter and saute the soaked bread until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes. Place French toast on a plate and top with apple-maple mixture, plus more butter if you'd like!
We got that recipe from: http://www.marthastewart.com/348627/apple-maple-french-toast
Last Minute Costume Ideas
This garden gnome costume is cute and easy all you need is some black sweat pants, a blue sweat shirt, some black felt for a belt, and some red felt for the hat. We used gray yarn for the beard.
This costume is so easy. You take an old laundry basket and cut off the bottom. Using a drill drill four holes one on each side of the basket and attach some yarn so you can put your arms through. Then take some white and red yarn and glue it on the basket. You can add meatballs by getting some foam balls and painting them brown and glueing those on too. Easy Breezy
How about dressing up as a bag of jelly beans. Its so easy you just take a clear plastic bag cut out holes for your arms and legs, fill the bag with balloons, and maybe even draw Jelly Belly on the bag. It doesn't get any easier than that.
Why not humiliate your dog this year and buy this skunk costume hahahaha
A Big Thank You To Our Models!!
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GOOD TALK!
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