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Alana

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Breakfast By November 18, 2015 Tags: , , 1 Comment

 

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I told you there would be more pumpkin recipes! With the pumpkin purée I recently made, I needed to find ways to use it and I could think of no better way than pumpkin cinnamon rolls. After waking up to the remnants of a blizzard, I had a craving for something warm and sweet to go with a cup of coffee and 8 inches of snow. These pumpkin cinnamon rolls did the trick.

 

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While the dough does take some time to rise, it is a relatively easy, and very delicious recipe. I used the time while the dough was rising to go for a walk outside in the snow. It may be freezing out but I really enjoy being able to get out and see the snow first hand. I figure the more I am out in it, the easier it will be for me to handle the coming winter!

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Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Squash By November 16, 2015 Tags: No Comments

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I know this may sound a little intimidating, but have no fear, making your own pumpkin puree is not that difficult! This is actually the first time I have made it. I decided to do so after I had been staring at the pumpkin on top of my mantel that has been part of my Fall decor. To not waste a perfectly good pumpkin, I figured what better way for it to fulfill its destiny than turning it into pumpkin puree!

 

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It was so beautiful I was sad to say goodbye, however excited to say hello to all it could become. Pumpkin bars, cookies, breads, pies, cinnamon rolls: all these goodies could be in its future!

As you can see it’s not a very big pumpkin. It’s best for pumpkin puree to not use a large pumpkin that you would typically use for carving. The bigger pumpkins are, the more likely they will have a different texture and taste. This pumpkin was labeled a pie pumpkin so that’s a good way to know what it’s good for.

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Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Cheese, Pasta By November 13, 2015 Tags: , 3 Comments

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The other day, I woke up at 6 am anxious, excited, and unable to sleep, waiting for the sun to come up. Why you might ask? Well because I knew that it had been snowing all night and I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like outside. As I have mentioned a real winter is brand new to me. Seeing snow fall is something I have only seen a handful of times. So as soon as the sun came up my boyfriend Craig and I ran outside to the park across the street to enjoy the falling snow. It may have snowed a little last week but this time we got about 5 inches. It was very exciting for us. We were definitely the only people out there!

The cold weather made me crave some comfort food, and what is more comforting than macaroni and cheese? Almost nothing I think. So that is exactly what I made.

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Look at all that cheese! Yum!

I used 3 different cheeses for this recipe: sharp white cheddar, mild yellow cheddar, and fontina. If you ask me these are some of the best cheeses to use when making mac and cheese. The cheddars give it a nice flavor and the fontina gives it a rich creaminess. Really you can use whatever variety of cheeses you want, this just happens to be one of my favorite combinations. Gruyere is also a winner when it comes to mac and cheese. I have tried a lot of cheeses when it comes to making mac and cheese…

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Quinoa & Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Dinner By November 10, 2015 Tags: , , , , 4 Comments

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There are always go-to recipes that you can make any day of the week. This is one of those recipes. I came up with this recipe years ago when trying to think of something healthy to make and have leftovers to easily pack for lunch. I’ve seen lots of stuffed pepper recipes, but they are usually made with rice and ground beef. This recipe swaps quinoa and ground turkey to make it something you can feel good about eating. Add in some kale and tomatoes you have a real winner!

 

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I actually ran out of tomatoes so I added a 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes instead. Sometimes adaptation is the best skill a cook can have!

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Pumpkin Waffles

Breakfast By November 8, 2015 Tags: , , 3 Comments

While I love to cook, there are times when I wish food was ready as soon as I walked into the kitchen. This is usually the case about breakfast. When I wake up in the morning and open the bedroom door I always hope there will be a extravagant breakfast spread waiting for me. Not sure why I always think about is, my guess is it probably has to do with being a kid and waking up to the smell of pancakes, muffins, or waffles. I wish this were the case every morning. Sadly this is not the case these days, as I have not hired a personal chef. So I will just have to make my own wonderful breakfast spread! That is what I did today and it included these wonderful pumpkin waffles.

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I had some pumpkin purée leftover from the pumpkin bread I recently made and have been trying to think of a way to use it. Waffles or pancakes came to my mind and as you can see waffles were the winner! And they were a winner indeed.

I made them in this cute heart-shaped waffle iron passed down to me from my mother. Five hearts come out together and you can break them up to make single hearts perfect for kids or for stealing one as you make them.

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