Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
2 eggs
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tbs canola oil

In a medium sized bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. In another large bowl add eggs, yogurt, pumpkin puree, and two tablespoons oil. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Then just cook your cakes! These are light and fluffy and kind of remind me of the pancakes I made with ricotta. I was looking for a use for all my yogurt so this was perfect. This recipe makes a lot of pancakes, but we love leftovers at our house. They freeze and refrigerate great!

Apple Pie

This is an annual tradition at my parents house. We make atleast 12 pies to freeze and enjoy for the year ahead. The recipe for the crust is enough to make atleast 12 pies. The apple pie filling recipe is enough to make 1 pie.

Flaky pie crust starter
12 1/2 cups flour
2 T salt
5 cups shortening

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Mixture will resemble cornmeal in texture. Put in a large container, label and store in the freezer.

Flaky pie crust
2 1/2 cups flaky pie crust starter
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg, beaten
1 T vinegar

Crumble flaky pie crust mix, if frozen. Put mix in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine ice water, egg and vinegar. Sprinkle a spoonful of water mixture at a time over the flaky pie crust mix and toss with a fork until the dough barely clings together in the bowl. Roll out dough to desired thickness between 2 sheets of floured wax paper. Place dough in a 9 inch pie plate without stretching. Flute edges. If you are using the pie crust for a apple pie fill with apple filling. Otherwise you can bake the pie crust at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

Apple pie filling
6 to 8 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 -1 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2-1 t cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together and add to pie shell. Top with 2 T butter cut up into small pieces and top with additional crust or crumble topping. Freeze. To bake from frozen bake 20 minutes at 425 and an additional 50 minutes at 375.

Homemade yogurt in the crockpot

I was wanting to get a yogurt maker but then read on another blog that making yogurt in the crockpot IS possible. It is so easy too!

Ingredients
8 cups (half-gallon) of whole milk
1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you need to have a starter. Once you have made your own, you can use that as a starter)
thick bath towel

Plug in your crockpot and turn to low. Add an entire half gallon of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

Unplug your crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.

When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation. Let it sit for 8 hours.

Fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch. It isn't quite as thick as store bought, but still has a nice consistency.

I'm so excited about this, but now need to think of ways to use all this fresh yogurt I made. Any ideas?

Root Vegetable Lasagna

This was delicious and both James and Todd LOVED it! It was very time consuming though and something that I would probably only make on the weekends.
Root Vegetable Lasagna from Cooking Light
Ingredients
6 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)
2 cups coarsely chopped onion, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
4 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated Parmesan
9 packaged no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450°. Combine squash, potato, 1 cup chopped onion, and oil in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray, tossing to coat vegetables. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once; set aside. Combine remaining 1 cup onion, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Strain milk mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return milk mixture to pan. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour, salt, and pepper to milk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over milk mixture; top with half of squash mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and 1 cup milk mixture. Repeat layer with noodles, squash mixture, mozzarella, and milk mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups flour(divided)
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar (divided)
1/2 cup butter
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

To make crust combine 1 cup of flour, oats and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cut in the 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom of an ungreased 9 X 12pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. While the crust is cooking mix up the filling by combining the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Pour filling over crust and continue to bake for 25 minutes. To make streusel topping coming remaining 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs and stir in the pecans. Sprinkle with topping and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Cool for 1 hours and then chill for atleast 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream!

Chicken enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of black pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1/2 cup salsa
6 (6-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot and add a touch of olive oil; add bell pepper and onion. Sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Combine flour, coriander, and black pepper in a medium bowl; gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Add to saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and sour cream. Combine 1 cup cheese mixture, turkey, and salsa in a bowl.

Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining cheese mixture over tortillas. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until bubbly.