Super Secret Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Walls Family Pumpkin Bread

My twelve year old son had a fit when I told him that I was going to post my pumpkin bread recipe on the "Growing Gourmets" blog. 


"But that's a secret family recipe," he protested.  


How sweet!  I smiled to myself and reassured him that if you have something wonderful, it's important to share it with others.  The best part of the story is that, contrary to his belief, the recipe is not one that was passed down in our family.  Back in my post college, pre-marriage days, I acquired a pumpkin bread recipe from a coworker that was pretty good.  BUT...I didn't like this and I added a little of that and made the recipe my own.  


Now, we make it every Fall and it has become my most requested recipe from friends and family.  Every birthday, preschool party, teacher gift and open house since, has included this family favorite and, in his eyes, it is a FAMILY TRADITION!  So, from our home to yours, we share the beloved "pumpkin bread" recipe and hope it brings you full tummies and happy hearts.


Happy Thanksgiving from the Walls!!


Pumpkin Bread
3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cups molasses
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two loaf pans.  


In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar and eggs.  Beat with mixers on medium speed until creamy.  Add the pumpkin puree and molasses and continue beating until thoroughly mixed.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, beating on low speed until incorporated.  Do not over mix the batter.  Pour batter into the greased and floured loaf pans, dividing batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of bread comes out clean.

Holiday Cooking Classes

Holiday Cooking Classes Return

Even though it’s a busy time of year, packed with school, sports, and various activities, the holidays are a wonderful time to come together as a family.  When we take time to enjoy family traditions, we build lasting memories for our children.  Many of those memories take place in the kitchen or around the table, from making grandma’s cornbread dressing to the annual cookie decorating weekend with dad. 

Consider encouraging these moments by developing culinary skills in your children.  “Growing Gourmets” is offering 3 opportunities for your kids to gain skills in the kitchen and discover recipes that may just start a new tradition in your family!

Tricky Treats (next Saturday)

October 31; 10:00 am-12:00 pm           $20.00

(6-12 year olds)

Wear your costumes to our monster mash where we will brew up a new batch of spooky treats!  A favorite class, this year we meet on Halloween morning!!  We will start with a cauldron full of punch, cheese ball spiders and yummy mummy dogs.  But it wouldn’t be Halloween without the sweets, so we will finish with candy corn pie and caramel apples.   Your child is sure to have a howlin’ good time at this Halloween bash.

Let’s Give Thanks!

November 21; 10:00 am-12:00 pm        $20.00

(6-12 year olds)

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without the whole family gathered around the table to enjoy family recipes passed down from generations.  This year your child will be able to add his own creation to the table when he learns how to bake traditional holiday dishes.  He will have such fun making edible cornucopias and turkeys and trying out recipes for caramel apple crunch pie, sweet potato mousse and homemade crispy cheese crackers. 

Visions of Sugarplums

December 12; 10:00 am-12:00 pm         $20.00

(6-12 year olds)

Does your child have visions of sugarplums dancing in her head?  She will after taking this sweet-filled class where holiday baking and candy-making take center stage.  Last year’s class was SO MUCH FUN for the kids and I had a blast too!!  Each child will make marshmallow pops, homemade candies and of course decorate sugar cookies to take home in a holiday tin.

"Not very healthy but terribly delicious" Homemade Donuts

Yummy chocolate glazed donuts made from biscuits.

This is such a fun recipe to do with kids but I have 2 warnings.  First, donuts are never the healthiest breakfast but wonderful for a special occasion or lazy Saturday morning.  Second, this recipe involves deep frying so you have to be extremely careful with hot oil when kids are around.  In my cooking classes I am very careful to keep the kids at a safe distance from the hot oil since it can pop as you put in the dough.  As the instructor, I always do all the frying and stove top cooking myself as they observe.


Having said that, every person (child or adult) who tries these donuts seems to grab the counter after the first bite (to keep from falling over).  They are that good.  Be sure and try some with powdered sugar, some with cinnamon sugar and dip a few in the vanilla and chocolate glazes (recipes follow) but be quick, if you look away for too long, they will disappear!

"Not very healthy but terribly delicious" Homemade Donuts

2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Canola oil, for frying 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

Icings:

2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

5 tablespoons milk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Colored sprinkles

Chocolate sprinkles

Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. In a shallow bowl, stir together the ground cinnamon and sugar and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, set aside. This is the vanilla icing. In another bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of milk and set aside. This is the chocolate icing.

Lay out the biscuits on a cutting board and with a 1/4 to 1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter (or any small circle you can find), cut out a hole from the middle of each biscuit. Fry them in the oil until just golden and then flip with tongs to fry the other side. Be careful not to cook them to long. You can even fry the donut holes. Drain on paper towels and then toss in the cinnamon-sugar or ice and decorate with sprinkles, as desired.

Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Tomato Basil Soup

As promised, here is a delicious recipe for tomato basil soup. I think this version is mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. You can always use less basil for an even milder flavor, if the basil is too intense for little ones. Our family loves the soup. I serve it with a big caesar salad and french bread. It's a perfect fall meal. I hope you all enjoy.

Tomato Basil Soup

l large can crushed tomatos

4 cups tomato juice

1 stick butter

15 leaves of fresh basil

1 cup cream (or half & half for a lighter version)

Puree tomatos in a food processor or blender. If you like a thicker soup, adjust accordingly. Add the basil leaves to the tomato puree and pulse again until basil is in minced. Pour this tomato mixture into a large stock pot. Add the tomato juice and butter and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream (or half & half). Stir and return to low heat until heated through. Remove from heat and serve in bowls or cups with bread and salad.

Late Summer Garden: Basil Pesto

Sweet baby girl picking basil from the garden.

The end of summer is near. Well, the kids are all back in school but the weather hasn't changed much. Nevertheless, all the summer gardening has come to fruition, the tomatos are delicious and the watermelons are growing. Or maybe you just threw some basil in a pot and called it quits when the temperature soared to the 100's in JUNE! Either way, it's time to use some of the leaves from those giant basil plants that we keep pruning before they go to seed and turn bitter. So here is your August reminder...pick that basil... and if you are wondering what to do with it, here are a few ideas.

Consider tomato basil soup, the recipe is coming soon, though I realize this little gem has been cirulating for some time. The kids love it with a small salad or fresh veggies and sourdough bread. Think "La Madeleine". Maybe grab a few leaves and tuck them along with some sundried tomatos under the skin of your chicken before you bake it.

Or, make some pesto! We have made this recipe several times in my cooking classes and the kids really like it. Pesto is readily available at the supermarket these days, but I promise, if you make homemade...you'll appreciate the difference. So, gather all the family together at the table and enjoy this simple but delicious recipe.

Fresh Basil Pesto with Pasta

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

You do need either a food processor or blender to make pesto! First, combine the basil and the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor or blend on high a few seconds in the blender. Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor or blender is in motion. Stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. It will make about 1 cup of pesto which is enough for a pound of pasta.

Fresh pesto is great on any kind of pasta but bowtie pasta is fun and yummy! So, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the boiling pasta. Then immediately pour into a bowl and add the pesto while the pasta is still steaming hot. Add a salad and serve to your family and friends for a yummy dinner!

Chicken and Dumplings

Fall is coming and even though we are still sweltering in the Texas heat, I find myself looking over all those warm, delicious recipes I make when autumn finally does arrive. I decided to share my mom’s chicken and dumplings recipe with you, because I honestly make this year round.

Each of my children request this meal on their birthdays (no happy meals for them) and just yesterday my daughter asked me to make it for dinner. Now I realize EVERYONE in the south has a favorite version of chicken and dumplings passed down from Grandma, but I created a short cut for those of us with extremely busy lives. So, crank down the AC, pretend it’s a cool autumn evening and try my version of a Southern classic.

Mom’s Chicken and Dumplings

Broth

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken (see my February blog for recipe or pick one up at the grocery store if you are in a hurry)

2 quarts of water

1-2 teaspoons salt

pepper to taste

carrots (optional)

Dumplings

3 cups flour

1½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Place the rotisserie chicken in a large cooking pot and cover with water (approximately 2 quarts) and cover with lid. Place on stove and cook over low heat letting it simmer for 1- 1 ½ hours. Remove pot from heat and carefully place chicken on a large plate or platter. Strain and reserve all stock, pouring it back into the pot. Place the stock pot with stock back over low heat and continue to simmer. Let chicken cool and then debone, pulling it into small pieces and placing in the broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

As the chicken broth simmers, make the dumplings. Measure 3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add 1½ cups water and stir until the dough comes together into a nice ball. Flour a work surface and place dough in the center, kneading just until the dough comes together and is smooth. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle approximately 12” by 15” or until dough is a ¼ inch thick. Cut dough lengthwise into long 1 inch strips. Then cut each strip into 2 inch pieces forming large bite-sized pieces.

My dumplings are rectangles about 1”x2” but you can make them any size. Dust the top of the dumplings with more flour and carefully drop them into the simmering broth one or two at a time. After all the dumplings are in, you can add baby carrots as an option is you want to sneak in some vegetables. Simmer for another 20 minutes and serve.

French Madeleines

French Madeleines

I am so excited! I just got my new madeleine pan delivered to my door from Amazon. I felt just like a little kid opening a package on Christmas morning. I don't know how many of you have enjoyed these tasty little cakes, but they are wonderful when served fresh from the oven. You can buy them at La Madeleines or Starbucks even, but they are not cheap. They taste great with coffee or hot tea and I have wanted to make my own for some time now. I perused several recipes, but never could find the special madeleine pan when shopping around town.

I finally decided to just buy online and in just a couple of days...POOF...like magic it was sitting at my door. So, today I will share a recipe with you for Madeleines. I actually read over several recipes and tried a few of them, but the key factor that gives them their nutty flavor, seems to be in melting and browning the butter. Not all recipes call for this, but it is worth the extra time.

Speaking of time, it really doesn't take much time at all. It takes about the same time as homemade chocolate chip cookies, but oh so good! Only problem is that they don't last. This is now the sad fact...I wish that I would have bought 2 pans, so that I could have double batches cooking at the same time. Oh, well...my birthday is coming up so I'll file that "gift idea" for later. Technically you could make these little cakes in a mini muffin pan, but they do look beautiful in their classic shell pattern. So, think about the small investment...as a madeleine crumbles in my mouth, I decide it is worth it!

French Madeleines Recipe

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 4 large eggs

2/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon good vanilla extract

1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of one large lemon powered sugar

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat until it's brown and gives off a deliciously nutty aroma. The butter will need to cook around 20 minutes, to achieve the beautiful golden brown color. Remove butter from heat and strain it over a small bowl using a paper towel over a mesh strainer. You want to remove the fat solids and leave the clarified butter.

While the butter is cooling, spray cooking oil evenly into each shell of the madeleine pan making sure you get into all the ridges. Dust with flour and invert the pan, tapping out the excess flour.

Crack the four eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can use a hand held mixer if you want, just be sure to use a spatula when folding in the flour. Add salt and whip on high speed until thick and the eggs double to triple in volume, approximately 3 minutes. Continue to mix on high speed, slowly adding the sugar in a steady stream. Whip for another couple minutes unitl the mixture is thick.

Fold in the lemon zest and vanilla with a spatula. Next, fold in the flour and butter mixture, alternating each and stirring just until incoporated. Sppon battter into the molds of the pan, filling each one 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the Madeleines are golden brown. Remove from oven and unmold immediately. Cool on racks and dust with powdered sugar.