It's October!  The perfect time for pumpkin recipes.  I am searching through my recipe files for some of my favorite recipes that involve that great big orange fruit so popular in October, the pumpkin.  I would love to share this delicious pumpkin bread recipe with you; but first, let's have a little pumpkin lesson:

The pumpkin is more than a Fall and Halloween decoration; it is a wonderful fruit to use in recipes.  From urbanext.uiuc.edu,

The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word "pepon" for "large melon".  It was changed by the French into "pompon".  Then the English came along and changed it into "pumpion".  Shakespeare referred to the "pumpion" in his Merry Wives of Windsor.  The American Colonists changed "pumpion" into what is is refereed to today, the "pumpkin".

Native Americans dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats.  They also roasted strips of pumpkin on the open fire and ate them.  The origin of pumpkin pie occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes.

Okay, now time for the good stuff.  This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe and I bet if you make it, it will be yours too.  The good thing is, if you make this recipe using the substitutions I suggest in the ingredients, it is a healthy pumpkin bread:

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups solid pack pumpkin puree (you can use canned or fresh pumpkin)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs (you can substitute egg beaters)

Directions

1. Grease and flour three 7 x 3 inch pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Measure flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pumpkin, water, oil and/or applesauce, eggs, and nuts. Beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for approximately 1 hour.

 This recipe is a great way to bring in Fall.  I hope you enjoy this pumpkin bread as much as my family does.  If you have a favorite pumpkin recipe please share it with us.

I had to share this with you... cookscountrytv.com is my new favorite web site!  I love to cook, try new recipes and especially love to eat; so this site fits me perfectly.

What is Cook's Country Television all about?  From their site:

Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen uncovers the best of American home cooking. Our recipes are developed through in-depth kitchen testing. The result: foolproof recipes you can trust to work the first time—and every time.

Cooks's Country from America's Test Kitchen features the cast and crew of America's Test Kitchen, the top-rated cooking show on public television — now in its ninth season. Our new show is filmed in a renovated 1806 farmhouse with a full working test kitchen.

You can also find the link to America's Test Kitchen there. 

America’s Test Kitchen is a real 2,500 square foot test kitchen located just outside of Boston that is home to more than three dozen full-time cooks and product testers. Our mission is simple: to develop the absolute best recipes for all of your favorite foods. To do this, we test each recipe 30, 40, sometimes as many as 70 times, until we arrive at the combination of ingredients, technique, temperature, cooking time, and equipment that yields the best, most-foolproof recipe, according to their site.

So they do the work to come up with the best recipes so we can prepare them in our homes for our families.  You do have to register to get the recipes... but it is free!

Now after looking at all these delicious recipes I'm starving!  I think I'll get the ingredients I need to make the Pan-Seared Scallops with Wilted Spinach, Watercress, and Orange Salad tomorrow.  Sounds yummy!

I hope you enjoy Cooks Country as much as I do.  Here's to good food enjoyed with family and friends!

This Greek salad recipe is great for lunch or as a side dish.  The perfect quick, easy and healthy summer salad.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Cavendar All-Purpose Greek Seasoning
  ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup sliced cucumber
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup grape tomatoes or tomato wedges
• ¼ cup Kalamata olives
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 1 8 oz bag salad greens

Directions

In a large salad bowl mash salt and garlic together with the back of a fork making a paste. Whisk in oil, vinegar, Greek seasoning, pepper, and sugar.  Add cucumber, onion, tomatoes, olives, and feta.  Just before serving, add salad greens and toss.

If you don't have or can't find Cavendar's All Purpose Greek Seasoning, here are the ingredients to make your own:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
  
  

Mix together and store in airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 6 months.

I hope you enjoy this tasty Greek salad! Share your summer salad recipes with us.  Hope to hear from you!

My husband loves peanut butter cookies and wanted me to bake some so I thought I'd share my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe.  These cookies turn out so yummy and delicious!

Ingredients

This is a very delicious, healthy and easy basic summer corn salad recipe.  This is a great way to use the corn out of your garden!  You can add your favorite veggies to it or prepare it just as the recipe calls for.  You could try adding black beans, red onion or green onions instead of white or yellow onions or bell peppers.  The most important part of this salad for me personally, is the basil vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients

Salad

1. 6 ears corn, husked and cleaned (frozen or canned will work)
2. 3 large tomatoes, diced
3. 1 large onion, diced

Ingredients

Dressing

1. 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2. 1/4 cup olive oil
3. 3 tablespoons white vinegar (more or less to your liking)
4. Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook corn in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain, cool, and cut kernels off the cob with a sharp knife.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the corn, tomatoes and  onion.
3. Whisk together basil, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
4. Pour over salad.
5. Chill until serving.

I hope you enjoy this refreshing, lite summer salad as much as we do!  If you have a favorite summer salad recipe please share it with us.  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!

If you want a way to get in all your required vegetables a day, here is a great recipe for grilled veggies that is quick, easy, tasty and healthy.  You can substitute any of the ingredients with your favorite veggies or whatever vegetables that is in season.

Ingredients

1 zucchini, sliced
1 summer squash, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour. Use aluminum foil and make 2-3 pouches to place the vegetables in. Fold to close. Place closed pouches directly on grill for approximately 10 to 20 minutes. You can also roast the packets in the oven for approximately 10  to 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

These veggie pockets are a healthy side with any meal.  If you have a healthy veggie recipe please share it with us!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

Are you are looking for a delicious, light and easy salad recipe?  Then look no further!  I love broccoli and like to find new ways of using this healthy vegetable in my recipes.  This easy broccoli salad is perfect for lunch or as a side. 

Ingredients

Dressing
1 1/2 C FF mayonnaise
1/4 C sugar
2 tbs. cider vinegar
1 tbs. lemon juice

Salad
5 C broccoli florets
1/2 C white raisins
1/4 C sunflower kernels
1/2 C red onion (thinly sliced)
6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Directions

Dressing
Whisk to blend

Salad
Mix salad ingredients. Stir in dressing. Chill at least one hour or overnight before serving.

If you have a broccoli recipe share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

If you are looking for a yummy, light appetizer, lunch or snack recipe, give this basic hummus recipe a try.  Hummus has Middle Eastern origins and this recipe has a nice Mediterranean flavor.  Simply humus is pureed chick pea dip.  The reason this is referred to as a basic recipe is that you can adjust the ingredients for your own taste. 

This recipe as is, makes a tasty healthy dip or spread, but you may like your hummus a bit spicier, so add a dash or two of Tabasco or red pepper.  Some people like 1 clove of garlic, some ten cloves or less or more tahini.  I personally add more garlic and lemon juice and a little less tahini then this recipe calls for.  However, if I'm fixing this for others to eat I stick with this version.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups canned chick peas / garbanzo beans, drain and reserve the juice.
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch cumin
• 1pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chick peas (garbanzo beans), tahini, lemon juice, salt, pinch of cumin and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. You may need to add some of the reserved juice to thin it out a bit.  Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Serve with warm pita bread or as a vegetable dip.

Do you have a hummus recipe or suggestions on this basic humous recipe?  If so we would love to hear it!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

If you aren't a morning person and find it hard to eat breakfast every morning, this is the perfect breakfast for you!  A healthy smoothie is a great way to start your day.  It is full of vitamins, calcium, fiber, and antioxidants.  If you are always running late so you skip breakfast, you can make your smoothie and put it in a travel cup and drink it on the way to work.  It's quick and easy to make and it's low calorie, so great if you are trying to lose weight.  The best part is you can change whatever fruit you use so this recipe never gets boring.  Try it out:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/2 frozen banana, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons powdered protein supplement
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed or 1 tablespoon flax seed oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries or fruit of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, blend the milk, yogurt, banana, protein supplement, flax seed, honey, and strawberries until smooth.

This smoothie will keep you satisfied and is great if you tend to skip breakfast.  You can take whatever fruit you have on hand, cut it up, put it in a freezer bag and freeze the night before.  You can also substitute orange juice for the milk.

Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so get yours started on the right foot with this healthy lite fruit smoothie recipe.  I hope you enjoy it!  If you have a smoothie recipe share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

Here is another light, healthy and easy summer recipe for you to try.  As I've mentioned before I really don't like doing a lot of cooking in the summer, it's just too hot.  Also, when the weather is hot and muggy I don't have much of an appetite for heavy foods; so I'm always on the lookout for lite recipes.   If you are looking for a summer salad recipe try out this whole wheat pasta salad with roasted garlic and balsamic vinaigrette dressing out.

1 pound dry whole-wheat pasta
1 cup sliced ripe black olives
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
2-cup broccoli florets, small
½ green pepper, julienne
½ red pepper, julienne
½ yellow pepper, julienne
½ red onion, julienne
3 green onions cut on the bias, thin
1-cup fat free feta cheese

Vinaigrette

2 cups olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
2 Tablespoons fresh minced parsley
2 Tablespoons fresh minced oregano
2 Tablespoons fresh minced basil
2 Tablespoons fresh minced thyme
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package, drain and run under cool water until no longer hot, allow to drain completely.

In a mixing bowl add balsamic, garlic, honey and herbs. Let set for a minute to allow ingredients to bloom. Incorporate oil slowly, mixing with a wire whisk. Hold for later use. If you like you vinaigrette thicker, do all of the above in a blender or food processor.

Combine pasta, olives, tomatoes, peppers, onions and feta in a large bowl add vinaigrette a small amount at a time (1/4 cup) until you get the desired taste. (Some will like more than others).

Vinaigrette yields about 3 ½ cups.

Serves 4-6

If you try it out let us know how you liked it or if you have a summer salad recipe, please share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!