Pumpkin
I recently discovered that I could make a pumpkin pie as good as Mrs. Smith and not have to feel so guilty with each bite or pie I ate. What I also discovered is the I can make it from fresh from real pumpkin. This means I don’t have to start with canned pumpkin that has additives. It is so simple and makes the pumpkin taste great. It may be all in my head that it taste better but I know for a fact that it doesn’t end up around my belly.
First I started by shopping at my favorite farmers market for a pie pumpkin. Yes, it has to be a pie pumpkin.
Then I break off the stem (if it has one), cut it in half horizontally and clean out the insides by scraping it clean with a spoon.
Then place the pumpkin open side down on a jelly roll sheet (or a cookie sheet with sides). Bake the pumpkin for 1 hour at 350.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scrape out the inside flesh part with a spoon. It will be soft so it will come right out.
Use a permanent marker to write on 2 quart size freezer bags to label pumpkin. Place the bag over a large tumbler and flap the top edge of the bag over the lip of the cup. Spoon pumpkin from one of the halves in the bag. Repeat with the other bag and half of pumpkin.
Remove bag from tumbler, remove air and seal bag.
The fresh pumpkin is ready to freeze and one day become the best pumpkin pie ever.
Healthy Homemade Parfait
Healthy Homemade Parfait
I used to equate healthy with taking lots of time and costing more. It still may not be as easy as just tearing something open but it can be pretty quick. This morning I made fruit and yogurt parfaits. They were YUM and filling. I simply started out thawing some frozen blueberries I picked myself. I put 1/2 cup of Stonyfield non-fat plain yogurt (chobani and fage are also really good) in our bowl. I blended in a few drops of my homemade lemoncello just to cut a little of the yogurt tang or a drizzle of honey is natural and healthy. I then added fresh peaches, banana, coconut and the blueberries over the yogurt. I sprinkled 1/3 cup of Cascadian Farms cinnamon raisin granola cereal on top and WHA LA! It was cool and filling, not to mention healthy and low fat. I bought some breakfast bread from Publix along with coffee. Enjoy the simple healthy, quick, parfait that couldn’t be topped by gourmet restaurants in town.
Homemade Parfait Ingredients
Hidden Treasures ‘Pick Your Own’
I titled this first of several posts “hidden treasures” because they are every where, you just have to seek them out. I discovered this hidden treasure close to where I live. It is a “pick your own” blueberry farm. You may think that “pick your own” doesn’t sound like a treasure but I really enjoy the experience of it. Mary Mac Berry Farm doesn’t spray their bushes so you can eat while you pick. Part of the treasure is the blueberries cost $1.50 per pound, yes per pound.
