Raspberry Cream Crepes

And Valentine's Day just wouldn't be complete without this family favorite. Berry Cream Crepes. You can use raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries...it's delicious any way! We just lucked out to have a raspberry bush in the backyard of the home we are renting here, so rasbperries were the obvious choice. These crepes are delicious any time of the year, but they are an extra special treat for our Valentine's Day breakfast!

Crepes:
1 ½ c milk
1 c flour
2 Tb sugar
1 Tb veg. oil
2 eggs
butter (for cooking)

In a bowl combine milk, flour eggs, oil, and sugar. Beat until well mixed. Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium heat, add a little butter and swirl around until melted. Remove from heat. Pour in approx. ¼ C of batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. Return to heat and cook until it starts to bubble then flip it over and cook until lightly browned. Repeat with each crepe, adding more butter to the skillet each time (step-by-step crepe instructions here).

Filling:
2 C raspberries (or any other berry)
8oz pkg. cream cheese
¼ C powdered sugar

Topping:
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips
whipped topping
powdered sugar
fresh berries

Soften cream cheese then beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Gently fold in raspberries (if using frozen berries, make sure they are thawed then rinse and pat dry). To make the chocolate sauce, heat cream in saucepan then slowly whisk in chocolate chips until smooth (adjusting amounts until desired consistency is reached). Spoon berry mixture onto crepe, roll up, dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate sauce and top with whipped cream and fresh berries.

 

Pink Hot Chocolate

I don't know when this tradition first began, but having pink hot chocolate with our Valentine's Day breakfast has been something we've loved for years now. It's fun having a novelty food that becomes a special part of the holiday. This hot chocolate is just dreamy and we could easily drink it all winter long, but I like to keep it as a special treat for the kids to look forward to and get excited about. I won't lie, I get just as excited to drink it as they do! And even though it's still technically summer over here, we woke up to a cold, rainy, overcast morning. The kind of morning made for slippers and hot chocolate. Especially if it's pink. Happy Valentine's Day!

1 heaping cup white chocolate chips
1 c. heavy cream
4 c. half and half
½ tsp vanilla
approximately 7-8 drops red food coloring

Pour the cream into a large saucepan over medium heat and stir until heated through. Whisk in white chocolate chips until melted, stirring until completely smooth. Whisk in the half and half, vanilla and food coloring. Continue stirring until heated through, but don’t bring to a boil. Serve in mugs, topped with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.

 

Grilled Herb Chicken with Creamy Tomato Pasta

I got this pasta recipe years ago from a friend and immediately fell in love with it's creamy texture and rich flavor. Sometime later I was watching Oprah and Rachel Ray was doing a Valentine's Day cooking segment. She promised that her pasta recipe was so irresistible that it was guaranteed to help you land a guy. Her recipe was almost identical to this, minus the vodka (which could play a part in the whole "landing a guy" deal :) and a few small details. It really is that amazing! This grilled chicken recipe is one I came across more recently and not only does it make the dish a little more hearty, but the fresh herbs compliment it perfectly. So give it a try this Valentine's Day, I can't guarantee it will help you find your prince charming, but I can guarantee it will be delicious and make whoever you are serving it to very happy!

For the chicken:

2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 tsp chopped rosemary
2 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp dried sage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a blender combine the parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Blend together then place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and marinate at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours. Preheat grill to medium high heat or set oven to broil. Remove chicken from dish and grill or broil for about 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.

For the pasta:

2 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbs tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped (plus extra to garnish)
Salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, to garnish

Puree diced tomatoes in blender. Sauté garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes to pan. Add whipping cream, tomato paste, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-35 minutes. Serve over cooked fettuccini noodles with sliced grilled chicken, garnish with chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan.

Source| Pasta- Amber (it was so long ago, I can't remember her last name!), Chicken- Allrecipes.com

 

Sugar Cookies with Whipped Buttercream Frosting

I'm a bit of a sugar cookie snob. They have to be perfectly buttery and flakey, not too dense, too chewy, too sweet or too crunchy. And then of course there's the frosting. The cookie and frosting have to compliment each other perfectly and this right here is a divine cookie matrimony. These right here are perfection and with sugar cookie season upon us I use every excuse possible to make them.

Cookies:

1 C real butter (room temperature, but not too soft)
2/3 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 ½ C flour
½ tsp salt

Cream together sugar and butter, then add vanilla and egg. Mix flour and salt then add to creamed mixture. Ball together and refrigerate for 30 min-1 hr (it may be a little crumbly, but after being handled the butter softens and makes it easier to work with). Roll out dough about ½ in. thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes.

Frosting:

6 Tbs butter
2 C powdered sugar
6 Tbs heavy cream
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla

Whip butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and salt, continue beating on high speed as you add cream and vanilla. Add more powdered sugar or cream if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring if desired, then mix well.

*source: Cookies: Chelsea Figgins, Frosting: My own trial and error

 

Best of 2014

Happy New Year! We rung in the new year on a beautiful secluded beach in Golden Bay here on the South Island of New Zealand. It was perfect in every way. We're headed off to explore a little of the North Island in a few days (thank goodness for scheduled posts :), but I just wanted to check in and tell you thank you for all of your support these past few months. I've really enjoyed starting up this blog again after such a long break. I am so excited to have all our family recipes in one place and I've loved the chance I've had to share our favorite dishes with you, because I believe all good things deserve to be shared. I know this is just a tiny little small time blog in a world that's over saturated with big time recipe blogs, but I've enjoyed sharing this little space with you. I've appreciated all of your kind words, thoughtful comments and positive feedback, it means a lot. Here's a little recap of the most popular recipes from the past year (well, technically like the past 4 months, but you get the idea), along with my own personal favorites (which is really hard to do because every recipe on here is my favorite, other wise I wouldn't be posting it). I wish you all a wonderful and delicious new year!

Main Dish

Most Popular: Slow Cooker Sour Cream Chicken

My Favorite: Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Soup

Most Popular: Lion House Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

My Favorite: Tomato Bisque Soup

Appetizer

Most Popular: Giada's Fried Ravioli

My Favorite: Hot Pizza Dip

Salad

Most Popular: Potluck Pasta Salad

My Favorite: Craisen Spinach Salad with Candied Almonds and Citrus Vinaigrette

Side Dish

Most Popular: Broiled Cheesy Garlic Bread

My Favorite: Cowboy Caviar

Breakfast

Most Popular: Kneader's Cinnamon Syrup

My Favorite: Glazed Cinnamon Scones

Dessert

Most Popular: Pizookie Bars

My Favorite: Chocolate Eclair Cake

Hot Pizza Dip

You might not want to make this, because once you take one bite you're not going to be able to stop. Which is exactly what happened several years ago at a family Christmas party when my cousin brought this. I wanted to hide in the pantry and eat the entire thing. It's just a creamy, cheesy, saucy hot mess that you can't keep your hands off. Seriously, the quickest, easiest and most delicious appetizer ever!

8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese,
1 8 oz jar pizza sauce
1 loaf french bread, cut into 2 inch cubes

Combine softened cream cheese and Italian seasoning then spread on bottom dish. In bowl combine mozzarella and parmesan then sprinkle half on top of the cream cheese, followed by the pizza sauce then top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Serve with cubed bread for dipping.

*Source: Krystal Lloyd

 

Marshmallow Popcorn

I mentioned earlier that there are a few neighbor Christmas gifts that have really stood out over the years. The first is this Cheddar Ranch Cheese Spread and the next is this marshmallow popcorn. I never did get the recipe from our neighbor, but I found one that was pretty similar when I was feeling the craving for this sweet, ooey gooey marshmallow dream. So if you're still desperately trying to come up with a last minute neighbor gift this is your answer. It's delicious, quick, inexpensive and easy to make in large batches. Or if you want to make a big batch for yourself to inhale while watching Elf for the fifth time, by all means. I won't judge.  

1 bag mini marshmallows
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Pop popcorn and place in a bowl. Add the marshmallows, brown sugar and butter in a separate microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, or until it is melted and smooth, mixing every 30 seconds. Poor over the popcorn and mix well

*The marshmallows here come in a mix of pink and white, but you could always add food coloring for a fun pop of color

*Source: Oh Sweet Basil

Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Caramel and apples go together like peanut butter and jelly, like macaroni and cheese, like Will and Kate. They're just made for each other. I've never had much luck making caramel apples (I can never get the caramel to stay on!), but this dip, now this is something I can do. There is something about this sweet and salty homemade caramel sauce that is just divine. It's a perfect gift for teachers or neighbors or make a batch then store it in your fridge for up to a month (although I can guarantee it won't last that long) so that you can grab it out for a quick snack with apples, or to drizzle on ice cream or even french toast. Also perfect for these amazing gourmet apple slices. The options are endless!

1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ tsp salt

In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir over low heat for 6-9 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let the syrup boil for 2 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil the syrup while stirring regularly for 5-7 minutes until it turns a dark caramel color. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter. Gently stir until the butter is melted then whisk in the cream, vanilla and salt. Let cool to thicken then serve. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Reheat on low power in the microwave or in a saucepan, adding a tablespoon or two of water if the sauce is too thick.

*Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Giada's Fried Ravioli

I love appetizer foods. I've been known to order nothing but appetizers when we've gone out to eat. I mean, mozzarella sticks and stuffed potato skins are totally considered a well balanced meal. One of the things I love most about the holidays is all the parties with all their fabulous party foods where I can nibble and sample to my little heart's content. They don't really do holiday parties here (or maybe we're just not cool enough to get invited to them?), but I was craving all my favorite appetizers so instead we threw our own little party on the last day of school to celebrate summer/Christmas (homemade hot chocolate just isn't the same in summer, in case you were wondering). This right here is one of my all time favorite appetizers both to eat and to bring. Giada De Laurentiis was demonstrating it on a talk show during the holidays years ago and I knew right then and there that this dish would be accompanying me to our next party. I mean, cheese ravioli covered in breadcrumbs, deep fried then dipped in a savory marinara? Poke me with a fork, I'm done. It was a huge hit and the rest of this love story is history...

Olive oil, for frying
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 package refrigerated cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup marinara sauce, heated, for dipping

Put the buttermilk and the breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip the ravioli in the buttermilk to coat completely, allowing the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge the ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, while you coat the remaining ravioli. Heat 2 inches of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and puffed up, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan cheese and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping

*Source: Food Network

 

Peanut Butter Truffles

Forget the food pyramid, I think I could easily survive the entire holiday season on these truffles and this toffee alone. Which is probably why it's a good thing that Christmas only comes once a year.  But really, they taste like Reese's peanut butter cups and are pretty much fail proof, which is reason enough to come back to them year after year after year. The truffles have been made, Christmas season can now commence.

½ cup butter, room temp
¼ c light corn syrup
 2 c peanut butter
2 c powdered sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl combine butter, corn syrup, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Beat together until smooth and whipped, about 3-4 minutes. Roll into balls (about 1 rounded tablespoon) and refrigerate for about an hour. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each one, until smooth and glossy (about 1 ½ minutes). Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Dip each ball in chocolate, use a spoon to lift it out then gently tap the spoon on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. Use a butter knife to slide the truffle off the spoon and onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (if desired) and refrigerate until chocolate is hardened. (Any excess chocolate that pooled at the bottom can be snapped off)

*Source: unknown

 

{Guest Post} Molasses Sugar Cookies

I have loved having my sister contribute on here as a guest. She really is such an amazing cook and such an inspiration to me in so many ways. After a little coaxing and encouraging, I convinced her to start up a recipe blog of her own. I'm excited to take a sneak peak into her daily kitchen, it somehow makes me feel more connected to her on the other side of the world. So be sure to check out her site Six Little Chefs, I promise you won't be disappointed! Thank you, Janessa, for sharing your recipes with us, these cookies look amazing and I can't wait to try them!

I think a good cookie has three factors. The chewy inside factor, the crisp outside factor and the crackle factor. I don't know why the crackle factor is important, but that visual image makes the cookie taste better. It just does. This molasses sugar cookie nails all three factors perfectly! Pour up a glass of milk or a cup of hot chocolate and dunk away!

1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt

 Melt the shortening. Add sugar, eggs, and molasses, beat well. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add to the liquid ingridents. Mix well and chill 3 hours or overnight. Form into walnut-size balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes. Store in an airtight container to keep from getting overly crisp. If they do lose their softness, an easy way to restore it is to place one slice of fresh bread in the container with the cookies for a couple of hours or overnight and they will be soft again!

*Source: Allrecipes

Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Okay, you have to promise me one thing. You will make this pie at least once in your life. But I have to warn you, once you do it will consume your thoughts and leave you craving it for at least a week. It is so silky smooth and creamy and your natural reaction will be to close your eyes and savor every bite with a half smile on your face, just like they do in those cheesy commercials. I know it's too late for Thanksgiving, but I can guarantee you'll reach rock star status if this shows up on your Christmas dinner menu!

Crust:
2 cups crushed graham crackers (or malt biscuits if you're a kiwi cook)
⅓ C melted butter

Preheat oven to 400. Mix together then press into a 9 inch pie pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Filling:
2 C milk (2%)
1 C heavy cream
¾ cup white sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp vanilla
 2-3 bananas

When the crust is cooled, slice bananas in a single layer on the bottom. Then for the filling, pour the milk and cream into a microwave safe bowl and scald by microwaving it for 3 1/2 minutes, place a wooden spoon in the bowl to prevent boiling. In a large pot on medium heat, combine the scalded milk, sugar, flour and salt and whisk together over medium heat until well combined. Continue to whisk until the sauce starts to thicken up to create a pudding like texture then reduce heat to low. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and add in a tablespoon of pudding mixture and stir in order to temper the eggs and avoid any curdling. Add in a few more tablespoons, stir then add it into the pudding. Continue stirring over low heat for a few more minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla and mix until well combined. Pour the pudding over the sliced bananas then cover and chill in the fridge for a few hours.

Topping:
1 pint heavy whipping cream
¼-1/2 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
shaved chocolate

Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well combined. Spread on top cooled pie and garnish with shaved chocolate, then slice and serve.

*Source: bsinthekitchen

Gingerbread

I know I'm not alone in this, but whenever I think of gingerbread, I think of gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses, but never gingerbread BREAD. And now I'm wondering why that is, because this stuff is amazing! Definitely going to be added to the annual Christmas baking list!

4 Tbs butter
1 1/2 Tbs molasses
1 1/2 Tbs corn syrup (or golden syrup if you're a kiwi cook)
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Grease a loaf tin (I like to line it with baking paper, having it hang over the sides, and then grease it so that it is easy to pull out of the pan when it is finished).  Melt butter in a large pan then add molasses and corn syrup then stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in yogurt, milk, vanilla and eggs and continue stirring until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift four, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl and beat together with a whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared loaf tin and cook for 50-60 minutes (the original recipe said 45 minutes, but mine needed a good 15 minutes longer), or until a knife comes out clean. Cool in the tin then sprinkle with powdered sugar, slice and serve with a pat of butter.

*Source The Great New Zealand Cookbook

Classic English Toffee

This is one of my all time favorite holiday treats. Years ago my sister and I would get together around the holidays and spend an entire day baking up a storm with little babies crawling around our feet. Thousands of miles separate us now, but I still make this every year and I still think of her every time I do. It is so simple to whip up yet looks fancy enough to pass out as gifts. And lets not even start with the buttery crunchy goodness covered in chocolate, because I may just have to pause and go make another batch. Especially considering that the batch I made today disappeared in approximately 5.2 minutes. I can't take all the blame, I was surrounded by happy faces stuffing their mouths too. Merry Christmas, and a very happy toffee to you too!

1 c real butter
1 c sugar
2 Tb water
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Line a 9x13" baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix butter, sugar and water and stir constantly over high heat until it starts to turn a caramel color, about 5-7 minutes from the time that it starts to boil. Pour into prepared baking dish. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top and spread with a spoon until melted and smooth. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate until cool, then pull ends of aluminum foil up to remove toffee from the dish and break into pieces. And then try to resist eating the entire pan by yourself.

 

{soft and chewy} Gingerbread Men Cookies

Decorating gingerbread houses was just something you did on the holidays. The kids fought over the candy, the houses fell apart, the kids lost interest about halfway through, the kitchen looked like a tornado had hit and then we were left with half eaten gingerbread houses sitting on our counter top for a month. There are plenty of things I look forward to during the holidays, but decorating gingerbread houses just wasn't one of them. Last year I decided to shake things up. Instead of houses I decided that we should make gingerbread men cookies and it was the best decision ever. They are much less time consuming, the kids love being able to decorate their own and love even more that they can eat them. Unlike the gingerbread houses, these don't just look good, they actually taste amazing! This will definitely be a tradition we'll carry on and the kids are more than thrilled about that! A friend had mentioned that one of her neighbors would give these out as neighbor gifts, a cookie for each person in the family and then frosting and candies to go with it so that they can decorate their own. What an awesome idea!

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon,
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla then mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight (this is recommended, but I've also made them immediately and they've turned out great). Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes or until edges of cookies are just set. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack then cool completely before decorating.

*Source: Allrecipes.com

{guest post} All Things Pumpkin!

I love my sister, but I just think it's cruel for her to be sending me these tantalizing pumpkin recipes when I don't have access to canned pumpkin (and I attempted making my own pumpkin puree last year and swore off ever doing it again)! These really do look amazing and I am definitely adding it to my list of recipes to make when we move back. Who cares that we'll be moving back in the middle of the Arizona summer heat, I'm cranking up my air conditioner, putting on some Christmas music and baking up a great big pumpkin storm. Thanks, Janessa!

Pumpkin Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal
*souce: Sweet Anna's

I doubled this recipe so that we had leftovers that we've been enjoying all week long. Such a yummy way to get a cold snowy day off to a good start. I tweaked a few things and changed the recipe accordingly.

6 cups water
1 cup half and half or milk
2 1/2 cups steel cut oats
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir all the ingredients together in the slow cooker and on LOW overnight, about 8 hours. When it is done, it will still look liquidy. Give it a good stir and it will all come together. Put in individual bowls and add a little half and half (or milk) and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately. Save any leftovers in the fridge or freezer... this stuff reheats beautifully!

Pumpkin Butter
*Source: Oh She Glows

I originally made this because I needed it for the Pumpkin French Toast Bake (recipe below), but I was so excited to have the pumpkin butter. It made way more than I needed for the recipe and I have a mostly full jar of it in my fridge just waiting to be spread onto a thick slice of homemade bread. I think I might get some cute little jars and give them out with a loaf of bread as neighbor gifts this year. It would also be a cute gift for teachers too. The possibilities are endless! I had no idea how much I was needing Pumpkin Butter in my life! It is super easy to make and made my house smell so good!

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree, approx. 3 1/2 cups or fresh
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2-1.5 teaspoons ground ginger (optional, sometimes I omit)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil, covered with lid ajar (I prop it with a wooden spoon). Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer, covered with lid ajar, for 35-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Be careful as the mixture bubbles and pops! Remove from heat and let it sit for a few minutes before removing lid. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Makes enough to fill one large mason jar or about 3.5 cups.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake
*Source:Minimalist Baker

Everybody in my family voted that this dish should be this year's Christmas morning breakfast. Watch out, cinnamon rolls, there's a new favorite in the house!

5 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (depending on type of bread)*
7 large eggs
2 cups milk (any kind)*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)*
8 oz block of cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional - BUT I SAY IT'S MANDATORY)

Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes - I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish quite full. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and tuck in among the bread cubes. If you want less of a cream cheese flavor, you don't have to use the whole block. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it's all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.

NOTES
* For the bread cubes, just use as much bread as it takes to fill the bottom of your dish generously, plus up about 1 to 1.5 inches. If you've added too much to soak up the liquid, just remove some. And if it looks too wet, add some more bread.
* I HIGHLY recommend using pumpkin butter as it has a concentrated pumpkin flavor and is much sweeter than puree. But if using puree instead of butter, it's important to compensate the flavor by adding a bit more puree, pumpkin pie spice, and a little agave nectar, brown sugar or maple syrup to the batter. Otherwise, it will lack that delicious fall, pumpkin flavor you're going for.
 * I used 2%, but use skim or low-fat for a lighter recipe. Alternatively, use non-dairy such as soy or almond.