Taco Chili

Early spring in Iowa is full of new life. The calves are being born, the grass is starting to turn green, and the trees have buds. I love these signs that warmer weather is just around the corner. But it is still early spring. Which means that we still have a handful of chilly days and nights to get through.

Our schedule is about to get busy. And busy schedules mean I need quick suppers. This taco chili is quick to fix, keeps well in the crock pot, and warms my family up after a cold day. Plus, it can be made with pantry staples. I can always count on having the ingredients on hand for this chili. We love to eat ours with cheese and oyster crackers.

Pumpkin Dessert

A few years ago (ok, more like maybe 15ish years) I was working at my first teaching job in a very small town. I had my first taste of small town Iowa at this job after a booster mom brought this AMAZING dessert to the teacher's lounge during parent teacher conferences. I had never really been a pumpkin pie lover. I would always go for the safer and more familiar option of apple pie. But I knew this mom was an excellent cook so I decided to give it a try. And then I immediately asked for the recipe, because a dessert this wonderful had to be shared. I went to the store that night and bought all the ingredients needed so I could take this dessert to my boyfriend's family Thanksgiving. They are now my in-laws and I have made this dessert every year since!

Over the years I have not changed the recipe, although I do substitute my own roasted pumpkin puree for the canned. And instead of the whipped cream from a tub or a can, I make my own!

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Pumpkin Dessert

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

This is a must at Thanksgiving. You won't miss the pie after tasting the buttery topping on this dessert!

Ingredients

• 2 15 ounce cans pumpkin
• 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 ounce box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup butter, cold, and cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Pour into the greased pan.
3. In another bowl, work the butter into the cake mix with a pastry cutter until the mix resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the topping clean. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

Roasting Pumpkins

Fall is such a beautiful time of year. I love the colors of the sunsets, leaves, and pumpkins. I love the cooler days and trips to the apple orchard for fresh cider, apples, and pumpkins. We actually carved out first pumpkins this year! I always make sure to get sugar pumpkins while we are at the orchard. Sugar pumpkins are smaller than pumpkins you would use for carving. The inside is sweeter and creamier, making them better for eating, too.

I love to roast sugar pumpkins and make my own pumpkin puree. I use the puree just like I would the canned stuff.  The puree also freezes well. I can make some of my favorite pumpkin recipes any time for a fresh taste of fall.

I started by removing the stems from my pumpkins. If the stem is long enough, you can just grab it with your hands and break it off.

Then I cut the pumpkins in half. This can be hard to do, so be careful!

 I then used a spoon and my handy little Pampered Chef tomato corer to remove the insides. I actually never use my Pampered Chef tomato corer for tomatoes, just pumpkins.

Once you remove the insides, the pumpkins are ready to roast in the oven!

 

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Also, spray the edges of the pumpkin. Lay the pumpkin halves face down on the foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until a fork easily pierces through the skin.

Cool for about 20 minutes or so. Then turn each half over and use a spoon to scoop out the soft, creamy flesh.

 Place the pulp in a bowl. You can blend the pulp at this point to make it smooth. I prefer to use a potato masher. 

You can use the pumpkin puree right away, or store in the fridge for a few days. I freeze most of the puree I get in freezer baggies with about 2 cups of puree in each one.

When I am ready to bake my Thanksgiving pies, muffins for breakfast, or my most requested pumpkin dessert, I thaw my pumpkin a few hours before use or overnight in the refrigerator.