Dinner in a Pumpkin

Here's a fun and delicious dinner idea for the season.  The main dish is baked in the pumpkin shell and can be scooped out with a little pumpkin  when served.  It is a very festive family meal that combines chicken, rice, spinach, ricotta cheese and pumpkin.  The flavors meld together reminiscent of a Chicken Florentine dish, with a creamy "comfort food" satisfaction.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin; top cut off and seeds removed

3 cups Cooked Chicken meat, chopped.

4 cups rice (brown or white) : already cooked

1 stick of organic butter

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 small onion chopped

2 small cloves garlic crushed and chopped

1/2 cup flour (whole wheat or white is okay)

2   cups chicken broth

1  1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups frozen spinach (thawed and the liquid squeezed out)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2  teaspoons salt 

1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan Cheese; or combine any of these.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350

Cut off top of pumpkin and remove fiber and seeds,  Rinse and pat dry

Mix chicken and rice and set aside.

In a large sauce pan or skillet melt butter over medium heat;  add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Saute until all are slightly tender.  Add flour and stir until well mixed and bubbly.  Add broth and continue stirring until well mixed.  Add spinach, nutmeg, salt, pepper and ricotta cheese.  Stir until well mixed. Add rice and chicken and combine all the ingredients gently.  Put all into the pumpkin shell, top with Mozzarella cheese and place the lid back on top.   Place on a baking sheet that has been covered in parchment paper.  Bake in oven about 2 hours.

Note:  This does take some time for the pumpkin to actually bake: if you just want to serve the meal from the pumpkin, but don't really want to eat any of the pumpkin itself, it will be done in about an hour.  Also, I took the lid off and put foil over the whole pumpkin after about an hour, to keep the pumpkin shell from getting too brown.  I cooked it with the foil on for the next hour.  I also turned on the broiler and took the foil off the last ten minutes to give the cheese a nice brown look.  When you cook the pumpkin until it is tender, you can easily spoon some out of the side as you dish up the meal.  Be sure to pat some butter on it and salt and pepper as well.

Another option, is to put this into 2 medium/small pumpkins or four small pumpkins, or cover the empty pumpkin shell, and cook it ahead; once its cooked, pat with a paper towel, and fill with casserole then bake 45 minutes to an hour.

Have fun.


For more Fall activities click here

Make A Fall Centerpiece

I posted last week how I like to go foraging.... especially in the Fall.  I love to bring in my plunder and decorate with it.  You can make a Fall center piece quickly and easily by just foraging in your back yard, an empty lot, or out on a nature walk.  This centerpiece is made up of  wild sage, and some pretty red wild flowers which I don't know the name of, and  a few "picks" from Hobby Lobby that were on sale.  The Sunflowers are made of burlap, and fit in with my colors this year; I couldn't resist them at 40% off.  This is a very casual centerpiece but has a little elegance, I think.  It was very inexpensive to make, since I had the white tureen on hand and gathered all but a few of the components.  You can collect almost anything that looks pretty, spray it with a little cheap hairspray to keep the flowers intact and put it in a bowl, vase or urn.  You don't even need a glue gun.  When Fall is past, pull out the store bought picks and the rest can be recycled in the fireplace.

Do you like those little birds?  My friend Roxy gave them to me a couple of years ago.  I
love them.  They are my  sweet reminder of the verse: "Not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from your Father."  They remind me that He sees me, He knows me and even the very hairs on my head are numbered.... and so are yours.
  

Happy Decorating Everyone.

Matthew 10:29-31

 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.




For More Fall Activities Click here

25 Cozy Ways to Enjoy Fall

 I was thinking of the cozy things we like to do in our family, that make Fall one of my favorite seasons and decided to make a list of them.  Some of them I've posted about recently, and some I will post about shortly, and some are thoughts, ideas or posts from other fall seasons or other peoples fun that I'd like to try.  Maybe they will inspire some cozy days for you.

1.    Make some Cinnamon Pinecones

2.    Go on a Fall Picnic and look at the beautiful colors of the leaves.

3.    Make a Fall Tea Cozy

4.    Make a Pumpkin cake.  My daughter Marie made the one I linked... I can't wait to give it a try

5.    Drink Hot Chocolate out under the stars: ( try this recipe, also from my daughter Marie's blog.)

6.    Go on a Nature Walk  and Forage for  Fall Decorations 

7.    Make a Fall Snack Mix

8.    Enjoy a Craft Day with the "Little ones" click here, here and here for 3 different craft ideas; the last two from my daughter Elizabeth's blog

9.    Make a Fall Wreath

10.  Light  Cinnamon, Apple and Pumpkin Pie Candles

11.  Crochet some Fall Hot Pads

12.  Make an Apple Pie

13.  Cut out Paper Leaves: 

14.  Have a  Homemade Fall Spa Day: 

15.  Enjoy a Peaceful Day of Thanksgiving and Meditation... just you and God 

16.  Preserve  Some Autumn Leaves

17.  Make dinner in a Pumpkin Shell

18.  Make a Fall Gift for someone special. 

19.  Make a Fall Banner: 

20.  Make a Thankful Tree:  I saw this one on Pinterest, and want to do it this year for Thanksgiving.

21.  Make a batch of Animal Crackers for the Little Ones.

22.  Make a Fall Centerpiece

23.  Snuggle up to the fire with blankies and favorite books

24.  Have a Fall Tea Party and make these wonderful scones from my daughter Elizabeth's blog 

25.  Make a pot of Chili; Green or Red

  What are some things you like to do for Fall?

Enjoy and be cozy everyone.

   

Fall Foraging

Acorns and leaves, dried flowers and herbs, rose hips and plums, pinecones and sticks, seed pods and gourds... all are a beautiful part of Fall.  Those pretty things are a part of the ordinary,  but lovely blessings we can enjoy every year at this time.

I love to go on walks and forage in the Fall.  I like to find pretty things to decorate the  house with, rose hips to make tea, pinecones to use as fire starters, and decorations, wild plums to make jam, and what ever else comes across my path.  I have happy memories of the kids when they were young, going out with me to pick wild plums for jam, or gourds for crafts, or all kinds of odds and ends to decorate with.  Those memories are treasures to me, and I go on doing some of the same sorts of things every year, because it is a delightful, peaceful and cozy Fall thing to do, and kindles those sweet memories and feelings of contentment.

We got about six inches of snow yesterday, can you believe that?  It is definitely a little early to be having snow; It was very pretty.  Snow is so pretty, but I am not ready for the snow yet; how about you?  Thankfully,  it has been melting very quickly and by later to day, it ought to back to what these pictures look like.  I hope you all have a long, lovely peaceful fall, and that the snow of Winter will be put off just a little longer.

Coming soon:
A centerpiece  made with the "findings" of Fall


Click here for more ways to enjoy Fall

Fall Party Mix with Salted Caramel

I make this treat every Fall and it  has become a tradition in our house.  Each year I make it with a slight variation, but the main idea is a combination of favorite snackies that are healthy, tasty and all the right colors.  I like to make a big batch that I can share with friends as well as leaving plenty for our family.  The ingredients are, for the most part wholesome and healthy.   I am able to get all the ingredients from  the health food store except for the Reeses Pieces or M & M type chocolates.  This year I made the mix with a salted caramel addition.  It was wonderful.  Steve and Eddie loved it.... and so did I.

4 cups Barbaras Multi Grain Shredded Spoonfuls or similar type cereal.

5 cups nuts and seeds of your choice.

This time I did walnuts, pecans, almonds,  cashews, pumpkin seeds and shelled pumpkin seeds.

4 cups popcorn

4 cups chocolate animal crackers (get them at the health food store or make them yourself).

4 cups cheddar fish crackers

Stir everything together nicely and divide the batch into 2 bowls.  We are going to cover half the batch with salty caramel.  Set the other half aside.

Mix Butter, Red Palm Oil, Sucanat, Honey and Coconut Nectar in a medium sauce pan.

Turn on medium heat and bring to a light boil.  Stir and and cook 4 minutes more.

Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir well... it will foam and lighten a little.

Pour over party mix and stir until all is evenly covered.  Pour carameled mix on to a large 18x 26  baking sheet covered in parchment paper.  Spread out evenly  and bake at 300 degrees about 20 minutes; stirring halfway through.

Pull out of oven and sprinkle with Celtic Sea Salt.  Allow to cool.

 Break into pieces and put into large bowl with the other half of the reserved mix....

.... add your chocolates - 4 cups

Mix it all together

Give as gifts ....

or serve as a  treat.

Fall Party Mix with Salted Caramel

Ingredients

4 cups Barbara's Multi grain Shredded Spoonfuls

5 cups nuts and seeds of any variety

4 cups popped popcorn

4 cups chocolate animal crackers (you can buy these at the health food store or make them yourself

4 cups cheddar fish crackers

4 cups Reese's Pieces or M & M type chocolate candies

Caramel (see below)

Celtic Sea Salt

Optional variations

raisins

dried cranberries

corn nuts

peanuts

sunflower seeds

pretzels

candy corn (I love the pretty color of these candies, but I don't care for the ingredients such as corn syrup)

other cereals

Instructions

Set chocolate candies aside.

Mix remaining ingredients (except caramel)  together and divide into two bowls.

Make caramel mixture as described below.  Pour the caramel mixture over 1 bowl of the mix.  Stir and spread the caramel over the mixture as evenly as you can.  Spread mixture onto a large sheetcake pan (18x26) that has been covered with parchment paper.  Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.  Stir mixture once during baking time about half way through. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Celtic Sea Salt.  Cool.  Once it is cool, break it into pieces and add it back into the bowl that has been set aside.  Mix together well.  Stir in chocolate candy pieces.  Stir again.  

Enjoy

For the Caramel

Most Caramel Corn type recipes call for corn syrup, but in this recipe you use coconut nectar instead of the corn syrup; it works great, is low glycemic, tastes great and is a healthier alternative to corn syrup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic butter

3 Tablespoons Red Palm Oil (order on-line or get at the health food store. If you don't want to get Red Palm Oil, you can use 3 Tablespoons butter instead/in addition to the 1/2 cup above).

1/2 cup Raw Coconut Nectar (Try  your local health food store)

3/4 cup Sucanat or Coconut Sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Continue cooking 4 more minutes once a boil is reached.  Add vanilla and baking soda and stir well.

Click here for more ideas for Fall