A Day in the Life….

I have been soaking in the joy of 3 more grandkids last week and this. I 've been in North Carolina with my son Nathan and his precious Family.  What a wonderful time of catch up we are all having.

It has been pretty non-stop here, so if I haven't checked in with many of you, its because I can't seem to multi-task any more; at least not very well.  My words all come out misspelled and a little funny; but I will catch up with you all little by little.  I thought I would share a few pictures of some of our "doings".  Mostly just the cuteness of the grandkids… you know I can't resist.

We have had some lovely walks and drives, a campfire with hotdogs and "S'mores", a Farmers market, and plenty of running around to keep us non stop busy.  Still have a few more "special days" planned, and perhaps I will share them with you if I can get any good pictures.  I didn't bring my camera this time around… the ones I'm sharing are from my phone, via e-mail, so they are a little pixilated.

Here's the Number One grandson.  Hard to believe Elon is eight years old already.

and here's Asher; he's number two…..

And here is number 3 in Nathan's family (number 6 out of all of our grandchildren).

Little Elyse is getting bigger… and as ever is just scrumptious.  I can't get over her cuteness.

Nathan's tomatoes are still growing strong in late October.   He has a growing system where he uses aquaponics.  He grows Tilapia, and circulates the fish water through his vegetables.  I am loving learning all about it.  One of these days, when I have my camera with, I would love to take step by step pictures with him, and show you the whole thing…. another project for another time.

Love this one of Asher helping Elyse ride the scooter.

Campfires, hotdog roasts, s'mores… 

Elyse, on the run, after Church on Sunday.

See what I mean… "The Cuteness".

Have a great Week end everyone; I'll be back in a few days with a recipe.

UPDATE ON PRAYER REQEST

Clayton has just been found and is Safe.  Thank You Jesus!!! Thank you everyone for praying.

Urgent Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

Please pray for my friends whose son and grandson is missing in the mountains.  He has been missing for 15 hours now.  There are search parties looking even now, but please pray.  He is 13 years old.  He is the grandson of my dear friend Roxy and the son of my dear friend Amy.

Dessert in a Pumpkin

I have a recipe in my recipe box that I cut out from a Sunset Magazine over 30 years ago.  It is a recipe for Rice pudding in a Pumpkin Shell. I thought it looked so good, and was always going to make it, but never seemed to get around to it. I decided this Fall I would attempt "something like it".    It would go along with last year's "Dinner in a Pumpkin".  I wanted a pumpkin pie type of filling for this one, so I put together a recipe inspired by a few that I had seen on Pinterest titled "Impossible Pumpkin Pie" or  "Magic Pumpkin Cake" recipes.  These recipes are like a Pumpkin Pie, but add flour to the filling which creates a cross between pie, cake or muffin texture.  I loved the little pumpkins as "ramekins", and discovered that they worked wonderfully.   The larger "Sugar" Pumpkins were  also delicious, the filling came out with a more pudding like texture.  Either way… this is something fun to do for dessert during the fall… and a great way to use those pumpkins.

Cut off the top of the pumpkin

Scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp.

I like to put the pumpkin seeds to soak in some salty water for roasting later.

Pour Butter and Sucanat over the bottom and spread evenly over the bottom of the inside of the 

pumpkin.

Mix together filling ingredients.

Pour the filling into the pumpkin. Fill it almost to the top.

Measure topping ingredients into a bowl.

Mix together until crumbly.

Pour topping ingredients  on top of pumpkin filling.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes.  

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Dessert in a Pumpkin

Filling:
1/2 stick butter melted

1/2 cup Sucanat
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup Sucanat or Coconut Sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup half and half
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon clove

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the topping:

1 cups flour
1 cup Sucanat or Coconut Sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup cold butter, diced



1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.     Take the tops off of the pumpkins and clean out the seeds and stringy pumpkin strands.
        Use a spoon to scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean.
3.     Drizzle butter inside the pumpkin, and spread evenly around the inside of the pumpkin.
4.     Sprinkle with Sucanat or Coconut Sugar.  Set aside.
5.     Mix together pumpkin, 3/4 cup Sucanat, eggs, vanilla extract, spices and milk. Mix together
        the flour, salt,
        baking powder and baking soda to the mixture.
6.     Place pumpkins onto a greased cookie sheet and fill with filling.  You can fill it up to the top.
7.     In a separate bowl, make a crumble topping by combining the topping ingredients together.
8.     Mix with a mixer until mixture resembles course crumbs.
9.     Generously pour crumble topping on top of pumpkins. Cover with foil.
10.   Place cookie sheet into oven.  Once solidly on a baking rack, pour 2 cups of water into baking  
        sheet.
11.   Bake for 40 minutes covered. Uncover and bake another 20
        minutes.  The Large pie pumpkins      
        require another 30 minutes (covered baking time).
12.   Cool as you would pumpkin pie and Serve.

Makes 8 mini Pumpkins, or 2-3 small pie pumpkins

Enjoy!

Grandma's Apple Crisp

I needed to make a big dessert for the men's group that Steve been leading, and the abundance of apples made that a quick decision for me.  Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is one of those classic favorites that is quickly put together, easily doubled in size and always enjoyed. Everyone should make it at least one time during apple season don't you think? It is an old fashioned,  dessert that never goes out of style.  If you are needing some inspiration for apples, perhaps this one will tempt you.

Grandma's Apple Crisp

For the Filling:
5 pounds apples peeled and sliced
5 Tablespoons Apple juice or lemon juice (If you want to add sweetness, add apple juice, or tartness, add lemon juice).
1/2 cup Sucanat or Coconut Sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
5 Tablespoons butter


For the Topping:
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 1/4 Sucanat or Coconut Sugar
1 tsp Himilayan salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Serves 10

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.    Peel and slice 5 pounds of apples and put into a large mixing bowl.
2.    Pour in juice and toss apples in the juice.
3.    In a small bowl, mix together Sucanat, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4.    Pour sugar mixture over apples and toss to distribute the sugar mixture evenly.
5.    Grease or butter a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish, baking pan or cast iron skillet of approximate size
6.    Place apples into baking dish.
7.    Dot with butter.
8.    In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients.
9.    Mix together with a mixer or food processor unit the mixture is crumbly, and the butter is pea sized.
10.  Add Walnuts to the mixture and mix until well combined.
11.  Spread the topping evenly over apples.
12.  Cover with foil.
13.  Bake for 50 minutes; uncover foil and return to oven for another 10 minutes.
14.  It tastes wonderful served hot with ice cream.


Enjoy!!