Quick n' Easy Pumpkin Seeds

Happy Monday to you all!

With Halloween just around the corner it's the perfect time to be doing all things fall before November comes along!

Last week I took out my pumpkins, carved them, ate Pillsbury ready-made Halloween cookies, watched Hocus Pocus, made my Halloween costume, so I guess you could say I've been pretty fall-ish.

I could've made my own cookies but...
These are way too good

Also for the record, my pumpkin carving skills could have been better...

Expectation...

...Reality

But anyway!

For all of you carving pumpkins this week, I have created this recipe for you to also make something yummy. Here is my recipe for Quick n' Easy Pumpkin Seeds!

Quick n' Easy Pumpkin Seeds

I love using different types of spices and flavors to combine and really create something delicious in every bite. If you want to use less or more of some of these spices, be my guest! Cooking is all about trying new things and adjusting them to your preference! 

Ingredients: Per 1 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds

- 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of Olive Oil

- 1/2 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

- 1/2 Teaspoon of Cayenne Red Pepper

- 1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

- 1/4 Teaspoon of Paprika 

- Some Black Pepper

Step 1

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.

Place seeds in a bowl.

Mix together all ingredients, adding spices, more or less, as desired. 

Step 2

Place tin foil on a baking tray, spread out seeds on tray.

Bake in total for about 30 minutes. Every 5-7 minutes flip and stir your seeds on tray

At the end of the 30 minutes, test out a few seeds to make sure they are cooked enough.

Remove and enjoy!!

These had the perfect mixture of spices and were baked to add some crunch to every bite! Very delicious, and I made my more spicy for preference :)


Do you use your pumpkins for any other kind of cooking or baking? Leave a comment if you do!

Let me know if any of you decide to make these seeds!! 

Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by xo :)

Spicing Things Up

Hello Food Lovers!!

Today's blog post is something I think most of you will enjoy. 

We love all food, right? Take a second and think about what you love most about food.

...
...
...
...

Great! Okay, I could just sit here and talk about what I love most about food to answer the question, but instead I decided to survey 18 people, a decent handful, and see what kind of responses I would get! 

"In a few sentences, tell me what do you love most about food?"

The 2nd most popular response: 50% of everyone I asked mentioned how they love food because it brings people and family together. 

"I love food because it brings joy, relief, and people together." L.B.

"The simple act of sitting and enjoying it together makes all the measuring, chopping, stirring, (and even cleaning up afterwards), well worth it." J.K.

"Families spend quality time cooking traditional dishes. Some of my best memories with my mom and grandma center around cooking food for our family." A.T.


The response that came in 3rd at 45% was the variety of food. Healthy options and feel-good food as well as cultures and choices of food. 

"I love that it provides energy for my body. It helps my body function properly by maintaining cell structure and tissue maintenance. It makes me feel better in times of stress or when emotions are out of control." T.T.

"I love how I can enjoy "healthy" food as much as I love junk food!" J.B.


4th place was 28% of the people mentioned texture, scent, or any other physical sense as their favorite part of food. 

"The texture of the food is a big deal for me, like coconuts for example. Shaved coconut, absolutely not! But coconut oil...you've got a winner." J.A. 

"I love the taste and scent, especially the scent of cooking it." M.O-T.

The Top Response

About 80% of everyone I asked said their favorite part was FLAVOR.

"What I love most about food is how diverse different combinations of ingredients can create such a delicious dish. It teleports my mind to another world with so many exotic flavors to choose from." P.P.

"I love to taste and appreciate the complexity of flavor. It's like writing a song. You can have a really nice melody on a guitar, but if you have it accompanied by a Bass, Drums, and Vocals then it becomes something really grand." G.D.

Flavor is HUGE!

The best part about cooking and learning how to cook is finding what combinations of spices and food go best together. This can turn anything plain or bland and make it incredible. 

We all use salt, black pepper, and garlic almost every time we cook, but in this blog post I want to emphasize some different spices you may have heard of.

This will show you how you can add something additional every time you cook! And really bring out flavors and combinations to make your dishes stand out. 

Spicing Things Up!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

"I love spicy food, the spicier the better!" M.T.

Adding some heat to your dishes isn't always a bad thing! Some people love spicy, and others won't even try a mild dish. 

If you are cooking and are looking to add some hot spice to your dish, here's some suggestions:

- Red Pepper Flakes - 

Less is more, can be quite hot! Add a little at a time and taste for preference. 

- Cayenne Pepper -

Dried and ground red chili peppers. Adds a sweet heat to foods. 

Where to use them:

Pasta

Stir Fry

Soups, Chilis

Sauces

Roasted Veggies or Nuts

Red Pepper Flakes-
Added to the top of my pasta dish
Recipe: Click Here

Sweet Like Candy to My Soul

These next few are perfect when making anything usually sweet and sometimes savory!

- Cinnamon -

Usually ground. Many health benefits, great when baking!

- Nutmeg - 

Compliments cinnamon well. These two work great together. 

Where to use them:

Sweet Potato toppings

Oatmeal, Pancakes

Plain Rice

Hot Apple Cider (Cinnamon Sticks)

When using Pumpkins or Apples

Butternut or Acorn Squash

Cinnamon & Nutmeg
The main flavors in the crust and layers of my Apple Pie Bread
Recipe: Click Here

Another Red Spice

- Paprika -

From the Chili pepper family. Used a lot in Hungarian, Indian, and Southern cuisine.

Where to use it:

Hummus

Stews

Pasta Sauce

Potato Salad

Chilis, Soups

Roasted Nuts or Seeds

Meat - Barbecued 

As garnish

Paprika
I mixed some paprika in my homemade hummus
Also garnished some on top

 As Told By...

- Ginger -

Used a lot in Asian dishes or desserts! Compliments sesame really well.

 Can be used in a lot of things, good health benefits.

Where to use it:

Ginger cookies/Ginger snaps/Molasses cookies

Asian noodles, ginger chicken, stir fry, etc.

Ginger Tea

Gingerbread

Ginger Sauce

Asian-style coleslaw

Seasoning on seafood or meat

Ginger
Seasoned my homemade Lo-Mein noodles
Also used a ginger sauce

For All You Chipotle Lovers

- Cumin -

Adds an Earthy flavor. Used a lot in Mexican and Spanish dishes. 

Common in Middle East and also Indian.

Where to use it:

Guacamole, Salsa

Chilis, Soups, Stews

Meat or Seafood seasoning

Hummus

Pasta, Pasta Sauces

Seasoned Rice

Stir-fry

Cumin
Used to season my Veggie Stuffed Peppers

"Love Grows (Where my Rosemary Goes)"

- Rosemary -

Strong Piney flavor. Usually stands out in dishes. Popular with Mediterranean or Italian dishes.

Where to use it:

Beans

Eggs

Potatoes (especially roasted)

Crusts for seafood, meat

Chicken

Stir fry

Good for meat marinade

Pasta, Sauces

Rosemary
Used when cooking my chicken-veggie stir fry

Got Herbs?

These next two choices are great for flavor and come in dried seasoning. 

Or you can buy them fresh!

- Basil -

Very popular in Italian and Asian cuisine. 

In my opinion, you can add basil to almost anything. 

Where to use it:
Pestos, Sauces
With Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Balsamic (Caprese)
Pasta
Pizzas
Salads
Sandwiches
Veggies, Meat or Seafood seasoning

Dried Basil Flakes
Used to garnish and season my homemade Pizza

Fresh Basil
Used in my Tomato-Basil Bruschetta

- Cilantro -
Used a lot in Mexican, Latin America, and Caribbean dishes.

Where to use it:
Soups
Salsas
Seafood (Shrimp, Salmon)
Noodle Bowls
With Avocado, compliments Lime
Pestos
Meats

Cilantro
Used in my homemade Mexican Chicken Lime Soup!
Extra for garnish

Cilantro
Also used in my Shrimp Taco Salad!
It seasoned my Shrimp and was also used in the cilantro-lime dressing
Recipe: Click Here

Well that's all I have for you today!
I know there are plenty more spices and herbs out there.
When cooking, try to add something new or extra to your dish! 
EXPERIMENT!!!  
A little never hurts and you can always add more if you love the way it tastes!

Also don't be afraid to add more spice beyond what a recipe tells you. 
Sometimes the added extra makes your dish stand out!

PS: Thank you to those who answered my survey! Each response was great and very helpful!


Leave a comment or suggestion, what are some of your favorite cooking flavors?
Do you use spices, which are your most commonly used?

Enjoy the rest of your week, thanks for stopping by! XO

An Apple a Day... Bread & Bonus Recipe

Hello food lovers!

I hope you are all enjoying your Wednesday! Few more days until the weekend! :)

I am excited to bring to you the third and final recipe for An Apple a Day!

PS: There is also a bonus recipe at the end :)

An Apple a Day #3 Apple Pie Bread

 

Is anyone sick of apple pie yet?

I hope not! Because this bread definitely adds a flavor twist with the moist texture and apple spices. The cinnamon and nutmeg really stand out on top as the crust and also in the middle layer. The apples were baked perfectly in between each layer I created, and this bread only lasted a day in my house!

Here is the recipe:

Let's Get Cookin'

Ingredients: (This bread was baked in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan). 

I try my best to be Milk-free when possible! 

I changed a few ingredients when I made this.

- 1 Large apple of choice (I used honeycrisp)

- 2 Eggs

- 1 and 1/2 Cups of all-purpose Flour

- 1/3 Cup of brown sugar

- 1/2 Cup of butter softened, (I used coconut oil from the brand Melt)

- 2/3 Cup of granulated sugar

- 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

- 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of Vanilla extract 

- 1 and 3/4 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

- 1/2 Cup of Milk (I used Rice milk, enriched with vanilla from the brand Rice Dream)

- Dash of Nutmeg

Step 1

Mix your brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. 

Get rid of as many clumps as possible from your brown sugar when mixing.

Set this aside. This will be needed later.

Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg

Step 2

Use an electric mixer and mix together your softened butter and granulated sugar.

Do this until it is soft and creamy.

Beat in eggs 1 at a time, until incorporated.

Add in vanilla and mix well.

Step 3

Mix together your flour and baking powder. To save wasting a bowl, I measured my flour in a large measuring cup and then added baking powder to that cup and mixed together. 

You will then add this flour-mixture into your electric mixer, little by little.

Use a rubber spatula or spoon to incorporate the sides and make sure everything is mixed well.

Next, add your milk and mix well!

The mixer goes 'round and 'round

Step 4

Grease and add some flour to your loaf pan, 

and by now your oven should be set to 350 degrees F.

Take your choice of apple, peel, core, and dice! Set aside.

Step 5

Pour half of your batter into your loaf pan.

Next, add half of your diced apple to the mixture.

Do not mix, just sprinkle on top of the batter!!

Lightly push/pat the apples into the batter

Half of the batter and half of the apples on top!

Next, sprinkle half of your brown sugar spice mixture right on top of the apples!

Added the sugar-spice mixture on top!

Once that is complete, pour the rest of your batter on top of the spices, followed by the remainder of the apples. On top of that, place the remainder of your sugar-spice mixture.

More batter + apples + sugar/spices

Lightly pat down apples from the top into the mixture.

Step 6

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Insert a toothpick in the center and if it doesn't come out clean, add more time.

(Mine took an extra 15 minutes to complete).

If you notice the top is becoming too brown, cover the top loosely with tin foil and continue baking until the inside is finished! :) 

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven!

The layers blend perfectly

A corner/side view!

BUT WAIT...

Along with making this bread, I also had extra apples to make Apple Sauce!!!

SO as a bonus, here is my very easy and delicious recipe for apple sauce :)

Perfect to use with leftover apples and a complimenting fall side dish. 

(Thanksgiving is next month, hint hint).

Apple Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

- I used 7 apples, but add more if possible!

Have these peeled, cored, and chopped up!

- 1 Cup of either water, apple juice OR apple cider

- 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (or the juice squeezed from 1 lemon)

- 1/2 Cup of brown sugar

- Cinnamon and Nutmeg for flavor!

Step 1

Prepare apples and put them into a pot large enough to fit all of them

Pour in your cup of liquid! I used water but you can use apple juice or apple cider instead.

Add in lemon juice.

Add sugar and spices!

Apples with water, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg
Ready to cook!

Step 2

Turn the heat to medium-high heat. Place a cover on top and stir every few minutes for 25 minutes.

After they have been cooking for 25 minutes and your apples become softer, use a potato masher to smash apples and continue mixing.

Still cooking, getting mashed!

Step 3

Let your apples continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring and mashing every few minutes. 

Once you feel they are mashed up enough to your preference and cooked well, they are done!

Enjoy either warm or cold :)

So yummy!

The flavors in both recipes were amazing! 

Each really reminded me of Fall, apple picking, and the season.

I hope you all take advantage of using these recipes with any extra apples you have, and of course let me know if you decide to make any of them!

What is your favorite apple recipe to enjoy in October?

Leave a comment or suggestion!!

Thanks for stopping by xo