Pumpkin Dumplings

Last Saturday, we visited this farm. They have all the lovely Fall-type activities including a big pumpkin patch, gigantic corn maze, apple orchard, and a petting zoo (for the child inside all of us). Bonus you get a stunning view of snow-capped Mount Baker towering in the horizon. So this is one of my new favorite places to visit seasonally in the state of Washington. We came away from the crisp autumn afternoon warmed with fresh hot apple cider, happily hugging our stash of fresh picked apples and pumpkins that will probably feed us until next year.

I have a love affair with pumpkins. I know I've shared some favorite pumpkin recipes before, but now I have a new one to add to the list, pumpkin dumplings! (By the way, the secret reason for all this experimentation is to get my husband to eat pumpkin in various forms, so I can continue to cook it. He hates pumpkin pie with a passion. I know, he's crazy right?) 

So, pumpkin dumplings...here we go! If you're a fan of pretty much anything mixed with pasta sauce, you'll love this.  This sort of looks and tastes like gnocchi, except it tastes a bit like pumpkin too. Making it is as easy as can be.

Pumpkin Dumplings

This portion serves 8, which makes about the equivalent of cooking up an entire box of pasta.

You will need:

2 eggs
2 cups pure pumpkin (pureed with a little water if its too firm)
3 1/4 cups flour
pinch of nutmeg

Mix everything together in a large bowl until well incorporated. I like my large spatula and wooden spoon for this. The dough will be sticky, that's okay. Bring a big pot of water to a boil, add salt when boiling, and drop the dumplings one teaspoon at a time into the boiling water. Let them rise to the surface and cook another minute like that. Should take about 2-3 minutes total. Scoop out with a slotted spoon when done. When all dumplings are cooked, you're all set. But, when you're ready to eat them, sauté them up with a teensy bit of olive oil and butter, mix with any kind of green leafy veggies that you like, top with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, freshly grated parmesan, and serve hot. Enjoy!

Portobello Mushrooms, Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Kale

Portobello mushrooms. Those things that are as meaty and delicious as steak, without actually being steak. We love Portobello mushrooms but at our place they must be reserved as special treats since they cost a pretty penny. Their size makes them a perfect little appetizer, first course, or light dinner. This method is fancy looking, yet easy to make.

With all that said, these should not be cooked any old way either. They must be fussed over and treated like the kings and queens they are.  (Do not stomp them into a casserole, that’s what plain ole button mushrooms are for!) We like keeping it simple. For dinner last night, we stuffed these beauties with a little goat cheese, chopped up kale (fresh from the garden out back), plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, an assortment of herbs, and one egg to bind it all together.

Portobello Mushrooms, Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Kale

Pile the mixture high into the mushrooms, lay on a foil lined cookie sheet, and bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes, or until the kale starts to crisp up and turn golden-brown. Done. My husband called it “wow”.  (And he never says wow.) Enjoy!

Ridiculously Easy Homemade Granola

I have never made granola at home before. Not having anything available for a quick grab-n-go breakfast tomorrow, I found a basic homemade granola recipe and decided to give it a whirl. And now that I've tried it, I think granola immediately needs to go on the list of things NEVER to buy at the store ever again. It's not that you typically think of granola as "pricey", the fact is it takes less than five minutes of prep time at home, AND, it's cheaper so....why the heck not? All you need are some rolled oats, and whatever else you want to eat in your granola.


This is ridiculously easy homemade granola. And, when I say it took me less than five minutes to put together it's the truth - this includes the time it took to gather the ingredients and wash the mixing bowl. (And it makes your house smell like cookies.) You have to try it.

Makes about 6 cups

Step 1. Add to a mixing bowl:
5 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
...and any combination of 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, 1/4 dried fruit, 1/4 cup pecans (or walnuts or anything else your tummy desires). I kept my version to whatever I had available, i.e. coconut flakes and pecans.

Step 2. Mix well.

Step 3.  Spread onto cookie sheets and bake at 300 F for 5 minutes, stir, then bake an additional 7 minutes. Cool completely and store in airtight containers. 

Ridiculously easy, right? Enjoy!

Kale Harvest

I bought a package of Kale seeds and planted some, even though it was not in the plan for my little veggie garden this year. I was hesitant, never having planted kale before, but figured it would be worth the try since we've been eating more and more of it lately. I planted roughly a 1'x2' area and it grew so well, and so abundantly and thickly that this harvest here is only about one-fifth of what remains. I may need a bigger salad spinner. Yippee!

If you have even the tiniest patch of dirt I encourage you to plant some Kale. It's very good for you (I'm no expert on the details of that!) and it was so easy to grow. Plus, you could buy a package of organic kale seeds for less than $2, and probably get pounds and pounds of kale out of it versus spending $2 or $3 for a single bunch at your local grocery store or farmer's market. Do it!

Farmer's Market

I heart my local farmer's market. That's all!

Salmonberry Salad

The simple joys.  Picking delicate baby greens from the garden.  Tossing in bright ripe salmonberries picked mere minutes ago.  Dotting with olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper.

The result: a simple, joyful salmonberry salad.  Happy Saturday, everyone!

Foraging: Salmonberries!

foraging:  the acquisition of food by hunting, fishing, or the gathering of plant matter.


I've been reading about foraging lately.  It's a new love.  So far our foraging has been limited to picking berries. Still, a whole new world of food possibilities has opened up!  And it's all free, that F word I really love.  Last year we picked blackberries.  This year, we have a new find:  salmonberries.

The salmonberry is another edible fruit native to the state of Washington.  The seem perfectly good to eat plain when ripe, or cooked up.  We made Salmonberry Tarts two weeks ago.  Last week we ate them in crêpes for breakfast.  Naturally sweet, a bit tart, full of good fruity yummyness.

Salmonberry Crêpes

 

Oh yes, sweet little salmonberries, we will be back to pick more of you in the coming weeks, before you disappear.  Until next June!