Pumpkins & Squash

     It was Wednesday night Prayer Service at my church.  My friend Amy has 3 young children, & 2 of the 3 were excitedly running out of the King’s Kids Program with a lime green bag of goodies they had gotten that evening. 

     Amy & Scott’s oldest child, Kyle, did not appear nearly as excited as his siblings. He too, had a lime green bag, but as he sat down by his mother, he looked downcast.  My heart went out to him.  I knew something had disappointed him very much.

    I watched from afar as his mother leaned toward her unhappy child.  She spoke softly to him, encouraging him to open up & tell her what possibly happened to make him so despondent.

     Kyle opened his bag and said, “Mommy, I wanted a little pumpkin, but I got THIS.”  THIS was a golden colored ornamental SQUASH.  Amy & I exchanged looks, and an attack of the giggles ensued. 

    Kyle had been the last child chosen at random to pick a Fall related prize from the gift table set up to celebrate this harvest season.  It was obvious this little 8 yr old had his heart set on something he wanted, but it just didn’t work out this time.

    I found out from my son who was working in the children’s program that day, that there WAS a choice between a pumpkin & a squash, but Kyle actually CHOSE the squash.

    I listened with empathy toward Kyle as Amy told him, “Honey, this is just what I wanted for our Thanksgiving decorations.” 

    I am not sure Kyle was convinced that squash could ever be a good thing, but as I thought about this later, I realized how much a mother’s heart wants to shield her children from life’s disappointments. 

    God is like that, even more so.  He knows that the choices we make can either bring regret or blessings.  Sometimes He even gives us what we want knowing that our human nature will not satisfied with THINGS.

    We have a God shaped yearning in our souls that can only be satisfied with a personal relationship with the One that created us in the first place.

Sometimes when you want a pumpkin, life gives you squash, so we had best be prepared for both! 
Here are the recipes for Gooey Pumpkin Bars & Yellow Squash Casserole


PUMPKIN GOOEY BARS
Crust
1 (18.25) pkg. yellow cake mix 
8 T. butter, melted
1 egg

Combine the mix, egg, and melted butter together using a hand mixer. Pat 2/3 of the crust into a 9x13 pan and the rest in an 8x8 pan. Crust will be thinly spread.

Pumpkin Filling
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. butter, melted
1-1/2 lb. powdered sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 (15-oz.) cans pumpkin
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs 
whipped topping, any amount

Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the powdered sugar. Beat in the pumpkin.

Add the eggs and vanilla, then the melted butter and spices. Taste and add more powdered sugar to taste if desired. 

Pour 2/3 of the mixture into the 9x13 pan and the rest into the 8x8 pan. 

Bake in a preheated 350° for 40-50 degrees. The center should
be a little gooey, hence the name. Top with whipped cream when serving. Yield: 20 servings from 9x13 pan and 12 from 8x8.
Note: I tweaked the original recipe because the crust seemed too thick, the filling too thin and was sweeter than I liked. This is so good, I might be willing to give up pumpkin pie. This dish freezes well, so the extra pan could be saved for a later date.
Wrap well, label, and freeze for up to 2 months.


YELLOW SQUASH
CASSEROLE
2 c. yellow squash, sliced 
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. onion, chopped
 1-2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
salt and pepper, to taste
Ritz crackers, crushed (optional)

Steam squash over boiling water until fork tender, about 5-7 minutes. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Add onion. Sprinkle half of cheese on top. 
Mix soup and sour cream; pour over squash. Add more cheese. Top with crushed crackers. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-40 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Note: The sauce is also good with steamed cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots as a casserole. Steaming the squash keeps it from being watery.

Turkey Segment

Wednesday's Confectionately Yours was a repeat.  For the "Let's talk turkey" segment info, go to January 2012 post.  Thanks!!!

Marshmallow Cream

I like unusual recipes that use easy to find ingredients.  I also like kitchen gadgets very much.  With the purchase of a digital candy thermometer, a whole new world of cooking opened up to me. 

Two of my favorite recipes to make are homemade marshmallow cream and marshmallows.  Both use mostly the same ingredients.  Unflavored gelatin is the difference between the two adding the squishy firmness a marshmallow must have.

The joy of this candy is that I can change to flavorings to my own liking, and it doesn’t require the constant stirring most candies do.  The basic ingredients are egg whites, sugar, & corn syrup.    Water, corn syrup, and sugar are cooked on the stove until the mixture reaches 242-248 degrees. 

You DO need a heavy duty mixer for this recipe.  The egg whites are whipped until light and frothy.  Then the hot syrup is slowly poured down the side of the mixing bowl while it is running.  Increase the speed of the mixer when all the syrup is added and beat it for 10 minutes.  Flavoring, and even food coloring is added at this time if you wish to coordinate the taste & color of your marshmallows.

This recipe brings thoughts of my young friend, Tim.  He is in the Air Force & stationed at the same base where my son was born 20 years ago.  Tim is just a little older than my son, Andrew.

After an emergency appendectomy, I sent him a care package.  It included some homemade S’mores using this recipe.  This cookie stayed fresh for the trip through the mail. 

My mind is once again turned to Tim as he heads to Afghanistan for his 3^rd mission there.  Tragically, his best friend was killed there just a week before Tim deployed.  Please take time today to pray for our military folks.  Freedom is not free, and those who serve in the military deserve our prayers, our support, and our gratitude.

Homemade Marshmallow Cream

3 large egg whites
3/4 c. light corn syrup

2 T. sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat egg whites and cream of

tartar until light and frothy. 

With the mixer running, slowly pour in the 2 T. sugar;

beat until soft peaks form. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 c water, corn 

syrup, and 3/4 c. sugar. Place over medium heat and cook until boiling. Cook, stirring,

until mixture reaches the firm ball stage (about 242 to 248 degrees) on a candy 

thermometer, about 6 minutes. Immediately remove from heat. 

With the mixer on 

low, slowly add hot syrup to egg white mixture. Increase mixer speed to high and 

continue beating for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and continue to beat until mixture looks 

like marshmallow cream, about 1 minute more. 

Makes about 5 cups. Store at room 

temp. for up to 1 week.

Note: I can guarantee you will never buy marshmallow cream again once you taste

this recipe. You may use it to make the marshmallow cream fudge or "fluffer-nutter"

sandwiches. (7oz= 2-1/4 c. of the marshmallow cream for the fudge.) A heavy duty

mixer is needed for this recipe also.

S'Mores

Place the marshmallow cream into a pastry bag or a zip lock freezer bag. Snip the tip off the corner of the ziplock bag.  Pipe a small dollop of marshmallow cream onto a graham cracker square.  Top with a square of your favorite chocolate.  Pipe a bigger dollop of marshmallow cream on the chocolate & top with another graham cracker.

Store in airtight container.  Consume within 7 days.

                                         Confectionately  Yours,  

Sue

The Year Round Christmas Tree

My friend Carolyn & I were having a post holiday luncheon & catching up.  This was the first Christmas when everyone could make it home in quite some time.  Old memories were relived and new ones made.

As we ruefully admitted to the need to begin un-decorating the house for the season, she laughingly told me her mother kept the tree up all year.  It was always in the same corner, but the decorations changed with the season.  A banner for the birthday person graced the tree on their special day.  Valentines hung there in Feb.  Little flags were tucked in on the 4^th of July.

I realized this was before the days of craft stores where one could no doubt keep such a tree in glorious apparel year round.  It was a mother’s creativity that wrought such a nice memory for her children, using what she had, and looking for ways to work with her hands as Prov 31 encourages us to do.

One year my mother humorously hung a little elf from the mouth of a stuffed pheasant that was hung on the wall.  She and Daddy had taken a once only hunting trip together to South Dakota to bag some pheasants.  I think she shot her gun once, then Daddy got his limit and hers, too. 

The best thing from that hunting trip was the time spent together, the memories that stuffed wall decoration evoked, and a pheasant & rice recipe Mother got from someone in South Dakota.  They also learned hot tea, not cold sweet tea was the favored drink in the North.  They found they enjoyed the experience, the people, & the tea.

For years after, that little elf placed in the pheasant’s mouth signaled the beginning of our holiday season.  We still joke about it.  Isn’t it amazing how one little act can evoke such warm fuzzy memories?

Here is the recipe for Chicken & Rice.  You can substitute pheasant if you happen to have it on hand.  :-)

FLUFFY RICE AND CHICKEN
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 jar mushrooms, sliced with liquid (opt.)
1 soup can milk
1 (1.4-oz.) envelope onion soup mix
3/4 c. white rice, uncooked
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 350°. Mix chicken soup and milk. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture. Mix in the onion soup mix, rice, and mushrooms. 

Pour into ungreased baking dish. Place chicken breasts on top. Pour reserved soup mixture over chicken. 

Cover with foil and bake one hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. Yield: 4 servings Add a little extra chicken broth at the end of cooking time if needed.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

1 recipe pastry cream
bananas-3-4 (ripe, but not mushy)
vanilla wafers

Make the pastry cream. Place a layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of dish, then 1/3 of pastry cream.  Slice bananas on top. repeat layers, ending with a thin layer of pastry cream over the bananas so they will not turn brown.  Slide some vanilla wafers around the edge of the pudding.  Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate.

PASTRY CREAM

3 c. milk (not skim)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 T. all purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar (or Splenda if you wish it sugar free)
4 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Separate eggs and save (or freeze) the whites for another use. In a medium sized saucepan, stir together 2-1/2 cups of the milk, sugar, & salt. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Whisk some of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth. 

This will temper the eggs so they will not "scramble" when you add them to the rest of the hot mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk and return to the stove. 
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the butter and vanilla. 

Place plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool. Fold in the whipped cream into the cooled mixture. Use this cream to fill eclairs, cream puffs, or
as the 'pudding' layer for banana pudding, or to fill tart shells.

Note: This recipe can be used so many ways. One of my favorites is to pipe a small amount into a tart shell, press in one slice of a perfectly ripe banana and cover it with
the cream. The banana flavor will infuse into the cream. Garnish with a smidgen of whipped cream and a banana "chip" for presentation.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Italian Cream Cake

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

1/2 c. butter 5 eggs, separated
1/2 c. Crisco shortening
 2 c. sugar
2 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk
 6 oz. coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. pecans, chopped

Beat egg whites and set aside. Cream butter and shortening until light fluffy. Add sugar gradually, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir together flour and soda; add alternately with the buttermilk, beating well. Stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Fold in the beaten egg whites gently. 

Grease and flour three 8" round cake pans. Bake in preheated 350° oven for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. 

Cool completely on a rack before frosting with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 tsp. 
1/2-1 c. butter, softened
2 lbs. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat cream cheese until softened and no lumps. Add softened butter. Gradually mix in 

confectioners sugar and vanilla. 

If you want a softer frosting, use the full amount of

the butter. I use the smaller amount of butter for a stiffer frosting so that it can be 

piped onto cake.

Note: I use a product called Bakers Joy to grease and flour the pans at the same time.

Spray liberally. After I remove cakes from oven, I wait 10 minutes, then shake the pan to loosen the cake. I put the rack on top of the pan and then flip it over in one quick motion. Often I freeze the cake before frosting it. It will frost much easier and the cake will actually be more moist.

                                         Confectionately  Yours, 

Sue