recipes | Bead Happily Ever After

Special Recipe

Posted on October 29, 2009 by crystal

I found the following little gem in one of my vintage cookbooks. Hope you like it. The sentiment is sweet and, for a bonus, there’s a punch-line at the end! 😉

Recipe For A Good Day

Take two parts of unselfishness, and
One part of patience, and work together.
Add plenty of industry!
Lighten with good spirits and
Sweeten with kindness.
Put in smiles as thick as raisins in plum pudding,
And bake by the warmth which streams from a loving heart.
If this fails to make a good day,
The fault is not with the recipe –
But with the cook.

~Author Unknown

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread

Posted on October 21, 2009 by crystal

Our weather here was pretty miserable on Sunday. It was one of those dark and chilly days when it seems as if the rain will never stop! In short, it was the perfect time to bake something delicious!

I decided on pumpkin bread because I’d been promising Sir Beads I’d make some for a few weeks now. I pulled out the recipe, gathered the ingredients and turned on the oven. Honestly, is there anything more wonderful than a kitchen that’s bursting with the aroma of warm spices? I don’t think so. 😉

Sir Beads began to pace back and forth in front of the oven whenever the football game went to a commercial break. I reminded him that even when it was done, it was still going to have to cool for a bit. He gave me that “Oh, come on now!” kind-of-look, and then rolled his eyes and sighed.

Eventually, his patience was rewarded and after the first bite he proclaimed it to be “excellent”. But, when a man with a sweet tooth marries a lady who loves all things pumpkin – there’s just one little problem . . .

Pumpkin bread doesn’t last very long in this house.

Luckily, I made TWO! 😀

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter
2-2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
2/3 cup nuts (small pieces)
2/3 cup raisins (I use more than that as we love raisins.)

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, pumpkin, and water.

Mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices – and then add to pumpkin mixture.

Stir in nuts and raisins.

Pour into two greased loaf pans (2 qt. size)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the Love of Pumpkin . . .

Posted on October 13, 2009 by crystal

I’ve never met a pumpkin I didn’t like! Seeing them everywhere lately has my mouth watering for all things pumpkin – like pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies! When writing my grocery list earlier, I made sure to include the ingredients I’ll need to bake a couple of loaves of pumpkin bread later in the week . . .

For today though, I want to share a pumpkin recipe that I’ve just discovered. It not only sounds delicious, but has a prep time of just 10 minutes. Ya gotta love that!

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens website, but I’ll include it here for your convenience.

Ok, ttyl. I’m off to add cream cheese to the shopping list. 😉

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients

· 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
· 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1-1/2 cups (24, 1-tablespoon servings).

Serving suggestions:
Spread on bagels, gingersnaps, english muffins, graham cracker sticks, etc.

Italian Garden Soup Recipe

Posted on September 24, 2009 by crystal

I’m a big fan of “community cookbooks”!

You know – the ones that a women’s group might publish as a way to raise funds for a worthy cause. The recipes are often little gems! Most are family favorites, and some are family heirlooms – passed down from Grandma to Mom to Daughter!

I have a small collection of these books with tiny post-it notes marking my favorite recipes in all of them.

Here’s one . . . an easy recipe for soup!

Doesn’t it sound delicious? 🙂

Italian Garden Soup

2 Tbs. butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium clove garlic
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced carrots
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced celery
1 medium zucchini, sliced
28 oz. chicken broth
1 (16 oz.) can Italian tomatoes (reserve juice)
¼ tsp. oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp. basil, crumbled
1/8 tsp. pepper and salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Croutons (optional)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft (5 min.)
Add carrots, celery, and zucchini; sauté 4-5 minutes
Add chicken broth, tomatoes and reserved juice, oregano, basil, pepper and salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are “crisp tender” (10-15 min.)
Serve with Parmesan cheese and croutons.

A mug of this with half a grilled cheese sandwich???

Hmmm, hmmm! 😉

Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe

Posted on September 17, 2009 by crystal

Temperatures in our area went down into the 40’s last night!

Autumn is definitely knocking on the door.

I must admit that I am so looking forward to baking again, though!

During the heat of summer, I avoid the oven if at all possible. No sense in adding fuel to the fire, so to speak. Now, with the cooler weather, it will be fun to make some new recipes as well as the old favorites! Here’s one you might enjoy. 🙂

Pumpkin Spice Bread (Makes 3 Mini Loaves)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin (or 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Cinnamon Sugar Glaze (below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottoms of 3 miniature (5-inch by 3-inch) loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil and water until well combined. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle with Cinnamon Sugar Glaze. Makes 3 miniature loaves.

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze

1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Stir in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until of drizzling consistency.