Friday, November 6, 2009

I’m Back!









So I'm back!!! With that said...................So is my Jesus Loves Casseroles portion of the blog.

Thank you everyone for sending me recipes over the last few months. I had so many things I wuuuuuzzzzzz gunna do and write about. Well it just didn't happen soooooooo here we are in November with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Then Christmas.
Where does the time go?


The Hubs and I were at Williams and Sonoma (getting Junk Junket gift ideas) and they had this huge display out front of their Pumpkin Pecan Butter, Pumpkin waffle mix and fancy Ebelskiver pans.

I went nuts!!! I love love love love the Williams and Sonoma Pumpkin Pecan Butter. It's fantastic and very versatile.

The problem here is..................I'm too cheap to buy it.


So years ago after I went through 1 jar priced at $9.95 in about 2 seconds I decided that there had to be a recipe out there somewhere for it.

After spending almost the entire day looking for a Murihead Pumpkin Pecan Butter recipe on line .........

I FOUND IT!!!!!



This makes really great hostess gifts, Christmas gifts, oooooooooor once you try it you might just want to hoard it all for yourself like I do.


Yesterday I made a double batch because I'm completely out!

You'll soon see why I'm going through it so fast.


1 large can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
(Two 15 oz. cans can also be used)


1/2 cup water

I do mine in a Crockpot.  That way I can just turn it on medium and let it go for the day.  Not to mention….. The smell in the house is WONDERFUL!



Make sure you use pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling.


2 cups (packed) light brown sugar


3 tablespoons strained fresh orange juice (juice from about 1 orange)

3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
I grate a little of the rind from both fruits in to the mixture as well. Not too much otherwise it gets a little too citrus-ie flavored

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and grated or very finely chopped
I don't always  toast the pecans. I actually forget most of the time.


I’m tellin ya!  That Pampered Chef chopper I bought a 100 years ago has been one of the best purchases I ever made. I don’t know about you but I use this just about everyday.  
Well Ok, that’s a big fat lie!  I don’t cook everyday!  I’m not that good.

It’s makes quick work of fine chopping all those pecans.

All you nuts in the hot tub!
 


It comes with hooks on the side to lock down the lid for transportation. and it has a place on the top to lock a spoon in place. 
It’s awesome!

Here is the recipe as I copied it. 
As you will see………….I don’t follow the directions very well. 

I’m lazy!




Pumpkin Pecan Butter clip_image002
If you love the Williams and Sonoma Pumpkin Pecan Butter you will love this. It’s very similar and super easy.
1 large can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (Two 15 oz. cans can also be used)
1/2 cup water
2 cups (packed) light brown sugar or
3 tablespoons strained fresh orange juice (juice from about 1 orange)
3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and grated or very finely chopped
Makes about 5 cups
1. Simmer the orange zest in 2 cups water in a sauce pan for 10 minutes, then drain it and mince it to a fine pulp. Measure out 1 tablespoon and reserve.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine all the above ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; lower the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring it very often with a wooden spatula, until it has become very thick, about 15 minutes.
Sample the butter and add a little more of any or all of the spices, if you like (remember, the flavors will blossom in storage). Add more sweetening if your taste buds request it.
3. Stir in the nuts and continue to cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Ladle the boiling-hot pumpkin butter into clean, hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal the jars with new 2-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store for up to a year a cool cupboard. [Note: Instead of canning refrigerate or freeze for long-term storage.]
This can be mixed in breads, pancakes, scones, cakes, and cookies

So here is why we have gone through a jar of Pumpkin Pecan Butter in a matter of seconds.

EBELSKIVERS!!!!

The Hubs and I got this pan 4  years ago for a Christmas gift. I had no idea what it was or what to do with it. So I tossed it in the junk room.
Shhhhhhhhhh don’t tell my Sister-in-law
When going to the Farm Chicks back in 2008 Mother Madden took us to Breakfast one day at The Old European Cafe where I  had Aebelskivers for the first time.
They were WONDERFUL. 
A stuffed little pancake.
I do love me some  pancakes!

So I immediately came home and dug through the junk room to find that damn pan!

We have been experimenting off and on ever since.

Here’s a questions you’re going to have for me that I don’t have the answer to;

Williams-Sonoma spells it’s Ebelskivers
Old European spells it Abelskivers
I don’t know what the difference is?
What I do know… ……..
They are grubbin!


The Hubs and I  have tried lots of different batters but this concoction is one of our favorites. 

I make the pancake recipe off the back of the Bisquick box
I know! 

Tricky!

Then I toss in about a 1/4 of a cup of Pumpkin Pecan Butter or Caramel Apple Butter

Mix it all up

WHALA!
Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Because we are making Ebelskivers we have to have something to stuff them with.

A little softened cream cheese and powder sugar.

Makes a nice cream filling for the Ebelskivers
Because I’m cheap
I won’t buy the fancy William and Sonoma Ebelskiver turner

I just use wood skewers that I pick up at the $1 store
for the low low price of
$1!

So you spray a little non-stick on the pan, heat it up, fill up the holes about half way with batter then drop in a little dollop of cream cheese filling

and

Wait

Or you can sprinkle them with chocolate chips which is my
MOST VERY FAVORITE!

Then you flip them with your little skewer tool
and let them cook on the other side.

There they are!
A little ball of heaven




Then you eat them all up with a cup of tea from Teacup Seattle
My favorite flavors…..
and
If you love a good cup of tea…………..you will love the teas from Teacup Seattle.  It will turn you in to a tea snob.
You can call them up and just order samples if you just want to try them. 
If they aren’t busy with customers when you call, the staff is really good if you just tell them what kind of flavors you like.
They usually are dead right with their suggestions.
Sprinkle them with a little powder sugar
and
they will look just like the William Sonoma picture!



Pumpkin + Chocolate Chips
Pumpkin + Cream Cheese Filling
Caramel Apple + Cream Cheese Filling
Plain batter + Crumbled Sausage
Plain batter + Raspberry jam
Plain batter + Blueberries

Seeeeeeeeeee how the options are just endless?

Here is another butter recipe that I like to make a big batch of. It’s a great for gift giving or hoard it for yourself.


Crockpot Caramel Apple Butter
Puree about 3 pounds of apples (heat, peel, steam, food mill, blender or whatever).
I used Granny Smith apples and it was EXCELLENT
Place 7 cups of apple puree in crockpot with about 2 cups of white sugar to taste depending upon the variety of apples used.
For a large crock, you can double this. Cook the pulp down to a butter consistency (about 3 to 4 hours).
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 21 caramels.
Check the temperature. I like to get it up to 165 degrees F, but the minimum is 140 degrees F.
If your crock does not get hot enough, transfer it to a pan and heat it on the stove.
Can leaving 1/2-inch head space and water bath - pints for 10 minutes and 1/2 pints for 5 minutes.


I use these butters in pancake, waffle, muffin, and quick bread mixes.
They are also just good spread on English muffins, bagels, and toast.


Here is a quick bread recipe that is excellent for both of these butters.


Quick Bread Recipe
Cream together with Mixer
2 Tablespoons Shortening
1 Cup Your choice of….Pumpkin Pecan Butter, Caramel Apple Butter, or Mashed Bananas.
¾ Cup White Sugar
Then add
1 Egg
¾ Cup Milk
Mix in by hand
3 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ Cup Chopped Pecans, walnuts or Chocolate Chips optional
Bake at 350 in a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan or Two 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch pans for 55 minutes or until test pick comes out clean.
Let me know how these turned out for you

Be Creative and Enjoy!!!!!





9 comments:

Jennifer said...

Oh my goodness... All these recipes!! Where does one start? Must get ebelskiver pan soon! I have heard lots of great things about that pumpkin butter from WS but have never bought it.
I agree on the Pampered chef chopper...love it!

Charity Watts said...

I am sooooooo gonna make this...it's sounds dreamy!!!! I'll let you know how it goes over with the "J" crew :)

Unknown said...

WOW Did I come to the right blog this morning>!!!?! I am thinking Christmas gifts, for all my foodie friends! Thanks so very much for sharing i have never heard of these pancakes! Sue

Laurie Anne said...

Yum, I'm soo going to be on the look out for one of those little pans. I have seen them before when I have been out thrifting, so I'm hoping I'll get lucky. Can't wait to try these :0)

WSU Laura said...

Yummy! Gotta get out the crockpot right now and make up that pumpkin butter. I am thinking I may have to ask for that pan for Christmas or my birthday. NICE!

Barbara said...

Sounds AWESOME! I'm going to have to try some of this...I have Christmas gifts to make and this just may be the ticket...

Debra said...

Well, I am super hungry after reading that post so this will be quick. I can't wait to try the pumpkin pecan butter - I have a can of pumpkin I just bought since it was on sale & now I know what I will do with it! I LOVE my Ebelskiver pan.

Amber Strehle said...

YUM!! It's about stinking time you start blogging again!!:)

Lisa Johnson said...

Hey Timi! I thought I read this post already, but now I see that I didn't. Have been having computer problems lately. I love my abelskiver pan, but have only made them with applesauce inside. I'm going to totally make your pumpkin butter recipe and make some. Yum! I never even thought about doing chocolate chip ones. Duh! That's why I love you so much~you are girl after my own heart, I mean stomach! So much for my diet.

XO,

Lisa