Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere!

I have to admit that I went overboard buying pumpkins.  Not just a little overboard but off the deep end overboard.  I have about 150 pounds of pumpkins.  Crazy right?  Lucky for me I am finding out that pumpkins are very versatile.  I knew I could can or freeze the pumpkin but what I was really looking for was some "out of the box" ideas and boy oh boy did I find some.

I started off with the basics.  I cleaned out my pumpkin and steamed it.  After it was steamed I peeled it and then mashed it.  I took about 6 cups and made pumpkin butter.  Basically, I cooked the pumpkin goop with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and a pinch of all spice until it was thick and yummy.  It took about 3 1/2 hours to get the consistency I wanted.  Then, I made pumpkin walnut muffins.  Just a basic muffin but they turned out really good.  Having covered the basics (I hate pumpkin pie) I ventured out.

First, I tried mashed pumpkin with butter, salt and pepper.  It was really very good and very filling.  After I realized that pumpkin could be savory we went a little crazy...  Pumpkin and black bean tacos.  Oh my goodness they are very good.

Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos

Diced steamed pumpkin
Black beans
cumin
garlic
onions
chili powder
pepper and salt
oil/butter

Melt butter or heat oil in large pan.  Throw everything in and fry until the pumpkin is crisp but tender.  Stuff into hard taco shells and top with salsa, cheese, sour cream.  The pumpkin reminds me a lot of fried potatoes.  This seems to best the first day so only make as much as you are going to use for one meal.  The pumpkin seems to absorb the seasoning so after you season be sure to taste and adjust accordingly.  Let me know what you think if you try this. 

Tomorrow I will have another pumpkin recipe.  :)

Spiced Vanilla Bean Pear Sauce

This sauce is super yummy and rich.  I am imagining whole grain waffles with this spooned on top.  Of course, if I want to do that I will have to stop snacking...   I compiled about 3 recipes into this one. 

Spiced Vanilla Bean Pear Sauce

About 8 lbs of pears cored (I don't peel or chop my pears.  I used an apple corer)
About 1 cup of water
1 big Tablespoon of lemon juice
Fresh ground nutmeg to taste
Ground clove to taste
Ground allspice to taste
1 vanilla bean scraped
About 1 cup of brown sugar (feel free to adjust the sugar to your taste)

Throw your pears in a large sauce pot with the water and lemon juice.  Cover and let cook until very soft.  I use an immersion blender and blend until very smooth.  Add your seasonings and sugar and let cook slowly
until it is very thick. 


You can see how thick it is at this point.  It has been cooking for about 4 hours on low.  Be careful because this does pop and those pears are hot!  From here you can either cook it down more for a pear butter or you can stop at this point and you can either cool it and refrigerate or you can can it. 

I like to can it in pints because that size works great for our family and we don't end up with leftovers.  I can mine in a boiling water bath for about 20 minutes but I recommend you checking either a canning book or the internet for specific directions especially if you are new to canning.  Either way I hope you will try this and let me know what you think.  I got 5 pints out of this and I think I would have had 6 if we had stayed out of it. It really is very pretty and I think on a snowy day this winter it will be perfect.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day blog hop

Ahoy there and welcome to Gill's Pirate Day blog hop.  You should have come here from Anita's blog.  If you just stumbled on my blog then you will want to start the hop at the beginning with Gill.  I will have the full list at the bottom of the post just in case you get lost.  Please make sure to visit all of the blogs and leave a comment.

When I heard about this hop I knew exactly what pictures I wanted to use.  My little guy loved to play pirate and I have lots of pirate pictures.  I did a 2 page LO. 

I love, love, love this paper.  It has a great texture and is just too stinkin' cute!  I cut the photo mats and then burned the edges.  I added some pen lines and red stickles on the pirate's sash.  It was a real simple LO but I love it and so does my little pirate.  Your next stop is Jessica.  Thanks for hopping! 

1. Gill http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/
2. Maria http://justgetscraphappy.blogspot.com/
3. Alethea http://lilodesigns.blogspot.com/
4. Valerie http://canonburycreations.blogspot.com/
5. Jacki - http://cardsbyjacki.blogspot.com/
6. Kari http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/
8. Beckie http://beckiedreyer.blogspot.com/
9. Lisa http://lisagarrow.blogspot.com
11. Anita http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
12. Jenn P http://jennscrap2.blogspot.com/
13. Jessica http://thecreativestamperspot.blogspot.com/
14. Linda www.thefruitofmyhands.blogspot.com
15. Paula http://scrapyourworld1.blogspot.com
16. Haidee http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
17. Leslie - Rahye http://www.leslierahye.blogspot.com/
18. Jackie http://jackiesscrappinpad.blogspot.com
19. Corri www.buglvr.blogspot.com
20. Liz www.tryin2craft.blogspot.com
21. Lisa P http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
22. Vicki http://paperandprims.blogspot.com
24. AJ - http://fistfullofglittercardsbyaj.blogspot.com/
25. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

Summer Blog Hop Day 2

It's is day 2 of our little hop and I didn't get as much done as I would have liked so I don't have a new project for you but.... I do have an MTC cut file give away.  You should have gotten here from Meighen but if you just happened by you can start at the beginning of the hop with Jill.  Here is a picture of the cut file that I am offering.  I hope you like it and can find some uses for it!

To get this file all you have to do is click here.

Here is the line up just in case you get lost.
Jill ~ http://thescrapoholic.blogspot.com/
Debbie ~ http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
Sarah ~ http://simplyshaddock.blogspot.com/
Jackie ~ http://jackiesscrappinpad.blogspot.com/
Abby ~ http://www.scrapbookaholicbyabby.com/
Nancy ~ http://blog.fancywithnancy.com/
Jenny ~ http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Meighen ~ http://scrappin3rdeeschik.blogspot.com/
Jenn ~ http://jennscrap2.blogspot.com/  you are here
Gill ~  http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/

Thanks for hopping along and have a great day!  :D

Officially Summer Blog Hop

WOOOHOOO!!!!! It is summer!!!!  Can you tell I am a little excited?  I love summer because to me summer means fun and I love fun! 

If you arrived from Meighen you are in the right place.  If you just happened to drop by and would like to start at the beginning please start with Jill. 

Here is my project.  I made a Summer 2011 album.  The pages are cereal boxes covered with paper.  I love, love, love this paper and have been hanging on to it for awhile.  I think this was the perfect project for it!  I used DCWV and Bazzill.  I did faux stitching on the photo mats which are chalked with Charcoal Cat's Eye chalk and the cover is done with my much loved MTC.  I used some loose leaf binder rings to hold it all together.  There are Prima flowers with Ruby Red Liquid Pearls for the center.  I finished off each photo mat with ribbon photo corners.   Feel free to click on the photos to get a better idea of the details.  I  hope you enjoy and please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

The next and last stop on the hop is Gill.  I hope you have enjoyed hopping along and picked up some inspiration.  If you are not already a follower I would love to have you follow me.  Thanks again and have a fantastic, crafty summer!  :D


 If you get lost along the way here is the lineup.
Jill ~ http://thescrapoholic.blogspot.com/
Debbie ~ http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
Sarah ~ http://simplyshaddock.blogspot.com/
Jackie ~ http://jackiesscrappinpad.blogspot.com/
Abby ~ http://www.scrapbookaholicbyabby.com/
Nancy ~ http://blog.fancywithnancy.com/
Jenny ~ http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Meighen ~ http://scrappin3rdeeschik.blogspot.com/
Jenn ~ http://jennscrap2.blogspot.com/ you are here! 
Gill ~  http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/

Father's Day Blog Hop

Welcome to the All About Dads Blog Hop! We have gathered a talented group of crafters to share their projects with you for Father's Day.  We hope that we are able to provide you with lots of great ideas for all the special men in your life.


If you have come from Kari at http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/, then you are in the right place. If you stumbled upon my blog and want to hop along, you can do so by starting at Jen's Blog at www.memorieswithjen.blogspot.com.


So here is my project.  It is a wall hanging celebrating my wonderful daddy. 

I am soo thrilled with this.  I can't wait to get the pictures printed and put on and get this hanging up.  This was a little more work than I had anticipated but I think it was well worth it.  I started with a canvas that measures 16 x 20 and  covered it with 4" squares of paper that I chalked the edges of and then Modge Podged.  It took 4 sheets of double sided paper with paper leftover for another project.  There are buttons on there from my mom's button box and the heart is an old earring that lost it's mate.  The buttons and earring are all hot glued on.  The lettering is done with MTC and then shadowed and hand stitched.   The 4 photo mats are 5x7 and handstitched with embroidery floss and then run through the crimper.  I will attach the pictures with photo corners.  The edges are painted a deep brown that matches the ribbon. 

Your next stop on our hop is Samantha at www.buglovinchick.blogspot.com .

Don't forget to visit all of the stops to be eligible for the Cricut Cartridge A Child's Year.

Here is a list of the participants in our hop in case you get lost:

Jen R  www.memorieswithjen.blogspot.com
Anita   www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
Amy    www.lovetocrop.com
Jackie   www.jackrabbitscrappin.blogspot.com
Stasia   www.stampzone.blogspot.com
Gina   www.californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com

Sher   www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com

Michelle   www.designsoncloud9.blogspot.com

Laura:   www.makinprettythings.com

Kari   www.purplefuntastickcreations.com

Jenn   www.jennscrap2.blogspot.com   you are here

Samantha   www.buglovinchick.blogspot.com

Kathy    www.kathyand3kids.blogspot.com

Lori    www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com

DD   www.craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com

Rhonda   www.craftingwithblue.blogspot.com

Kristal    www.gettingcricky.com

Amy   www.amychomas.blogspot.com

Darlene   www.talesoftayandbay.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment and let me know what you think of this project.  :D

Are you ready for another hop?

This June 4th I am part of a Dad's hop and as a daddy's girl I just can't wait!  I hope you will join in and hop along with us.  I am really excited about this project and I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up with.  I look forward to seeing you on the 4th.  :D