Semi-homemade can save the day

As a home cook and foodie my tastes and sources of inspiration are eclectic. If you eat at my house you are bound to be sampling dishes from around the world and from an endless list of resources (Internet, cookbook, blog, my own crazy concoctions . . . you name it!). One of my absolute […]

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Going Green with Sweet Sesame Seed Dressing

After all of the pumpkin that’s been flying around in my kitchen I figured it was time for a bit of green. So I went back to basics and made up a big bowl full of simple green salad with my favorite dressing. Growing up one of my favorite types of dressing was poppy seed […]

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Famous Pumpkin Scones–just what the doctor ordered.

For my last pumpkin recipe of Pumpkin Palooza, I had a totally different recipe in mind. Then at the beginning of the week I received a comment from a Melanie, a fellow blogger and friend (that I actually had the pleasure of meeting last May!), asking if I had ever tried pumpkin scones. She explained […]

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Mommy, where do pumpkins come from?

In this day and age we risk teaching our kids that milk magically appears in cartons, chickens come headless and plucked, and pumpkins come from a display in the supermarket. We are altogether too separated from the reality of how things get into our kitchens. I, for one, am all for a little education. Pumpkin […]

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Pumpkin Hummus

Thank you to everyone who entered my Pumpkin Palooza Giveaway! I really enjoyed reading about all of your favorite seasonal treats and traditions. Thanks to my trusty Random Integer Generator, we have a winner, Tamakikat! Tamakikat is writing to us from one of my favorite places on earth, Kyoto, Japan. As far as seasonal treats […]

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Pumpkin Mac ‘n Cheese Please!

I love finding ways to make well-loved foods, that aren’t necessarily known for being healthy, a bit healthier. Mac and cheese is one of those comfort foods that is well-loved by kids (and many adults as well!) but isn’t usually in that healthy category because of all of the cheese in it. This mac and […]

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Truth or Dare: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Truth #1: Cookies make Squirrel happy. Truth #2: Cookies make Squirrel’s mommy happy. Truth #3: Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are REALLY yummy. Truth #4: Squirrel’s mommy has talked herself into feeling less guilty about feeding Squirrel sugary treats because they have heart healthy fiber packed pumpkin in them. Pumpkin Palooza just wouldn’t be complete without […]

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Pumpkin Curry-licious

I love a good curry. There’s just something about the endless array of rich and hearty gravies that shouts “Comfort food!” to me. As I explored the possibilities for Pumpkin Palooza thoughts of curry pushed themselves into my mind. I looked for a good pumpkin curry recipe to share with you, but I just wasn’t […]

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Pumpkin Dumplings

“I am the Emperor and I want [pumpkin] dumplings.” – Emperor Ferdinand I (I’m sure that he said it just like that.) Whenever I go to an Italian restaurant I inevitably end up ordering gnocchi. Maybe it’s because I kid myself into thinking that I’m ordering something healthy, or maybe it’s just because I love […]

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Beating off bad health one bite at a time with Pumpkin Pecan (Choco) Bread

I have to start out Pumpkin Palooza with a bit of chocolate don’t I? The answer to that silly rhetorical question is OF COURSE! Not only are you getting the nutritional benefits that come from eating pumpkin (i.e., healthy doses of carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin–all antioxidants–and common nutrients, like iron, zinc, and fiber), but you are […]

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