Tis the Season of the Great Pumpkin

Ok, so I'm not big on Halloween, but I do LOVE LOVE LOVE PUMPKIN!!!!!!!! I even call my loved ones Pumpkin Face! LOL! They are so cute!

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin blizzards, pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll and believe it or not, some roasted pumpkin that is mashed with butter and salt! YUMMY!!!! And pumpkin is so good for you! It has tons of fiber and lots of great vitamins, it is so fantastic!

So as I was thinking about the joyous occasion of pumpkin returning to my life, I remembered a GREAT recipe that I have that can also be made vegetarian or vegan....... Pumpkin Black Bean Chili! This is a crockpot recipe and my husband just loves it! And for my friends out there doing Weight Watchers, this whole recipe is...wait for it.... 24 points... for the WHOLE recipe!!! It might not be 0 point vegetable soup, but this is yummy, warm and filling and you could eat a ton even with a piece of cornbread and not break the points bank!!!! Please try this!! It is so good and you and your family will LOVE it!

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

1 med onion, chopped
1 med yellow pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 c. chicken broth
2 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 c. cubed cooked turkey
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp chili powder (if you like it spicier, add a little more)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Ina large skillet, saute onion, yellow pepper and garlic in olive oil until tender. Transfer to 5 qt slow cooker and stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. And scarf it up!!!!!!

Trying New Recipes

I LOVE trying out new recipes.... and TERRIFIED at the same time!!! Because what if ends up being terrible?! Then you have wasted groceries and time and you have to order in pizza! :-) But it does not have to be that way! When you are looking for a new recipe make sure that it has ingredients that you like and seasonings that sound appealing and it increases the likelihood that you will love what you make. Also, remember that the first time you make something, make it to the instructions, unless this is something that you do often and you feel super comfortable making substitutions, and then try it and see what you might like to do differently and then try it again!!! Make it yours and then share it with others! This technique has brought me some of my favorite recipes!

The recipe that I'm sharing today is FANTASTIC for the fall!!! I think that I would like to add some meat to this as well, but it's a great vegetarian dish and could be made vegan with a very few substitutions. So, let us do this! I got this recipe from the Hungry Girl website, if you have never looked at it, you should. They send a daily newsletter with several bits of great information and good recipes, if you are on Weight Watchers, she gives the points for just about everything!

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (about 4.5 lbs.)
One 14.5-oz. can creamy tomato soup
1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 wedges The Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese, room temperature
One 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
One 7-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup shredded Italian Blend Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place whole squash in the microwave and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, until soft enough to cut.

Once cool enough to handle, cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Brush generously with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste.

To a very large baking pan (or 2 medium baking pans), add 1/2 inch of water. Place squash halves in the pan(s), cut sides down and poke flesh with fork.

Bake in the oven until the insides of squash halves are tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove pans(s) but leave oven on. Once cool enough to handle, remove squash halves from the pan; place on a dry surface with the cut sides up. Set pan(s) aside.

Scrape all of the spaghetti squash strands out with a fork and transfer to an extra-large bowl. Set aside the bowl as well as the hollow squash halves. Empty water from pan(s). Return squash halves to the pan(s), hollow sides up.

In a medium bowl, combine soup, garlic, dried minced onion, Italian seasoning, pepper, and cheese wedges, breaking cheese wedges into pieces as you add them. Stir thoroughly, until mostly smooth.

Add soup mixture to the extra-large bowl of spaghetti squash strands. Add spinach, mushrooms, and basil, and mix thoroughly.

Evenly divide squash mixture between the hollow squash halves. Sprinkle Italian blend cheese over the tops.

Return pan(s) to the oven and bake until filling is hot and mozzarella cheese has melted, 15 - 20 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, evenly cut each of the stuffed squash halves in half, leaving you with 4 large pieces. Serve up and enjoy! (Don't eat the skin!)

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

No Matter Where You Are........ Don't Quit!!!!

So, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my blog and more importantly how much I LOVE to cook! I have had a lot going on these past few months with working and getting married to the most amazing man in the world and I have put some of my cooking to the side.

Last night I tried a new recipe for the first time in a long while! And it felt amazing! I got into that rut and just kept cooking the same ol' stuff and it was great to mix it up! Until it didn't coe out perfect and I got really frustrated and just wanted to throw it in the garbage, but I just kept going and fixed it and it ended up delicious and my husband loved it! Then I got to thinking about how often in our life to we end up in a rut and then try and it's not perfect so then we just quit trying in whatever it might be in our life? Our work, our friendships, our marriages... no matter where you are, DON'T QUIT!!!!! Keep going, keep trying, keep praying and keep loving.

I quit on you guys and my blog and now, I'm just going to keep trying and give you guys more and help you more! So, I guess you can say that you will be reading more from me! More tips, more recipes and more loving! Here is the one that I tried last night, try it and enjoy! My husband and I LOVED it!!!!!

1 4- 41/2 lb whole chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 whole lemon, cut into half
Kitchen twine
salt and pepper to taste

Mix olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, salt and pepper together. Loosen the skin between the breast and legs and rub mixture into the breast and leg meat. Place lemon halves in chicken cavity and tie legs together. Place wings up and behind bird. And salt and pepper outside skin of chicken. Place on a sprayed roasting rack.

2- 2 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1- 1 1/2" pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix together and arrange around potatoes in baking rack.

Bake at 375 for 40 min. Move oven temperature to 450 and bake for another 20 min or until meat temperature is 170 or all juices run clear and let sit for 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!!!! (I just happened to make roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar with this and it was a great meal!)

TRY THIS!!! And even if you don't do perfect...try again or try another recipe! Believe me, I will have more to post for you! Just DON'T QUIT!!!! I will have more for you soon!!!!