The Times They Are A Changing

When carving your Jack-o-lanterns or cooking your fresh pumpkin, don’t throw away the seeds. Not only are they a nutritious snack, but if you are selling your pumpkins at the farmers market or at a roadside stand, they can make a great added item to sell.

Step 1. Prepare the pumpkin seeds by washing them under cold water to get them clean and wash off any of the pulp still left on. Lay the seeds out onto paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

Step 2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with oil. Spread the seeds out on the pan and spray them on top. An alternate is to rub a heavy coat of oil on the pan and then stir the seeds to oil coat them.

Step 3. Sprinkle the seeds with salt if desired. Bake the them for approximately 25 minutes. Stir them after the first 10 or 15 minutes.

Step 4. Remove them from the oven and cool. Store in zip log plastic bags or container.

Use your roasted pumpkin seeds as snacks, on salads, as a garnish to vegetables or as you would nuts in cookies or candy such as peanut brittle.

Alternate Recipes

* Melt 1 tablespoon butter and add 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/8 teaspoon onion salt, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce to 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds and roast as above, just use a slight oil spray on the pan.

* Melt 1 tablespoon butter and add ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds and roast as above, just use a slight oil spray on the pan.

Use your imagination - granola with pumpkin seeds, chocolate chip pumpkin seed cookies, Checks party mix with pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed brittle candy.

Whether you’ve grown fresh pumpkin in your garden just to feed your family or you’ve grown a whole pumpkin patch for the business of selling pumpkins, you’ll want to have some great recipes. If you’re in the pumpkin business, make sure you have a certified kitchen (or any other necessary legalities covered) to bake in if you plan to sell your bake goods. This is one of my favorites, a bread recipe, with many variations which allows you to make the basic recipe and add different things to make each batch different.

Pumpkin Harvest Sweet Bread

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups pumpkin puree
¼ cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or use spray oil to line 2 loaf pans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Mix thoroughly.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk and oil. Mix well.
Combine the pumpkin mixture with the dry mixture. Stir until all is moistened.
Add the pecans and chocolate chips and mix.
Pour the pumpkin mixture (half in each) into the loaf pans.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick. When it comes out clean the loaves are done.

Variations on the Bread Recipe

Instead of milk chocolate chips try:
*white chocolate chips
*butterscotch chocolate chips
*semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
* raisins
*dried cranberries

Instead of pecans try any other nut such as walnuts or almonds. Experiment by adding sunflower seeds or a combination of nuts and seeds. You also may enjoy the loaves with the nuts sprinkled only on top.

You also may like to use less oil and substitute applesauce for part or all of it. This recipe can also be made into small loafs or muffins.

Tips: If you are selling your baked goods, make up different names of each recipe combination you come up with, then print labels on your computer to make your packages look professional.

Also, you can never beat just plain old fashioned chocolate chip cookies at a sale. Just make your chocolate chip cookie a bit different by selling a dozen very small ones in a packet or a very large cookie. Or make the cookie with candy corn and peanuts instead of chocolate chips.

If you’ve grown pumpkins in your backyard garden or decided this is the year you would sell them at a stand, farmers market, Saturday market or out of your own pumpkin patch, you may want to know how to use pumpkins for more than just decorations.

You may be asking yourself why bother with fresh pumpkins when you can get a perfectly good product at the grocery store in the way of canned pumpkin. There are several reasons. First, consider taste and nutritional value. Fresh anything always tastes better and is better for you. Secondly, consider your ability to become more self-sufficient and less wasteful if, in fact, you have grown pumpkins in your garden. Third, pumpkin seeds are a nutritious snack and can cost a fortune at the health food store. Now you can roast your own.

Preparing Fresh Pumpkin

Warning: Do not use a jack-o-lantern for food after Halloween. Only use fresh pumpkin for cooking and eating as you very well could get food poisoning from a “used” pumpkin.

Also, know that the pumpkin you end up with will not be the dark orange color you find in canned pumpkin. Manufacturers add food coloring to their pumpkin mixture to get this color.

Step 1. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin.

Step 2: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3: Cut the pumpkin open. The easiest way to do this is to cut it in half. Clean out all the pumpkin “innerds,” saving the seeds for roasting later. For now wash the seeds and place them in a container and in the refrigerator.

Step 4: Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and place them in a large roaster with an inch of water at the bottom. Place the roaster in the oven and cook until the pumpkin is tender, you can test it with a fork or sharp knife. Remove and cool.

Step 5: After the pumpkin has cooled, remove the rind from the large pumpkin chunks.

Step 6: Puree the pealed pumpkin in a food processor. A blender will work as well, but will take longer. If you have neither, manually use a potato masher.

Step 7: You will need a large strainer. Place it over a container so that you can put the pumpkin into it and any excess water can drain. When you have gotten as much water out as possible you are ready for the next step.

Step 8: Put the pumpkin in a pot and simmer until it is well heated.

Step 9: It is now ready for canning. However, if you haven’t yet learned this skill, you can place 2 cup parcels in freezer zip lock bags and freeze the pumpkin you won’t be using immediately.

Tomorrow’s post will include recipes for fresh pumpkin.

After thirteen years, the FBI has doubled the reward money to $2 million for information leading to the capture of mob boss, James “Whitey” Bulger. After fleeing because of tip that the FBI were about to indicte him on federal racketeering charges, the head of Boston’s Winter Hill Gang fled.

The FBI announced the increase in reward money today, Bulger’s 79^th birthday. He is on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list after being charged in connection with 19 murders. The former FBI informant gave countless pieces of information to them regarding his rival gang, the New England Mob.

Although raised by hardworking, honest parents, Bulger was arrested at the age of 14 for larceny. Continuing on, he was arrested for assault and battery and armed robbery. A joined a street gang called the Shamrocks, indicating his Irish background. He was sent to a juvenile lock-up for these crimes as well as many more. After his release he joined the U.S. Air force only to end up in the brig. Although being arrested for being AWOL, he ended his military career with an honorable discharge.

After completing his military career he went back to his old ways and spent time in prison for armed robbery and high jacking. He had a short stint working as a janitor before leaving it behind and working as an enforcer for a south Boston crime boss. And so his career progressed. His last sighting was in London in 2002. There has also been an unconfirmed sighting in Italy in 2007, but it was confirmed false.

Richard Collier, third year defensive tackle for the Jaguars, sustained a life threatening gun-shot to the face this morning. He was waiting, approximately at 2:45 am, in a vehicle outside of a female friend’s apartment building when someone approached him and a male friend, Petway, and began shooting at them. Collier was hit by several bullets while Petway remained uninjured. The location was west of downtown Jacksonville and near the St. Johns River.

Collier, age 26, was listed in critical condition, but there was no information on the location of all the bullet hits. There is no explanation, currently, for the reason on the attack. Collier will remain at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center until further notice.

Collier is the third NFL player to be shot within the last 18 months. He follows Sean Taylor, Washington Redskins, who got caught in a burglary of his home in Miami. Darrent Williams was hit and killed after leaving a New York party at a Denver club.

Richard Collier, third year defensive tackle for the Jaguars, sustained a life threatening gun-shot to the face this morning. He was waiting, approximately at 2:45 am, in a vehicle outside of a female friend’s apartment building when someone approached him and a male friend, Petway, and began shooting at them. Collier was hit by several bullets while Petway remained uninjured. The location was west of downtown Jacksonville and near the St. Johns River.

Collier, age 26, was listed in critical condition, but there was no information on the location of all the bullet hits. There is no explanation, currently, for the reason on the attack. Collier will remain at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center until further notice.

Collier is the third NFL player to be shot within the last 18 months. He follows Sean Taylor, Washington Redskins, who got caught in a burglary of his home in Miami. Darrent Williams was hit and killed after leaving a New York party at a Denver club.

These cookies are a favorite any time of the year, but they are especially a good Holiday cookie. Use mixed colors for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, orange (or orange slices, chopped) for thanksgiving, red and white for a 4th of July picnic. Also, the gumdrops can be substituted for raisins to make a traditional cookie.

Jumbo Gumdrop Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 cubes) butter
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cup mini gumdrops (or large, chopped)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Add oats and gumdrops to the cookie dough and mix thoroughly.

Drop (each cookie about 2 tablespoons) onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a wrack. When cool store in airtight container. Makes 12 to 15 cookies.

Cooking Star – Paula Deen

“Hey, y’all!” It’s “Paula’s Home Cooking.” You’d be surprised to know that Paula’s current show has only been around since 2002. I know, it seems as though we’ve watched her tv show forever. Maybe that’s because she’s a bigger than life personality, who stays in your mind and in your heart like her food stick to your ribs.

Paula Deen did have several shows with the Food Network before “Paula’s Home Cooking.” After meeting Gordon Elliot, he started a show with her as host called “Doorknock Dinners” and then you saw her in “Ready, Set, Cook.” Eventually Paula was given “Paula’s Home Cooking,” and the rest is history.

The Early Years

Paula was born in Albany, Georgia and by her own admission says it all started for her in her grandmother’s kitchen where she learned all the basics of southern cooking. No one knew back then that it would be her first course in becoming Paula Deen, cooking star.

After graduating from high school, Paula married. First she lost her father and then her mother shortly after. She was only twenty-three at the time and already had her two sons. Years later when her husband announced his plans to take a position in Savannah, Paula was already experiencing severe panic attacks that kept her from leaving her home, a condition called agoraphobia. After divorcing her husband she came up with the idea of making sack lunches that she would have her sons deliver. She called the business The Bag Lady. After her business grew too large for her own kitchen, she opened a Savannah restaurant by the name of The Lady and Sons.

Cookbooks and More Restaurants

During the time of her first restaurant, Paula also had her first cookbook published. She has since published several more cookbooks. She received the great honor of getting the “International Meal of the Year” award from USA Today. Today Paula has two shows on the Food Network. Her second restaurant, Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, was opened with her little brother, Bubba. In 2005, her new magazine came out, Cooking With Paula Deen.

And guess what? Paula can now add the job of actress to her already abundant professions. She landed a role in Elizabethtown, starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Her cooking is showcased in the 2005 movie. How did I miss that?

A New Personal Beginning

In 2004 Paula was married to Michael Groover, a tugboat pilot. The wedding was taped by the food network and aired for all to enjoy Paula’s happiness. Two years later, she welcomed the arrival of her first grandson, Jack. The first child of her son Jamie and his wife, Brooke.

Paula’s Statistics

Born: Paula Ann Hiers

Date of Birth: January 19, 1947 in Albany Georgia

Marriages: 2 marriages, the second to Michael Groover

Children: 2 sons, Jaimie and Bobby Deen

Grandchildren: 1, Jack, child of Jaimie and Brooke Deen

Restaurants: 2, The Lady and Sons and Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House

Current
tv shows: 2, Paula’s Home Cooking (2002 – current) and Paula’s Party (2006 to current)

Awards: 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Host
2007 Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Program
International Meal of the Year Award

Books: The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook
The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook 2
Paula Deen Celebrates
Paula Deen and Friends: Living it up, Country Style
Christmas with Paula Dean: Recipes and Stories
Paula Deens, My First Cookbook
The Lady and Son’s Just Desserts
Paula Deens Chocolate Celebration
Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About Cooking

Recipe

Our version of Paula Deen’s Cheese Biscuits

Cheese and Herb Drop Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups self rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Rosemary
2 tablespoons Basil, chopped
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/3 cup shortening
¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine all dry ingredients, mix well. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Combine milk and honey until mixed thoroughly. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.
Drop biscuits by tablespoon, or desired size, onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 14 – 15 minutes. Makes 15 to 20 biscuits.

Cooking Star – Rachael Ray

Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Rachael’s Professional Life

Rachael Ray, of famed “30 Minute Meals and “The Rachael Ray Show,” started out working in her family’s restaurants growing up. Professionally she worked as store managers and buyers. When she went to work for Cowan and Lobel, a gourmet market in Albany as the store manager and buyer, she started cooking classes to increase sales. Thus, was the beginning of “30-Minute Meals. Her classes became so popular that the local news got drift of them and scurried on down to cover a class. Only a week later, an Albany tv station requested she do a series of “30-Minute Meals,” one a week. She was nominated for two regional Emmys. And, of course, it’s all history after the Food Network picked up the show.

It just goes to show you, you never know who’s watching your work, so maybe it’s a good idea to act like someone always is when you are doing the work you love – cooking. This story could be called, A Food Star is Born. It seems she was discovered just like the old-time movie stars.

An Expected Beginning

Rachael was born into a cooking family which certainly gave her a background to draw on. However, not everyone is in love with the star of “The Rachael Ray Show.” Some say she’s not a “real” chef. She cuts corners, makes up cutesy names for her dishes and uses boxed ingredients. Some more well known chefs might cringe at some of her methods. However, her audience doesn’t seem to mind. She’s like the girl next door, down to earth and her cooking ideas are what American wives and mothers (some men) can practically use. Her entertainment value goes through the roof. And isn’t that what the tv conglomerates really care about – she sells soap.

A gazillion Cookbooks later, and now a magazine, Everyday With Rachael Ray. Well, all the big cooking stars are starting to get them.

Rachael Ray Statistics

Born: Rachael Domenica Ray

Birthdate: August 25, 1968

Birth Place: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Grew Up: Lake George, New York

Ancestry: Sicily, Italy

1 Marriage: John Cusimano, married in a Tuscan castle in Italy.

No Children
Our version of Rachael’s pancake recipe

Choconut Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned oat meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1.4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup plain yogurt
¾ cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup apple sauce
¾ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup butter, melted
Chocolate syrup and dollop of whip cream, if desired

Directions

Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients and blend completely. Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry. Whisk completely. Pour batter onto grill or large frying pan, to the size pancake desired. Flip when bubbles form on the top of the pancake. Serve with chocolate syrup and whip cream.

Cooking Star - Bobby Flay

What is the main Ingredient that made Bobby Flay a cooking star? Grillin’ & Chillin’, Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay, Food Nation, BBQ with Bobby Flay, Iron Chef America, Throwdown with Bobby Flay - do any of these past and present tv shows sound familiar? They should, Bobby Flay is a multi-talented critically acclaimed chef, restaurateur and television personality (cooking star). For all of us foodies out here, we wonder how he did it. Was he born with these culinary talents or could any of us become “big, large, huge” in the business. By taking a close look at his life, perhaps we can figure out if it was skill or strategy.

Bobby Flay left high school at seventeen and took a job in the famous Joe Allen’s in which his father was partner in the restaurant. His cooking talent was noticed by Joe Allen, in short order. Allen sent Bobby to the French Culinary Institute. He earned the institutes “Outstanding Graduate Award,” the first time offered. He continues to serve there as a Master Instructor.

After his 1984 graduation, Bobby took a position with Jonathan Waxman at Buds and Jams. It was at this time in his life that he became familiar with other well known food icons such as Wolfgang Puck and Jeremiah Tower. Soon Bobby moved on to the East Village Miracle Grill as Executive Chef. It was there that he met Jerome Kretchmer who offered him a position at Mesa Grill. It was there that Bobby earned “Best Restaurant 1992.” With such success, he was offered a partnership in Mesa Grill. He and Kretchmer went on to open Bolo, where Bobby mixed Spanish and American cuisine for a unique flavor. He earned the James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the year 1993. In 1994, Bobby brought Mesa Grill to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Bobby’s other restaurants include Atlantis Paradise Island, Bar Americain and Bobby Flay Steak.

In a 2007 interview with Reuters, Bobby said, “My contribution, I hope, is to get people to eat full-flavored food. If I could come away with that alone, that would be a fantastic accomplishment. I’m also very proud of being a very American chef.”

Bobby Flay Statistics

Born: Robert William Flay, December 10, 1964 in New York, New York
Education: French Culinary Institute
Cooking Style: Mexican, Spanish and Southwestern
First Marriage: Debra Ponzek, another New York chef
Second Marriage: Kate Connelly
Third Marriage: Stephanie March, actress
Children: one daughter, Sophie, born April 19, 1996

Awards

French Culinary Institute Outstanding Graduate Award
Gael Greene’s Restaurant of the Year, Mesa Grill
James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the Year
International Association of Culinary Professionals
Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Service Show Host – Boy Meets Grill
James Beard Foundation’s National Television Show Award – Bobby Flay Chef Mentor
James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in American

Recipe

(Our version of Bobby’s S’mores)

Peanut Butter – Chocolate S’mores

Ingredients

12 marshmallows
12 ounces of milk chocolate, cut into four pieces
8 whole graham crackers
crunchy peanut butter

Directions

Place marshmallows on skewers and melt over grill until golden and melted through. Spread peanut butter onto four of the graham crackers place chocolate on top. Place the 3 melted marshmallows on top of each chocolate piece. Sandwich with the remaining graham crackers. Wrap each S’mores sandwich in foil and place on the grill for a couple of minutes to reheat. Serves 4.