Ever tried making your own pumpkin puree?

Homemade pumpkin puree is really quite simple to do and is absolutely delicious in…

• pumpkin spice muffins (post coming soon!)
• pumpkin bread
• pumpkin pancakes
• pumpkin cookies

• pumpkin cheesecake
• pumpkin soup
• pumpkin frozen yogurt
• pumpkin butter
• and oh so many other tasty treats.

Pumpkin!!  Sorry, I got a little carried away.

Ahem.

Oh — and pumpkin baby food, too!  After all, Savannah needs to enjoy the holiday festivities, too, right?

So, this year, learn how to roast a pumpkin and try the fresh stuff instead of the canned and see what you think.  I bet you’re gonna love it!

And stay tuned for my Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe, too!

How To Roast A Pumpkin for Pumpkin Puree

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice a 6-7 pound pumpkin in half, crosswise, and scoop out the seeds and strings. Feel free to keep the seeds for later to roast.  Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking dish. Add enough water to lightly cover the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. When cool, carefully scrape flesh from skin.

Using a food processor or blender, puree, a little at time, until even and smooth.

If the puree is overly liquidy, you can strain it at this time using a cheesecloth. Otherwise, your recipe may taste less pumpkin-y.

Happy holidays, from our family to yours!

Hard to believe we are celebrating our second Christmas in Texas.

Harder to believe Jordan is almost 3 and Savannah is already 8 months old.

Even harder to believe Dustin is 30.

Inconceivable that I will turn 30 next year.

Whoa.

Here’s to making warm memories and enjoying the ones you love. Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone!

Homemade crackers are extremely easy to make and the possible variations are endless.

Just by simply substituting the ingredients, you can make…

…Rye crackers
…Rosemary olive oil crackers
…Cheddar cheese crackers
…Salt and vinegar crackers
…Italian herb crackers
…Poppy seed or sesame crackers
…Garlic herb crackers
…Parmesan garlic crackers
…Goldfish crackers
…Graham crackers

Endless, I tell you!  Endless!

I chose to make mine with equal parts whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour which left a very distinguishable whole wheat flavor. I didn’t mind it, but Dustin wasn’t a big fan. This made him very sad because he was really looking forward to enjoying my Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread.

This also meant I got to enjoy most of the Pimento Cheese Spread by myself. Heehee.

Some Cracker-Making Tips:

1. Roll out your dough as thinly as possible. The thinner the cracker, the crispier the crunch.

2. Watch the cracker like a hawk while in the oven. They like to go from Perfect to Burnt very quickly.

3. Don’t overcrowd the crackers on the baking sheet, as that is not ideal for even baking.

4. Cut the cracker dough into evenly shaped sizes to allow for even baking. Otherwise, some may wind up getting burnt just to allow the other to finish.

5. Play around with different flavors. Even a simple dash of sea salt can make for a delicious cracker.

Olive Oil and Herb Crackers

1 1/2 cups whole flour (or omit and use 3 cups all-purpose flour if you prefer)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra to lightly coat formed dough
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. dried basil

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a medium mixing bowl, if mixing by hand), combine the flour and kosher salt. Slowly add the water and olive oil and, using a dough hook attachment (or a wooden spoon if using your hands), mix the dough at medium speed for about 5 – 7 minutes. The dough should be tacky. If the dough is too sticky or too dry, add a bit more flour or water, respectively.

When done mixing, shape the dough into a large ball and divide into 6-8 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls, lightly cover with olive oil and place on a clean plate. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Using a rolling pin, flatten one dough ball and roll out as flat and even as possible. Using a knife or pizza cutter, divide the dough evenly into cracker-sized pieces. You can cut the dough into whatever shape you like at this point.

Arrange cracker dough pieces on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Poke each cracker with a fork a few times to prevent puffing. Sprinkle some kosher salt or sea salt or any other desired toppings and then place into oven.

Bake until golden-brown and crispy, but not burnt. Allow to cool before eating.

Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.