Butternut Squash Pecan Bread Recipe

Let me just say that I'm a huge butternut squash fan. I love it roasted in so many different things, like soup, salads, and stews. It does taste a lot like pumpkin, and has that sweet, creamy taste that is just so good.

The other day I made a batch of roasted butternut squash to make soup, and I had some left over. I had a recipe for butternut squash quick bread, so I thought I'd give it try. Wow, am I glad I did because this bread is fabulous!

It's moist and sweet, and when you warm up a slice with a little bit of butter, it's so good. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for dessert or as an afternoon treat.

I added pecans to the batter but walnuts or even chocolate chips would work, too. I love making quick breads to eat at home, or give as gifts during the holidays. This recipe is one I'll be making again because it is just so yummy and my family loves it.

Roasting the butternut squash with olive oil and salt and pepper is easy. Baked at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes softens it nicely, and makes it easy to mash with a fork, which is how I used it for this recipe.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Pecan Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted and mashed butternut squash
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a glass or metal loaf pan with baking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash, eggs, oil, water and sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice.
Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let sit in pan for 15 minutes, take out and let cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is inspired by My Baking Addiction, and I did alter a few things. Enjoy!!

Fall Cookie Favorite, Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Yesterday, it finally started to really feel like fall weather here. Fall makes me happy, and when I'm happy, I like to bake. I've been making quite a few apple desserts lately, and so I thought it was time to make something with pumpkin.

These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are pretty fabulous, and I made them fairly large, big enough so that one was enough for each of my grandchildren to enjoy.

I think that one of the delights of baking is the way the kitchen smells so heavenly when something good is in the oven. These cookies smell like fall itself, and should do just the trick if you need a yummy pumpkin treat fix.

I live near a wonderful market that sells fresh spices by weight, so I was able to go buy my fall spices that I need for my baking. They are super fresh and less expensive when you buy them this way. Who wants to open that bottle of pumpkin pie spice that has been sitting around for years because you only use a teaspoon or two of it every season?

So, if you are looking for a great cookie recipe, try these, soft and yummy glazed cookies, Perfect with a glass of milk on a chilly fall day.

Recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with baking spray, or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.

To make glaze, combine powered sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

 

 

I made these cookies last year, and they are so yummy that I wanted to share them again.

Bulu Box Healthier Options Monthly Mail Subscription

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For sharing your opinions on each month's samples through a quick survey, Bulubox will give you 50 Rewards Points (that's $5!) to use in our shop to get more of your favorites. Get a 3 Month Subscription for just $15 (regularly $30)! at Bulu Box - Use code WOWZA 

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe For Fall

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables during the fall and winter. I love their sweet flavor, and the fact that they are very healthy for you. I often roast up a batch as a side dish for dinner, and then will eat the leftovers for lunch during the week.

My local indoor farmer's market had them for a great price last weekend, so I ended up buying quite a few pounds of them. And as much as I love them, I can only eat so many roasted sweet potatoes.

Since I'm such a big fan of cooking Butternut Squash Soup, I thought that the sweet potatoes would make a great pot of soup, too.

The soup is quite delicious, and I even managed to get my grandson to have a small bowl. Nothing makes me happier than to see my grandchildren try new foods, especially ones that are good for them.

Since the weather is so cold and snowy in lots of the country still, this is a wonderful soup to make and enjoy for a cozy lunch or dinner.


Recipe for Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, saute celery and onion in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Discard bay leaf. Using an emersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Or, using a regular blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return batches to pan and heat through. Use desired toppings.

Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!!

This is a repost from last year, a favorite that I'm happy to share again.

Eat The Foods You Love With Nexium 24HR And A Recipe For Kielbasa And Veggie Soup

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChooseNexium24HR #CollectiveBias

Now that the holidays are only weeks away, I'm trying to make sure that I have time for everything I need to do. That means finding simple ideas and solutions to make my life easier. Like most of us, I stress out over work, meals, and finding enough time to spend with my family.

Simple but hearty soups like this Kielbasa and Veggie Soup make getting dinner on the table pretty easy, and there's even leftovers for lunch the next day. But as much as I love these spicy kinds of soups and stews, I have to be very careful about what I do eat.

You see, I suffer from frequent heartburn. If you've ever had serious and painful heartburn like I have, you start figuring out what the triggers are and try to avoid them. Spicy foods, overeating, and stress can all bring on painful heartburn.

Luckily for me, I discovered Nexium 24HR. I simply take one pill each morning and it gives me all-day and all-night protection. Who knew that there was such a simple solution to my frequent heartburn problem?

When I talk about having heartburn, it's a very serious subject for me. Stress and eating the wrong kind of foods combined together, landed me in the emergency room a couple of years ago.

I had a lot of stressful things going on in my life, and one night I was upset, and made the mistake of having a spaghetti dinner with my family. The heartburn was excruciating and the next morning I went to the emergency room because I didn't know how else to make it stop.

Nexium 24HR lets me take control over my heartburn, and lets me stop worrying about it all the time. By taking the purple pill once a day, I can have 24 hour relief from my frequent heartburn and indigestion.

I'm happy to say I've never experienced the kind of heartburn that landed me in the emergency room again. But since I am so susceptible, Nexium 24HR is the simple and effective answer I was looking for.

Now that I have my heartburn under control, I can more easily enjoy cooking and eating some of my favorite meals.

You can make this soup with either Kielbasa or Polish sausage, but I do love the heartiness and spicy kick of Kielbasa.

You just brown the Kielbasa and onions in a little olive oil, and then remove them from the pot. Put in the tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, corn, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until the veggies are tender.
Add the Kielbasa and onions bake into the pot, along with the milk and cheese, and stir.

This really is a delicious fall or winter soup that the whole family will love. And now that I have Nexium 24 HR protection, I can enjoy my soup without worrying.

Recipe for Kielbasa and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

 2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Kielbasa or Polish sausage, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
4 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 16 ounce can whole-kernel corn
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra cheese for on top of soup

Directions:

 In a large soup pot, cook kielbasa and onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and wipe fat from pan.
Add potatoes, corn, chicken stock, carrots, tomatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, cover, 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add milk, cheese, onions, and sausage. Cook, stirring over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

For me, just one pill a day makes a huge difference in my life, and is a simple solution for my frequent heartburn.

Are you ready to find simple solutions like I did? Just go to Walgreens where you'll find Nexium 24HR in the antacid aisle.

If you suffer from heartburn, what foods would you eat if you didn't have to worry about it?
 I'd love it if you'd like to share.