Pumpkin Gingerbread with Pumpkin Spice Glaze

September 20, 2014 by Mackenzie

Guess who is headed to New York today??? EEEEK!

I’m volunteering at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting – and absolutely cannot wait! (See this post that I wrote a few weeks ago for all the details!) I can’t wait to see who I may get to meet, to connect with other inspiring young adults, and hang out with Obama and the Clintons 😉 Plus, I’m never going to complain about taking a week off of school and work! Although that did make this last week quite horrendous… And I don’t even want to think about what will happen when I get back. But for now, I’m jumping on the plane and jetting off to NYC!

Before I leave though, I have to share with you this amazing pumpkin bread recipe. I’m not sure how I had time to make it but Thursday afternoon arrived, I finished my classes for the week (and for the next ten days really!), and I decided I just really, really needed a baking break 🙂 I also had yet to bake with pumpkin this year – so I was ready to officially usher in fall.

This recipe is from my great-grandmother although I added my own spin with the pumpkin spice glaze. My grandma gave me my great-grandmother’s recipe card several years ago and I have been making this bread each fall since!

When Libby came home, she walked in the door and said “What have you been making? Please tell me it’s pumpkin bread!” She said each year, her mom would surprise her and her siblings with pumpkin bread one crisp fall day and that always signaled that fall was here! Well Libby, here you go!

Pumpkin Gingerbread with Pumpkin Spice Glaze

Recipe Type: Bread, Fall, Breakfast, Dessert

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 1 loaf

Recip from my Great Grandma Mildred

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup (or more if necessary) powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
2 drops pumpkin spice extract (or add some of the spices above!)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, oil and eggs until light in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices. Alternately add the dry ingredients and water into the pumpkin mixture, maxing in between additions. Do not overbeat.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for ten minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk and pumpkin spice extract. Drizzle over the bread and allow to set.

Caramel Puppy Chow

September 12, 2014 by Mackenzie

Why do I always overcommit myself?! I’ve hit an all-time high for maxing out every spare minute of every single day – I’m taking 19.5 credits (so six classes plus a thesis), working 16-20 hours a week at Nordstrom, TAing a class (and grading papers every weekend), on exec for Sigma Iota Rho (running communications for a 100+ person honorary), am trying to find a job/scholarship/fellowship/SOMETHING for next year, and also trying to enjoy my senior year and my friends and the beautiful fall weather. Oh, and trying to workout, blog, cook, and maintain a semi-clean apartment. That’s sane, right?

Ha. On top of that, I’ve had a nasty cold for two weeks, which is making me tired and even more stressed. Before you start pitying me… please know I’m not complaining! Just taking two seconds to vent a bit and give you a little insight into my crazy days… But what I want you to take away is that despite how busy it is, despite how exhausted I am when I collapse into bed at midnight, despite how much I want to roll back over and keep sleeping when my alarm goes off at 6am… I’m blessed and honored to be able to do all that I am. I’m taking 19.5 credits largely because I want to! I don’t actually need half of these classes for my major or even as more credits to graduate – I just enjoy learning and these classes interest me! It’s my last year of school for the near future and I’m not going to be able to take classes like this probably ever again… So I’m absolutely going to take that extra class on Women and the Law. I’m absolutely going to take them all for a grade and not audit any…because I want to read, research and write excellent papers – I have and always will be a student.

But I will say… when I come home after a long day, what I absolutely love is squeezing a half hour in to checking in on my blog and readr people’s comments on my posts or on facebook, watch my pins on pinterest fly around, connect with other bloggers through a facebook group I’m apart of, learn more about SEO optimizations, plug-ins and ad networks… It’s my break. It’s my relief. Cooking is my passion and sharing it through this blog is rapidly becoming almost as therapeutic.

So all that to say… this year could be crazy. I may not sleep a lot. I may be pulled in a zillion different directions. I may feel overwhelmed by two jobs, my classes and the regular duties of life… but I’m going to keep blogging because it’s my outlet… my form of expression…my happy place.

But now we need a recipe! I made this Caramel Puppy Chow for a SIR meeting. We had about 80 people coming and so I made a couple of desserts from Julie’s Eats and Treats to share! These were such a hit! Caramel coated chex mix and cashews with some M&Ms added for good measure… who could resist?

Caramel Puppy Chow

Recipe Type: Dessert, Snack

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Recipe From Julie’s Eats and Treats

Ingredients

1 (14 oz) box of Rice Chex cereal
1 (8 oz) can of cashews
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag M&Ms

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the Rice Chex cereal and cashews. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil. When boiling and mixture is melted together, remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour half of caramel mixture over cereal and cashews. Using salad tongs, gently stir the caramel into the cereal. Add the rest of the caramel and carefully stir it all together ensuring all the chex is coated.
Line two baking sheets with wax paper. Spread the cereal in a single layer on the wax paper to dry. Sprinkle m&ms over. When cool, break up caramel chow and serve!

Falafel Hummus

September 6, 2014 by Mackenzie

Okay, why have I never attempted to make my own hummus before?! I am a big veggies/hummus/pita eater… its a healthy, easy go-to meal or snack but I ALWAYS go through my hummus so fast! And have you realized how expensive it is to buy? It’s crazy!

It’s really crazy because of how EASY it is to make your own! I know a lot of people who make their own hummus, I had just never tried it. Well, I saw this recipe for Falafel hummus on pinterest and decided to give it a whirl! I had a can of chickpeas in my pantry and I had all the spices on hand – so it was incredibly easy and inexpensive to make!

Plus, it is so satisfying! It is easy to tweak the flavors and adjust to your liking too! I can’t wait to try more soon!

Falafel Hummus

Recipe Type: side, dip

Cuisine: vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Recipe adapted from VeggieandtheBeastFeast.com

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons tahini
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to drizzle on top

Instructions

Place chickpeas, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, chili powder, crushed red pepper, sea salt, tahini and water in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrap down sides as needed. Pour olive oil in while blending and process until smooth. Add more water if you want a smoother texture.
To serve, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with vegetables like cucumbers or carrots or pita and falafel.

Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

August 30, 2014 by Mackenzie

Well week one of my senior year is over! It’s crazy to think how quickly this semester will fly by and then I’ll be on the downhill slide to graduation! This was a wonderful week of seeing all of my old friends, sharing stories from my wild summer, and celebrating my birthday! Libby and I will be baking an elaborate cake this weekend as a belated celebration – it should be fun! I’ll share pictures soon!

But today, I’m sharing this super easy, healthy and delicious sweet potato, kale & black bean hash. I made it several times last year and only just realized that I never posted it to the blog! So here you go – finally! This can be for any meal – it is hearty and filling for breakfast and quite satisfying for lunch or dinner too! You can eat it either warm or cold but I prefer it warm 🙂

I also love this meal because it is CHEAP. I think you can probably get all the ingredients for less than $5 – and it serves three!

Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

Recipe Type: Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups kale, chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Black Pepper
Avocado

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread diced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle well with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until cooked through.
When sweet potatoes are done, coat a large skillet with olive oil and saute the sliced green onions for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add sweet potato and sea salt and cook for another 3 minutes until potatoes have softened. Add the black beans and kale, folding it in gently. Cook it all together for a few more minutes until the kale has wilted.
Serve with avocado slices and enjoy!

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

August 24, 2014 by Mackenzie

One day… ONE DAY until I start my senior year of college! How in the world did that happen? I remember sitting in my dorm room in the spring of my freshman year deciding to start a blog and writing that first post thinking… what would I say? Well, after many iterations I am so proud of what this blog has become! A full-fledged food blog with followers, giveaways, life updates and more! For my family who has followed this blog since the beginning – thank you! And to my new readers, welcome and thanks for reading! I live a crazy, wild, exciting life and I’m thrilled to share it (and what I’m cooking) with you!

I got back to St. Louis on Wednesday and it was been a busy few days of unpacking, organizing, finding odd furniture and lugging it up three flights of stairs, struggling to drill screws into a wall to hang a shelf (how can it be so difficult?!) and now… it’s time to take a break and catch up on email, the blog and get ready for my classes tomorrow!

One of the things I was most excited to return to in St. Louis was my ice cream maker! So it is only fitting that my first post be an ice cream. While my roommate and I were reorganizing our kitchen we found dried lavender and I remembered one of my favorite flavors of ice cream – Honey Lavender. Naturally, I decided to make it and here we go! It is a perfect treat for this horribly hot weather – it has been 100+ degrees the last few days, with high humidity too!

It was a race against the heat as I was trying to take these pictures outside! The ice cream was melting SO FAST in the 100 degree heat!

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

From Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon finely ground dried lavender
Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until the sugar and honey dissolve. Just before the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a shallow pan or a 4 cup measuring cup (my preference because it makes pouring into the ice cream maker much easier). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
When the mixture is very cold (important!!), pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions (note: it may take longer than usual – I’m not sure why but each time I have made it, it takes a long time to reach the right thickness). Transfer to a plastic container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Notes

It is really important that it is very, very, very cold before you churn it. Be patient and let it sit an extra hour in the fridge before churning it if need be! It will be worth it!

I’ve also joined a giveaway hosted by Juggling Act Mama! Head on over to her page and enter – who wouldn’t want $125 to start the school year!

Peach, Prosciutto, and Pistachio Pizza + [Life Update] New York, New York!

August 16, 2014 by Mackenzie

Before I tell you about this amazing pizza – I have exciting news to share!!! Drum roll please…

I’m going to New York!! In five weeks!! With the Clinton family and OBAMA!

So remember back in March when I had the opportunity to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University conference at Arizona State? You can read about that incredible weekend here and about my Commitment to Action, The Social Kitchen here. Well, along with CGI U, the Clinton Foundation also hosts a conference for philanthropists and world changers to come together for an Annual Meeting in New York. I heard about an opportunity to volunteer at the event and after an extensive application process (to be a volunteer?!!!) – I sent in my application and waited patiently to hear if I would be selected.

And I was!! The night before leaving DC, I was sitting in my bed looking at my packed bags and reminiscing about my incredible summer. I went downstairs, heated up some leftover pasta, got a couple pieces of watermelon – and returned to my bed. With my plate in my lap I opened my email and saw an unread message saying I was chosen to volunteer! EEEEK!

So in five weeks I’ll be headed out to New York – to volunteer at a conference with some pretty phenomenal, world changing people. Along with President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton – President Barack Obama will be speaking along with Matt Damon, Jack Ma (Alibaba), Molly Barra, Muhammad Yunus, the Prime Minister of Denmark… and 44 other super cool people (no kidding 44 other super cool speakers!!). I know I’m obviously volunteering and won’t be attending the conference but the opporunity to be in the vicinity and to hear some of these people will be tremendous!! I cannot wait!

Now the funny part, as I told my mom later that night – is that the only things that were left unchecked on my DC bucket list – were 1) Seeing Obama and 2) Going to NY for a weekend. Ha! Well, would you look at that! The night before I leave DC BOTH of those doors open! Wow…

On another note, we had a fun family dinner tonight and made a bunch of homemade pizzas!

My mom bought this Sur La Table The Petite Pizzeria LD-902SLT for my stepdad last Christmas and this was the first time I had been around to try it! What a blast! It is SO easy – you make your pizza, use the wooden paddles to slide the dough onto the stone and then it cooks for five minutes and you’re done! We made several yummy pizzas tonight – sausage and jalapeño; pepperoni, black olive and mushroom; and my favorite, peach, prosciutto and pistachio. This pizza was fabulous – the sweet peaches melted into the mozzarella, the pistachios toasted while in the oven and became fragrant and flavorful and the prosciutto became crispy and balanced out the sweet peaches.

Peach, Prosciutto, and Pistachio Pizza + [Life Update] New York, New York!

Author: Mackenzie

Serves: 2-3

Makes two pizzas Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 lb store-bought pizza dough, divided in two
4 tablespoons olive oil + more if needed
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, shredded
2 peaches, sliced
6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
2 oz shelled and coarsely chopped pistachios
1 cup arugula, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

Preheat oven (or pizza maker) to 500 degrees and lightly dust work surface with flour.
Take half the dough and roll it, or gently stretch it into a circle. Brush thoroughly with olive oil and top with mozzarella, peaches and prosciutto. Sprinkle pistachios on top. Bake for 5 minutes or until crust is golden.
While baking, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, arugula, basil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. When pizza is finished cooking, remove from oven and top with arugula mixture. Drizzle with honey if desired.

Mackenzie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. All opinions are Mackenzie’s and she is voluntarily linking to these Amazon products.

Mackenzie

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