Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's that spooky time of the year that's so much fun for kids! We'll have a ninja and a dinosaur running around here this year on Halloween...unless the dinosaur changes his mind and becomes a dog. It remains to be seen until the moment with him, but that's all part of the fun.

One of our favorite family activities for fall is carving pumpkins. The kids love to design their own on paper, even though they're not old enough to use the carving knives yet. This time of the year more than any other, it's important to find healthy snacks to give kids (and ourselves) to make sure we're still getting some nutrition in the midst of all the treats. Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of our favorites!

Pumpkin seeds are very healthy. They are high in fiber, high in zinc and contain lots of those essential fatty acids. Be sure to roast your seeds at or below 300 degrees to protect the inherent good fats. Here's what I do:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Printable Recipe

Rinse seeds in a colander. Make sure that all the pumpkin pulp has been removed. Place seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add butter, canola or olive oil (2 Tbsp. for every 1 cup of seeds). Lightly sprinkle with salt or try one or more of the seasoning ideas below. Bake 250 F for 1 hour, turning the seeds every 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week (or set them on the counter and watch them disappear!).

Seasoning Ideas:

• Garlic Salt 
• Onion Salt 
• Soy Sauce 
• Worcestershire Sauce 
• Cinnamon-sugar 
• Seasoned salt 
• Cayanne pepper 
• Cajun seasoning 
• Taco seasoning 
• Chili Powder 
• Smoked Paprika 
• Lemon Pepper 
• Italian Seasoning 

Have you tried any of these flavors? What's your favorite?

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Frugal Friday: Wealth vs. Income

Here's something to think about this Frugal Friday:

"most people have it all wrong about wealth. … Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.”
Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, The Millionaire Next Door (1996)

I think this is an important financial idea that each of us should understand as we try to live within our means. Sometimes we see someone who dresses really nice or owns a fancy car and think to ourselves, "wow, they've got bucks!" But is that really the case? If you apply the idea above, perhaps what we should really be thinking is, "Wow, they've spent a lot of money." That's a whole different concept, now isn't it? They don't "have it" because they've "spent it".

I'd love to have a discussion. Why do you think this is important? How can you use it to modify your family's spending habits? How can it change the way you view yourselves in terms of those around you? Other thoughts on what is wealth vs. income, anyone?

Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend!

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Hearts 4 Home, Thrifty Thursday

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Navy Bean Soup

What tastes better on a cool day then a warm, savory soup? Here's a family favorite recipe that you can make in the pressure cooker or crock pot and is sure to be a hit with old and young alike. How about serving it for dinner tonight along with a loaf of fresh homemade bread?

Navy Bean Soup {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*This is my preferred method to make this soup. It's faster and everything seems to come out more tender and savory!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks
2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
7-1/2 Cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker, being careful not to fill water over the fill line. If necessary, use less water. I use a 6-quart cuisnart electric pressure cooker and it fills the pressure cooker just barely at the fill line. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Pressure release using quick or natural release method. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Add 6-8 cups of hot water or until soup reaches a good consistency. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Love the pressure cooker? Check out more pressure cooker recipes here or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest!

Navy Bean Soup {Crock pot Method}

Printable Recipe (Crock Pot Method)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups dried navy beans

12 Cups water

1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat 4-6 hours until beans are tender. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

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Frugal Friday: There, there, little luxury...

There is a saying that goes like this:

There, there, little luxury, don’t you cry. You’ll be a necessity by and by.

Have you had the experience of watching someone (or maybe yourself) start out by getting a little luxury and soon not being able to live without it?

I have! In fact I've done it. Many times.

Now I really don't think that it's necessarily necessary to eliminate all of these hidden luxuries, but I do think it's important to realize what they are. Being able to distinguish between a luxury and a need is especially important for times of financial stress. I know many people who struggle to meet their basic needs, while still trying to maintain their luxuries. When and if our budget strings are pulled, if we understand what is a luxury, we could start to tighten down by eliminating those items first in order to be able to still meet our basic needs.

What are the luxuries that you enjoy that have become necessities?

Two cars? Yes. What about one car? Isn't that a luxury in many cases where public transportation systems are sufficient? I think perhaps it is. What about the kind of cars? New? Expensive? Yes, I think those qualify as a luxury. In times of financial stress, if a car really is a need, wouldn't it still meet the need by being a low cost, used car that still runs? Something to think about...

What about entertainment? Gaming systems? DVDs and Video games? TVs? Ipods? Luxuries? I think yes.

Food is a basic necessity, but can't it also be a luxury? Dessert? yes. Eating out? yes. What other food costs could be termed a luxury?

I think this same thought process could apply to all expenses. And when you sit down and think about it, not only does it help you become more aware of what you could trim during times of financial stress, it also makes you truly grateful for what you have. If you are reading this blog post right now, that means you have access to the internet. If you have access to the internet (and even the time to read a post about luxuries), that means you have more than much of the world's population. And that necessarily means that you must have some luxuries (probably quite a few) that could be trimmed back down to the basics in order to help you be financially stable. I know I do.

Anyway, it's something to think about and consider as you work to create your own healthy family. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you know people who struggle with this? Have you had any success in trimming out those little luxuries in your budgets?

Happy Frugal Friday everyone! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Hearts 4 Home, Thrifty Thursday, Finer Things Friday, Frugal Tuesday, Mommy Club

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Toasty Oat Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls are one of those foods growing up that were long sought after and tasted like they were full of love. My favorite memories include coming home from school to yummy hot-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls waiting as a snack. I can still taste them in my mouth and feel their warmth in my heart. I want to share those same wonderful experiences that I had as a child, with my own children. I want them to feel welcomed and to know that home is where they will always be loved.

Here's a recipe that I love for cinnamon rolls made out of my favorite oat bread recipe. The seasons are changing and the air is getting cooler. What better time to serve these as a special after school snack?

Toasty Cinnamon Rolls

Printable Recipe

*I love to make a batch of cinnamon rolls when I’m making bread. The leftovers freeze great and are perfect to warm up for later.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 recipe of Oat Bread Dough or 2 lb. of your favorite whole grain bread dough

¼ Cup butter, softened

½ - ¾ Cup brown sugar

¼ Cup white sugar

Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Immediately after mixing bread dough, roll out approximately 2 lbs. into a 12”x15” rectangle. Spread softened butter around dough to coat evenly. Add brown sugar and spread until it covers the dough evenly (I like to use my hands for this part). Sprinkle on the white sugar. Then sprinkle the top with a fair amount of cinnamon, but not too much (I usually use about 1-2 tsp.).

Starting on one end, roll the dough. Dip your fingers in water and rub down the dough to seal the layers as you roll. Seal the end. Use a piece of floss or string to cut the cinnamon rolls out. Place the string under dough roll about 1” from the end of the long roll. Cross the ends of the string over the dough and pull the string so that the string cuts the dough into a 1” thick roll.

Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet leaving a small space between so that the rolls can rise. Cover rolls with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes or until dough has doubled. Bake rolls in preheated oven 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*If you’re feeling a little extravagant, these cinnamon rolls are especially good with a cream cheese frosting! I don’t always use it, but for special occasions it sure is yummy.

Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. milk

½ tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until creamy and spreadable.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Don't forget those little dimpled hands...they love to help mix in love! :)

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Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Our kids LOVE pasta! They could eat it every day I bet and still love it. Although we don't have pasta EVERY day, we do have it quite often. And the dish that I'm sharing today is one that we have been making for quite a few years that our whole family loves. It has a wonderful flavor with the sage and sausage. The sauce is beautiful, toasty orange and yellow. The pumpkin blends in perfectly, a smooth creamy flavor. It's perfect for fall, but we make it ALL year round.

We hope you enjoy it too!

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

*Note: For this recipe you can use canned pumpkin or any kind of winter squash, cooked and pureed in the blender.

1 lb. penne pasta

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

1 lb. bulk sausage

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 med. Onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 Cups Chicken broth, divided

2 tsp. ground sage

1 Cup cooked, pureed pumpkin

½ Cup heavy cream*

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

In a large pan, cook pasta according to package directions until still firm, but not hard (al dente). While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to hot pan & brown sausage. When sausage is cooked, transfer it to paper towel-lined plate and drain off fat. Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté garlic and onion until transparent. Next add bay leaf, sage, and 1 Cup chicken broth. Heat mixture until liquid is reduced to half. Then add remaining stock and pumpkin. Stir and heat to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt & pepper. Simmer sauce 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf from sauce. Combine sauce and pasta & top with cheese. Serve immediately with a salad and loaf of freshly made bread.

*Note: Instead of cream you can use milk, half & half or evaporated milk

This dish makes great leftovers!

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from a recipe given to me by a good friend Linda

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