Monica's Daily Life Style Tips

Happy New Years Everyone!

Pumpkin Butter:)
In the fall, when squash and pumpkins are in their prime, make this pumpkin butter your go-to spread and recipe addition.

Ingredients:

1 (3-pound) sugar pumpkin, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup apple cider

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush cut sides of pumpkin halves with oil. Arrange pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Scoop flesh from cooled pumpkin; transfer to bowl of a food processor. Discard pumpkin shell. Add apple cider; process until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add brown sugar, honey, vinegar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves; process until smooth, about 20 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.

Transfer pumpkin mixture to a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to ensure bottom of saucepan does not scorch and sides of saucepan stay clean, until mixture is reduced by one-third and turns slightly darker in color, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

4 medium butternut squash (6 pounds)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 very thin slices of pancetta (3 ounces)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 large Spanish onion, chopped

6 thyme sprigs, divided

1 bay leaf

2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Sugar (optional)

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Set the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, cut sides up. Put a piece of butter in each cavity and season generously with salt and pepper. Drape the squash halves with the pancetta slices. Roast the squash for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender.

Transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain. Crumble and set aside. Scoop the squash out of the skins into a bowl.

In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add 3 of the thyme sprigs and the bay leaf. Stir in the squash and the stock and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pick out and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until thick and creamy-smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer the soup to a clean saucepan. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper (and sugar if desired).

Reheat the soup if necessary. Ladle into 12 bowls. Garnish the soup with the pancetta, the leaves from the remaining 3 thyme sprigs, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Enjoy :)

Monica's Daily Life Style Tips updated their website address.

Pumpkin Ginger Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups cane sugar
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 whole eggs

Preparation
Pour the batter into the loaf pan.-

Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick, inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.-

Transfer to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Source: Foodista

A Fall Cranberry Treat!

Cranberry Margarita
Ingredients
- 16 ounces package of fresh cranberries
- 3 ounces of Grand Marnier
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, about 9 oranges
- light Karo syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 9 ounce of your favorite tequila

Preparation
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the cup of sugar in the orange juice.

Add the cranberries, reserving some for the skewers, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Set aside and let it cool. Blend cranberries in a blender, then strain to make the puree

In a shaker add crushed ice, 1 1/2 ounces of tequila, 1/2 ounce of Grand Marnier, 2 ounces of cranberry puree and shake to mix.Skewer several cranberries onto 10 skewer sticks but leave enough skewer exposed on one end. Lightly brush each cranberry skewer with Karo syrup and then sprinkle extra sugar over the cranberry skewers.

Place the cranberry swizzle sticks on wax paper and place in the freezer to set.

Pour drink into a sugar rimmed martini glass.

Add a cranberry swizzle stick for garnish.Note: nutritional information does not include sugar on the rim.

Source: Foodista

Pumpkin Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup vegetable oil

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Use a mixer to combine the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and oil.

Mix until combined and smooth.In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices with a whisk.With mixer on low, slowly add the flour to the pumpkin mixture.

Mix just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.Coat a doughnut pan with nonstick spray. Fill each well about full. Use back of spoon or small spatula to smooth out batter.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. When it comes out clean they are ready.While doughnuts are cooking combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

Remove doughnuts from pan and gently toss in cinnamon sugar. Cool on wire rack.

Source: Pick Fresh Foods

Spiced Squash Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
- 1 1/2 pounds of peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash
- 2 gloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, plus a little more for garnish

Preparation
In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the cubed squash, garlic, spices, bay leaf and kosher salt.

Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat, partially cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf.

Add the sour cream or greek yogurt.

Puree everything together in a pot using an immersion blender. OR puree in batches in a blender.

Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed.

Garnish the soup with more sour cream or Greek yogurt thinned with a little water.

Source: foodista.com

Apple Cider Honey Jack Martini
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tennessee honey
- 1 ounce unfiltered apple cider
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon
- Ground cinnamon
- Sliced apples for garnish

Preparation
Combine Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, lemon, and cider in a shaker with a pinch of cinnamon.

Add ice and shake.Rim the martini glass with a mixture of ground cinnamon & granulated sugar, then garnish with apple slices.

Source: Foodista

Chicken In A Pot
Ingredients
- 1 4 ½ to 5 pounds Whole chicken (Organic, preferred)
- 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt or 1 teaspoon of table salt. Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 about ½ cup small onion, chopped
- 1 about ¼ cup small stalk celery, chopped
- 6 mediums garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
- 5 smalls bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme or rosemary (optional)
- 4 sprigs thyme or rosemary (optional)
- 1/2 lemon juice

Preparation
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and pre- heat oven to 250 degrees

Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper on each side

Heat olive oil in large Dutch Oven (9 quarts), over medium heat. Do not allow oil to smoke

Place chicken breast side down. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes

Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of the bird and flip chicken breast side up, add remaining ingredients except lemon juice, and cook about 6 to 8 minutes

Remove from heat.

Place a large aluminum sheet over the pot, place the lid on top. This is to ensure a tight seal, so that no vapors escape during the cooking process

Transfer the Dutch Oven in your pre heated oven. Cook approximately 1:30 minutes

Removed pot from the oven and check the chicken internal temperature (must be at least 160 degrees)

Remove chicken and place onto a carving board, tent with foil and allow to rest about 20 minutes

Strain chicken juices from the pot through a fine mesh.

Place the juices into a fat separator

Pour the juices into a saucepan (discard any of the fat left in the separator), add lemon juice and any juices from the carving board. Cook approximately 5 minutes and serve!

Source: foodista.com

Tomato Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 grams Cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh parley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh parley, chopped

Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a skillet.

Add in the chopped shallot and sliced garlic. Stir-fry for over medium heat until lightly golden.

Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and the cucumber to 1cm dices.

Transfer them into a salad bowl.

Pour in the dressing and parsley. Toss gently and chill for an hour before serving.

Source: Foodista

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 cup of canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 6 cubes of ice
- 1 cup of soy milk (or dairy milk)
- 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Preparation
Add all ingredients to the blender in order of the listed ingredients.

Blend until perfect consistency is achieved.

Source: Foodista

Caramel apples
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 8 small apples

Preparation
Prepare baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.In a large saucepan melt sugar until it turns dark amber color and all of the crystals have melted.Carefully add cream (it will bubble!) and stir until smooth.

Transfer caramel to small bowl (not too small, the apples must fit in) and leave for 5 minutes.Insert candy apple sticks (if you don't have any, you can use popsicle sticks) 1 inch deep into each apple. Dip apples into caramel, swirling to coat.

Transfer to sheet and let the caramel harden.Caramel apples are best eaten the same day.

Source: Foodista