Creamed Greens With Shallots - Yum!

It's HERE!  It's officially crunch time.  Today is Festivus ( you know, for the rest of us) and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  Do you celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both?  I mean presents, you know. We usually do presents on Christmas Eve so our children can do "Santa" on Christmas morning with their children.  We will have dinner tomorrow evening at our daughter's home.  She is preparing traditional Lebanese food and I am so excited.  If you have never eaten Lebanese food, it's so good. Christmas dinner will be at our house on Christmas Day.  Our youngest son is bringing several friends who could not go home for Christmas.  It should be pandemonium and so much fun.

On Thanksgiving, I tried a Martha Stewart recipe for creamed greens that was simply spectacular!  It was a major hit so we will be having it again on Christmas Day by request.  Do you like greens?  You know, turnip greens, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach?

Growing up there was always a controversy in our house.  My dad loved turnip greens and my mom didn't.  Mom liked spinach and dad didn't.  We were just confused.  No kid can understand why anyone would like greens of any kind.  Seriously?  Yuck.

Things change when you get older - hopefully.  I happen to love greens of all kinds, especially with some vinegar added and some hot sauce, braised with some bacon, ham, or fatback.  Yummmmm!

Kale seems to be the new food darling right now and it is so good for you - full of antioxidants and nutrients.  The only thing with kale is it is kind of chewy if not cut in really small pieces before cooking.  Other greens wilt down a little more and are easier to chew.  The upside is all greens are full of iron and vitamin B12 which are hard to get in most other foods.  We benefit from eating as many greens as we can, unless you are on medications to thin your blood.  Then  you should consult your doctor.

Here is what you need to make this recipe:

2 large bunches turnip greens
1 large bunch kale
1 large bunch collard greens
6 TBSP butter
2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 TBSP)
2 TBSP AP flour (I substituted 1 TBSP cornstarch for gluten free)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
coarse salt

First, remove the stems from the collard greens and kale.  Chop the leaves into bite sized pieces.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat (I used my electric skillet to saute the greens).  Add kale, collard, and turnip greens, 1 tsp salt and wine or chicken stock.  Cover and cook until greens wilt, about 2 minutes turning occasionally. (You will start with a huge mound of greens and will end up with what looks like a small amount.  Don't be alarmed.)   Reduce to medium and cook, turning greens until almost tender - about 15 minutes.  I used long tongs to turn the greens.  Remove cover and transfer greens to a bowl.

Add 4 TBSP butter to pan, melt on high heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Saute until softened, about 3 minutes.  Return greens to saute pan.  Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 2 TBSP butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add flour (or cornstarch) and whisk to incorporate.  Add milk and cream, slowly whisking until sauce thickens slightly and coats back of a spoon - about 2 minutes.  Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes.  Season with salt.

Stir sauce into greens and cook over medium heat until warmed through.

If not serving immediately, cool completely then refrigerate.  Reheat over low heat before serving. Transfer to a bowl and serve.  Double Delicious is all I can say.

A minor Christmas miracle occurred today.  I actually have all my Christmas gifts wrapped before Christmas Eve for the first time EVER!  Miracles do happen every day.  Now, it's time to begin preparations for Christmas dinner.  

We are having Cornish Game Hens and roast beef for the carnivores and spinach stuffed manicotti for the vegetarians.  Sides are yet to be decided.  I know there will be creamed greens and wild rice.  Desserts are always a toss up.  Have you set your menu yet?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you one and all.  Thanks for reading my blog and I will return after Christmas.  Let the fun begin.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song, of old
Of angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 Why does fall simply scream for you to make things from pumpkin?  And, why is pumpkin so good?  And why are these muffins so super fantastic?  Let's see.  Because it's fall, they are made from pumpkin AND cream cheese and they are amazing.  Does that explain it?

This week was parent teacher conferences at our grandsons' school.  Mom needed help while she went to the conferences, so they stayed here with Grandma.  We had a lot of fun.  I taught them how to play Red Light, Green Light, Mother May I?, and Hide The Thimble.  There was also hide and seek and I Spy.  We had a lot of fun.  The also wanted to bake muffins, so we did.  The 7 year old picked this muffin off my Pinterest board.  We got to it and baked away.  Ever let a 3 year old crack the eggs?  I'm just sayin'.

This recipe makes 24 muffins.  That's a lot of muffins, so they took a good portion of them home so that Dan and I didn't eat them all.  The recipe is from Annie's Eats.  Here is what you need"

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Muffins

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Topping

1/2 cup sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or put paper cups in each muffin well.

To make the filling, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer until well blended.  Set aside.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda.

Combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil with a mixer until well blended.  Add dry ingredients.  On low, mix just until blended.

Fill each muffin cup with just enough batter to cover the bottom of each well or paper (about 1 TBSP).

Scoop a small amount of filling (about 1 heaping tsp) into each muffin cup over the batter.  Top with remaining batter covering cream cheese completely.

Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together.  Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives until blended.   Sprinkle on topping.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before serving, as cream cheese center will be hot.

It will take all your will power to not eat as many of these at one time as you can.  Trust me.  Just look at the center of these muffins.  Yum.

My daughter said she ate 3 in one day, so just be warned.  I am not kidding when I say you will have a hard time staying away from these.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and then the Christmas holidays, you will certainly find an occasion or two to make and serve these.  Give it a go.  They are so worth it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Oh how we love pumpkin season.  You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right?  Winder, Spring, Summer, pumpkin...We anxiously anticipate it every year."  Unknown

Pumpkin Bread From Scratch = Deliciousness!

Fall has truly arrived.  The leaves are finally showing their beautiful colors, the sun is lower in the sky each day and tonight a cold front is passing through with a high temperature of 54 degrees tomorrow and rain.  Now, that will be a real autumn day.  This weekend, we will be helping our best friends move their daughter into her cute little house and she will be living in our neighborhood.  Yay!  She is moving to middle Tennessee from Arkansas and we are looking forward to them all being here.

Sometimes, I just get a wild hare to bake.  I love baking.  It is very therapeutic for me - the mixing and measuring and having something scrumptious to eat when it is all done.  What works for you?  Since I knew the weather was going to be changing and we are having guests this weekend, my first thought was pumpkin bread.  Yummmm!   It is one of our favorites and is so good with a nice hot cup of coffee for breakfast or in the evening as a snack.  Heat it up, spread some cream cheese or butter on it and tada!  you have a delicious treat.  Pumpkin isn't just for pies!

This recipe is from a book I have had since 1976, the year of the United States' Bi-Centennial.  It is a collection of recipes from women belonging to the medical auxiliary in our home town.  I have been making this recipe for family and friends all of these years.  I make small loaves at Christmas time and give them as gifts.  Why?  Because it is so good and freezes very well.  During cold weather, I try to keep a few loaves in the freezer for that moment when you think - mmmm, pumpkin bread, I want some.  The recipe is so easy, you don't even need to get the mixer out.  You can mix it by hand.  The recipe doubles easily for when you want to make more loaves at a time.  This recipe is so good, our daughter's boxer ate an entire loaf with the aluminum foil still on it.  What can I say?

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon each:  salt, nutmeg, ground cloves, cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

Put eggs in mixing bowl and beat with a fork.  Add pumpkin, sugar, water, oil, and vanilla.  Stir.  Sift flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt.  Add raisins and nuts to the mixture. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Stir well to mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Bake in greased, flour-dusted 9 x 5 inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until done (toothpick comes out clean).  Serves 12-16.  Will keep indefinitely if frozen.  Nice to serve with coffee.

Sometimes, I double the recipe and bake two big loaves, or 4 medium loaves or 8 small loaves in disposable pans.  They look so cute wrapped in cellophane tied with a pretty bow - great for gift giving.

This morning, Dan and I enjoyed this moist, not too sweet spicy bread for breakfast and it was such an autumn treat.  I hope you will give this recipe a try.  It will become one of your favorites.  Time to go bake some more to send home with our friends this weekend and a couple for the freezer.   You never know when the craving will strike and it makes the house smell divine!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Every day, God gives us the sun - and also one moment in which we have the ability to change everything....   Paulo Coelho