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Pumpkin Waffles with Homemade Pecan Butter

Nov24

Anyone else waiting for Turkey?  Anyone else wondering what to do with the leftover pumpkin from your pumpkin pie recipe?  Anyone else wishing they had more room in the refrigerator?  I was!

I made more room in the refrigerator by getting rid of a Tupperware and a crate of eggs with decision to make breakfast this morning and that alone makes it a win! Not to mention the smell in the air! 

Pumpkin Waffles with Home Made Pecan Butter

I found this quick recipe for Pumpkin Waffles at Taste of Home and adapted it as I didn’t have a ton of pumpkin left.  Then I glanced over at the bag of nuts and decided to dress up the waffles with Pecan Butter.  Easier than you think- took me 15 minutes! Just in time to start on the Black Friday Ads!

Pumpkin Waffles

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/4 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 4-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, seasonings and salt. Whisk the egg, milk, pumpkin and butter; stir into dry ingredients until well blended.  Follow the directions on your waffles maker- Should serve about 4 pp!

Pecan Butter

  • 1 cup fresh pecan (toast them if you think they are stale)
  • 1 tablespoon soft butter
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
    Chopped Pecans

     Grind all ingredients in a food processor until blended.

Pecan Butter

 
Doesn’t that look good??

Want a bite?

 
 
Turkey is on, got the paper in front of me, parade is getting ready to start, the family is gathered around the table and have a delicious waffle in front on me!  What a great Thanksgiving!!  I hope everyone’s day is just as special!  Happy Thanksgiving to all!
 
 

Cranberry Salsa!

Nov22

I have an admission to make- I like canned cranberry jelly, ridges and all.  This is how I grew up-which is probably why I am ok with having the good old sliced cranberry jelly every so often.   HOWEVER- as long as time permits, I would much rather make my own cranberry relish or chutney.  This year’s planning session led me to find a recipe in Southern Living featuring a Cranberry Salsa, which I knew must be great being that all things “salsa” are always delicious.  It’s the cilantro I love, not to mention usually there are chips, and maybe a cerveza. This is a great alternative to a typical relish, or even the lovely canned cranberry jelly! 

Fresh Cranberry Salsa Mise en Place
Another great thing about this dish is that you can do it pretty far in advance, I made it on Sunday and the flavors are melding together already. 
 

Ingredients 

  • 1 (12-oz.) package fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 navel orange, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

  • 1. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
  • 2. Pulse orange zest and next 5 ingredients in food processor 3 to 5 times or until orange, ginger, and pepper are finely chopped. Stir into cranberries; cover and chill 2 before serving.

 

Into the food processor!

You can chop everything by hand or use a blender if you are without a food processor or time! 

Can you see all that delicious cilantro!

 From start to finish it took me about 15 minutes- super easy!

The longer it sits the better!

 

I actually could eat this by the spoonful, out of the jar!

 
The last perk of this recipe is that I am guessing by adding a little cream cheese to it after Turkey Day is done, you will have a tasty tortilla chip dip!

Cranberry Salsa! Ole!

  Happy Holiday Cooking!!!!!!! And Happy Leftover Eating!
 
 
 

Forget the Oven- Grill that Turkey!

Nov17

We have come to love grilling our turkey!  The last few years for Thanksgiving and Christmas we moved the bird from the oven and to the grill and found it to be amazing!  The weather is typically still in the high 70′s or even 80′s here in Florida so it is nice enough to be outside.   With the grill going in the backyard, the oven isn’t heating up the house,  and best of all there is plenty of room for all my sides and desserts to bake! 

The turkey cooks perfectly even, and is the moistest bird I have ever had- EVEN the breast!  Strangely when I tell friends that we grill our turkey no one seems to believe us, so last year we documented it for the non believers.  Thought it would be a good time to share as we are all in the midst of planning our feasts!

Here is the bird, with a creole rub on it!
You can use traditional herbs and garlic, a brine or any other way you are compelled!

Sir Wes, aka- The Grill Ninja!

 We buy about a 12-14 lb turkey and it takes between 2.5 and 3 hours over slow coals. 

We basted the turkey, just like you would in the oven.

We had to crinkle up the pan so it fit on the grill- but it was so nice not worrying about messing up my nice roasting pan!  I made pan sauce on the stove when the bird was done. 

Some snacks while we waited- the Blue Cheese Pecan Gougeres were delicious!

Nice part of grilling the turkey is that you feel ok if you open a beer or make a margarita while you wait for dinner!  

The turkey was a little big, so we covered it loosely with tin foil so the top of the grill didn't sit right on it.We used a disposable pan for easy clean up AND so we could make sure it fit on the grill!

My mouth is watering now just looking at it! 

Nice color, super moist and ever so tasty!

Turkey Leg Cart anyone??  

Incase you are wondering what we had for dessert- Pumpkin Meringue!

No matter how delicious the turkey is- at our table there is always room for dessert!
 
So for all the non believers out there- it is true- you can grill your turkey!  And it is incredible! 
 
Happy Turkey Cooking!