Pumpkin Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

September 23, 2016 by MamaHarris 12 Comments

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake recipe and the opportunity for one lucky winner to receive a $25 gift card to Sprouts!

It’s officially pumpkin season folks! Yes, even though it’s still hitting the triple digits here in Northern California the nights are a bit chillier and pretty soon the A/C will be turned off for quite a few months. Pumpkin flavored everything is literally everywhere, even here in my kitchen. My lovely friends over at Sprouts Farmers Market sent over a big box full of pumpkin products – which is just a small sampling of what can now be found in their store. Of course, I was inspired to create something with everything in the box!

This wonderful box is full of anything a pumpkin lover could want, and even some things a not so big fan of pumpkin would like too!

There’s Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips, Pumpkin Iced Cookies, Organic Pumpkin Spiced Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, Old Fashioned Pumpkin Snaps, Cranberry Pumpkin Crisps, Maple Pumpkin Butter and Pumpkin Pie Lip Balm! Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere!

Of course, I had to taste test a few things. Since I’m a salty snacker I was immediately interested in those Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips. I mean, chips and dips are my absolute favorite, but this got me a bit inspired. I made a little trip out to Sprouts to grab a few additional items to create what I had in my mind, which was snacks. Pumpkin themed snacks in the form of an appetizer platter to serve my family while I prepare dinner. You could also use this for any type of get together in the Fall season, but during the week my family is famished when they get home – and they will snack on whatever is in sight. So I find that preparing some little snacks for them to chew on while I prepare dinner helps them not completely ruin their appetite.

Once at Sprouts I also noticed there was a Pumpkin Spice Salsa available, and I just had to get it to go with the Pumpkin Seed Chips. The chips are seasoned with sea salt and you can actually see the little pumpkin seeds in every chip. They’re very tasty and not overly salty or too crunchy and they went absolutely perfectly with the Pumpkin Spice Salsa. The salsa is delicious and the flavor is just a little deeper and richer than a normal salsa, you can taste those pumpkin spices in there, it elevates the flavor.

I was also very excited to try the Maple Pumpkin Butter and it didn’t disappoint. It’s very delicious, perfect for morning toast or bagels, or on anything really. It would probably have been amazing on those pumpkin bagels I spotted at Sprouts, but instead I purchased a little bag of Multigrain Bruschetta Bread Slices. This was perfect to serve with the Maple Pumpkin Butter on my little appetizer platter. Mr. Harris is not a pumpkin fan but I somehow coerced him to try this and he was hooked, it’s that delicious!

For this appetizer platter, a handful of each item was all that was needed. I did pick up the Sprouts Brand Original Flavor Hummus and some veggies to serve to round out this appetizer platter with some color and fresh choices as well. I have to say it was a hit, the littlest boys loved those Pumpkin Iced Cookies, I loved the Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips with the Pumpkin Spice Salsa, and Mr. Harris loved the Maple Pumpkin Butter. The appetizer platter was empty before dinner was even ready. I do have a big family so I don’t recommend this much food if it’s just 2-3 people, but it was perfect for my family of seven!

In addition to the finger foods I also used the Organic Pumpkin Spiced Apple Cider to create some warm drinks. I simply added a little caramel sauce to the inside of the glasses and heated up the cider in a pot. Once ready, I poured it into each glass and served it warm. It was delightful and something I’m sure to drink all pumpkin season long!

Now for the dinner I knew I wanted to make something with that pumpkin pasta sauce. The sauce already has a lot of flavors going on, it’s tasty with a hint of tomato and carrots with a gorgeous bright orange color. I picked up some roasted chicken sausage and some shells to create my pumpkin pasta bake, I already had some cheese and spices at home to complete the rest of the meal. Super easy and simple, perfect for busy weeknights. I also didn’t add much else to the pasta bake because the chicken sausage was really tasty and even had a bit of spice to the flavor thanks to the onion and peppers in the sausage.

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake Ingredients:

1 jar Sprouts Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
1 package Sprouts Shells Pasta, cooked al dente
1 Package Sprouts Old Tyme Butcher Shop Roasted Chicken Sausage
non-stick cooking spray (I used olive oil)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of your favorite melty cheese (I used a mix of Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and Mozzarella)
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 cup bread crumbs (recipe below)

Toasted Bread Crumbs Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning

Directions:

Begin with toasting the bread crumbs. In a small pan, add the olive oil and butter and heat until melted. Add the panko bread crumbs and garlic, cooking over medium-low heat (and stirring often) until golden. Remove from pan, toss with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning and set aside. I usually do this step way ahead of time, since I like to have these crumbs readily available for various meals. I make it every so often to have on hand and add to dishes I like.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by cutting the sausage in half length-wise, then slicing into bite sized pieces. Spray the skillet with cooking spray, then add the sausage. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned.

In a separate pot add the Pumpkin Sauce and the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat, just until warmed and spices are blended in the sauce.

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta, and then the cooked chicken sausage.

Spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray, then add half of the pasta mix into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over the pasta, then top it with the other half of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, then sprinkle the dried parsley on top. Pop in the preheated oven, setting your timer for 15 minutes (just until cheese melts).

Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and bake another 5 minutes or so.

Allow to cool, serve and enjoy!

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake Ingredients:

1 jar Sprouts Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
1 package Sprouts Shells Pasta, cooked al dente
1 Package Sprouts Old Tyme Butcher Shop Roasted Chicken Sausage
non-stick cooking spray (I used olive oil)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of your favorite melty cheese (I used a mix of Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and Mozzarella)
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 cup bread crumbs (recipe below)

Toasted Bread Crumbs Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning

Instructions

Begin with toasting the bread crumbs. In a small pan, add the olive oil and butter and heat until melted.
Add the panko bread crumbs and garlic, cooking over medium-low heat (and stirring often) until golden.
Remove from pan, toss with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning and set aside. I usually do this step way ahead of time, since I like to have these crumbs readily available for various meals. I make it every so often to have on hand and add to dishes I like.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by cutting the sausage in half length-wise, then slicing into bite sized pieces.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray, then add the sausage.
Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned.
In a separate pot add the Pumpkin Sauce and the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat, just until warmed and spices are blended in the sauce.
Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta, and then the cooked chicken sausage.
Spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray, then add half of the pasta mix into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over the pasta, then top it with the other half of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, then sprinkle the dried parsley on top. Pop in the preheated oven, setting your timer for 15 minutes (just until cheese melts).
Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and bake another 5 minutes or so.
Allow to cool, serve and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/chicken-sausage-and-pumpkin-pasta-bake/

#TalkPumpkinToMe

Have a favorite from above in mind? Enter to win this giveaway for a $25 Sprouts Farmers Market so you can pick up some of your favorite pumpkin products!

Here’s how to enter:

Prize: One (1) $25 gift card to Sprouts Farmers Market.

Giveaway runs through the evening of October 9th.

Eligibility: Winners are limited to the continental United States and must be 18 years of age or older. See full contest rules in the rafflecopter form. You will be notified via the email you used in the rafflecopter form if you win, and you will have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen.

Enter using the rafflecopter form below. You can sign into the form with Facebook, or you can use your name and email address. Good luck!

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Biscotti and a Café Cocoa Recipe

October 12, 2014 by MamaHarris 10 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
As always, all opinions are mine alone.

One thing that I love about this time of year, even more than the food and the smells and the super cute boots that are in style, is the fact that around this time of year we get more visitors. Between Halloween and New Year’s we usually have guests about 2-5 times each year. Last year one of my oldest and dearest friends came to visit between Christmas and New Year’s and my husbands Aunt and Uncle came to stay for Thanksgiving. To prepare for extra guests I love to head over to my local Smart & Final store for great deals on everyday items.

Last year when my best friend visited, we spent a lot of time in the kitchen (of course). We cooked together, developed a few recipes and just caught up on old times. On more than one occasion we’d sit together and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or tea while chatting and laughing hysterically. It was a great visit that still brings a smile to my face.

This year we don’t have any concrete plans for guests just yet, but it’s pretty inevitable that we’ll have a few. Because the holiday season is on it’s way, it’s now the perfect time to stock up on coffee and other fun items for the holiday visiting season and I even came up with a fun little idea and recipe to help your own guests feel more welcome.

I think it’s a great idea to welcome your overnight guests with a little coffee bar set up. I’m in California so if any family or friends are visiting from any other U.S. time zones, their internal clock is going to be different than mine and they may wake before me. So why not let them feel right at home with a travel cup of their very own, coffe, hot chocolate, tea, creamer and all the fun mix-ins they may love.

This way they don’t have to wait for you to get up or try to look through your cabinets when they aren’t familiar with where things are. Instant comfort! I’d even leave a few magazines to read and maybe a few other welcome baskets in the guest room or bathroom too. All those little things that can help people feel at home are a great touch for visitors. And they also won’t worry they are drinking the last of your creamer if they know you set this up especially for them!

I love these little mini marshmallows and cinnamon sprinkles. They inspired me to create my own Café Cocoa recipe that I just know my friends would love to sip with me in the kitchen. Let’s call it a mix of a classic hot chocolate and a fancy coffee from a coffee house.

Another thing you can include in your coffee welcome basket is homemade biscotti. Package some up so your guest can take a few home to enjoy with that travel mug, and include some extras that you can enjoy too while you both sip on the Café Cocoa together. I wanted to create a Biscotti that would be perfect for the holiday season, and I think this is it. It’s a little bit Snickerdoodle with Pumpkin in it as well, these are classic holiday flavors and they taste delicious with the Café Cocoa.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Biscotti Recipe

1 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup granulated sugar * for the snickerdoodle coating
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * for the snickerdoodle coating

Café Cocoa Recipe

1 Ambiance Donut Shop Coffee pod
1 package hot chocolate
french vanilla creamer
sweetener (sugar or substitute)
whipped cream
cinnamon
marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium/low until combined. Stir in the pumpkin.

Add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda with the spices and stir until evenly combined.

Stir the powder mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Once combined fold in the walnuts.

Divide the dough in half, then shape into two flat 10×3 loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool on wire racks for about 30 minutes.

Once cooled, cut into 1 inch pieced with a sharp serrated knife.

Place cut side up on baking sheet lined with parchment or silicon mat and bake another 15 minutes at 350. Turn the biscotti over to the other cut side, and bake another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool on wire racks.

Begin to prepare the Café Cocoa by brewing the coffee first.

Stir in the hot chocolate mix, then add the creamer and sweetener as needed for your tastes.

Top with whipped cream, cinnamon sprinkles and marshmallows.

Serve with the biscotti.

Dip into your drink for maximum effect and enjoy!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Biscotti and a Cocoa Café Recipe

Get ready for guests this holiday season with this pumpkin snickerdoodle biscotti dipped in a fun Café Cocoa with all the fixings!

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Biscotti:

1 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup granulated sugar * for the snickerdoodle coating
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * for the snickerdoodle coating

For the Café Cocoa:

1 Ambiance Donut Shop Coffee pod
1 Ambiance Donut Shop Coffee pod
1 package hot chocolate
french vanilla creamer
sweetener (sugar or substitute)
whipped cream
cinnamon
marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium/low until combined. Stir in the pumpkin.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda with the spices and stir until evenly combined.
Stir the powder mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Once combined fold in the walnuts.
Divide the dough in half, then shape into two flat 10x3 loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool on wire racks for about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, cut into 1 inch pieced with a sharp serrated knife.
Place cut side up on baking sheet lined with parchment or silicon mat and bake another 15 minutes at 350.
Turn the biscotti over to the other cut side, and bake another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, let cool on wire racks.
Begin to prepare the Café Cocoa by brewing the coffee first.
Stir in the hot chocolate mix, then add the creamer and sweetener as needed for your tastes.
Top with whipped cream, cinnamon sprinkles and marshmallows.
Serve with the biscotti.
Dip into your drink for maximum effect and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/10/pumpkin-snickerdoodle-biscotti-cocoa-cafe/

#ChooseSmart | #CollectiveBias

I found my Ambiance coffee and all of the mix-ins in the coffee aisle at my local Smart & Final store. Stay in touch with Smart & Final via Twitter and Facebook, and don’t forget to enter the sweepstakes!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy your coffee?

Pumpkin Brookies with M&M’s – Inspired by Superheroes

September 26, 2014 by MamaHarris 9 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
As always, all opinions are mine alone.

Now that Fall has arrived, it’s time to prepare for the next big holiday. Yup, that’s right folks.. Halloween!

Now, I’m not really one for the creepy ghoulish stuff. It’s just really not my style, but I love the fun and lightheartedness that comes with kids costumes, candy, and Fall weather. Since we’re not really into the creepy costumes, often we head for more lighthearted stuff and when you have boys as many boys as I do, superheroes are often the answer.

We are big fans of Marvel superheroes, often catching the latest movie or using the characters as part of a fun party theme. But we’ve also been longtime fans of the Halloween costumes too! Check out some blasts from the past.

D-Man and RoRo dressed up as Spiderman and Iron Man just last Halloween. They had so much fun as superheroes walking through the streets together trick-or-treating. It was RoRo’s first year walking and holding his candy bag and he was a pro by the end of the night. They still dress up in these costumes a few times a week just for dress up fun. Best investments EVER!

D-Man was adorable for his first Halloween dressed as The Hulk.

Even my oldest, Boobie, did the superhero thing way back when. This photo was almost 15 years ago! I can’t believe how grown he is now in comparison to this. This was the coolest costume and our favorite photo for YEARS! I love how in character he was as Wolverine from the X-Men.

Well, this year we’re still not sure what the kids will dress as, but they’re super excited about the Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Edition that just came out on September 23, 2014! D-Man and RoRo just love video games, and seeing some of their favorite superheroes in this game is surely going to inspire this years Halloween costumes. Be sure to head to Walmart to purchase your Disney Infinity Games and you can receive a $10 Walmart Gift Card with purchase of a Starter Pack. Offer valid from 9/23 – 9/27.

All this talk of Halloween and Superheroes got me brainstorming and next thing you know I whipped up this cool Halloween/Superhero themed treat. I had this great idea of creating pumpkin brookies and instead of chocolate chips in the cookie portion using M&M’s instead. Now you know I love using M&M’s in my desserts and this would even be a great way to use up your extra candy once Halloween has passed.

If you’re not familiar with brookies, they are essentially a cookie and a brownie combined. Typically it would be a chocolate chip cookie, but I wanted to change it up for the holiday. Brookies remind me of some of the greatest Marvel movies, where a few already fabulous superheroes (brownie + cookie) combine forces to become even better together (brookies!) – just like my little Superman and Iron Man!

I’m here for it, are you?

Now, of course, these have a Halloween twist which is why I added the pumpkin. The pumpkin and spices definitely add that Autumn warmth to these cookies without overdoing it, and the combination with chocolate is perfect for the pumpkin and chocolate lovers out there. These are reminiscent of my pumpkin spice bread muffins when we add chocolate chips to them.

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Cookies with M&M’s:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1.5 cup PLUS 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups milk chocolate M&M’s

Ingredients for the Brownies:

1 package Fudge brownie mix
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter with the sugars. Cream until smooth, then add the egg and extracts. I chose vanilla and maple to add a little depth, but you can make it one whole teaspoon of vanilla extract if you like.

Add the pumpkin and fold it into the mixture.

In a separate bowl, add in the flour, baking soda and spices. Mix well.

Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in the M&M’s, then set the bowl aside while you work on the brownie portion.

Combine the brownie mix and flour, stirring with a wooden spoon.

In a smaller bowl, combine the melted butter and the egg. Mix them together then slowly pour into the brownie mixture. Stir until combined.

Spray a muffin pan with non stick baking spray, I prefer the silicon muffin pan for this because it is much less likely to stick.

Take the brownie mixture and roll into a ball that’s about 1/2 and inch big. Flatten it out like a disc and then press it into the muffin pan. Gently scoop about a teaspoon or so of pumpkin dough into the center of the brownie. This will make a lot of cookies! You will probably get about 3-4 dozen from this mixture.

Press a few extra M&M’s into the top of the pumpkin dough, then bake in the preheated over for about 15-18 minutes.

Once done, remove from muffin pan and place on cookie racks to cool.

Serve with plenty of milk.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Brookies with M&M’s

This Halloween season I've created pumpkin brookies with M&M's that were inspired by superheroes, two heroes combine to create an awesome team!

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cookies with M&M's:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1.5 cup PLUS 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups milk chocolate M&M's
For the Brownies:
1 package Fudge brownie mix
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter with the sugars. Cream until smooth, then add the egg and extracts. I chose vanilla and maple to add a little depth, but you can make it one whole teaspoon of vanilla extract if you like.
Add the pumpkin and fold it into the mixture.
In a separate bowl, add in the flour, baking soda and spices. Mix well.
Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in the M&M's, then set the bowl aside while you work on the brownie portion.
Combine the brownie mix and flour, stirring with a wooden spoon.
In a smaller bowl, combine the melted butter and the egg. Mix them together then slowly pour into the brownie mixture. Stir until combined.
Spray a muffin pan with non stick baking spray, I prefer the silicon muffin pan for this because it is much less likely to stick.
Take the brownie mixture and roll into a ball that's about 1/2 and inch big. Flatten it out like a disc and then press it into the muffin pan. Gently scoop about a teaspoon or so of pumpkin dough into the center of the brownie. This will make a lot of cookies! You will probably get about 3-4 dozen from this mixture.
Press a few extra M&M's into the top of the pumpkin dough, then bake in the preheated over for about 15-18 minutes.
Once done, remove from muffin pan and place on cookie racks to cool.
Serve with plenty of milk.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/09/superheroes-inspired-pumpkin-brookies-mms/

#InfinityHeroes | #CollectiveBias

Who’s your favorite Marvel Superhero?

Get inspired with Disney’s Infinity 2.0 featuring Marvel Superheroes available for X-Box, PS4 and Wii U now available at Walmart, and don’t forget about that gift card if you get it right away!

September Flavors at Baskin Robbins! {GIVEAWAY}

September 22, 2014 by MamaHarris 12 Comments

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided gift card by Baskin Robbins to facilitate my review, along with a gift card to give away to one lucky reader. As always, all opinions are my own

I’m so proud of my D-Man. He started Kindergarten just three weeks ago, and he’s been doing exceptionally well. So well, in fact, that when I ask his teacher how he’s doing, she tells me that he’s such a positive influence to the children that sit near him. He’s always well behaved and he never gets behavior warnings. Just last Friday he brought home his work folder, and we got a fun surprise. He was chosen to be his classes very first star student! We are so very proud of him.

This past weekend Big G was off work, so we decided to head over to Baskin Robbins for a fun treat since D-Man has been doing so well. He’s a huge fan of ice cream, so I knew he’d enjoy it. He was so excited about the gift card we were going to use and he was counting down the seconds till it was time to leave and he could get a scoop of any of the 31 flavors that Baskin Robbins is known for.

What’s cool about Baskin Robbins, and what you may not know, is that they change some of their flavors every month. Sure they keep some classics, such as my favorite Cherries Jubilee or even Chocolate Chip, but they often add in seasonal flavors and flavors of the month.

It just so happens that for the month of September the flavor is Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream. Umm, yum! Seriously, you know I love pumpkin flavors and cheesecake is my weakness so this has got to be amazing right? Oh yes, once I learned about that I was ready to go!

Not only is Pumpkin Cheesecake a delicious flavor of the month, there are some other tasty flavors being highlighted.

Pumpkin Cheesecake – Features pumpkin and cheesecake flavored ice cream, ginger snap cookie pieces and a cinnamon cream cheese ribbon.
Peanut Butter ‘N Jelly – Peanut-butter flavored ice cream with grape jelly and peanut butter ribbons.
Quarterback Crunch – Vanilla-flavored ice cream with rice crunchies in a chocolate-flavored coating and a caramel ribbon.
German Chocolate Cake – Swiss chocolate ice cream with coconut, walnut pieces, fudge brownie pieces and caramel ribbon.
S’More the Merrier – Marshmallow and graham cracker flavored ice cream that features milk chocolate chips and a crunchy graham cracker ribbon.

Baskin Robbins to me is so nostalgic. I’ve always loved their ice creams since I was a kid, and I even remember daydreaming about working there as my first job. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite pan out for me, but it’s probably for the best as I’m sure I’d have gotten in trouble for snacking on the “merchandise” far too often.

Even though the Fall season is literally just around the corner, here in Northern California it’s been pretty warm lately so the idea of pairing ice cream with Fall Flavors is simply genius to me, and I just love whoever thought it up. Since it was hot we got cups with our cones just in case the ice cream dripped too much before we could eat it. I just love those classic pink spoons!

I had to have my pumpkin and RiRi ordered the Quarterback Crunch. I’m going to admit to digging a sample spoon into each flavor because I had to share my thoughts with you all.

The pumpkin flavor is so reminiscent of Fall desserts and I’m here for it. The Quarterback Crunch was also good, especially if you love caramel. You could taste the little rice crunchies, so it’s almost like those rice treats drenched in caramel. Yum, right?

RoRo ordered the Peanut Butter ‘N Jelly ice cream, and it tastes just like the sandwiches I make them all the time! Big G enjoyed it too, since that’s his favorite sandwich.

It was a fun way to take some time and enjoy one another, is such a nostalgic way. I just love going to ice cream shops for that.

What I also love is that you can add any of these pretty toppings to your ice cream to customize it however you like. I can think of a few different ways to enjoy these flavors with this candy!

D-Man enjoyed his treat, and he was happy to have us all together on a beautiful afternoon. He loves pumpkin flavors too, so he enjoyed his!

I just love family days like this!

Then of course these two start messing around! So much fun!

Do you have any ice cream shop memories? What I also love about Baskin Robbins is that many of their flavors are available for pick up as well, not to mention their cakes for all occasions! We’ve ordered cakes for many birthdays, Mother’s Days and we even ordered these cute mini turkey cakes last Thanksgiving! Delicious and beautiful!

I’m giving you an opportunity to enjoy some of the newest flavors with your own family. One lucky reader will win a $10 gift card to Baskin Robbins for the flavors of your choice! Here’s the details below.

Here’s how to enter:

Prize: One (1) $10 gift card to Baskin Robbins.

Giveaway runs through the evening of October 3rd.

Enter using the rafflecopter form below. You can sign into the form with Facebook, or you can use your name and email address. Good luck!
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Moments of Connection with Coffee-Mate Pumpkin Spice #loveyourcup

October 22, 2013 by MamaHarris 4 Comments

Today we’re going to talk about one of my favorite subjects. We’re talking coffee. Actually, scratch that. I’m a coffee addict, but what makes my coffee extra delectable and something I look forward to each day is the creamer. A little secret as to why Autumn is my favorite season.. well, that’s when my favorite seasonal coffee creamers are fully stocked at stores everywhere. My favorite flavor is Pumpkin Spice!

I’ve shared many times my affinity for coffee, about how I fantasize in the evening about the next morning when I will have a sip. Sometimes I’ll even make a second cup in the evening if I have a deadline to meet or some work to do, or if I really just can’t wait until morning. I even collect extra large mugs because an average mug is just too small to have my one cup a day. The secret is it’s not really the coffee that I love. It’s the creamer. Of course, I love my little caffeine rush but if I had to drink it black I wouldn’t drink it at all. What makes my coffee so fantasy worthy is the creamer I add to it. I do love my coffee a lighter shade of beige and I’ve tried quite a few creamers, the one I always come back to is Coffee-Mate. It’s the perfect blend of cream and flavor and the Pumpkin Spice is always my go-to for this season. My heart swells with joy the first time I spot it!

I have a very special weekend routine I’d like to share with you. I wake up early, while the whole house is asleep and I enjoy my quiet time alone. I’m sure any parent of a toddler and preschooler can relate! The very first thing I do when I awake is prepare my coffee. I sip it alone while I write out recipes for the coming week and plan our family meals. Usually RiRi will wake up shortly after me, and we enjoy our coffee together. I bounce ideas off of her for meals, photos and ideas. This is when we bond, just the two of us girls in this house absolutely full of boys. I love our coffee time together, and we are both huge fans of Coffee-Mate Pumpkin Spice. She’s the only other person I trust to make my coffee for me just how I like it, it’s that serious!

Regardless of which roast we buy, or if I buy a flavored coffee like French Vanilla or Caramel, I love the flavor of the Pumpkin Spice by Coffee-Mate and it pairs well with them all. It’s thick enough to where you don’t need too much creamer to get the taste, and it also blends into a pretty beige when mixed. RiRi doesn’t drink coffee every day, but it’s her special indulgence on the weekends with me and we love those quiet moments we can steal away together.

You can find your own seasonal favorite of Coffee-Mate at your local WalMart. The Pumpkin Spice flavor comes in regular and sugar free as well. I also spotted the Peppermint Mocha in regular and sugar free as well!

She’s so adorable with her little hipster mug.

Do you have a favorite moment that you enjoy your coffee? What are your own “Moments of Connection”? I’d love to read all about it!

Harvest Season Chicken Noodle Soup

October 7, 2013 by MamaHarris 4 Comments

There’s one place I can always depend on finding some fresh produce, and that is at Save Mart Supermarkets. I love browsing their produce department and am delighted when there’s awesome sales and great deals on seasonal items. I know that it’s all I talk about on here, but I’m practically obsessed with Fall recipes. Last year I posted two pumpkin recipes, and they were both breads. Actually one was bread, and one was muffins but they were essentially the same recipe. Of course, when pumpkin season rolls around my first thought is baking. When I saw these beautiful pumpkins on display while shopping at Save Mart I had an entirely different idea in store. Along with pumpkins of every size there were also some fabulous seasonal squashes on sale as well, so I decided on purchasing a butternut squash and trying my hand at a delicious Fall themed soup. There’s nothing like a warm and hearty soup during this time of year, and squash epitomizes the harvest season flavors.

I decided to combine the butternut squash and the pumpkin, roasting them to bring out all of that sweet flavor, then pureeing them and creating a soup. I love Fall soups, and this is a take on the classic chicken noodle soup, but reworking it with Autumn squash flavors, adding some pretty Fall colored vegetables and beans, and serving with some warm, crisp, buttery bread.

Do you know the many health benefits of pumpkin? It’s low calorie, high fiber, rich in vitamin A and is high in antioxidants. We all are familiar with pumpkin pie or other delicious pumpkin treats this time of year, but it’s wonderful to incorporate into healthy and delicious meals. I enhanced the flavors of the squash with coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some curry, among other things. Don’t worry, if you’re not a curry lover you can leave it out, and if you’re a vegetarian you can leave out the chicken too. This recipe has a light sweet flavor, but there’s a nice kick to it that I enjoy. I served this dish with whole wheat pasta, making it the ultimate healthy comfort food! This recipe creates a lot of soup, we’re freezing half and still have a ton of leftovers! If you have a smaller family or don’t want quite this much food you can halve the recipe, or even quarter it!

Ingredients:

2/3 medium pumpkin, deseeded and diced into 2 inch wedges with skin on
1 medium butternut squash, deseeded and diced into 2 inch wedges with skin on
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 medium bell pepper, cut into small strips
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced then cut in half
2-1/2 cups sweet corn
1 can black beans, drained and well rinsed
3 cups shredded chicken thigh meat
juice of one lime
2 pounds rotini, cooked and drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut open the pumpkin and butternut squash, removing the seeds. Cut pieces about two inches big and toss into a roasting pan with salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Be sure to toss it around a few times, then roast in the oven about 55 minutes or until tender. About halfway through the cooking time, mix around the squash so all sides get roasted evenly.

Once done roasting, let cool then scrape skin off roasted flesh.

Combine pumpkin, butternut squash, coconut milk, warmed coconut oil (1/4 cup) and vegetable broth.

If you have an immersion blender place ingredients in a large pot and blend, otherwise you can place in a blender and blend until pureed. My blender holds nine cups and I had to do it in batches.

After the first batch, I added all of the spices to the puree (curry, cumin, dry cilantro, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, ginger, pepper) and blend until smooth and mixed.

Once each batch is blended, pour the puree through a mesh sieve to ensure smoothness.

Warm over medium-low heat, add sherry then reduce to a low simmer covered.

Keep over heat for close to an hour while you prepare the rest of the soup ingredients.

In a large saucepan heat the other two tablespoons of coconut oil.

Add chopped shallot and red pepper flakes and saute until shallots are soft.

Add bell pepper and carrots, saute until fragrant and softened a bit.

Add corn, black beans and shredded chicken, then squeeze lime juice over.

Continue to saute another 4-5 minutes.

Combine rotini with chicken and veggie mixture, then pour pureed mixture over.

Mix until well combined.and serve with crusty, buttery bread.

Enjoy!

What are some of your favorite fresh finds from Save Mart?

For more ideas, visit them on Pinterest!

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze

December 12, 2012 by MamaHarris 16 Comments

Throughout the holiday season, I always enjoy my Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins and so this year for Thanksgiving I decided to make a loaf instead of muffins.

I mentioned in the muffin recipe post that I enjoy these so much with walnuts and raisins, so I decided to include those in the loaf as well. To dress it up a bit, I also decided to do a glaze over the bread loaf, and a brown sugar glaze seemed like the perfect way to go. It took an already delicious base to extraordinary.

My husband couldn’t get enough, and he’s not particularly partial to pumpkin at all, but it was that good! I served it for breakfast with my Quiche recipe, and this would even be great for Christmas morning!

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 tablespoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 can pumpkin (1 cup)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Brown Sugar Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak raisins in a bowl just covered with orange juice to wake them up.
In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and mix until blended well.
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices). Once combined add the dry mixture into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until barely combined, then fold in the pumpkin. Fold in the walnuts, then squeeze all the juice out of the raisins and fold those in.
Lightly spray or grease a standard size loaf pan, and pour mixture in. It should come to about 3/4 of the way up that pan, you can make muffins with the remaining mixture if there’s any left.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the loaf is beginning to cool, combine melted butter, vanilla extract, milk, brown sugar and powdered sugar.

Mix until well combined. Work fast, it will solidify quickly!

Remove the loaf from the pan, and place on parchment paper while still warm.

Drizzle the glaze over the bread liberally.

Sweet, delicious goodness!

Once cooled slice and serve. Be sure to use a serrated knife for a nice, clean cut that won’t tear the bread and glaze up too much.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins

November 2, 2012 by MamaHarris 18 Comments

All year long I look forward to the Fall cooking season, especially the baking portion. These beauties top the list of what I look forward to making once the Fall season hits.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins, mmmm. I have added raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts and sometimes a mix to these. But they’re good just as is too, with just the pumpkin and spice flavor as the star.

Now, if you like pumpkin like I do, you’ll be sure to love these muffins, they can be addicting though!

In these pictures I halved the recipe, and it made a perfect dozen. If you keep the recipe as written it will make 24 cupcake sized muffins, and a few extra if you add chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts. If you add any of these, I’d suggest about 3/4 to 1 cup of each, and add it in at the stage where you mix in the pumpkin! No matter which way, they’re delicious and I hope you enjoy this recipe during this season for years to come!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugars.

Add eggs and mix until blended.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Mix until well blended.

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients.

Stir until just moistened.

Add the pumpkin, and stir until evenly incorporated.

Spray and grease muffin tin, then add your batter.

Sprinkle the tops generously with cinnamon sugar.

Pop in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

These are delicious served warm, perfectly paired with Pumpkin Spice coffee!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
cinnamon sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugars.
Add eggs and mix until blended.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Mix until well blended.
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients.
Stir until just moistened.
Add the pumpkin, and stir until evenly incorporated.
Spray and grease muffin tin, then add your batter.
Sprinkle the tops generously with cinnamon sugar.
Pop in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
These are delicious served warm, perfectly paired with Pumpkin Spice coffee!
Enjoy!

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