Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Crust:
10-12 Gingersnap Cookies-2" in diameter-broke in half
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup Brown Organic Sucanat Sugar-Or some other "healthy" sugar --Next time I am going to eliminate sugar entirely.
3 Tablespoons candied ginger-break into small pieces if large. ,

Directions:

• Put all ingredients in food processor, process until nice and crumbly.Transfer to a medium size bowl.
• Add 3 Tablespoons softened Earth Balance "Butter".
• Mix well with hands. Save 1/2 cup for top of pie.
• Press well, remainder of crumbs on bottom and sides of a lightly sprayed 9" pie plate.
• Bake crust and extra crumbs (place in a small oven -proof container) in a 425 degree oven, 8-10 minutes.
• Watch so the crust does not burn.
• Stir the crumbs in the small container several times so they break up. (For the top of the pie).
• Cool completely, before putting ice cream in. I made the crust several hours before.
  
  Vanilla Ice Cream
  
  1 cup vanilla soymilk-I like using Very Vanilla Silk Soymilk
  2 Tablespoon Arrowroot Starch/flour, This is a Bob's Red Mill Product. or 2 Tablespoons Tapioca Starch
  2 cups Soy Creamer-You will find this in the grocery store by the refrigerated soy milk.
  1 teaspoon Stevia Powder-please don't substitute
  1 1/2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract-please not imitation
  
  Directions:
  
• In a small container combine 1/4 cup soymilk with the arrowroot powder.
• Mix very well.
• Set aside.
• In a medium kettle mix soy creamer, stevia and remaining 3/4 cup soy milk.
• Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently.
• Once mixture starts coming to a boil, remove from heat immediately.
• Stir in arrowroot cream. This will cause the mixture to thicken noticeably.
• Add Vanilla Extract.
• Refrigerate 3 hours or more.
• I like making it the night before, and leave it covered in fridge overnight.
  
  Pumpkin Filling:
  1 cup fresh pumpkin-cooked
  1/4 cup Brown Organic Sucanat Sugar -go easy
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
  
  1-Put all ingredients in a food processor.
  Mix well. Refrigerate covered until ready to use.
  
  To Assemble:
• Put ice cream batter in ice cream machine. Follow directions on your machine. Mine takes about 20 minutes to make ice cream. After ice cream starts to get thick (after about 15 minutes)
• Gradually add pumpkin mixture.
• Make sure it is mixed well.
• Spread in pie crust. Sprinkle crumbs over the top.
• Freeze, leave sit out 15 minutes before serving.
• Using a large knife, dipped in hot water will making slicing easier.
  
  Comments from Verna's Test Kitchen:
  
  I think the next time I make this I would put 1 teaspoon of ground ginger in my crust, rather than the candied ginger. The candied ginger just adds a lot more sugar.
  
  I will be making this for the CHIP pot luck on Thursday. Seeing the class is quite large, I will double the recipe and put in a 13" by 9" glass pan. I will probably also make for the CHIP Alumni Pot Luck on December 1.
  
  Any questions email me at verna.v@att.net
  
  Enjoy!! This would be a great recipe for Thanksgiving, or anytime as you can make it ahead.

Chocolate Mint Teeccino

This is a really nice substitute for coffee. This flavor as you can tell is Chocolate Mint.

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The ingredients are organic carob, organic barley, chicory, organic dates, almonds, natural choc. flavor, organic cocoa powder, organic peppermint leaves and peppermint oil. So you can see that it is a nice substitute for coffee.

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It comes in many different flavors such as Hazelnut, Amaretto, etc. I put 2 Tablespoons in my French Press and leave it steep for 4-5 minutes. A coffee pot would work just fine also.

You can purchase Teeccino at Festival Foods in the Natural Food Aisle, top shelf between the soy milks on the shelf and the refrigerated soy milks.

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Stoegers on Northland also has it as well as Red Radish on Commercial Street in Neenah.

Consider giving it a try. Tastes great on these cold damp nights.

I have a little Hazelnut Powdered Creamer in mine on the picture.

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Have a great evening.

Pumpkin Butter

WallMart by the Fox River Mall has pie pumpkins for 25 cents a lb. That comes to about 55-60 cents a pumpkin. This fall I bought several at a farmers market and paid 2-3.00 dollars a piece for them.



Stock up. Bake the pumpkins, seeds and pulp removed, in the oven, cut side down. at 375 until fork tender. After cooled, I freeze the pumpkin, 2 cups per freezer bag. Be sure to label contents and date.



Pumpkin Butter:



Being fresh pumpkin, I put everything in the food processor first to blend. Than transfer to a small kettle.



2 cups fresh cooked pumpkin
1/2-2/3 cup Brown Organic Sucanat Sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Cook for 15-20 minutes until pumpkin turns brown, stirring frequently.

Will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Enjoy!!

Hope your doing wonderful!!!!!!

I just made a Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie. Would be great for Thanksgiving. Will post it probably tomorrow.

Who Are You?

Just a thought for today.

You are either making your life happen-or letting life happen to you!

You are either the Champion of your life-or a victim of your life!

When the way you think or feel about yourself is dependent on outside sources-you are not in charge of the direction of your life.

Remember--YOU ARE SPECIAL!!!!

Of over a billion people in this world, there is no one just like you. Be glad that you are you!!!!!

Pumpkin-Chocolate Bread Pudding

I made this last evening and shared with friends. I thought it was really good.

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Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk

15 oz. fresh pie pumpkin-cooked

1/2 cup brown sugar-organic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

10 cups cubed day old bread-make sure it is good bread

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar-this will carmalize the top

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 glass baking dish.
2. In a blender, process coconut milk, pumpkin, mixture over the bread cubes.
3. Add chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Mix until all bread is coated, and choc.chips and nuts mixed throughout.
5. Press mixture into the prepared glass pan.
6. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons brown sugar.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown, at 350 degrees.

Serve warm.

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Enjoy!!!

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This freezes really nice also. Cut into serving size pieces, froze on cookie sheet and then put in freezer bag that I marked and dated.