While we slow down, sit back, and enjoy the view this Fall, October has quietly sliped away and we’ve surged into November before we could even count our Halloween loot! Then - it starts to loom over us - turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie -Thanksgiving is here and it’s time to plan. What will I serve? Who will be coming? Where will they all fit? How and when should I start preparing?

…and the Thanksgiving stress has begun…

Here at Simplicity Gourmet, we strive for just that, Simplicity. We want to help you take your normal Thanksgiving recipes that take hours to prepare and cut the time down so that you are out of the kitchen and making memories with your family and friends. Thanksgiving should be a special time of sharing and laughing and should not be wrought with stress, sweat, and frustration.

We hope you enjoy all of the classic holiday favorites that we have created just with you in mind. Make sure to let us know how your Simplicity Gourmet Thanksgiving turns out!

~ Miss K

I know a lot of families have movie night once a week where they gather around the television for a good movie and have popcorn. So, I thought I would teach you how to make fantastic popcorn using your waterless cookware instead of the microwave…it’s sooo much cheaper and way more fun!

Traditional Popcorn

Utensils: Electric Skillet

Directions: Pre-heat Electric Skillet to 400 degrees. When temperature light goes off, add 3 tablespoons of oil and a 1/2 cup of popcorn. Cover and let pop until all corn is popped.

Makes about 2 quarts; season to your liking

Greaseless Popcorn:

Utensils: Electric Skillet

Directions- Start with a cold skillet, add 1/2 cup of popcorn and turn skillet to 400 degrees. Cover and let pop until all corn is popped.

Makes 2 quarts; season to your liking

This time of year always brings up so many memories of growing up. I love fall - sweaters & sweatshirts, forests of fiery leaves, crisp, cool air, breezy, sunny walks, the smell of fires and apples and baked goods, and, of course, pumpkin carving. When I see an intricately carved jack-o-lantern, I always picture my grandpa on the back porch at my grandparent’s house creating jack-o-lantern masterpieces. My Poppy was an avid jack-o-lantern champ! I’d eventually end up raking leaves into huge piles and jumping around in them but he’d emerge from his huddled position over the pumpkin and I was always in sheer amazement at how he had come up with yet another piece of pumpkin perfection. Their house was the last house on the block and everyone from the entire neighborhood - and I’m sure beyond - always came out to the vast array of faces - silly and scary alike. Oh, sigh, childhood snapshots in time that I miss so very much.

This year, as I started to wish so badly that I could recreate one of his masterpieces just one more time, my mind started to wander to the reason why we have this strange tradition. Ever wonder why we carve faces into pumpkins?

A little easy research and I’ve found myself thoroughly educated on the subject. In short, carving jack-o-lanterns was an ancient Celtic practice on a holiday called “Samhein,” a holiday reserved to honor the memory of deceased family and friends. The jack-o-lanterns would be lighted by burning lumps of coal and placed in the windows and doorsteps of the homes on the last day of harvest. Now, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t actually the pumpkin that the Irish used, but rather hollowed out turnips, gourds, or potatoes.

When the Irish began to immigrate to North America, they brought this tradition along with them. Turnips weren’t so plentiful in our part of the world, but pumpkins definitely were and they were found to make for much more elaborate jack-o-lanterns. While the actual traditions of Samhein was buried along with our ancestors hundreds of years ago, you will still find most houses glowing brightly this week with their very own homemade jack-o-lanterns welcoming home their little trick or treaters.

My research has also given me a few pumpkin picking tips that need to be shared. A couple of things to keep in mind when pick out your pumpkin is that you will always want to make a trip to a pumpkin patch - it’s so quaint and rustic, you almost always get a hayride out to the pumpkin patch out of it! Plus, you will always get the freshest pumpkin when you pick it straight from the vine. A farm stand would be the second best choice to pick up your pumpkin b/c they were picked locally and you know they haven’t endured abuse during a long trip to the supermarket. Try to sit the pumpkin upright when it’s still attached to the vine to make sure that it sits level. Make sure that the stem is still attached to the pumpkin; pumpkins that are ready for harvest should have dried, brittle stems that are easily broken from the vine. Make sure your pumpkin has a vibrant orange color and is free of bruises and scaring, soft spots or any signs of mold. Carry your pumpkin by the base and make sure to store it in a cool place until you are ready to carve it.

This year will be my first year without my Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch, so, I’m attempting to make him proud and create a couple of my own tonight. I found a few pumpkin design books for $5.00 each that I downloaded straight to my computer - pretty fancy, huh?! They are unbelievable - you won’t be disappointed. So, wish me luck - I hope to make my Poppy proud!

Jack-o-lanterns aren’t the only things that pumpkins are good for! For the very best in Fall fare and activities, visit Pumpkinfest with Simplicity Gourmet today!

Have you ever wondered what a “Parsnip” is like? I’m sure you’ve seen parsnips as you meander through the produce deparment. I”m even more sure, you always quickly think to yourself: What recipes would I use parsnips in? What are the health benefits of them? What are they like? Well, wonder no more! I think that a lot of people are intimidated by the way parsnips look and therefore, shy away from them - which makes me very sad for them. Don’t judge a book by its cover!  

Parsnips have a nutty, peppery, sweet flavor that you just won’t find in any other veggie. They are good pretty much any way that you want to make them: roasted, baked, fried, sautéed, mashed, and they are awesome in deserts (a lot like it’s cousin the carrot).

Parsnips have historically been the favored vegetable for Europeans over carrots and potatoes. They were introduced to America in the late 16th century but sadly come in a dismal third to carrots and potatoes to the American taste buds. Parsnips are a root vegetable, resembling a creamy white carrot but are considered far more nutritionally superior. They are beneficial for lowering cholesterol and loosing and maintaining a healthy weight. They are low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. They are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Manganese, and Potassium.

Parsnips are at their best in the winter after the first frost - the cold turns their starch into sugar which gives them their sweet flavor. They are available at your grocer from late fall through early spring - so, for many of you out there, it’s prime time for parsnips in your area! When you get your parsnips home from the store, it’s best to wrap them in a moist paper towel and store in a dark location in your fridge. They will keep for two weeks or longer, making them an ideal vegetable to buy in bulk!

I have 3 Parsnip Side Dishes and 1 Parsnip Dessert that I absolutely LOVE and I’m going to share them here with you today. Of course, I cook all my food on stainless steel bake ware and waterless cookware, if you need any adaptations to these recipes, feel free to email me anytime: ksnyder@simplicitygourmet.com. I hope you enjoy these special Parsnip recipes as much as my friends, family, and I do.

My family went on a camping trip this past weekend!  I have not been camping in 12 years, yikes!  Needless to say, I was a little nervous about the whole experience.  I had thoughts like: “How am I going to keep the tent clean?” “How do I keep the insects out of my tent?” “I don’t want hot dogs and smores every night (though the smores were pretty darn good), what we will eat?” “What if I freeze?” “How much bug spray is too much?” “How sanitary are the bathrooms, wait, are there bathrooms?”  Ha, laugh if you want but these are seriously the thoughts I had. 

Before I had a total melt down, my husband reassured me that everything would be fine! Did you gals get that he said fine, not good, but fine.  So, I took a deep breath and told myself I will go and do this for the sake of my family.  This did not prevent me from making a list of things to bring that fit on a legal pad piece of paper. If I was going, I was going to be prepared! That’s my motto, Prepare to be Prepared…just kidding…well, not really…

It was cold, ok, that one was actually a rational fear…I think I actually froze one night! On the whole, though, it was one of the most enjoyable times I have had with my family in a really long time.  To be away from TV and Video Games, and get back to the roots of everything was really nice.  It makes you realize how beautiful this earth is and how beautiful family is. Needless to say, yes, I “Wanna Get Away” and go camping again with my family!

With that said, let me share with you some AWESOME camping recipes to keep you from starving or having to eat hot dogs each night. This will add complete simplicity into your cooking and make it eatable at the same time. I hope you and your family enjoy them so very much and remember, cherish these special moments together and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Camp Fire Muffins

• 6 Oranges
• 2 Pkgs. Muffin Mix, any flavor

Directions:
Cut oranges in half and scoop out orange segments (it is the hollowed peel shells that you need, but keep the fruit for use with fruit salad or juice). Prepare the muffin mix according to package directions. Fill the orange peel cups half full of batter. Wrap each one loosely with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place in hot coals and make certain the batter side stays up. Cook 5 - 10 minutes, until muffins are done.

 Camp Pocket Dinner

• Ground Hamburger or Chicken
• Potatoes, sliced
• Carrots, sliced
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Foil Bag
• Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Season meat with garlic, salt & Pepper to your tastes. Shape the meat into a patty, slice potatoes and carrots and toss Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt & pepper. Place the veggies over the meat and wrap in a foil bag. Cook on the coals until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.

 Pineapple Upside Down Cake

• Cake Donuts
• Pineapple Slices
• Butter
• Brown Sugar

Directions:
Take a large square of aluminum foil. Cut a cake donut in half. Lay a pineapple slice on the donut half. Put a few dollops of butter on. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Put other half of donut on top and seal tightly in foil. Lay on coals for about 10-15 minutes. Open carefully as it will be very hot.

So…we’ve finally made it. Noon last Saturday was go time! Of course, we both had a whole slew of things on our minds that we wanted to partake in but we just weren’t really willing to risk any stomach issues to do it. But…there was one thing that we both just had to have…one thing that our love never waned from…can anyone guess what that would be? You’ve got it…Cheez-Its! J

Check out our veteran advice on how to break an extended fast today!

So…a lot of you are asking how we’ve done it - what’s the plan. Since we’ve got four weeks under our belts now, we’ve got everything nailed down to a science. Including how to save money while buying organic produce in bulk - which can get quite pricey with the volume of fruit you need to buy on a juice fast!

Find out how our week went, our weekly weight loss, and “the juice fast plan.” 

Over the last year I have really started focusing in on my health. I’ve been eating organic food and watching my fat intake. I was recently introduced to coconut oil. Before a few weeks ago I didn’t even know it existed, and now it something I find myself talking about all of the time.

Coconut oil is manufactured primarily in the Philippines. It has numerous health benefits and cooks great. Coconut oil is a fat, which consists of about 90% saturated fat.  The oil is made up of predominantly medium chain triglycerides, which basically means your body converts it to energy more easily than fat.

You can cook with coconut as long as you remember that you shouldn’t cook over medium heat. It tastes great; you can just drizzle it over your food if you like. Studies have shown that it lowers the chance for heart disease and works great as a moisturizer. It helps heal skin rashes and burns. It also helps by maintaining thyroid levels, blood sugar levels, and digestive health.

So what are you waiting for? Try some . . . you’ll love it!

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and you realize Fall is in the air!  I Love fall - it’s my favorite time of year!  I love the leaves changing, pumpkins, hayrides, bon fires with yummy smores, and not to mention all the fun get togethers you can have!!!!

I am always in a dilemia trying to figure out what to bring to our little gatherings we have with family and friends. Of course, it has to be sooo cute and fun.  I found this awesome way to use a pumpkin as a serving dish and put any kind of soup in it! Yes, that’s right, a pumpkin as a serving dish! Who would of thought?!? I love this and I am using it to take to our Church’s Fall Festival and I am going to put some yummy Chili in it and surround the base of the pumkin with crackers! How cute is that!

I would never leave you hanging, so, here are the directions to make this adorable

PUMPKIN SERVING DISH

Wash the pumpkin with warm water and pat dry. Cut away a round section on top of the pumkpin to form a lid. Scoop out the seeds and stringy mass with a large spoon.

Spray the pumpkin inside and out with a non-stick oil cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle the inside with salt. Spray a heavy baking sheet with cooking spray also. Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet. Place the lid aside of the pumpkin, cut side down.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour or slightly longer, depending on the size of the pumpkin. Bake until the inside of the pumpkin shell just begins to soften. The shell will be a deep orange color and have a shine from the cooking spray. Do not over bake. An over baked shell will not support the weight of the soup. Remove from oven. Very gently scoop out any remaining stringy areas you might have missed. Check the bottom of the the lid as well.

Again, as always a wonderful way to have fun in the fall and add Simplicity to your lives!

Enjoy!!!!

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Did you know that there are a ton of money saving resources on the web. If you know where to look you can save money on gas, cars, clothes, videos, shoes, textbooks and a bunch of other stuff. My mother just started a coupon club for women at her local church and they call themselves the Deal and Dollar Divas. These women know how to be thrifty and are learning to be good stewards of there money by not paying too much when a deal is to be had.

The websites I use the most are www.mommysavesbig.com, www.currentcodes.com and www.bradsdeals.com. These sites are good for downloading coupons for things you would buy either online or that you can print off coupons to shop in stores. The Deal and Dollar Divas recommend www.couponmom.com and www.grocerydeals.com which are great for planning your meals with the deals of the week at local stores, as well as downloading coupons. www.smartsource.com is the source for downloading coupons found each week in the newspaper. For more about the best secrets for finding a good deal be sure to read “Get a Great Deal on Anything” by Andrea Cooper by clicking here.