Pumpkin Pie Spice Review

Recently I've been thinking about fall-themed recipes and projects that I could include in my BLOGtober series, Time for Fall.  In addition to being fall-themed, I wanted the posts to also be useful.  So, after some thought I thought you might like to see a review of a DIY pumpkin spice mix.  I found the recipe here, but to be honest, you can find similar ones all over the web.

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ingredients:

1/3 cup cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice

Click the link above to for complete instructions.

So my opinion?  4/5 stars.  I'm not sure what it was, because although this was good it was not quite perfect.  When I make pumpkin pie I skip the allspice and cloves.  Maybe that was it.  Either way, it was good, but I may look for another mix next time around.  And I will certainly use what I have.

Stay tuned for Nice and Spicy Soap and Pumpkin Spice Play Dough, both featuring this warm fall blend!

My very not pretty, not blog-friendly picture of the old cinnamon container I used to store my Pumpkin Pie Spice.  Sometimes you just have to use what you have on hand.  No fancy labels or jars, just an old plastic container and a sharpie!

Do you have any favorite homemade spice mixes?  This taco seasoning is my favorite of all time. I use it often.  It saves me money and I like it much better than store-bought mixes.

As a reminder, I'm taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge!

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Apple Pie Egg Rolls

This month I'm participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge!  It's a way to connect with fellow bloggers and increase your traffic (and theirs!).  If you haven't signed up already there still could be time.

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For this recipe, I used my mother's apple pie filling and cut the ingredients in half.  I also decided that because I'm still trying to control my weight, I wouldn't fry the rolls.  I know typically egg rolls are fried, but I thought they still would turn out ok if I baked them.

Turns out I was right!  These are great.  I would definitely make them again.  I may use a sugar free sweetener in the future just to see if that would work out but these are good as is.

It's funny how sometimes I think I have this novel idea but then when I type it into google, at least a hundred entries pop up.  That's what happened with these.  I should have known!

Here are the egg rolls right before I put them in the oven.  I put around 2-3 tablespoons of apple pie filling in each one, wet the roll with my finger and then wrapped it up.  Then I dampened the egg roll with water and rolled it in cinnamon sugar.

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Ingredients:

Egg roll wraps

Filling
3 cups peeled apples, diced
1 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/8 (half of 3/4) cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.  Mix all filling ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.  Place 2-3 tablespoons into each egg roll wrap.  Moisten edges of wrap and roll.  Then roll finished egg rolls in cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place egg roll on cookie sheet and repeat until all filling is gone. Bake for 20 minutes or until egg rolls are slightly browned.  Makes about 12-14 rolls.

Here is a picture of the page in my mom's recipe collection where I got the apple pie filling recipe.  If you can zoom in, you'll see a recipe for a delicious pie crust.  It sure does have a lot of shortening, but it's so worth it for the occasional treat.

Thanks for reading and check out the links below!

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Ultimate Blog Challenge Facebook Group

14 Awesome Autumn Pins

This year I've tried to challenge myself and do some new things.  I did a 30 day challenge, I entered the fair and I moved!  I'm also currently participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  There's more, but suffice it to say it's been an eventful year.

Now that fall is here there are even more new things I want to try for this, my favorite season.  For me, Pinterest has been the perfect holding area for ideas, but my boards are chuck full of pins and I often wonder if I'll ever get around to even a quarter of them.  So, in the spirit of trying something new, I thought I'd make a list of 14 Autumn Pinterest Ideas right here to get myself moving.  Any more than that and I know I won't get to any of them!


To follow me on Pinterest, click here!


14 Awesome Autumn Pins

1.  Acorn wreath - This one doesn't come with instructions, but it sure looks cool.  I even have oak trees in my back yard.

2.  Pinecone wreath - Scroll down and you'll see this one.  No pine trees here, but I'm sure I could scavenge up some pine cones.

3.  Felt Owls - These are adorable!

4.  Harvest Gold Sunflower Hat - I love sunflowers.  I really should make this one.

5.  Halloween Garland - This one looks easy and cute.

6.  Halloween Hats - So cute.  Candy corn, spider webs and pumpkins, oh my!

7.  Pumpkin Coffee Mug Sleeve - With all the crocheting I've done, surprisingly I haven't made a mug sleeve.  I may have to remedy that!

8.  Pumpkin Doughnuts - I might try these this week.  I just found my donut pans so I'm ready to go.

9.  Owl Mug Cozy - another perfect little cozy

10.  Hat and Scarf Set in lovely fall colors.  So pretty.

11.  Thanksgiving Pretzel Turkeys - This is only a picture, but easy to follow I'm sure.

12.  Crochet Indian Corn - How have I not made this?

13.  No Bake Pumpkin Spice Pudding Pie - I don't have enough pumpkin recipes.  I have to try this.

14.  Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix - I love making my own mixes.  Actually this taco seasoning I use ALL the time.



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Why a Another Cooking and Craft Blog?

Fall is a wonderful time to reflect.  Today I ask the question, "why another cooking and craft blog?"  Well, the answer is simple: I enjoy cooking and making crafts and find both topics very easy to write about.  Not only that, this blog provides both you and me with a record of all the things I've done.  It's all there and easy to access.  Sometimes I want to repeat a craft or recipe and, click, there it is.  Totally practical.  Besides, I can reminisce about all the fun things I did through the years.  Having a record in words and photos means more and more the older I get (and I'm not quite 40 yet!).  It's totally worth the effort!

There are other things I like as much or even more, but have a hard time opening myself up to everyone about.  For example, I am very interested in spiritual things and have spent years of my life researching the depths of Christianity and other spiritual heritages.  I learned a lot and have quite a few opinions.  But writing about those things feels so vulnerable and I tend to be a bit of a closed book.  It may be time to change that, but not today!  I have private journals where I have worked through some of my biggest struggles.  I have pages and pages of spiritual discussion with myself.  Because of my faith background, I feel unable to be vulnerable with everyone in those areas.  I'm honest when people ask me, but putting it out there permanently takes a bigger commitment.

I also really enjoy science.  I used to be a biology teacher, remember?  I recently came upon one of the best books I've found in a long time.  It is a collection of one year's best science writing.  It was older and I bought it at a thrift store, but I think I'm going to get the most recent version soon.  It's called Best American Science Writing.  I've found I like less of the get down and dirty science, but more reading about it and thinking through it.  In other words, I would never want to work in a lab.  So why not write about science?  Maybe I will, but it takes far more effort than writing about my latest craft, and with young children it was more effort than I was willing to expend.  Now, though, it's a real possibility.

Anyway, I write about cooking and crafts because it's fun, light-hearted and I think it's a great way to leave a record of my times as a stay-at-home mom.  I'm not sure how long this season will last, but it's fun while it does!

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I am participating in The Ultimate Blog Challenge, a way to connect with other bloggers and increase blog traffic.  Click the link above or go here to the Facebook group.  It's a great way to bring your blog to the next level!

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6 Things To Do With Canned Pumpkin

It's that time of year when the canned pumpkin hits the shelves.  Do yourself a favor and follow the sales.  When you can get it for around $1 a can, stock up!  I have found Aldi carries it for around $1 regular price, but it is only available seasonally.

6 Things To Do With Canned Pumpkin:

1. Cake - Just grab a box of cake mix and add a can of pumpkin.  Mix and bake as usual.  Some people like to add a little water to lighten the consistency.  You can experiment with this but it is not needed.  You can do this with chocolate and no trace of pumpkin is detectable.  My husband who will NOT eat pumpkin flavored food will eat a devil's food cake mix made with a can of pumpkin.  Spice Cake is also a great option, and more of the pumpkin flavor will come through.
2. Pumpkin Bread - You need to try this pumpkin bread.  It's so good!
3. Replace oil in some recipes - In my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, I have subbed extra pumpkin for the oil 1:1.  It changes the consistency, but it's great.  I've had other people try it and it passes the test! I haven't tried this in other recipes, but I bet in most quick breads it would work.  I might have to try pumpkin banana bread, replacing the oil with pumpkin.  I wonder if the pumpkin flavor would be masked by the banana?  My husband would be a good judge on this.
4. Dog Treats - I haven't tried this one yet but I definitely plan to.  You can make dog treats using pumpkin and a few kitchen staples.  Here is a link one one recipe.  And here's another.
5. Pumpkin Pie - This is the "duh" one on the list.  But really.  This is the best pumpkin pie I have ever had.  My mom found the recipe many years ago when she was making a pie for Thanksgiving.  She didn't have the sweetened condensed milk that many recipes call for.  So she went on the hunt to find something using regular milk.  Now this is before the internet, so I'm not sure how long the hunt took, but she found a treasure.  Here's a link to the recipe.
6. Pumpkin Butter - I came across this recipe during my 30 Days 30 Recipes Challenge.  It was from a Weight Watchers list, but I'm telling you it does not taste diet-y in the least!  Give it a try and I'm sure if you like pumpkin, you'll like this butter.

Everything on this list that canned pumpkin is used for, you can also sub your own cooked pumpkin.  Canned pumpkin is just so easy and if you get it on sale, relatively cheap.

If you haven't checked it out yet, check out The Ultimate Blog Challenge on Facebook.  

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