Target Call Me Maybe?

   So I work at Target and someone found song written on a box in the back room, it goes to the tune of, "Call Me Baby" by Carly Rae Jepsen.

  It reads, "Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but can I help you, find something maybe? And with a Target red card baby, save 5 percent on what you buy daily." It is pure genius. And I will either get fired for posting this or target will use it as a new slogan.

Chili, Herbivore or Carnivore, Gluten-Free

    This is an easy, tasty chili base that can be made into any kind of dinner soup really. Wether you are vegan or you choose to put meat into it, it is still low calorie, low carb and high in protein, not mention cheap.
     So I made mine about four days ago, intending to do a blog on it and freeze some for Ryan... I pretty much just ate it. It gets better everyday and not having to clean my kitchen has been nice. I recommend eating this chili with cornbread, tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream, depending on the mood that you are in.

       Okay so it couldn't be easier, seriously, the hardest part will be opening the cans. I am going to give you a couple versions, all easy, all delicious.

      Ingredients.

• 4 cans of beans. I used black, garbanzo, kidney and chili pinto beans. 
• 2 cans of sweet yellow corn, or white, I don't care but if you do, you can choose. 
• 1 to 2 cans of diced tomatoes. I used the kind with oregano and basil. 
• 1 can of pumpkin puree, for thickening and because I just like pumpkin
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 TBSP of oregano 
• 1/2 TBSP chili powder, reduce depending on how spicy you like it
• 1 tsp garlic powder
•  1 tsp cumin powder 
• salt and pepper 
• optional, 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, or beef 

          Start by browning your meat on medium-high heat in a heavy bottom 5qt french oven, if you are not using meat, then you are a vegan. Next step, (first step if you are Vegan. I made sure to point this out because some people aren't sure if they are a Vegan or not...) Okay, next step is sautéing chopped bell pepper and onion on medium-high heat until the onion is translucent. Then you add the cans of beans, liquid included, the tomatoes, pumpkin and corn. DO NOT drain anything, this will make the broth of your chili. Add all of the seasonings, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. The longer you simmer, the better the flavor.

        Okay so you can do a couple things with this base, so you can make it into taco soup by pouring it over the top of tortilla chips and drowning it with sour cream and cheese. Pour it on top of fritos, or a baked potato. You can crumble up sweet cornbread in it, my personal favorite or just eat it on its own. Really its up to you.

       I hope you enjoy this simple, healthy, and cheap meal, I know I have.

Pumpkin Muffin Tops

   

     So I decided to try a recipe that I saw on pinterest but make it more healthy and turn it into my own. It was a recipe for pumpkin snicker doodles. I know pumpkin + my favorite cookie, nom. My recipe turned out to be something completely different from a cookie and the best way I can describe it would be a muffin top.

     The way I made them more of a "healthy" cookie is by cutting out some of the butter and sugar since the pumpkin is naturally sweet and moist. You could probably use a cup of wheat flour and the rest white flour or add some oats, nuts, or dried apples something, I don't know I just make this shit up on the spot really.

    My recipe successfully cut out about 1000 calories from the original that I based it on, so not too bad really. That makes mine moderately healthy and I can live with that.

Acting like he doesn't want it

Yeah, that's what I thought... 

     Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature  
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, almost one can 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

    Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and spices) in a mixing bowl, set aside. In a mixer, mix butter and sugar for 1 to 2 minutes on speed 2 until well corrupted. Add egg, vanilla and then add pumpkin. Next add flour mix making sure not to over mix. Chill the dough for 2 hours or over night.
     Roll TBSP sized balls of dough in a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp both nutmeg and ginger.  Top with pumpkin seeds.
      Bake at 350 for 14 minutes, they are not cookies so don't expect a crunch, they will be soft and moist like muffin tops.

Hello, My Name Is Tori And I Am A Pumpkin Addict.

       When it comes to pumpkins, I gotta have it. I love the moist texture it gives to dessert and foods. Its perfect for making breads, cakes, pies, soups, pastas and my all time favorite, beers. It really has no limitations. I am not a huge fan of sweets but I still like them, let me put it this way, I enjoy cake without frosting, pie crusts without out the filling haha. I am a half sweet/half unsweetend tea kind of gal.

        Appart from it being my favorite food add in, its also my favorite color. In our condo I have two rooms painted shades of pumpkin (pumpkin butter and pumpkin toast), solely for the fact that, "pumpkin" were in the names of the paint color. Oh and my Les Creuset French oven, the color is "pumpkin." Oh and nail polish, I love orange nails too.

        Then the scents, it is spicy, my very favorite. I enjoy nutmeg and pumpkin scents are one of the very few scents that actually has nutmeg in it. I have hand soaps, body wash and lotions. Candles, scented oils, air fresheners, and waxes. I stock up when Bath and Body Works has their semi-annual sales online and then again when they are switching scents over to Winter in the stores. It's really pretty insane...

     I don't exactly know what pumpkins sound like but fall sounds like family, and friends getting together and having great conversations. Everyone talking about how excited they are about the new boots and sweaters they get to wear, the yummy spices they get to eat and smell. Cool days. I might be stretching this last sense... It sounds like me, trying to convince everyone on the internet that I am not crazy because I can justify why I NEED pumpkin all the time.

     I am just a pumpkin enthusiast, it gets my senses going.

5 Ingredient Pumpkin Beer Cake

     Now that I have your attention, I am going to spoil your day and tell you that the reason this is only a 5 ingredient cake is because I didn't say we would be frosting it, if you use the frosting I did then in reality this is a 7 ingredient cake. Not too bad but 5 is a magic number, just like 42.
     This cake is very simple and even healthy, as it has no oil, I replaced oil with pumpkin and water with beer... Beer is a vitamin. That's what vitamin B stands for and you can take that to the bank.

      Ingredients.

•   yellow cake mix
•  1 can of pure pumpkin (not the pie mix) 
• 1/3 cup of golden wheat beer of your chose, drink the rest nom nom 
•  2 eggs 
•  1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, which is nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. 

      Putting it together couldn't be more simple, just mix all of the ingredients on low for about 3 to 4 minutes.  I love the color of the batter, perfect!

         Pour equal amounts of batter into two round cake pans and bake for 35 minutes at 350.

     I topped the cake with the whipped cream and cream cheese frosting recipe that I used on my Fireworks cake. Its really simple and tasty.  I gave this cake to my new neighbors who said it was really good, I got to have some too, it was very moist and light. I think I will make cupcakes with this recipe for Halloween. Enjoy!