Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Yes, it is that time... Fall time = amazing food!! Yay! And you know what, I don't care if it's STILL hot outside. Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. Now that I'm obsessed with cooking and baking yummy food it has made Fall all the more exciting. Mr. Niu has been working so hard every day. He works part-time, goes to school full-time, he is taking a GRE prep class (4 hours per class) AND he still makes time for his church callings and most importantly the love of his life, me! I wanted to surprise him one Saturday afternoon. He has been craving pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Sooo... I found this moist and chocolatey bread.

Ingredients

• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) - We prefer no nuts in our breads ;)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans. (Or you can use muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.)
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

Servings: 36
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 1 hour Ready in: 1 hr. 30 min.
Amount per serving: 177 calories, 6.9 grams fat

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

I have wanted to try these for quite some time. We decided to make them for an end of summer BBQ. WOW! These delicate babies have so much flavor and melt in your mouth! Instead of raspberry jam I used my Mom's famous strawberry jam..... mmmm..... so good.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened not melted
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
3. Place the cookie sheet with the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes.
   
4. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Servings: 36
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 18 min. Ready in: 1 hr. 15 min.
Amount per serving: 104 calories, 5.2 grams fat

Tomato-Cream Sauce

We eat a pasta dish every week. Through the weeks I have learned that the hubby is very particular about his pasta sauces. He LOVES all cream sauces, which usually means loads of calories. I've been trying to convince him for some time now that red sauces can be just as wonderful. We're both not huge fans of the canned sauces. After I made this sauce he was hooked! And thank heavens for me it's so easy and cheap.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream/milk (I usually just use milk)
  
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Make sure it doesn't burn. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue to boil 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in whipping cream and butter. Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes.

Servings: 5
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 15 min. Ready in: 20 min.
Amount per serving: 182 calories, 16.2 grams fat (if you use the heavy cream)

Baked Salmon Dijon

One week day after work I was CRAVING salmon. It's all I could think about. So, my sweet husband picked up some oh so delicious salmon on the way home. I needed to find a quick, yummy recipes and with my trusted source Allrecipes.com I found this. The topping melts in your mouth. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• 3 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Italian-style dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil.
2. Place salmon skin-side down on foil. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top of each fillet, and season with salt and pepper. Top with bread crumbs, then drizzle with melted butter.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 15 min. Ready in: 25 min.
Amount per serving: 331 calories 21.5 grams fat