Pumpkin bread is good Steve, no doubt about it. But I only dedicate the space and effort of growing low yielding winter squash and pumpkins for one reason and one reason only..... PIE!

But aside from that, I suppose I will be baking stollen, pfeffernussen and gingersnaps later this week.

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That looks wonderful, digit!

The first batch of Mamie's Million Dollar fudge disappeared quick, so I made a second batch and I'm down to a half a tin of that. I'm skipping the russian tea cakes this year as I've accepted that I'm the only one that likes them! The daughter and I are making no-bake cookies and pumpkin cookies tonight. Cherry pie and pecan pie will be made tomorrow.

Zach, welcome back, we missed you!
I'm going to google stollen and pfeffernussen now.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve everybody!

Barb

Well thank you. I had to take a brief hiatus, got really busy with school and work and a 3 year old lol. But now I'm on Christmas break and not many people need landscaping when theres 3" of snow on the ground. So I have a little more time :)

Stollen (or Weinachtsstollen) is a German Christmas bread, though its really more of a cake IMO. And pfeffernussen are cookies made with black pepper. They are really good dunked in coffee I think.

I'm not much of a fudge man, but cherry pie on the other hand is my all time favorite food lol.

Yes, it's good to see you Zach.

(You are just in time! ;o) Merry Christmas.

Black pepper?! How about habanero ginger snaps? Along side Barb's cherry pie ... and a cup of coffee ...

Steve

Well its good to see all you folks as well!

There's a bunch of other spices and such. I don't really like them plain (for whatever reason, maybe a bad recipe, they tend to be tooth breakingly hard) but after I soften them up in some black coffee I actually really like them.

Make it habanero gingersnaps with Irish coffee and count me in Steve haha.

Hope you all have a merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Habanero gingersnaps?! Never heard of that!! I'd be willing to give 'em a try :)

I think I finally found my pumpkin pie recipe! Have always tried different ones, and played around with the spices, etc. But believe the one I made for Christmas got the best votes from us - right amount of spice has always been the challenge. This version I made has about twice as much of cloves, cinnamon and ginger as most recipes call for, and I also added some allspice and nutmeg. Brown sugar instead of white, and a bit of honey, brandy, and orange zest. This combination seemed to hit the spot with us!

I also wanted to try cranberries with it - that just sounded like it would compliment the pumpkin as well as look festive. So found a few versions online and then, of course, came up with my own from that. I really liked that on top of the pie, with a few crushed gingersnaps and whipped cream - yummm!

Zach - I didn't know pfeffernussen had black pepper in them. Are those the cookies that are sort of licorice flavored, or am I mixing them up with some other cookie?

Speaking of german baked goods, I love Lebkuchen. I found a bakery in Arvada that imports it (surprised they don't bake it, as they do many other german goods) and it's very yummy! It's basically gingerbread, but more of a cookie. I have a recipe for it that I've had for awhile, but wanted to try an authentic one so I know if I'm coming close. I don't know thought, may just go the easy route and keep buying theirs ;^)

Marj

Good Heavens, Marj! You are certainly one to experiment!

Cranberries, brandy, extra spices?! I've just used the recipe from a can of Carnation milk for 50 years! I've got it written down, in case the cans on the shelf don't have it ... figured out how many cups of my own Buttercups are needed.

You would have to search for the habanero cookie recipe, same as me. I just heard about it.

I'm trying to find the "corn sticks" recipe I used to use for cornbread. I'm fairly sure I used that instead of a more conventional one - just baking the mixture in a square pan. I know it wasn't a recipe with lots more cornmeal than wheat flour but that's what I see in ancient Google newspapers. It could be that my memory is hazy on the quality of my old recipe anyway ...

Creating new traditions is part of what the holiday menu is about. DD is gettin' roped in on her stuffed mushrooms and I've already put in a request for trying the same with a few accompanying jalapenos! Maybe I can get her to grow them!

Steve

My recipe doesn't taste like licorice, but there might be one with anise in it that would... That actually sounds pretty good. You would think that black pepper and cookies would be an odd combination but to be honest, its not really that strong.

I use my grandmother's pumpkin pie recipe, but I used dark corn syrup instead of light, meybe a touch of molasses (or maybe I'm thinking of pecan pie). I have often wondered if she didn't do what you did Steve and write down the recipe off a can LOL!

My habaneros go into my jelly, pineapple mango or guava flavored. Too bad it's become so damn popular I hardly get any myself lol.

I think I know which bakery your talking about, they put up a stand at the farmers market on this aide of town, if its the same one. I bought a light rye from them that was pretty good, but I prefer dark rye or black bread.

How does this sound for something under that habanero jelly?

Jeni Ann's Cornbread

1 C flour
1 C cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C oil
2 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400ð.
Pour the oil into a 8" cast iron skillet, place the skillet into the oven.

Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl,
Add milk and egg whites,
Stir, just to mix,
Pour hot oil from the skillet into the mixture and stir again.
Pour mix back into the skillet and bake for 20 -25 mins.

digitS'

I believe you may be on to something there Steve! I have always just used Jiffy, course I used to get it for $0.25 a box, now its more than 3x that! Although it would be hard to decide whether to eat it with hab jelly or in a bowl of milk like cereal (pretty much the only way I have ever eaten corn bread)

That's the way I eat cornbread, Zach. (... the morning after the dinner with the fresh cornbread from the oven ;o)

Jiffy mix ..?

You know what? Maybe that recipe was on a bag of Aunt Jemima cornmeal rather than Albers ..? Shoot! Find it just now on a Google search! Shoot!

All I had to do is realize that there was more than one company selling cornmeal. Thank you. (Well! I still think I'll try Jeni Ann's recipe next time. :o)

Steve

Heck, there's times when cornbread and milk IS supper! (Some college students live off of ramen, others, rice, beans, and cornbread haha)

Yup, Jiffy Mix. They also make a blueberry muffin mix and probably some others, but all I've used is the corn muffin mix. When it comes out of the oven, I put so much butter on top its like a layer of icing!

I made pumpkin pies this week and today im using the frozen zucchini. Great crop last season.

Now, just remember, Gloria -- without pictures (or, recipes ;o), it didn't really happen.

I've gotta make more pies! There are 2 Marina di Chioggia squash and a big La Madera squash in the basement. I'd better go down and take a look at them ... yep, they are fine.

There are bags of squash in the freezer, measured out for pies. Those starving students wouldn't need ramen noodles or cornbread if they had a gardening year like the last and a good sized squash patch. Usually, I can't get them through January so I'd better stop bringing in already baked squash from the freezer and cut up some more from the basement shelves! I'll be orange by spring!

Steve

Here we go Steve, I wouldn't want you accusing me if telling stories now lol. Out if those 21 jars, I think I have 4 or 6 left.

I can't grow many squash, not enough room, so I only ever get one or two fruits. Plus last year, the PM was so bad, I'm taking a brief hiatus on any squash, melons, or cucumbers. Although I saw Johnny's has some short, early AND powdery mildew resistant butternuts. I want to try those out. But until then, I'll have to stick to cornbread and whatever habanero jelly is left after the vultures get through with it.

Noting: Photographic Evidence

Items Enjoyed &

Acclaimed

Steve :o)