Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal 

Yield: 9 servings

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 60 min 

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats – not instant
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries, dried cranberries, etc (Optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice**
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
3 cups milk or soy milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or rum extract or other flavouring

** See our Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe if you don’t have this seasoning in your cupboard.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray or rub sides and bottom with a paper towel and a small amount of vegetable oil.

2. In a medium bowl, combine oats, sugar, raisins, spices, and salt. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; whisk until combined. Pour into prepared dish.

3. Bake 50-55 minutes until the oatmeal feels set and firm. Insert a toothpick into the centre and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. 

4. Let cool and cut into 9 pieces.

Mexican Spice mix for Fajitas or Tacos

The Kitchen Pixies discourage the use of packaged seasoning mixes because they are quite expensive compared to the few pennies worth of ingredients in them. Additionally, making your own allows you to control salt and other additives your family may not want to eat. 

Mexican Spice Mix
(Yield: approximately 5-1/2 tablespoons) 

Approximately 2 tablespoons equals 1 store-bought seasoning packet. 
 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Use as needed in recipes calling for fajita or taco seasoning.
3. Store in an air-tight container. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

The Kitchen Pixies aren't huge fans of those bottles of "spice mixes" because they clutter up the cupboard and rarely add to variety in the kitchen. The ingredients are usually found in other bottles and pots. At the same time, they can be convenient, so we're posting some of our recipes for common spice mixes so you can mix up your own when needed. Feel free to change the amounts as you need or desire.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix 
(yield 8 Tablespoons) 

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 teaspoons ground allspice

Instructions: 

• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in air-tight container. 

Sausage & Kale Soup (Zuppa Tuscana)

Ingredients

1 lb (500 g) Italian sausage ** 

2 large potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups kale or 2 cups swiss chard, chopped into thin ribbons

900 ml box chicken broth **

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup heavy whipping cream **

4 strips of bacon cooked and crumbled OR 1/4 cup bacon bits (optional) ** 

Substitutions:

Italian sausage: any type of dinner sausage or smoked pork sausage

Bacon: ¾ oz salt pork

Chicken Broth: 2 cans of condensed chicken broth and 4 cups water OR 1 Knorr condensed chicken stock tub and 4 cups water; OR 2 Oxo cubes (chicken flavour) and 4 cups water.

Kale or swiss chard: 10 oz package of frozen spinach, defrosted and drained. Squeeze the moisture out of it before adding to the soup OR 2 cups fresh spinach

Heavy cream: can of condensed milk

Directions

1. ** Optional step** Slowly cook the bacon until crisp. If using salt pork, dice into small bits and cook slowly.

2. Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces.

3. Brown sausage in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Use the bacon fat if you used Step 1.

4. Add onions and sauté slowly until softened. Add garlic and let it warm in the oil. Don’t overcook or the garlic will get bitter.

5. Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir.

6. Add potatoes, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done, about 15-20 minutes.

7. Remove a few of the cooked potatoes and mash them with a fork to thicken up the soup. Alternatively, you could add 2 Tablespoons of mashed potato flakes if you have them on hand.

8. Add crisped bacon bits or salt pork “crunchies”.

9. Salt and pepper to taste.

10. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

11. Turn to medium heat.

12. Add kale or swiss chard. Kale will need to cook about 15 minutes, Swiss chard will be done in about 5. Frozen spinach doesn’t need to be cooked.

13. Add cream or milk substitute, if using

14. Heat through and serve.