Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Sacramento, CA

Find out more about:

Archives

Yummy in My Tummy

Baking crazy!

October 13, 2009

Fall brings out the baker in me.  Both my grandmothers were wonderful bakers and I was lucky enough to have spent time with them in the kitchen creating holiday delicacies that still bring back wonderful, cozy memories.  Coincidentally my mom has come to visit for a few days and one of the traditions she has with my boys is to bake cookies together.  They were over the moon when they discovered she was coming and checked the pantry five times to make sure we had all the right ingredients.  (Which by the way involves sugar, flour and chocolate chips only in their minds).  I also had a fortunate discovery at my monthly Kindergarten parent meeting last night when a fellow parent and friend named Jennifer brought in a heaping plate of the most delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you can imagine.  I know it sounds like an odd combination but so many parents asked for the recipe she was generous enough to email it to the whole class today.  She makes these with her kiddos - I plan to give the recipe to grandma tomorrow - maybe you can enjoy them too! 
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks margarine                                                                             4 tsp. baking powder   
3 cups sugar                                                                                        1 tsp. salt  
4 eggs                                                                                                   2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. vanilla                                                                                        2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. lemon extract(or lemon juice works)                                1 large (29 oz.) can of pumpkin
6 cups flour                                                                                          2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Mix ingredients as listed except alternate two cups flour with 1/3 of the pumpkin, etc., to avoid lumps.  Drop on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Makes 6-8 dozen
 Read more...

Real Pumpkin Pie

October 12, 2009

I am a huge fan of pie all the way around.  However, this fall weather, Halloween and the exciting prospect of Thanksgiving has put pumpkin pie on my brain!  I have always wanted to learn how to make it from scratch and I found this awesome recipe on line that I had to share!  So get the kiddos to wash their grimy paws and take the time to make a real authentic homemade pumpkin pie!Directions for Making Pumpkin Pie from ScratchYield: It really depends on the size of the pumpkin and the size of your pie plate. If you use a 6" pie pumpkin and a full deep dish 9" pie plate, then it should fill that pie to the brim and maybe have enough extra for either a small (4 inch) shallow pie (or a crustless pie - see step  11).
Some people manage to make 2 full pies, especially if they use shallow pie plates and/or 8 inch pie plates.Ingredients and EquipmentEquipment

  • A sharp, large serrated knife
  • an ice cream scoop
  • a large microwaveable bowl or large pot
  • 1 large (10 inch) deep-dish pie plate and pie crust (Click here for illustrated pie crust instructions! they will open in a new window) - or two small pie plates (9 inch) and crusts
Ingredients
  • a pie pumpkin (see step 1)
  • 1 cup sugar (see step 10 for alternatives)
  • 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • one half teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
  • one half teaspoon salt (optional, I don't use any)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups pumpkin glop (ok... "sieved, cooked pumpkin")
  • 1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk (I use the nonfat version)
Note: if you do not have cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger, you can substitute 3 teaspoons of "pumpkin pie spice".  It's not exactly the same, but it will do.Note: If you can't get evaporated milk, you can substitute nonfat dried milk - make it twice as concentrated as the directions on the box say to reconstitute it. It won't be the same as evaporated milk, but it ought to come close.Recipe and DirectionsYield: One 9-inch deep dish pie or two 8-inch shallow piesStep 1 - Get your pie pumpkin"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types.  Grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in the U.S. In some parts of the country, they are also called sugar pumpkins or even "cheese pumpkins".  Go figure that one.  Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin is just there for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of the size of a typical pie pumpkin.  They're only about 6 to 8 inches in diameter (about 20 to 24 inches in circumference).  TIP: If you're in a pinch and can't find a pie pumpkin, here's a tip: butternut squash taste almost the same!  Commercial canned pumpkin is from a variety of butternut, not true pumpkins! If you insist on using a regular Jack O' Lantern type pumpkin, you may need to add about 25% more sugar and run the cooked pumpkin through a blender or food processor to help smooth it out.Just like selecting any squash, look for one that is firm, no bruises or soft spots, and a good orange color. One 6" pie pumpkin usually makes one 10 inch deep dish pie and a bit extra; or two 9 inch shallow pies! If you have extra goop, you can always pour it into greased baking pans and make a crustless mini pie with the excess (and the cooked pies do freeze well!)If you live in the Far East (Thailand, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, etc.) and cannot get a pumpkin or a butternut squash, I'm told that Japanese pumpkins make a great substitute. Just cube the meat into small cubes and steam them for 35 minutes. The rest of the preparation is the same and I'm told the taste is great. Step 2 - Prepare the pumpkin for cookingWash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap.Cut the pumpkin in half.  A serrated knife and a sawing motion works best - a smooth knife is more likely to slip and hurt you! A visitor suggests using a hand saw.  Step 3 - Scoop out the seeds...And scrape the insides.  You want to get out that stringy, dangly stuff that coats the inside surface.  I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.Note: SAVE THE SEEDS:The seeds can be used either to plant pumpkins next year, or roasted to eat this year! Place them in a bowl of water and rub them between your hands.  then pick out the orange buts (throw that away) and drain off the water. Spread them out on a clean towel or paper towel to dry and they're ready to save for next year's planting or roast.  Click here for roasting instructions! (opens in a new window)  Step 4 - Cooking the pumpkinThere are several ways to cook the pumpkin;  just choose use your preferred method.  Most people have microwaves and a stove, so I'll describe both of those methods here. But others make good arguments in favor of using a pressure cooker or baking in the oven. At the end of this document, I’ve included alternative instructions to replace step 4, if you’d rather use a different method. Method 1 - Put it in a microwaveable bowlRemove the stem, and put the pumpkin into a microwaveable. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit.  The fewer the number of pieces, the easier it will to scoop out the cooked pumpkin afterwards.Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl, cover it, and put in the microwave.  Method 2 - Steam on the stovetopYou can also cook it on the stovetop; it takes about the same length of time in a steamer (20 to 30 minutes).  I use a double pot steamer, but you could use an ordinary large pot with a steamer basket inside it!:     Step 5 - Cook the pumpkin until softEither way, cook for 15 minutes on high, check to see if it is soft, then repeat in smaller increments of time until it is soft enough to scoop the innards out.  Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes in total.    Step 6 - Scoop out the cooked pumpkinWhether you cook the pumpkin on the stove, microwave, or even the oven, once it is cooked until it is soft, it is easy to scoop out the guts with a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a tablespoon).  Use the spoon to gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin.  It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.Many times the skin or rind will simply lift off with your fingers (see the photo at left) .  I'll bet you didn't realize making your own pumpkin glop... err, "puree" was this easy!Note: there are many varieties of pumpkin and some make better pies that other (due to sugar content, flavor, texture and water content.  Drier, sweeter, fine-grained pies; the small (8" across) ones called "pie pumpkins" are best.  Watery pumpkin?If your pumpkin puree has standing, free water, you may want to let it sit for 30 minutes and then pour off any free water.  That will help prevent you pie from being too watery! Beyond, that, I have not found that the water makes a difference - I wouldn't be TOO concerned about it!Tip from a visitor: "I make my own pumkin pies from scratch all the time. To eliminate watery pumpkin I strain my pureed pumpkin through a cloth overnight. If I use frozen pumpkin I do the same again as it thaws out. It works great and my pies cook beautifully." Another visitor reported success using coffee filters in a sieve to drain out excess water. Again, don't go to great lengths to remove water; the recipe accounts for the fact that fresh pumpkin is more watery than canned!Step 7 - Puree the pumpkinTo get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a Pillsbury hand blender.  By blending it, you give the pie a smooth, satiny texture; rather than the rough graininess that is typical of cooked squashes. A regular blender works, too (unless you made a few frozen daiquiris and drank them first..). Or a food processor or even just a hand mixer with time and patience.With the hand blender, it just takes 2 or 3 minutes!Another visitor says using a food mill, like a Foley Food Mill, with a fine screen, accomplishes the blending/pureeing very well, too! Step 8 - Done with the pumpkin!The pumpkin is now cooked and ready for the pie recipe.  Get the frozen daiquiris out from step 7 and take a break! :) Note: You may freeze the puree or pie filling to use it later! Just use a freezer bag or other container to exclude as much air as possible.  It should last a year or more in a deep freezer On the other hand, you may NOT "can" it:  See this page for the safety reasons why you shouldn't can it.)Step 9 - Make the pie crustYes, I know there are ready-made pie crusts in the frozen section at the store, but they really are bland and doughy.  A flaky crust is easy to make! Again, note that unless you use large, deep dish pie plates, you may have enough for 2 pies.It is also time to start preheating the oven.  Turn it on and set it to 425 F (210 C, for those in Europe) Click here for illustrated pie crust instructions!
(it will open in a new window)Step 10 - Mix the pie contentsAll the hard work is behind you! Here's where it gets really easy. If you start with a fresh 8" pie pumpkin, you will get about 3 cups of cooked, mashed pumpkin. Th e right amount of ingredients for this is as follows:
  • 1 cup sugar - or 1 cup Splenda, or 3/4 cup honey (honey may make a heavier pie, though)
  • 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • one half teaspoon ground ginger
  • one half teaspoon salt (optional, I don't use any)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups pumpkin glop (ok... "sieved, cooked pumpkin")
  • 1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk (I use the nonfat version)
Mix well using a hand blender or mixer.Note: You may substitute 2 tablespoons of "pumpkin pie spice" instead of the cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger.  But I think you get better results with the separate spices.Note: The vast majority of people tell me this is the best pumpkin pie they've ever had. It's light and fluffy - however... if you want a heavy, more dense pie, use 3 eggs instead of 4 and 1 can of evaporated milk instead of 1.5)Step 11 - Pour into the pie crustI like a deep, full pie, so I fill it right up to about one quarter to one half inch from the very top. Don't be surprised if the mixture is very runny!  It may start as a soupy liquid, but it will firm up nicely in the oven! Note: the pie crust is brown because I used whole wheat flour! Tastes the same, but is healthier.TIP: What do you do if you end up with more filling than will fit in your pie crust(s)?  Easy!  Of course, you can make another, smaller pie crust and fill a small pie pan... or just grease any baking dish, of a size that the extra filling will fill to a depth of about 2 inches (see the photo at right), and pour the extra filling in.. then bake it.  It will be a crustless pumpkin pie that kids especially love!TIP: You may want to cover the exposed edges of the crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning!Step 12 - Bake the pieBake at 425 F (210 C ) for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 F  ( 175 C ) and bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.Here is the finished pie, right out of the oven:I use a blunt table knife to test the pie.  The one at left has already been stuck in the pie, and you see it comes out pretty clean, when the pie is done. Step 13 - Cool the pieAnd enjoy! Warm or chilled, with whipped cream , ice  Read more...

Summer's cookin'

July 28, 2009

Both my boys have shown an increasing interest in the kitchen recently.  They have always loved to cook with me, but since they’ve mastered cereal and toast on their own, they are looking for larger culinary challenges.  I’m a bit ashamed to say I’ve been discouraging this interest because turning on the oven makes everything hotter!  However, recently we’ve found an easy and fun compromise – mini homemade pizzas.  They are cheap, easy, fun for the kids and only require about ten minutes of oven time.  Here’s what you need:A package of pre-made mini pizza crusts or English muffin halvesBottle of squeezable pizza saucePackage of shredded mozzarella cheeseCans or packages of toppingsKid-friendly toppings my kids favor are cans of chopped pineapple, sliced olives, bags of regular or lowfat turkey pepperoni or often just plain cheese hits the spot!Simply set your kids up with a clean set of hands, a crust on a foil-covered cookie sheet, squeeze and spread the sauce with a spoon, pile on the cheese, sprinkle on the toppings, pop it the oven and magic!  Yummy dinner kids feel proud of and the best part – mom doesn’t have to cook!  Read more...

No Bones About It!

by Kim Mordecai

January 28, 2009

While often it is just boys that like bones, I've found that most kids are interested in (or obsessed with) dinosaurs and dinosaur skeletons. Either way, teaching kids about bones is a great way to enter into conversations about health, how our bodies work and how healthy eating can make them bigger, faster and stronger (like mini super heroes!). A great exhibit is going on right now at  Read more...

Cool Mags and Health Foods

by Kim Mordecai

January 12, 2009

As much as I'm an out and about mom in Sacramento, sometimes I realize just how out of the loop I am! For instance, yesterday I revisited www.kidaroundmag.com - my very favorite local publication for moms. They have all kinds of great stuff on there web site - contests, articles, a calendar - you can even read the entire magazine on-line! Anyway, I was cruising their calendar and found a bunch  Read more...

Easy, fab kid-friendly gifts!

by Kim Mordecai

December 09, 2008

In keeping with my goal to create wonderful and economical gifts this year, I wanted to share a goodie recipe that makes an amazing gift. Basically it is a modified rendition of those cool mason jars that people layer with ingredients for a cookie mix. Instead of going to the hassle of buying all those ingredients, I buy a $1.50 bag of sugar cookie mix. Then I take the cookie out of the mix bag  Read more...

Renegade Lunch Lady

by Kim Mordecai

August 25, 2008

Now that school is back full-swing I am back to my role as active classroom mom. The volunteer hours, the field trips, the parent meetings they are enough to boggle the mind but I enjoy taking part in my kid's education. With this said, I have a bone to pick with our public school system which is San Juan Unified School District about our cafeteria food. My new first grader asked to buy his  Read more...

Restaurants with Rugrats

by Kim Mordecai

August 18, 2008

Going out to dinner is not the leisurely, enjoyable experience it used to be. Remember those days when you made plans with friends at the last minute and spent hours eating good food and laughing at your favorite local eatery? Yeah, and then baby makes three and suddenly the concept of relaxation and dining out doesn't exist anymore. So we deal with the fact that our kid-free restaurant days  Read more...

Farm-fresh kids

by Kim Mordecai

August 08, 2008

Oddly enough, my kids love vegetables and won't touch fruit. Ok, that's not entirely true. One will eat grapes and the other will eat strawberries, but other than that they won't touch the stuff. I try to coax them by calling it 'nature's candy' which they simply don't buy. So the other day we were driving through Old Town Folsom and I noticed there was a farmer's market going on. The kids had  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in sacramento

urbanjungle.jpg

Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

roomtorun2.jpg

Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

rain.jpg

Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

localhistory2.jpg

A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

naturalhistory2.jpg

Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

waterparks2.jpg

Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

holdinghands2.jpg

The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

bestofcity2.jpg

The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

The Voice of Being Savvy sacramento:
Kim Mordecai

Read more Being Savvy for:

Recent Posts

Favorite sacramento Lists

Review Your Preschool

Join the hundreds of sacramento parents helping other parents find the right preschool for their child.

Review Your Preschool

View Preschools and Daycare Centers in Other Cities

View preschools in other cities