With the autumn leaves falling, thoughts in the United States turn to the holiday season and to baked goodies such as Pumpkin Bread which has become a staple at many Thanksgiving feasts. I love pumpkin anything, and I suspect I am not the only one. For years items such as pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin butter, pumpkin dipping oils,  and even pumpkin s’mores have been showing up at my local markets.

Driving by my local farm, I am always excited when I get the first glimpse of fresh pumpkins ripening on the vines. The excitement only grows when the pumpkins make their way from the fields to the stands. After a stop at the farm to pick up a fresh pumpkin, next stop is home to bake some fresh Pumpkin Bread. For me, this is very much a seasonal dish, but it is special nonetheless. Every year it seems, I tweak the recipe just a bit to see if I can make it better. At this point I have done it enough that it is always good, but making it just a little different each time, gives me hope of one-day creating the ultimate Pumpkin Bread killer recipe. For now, this recipe is my very best, and I think you will agree it’s better than most out there.

During the season, fresh pumpkin is available at most supermarkets and farm stands. Once the weather gets colder, and pumpkin season comes to an end, your only option might be canned pumpkin. As more organic and freshly processed options are now available, don’t be afraid to use try these products as they can produce equally delicious results.

For those of you who like to bake, and would like to make something special for Thanksgiving dinner, Pumpkin Bread is a great choice. It is easy to make, and can be prepared in advance. It can be also be gently warmed before serving. I love to eat mine while it’s still warm after baking with pumpkin butter or cream cheese. Sometimes I also add raspberry jam to it. In my opinion, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without this delicious treat accompanying  your meal.

My best to you and your families for a warm and comforting Happy Thanksgiving!

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Pumpkin Bread

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 18 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable or corn oil
• 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 Tsp vanila extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1 Tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 Tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour a 8.5" by 4.5" loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the pumpkin puree. Whisk in oil, yogurt, and the vanilla extract until smooth.
• In another bowl combine the dry ingredients, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and combine them together.
• Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Mine took 63 minutes, but oven varies, so keep an eye on it.
• Remove from oven and cool in the baking pan for about 20 minutes.
• Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you like what you see, please leave a comment below. Thank you!

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For those of you who are not familiar with its roots, frittata is a dish of Italian origin. Like an omelet, in can be enriched with a variety of ingredients. It’s the perfect dish to serve for breakfast because is very nourishing, and you can keep it really simple, or for those special occasions, make it a bit more decadent. For those of you on a low-carb regimen, it is a perfect dish to start off the day since it is high in protein, and very low in simple carbohydrates. This Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata recipe is easy to prepare and will provide you with a healthy and nourishing meal. The eggs contain omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins K, B1, B2, C and E are found in Asparagus.

Begin by slicing finely the leaks, and the remaining ingredients. To clean the mushrooms, just wipe them off with a wet paper towel. Do not wash them as they will absolve water this way becoming soggy during cooking. Chop up the herbs very finely.

Beat the eggs with a fork and then add the milk, salt, herbs and half of the cheese. Mix well.

Cook the vegetables and add the egg mixture and the remaining cheese to the pan and your frittata is ready to go in the oven.

Frittata is the perfect to serve for breakfast or brunch to your family, house guests,  or on a holiday morning. It is healthy, colorful, and festive. Find some fresh local ingredients, and create your own masterpiece. Enjoy!

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Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp of butter
• 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped leeks cleaned - white and pale greens parts
• 1.5 cups asparagus cleaned and sliced into two inch pieces
• 1.5 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms cleaned by using a wet paper towel
• 12 eggs
• 4 Tbsp of whole milk
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 Tsp salt for the egg mixture plus 1/8 tsp for the vegetables
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
• 1 campari tomato thinly sliced - optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Chop up all the vegetables and herbs.
• In a large bowl, with a fork beat together the eggs for about a minute, add the milk, 1/2 tsp of salt, the fresh herbs and sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper. Add half the cheese and mix it together. Reserve the remaining half for later. Set aside.
• On a 9X13 inch cast iron or oven-safe skillet heat the butter and olive oil together over a medium high heat. Add the leeks. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and mushrooms. Sprinkle them with a 1/4 Tsp of salt. Cook stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.
• Arrange the mixture in an even layer across the skillet.
• Whisk eggs one more time just for a few seconds and add the egg mixture to the skillet. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese all over it, and arrange the tomato slices around it.
• Transfer the pan to the bottom of the oven and bake until you can see the middle just barely set for about 12 to 14 minutes. For a browned crisp top, set frittata under the broiler 12 minutes after baking and broil until frittata is puffed and begins to turn golden in color for about one minute. Watch this really close as the frittata can turn dark brown in a matter of seconds. Do not walk away from it!
• Once the frittata is done, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. Serve immediately.
• Leftover frittata will keep well stored in a glass covered container, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Enjoy!

Your comments means a lot to me. If you like what you see please leave a comment below. Thank you!

The post Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

With ingredients including farm fresh eggs, herbs and cheese this French Herbed Omelette is packed with protein and is a great way to start the day. I searched online for a recipe but I did not find one with these exact ingredients. I did find this definition on dictionary.com:

omelette

Now, I just had to perfect my omelette technique which took me a few attempts but I finally got it down. There are a couple of secrets to making a great omelette. First, ensure your pan is properly greased. I use a touch of olive oil along with the butter. Adding a touch of olive oil raises the burning temperature of the butter and helps to keep your omelette from browning. Heat the pan over a medium low fire. Then add the proper amount of eggs for the size pan and to move the pan in a circular motion to distributing the egg mixture evenly.

While your eggs are still a little wet in the middle to add the cheese to the center of the omelette and continue to move the pan a little more and then fold the omelette in half or fold in from both sides.

Keep your fire on medium to low while you do this, as you don’t want to over cook your omelette. The technique is not difficult to master, but it requires a little patience until you get the hang of it.

I perfected it  after the third time, and now I can proudly say that I make a killer French Herbed Omelette just as good as the one I ate at Balthazar’s. Now if I could just figure out how to make their Almond Croissants….

Enjoy!

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French Herbed Omelette

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 serving

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 2 large fresh eggs
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chervil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
• 1 oz of Gruyere or cheddar cheese sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon european style butter
• Sea Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• In a medium bowl briskly beat the eggs with a fork until frothy with no strands of egg whites remaining. Add the fresh herbs to the eggs, along with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. In an 8" inch nonstick skillet over a medium-low fire add 1 tsp of olive oil and the butter. Coat the pan well with the oil and butter. Heat the oil and butter until the mixture starts to gently bubble and add the eggs.
• Start to swirl the eggs as soon as you add them to the pan by moving the pan around in a circular motion and continue until the egg mixture starts to firm up and the omelette loosens from the bottom of the pan.
• This should require no more than a couple of minutes. Once the eggs are almost cooked but still slightly wet, add the cheese to the center of the omelette, and lower the fire to a simmer until the cheese starts to melt. Once the cheese starts to melt it's time to fold the omelette. In order to do that you will need to use a heatproof rubber or wooden omelette spatula.
• Fold the omelette by holding the skillet handle with one hand tilting the pan away from you while flipping half of the omelet to one side. You may also fold the two ends inward. Turn off the fire and let the omelet sit in the pan for a few seconds before serving.

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I am not a health food blogger, but I thought since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, at least according to the experts, that it would be worthwhile doing a post about this delicious Brazilian Power Smoothie and talk about it health benefits.

For starters, yogurt. Yogurt eaters will get a dose of animal protein (about 9 grams per 6-ounce serving), plus several other nutrients found in dairy foods, like calcium, vitamin B-2, vitamin 12, potassium and magnesium. The Strawberries are packed with antioxidants also contain many other numerous nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that contribute to overall health including folate, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, and magnesium. They are also extremely high in Vitamin C.

Kiwi contains antioxidants and is a great post-workout snack as it contains more potassium than a banana and more vitamin C than an orange. It is a good source of fiber and studies have shown that eating two kiwis one hour before bedtime can help you fall sleep more quickly. Bananas contain several essential nutrients, and have benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss. They contain potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Manganese and fiber. Honey contains flavonoids and antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. It also helps to reduce cough and throat irritation.

Last but not least, Oats. Oats are an excellent source of Manganese and Molybdenum. They are also a very good source of phosphorus,  copper, biotin, Vitamin B1, magnesium, dietary fiber, chromium, zinc and protein. This delicious Brazilian Power Smoothie is packed with all of these ingredients which makes this smoothie a super food, and I couldn’t think of a better way to start the day. Enjoy!

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Power Smoothie

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Brazilian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 -2 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 5 ripe strawberries
• 1 ripe kiwi peeled
• 1 ripe banana peeled
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon of oats optional
• 1 cup of ice

Instructions

• In a blender, combine the yogurt, strawberries, kiwi, banana, orange juice, honey, oats, and ice.
• Blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey or ice, if necessary.
• Enjoy!

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I first tried this banana bread at a school meeting. My daughter had just started first grade, and one of the class parents decided to organize a get together. I absolutely loved it, and from that point I was on a mission to make the best one possible to serve to my family.

The parent who brought the banana bread over to the coffee meeting kindly agreed to share her recipe with me, and ever since then I have been making this wonderful banana bread. It’s really easy to prepare and it only requires a feel ingredients, most of them already staples in your food pantry.

My children love banana bread. They can’t get enough of it. It’s usually gone within two days in my household. It’s also a great desert to bring over to a family gathering, coffee hour at the church, or any other social event. Some food historians believe banana bread was a byproduct of the Great Depression as resourceful housewives did not wish to throw away overripe bananas (as they were still a costly item to purchase). I hope you enjoy making this banana bread as much as I do. It’s a keeper that will always be a part of my recipe book.

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Banana Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 23 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3 overripe bananas peeled
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 TSP of vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or for a *gluten-free* bread 1 3/4 cups rice flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp of cinammon
• 1 pinch of salt

Instructions

• - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour a 4x8-inch loaf pan.
• - In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth.
• - Stir in the eggs and mix. Stir in the oil, the yogurt, and the vanilla extract and mix.
• - In another bowl add all the dry ingredients and stir them together.
• - Mix the dry and the wet ingredients together.
• - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the bread comes out clean. Mine took 63 minutes, but oven varies, so keep an eye on it.
• - Remove from the oven and cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes.
• - Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes.
• - This banana bread keeps well at the kitchen counter for up to two days, or longer refrigerated.
• - Enjoy!

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