German Pancakes

My family has eaten this for breakfast every Sunday morning since I can remember. It's now mine & KJ's tradition to eat it on conference Sunday.

6 tbsp. butter
1 c. flour
1 c. milk
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
a tiny bit of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. While oven is preheating, melt butter in a 9 x 13 pan (try not to let it burn, it's ok if it gets a little browned). Mix other ingredients together in blender until smooth. Pour over butter and bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are browned. Top with powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

This is so pretty and so festive. And really really good if you're a cranberry orange addict like me.

(From Sara's Secrets, Food Network.com)

3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick)

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup

1 pound cranberries, rinsed, picked over, and patted dry

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon minced orange rind

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup red currant jelly

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with 3 tablespoons butter, sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar evenly over the bottom, and arrange the cranberries in the pan. (I use a springform pan. Much easier!)

In a bowl with the mixer cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange rind and beat the mixture until well combined. Into another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, alternately with the milk until it is combined. Pour the batter over the cranberries and smooth the top.

Bake the cake on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the inside of the pan and invert the cake stand.

In a small saucepan melt the currant jelly over low heat, stirring, and brush it over the cake. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Seeds

I confess, I love fall. I love the change in the air. The trees, the smells ... but most of all, the food. For me, roasted pumpkin seeds are at the top of my "favorite fall foods" list. Because I love them so much, I bought two pumpkins today just for the seeds and they are in my oven right now, toasting to perfection. This is how I made them ...

Cut the pumpkin up, getting the seeds out however you can. Separate them from the yucky innards and put them in a collander. Rinse them off then put them on a cookie sheet to dry. This could take hours or even overnight. It's worth the wait though. Then, coat them in olive oil and add the seasoning of choice. I did half salt and half seasoning salt. Really, the world is your oyster on this one. You could use garlic powder, salt and sugar, sugar and cinnamon, butter, brown sugar .... the sky's the limit!

Anyway, after you've coated them in your desired seasoning, place them in the oven at 250 degrees for about an hour. Then, enjoy!

Tortellini, Bean and Pesto Soup

With shorter nights and colder days, it's becoming abundantly clear that fall is in full swing. One glance at the mountains ablaze with color makes me appreciate my living in Utah where I can enjoy all four seasons. My favorite thing about fall is definitely soup. Soup just seems to be such a fall food, don't you agree? At the first sign of fall, I made my all-time favorite soup and thought it would be very kind of me to share it with you.

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 medium stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)

6 cups water

2 teaspoons vegetable or chicken bouillon granules

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 package (10 ounces) dried cheese filled tortellini

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pesto

Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in soup pot over medium-low heat. Cook garlic, carrot, onion and celery in butter 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in watter and bouillon granules. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Stir in beans and tortellini. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until tortellini are tender. Stir in parsley and pepper. Top each serving with pesto and cheese.

Craisin Oatmeal

(Most of you are probably thinking "duh" but I've never made oatmeal without those little Quaker packets before)

1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Craisins (chopped apples are yummy too)

Mix it all in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Yum!