Home Made Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups pumpkin purée
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
9-inch pie crust, unbaked

*ingredients can be substituted for 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400°. Use a sharp serrated bread knife to cut the pumpkin in two. You can use a sawing motion, sea-saw motion or both to cut through.

2) Use a strong metal spoon to remove the seeds and strings. (Put the seeds aside if you plan to make roasted pumpkin seeds).

3) Cover both halves with tin foil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Once a fork can penetrate the skin of the pumpkin it's done.

4) Score the pumpkins skin with a sharp knife, peal off the pumpkins skin (Once cooked through, the skin should peel off easily).

5) Blend the pumpkin meat in a blender or food processor, until it is practically liquefied. (If you have extra it will keep in the freezer for about six months).
6) Preheat oven to 425°. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pie pastry, homemade or purchased
7) In mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Add eggs; mix until well blended. Add evaporated milk,and vanilla; mix until smooth and well blended. Pour pumpkin pie mixture into the prepared pastry lined pie plate.
8) Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for about 25-30 minutes longer, until the pumpkin filling is set. By: Josh Martin
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Homemade Candied Yams (Sweet Potatoes)

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato (yam)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1) Dice sweet potato into medium sized chunks

2) Place diced sweet potato into a medium sauce pan. Cover the sweet potato with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.
3) Remove the sweet potato from the water once it is tender, but still mildly crunchy. Combine sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, olive oil and water in a medium sized skillet. Stir and sauté for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

4) Enjoy, once the sugar has caramelized into a thick black sauce and the potato is tender.
By: Josh Martin

Quick and Delicious Bruschetta

Ingredients:
8 roma tomatoes
1/2 a sprig cilantro
1 1/2 medium white onions
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 Baguette

Directions:
1) Diced onions, cilantro, and tomatoes.
2) Combine / mix tomatoes, cilantro, onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, and minced garlic in a medium mixing bowl

3) Sliced baguette into 1 inch slices on a 45° angle.

4) Lightly spread olive oil on the sliced bread. Place the sliced bread on a cookie sheet and toast at 350° for 5 minutes. 5) Enjoy

By: Josh Martin

Grandmothers Homemade Meatloaf

Ingredients: 1 egg
1 bottle of chili sauce
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 lbs ground beef
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon creole seasoning (Optional)
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/2 tablespoon paprika

Directions:
 
1) Preheat oven to 350. Combine egg, breadcrumbs, ground pepper, creole seasoning, parsley, peaprika, and ground beef in a medium mixing bowl. Mix ingredients by hand (Actually use your hands). Mix until you can no longer find pockets of breadcrumbs or spice.


2) Place to meet into a well greased 5 x 9 glass pan. Flatten the beef into the pan then, make a 1 inch deep reservoir in the center of the meatloaf.

3) Pour entire bottle of chili sauce, into the reservoir.
 
4) Cover meatloaf with tinfoil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Typically I serve meatloaf with corn and mashed potatoes.
 
Note: for an old world taste add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce to your meat mixture. By: Josh Martin