JV Photography: Elliott Family

This past Monday, I had the joyful opportunity to photograph a family I've watched grow from the beginning.  It's been such a blessing to be a small part of this family's life.  I got to photograph Naomi's first pregnancy and then her adorable baby boy's newborn photos.  And this session was no different!  The Elliott family just welcomed baby girl Maerah into their lives and it is SO beautiful to watch them all interact.  Sammy was such a ham the whole time and made our session so exciting.  I feel blessed to be able to share these photos with you, I'm sure you'll see the love that emanates between all of them!

Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Let me start by saying that this is even better than those pumpkin scones.  Not even kidding.  This pumpkin bread is so moist and fluffy.  My mother-in-law brought me and the hubs a loaf of this a few weeks ago and WOW...  I ate it in 3 days..  A whole loaf.  So making this may be a bad idea...  But I mean, who can say?

I may slow down a bit on recipes the next few days (or at least I hope).  My goal is to start posting about some cloth diapering, but that all depends on the LO being compliant!

Seriously, whip up some of this pumpkin bread.  You won't regret it!

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 1 can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 cups white sugar (original recipe calls for 3 but I think 1 or 1 1/2 would be fine too)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Mix the wet ingredients together and the dry ingredients together! Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then mix them all together!

Pour them into 2 loaf pans (or 3 loaf pans if you have small ones)

And stick them into a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.

You'll know they're done when a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean! 

Cut that baby into slices and enjoy!

Fluffy Pumpkin Pie Pancakes Recipe

All things pumpkin!  I'll probably post 4 or 5 more pumpkiny recipes in the next couple weeks.  And I am NOT SORRY.  

These pancakes are a deliciously dense cakey pancake that tastes like Autumn exploding in your mouth.  No joke.  They are nto your typical pancake, and I like that.  In Fall, I want everything to be warm and filling.  These pancakes are just that.  They are not just pumpkin pancakes either, the pumpkin pie spices set them apart from regular old pumpkin pancakes.  (Those can be eaten any time of the year..  THESE are exclusively for Fall).

Here you go, throw these together tomorrow morning for Sunday breakfast, you won't regret it!

Fluffy Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine (or 2 TB oil)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2-1 3/4 cups of vanilla almond milk (or regular dairy)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Mix your dry ingredients together.

Now mix the wet ingredients.

Add them all together.

Your batter will be pretty thick, thats OK! They're gonna be filling!

Pour 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake on a 300 degree skillet.

When they start to bubble, flip 'em.  They will take a few minutes since they're so dense.

When they're all done, stack them up and post an instagram!  (Because why not?)

I think they're best with real maple syrup...  But the fake stuff works too!  Sooooooo good!

Sweet Potato Wedges with Spicy Ketchup

I don't know about you but I've not come across many sweet potato fries that I don't like.  But here at the Hughes' house I am constantly trying to find the easiest and best tasting way to make them... And if they're somewhat healthy, that's a plus too!

I experimented a few weeks ago and through the influence of the food channel and random other recipes, I came up with this.  And they are AMAZING.  And so easy.  The hardest part is cutting the sweet potatoes!

So, here is an amazing fall recipe you can throw together as a delicious side.  Be careful though, they are addicting.

Sweet Potato Wedges with Spicy Ketchup

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Wedges

• Sweet potatoes (however many ya want, I use 1 per person)
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder

That's it!

First things first, cut up those sweet potato fries into wedges...  If you're challenged like me, cutting wedges can be confusing.  Here is a helpful image of how that is done.  (Don't worry, it took me a few times to get it right.  ;)  OH!  And preheat that oven to 400 degrees.

Next, arrange them on a baking sheet.  I use foil because oil keeps rolling off into the bottom of my oven.  I tried to make "walls".. but alas, I failed again and smoke filled my house.  Make sure your wedges are not touching!  They'll be mushy if they're touching.  Yuck!

Now, you are going to VERY LIBERALLY drizzle (understatement) olive oil over them... I probably used 1/4 cup.  Don't judge.

I said liberally, yeah?  Wasn't joking.  Olive oil is healthy right?  So the more the better?  I think that's how that works.  Now, sprinkle some paprika, garlic powder and coarse salt over those babies.

Beautiful.  Now stick 'em into a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes.  Longer for crispier, shorter for mushier (ew).

Now while those are in the oven, you should mix up some of this super simple spicy ketchup.  :)

Ingredients for Spicy Ketchup

• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Mix it all up!

That's all folks!  Delicious!