Roasted Pumpkin And Potato

 

I have been loving cubed, roasted pumpkin this fall. It is delicious, with a smooth on the inside, texturally pleasing creaminess. The way I prepare it is so easy. I don't even bother to peel the pumpkin. 

Easy Roasted Pumpkin and Potatoes

3-4 cups cubed pumpkin

2 medium potatoes, washed and cubed

1 onion sliced from pole to pole

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3-4 TBS. butter or other suitable oil or animal fat

Melt butter. 

Toss the vegetables and seasoning together with the butter until evenly coated. 

Spread in a layer on a baking tray.

Roast in a 375°F oven for 1 hour and 20 to 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

Moambe Chicken | International Dinner

I made Moambe Chicken for our Church Missions Conference International Dinner.

Moambe Chicken is the national dish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The special ingredients were red palm oil and palm nut cream. I found several recipes that substituted peanut butter for the palm nut cream, but a commenter explained that moambe means palm nut cream. In that case, Moambe Chicken can't be Moambe Chicken without the Moambe! 

(I will leave links at the end for the blog and video that I used as my primary sources for this recipe.)

I found a store in Chicago, Yado Market, that carries and ships palm nut cream. The shipping was very fast and the price for palm nut cream was the lowest that I could find on the internet. I also had some correspondence with their customer service and they were quick to reply and very courteous. I recommend their business. Here is a link: Yado Market.

The palm nut cream had a mild nutty, toasted flavor. It was stiff in the can but turned liquid-y once it was heated thoroughly. It must have a lot of fat that is hard at room temperature and liquid when warm.

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds of Skinless, Bone In, Chicken (legs or thighs are good)

3-4 TBS. Red Palm Oil

1 Onion, Chopped

4-5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 ½ Inches of Ginger, Minced 

1 ½ Bay Leaves

1 TBS. Paprika 

2 tsp. Cumin

¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes 

4-6 TBS. Tomato Paste 

1 cup Crushed Tomato 

1 800g. Can Palm Nut Cream 

1 quart Chicken Broth 

Salt to taste 

Salt the chicken pieces.

Heat palm oil in a dutch oven.

Brown the chicken piece on all sides.

Remove chicken.

Saute the onion in the dutch oven in the remaining oil.

Once the onions are soft add the spices and the ginger and garlic. Cook while stirring for a minute, until fragrant. 

Add the tomato paste and let it toast and brown a little the bottom of the pan. 

Add the crushed tomato, palm nut cream, and the chicken broth. 

Scrape the bottom of the pan while stirring to deglaze and get all that browning dissolved in the base.

Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 35to 40 minutes with lid slightly cocked, until chicken is done.

Serve over hot rice. In the Congo they also serve Chicken Moambe with a starchy food called Fufu.

For the International Dinner I deboned the chicken and served little portions in these decorative cups.

I liked this meal as did my family. If I didn't have to mail order Palm Nut Cream, I would be making Chicken Moambe regularly.

Source material:

Explorer's Kitchen (with additional information in the comments.)

Video recipe by Rivet Gardener:

Nature | October 2026

 I have a small selection this month. Just one Morning Glory and two pictures of orange maple leaves. Our weather has been unseasonably warm this year. We haven't had temperatures dip below freezing yet and we are at the end of October. It's hard to believe!

I enjoyed seeing this Morning Glory one morning, even though I tend to think of Morning Glories as invasive weeds. The blossom looked up from under the overgrowth, very timid and unassuming, and I was grateful to see it's cheering color. It's delicate petals seemed to say, "I am no threat to you. Please like me."

Our neighbors have a brilliant Sugar Maple tree. It puts on a spectacular display of color every year. I can never get a good picture. I try and try, on different days with different lighting, but it never comes out quite right. These two pictures are the best representation that I could capture.

I hope you are having a good fall! 30 days until Thanksgiving. We can't wait!

Stitches | October 2026

 My Grandma bought this cute little doll for my baby girl. She loves it!

I quickly whipped up a skirt.

I hand stitched the entire thing. 

There is one seam in the back.

I folded the raw edge over twice to make a hem at the bottom edge.

I folded the top edge down once and stitched it in place with a running stitch.

I pulled the thread when I finished the running stitches in order to gather the top edge of the skirt a little bit.

Then I whip stitched the skirt onto the doll body at the waistline. 

Tada! Isn't she cute?

Fun Owl Snack

 

I made these owl snacks for recess on Friday last week.

Ingredients:

Sliced Banana 

Sliced Apple

Frozen Blueberries 

Slivered Carrot

Peanut Butter 

Bread

Spread peanut butter on the bread to make the owl body.

Use peanut butter to glue the apple wings, banana with blueberry eyes, and the carrot beak onto the bread.

Serve to children and enjoy the smiles!

You could also toast the bread or use Nutella as variations on this basic idea.

My Mother's Chocolate Cake | Recipe

 This is a moist, fudge-y, chocolate cake made with plenty of butter!

My Mother's Chocolate Cake Recipe 

4oz. Baking Chocolate, Chopped (I used 3/4c. of cocoa powder instead without adding any extra shortening or oil)

1 1/2c. Unsalted Butter (3 sticks) (I used salted butter)

1c. Boiling Water

2 Eggs

1 3/4c. Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

2 1/2c. Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1c. Hot Coffee

Melt butter and chocolate over medium heat with water. Remove from heat.

Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until creamy.

Add chocolate mixture to the egg mixture.

Sift together dry ingredients and stir them into the batter.

Add coffee. Mix to combine.

Pour batter into two 8" greased and floured cake pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on wrack 10 minutes before turning out of cake pans.

These cake layers were so fragile. I wrapped them in plastic and foil and froze them. Before they had a chance to thaw I assembled the layers. I made a 2 ingredient dark chocolate mousse to go between the layers. I followed Ann Reardon's video instructions.

The original frosting recipe that came with the recipe is as follows:

Frosting:

1 1/2c. Softened Unsalted Butter

2 TBS. Milk

1 1/3 lbs. Powdered Sugar

2 oz. Baking Chocolate, Melted

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

Whip together with an electric mixer.

Now for the funny story that goes with this cake recipe:

My grandma found this recipe in a newspaper. The title of the recipe read "My Mother's Chocolate Cake." My grandma clipped it out and mailed it to my mom. She said, "With a title like 'My Mother's Chocolate Cake' my daughter better have a copy." even though my grandma had never made the recipe. That's her sense of humor. It is a very tasty chocolate cake. My mom made it once when my grandma was visiting so that at least she would know what a good recipe she had passed on. 

My Mother's Chocolate Cake with
dark chocolate mousse and butter cream frosting
dyed with reduce beet juice.

Nature | September 2026

 There are several sunrises coming up in this month's collection. I cannot get over how beautiful sunrise is! It is so frustrating to look at my screen after taking a picture and see only a fraction of the details showing up in the picture compared to what I can see with my naked eye. You are just going to have to get outside and see some sunrises to understand what I feel.

Our last monarch emerged. I was able to catch it on video.

It was so gorgeous!

"I've got to go! I've got to go to Mexico!"

My neighbor sent me this picture and asked if I wanted it. She knows me. I said, "Yes!"

We look forward to seeing what type of moth it turns into. We used Google lens to identify it as a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar. They are huge!

QuietStandards Rag Doll Pattern Instructions

This post is the instructions for my Doll Pattern. I use to try to sell this pattern on Etsy, but I have now decided to release it here for free. 

This link will give you access to the pdf with the pattern pieces. You should be able to print them from there.

This link will give you access to the document with the instructions. You should be able to print them from there.

QuietStandards Rag Doll Pattern

Supplies:

- ¼ yard cotton muslin in color of your choice

- Embroidery floss for the face in colors of your choice

- Thread

- 4 oz. Polyester filling 

- 25 yds. of Yarn for hair in color of your choice

- Thread in the same color as the hair

Step 1. Cutting Out Fabric

Lay the pattern pieces on double layer thickness of fabric. Pin in place and cut out pieces. Trace markings for face onto the right side of the fabric. Trace the  seam allowance markings and arm and leg placements onto wrong side of the doll pieces.

Step 2. Embroidering The Face

Make the eyes with full 6 strands of floss. For the eyes make French knots.

For the eyebrows, nose, and mouth use 1 strand of embroidery floss. Stitch the eyebrows, nose, and mouth using a Stem Stitch. 

Tip: Tie your embroidery off very firmly on the backside. Children will usually be hard on the face and you want your facial features to stay on for a long time.

Step 3. Sewing The Arms And Legs

Sew the arms, right sides together, along the ¼ inch seam allowance. Turn right side out and stuff with polyester filling, a narrow dowl such as a pencil or chopstick is helpful with task. Fill with stuffing until you are satisfied with the fullness of the arms. 

Sew legs, right sides together, along the ¼ seam allowance.Turn right side out and stuff with polyester filling. Fill with stuffing until you are satisfied with the fullness of the legs. 

Tip: Basting the open ends of the arms and legs once they are stuffed makes the pieces easier to work with later.

Step 4. Sewing Body And Attaching Arms

(Warning: This is the most difficult step. Getting the arms to fit inside the doll's body while you stitch the seam is difficult, but it is worth the effort. Take your time, you will persevere.)

Pin the arms inside the doll body at the arm placement markings, matching raw edges: baste in place.

Sew the doll body, right sides together, along ¼ inch seam allowance, leaving open the leg placement and the area between the legs.

Tip: Sew an extra row of stitching where the arms are attached. Doll arms have a lot of strain put on them and the reinforcement stitching can help them hold up to use.

Turn right side out. Stuff with polyester filling until desired fluffiness is achieved.

Step 5. Attaching Legs And Sewing Up The Opening

Fold under the ¼ inch  seam allowance at the base of the doll. Position the legs at the leg placement markings: Pin, and Baste.

Stitch the whole opening closed. Stitching through all thicknesses close to the edge of the fold.

Tip: This seam can be stitched twice to add reenforcement for the legs.

Step 6. Making The Hair

Pick out a thin book, 8 inches tall. Wrap the yarn around the book 56-66 times or, until the wrapped area is about 4 inches long. At the open end of the book snip through all the yarn with scissors, resulting in strands of yarn 16 inches long. 

Draw a line with a pencil down the center of the back of the doll's head. Continue the line down the center of the forehead for ⅜ of an inch.

Double thread a needle with thread the same color as the hair yarn, knot it securely.  Make a small stitch along the pencil line at the base of the doll's neck. 

Loop the thread back around a strand of yarn at the center of the piece of yarn.

 Stitch the yarn into place. Make the needle come up along the center pencil line a very short distance ahead of the secured strand of yarn. With the needle and thread loop back around a second piece of yarn. Stitch the second strand of yarn into place. Make the needle come up along the center pencil line a very short distance ahead of the second piece of yarn. Continue like this until all the hair is stitched on the doll.

Gently comb the hair into pigtails. Tie the pigtails tightly with yarn. Stitch the pigtails to the side of the doll's head.

Braid the pigtails and secure by tying yarn around the ends. Trim the ends of yarn to make them even.

Congratulations, your Rag Doll is finished!