PUMPKIN SOUP

~ Minimalist Baker

SOUP
1 T. olive oil
2 shallots (about 1/4 c.), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. coconut milk
2 T. maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 t. sea salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

OPTIONAL TOPPING
2 T. raw sesame seeds
1 T. olive oil
1 c. roughly chopped kale
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch salt

SOUP
In a large pan, heat oil, shallot, and garlic over medium heat. Cook 2-3 minutes or until slightly browned and translucent. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree soup; return to pot if using a blender. Cook another 5-10 minutes and adjust seasonings as desired. Top individual servings with kale sesame topping, if desired.

TOPPING
In a small skillet, toast sesame seeds over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently until just turning golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

While skillet is still hot, add oil and garlic. Saute two minutes or until lightly browned. Add kale and salt, toss until mixed, then cover to steam. Cook a few minutes until kale has wilted, then mix sesame seeds in and set aside to be used as topping.

Makes about four cups of soup without the optional topping.

Notes: I really like the kale sesame topping in the soup! Click the Minimalist Baker link above for instructions on how to roast two sugar pumpkins for the puree needed in this recipe. Otherwise, just use canned puree. 

PUMPKIN QUINOA BOWL

~ Frugal Living NW

3 c. cooked quinoa
1 c. milk (unsweetened if using a non-dairy milk)
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. maple syrup
cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, to taste
Optional toppings: milk, whipped cream, sliced bananas, nuts, cinnamon

Mix quinoa, milk, pumpkin, syrup, and seasonings in saucepan or microwave-safe dish. Heat on stove or in microwave until warmed through. Stir, then add desired toppings before serving.

Makes approximately four cups.

Notes: This is a nice breakfast in the fall.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

~ Against All Grain

1 c. pumpkin puree
1 very ripe banana, peel removed
1/2 c. coconut milk
2 t. maple syrup or honey
1 t. pumpkin pie spice

Fill an ice cube tray with the pumpkin puree, making 7-8 cubes, and cover with plastic wrap. Place the banana in a ziploc bag and place in the freezer overnight along with the pumpkin.

Remove the pumpkin cubes from tray and let sit on the counter in a bowl for 10 minutes. Remove banana from the bag and place in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until the consistency of a soft-serve ice cream.

Makes two servings.

Notes: We've made this with maple syrup and with honey, and everyone likes the honey version better. We eat our ice cream in the evening, so I just pop the pumpkin and banana in the freezer in the morning, then make the ice cream in the evening.

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH LENTILS

~ Better Homes and Gardens magazine - October 2013

1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. lentils, rinsed and well drained
1 T. olive oil
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. curry powder
1 t. cumin
26 oz. chicken broth
15 oz. pumpkin puree
salt and pepper, to taste

In a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven cook onion, pepper, and lentils in hot oil over medium-high heat for two minutes. Whisk in ginger, curry powder, cumin, broth, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: I skip the curry, use a little extra ginger, and whip the immersion blender through the pot before serving the soup.

PUMPKIN GINGER SCONES

~ Taste of Home

2 c. flour
7 T + 1 t. sugar, divided
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. baking soda
5 T. cold butter, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, 7 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and baking soda. Cut int 4 tablespoons of butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  In a separate bowl, mix egg, pumpkin, and sour cream. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture until just moistened.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead ten times. Pat into an 8-inch circle and cut into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place on greased baking sheet. Melt the remaining butter and brush on wedges, then sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Notes: These are wonderful as is, but we like to add an extra 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of ginger. As for the sprinkled sugar, we've skipped it entirely, sprinkled as directed, and used cinnamon sugar instead. 

PERFECT PUMPKIN MUFFINS

~ Laura Bodine/Laura's Kitchen

2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or line muffin tin. Beat eggs. Add oil, water and pumpkin. Add four, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix well. Pour into muffin liners or greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Makes 18 muffins.

Notes: I've subbed homemade applesauce for the oil and they turned out great. Feels a little more fall-ish that way, too.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

~ allrecipes
.
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. milk
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to flour mixture. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. 

Makes 3 1/2 - 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: I never add walnuts. Don't panic if you forget to dissolve the baking soda in the milk. The cookies turn out great even if you put those ingredients in the bowl individually or skip the milk entirely.

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES

~ Tannis Johnson / Collector of Recipes 

1 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. pure pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
3 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and pumpkin puree; beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time thoroughly combined. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon in a small bowl. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and roll 1 1/2 tablespoons at a time into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until totally coated, then place two inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of a glass.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about three dozen.

Notes: These have enough pumpkin in them that you can tell they're different than a regular snickerdoodle, but not so much that you can tell the difference is pumpkin.

NO-FUSS PUMPKIN CAKE

~ allrecipes

15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
16 oz. can vanilla frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar and oil; mix well. Add the cake mix and pumpkin pie spice, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 15x10 baking pan. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, combine the frosting and cream cheese. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes: This is a recipe that Silas has made for our family. It's really good and super moist, but doesn't have a strong pumpkin flavor. In fact, it tastes pretty much like spice cake, so you could just buy a boxed spice cake mix if you were short on time. We don't have a 15x10 pan, so Silas uses a roasting pan and it works perfectly.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

~ Chris Rotermund

1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. vinegar
2 c. flour
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. allspice
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. salt

Mix milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar together. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Makes 15-18 pancakes.

Notes: I like to serve these with applesauce, honey, or maple syrup. 

PUMPKIN BREAD

~ Betty Crocker Recipe Card Library

2/3 c. butter
2 2/3 c. sugar
4 eggs
16 oz. can pumpkin
2/3 c. water
3 1/3 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cloves
2/3 c. chopped nuts
2/3 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5x3-in loaf pans. Mix butter and sugar, then stir in eggs, pumpkin and water. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pans. Bake about 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes two loaves.

Notes: I love this fresh out of the oven or cold, plain or toasted, with butter or apple butter. It’s so good! Sometimes I make a double batch and pop some loaves in the freezer. We always skip the nuts and raisins.