12 days of Pumpkin!

So today is October 12...not really...but pretend ok!!

Today's recipe is...Crock pot pumpkin soup!!

1 small pumpkin; seeds removed and flesh diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
olive oil
fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
sour cream
chopped fresh chives

Place the pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in crockpot with 1/4 cup water. Cover; cook on high for 3-4 hours or until soft.

Place vegetables and oil in food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Return to crockpot with parsley, salt & pepper, cream, butter, and soy sauce.

Cover; cook on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives.

Day 2!

And now I'm pretending it's Sunday, Oct. 2nd!!! And the recipe of the day is....

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!!

Now, this is the recipe I used...I think the rolls came out a little doughy so I will be modifying the recipe once I get a chance. I will update this then.


For the dough:
* 1/4 cup warm water
* 1 package active dry yeast
* 1/3 cup warm milk
* 1 egg beaten
* 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
* 1 Tablespoon melted butter
* 2 cups flour
* 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

For the filling:
* 1 stick softened butter
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon cloves
* 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped (I left these out)

For the frosting:
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, stir the water(warm) and yeast together. Let it stand for about 5 minutes or until it is foamy. Add the milk, egg, butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, whole pastry wheat flour, salt, and spices. Mix well for 2 minutes. Add the flour (a little at a time, about 1 1/2 cups to start) until the dough comes together.
Knead until the dough pulls away from the side. The dough will become smooth and elastic.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place. Let the dough double, about an hour.

In the meantime you can make the filling. Mix together the sugars and spices.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out on a flour surface. Cut the dough in half.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 12×16 inches. Spread the butter all over.


Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and hazelnuts. Roll into a 20 inch log. Slice the roll into 15 slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13 pan or two 9 inch cake pans. Repeat with the other half of dough.
Cover the pans with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.


Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes.


Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Frost the rolls with the frosting and serve immediately. Alternatively, you can put the rolls in the fridge after you place them in the pan. You can take them out of the fridge and let rise and bake.

Day 11 of Pumpkin Madness!

Yes, I know I've missed a few days on here...I made the pumpkin things but haven't posted the recipes or pictures :(


But anyways!! This is Tuesday, Oct. 11 on this blog. And the recipe is....


Pumpkin Scones!!


Ingredients for the scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg


Plain glaze:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk


Spiced glaze:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (freshly ground)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground if you please)
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silimat; set aside.


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with fit the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients,

and form the dough into a ball. (I had to turn the mixer back on for this, it just didn't come together with the folding)

Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches.

Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions.

Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown.

Place on wire rack to cool.

While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a pastry brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone. Allow to firm.

While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (I did this with a fork, it was quite fun...and messy :)

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A Pumpkin A Day Keeps The...

Wow, it's been nearly a year since I last posted!! I've been busy to say the least.

Anyways, I've decided October is going to be the beginning of a pumpkin recipe a day challenge. It's a challenge between me and my kitchen, but if you want to join feel free! I have added some fun to my challenge though...I will not be using canned pumpkin, I will only be using fresh pumpkin that I make into a puree myself.


So to catch you up I'll pretend it's Oct. 1st and go from there!

Day 1 of 31 days of Pumpkin!!
The Recipe is...

Pumpkin Muffins!!!

Makes 30 muffins
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin(or homemade puree)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill muffin cups with liners or spray with a cooking spray (I did both).

Mix sugar and oil using an electric mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and add slowly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. (If you want to add chocolate chips, add them now).



Fill muffin cups equally and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of muffins comes out clean. (I just press the middle to see if it springs back instead of the toothpick test)

Catch up day! 3rd Day of Cookies

So, I've been making the cookies but have been failing to write about them! Oh no!! It's ok though because today is the last day of classes, after 5:10 today I will have nothing to do but study, bake, and write! Oh Joy!! So just to catch up: The 3rd Day of Cookies was Brown Sugar Shortbread! They were very tasty and super easy to make!


Brown Sugar Shortbread:
1 c butter, softened
1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 1/4 c ap flour
(yes, that is the whole ingredient list)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour and mix well. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead 'til smooth (about 3 minutes) Pat into a rectangle(ish) 1/3 in thick, 11in x 8 in.

Cut into 2 in x 1 in strips. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Prick with fork.

Bake at 300F for 25 minutes (mine took 18) or until lightly browned. Cool!

2nd Day of 25 Days of Cookies!!

Thursday was my second day of cookies, I had no inspiration for what cookie to pick so my roommate chose for me. She picked a white chocolate peppermint drop. They turned out quite tasty I must say even if I did mess up the recipe (shhh!)

Here's the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens:

8 oz white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, chopped
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c ap flour
2/3 c crushed candy canes

Preheat oven to 375F, in a small saucepan melt 4 oz of the white chocolate over low heat, cool slightly.
In a large bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in melted white chocolate. Gradually beat in flour. Using a wooden spoon stir in remaining white choclate and crushed candy canes.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or lightly browned edges. Transfer cookies to cooling rack.

25 DAYS OF COOKIES!!!!

Since today is the first day of December I decided it should also be the first day of 25 of cookies! The general idea being that I am going to make one type of cookie a day until December 25th. On December 25th I will either make a 25th type or make the favorite of the previous 24, haven't decided on that part yet.

Anyways my first cookie is a gingerbread "snowflakes". I didn't have a snowflake cookie cutter so mine are gingerbread snowmen, angels and christmas trees.

Here's the recipe!
1 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 c molasses
1/4 c water
5 c ap flour
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and water. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt; gradually add to butter, mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hr or until easy to handle.
On lightly floured surface roll out to 1/4in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm. Let cool on racks.

Frosting:
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c water
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In small bowl combine frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth. Transfer to plastic bag, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag, pipe onto cookies.