Darlene's Pumpkin Bread

 I thought I had a great recipe for pumpkin bread until my neighbor, Darlene, brought us a loaf of hers as a Christmas gift. This bread is moist and soft due to the addition of pudding! It might become my favorite pumpkin bread!

INGREDIENTS

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 (3 ounce cook and serve - Not instant) butterscotch pudding

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat eggs, oil and pumpkin. Add flour and remaining ingredients.

Pour into greased 5x2 1/2 x 2 inch mini loaf pans.

Bake 50 - 55 minutes at 325 degrees.

Makes 5 mini loaves

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Muffins

 You won't feel like you are missing out on anything with this muffin recipe!

This recipe comes from Mama Knows Gluten Free.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour with xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

2 large eggs at room temperature

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking power, baking soda, salt and spices.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, sugar,  oil and vanilla.

Whisk pumpkin into wet ingredients.

Gradually add wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until combined

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each almost full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins with Maple Glaze

It's officially fall when I start making pumpkin desserts, breads, and muffins.  Something about the flavor of pumpkin and fall that are a perfect pair. This recipe for pumpkin streusel muffins from Damn Delicious tastes a lot like pumpkin bread. I added a maple glaze on top for extra goodness.

Ingredients

For the muffins:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Streusel Topping

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

For the Maple Glaze

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon milk
1/4 tsp. maple flavoring

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

To make streusel topping,  combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Add cold butter and toss to coat. Then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Melt one stick of unsalted butter and allow to cool slightly. In another bowl, combine melted butter, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

Fill prepared muffin tins with the batter. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Use your fingers to gently press the topping into the batter.

Bake 16 - 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean.  Repeat with remaining batter.  This recipe made 16 muffins for me. The final quantity depends on how full you fill up each muffin liner.

Remove muffins from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

Prepare glaze by whisking together confectioner's sugar, melted butter, milk and maple flavoring. Add more milk if needed to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over each muffin.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

It's that time of year when everything pumpkin is showing up - so not to be outdone by the number of pumpkins offerings, here is a pumpkin spice cookies that lives up to its name. This recipe comes from "The Golden Lining Girl - But First Dessert".

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

In large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and pumpkin.
In medium bowl, whisk together salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, baking soda and flour.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Form cookie dough into a ball, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight.
In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Scoop out dough by large teaspoon and shape into balls about the size of a small walnut. Thoroughly coat the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Arrange two inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. You want the cookies to be slightly underbaked for the center will remain soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet and dip the warm cookie into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Allow to cool completely on wire rack. Store in air tight container.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies

Soft and chewy, these cookies combine pumpkin and molasses with warm autumn spices.

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Extra 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, pumpkin and molasses until well combined.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed until combined.

Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.  Scoop out dough into 1-inch round balls. Place the balls back into the refrigerator for an additional 1/2 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking oil.
Pour 1/2 cup sugar into bowl. Roll each ball in the sugar and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until edges are set and cookies are starting to brown, but still soft.
Allow cookies to cool for a minute on cookie sheet and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe comes from www.readytoyumble.com

Pumpkin Harvest Chili

What could be more perfect for a fall dinner?  Pumpkin, chili and beer. This recipe from Simply Recipes combines it all in one hearty dish.

Ingredients

1-pound pie pumpkin (It is important to use a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin and not a jack o'lantern pumpkin for this recipe)
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 or more (if you like it spicy) jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed and finely diced
4 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound ground pork
2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) bottle of pumpkin beer.
Your favorite chili toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips.

Instructions

Peel the skin from the pumpkin with a potato peeler. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and interior pumpkin "goo".  Cut away the stem. Cut the prepared pumpkin into small bite size pieces.

Heat oil in large pot. Add pumpkin, onion, garlic, jalapenos, chili power, cumin, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground pork and continue to cook, breaking up the pork as it cooks, until the meat is cooked thoroughly.

Add black beans, diced tomatoes, beer and 1 more teaspoon salt to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Serve with your favorite toppings.
The flavor of this chili improves overnight.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
6 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Combine flour with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Add pumpkin oil and eggs. Beat to combine.
Pour into loaf pans.
Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin Praline Dessert

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 package white cake mix
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
3/4 cup melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Pour into pan.
Sprinkle dry cake mix over top of the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans.
Pour melted butter over top.
Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center of dessert comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Cranberry Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

For the Pudding

2 cups half and half
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 cups 1/2 inch bread cubes (or day old croissants, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
3/4 cup golden raisins

For the Sauce

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 11x7 inch bakiing dish.
In large bowl, whisk together half and half, pumpkin, sugar, spices and vanilla. Fold in bread cubes and raisins. Transfer to baking dish and let stand for 15  minutes. Bake about 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

In food processor, puree cranberries and transfer to a small bowl. Cook sugar in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat until melted. Cook, without stirring, until it turns an amber color.
Remove from heat. Carefully add water and cranberry puree. Caramel will steam and harden. Return pan to heat and simmer sauce, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until caramel is dissolved.
Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the cranberries to extract the juice.
Cool sauce slightly.
Serve scoops of bread pudding with sauce poured over it.

Pumpkin Gingerbread with Caramel Sauce

A new version of gingerbread that adds pumpkin and caramel sauce to make a spectacular dessert!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg

For the Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup whipping cream

Topping

Vanilla ice cream
Additional chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. In large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using pastry blender, cut 2/3 cup butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in pecans. Press 1 1/4 cup of the crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch square pan. To the remaining mixture, add ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, buttermilk, molasses, pumpkin and egg. Mix well. Pour over the base evenly. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
In medium saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil. Cook until sugar dissolves, about one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in whipped cream. Return to boil. Remove from heat.
Serve sauce warm over gingerbread that has been topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with additional chopped pecans.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1  1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup confectioner's sugar
5 teaspoons orange juice concentrate or 3 teaspoons orange juice

Instructions

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and pumpkin. Beat well. Add flour, baking soda and spices. Add dates and nuts. Mix until well blended.
Spread evenly in 10x15 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes.
When cool, frost with orange glaze.

To make orange glaze, blend 1 cup confectioner's sugar with 5 teaspoon orange juice concentrate or 3 teaspoons orange juice.
Cut into bars.

Roasted Halloween Pumpkin Seeds

You've carved the pumpkins. Now, roast the pumpkin seeds!

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon Worchestshire sauce
3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Rinse the pumpkin seeds until the pulp and strings are gone. Boil the seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain seeds and spread on tea towel to dry.

Combine Worchestshire sauce, butter and salt in saucepan. Add pumpkin seeds and stir to coat thoroughly. Spread on a baking dish in a single layer. Bake 1 - 2 hours at 300 degrees F.
Stir occasionally and watch for burning. Seeds should be crisp and golden when done.

Aunt Addie's Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

They say that this year, 2015, we will have a shortage of canned pumpkin on the grocery store shelves. In Illinois, where nearly 90% of  sugar pumpkins are grown, a wet growing season has resulted in a small harvest. So, if you see canned pumpkin in the grocery store, buy it now because they say it will be gone before Thanksgiving this year.
And if you find some, this is the recipe to make. If you knew my Aunt Addie, you would already know that this is good.

Ingredients for Base

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg

Ingredients for Filling

1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Ingredients for Topping

1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Grease bottom only of 9x13 inch pan.
Reserve one cup of cake mix. Combine remaining mix with melted butter and egg. Press into pan.
Combine filling ingredients with mixer until smooth. Pour over crust.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped topping, if desired.

Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies

Another take on adding fall flavors to an old favorite, I made pumpkin spice muddy buddies for my granddaughter's school bake sale.  Muddy buddies, also known as puppy chow for humans, is basically chex cereal coated in chocolate and powdered sugar. I turned it into a fall treat by adding pumpkin pie spice to the melted white chocolate chips. Very yummy!

Ingredients

1 box Chex cereal - your choice of Cinnamon, Vanilla or Chocolate flavor (I used a combination of chocolate and vanilla.
1 package white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Place Chex cereal in large bowl. In double boiler, melt the white chocolate until it is completely smooth. Add pumpkin pie spice and stir in thoroughly.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the chex cereal and stir gently to coat the cereal pieces.
Place 1/3 cup of powdered sugar into each of two plastic freezer bags. Add half of the coated cereal to each (don't allow the chocolate to dry) and shake the bag to coat the pieces with powdered sugar. Kids enjoy doing this part. Add the other half of the coated cereal to the other bag and do the same. When fully coated, pour our the pieces onto a baking sheet and allow to dry. Store in airtight container.

Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix

The Fall Festival at my granddaughter's school includes an annual bake sale.  I always like to contribute something with the flavors of the fall season. This year I made this chex mix. It smelled so good while it was cooking! I packaged one-cup servings in small seasonal bags that I found at the Dollar Store. Now I might made another batch just for me!!

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal
3 1/2 cups Vanilla Chex cereal
1 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups cinnamon Teddy Graham crackers
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

In a 5 - 6 quart slow cooker, stir together the cereals, pecans, Teddy Grahams and cranberries.
Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Stir to thoroughly combine.
Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
Cook, uncovered, on high heat setting for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every `15 - 20 minutes to prevent mixture on the bottom of the crock pot from burning.
Spread cereal mixture on ungreased cookie sheet to cool. Store in airtight containers.

Easy Pumpkin Cake

When the summer season turns to fall, I crave the flavor of pumpkin. So many "pumpkin-spice" offerings on the grocery shelves sound great, but taste like artificial pumpkin flavor.  This is an easy cake to make and tastes like real pumpkin!  All you have to do is buy one can of pumpkin and all the other ingredients will be available in your pantry.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Mix well.

In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil. Beat until light.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin.
Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
Cool completely on wire rack.

Frost, if desired with Cream Cheese Icing (see below) or canned vanilla icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 2.5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add two cups sugar and beat until smooth. Add additional sugar if frosting is too thin. Spread evenly over cooled cake.

Pumpkin, Sausage and Sage Manicotti

When traveling to Australia and New Zealand, I loved the way they used pumpkin in many main dishes. Here, pumpkin is usually associated with dessert, but the rich flavor of pumpkin lends itself well to savory dishes. I am always seeking out main dish recipes that incorporate pumpkin. This recipe comes from bettycrocker.com website.

Ingredients

16 uncooked manicotti pasta shells
1 pound bulk Italian pork sausage
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 egg
1 container (15 ounce) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
3 cups Alfredo pasta sauce
Fresh sage leaves as garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F.
Cook and drain pasta shells as instructed on package.
Cook sausage, garlic and 1 Tablespoon chopped sage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink. Drain.
In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, pumpkin, egg, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and 1 cup of cheese.
Add remaining 1 Tablespoon chopped sage and sausage mixture.
Spread one cup of Alfredo sauce in ungreased 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
Spoon sausage mixture into plastic food storage bag.  Cut off corner of bag to make a one-inch hole. Pipe sausage mixture into cooled manicotti. Arrange stuffed manicotti on top of sauce in dish. Pour remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over shells.
Cover and back 35 minutes. Uncover and top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 - 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with sage leaves

Note: This recipe was originally published by Berry Crocker some years ago. As with many older recipes, I find that the portions now sold in packages no longer match the recipe. For this recipe, the manicotti shells that I purchased came in boxes of 14 (not 16 as the recipes calls for). Manufacturers reduce the portion in the package, but keep the price the same. So, for this recipe, I ended up with extra stuffing for the manicotti. It can baked in a custard dish  if you want to use it all.