Recipes

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins

pumpkin muffins.jpg

Once Upon a Chef:  Jenn Segal:  Love this gal. She is one of my tried and true go to people for recipes. As a professional  foodie  Jenn has done her homework and I find her recipes to be some of the best!  This recipe is on the TOP of my list for best pumpkin muffins ever!

Servings: 18 muffins           Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Topping

  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoons demerara sugar (raw cane sugar, also called turbinado)
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • Heaping 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 (15-ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two standard muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Begin with the topping: Combine the flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. The mixture will be quite wet. Set aside.
  3. Move on to the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary. Turn the speed down to low and mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
  5. Use an ice cream scoop to transfer batter to muffin pans, filling each muffin tin about ¾ full. Using your hands, divide the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely (use a butter knife to lift them out of pan).
  6. Notes: When making muffins, always fill any empty muffin tins halfway with water; this ensures that your muffins will bake evenly. If you want to make these muffins without the nut topping, increase the sugar in the muffins to 1¾ cup. Reheat muffins by giving them a quick blast in the microwave.

Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Sage

foodiecrush-pumpkin-soup

Thick delicious Pumpkin soup recipe for any crisp night with the family.
 Thanks to Foodiecrush.com
Ingredients
  • adapted from Canyons Farm Restaurant
  • 4 sugar pie pumpkins
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ pound butter or 2 cubes, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 bunch sage, reserving a dozen leaves
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
  • salt to taste
  • ¼ cup mascarpone cheese  ( I used cream cheese that I had in the house and it worked, although I think any soft creamy cheese or plain greek yogurt would work too!)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Over medium heat, heat oil in a large stockpot, add onions and bring temperature down to medium-low to sweat onions until translucent. Meanwhile, cut pumpkins in half and remove seeds.
  3. Place sage leaves in each pumpkin half and place on a baking sheet, skin side down. Brush with a 1 tablespoon melted butter and roast for 45 minutes.
  4. When softened and pumpkins can be pierced with a fork, remove from oven and peel skin from pumpkins.
  5. Combine pumpkin with remaining ingredients into stock pot, except butter with onions. Simmer for ½ hour.
  6. Remove from heat and add mixture to blender in batches, incrementally adding butter and onions. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  7. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons reserved butter and add reserved sage leaves. Sauté until lightly browned.
  8. Serve soup with a dollop of mascarpone, fried sage leaves and a whirl of olive oil if desired.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON PANCAKES

pumpkin-cinnamon-streusel-pancakes2

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

SERVES 4        INGREDIENTS:

For the cinnamon streusel:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

To make the pancakes:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, make the cinnamon streusel. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Mix together with your hands or a fork, until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

4. Heat a griddle or pan to medium low. Coat with cooking spray. Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto heated skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon streusel. Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip pancake over and cover very generously with cinnamon streusel. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Continue this process to make the rest of the pancakes.

5. Serve pancakes warm with maple syrup and butter.