Pumpkin Fudge

I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit. It's like pumpkin pie on crack.

Pumpkin Fudge
2 tbsp butter
2.5 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
7 oz marshmallow creme
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Line a 9x9 pan with aluminum foil.
2. Heat milk and sugar over medium heat until boiling, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. Mix in pumpkin puree and cinnamon and bring it back to a boil again. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a roiling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add vanilla and white chocolate chips. Stir until all melted and then pour into pan. Cool, then cut into squares.

Sorry there are no pictures! It was quite popular.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pasties

While on vacation, I finally got to see the new Harry Potter movie. It was pretty exciting. And I always love the food they serve in the movies and in the book. So to celebrate I decided to make Pumpkin pasties and to add some extra fun, I added chocolate chips. I found this recipe here.

Gather together:

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1-1 lb. can pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 2/3 cups evap. milk (1 can)
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 9 oz pie crust pastry (enough for two single standard pie crusts)
• 1 egg white
  

Bake the pie filling only (no crust) in a large casserole dish in hot oven (425 degrees) for 15 minutes. Keep oven door closed and reduce temp to moderate (350 degrees F/180 degress Celsuis) and continue baking for 45 minutes or until table knife inserted in center of dish comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Make or purchase pie crust pastry. Roll thin and cut into circles approx 4" in diameter--I used the can the pumpkin came in to cut the circles. Put a spoonful of the cool pumpkin mixture towards one side of the center of the circle. Fold over the crust into a half-circle and firmly crimp the edges closed. Slice three small slits in the top for venting. Brush with egg whites. Place on a greased cookie sheet, and bake only until crust is a light golden-brown (about 20 minutes). Ta-da. Mini pumpkin pies with little chocolaty goodness.


These are always fun to make. And the chocolate makes them irrestiable to just about everybody. It's something about the combination of pumpkin and chocolate that is just pure bliss.

Bourbon Spiced Pumpkin Bars

These Bourbon Spiced Pumpkin Bars were taken from the Good Things Catered blog. Having come back from Kentucky (the Land of Bourbon and horse farms) only a few weeks ago, I am still in love with all things bourbon. It reminds me of home. And since it is fall here in Dillingham, I thought I should celebrate before winter starts. Naturally, I was drawn to this recipe. Oh and I doubled the recipe because I lack an 8x8 pan--I used my 9x13. I also omitted the oil. With that much pumpkin, it would be moist enough but remember to drain your pumpkin. The recipe that follows is not doubled, but it doubles very easily.



Gather together:

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, drained on a paper towel lined fine strainer--I used a tea towel
1 egg
1 Tbsp bourbon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp bourbon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line and prepare an 8x8 baking pan.
• In medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, spice and salt.
• Whisk to combine thoroughly and set aside.
• In bowl of stand mixer, add eggs, sugars, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Add bourbon, vanilla and mix to combine.
• Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just combined.
• Spread evenly into prepared pan.
• Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean--it took about 45 minutes with
  
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and bourbon and mix to combine well.
• Slowly add in powdered sugar until completely combined.
• Frost cooled bars with icing, cut, and serve.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

I'm doing it. I'm busting out the fall recipe on Labor Day weekend. I'm sure it's some sort of sin, but I'm going to do it anyway. Summer in Alaska is pretty cold, so I'm happy fall is here so the temperatures seem more appropriate. Plus, the leaves are changing colors and it just feels right. Anyway, I made this cake back in December. It was very moist and good. Happy fall!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake
2 c sugar
1 1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups canned pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tsps baking powder
2 tsps baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2. tsps ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl combine the oil and sugar. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in egg one at a time. Beat in flour mixture. Pour into greased bundt pan. It took about 50 minutes to bake (but my oven is on the cooler side, so it will probably take 45 in most ovens).

Easy peasy Pumpkin soup

I didn't get pictures. I'm sorry. But this went so quickly, I didn't have a chance. But this was SO EASY!. It only takes about 10-15 minutes and people will think you slaved over the stove for hours.

1 large can of pumpkin (not a can of pumpkin pie mix)
1 carton of chicken stock or Vegetable stock
1 pint heavy cream
garlic salt (2 tablespoons)
curry powder (1-2 tablespoons more if you want it hotter)
red pepper flake (optional--just to add heat, Erin would love this)

In a heavy saucepan, pour chicken stock and add all of the pumpkin. Heat this until it is almost boiling. Don't let it boil. It will just burn pumpkin to your pan. Turn down to low heat and add the garlic salt and curry powder. Add the heavy cream and let it simmer for a few minutes. This can be served with small noodles or rice.

You can do this in your crock pot if you want as long as you don't add the cream until you are ready to serve--just add everything else to the pot. Put it on low heat for 1-2 hours. Add the cream right before serving.