The Pumpkin Anthology

Have I told you lately how much I adore Pumpkin? I've already posted the recipe for Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie and Pumpkin Stew. Here are a few more:

Pumpkin Coffee

Brew your coffee as usual. To each mug of hot coffee, add one teaspoon (or more to taste) pumpkin puree and a tablespoon or so of eggnog (regular or vanilla spice).

Pumpkin Pie
Not all pumpkin pie is created equal, so I'm posting our recipe.

Single crust for 9 inch pie
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1/4 t. ground cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1 egg
1 c. milk

Roll out crust and place in pie plate. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie shell and bake at 400* for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350* and continue baking 50 minutes longer, or until center is set. If a skin forms, you baked it too long.

Pumpkin Cake

4 eggs
2 c. canned pumpkin
2 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. melted butter
2 t. baking powder
1 t. soda

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into 15x10 inch jelly roll pan and bake at 325* for 15-20 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick.
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
1 t. milk
3 c. powdered sugar

Beat first 4 ingredients until well blended. Blend in one cup of powdered sugar at a time until desired consitency.
*According to my DH, I could put this frosting on shoe leather and he'd eat it.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 eggs, beaten
2 c. buttermilk
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. pumpkin
2-3 c. flour

In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients and blend well. Add flour one cup at a time until batter reaches desired thickness. Bake on hot griddle as usual.
*You may find it helpful to lower the temp on your griddle ever so slightly to allow the pumpkin to cook through.

Pumpkin Doughnuts

3 1/2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 c. softened butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c. pumpkin
2/3 c. buttermilk

For topping
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar

In a large bowl blend together first 6 ingredients. In a mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and buttermilk. Slowly add flour, mixing well. Store dough in airtight container overnight. Roll out dough on floured surface to just under 1/2 inch thick. Cut out doughnut shapes and let rest 10 minutes on floured surface. Heat oil in large skillet and cook doughnuts until golden on both sides, about 3-5 minutes.
Combine sugars in a bag. While the doughnuts are still warm, place them in the bag and tumble them until coated.

Pumpkin Butter

3 1/2 c. cooked pumpkin
1 T. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)
1 3/4 oz powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 c. sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine pumpkin, spice and pectin; mix well. Bring mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Immediately add sugar and mix well. Bring to a rolling boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and ladle into jars. Store 2-3 weeks in fridge or freeze. Makes about 5 1/2 cups.
*I'm going to try a slow cook version of this in the crock pot without the pectin.

Pumpkin Bread

16 oz can pumpkin
1 2/3 c sugar
2/3 c. vegetable oil (I usually use olive)
2 t. vanilla
4 eggs
3 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. ground cloves
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. nuts, optional (not for me, thanks!)

Surely you know how to mix ingredients by now?! 2 greased loaf pans. 350* 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 c. pumpkin
1 t. vanilla
1 c. raisins, opt.
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, opt.

Preheat oven to 300*. Combine flour, soda, salt and spice in a bowl. In mixer bowl cream butter and sugars. Add egg pumpkin and vanilla and blend well. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add raisins and walnuts if you must. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake 22-24 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along the edges. Cool on wire racks.

That should do it. Any more and even I will be sick of pumpkin.