Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

I was in a pumpkin mood today. I was craving everything pumpkin. So what's a girl to do about these cravings. Well, get in the kitchen, put that apron on and cook cook cook! So I thought I'd share my Pumpkin Day!



Pumpkin Walnut Bread

This makes 4 mini loaves

1 cup canned pumpkin 2 cups sifted flour 1 cup chopped walnuts 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup softened butter 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices together. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, milk & eggs. Add dry ingredients and butter to pumpkin mix until well blended. Stir in walnuts. Pour into greased pans. Bake 45-55 minutes.











Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Shell:
1 15oz canned pumpkin 2 eggs 1 cup canola oil 2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice dash of nutmeg & cloves
3 heaping cups of flour

350 oven. Beat pumpkin, eggs, oil and brown sugar together until fluffy. Sift dry ingredients together. Add molasses to pumpkin mixture, then add dry ingredients until blended. Scoop with small ice cream scooper of batter onto a greased cookie sheet at least 2" apart.
Bake 15 minutes or until firm.

Cream Filling:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar 3 heaping tablespoons of Fluff 1 tablespoon vanilla

Add all ingredients and beat until fluffy. When whoopie shells are cool, place a scoop full of filling on one and top with the other shell. These are wicked good!!!








Apple Pumpkin Soup

1 large onion 1/2 pound bacon, chopped 1 cup water
2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar 4 cubes chicken bouillon
1 large granny smith apple chopped and peel on
1/3 cup crystallized ginger 2 teaspoons white pepper salt to taste

Cook bacon to almost crisp. Remove and saute the onion lightly. Add bacon back to pot. Add all other ingredients to pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour stirring frequently. When hour is over, in batches, blend soup in blender to thicken and smooth.

I served this with a mixed greens salad with fresh cucumber and balsamic vinaigrette. I wanted to make a crusty bread but didn't have enough bread flour....so instead we had white rolls. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of soup. YUM!