Serving Up {Bread}: Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

My youngest child started kindergarten this week!!!  I don't think there is anything cuter than watching him walk into the elementary school with his two older brothers.  I watch in the rear view mirror and see three boys - large, medium and small - all walking away from me with their backpacks on their backs and it is stinkin' cute!  One of these days I am going to greatly embarrass the 10-year old by jumping out of the car and taking a photo of them all together.

I mention school, and more specifically kindergarten, because you just never know what your child will learn (or do) at school.  My insight yesterday was more than I wanted to know....my five year old asked me, "how come when you lick the kickball after you have played with it, it tastes bad?"  Seriously???  I cook a lot and you would not believe how difficult it is to get that same 5 year old to take a taste of ANYTHING...but he is licking kickballs?  I am speechless!

Today's recipe is hopefully more tempting than a kickball and guaranteed to taste better.  We are entering fall, with all the yummy fall flavors...which in the food world equates to PUMPKIN!  But I still have zucchini that I am harvesting and baking with (a little of this and never enough of this)!  Lucky for me, last year I discovered this recipe for Pumpkin Zucchini Bread and I absolutely love the combination.  It is perfectly moist and tastes like it could be the poster child for fall with all the yummy spice flavoring.  Not to mention that your house smells divine while it bakes.  For your sake I really do hope that you still have a few lingering zucchini so that you can enjoy this recipe and share it with someone you love!

One Year Ago: Snickerdoodle Blondies
Two Years Ago: Candy Bar Pudding Dessert

PUMPKIN ZUCCHINI BREAD     
(recipe from Taste of Home)
printable version

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup butter, melted
1 Tbs. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans by greasing and flouring.

In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, butter and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini (and nuts if desired). Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until breads test done. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Serving Up {Pizza}: Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Pizza

It turns out that October is national pizza month.  Considering that, I thought that I ought to at least post one pizza recipe this month - especially considering how much our family loves pizza!  This recipe is the perfect October recipe because it's star ingredient is roasted pumpkin!  So should you have a cute little sugar pumpkin sitting on your counter as an autumn decoration, it is now time to put it to good use.

I was inspired to create this recipe after seeing this recipe for squash pizza and after having roasted an entire sugar pumpkin to serve as a side dish and being left with ample left overs.  Normally when I make roasted pumpkin I roast it with the sage, but in the case of this creation, I had roasted my pumpkin with rosemary, which was delicious in and of itself.  But since I knew that I love the flavor of sage and pumpkin together, I knew that when I put it on the pizza that I wanted to include sage.  So I browned some butter and cooked the sage that way.  In place of a pizza "sauce" I spread marscapone onto my pizza crust before topping it with the roasted pumpkin, browned sage leaves and mozzarella cheese.  The result was absolutely delicious!
Hope you agree.

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

ROASTED PUMPKIN AND SAGE PIZZA     
printable version

For the crust:
3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. yeast
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cup flour

In a mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, yeast and oil.  Allow yeast to activate for approximately 5 minutes.  Add flour and salt and combine - with bread hook or with a large heavy spoon.  Knead in the mixer or by hand for 5-10 minutes until a soft, workable dough has formed.
Place dough in warm area and allow to rise for an hour, or until double in size.
Remove dough onto a floured surface.  Work into a large 12-15 inch circle, place on pizza pan and set aside.

For the pumpkin:
1/3-1/2 small sugar pumpkin
2 shallots, chopped roughly
1 1/2 tsp. rosemary, slightly crushed
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the pumpkin, remove the seeds and peel the outer layer.  Cut pumpkin into 1-inch squares.
In a bowl, combine pumpkin, shallots, rosemary and olive oil.  Line a baking pan with foil and place pumpkin mixture on pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place pan in the oven and cook until pumpkin is tender - approximately 30 minutes - removing pan and tossing pumpkin once during cooking process.

For the pizza:
1/4 -1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, cut into narrow strips
2 Tbs. butter
4 ounce marscapone, softened
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
cooked pumpkin (see above)
pizza crust (see above)

In a small non-stick pan melt butter and allow to cook until it begins to brown.  Add the fresh sage leaves.  Cook until the leaves are wilted and brittle.  Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare pizza, preheat oven to 450 degrees.  If using a pizza stone, preheat stone in oven.
Using your prepared pizza dough, spread marscapone over the entire crust.  Sprinkle cooked pumpkin and then cooked sage.  Top with shredded mozzarella.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until crust is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Serving Up {Cake}: Pumpkin Cake Bars

We are in the midst of pumpkin season and I am taking full advantage!  We have been enjoying a lot of pumpkin at our house as of late - in both savory meals as well as sweet treats - and yet I don't find myself tiring of it at all.  I just really love the flavor of pumpkin...especially when paired with spices and a cream cheese frosting...which brings me to this recipe.

This recipe is the perfect pumpkin cake recipe that holds nothing back when it comes to my favorite fall spices - please note the full teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  YUM!  In the end you end up with a delicious baked treat and a house that smells good enough for the kids to sniff the air as they come in from school and ask what you've been baking.  Just be careful to hide the evidence that you have already eaten three pieces before they even arrived home.  Sit down and enjoy a piece with the kids and pretend it's your first.  I mean, what they don't know won't hurt them.

And speaking of pumpkin, here is a list of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes that I have posted in the past.  There are some real goodies in there.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

                          Pumpkin Knot Rolls       

PUMPKIN CAKE BARS     
(recipe from Louanne S.)

printable version

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil 

4 eggs

15-ounce can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin and mix.  Add dry ingredients and blend on low until all ingredients are moist.  Then beat the batter on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

3-ounce cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbs. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine butter and cream cheese and blend until well combined.  Add powdered sugar and milk and vanilla and blend until desired consistency, adding additional milk if needed.

Frost cooled bars and then cut into bars.

Serving Up {Pumpkin}: 10 Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

We have been enjoying a heavenly fall here in the Northwest - sunshine and warm days - you would hardly believe that we were more than half way through the month of September.  Then two days ago, literally overnight, our high temperatures dropped 20 degrees!  There is now no doubt that we are half way through September.  

I admit that I really like the brisk mornings that warm up to mild days and then return again to brisk evenings.  I find myself reaching for a pair of socks to keep my toes warm and the kids are wrapping up in blankets while they do their evening reading.  Fall is definately here!

When it comes to the flavor of fall, PUMPKIN has got to beat all the others.  I enjoy pumpkin in sweet desserts as well as savory main dishes.  Regardless of the dish, pumpkin is the flavor I crave this time of year.  Here is a collection of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes ~ welcome to fall :)

Pumpkin Muffins

Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Bread

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

Pumpkin Knot Rolls

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

One Year Ago: Creamy White Chili

Serving Up {Pie}: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

This recipe wraps up my pumpkin extravaganza that has been going on for the past few weeks.  Hopefully you have found one or two pumpkin recipes that have sent your taste buds salivating.

This final recipe is a perfect lead in to Thanksgiving later this month.  This is the ONLY pumpkin pie that I eat.  After you taste it you will understand why.  No other pumpkin pie compares.  It is the only pumpkin pie recipe my mom ever made growing up and I had no idea that there was anything but Pumpkin Chiffon Pie until I entered the real world and realized how spoiled I had been my entire life.

My mom uses a traditional pie crust when she makes this recipe.  I'm a kid at heart and prefer it with a graham cracker crust.  Either way, you really can't go wrong.

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE     
(recipe from Linda W.)
printable version

1 envelope Knox gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Combine the above in a saucepan and stir until well blended. Add:

3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin

Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from the heat and chill until partially set.

2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream, chilled

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating to form stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, whip the cream. Fold both the eggs whites and the cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture. Spoon into a prebaked 9-inch crust (or a graham cracker crust which is my preference) and chill until firm. Serve with additional whipped cream.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

These little muffins are like eating little doughnut holes!  You may just want to double the recipe!  They are so yummy!

The original recipe (from Martha Stewart) calls for the batter to be divided between 12 full-size muffin tins.  But we make these as miniature muffins and delight in the cinnamon-sugar to muffin ratio.  Because of the extra step after baking, of "painting" them with melted butter and rolling them in cinnamon-sugar, they make a fun afternoon activity that the kids can join in on.  I know at our house at least, my kids love a recipe that they can help with.  Having fingers coated in cinnamon-sugar when they are done is just an extra bonus!

PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT MUFFINS     Pin It
(recipe from Martha Stewart)
printable version

10 Tbs. butter, softened
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Sugar Coating:
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare mini muffin pans with shortening or non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and allspice.
In a smaller bowl combine the buttermilk and pumpkin puree and whisk together.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Gradually add in flour mixture, alternating additions with the pumpkin mixture until all are combined.

Fill muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until they test done with a toothpick.  Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and ground cinnamon to make the sugar coating.

Remove muffins from the muffin pan and brush with melted butter and then toss in the sugar mixture.  Allow the muffins to then cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 4 dozen mini muffins

Serving Up {Dessert}: Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

I must be like seventy five years old or something!  Why else would I have TWO postings for bread pudding in one months time?

I will tell you why.  Because I found this recipe last year as I was preparing the menu for our Thanksgiving and I lost sleep over it!  And I was not disappointed.  If you like bread pudding (which I do) and you like pumpkin (which I really do) this recipe is going to exceed your expectations!

I have already mentioned what a great recipe for Pumpkin Bread this recipe uses.  The bread is cubed and dried, covered in a custard sauce and then baked until it reaches a soft, pudding-like texture.  It is then combined with a Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise and a Caramel Sauce that will have you seriously licking your bowl clean!

Enjoy!

Pictured below: Served the Bobby Flay method.
Layer the Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise, then the (warmed) bread pudding, a scoop of whipped cream and top with the Caramel Sauce.

Pictured below: a great cheater method with the same delicious result.
Top the (warmed) bread pudding with a scoop of Vanilla bean ice-cream and drizzle generously with caramel sauce.

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING with CARAMEL SAUCE and VANILLA BEAN CREME ANGLAISE     

(recipe adapted from Bobby Flay, Food Network)

printable version

Begin by baking one loaf of Pumpkin Bread, recipe here.
Once the bread is cool, slice in half lengthwise, and then slice each half into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes on a large baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven until lightly toasted, turning once, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Custard for Bread Pudding
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise, recipe follows
Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
Freshly whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Whisk together the yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture until combined, remove the vanilla pod, and whisk in the bourbon. Strain the custard into a clean bowl.
Scatter the pumpkin bread cubes in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking glass baking dish. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing down on the bread to totally submerge it in the custard. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up some of the custard.
Place the pan in a larger roasting pan and pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until it comes half way up the sides of the glass dish. Bake until the sides are slightly puffed and the center jiggles slightly, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and water bath and cool on a baking rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Spoon some of the Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise into a shallow bowl, top with some of the bread pudding and drizzle with the Caramel Sauce. Top with freshly whipped cream. Bread pudding is best served warm.

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise, recipe here
A great cheater creme anglaise is melted ice cream.  Easy!
Buy (high quality) vanilla bean ice cream and place 2 cups of it in a dish in the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving this dessert.  You want it to be melted and "soft" but not completely runny and definitely NOT warm (thus keeping it in the refrigerator).

Caramel Sauce, recipe here
This is my own variation, basically a simpler recipe than Bobby's, but you could even use a caramel ice cream topping with tasty results.
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk the brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Whisk in the cream and stir until the sugar dissolves completely and sauce is smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serving Up {Bread}: Pumpkin Knot Rolls

Pumpkin Knot Rolls have been a Thanksgiving tradition since I've been married.  They are easy enough that I really ought to make them more often than just once a year, but I can't imagine Thanksgiving without them.  They are such a beautiful, golden color!  They look absolutely incredible on the dinner table.

Because there aren't any traditional "pumpkin spices" in this recipe, the pumpkin flavor really is barely discernible.  But I believe the benefit of the pumpkin is in the texture.  These rolls are so incredibly soft that you will wish that Thanksgiving came monthly.

PUMPKIN KNOT ROLLS     
(recipe from Taste of Home magazine)
printable version

2 pkgs. Active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 ½ tsp. salt
5 ½ - 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. cold water
Sesame seeds (optional)

In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, pumpkin, 2 eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; kneed until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a 10 inch rope; tie into a know and tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, beat water and remaining egg. Brush over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.
Yield: 2 dozen

Serving Up {Cookies}: Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

I think that brown sugar icing is in a dead even tie with cream cheese frosting as my favorite frosting!  How can you choose between them?
Pair the brown sugar icing with these soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies and you have an absolute heavenly combination.  I can pop an entire cookie in my mouth in one bite - and I have.  A few too many times :)

The recipe calls for shortening - and while I have attempted substituting coconut oil and butter, the shortening really creates the best cookie texture.  I have discovered an organic 100% palm oil shortening that is non-hydrogenated (made by Spectrum Naturals) so I am not having any guilt typing the recipe as written.
Besides, it's not the shortening that is the danger - I'm telling you, it's the frosting!

Yum!

PUMPKIN COOKIES with BROWN SUGAR ICING     
(recipe from Erin B.)
printable version

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and shortening; add vanilla, egg and pumpkin. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Batter will be sticky. Drop by teaspoons onto dark baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees. Let cool completely before frosting.

Brown Sugar Icing
½ cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter
¾ tsp vanilla
4 Tbs. milk
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding vanilla and powdered sugar. Icing should be a little thicker than a glaze.

Serving Up {Soup}: Pumpkin Curry Soup

I have mentioned before how much my husband loves curry.  I personally love pumpkin.  This soup is the perfect combination of both.  It's just a bonus that this recipe is ridiculously quick and easy to pull together.  I have been making this recipe for probably 10 years and even my three year old refers to it as "the yummy orange soup".  You can't get anything better than a favorable review from the three year old!

The recipe calls for mushrooms, which I have used in the past and would use every time if I weren't the only mushroom eater in the house :(
The mushrooms are a terrific bonus if you can get away with them, but if you're like me, and you can't, rest assured that the recipe does just fine without them.

PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP     
(recipe from Taste of Home magazine)
printable version

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 to 1 tsp. curry powder
3 cups vegetable broth (I've used chicken too)
1 can (15 ounce) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounce) evaporated milk
1 Tbs. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
fresh chives, optional

In a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour and curry powder until blended. Gradually add the broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, salt, pepper and nutmeg; heat through.
Garnish with chives if desired.

Serving Up {Bread}: Pumpkin Bread

You know that a recipe is a hit when every time you walk into the kitchen you find crumbly remnants of the baked good on the counter and floor.  That is the positive way to look at it, right?

For the record, I have had pumpkin bread crumbs on my counter for the past three days.  I just noticed the tupperware is finally empty.  While I won't miss the mess, I am already debating about pulling another loaf from the freezer, where I stashed the "extra" loaf.  Too good!

Pumpkin bread can be tricky because some recipes are really dry.  Really, there is nothing worse than a dry loaf of pumpkin bread.  I have a number of yummy pumpkin bread variations - pumpkin coconut and pumpkin-chocolate being my two favorite variations.  But this recipe is a basic pumpkin loaf that is perfect just the way that it is.  It is moist and stays moist even days after baking.  It is the basis of a Pumpkin Bread Pudding that Bobby Flay did on the food network.  I promise to get to the bread pudding recipe (which is awesome) but this recipe for the pumpkin bread has become my one and only recipe.  It's that good.

A tasty dessert is to slice the bread, or cube it, and pair it with vanilla bean ice cream and some homemade caramel sauce.  The combo saved me two weeks ago when we had two families over for Sunday dinner and my oven element went out!  The pumpkin bread, ice cream, caramel combo was so tasty that nobody had any idea that it was a last minute scramble when my planned dessert went out with the heating element :)

PUMPKIN BREAD    
(recipe from Bobby Flay, Food Network)
printable version

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 4 tablespoons softened butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.
Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and water and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.