More Pumpkin

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last post!  Time has just flown by.  I remember posting and saying, “Alright, in a few days I’ll post my other 2 recipes,” and yet, here I am about 2 weeks later, finally doing it!  Oh well, it’s Christmas time and I’ve been busy.

Moving on though…the following recipes are more wonderful ways to use pumpkin.  The first recipe is a delicious Pumpkin Dip!  Not only is this dip very easy to make, but it’s also pumpkin-y, maple-y and sugary.  What a great combo!  In making this I used full fat cream cheese and sugar free maple syrup because that’s what I had on hand at the time.  Also, I ate mine with sliced apples and gingersnap cookies.  Mmmmm!

   

Pumpkin Dip by Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup  canned pumpkin
• 2  teaspoons  maple syrup
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 24  apple slices

Preparation

1. Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.
2. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth.
3. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.

Up next are some wonderful Pumpkin Muffins with streusel topping.  When I bought canned pumpkin for the pie that I made (see previous post), I accidentally bought “pumpkin pie mix!”  I buy pumpkin all the time and couldn’t believe that I did that…and to top it all off, I opened it and almost put it into the pie before realizing it.  Wow, maybe I was having a very early “senior moment.”  Anyway, inside the label on the can, I found this easy and yummy pumpkin muffin recipe! 

The muffins are flavorful (because the pie mix already has spices in it) and moist, but it’s the streusel topping that makes them.  I was planning to add nuts to the streusel topping, but forgot…however, I do think the addition would be wonderful.  As for my usual modifications, the recipe calls for “baking mix,” but all I had was pancake mix and it seemed to work fine, and I didn’t add the raisins.  So, if you’re looking for a quick and tasty pumpkin muffin, you should definitely give these a try.

Enjoy!

Ingredients.

Just out of the oven.

Mmmmm!

Crumble Top Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1 cup raisins, (optional)
• 2/3 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can (30 oz.) LIBBY'S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
• 2 large eggs
• Streusel topping (recipe follows)

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups.
2. COMBINE baking mix, raisins, oats, sugar and cinnamon in large bowl. Combine pumpkin pie mix and eggs in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into oat mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle with Streusel Topping.
3. BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire rack; cool slightly. Serve warm.
4. FOR STREUSEL TOPPING:
   COMBINE 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly.

Pumpkin Bread

Mmmm, I love pumpkin stuff!  I believe that my love for pumpkin started with the pumpkin bread that my mom always used to make around Christmas time.  It was moist, flavorful and oh-so-pumpkiny!  I was in love.

A few weeks ago, I felt the need for some pumpkin bread, and I happened to have some canned pumpkin leftover from making my pumpkin butter, so I got to baking.

Usually recipes for pumpkin bread make at least 2 loaves, but I didn’t want 2 loaves that were the same.  I don’t know why, but I just didn’t.  So, I made one “classic” loaf using Libby’s pumpkin bread recipe and I made another favorite of mine, Pumpkin Gingerbread. 

Both were delicious, as always!  The classic recipe takes me right back to be a little kid and eating the bread that my mom made; while the gingerbread one is a delicious twist to pumpkin bread and I love the flavorings.  Yum, yum, yum!  I could eat pumpkin bread all day.  Actually, when I made these recipes…I did. :)

Enjoy!

  

Ingredients.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf.

Classic Pumpkin Bread.

Deliciousness is served.

Libby’s Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. each nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c. each granulated sugar and packed brown sugar
• 1 c. oil
• 2 c. canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. each raisins and nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the sugars, mixing well.
2. Mix dry ingredients with the oil and pumpkin, stirring until well combined.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 1/2 x 5 1/4-inch loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Place on wire rack to cool.

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

It’s September!  You know what that means, don’t you?  It means that it’s time to break out the yummy fall recipes that include things such as: pumpkin, apple cinnamon, cranberries and soups.  After all, Starbucks has started serving their Pumpkin Spice Latte already, so if Starbucks says it’s time…then it’s time!

Well, I LOVE pumpkin stuff!  When I found this recipe for Mini Pumpkin Muffins, I knew I had to make them…plus, they were so cute and pretty healthy.  I found this recipe through my emails from Very Best Baking.  In addition to recipes from Nestles, they have a bunch of recipes from Libby’s.  Perfect!  Chocolate and pumpkin recipes all in one place! 

These mini muffins are delicious!  They are pumpkiny with a crunchy topping of granola.  Plus, 3 of these little muffins only has about 100 calories.  So, they are a great and nutritious snack or addition to breakfast.  My only complaint is that mini muffins are so small!  Seriously, I could pop like 3 into my mouth at once and could easily eat about 10. :-)  Anyway, when I made this recipe I cut it in half, because 60 mini muffins is A LOT, used whole wheat flour and topped it with my homemade peanut butter and banana granola.  These mini pumpkin muffins are so easy to make and are the perfect start to fall.

Enjoy!

So tiny!

Mmmmm.

"3 for 100" Mini Pumpkin Muffins, by Libby’s

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups lowfat granola cereal, crumbled

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Paper-line or grease mini-muffin pans.
2. COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and oil in medium mixer bowl until blended. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat well. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle each with about a 1/2 teaspoon of crumbled granola. Press granola lightly into batter.
3. BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store muffins in covered containers or resealable plastic bags.
4. Makes 20 servings, 3 muffins each