pumpkin

Tasty Tuesday–Pumpkin Tiramisu

If you’re looking for a unique Thanksgiving dessert that still falls into the mandatory “pumpkin” category, you’ve come to the right place! Plus, you can make this pumpkin tiramisu as early as today, and refrigerate it until the big event…always a bonus when you can work ahead!

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I tried this recipe out last week, and was amazed by both how easy it was to make (I’ve previously been afraid of trying to make a real tiramisu ), and how delicious it was. The crystalized ginger is what really takes it the holiday level, but I imagine even without that, it would still be amazing!

  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 12 oz. mascarpone cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups coffee, cooled
  • 2 7 oz. packages Italian ladyfingers
  • Crystalized ginger

With whisk attachment of stand mixer, whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add mascarpone and 1 1/2 cups cream; beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
Dissolve 2 Tbsp. sugar in coffee. Dip both sides of approximately 8 ladyfingers in coffee and arrange them in a single layer in a  4-quart trifle dish. Spread one cup of pumpkin mixture on top. Repeat layers five more times, ending with pumpkin mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Beat remaining cream and 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop over tiramisu and garnish with crystalized ginger.

Pumpkin Overload

No one likes pumpkin as much as I do. Just ask my family! I’ve made pumpkin soup, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin smoothies, and countless pumpkin desserts. I even dedicated last week’s Tasty Tuesday to pumpkin recipes! I’ll drink pumpkin coffee, even though it’s not my favorite, and I know that pumpkin can make a nice addition to chili. (Pumpkin does not, however, belong in beer, and I’m not changing my mind about that one!)

But, there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing. I’ve had enough pumpkin. Especially pumpkin coffee! Pumpkin remains the food item of the moment…pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin Kahlua (saw it at the grocery store, and wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole!), and of course, pumpkin pie. Which is fine, especially the pie, because Thanksgiving is just over two weeks away. Now that it’s getting colder, it’s time for peppermint, in my opinion…peppermint mochas (I wish McDonald’s would add the peppermint mocha back to their menu), desserts, candies, and did I mention mochas?…but the pumpkin fad is holding strong.

I know it’s still November, and Thanksgiving season, but I see no reason why we can’t ease off the pumpkin in favor of a minty treat! I’d really enjoy a peppermint hot chocolate right about now!

Tasty Tuesday–Pumpkin!

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Since fall (and the approach of Thanksgiving), is the time of year when it’s all about pumpkins, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes. And one of them isn’t even a dessert!

Also, you can add a can of pumpkin to pretty much any chili recipe to add a little depth and some extra nutrients! Can you tell I love cooking and baking with pumpkin?

Tasty Tuesday–Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

  • 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
  • 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze until ready to use.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add  eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating between each addition. Add pumpkin puree, sour cream, sugar and spices, and continue beating. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust and bake for one hour. Cool on counter, then remove from pan. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Tasty Tuesday–Pumpkin Cupcakes with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a fun recipe for fall. If you really like ginger, you can add some more to the frosting…it’s fairly subtle at one teaspoon–a nice, light flavor, but not overpowering. If you’re feeling fancy, you could also add a little crystalized ginger on top!

Cupcakes

  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • 4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt

Blend the eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl; set aside. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into lined muffin tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Cool completely before frosting. Makes 32 cupcakes.

Frosting

  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, softened
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cupcakes.

Award-Winning Apple-Pumpkin Bread

Every Fall, I make at least one batch of my award-winning Harvest Apple-Pumpkin Bread, and it’s a huge hit with the whole family. Earlier this week, Turkey reminded me that I hadn’t baked any yet this year, so after we got home from the pumpkin patch today, I got to work.

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup cinnamon applesauce
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and apple cider in large bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Soup Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Saute onion and garlic in butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or processor. Process until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cream and heat through. Do not boil.

*If you desire a thicker soup, add 3 Tbsp. flour to onion mixture before adding chicken broth. Cook onion and flour mixture for 2-3 minutes, then add broth, and continue following recipe.