Two Soups: Sweet and Savory

Pumpkin has gotten so expensive.  I remember paying $1 for a can.  Of course that was twelve years ago.  I wonder if that pumpkin is still good.  Yep, it is.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Serves 5
From https://www.verybestbaking.com/libbys/recipes/creamy-pumpkin-soup-2/


Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 can (14 1/2 fluid ounces) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add broth, water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); process until smooth. Return to saucepan. Serve warm.

 

Pumpkin Pie Soup
Serves 6-8
From: https://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-pie-soup-a-k-a-pumpkin-soup-255080

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
•  
• 
  1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth (about 2 cups worth)
• 
  1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 
  1 cup granulated sugar (you may need slightly more or less depending on how tart your cider is)
• 
  1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon clove
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon nutmeg
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon allspice
• 
  1 pint heavy whipping cream
•  
•  
•  
• 
  
  Directions
•  
• 
  
• In large pot on LOW HEAT, combine all ingredients EXCEPT whipping cream; while stirring frequently, bring to simmer.
• Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in heavy cream and return to simmer; serve.
  
  
  

• NUTRITION INFO

  Serving Size: 1 (304) g

  Servings Per Recipe: 6

  AMT. PER SERVING % DAILY VALUE

  Calories: 455.2

  Calories from Fat 270 g 59 %

  Total Fat 30.1 g 46 %

  Saturated Fat 18.5 g 92 %

  Cholesterol 108.7 mg 36 %

  Sodium 263 mg 10 %

  Total Carbohydrate 46 g 15 %

  Dietary Fiber 1.4 g 5 %

  Sugars 35.6 g 142 %

  Protein 4.5 g 9 %

   

Eat Your Fall Decor

When I planted my jack-o-lantern seeds it said on the package good for eating, too.  So I thought I'd give it a try with a couple I used for decoration.  They were so big there was a lot of pumpkin.  These recipes called for small pie pumpkins but mine worked out fine with adjustments. 

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
From Dorie Greenspan via Martha Stewart
This recipe serves 4.  Adapt to your pumpkin size.

1 (3-pound) pumpkin (a small pie pumpkin) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 pound Gruyere, Emmenthal, or cheddar cheese (or a mix of all three), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 to 3 cloves garlic, split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or sliced scallions 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1/2 cup heavy cream Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or use a Dutch oven that is slightly larger in diameter than your pumpkin (in which case, you will need to serve your pumpkin from the Dutch oven, as it may stick, but it will keep its shape better this way). 

Using a sharp, sturdy knife, cut off top of pumpkin, working around the top with the knife inserted at a 45-degree angle to cut off enough to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin; reserve top. Remove seeds and strings from cap and pumpkin. Season inside of pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet or in Dutch oven; set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, chives, and thyme until well combined. Pack into pumpkin; it should be well filled but not overstuffed. You may need to add some bread and cheese or some of the filling may not be necessary to use. In a small bowl, stir cream and nutmeg to combine. Pour over filling; filling should be moist but not swimming in cream -- you may need to use more or less accordingly.

Place top on pumpkin and transfer to oven; cook until filling is bubbling and pumpkin flesh is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove top and continue baking until liquid is slightly evaporated and top of filling is browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. 

Carefully transfer pumpkin to a serving platter (or serve in Dutch oven, if using) and serve.  (Slice into 4 wedges.) 

Pumpkin Soup
From thepioneerwoman
Serves 8

2 whole Pie Pumpkins (the small kind)
1 quart Vegetable Or Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
Dash Of Nutmeg
Salt To Taste
Extra Cream, For Serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pumpkins on a cookie sheet and roast them until slightly shriveled and soft. Allow to cool slightly, then slice in half and carefully scoop out seeds and pulp. Scoop yummy flesh into a bowl. Set aside.
In a pot, heat up the pumpkin flesh with the stock and maple syrup until simmering. Mash out the big chunks, the transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and puree until velvety smooth. Add cream and nutmeg, then blend again.
Reheat if you need to, or just go ahead and serve in a hollowed-out pumpkin of whatever size you'd like.

Pumpkin Puree
From thepioneerwoman 

One small (4-pound) pumpkin yields at least 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin—the same as one small can.  A 3 pound pumpkin will yield about 1 cup. 

Select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this.
Place all the seeds into a bowl (you can roast them later and make pepitas). Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp.
Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I’ve done both) and roast in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.
Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill.
Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid or the preferred method for a particularly moist variety, once roasted and puréed, it should be sautéed for about five minutes over high heat to cook off excess moisture.) My note:  the large pumpkins are watery. 
Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done.
You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, store it in the freezer for later use.
To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.

 

Garden Pumpkin

Pumpkin Granola Muffins

The following conversation may or may not have been between me and myself.

Oh, look! Libby's pumpkin pie mix is on sale for a dollar and it was $2.50!

You don't use the Libby's pumpkin pie recipe. 

But it's only a dollar!

Who want's to eat pumpkin pie now?

I can save it until next year.

Again, you don't use the Libby's recipe.

It says here on the can there are other recipes on their website like pumpkin muffins! Maybe there will be a chocolate pumpkin muffin recipe.

Fine.

 Oh sure, mention chocolate and you cave.

You are only getting four.

Meanie.

Pumpkin Granola Muffins
From Libby's

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granola with raisins
• 1 can (30 oz.) LIBBY'S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
• 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup crushed granola (use the stuff at the bottom of the bag) or 2 tablespoons sesame seeds or flax seeds

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups and spray with non-stick cooking spray or spray 24 muffin cups.

COMBINE all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir in granola. Add pumpkin pie mix, egg substitute and oil in another large bowl. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle each with crushed granola.

BAKE for 15 to 17 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. (Mine took 20-22 minutes to bake.) Remove from pans to wire rack; cool slightly. Serve warm or cool to room temperature and place in airtight container.

FOR PUMPKIN GRANOLA LOAVES:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Spoon batter into two greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle with crushed granola. Bake for 50 to 55 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.

Nutritional Information (using egg substitute)

• Serving Size
  1/24 muffins (2 dozen) of recipe
• Calories 220
• Calories from Fat 60

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

% Daily Value *

• Total Fat 7g 11%
• Saturated Fat 0g 0%
• Cholesterol 0mg 0%
• Sodium 180mg 7%
• Carbohydrates 36g 12%
• Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
• Sugars 13g
• Protein 4g

• Vitamin A 35%
• Vitamin C 0%
• Calcium 4%
• Iron 6%

Did I Say That?

I guess I did say just a few days ago I didn't like it when things like graham crackers are put in ice cream. I didn't see the point. There is definitely a point to this addition. I used my doughnut disaster dough turned graham crackers.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
From Cusinart
Serves 14 (1/2 c. serving size)

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses or dark corn syrup (or maple syrup)
1-3/4 cups pumpkin purée (1 can solid pack pumpkin)
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup crumbled ginger snaps, vanilla butter cookies, or graham cracker
Caramel sauce (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk, brown sugar, and molasses until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Add heavy cream and vanilla.
The following instructions are for a Cusinart ice cream freezer. If using another freezer, follow the manufacturers instructions.
Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the crumbled cookies during the last 5 minutes of mixing. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours.
Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
Top with caramel sauce if desired.

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Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories 310 (52% from fat) • carb. 35g • pro. 3g • fat 18g • sat. fat 11g • chol. 62mg • sod. 134mg • calc. 100mg • fiber 1g

Thanksgiving

These are some favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

No Roll Pie Crust Dough

From Bon Appetit

Makes one 10 inch pie crust

3/4 c. unsalted butter

1/4 c. sugar

1 T powered sugar

2 c. flour

Melt butter. Add sugars and stir. Add flour and stir. Spray pie plate with Pam. Press dough into plate. Refrigerate at least 30 min.

Heritage Pumpkin Pie

From Bon Appetit

Makes one 10 inch pie

1 1/2 c. canned evaporated milk (one can)

1 c packed br. sugar

1 can pumpkin

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

2 large eggs-beaten

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

Stir milk and sugar in heavy saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat pumpkin, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Add milk mixture and beat one minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat well. Add maple syrup and beat one minute. Pour into crust. Bake at 375 in the center of the oven for about 50 min. This makes a very large pie and will not fit into a 9 inch pie plate.

To decorate pie with leaves, make 1/2 recipe of no roll pie crust dough. On floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters in leaf shapes. Brush the rim of the crust with water to moisten. Place leaves around moistened outside edge of pie, pressing gently to secure. Leaves can be in a side-by-side or an overlapping pattern. Cover leaves carefully with foil to prevent over browning while baking. Foil can be removed the last few minutes of baking to brown leaves if needed. Bake a few leaves on a cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes. Place these in middle of pie after baking pie and after the leaves and pie have cooled.


Cranberry Fool

1-16 oz. can cranberry jelly
1 t. almond extract
1 T. grated orange peel (optional)
1 c. heavy cream, whipped and sweetened to taste or 1-8 oz container of Cool Whip (can add up to 1/2 c. more cream if desired)

Mix together the first three ingredients with an electric beater or in a blender (recommended) until smooth. If using a blender, spoon cranberry jelly mixture into a bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup of whipped cream or Cool Whip to lighten. Fold in rest of whipped cream or Cool Whip. Fill parfait or dessert dishes. Chill until set. Garnish with whipped cream and orange slice. May also be used at room temperature as a fruit dip.

Cranberry Orange Relish

12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained, about 3 c.
1 unpeeled orange, washed, cut into eighths and seeded
1 cup sugar

Place half the cranberries and half the orange slices in a food processor and process until evenly chopped. Do not over pulse. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining cranberries and orange slices. Add sugar and stir. Let stand at room temperature until sugar dissolves, about 45 mins. Best if it is made the day before. Can make up to one week ahead. Store in refrigerator. Makes 3 cups.