31 Days of Fall - Day 18 Pumpkin Patch

Since my children were born, each October, we trek to the pumpkin patch.  It is one of our most honored family traditions.  We have been to small ones, big ones, ones in Georgia and ones in Kentucky.  For us this experience truly defines fall.

 Looking for the perfect pumpkin is most important, as the size, shape and texture will determine just how we decorate them for Halloween.

 

SUCCESS!

 

 

 Not one, but two perfect pumpkins.

 

To start at the beginning --- 31 Days of Fall.

31 Days of Fall - Day 15 Pumpkin Granola

I've been making my own granola for a couple of years now and I love it.  It is the perfect quick breakfast served over yogurt.  I've even convinced my 13 year old to try it.  Some of our favorites are Peanut Butter Granola and Vanilla Granola. 

 For the holidays I like to make Pumpkin Granola.  Add dried apples and cranberries when serving for a filling breakfast. 

To start at the beginning of the series - 31 Days of  Fall. 

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

In honor of the first fall like days in Atlanta, I pulled out the apples and pumpkin to make one of my favorite fall treats, Pumpkin Apple Muffins.  Love these with a cup of pumpkin spice coffee while sitting on the back porch.  Perfect.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins
from Southern Living Annual Recipe Collection 20th Anniversary Edition

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
3 T sugar
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine pumpkin, butter and eggs, and add to dy ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chopped apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.


Combine 3 T sugar and 1 t pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 dozen.

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Sweet Tooth Friday

Ingredient Spotlight - Cake Mix

This is my entry for Eat At Home's Ingredient Spotlight.  This week's ingredient is cake mix and when I use a cake mix, I usually am making this recipe, especially in the fall. I always get rave reviews and recipe requests when I make this Pumpkin Crisp.  The original recipe was in Southern Living Magazine in 2008, but I have made a couple of changes to suit our tastes.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

Pumpkin Crisp

Image courtesy of www.myrecipes.com

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 c evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t ground ginger

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1/2 box butter flavored cake mix 

1/2 c butter, melted

Stir together first 7 ingredients.  Pur into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture.  Drizzle butter evenly over cake mix.  Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve warm with fresh whipped cream. 

*** At tip from my husband's grandmother --For best results make your whipped cream with powdered sugar, not granualted and add a dash of nutmeg.  Delish!

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Sweet Tooth Friday

URS - Pumpkin Recipes

This can makes me very happy!  I love anything made with pumpkin and just as soon as pumpkin starts to appear on the shelves of the grocery stores I can't wait to make something with it.  I just can't decide which of my favorite pumpkin recipes to make first!

Pumpkin Crisp
from Southern Living Magazine

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 c evaporated milk
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ginger
1/4 t nutmeg
1 butter flavor cake mix
1/2 c butter, melted

Stir together first 7 ingredients.  Pur into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture.  Drizzle butter evenly over cake mix.  Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve wam with fresh whipped cream. 

Pumpkin Raisin Bars
from Bon Appetit Magazine

2 c all purpose flour
2 c sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
4 large eggs
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 c raisins

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
1/3 c butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch baking sheet.  Stir first 8 ingredients in large bowl.  Add pumpkin, eggs and oil and beat until blended.  Mix in raisins.  Spread batter in prepared pan.  Bake about 25 minutes.  Cook in pan on rack. 

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl to blend.  Spread frosting on cake in thin layer.  Must be refrigerated.  Makes 24 bars.


Pumpkin Apple Muffins
from Southern Living Annual Recipe Cookbook 20th Anniversary Edition

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
3 T sugar
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.  Combine pumpkin, butter and eggs, and add to dy ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  Fold in chopped apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. 

Combine 3 T sugar and 1 t pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.  Makes 2 dozen.  from Southern Living Magazine