30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Thirteen: Pumpkin Dutch Baby

The recipe for today is a pumpkin dutch baby from Minimalist Baker.  I'm not sure what I did wrong but it didn't rise up the sides like my favorite dutch baby did.

This could have been because I baked it in too small of a pan?  The directions stated to use a small skillet, but I only have a jumbo oven safe skillet.  I improvised and used an 8" cake pan. 

Perhaps the batter needs to be really thin across the pan for it to rise up the sides?  Or maybe the metal in the cake pan didn't retain the heat like a skillet would.

For some reason, the original recipe of sprinkling chocolate chips on top of the pancake didn't appeal to me.  (I guess I just wasn't in a chocolate mood.)  I decided on powdered sugar and cinnamon instead.

If I make this again, not only will I cook it in a larger diameter pan, but I'll add 1T of sugar and a pinch of salt.  I thought the pancake was a little bit on the bland side, compared to other dutch babies I've had in the past.  In doing some research, I found that most recipes, for this type of pancake, contain a small amount of salt and sugar.

As a final note, this recipe states it is for two.  I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a meal for one.  It contains two eggs and less flour than 2 thick slices of bread would have.  I think this is a standard amount of food for an average adult to eat at breakfast or dinner. I think you'd have to have a lot of sides or small appetites for this to satisfy two people.

Pumpkin Dutch Baby from Minimalist Baker
2 T butter
2 T pumpkin puree
1/4 c milk (i used almond milk)
1/4 c unbleached all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry)
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
cinnamon and powdered sugar, or semisweet chocolate chips for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and melt butter in a small skillet/pan over low heat.
Add eggs, pumpkin, milk, flour and pumpkin pie spice to blender and blend well. Once oven is preheated, swirl butter around sklilet to ensure all sides are coated. Add batter to skillet and place directly in oven. Bake for 15-20 min or until golden brown. Top with chocolate chips or powdered sugar and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and serve immediately. Serves one.

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Twelve: Pumpkin "You-know-what"

Many moons ago, when I was a newlywed who had no clue in the kitchen, I used to make this cookie/candy/bar thingie that Mrblocko referred to as Pantry Crack.

It was a toffee that consisted of butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips and saltines.  Mrblocko named it Pantry Crack because I ALWAYS had the ingredients on hand and because it was so damn addictive.

I'm not exactly sure why I stopped making it.  Maybe because I felt that my skills were so greatly improved that I felt it was beneath me to prepare something so simple.  That's possible, but a more likely explanation would be that I enjoyed having my pants fit.

Discovering a pumpkin-y twist on this tasty treat, from Cherished Bliss, put aside all my kitchen snobbery, and my skinny jeans.

They are so easy to make I was able to whip these up while simultaneously talking on the phone and helping Blockette with her homework.  (I'm normally a two things at a time kinda girl...so that's really saying something.)

So why is this post called Pumpkin You-know-what?  Heh, well, I was originally referring to them as "Pumpkin Crack" as a bit of nostalgia from when I made the original bars.  However, Blockette thought I was saying "Crap" instead of "Crack."  So, whenever she would mention them, she would hesitate and say "you know what," so she wouldn't get in trouble for saying a Bad word.

Pumpkin Crap Crack Toffee from Cherished Bliss
about 2 sleeves of Saltine crackers
1c butter
1 c br sugar
1/4c canned pumpkin
2 t pumpkin seasoning (use less if you don't want a strong pumpkin taste)
11.5 oz white chocolate chips
optional: 1-2 T semi sweet chocolate chips (original recipe called for a handful. This many made the top look muddy vs. marbled.)

Preheat oven to 400. Line jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil and then parchment.  Eliminating this step will result in sadness.  If you skip both or just use parchment, your bars will not release nicely from the pan.  If you use only foil, your foil will not release nicely from your bars. (The parchment paper trick was new to me and I sang as I removed the bars from the pan.  Getting the foil off of the toffee part of the bars is not fun.  Not fun at all.)  On top of the parchment, place your saltines.  Break them as you see fit.  Just make sure you cover the entire pan.

In a medium pan, bring the butter, sugar, pumpkin and spice to a boil over med high heat.  Boil for 3 min.  Pour toffee mixture over the saltines.  Bake for 5 minutes.  The toffee will be bubbling,  Remove the pan from the oven, and turn the oven off.  Sprinkle the chips over the toffee saltines.  With the oven door open, place the bars back in the oven, with the oven OFF.  My chips were softened after 2 minutes.  Spread out the chips making pretty swirly designs.  Let the bars sit on the counter for about an hour until the chocolate just begins to set up.  Cut into squares using the crackers as a rough guide.  (my crackers tend to shift around in the pan as they are made so I just eyeball it.)  Before breaking into pieces, let the bars cool completely.  I placed mine in the freezer for 15 min.  Break bars apart and store in the freezer.

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Eleven: Pumpkin Carrot Ginger Muffins

I've never cooked with Candied Ginger before.  This is mostly because I'm cheap.  I see the containers of candied ginger in the store and think, "They want to charge HOW much for that small amount!!!"  Then I walk away.  Sad.  And Ginger-less.  Until the grocery store decided candied ginger was a seasonal item they no longer wanted to stock.  I scored a 4 oz container for 89 cents!!

Of course, when I got home I had no idea what to make with it.  So I googled around and found a recipe for coconut, carrot, pumpkin spice bread from The Gouda Life.  I changed things up and made muffins instead!

The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of chopped candied ginger.  I thought this was going to use up the entire container, but to my surprise, it barely made a dent in it!

I didn't think these muffins had a carrot or a pumpkin taste to them at all.  The veggies are completely masked by the coconut, pecans and ginger.  I find that it's dishes like this that convince kids veggies aren't bad, they're just prepared that way.  Kind of like Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but not.

Pumpkin carrot ginger muffins adapted from The Gouda Life makes 22 muffins
3 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
1 c brown sugar
2 t vanilla
½ c pumpkin puree
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c all-purpose flour
2 T ground flax
¼ c rolled oats
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
3/4 t nutmeg
½ t cardamom
2 c coarsely grated carrots (this is about 2 carrots)
¼ c diced candied ginger
½ c shredded coconut, toasted
1/4 c pecans, toasted and rough chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  In small bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin til smooth. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix flours, flax, oats, baking soda/power, salt and spices. Add wet to dry along with carrot, coconut and pecans. Fold together just until you can’t see flour anymore. Don’t over mix . With a large cookie scoop, place one scoop of batter in a muffin cup lined with a paper muffin cup. Bake 20-35 min until toothpick comes out clean.  Extra muffins can be stored in the freezer.  To defrost peel off paper, wrap muffin in paper towel, and microwave for 15 seconds.

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Ten: Microwave Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Yesterday I posted about how I consumed an entire batch of pumpkin tortillas without sharing.  Here's proof that I'm not a complete meanie piggy piggy oink oink:

See!  I actually made something, and let my child eat it.  Am I redeemed? 

No?

Harumph.

Just to show you what a great sport I am, I'm gonna share this recipe for a microwave pumpkin coffee cake regardless of your lack of forgiveness.



2 Minute Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug from Heather Likes Food
1 T butter
2 T sugar
2 T pumpkin puree
vanilla extract, few drops
1/4 C flour
1/8 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 t pumpkin or apple pie spice



 Crumble topping
1 T butter
2 T flour
1 T brown sugar
1/4 t cinnamon

In a mug soften 1 T butter in microwave, 5-10 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 T sugar and mix. Stir in pumpkin, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and spices; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.

Topping: In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of butter(if it's not softened, you can nuke it for 5-10 sec), 2T flour, 1 T brown sugar, and 1/4 t cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand, and all ingred combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.

Nuke 50-80 sec depending on your microwave.  It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it or it will get hard and gross. Nuke for 50 sec, and then in 10 sec intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it's not nearly as amazing.

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Nine: Pumpkin Tortillas

Pumpkin tortillas you say?  Don't they taste weird and vegetable-y?  Nope!  Not at all.  I could not taste any flavor from the pumpkin, just tortilla goodness.

What is different about these tortillas, aside from their yellow orangish color, is that they are a bit thicker and less pliable.  They'd be a bit tricky to roll into enchiladas, but are perfect for quesadillas.  Which is, of course, how I ate them.  All of them.  I ate the entire batch by my onsies.  Yup, guilty as charged, but not feeling a bit guilty about it at all. 

Hey, it's not like Mrblocko or Blockette could take a quesadilla with them to work or school.  I mean I guess they could.  Personally, I don't think cold melted cheese is all that wonderful.

But this isn't about me and how many pumpkin tortillas I ate in one sitting.  This is about you.  Make some for the people you love, even if that person is you!

Pumpkin Tortillas from Cook. Play. Explore.

1 c flour

1 c whole-wheat flour 

1 t baking powder
½ t salt
1 T olive or canola oil
1/4 c pumpkin purée
warm water

Combnie flour, baking powder, and salt . Drizzle oil over dry ingredients and blend well. Measure pumpkin into liquid measuring cup. Add warm water until total volume is 3/4 c. Whisk together with a fork until combined. Add pumpkin and water mix to dry ingred, a spoonful or two at a time, mix in, and repeat until  dough starts to come together in a shaggy ball. You might need a little more or a little less water. (It was really dry in my house when I made this and I needed an additional 1/4c water.)

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for few min til smooth and elastic. (Rubbing oil on your hands will help prevent dough from sticking.) Divide into 8 to 10 pieces and roll into balls—about the size of ping-pong balls. (I made 8.)  The dough will be much easier to roll if you let it rest for 10-20 min, covered with plastic wrap. Heat skillet over med heat. Roll  ball of dough out into a very thin circle, about 7-8".

Put rolled-out dough onto heated skillet and cook for about 15 seconds  you should see some puffy spots and browning. Shake the skillet a little to slide the tortilla around if it gets too puffy. Flip every 15 to 20 seconds—it shouldn't take more than a minute or so. (I had to do a minute on each side)

Wrap cooked tortillas in kitchen towel to keep warm and soft, or store in a tortilla warmer while you cook the remaining tortillas. If you have leftovers, store them for up to a week in fridge in a zip-top bag or airtight container, or in freezer.

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Eight: Pecan Pumpkin Butter

How is it that I'm not the biggest fan of Pumpkin butter OR Pecan butter, but this pecan pumpkin butter from the Messy Baker is somehow magically delicious.

Yeah, let's combine 2 somethings, both made of things that you like, that turn into something you don't like, but you combine them and it is suddenly amazing.  That's some kind of new crazy math.  I have no idea how it works.  Who really cares?!  Make this and shove it in your face.  It's bloody scrumpdiddilyumptious.

Pecan Pumpkin Butter from The Messy Baker
1/2 c toasted, salted pecans
1/4 c pumpkin puree
2 T maple syrup
1/2t  pumpkin pie spice (I used apple pie spice just to be difficult)
1/4 t vanilla extract

Blend the pecans in the food processor until they get smooth and creamy. Add everything else, making sure to scrape down the sides.  Blend until combined and smooth.  This spread is great on toast, honey wheat pretzels, apples, graham crackers and, well, that's all I've tried.  Go crazy!  

30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Seven: Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Muffins

Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Muffins is a mouthful, but one I don't mind saying as long as they wind up in my mouth. 

I found this recipe over at Bakeaholic Mama.  Originally, the recipe calls for baking them in 2 loaf pans.  I don't do so well with quick bread.  Ahem, let me rephrase that, my restraint doesn't do so well with quick bread.  I will eat the whole loaf in one sitting.  For some reason I feel able to stop after 2 with muffins.  Although, with this recipe, it was still a strain on my will power.  I'm pretty sure it's the cinnamon...aka the crack of spices.

Vegan Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Muffins from Bakeaholic Mama
2 c flour
1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 c brown sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 T cinnamon
15 oz fresh pumpkin puree
1 c vegetable oil
1/3 c honey (To make it vegan substitute maple syrup)
1/3 c water

TOPPING:
1/2 c flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
2 T cinnamon
2 T vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or line 2 muffin tins with paper wrappers. In lg bowl mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl mix pumpkin, oil, honey, and water. Add wet to dry.  Using large ice cream scoop, portion batter into muffin cups. In sm bowl mix topping ingredients with a fork until slightly crumbly. Sprinkle over tops of each muffin. Bake for 45 min - 1 hr 15 min. (you can also bake in 2 loaf pans for the same time)Or until a tooth pick is inserted and comes out clean. Allow muffins to rest for 20 min before removing from pans. (you can also bake in 2 loaf pans for the same time)