Pumpkin Dip - with orange zest

We love pumpkin anything, and I remembered a dip we had last year at Thanksgiving, from Trader Joe's - creamy, lots of spices, great with ginger snaps. I found a recipe online and played with it a little bit, and the result was amazing- I don't remember the previous dip having an additional orange flavor, and I thought it was a wonderful combination. I served it with ginger snaps and apple slices (tossed with orange juice to prevent browning, since we took the dish to a party).

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened ( used Neufchatel cheese)
1 1/4- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, to taste
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon orange zest

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange zest until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.

Serve with ginger snaps, apple slices, graham crackers, pear slices- the dip itself is gluten-free.

Adapted from allrecipes

Low Fat Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins (from Pioneer Woman)

I found these muffins via her tastykitchen website - I didn't have a box of cake mix, so I made the "from scratch" version of the mix that is below the original recipe. Everyone really liked them!

This makes ~18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 package (about 18 Oz. Size) German Chocolate Cake Mix Or Make Your Own Chocolate Cake Mix (See Note)

1 can (15 Oz. Size) Pure Pumpkin

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

FOR OPTIONAL HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX:

1-¾ cup Flour (I used 1/2 white & 1/2 white whole wheat)

1-½ cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

½ teaspoons Salt

⅔ cups Unsweetened Cocoa

Preheat oven 350ºF. Line or grease a muffin tin. Makes 18-24 muffins, depending on how full you fill each cup. I baked mine at 400*
Mix cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend with mixer on low 1 minute, scrape down. Or mix by hand.
Increase speed to medium 2 minutes. Scrape down. Batter will be thick.
Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin tin. Bake 20-25 minutes. (or 10-12 minutes at increased temperature.)

 

Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter

Have you ever had pumpkin butter? I'd heard of it before, and tried sweet potato butter at my parents' house, and some friends gave me their pumpkins, squashes and gourds - so I decided it was worth a try. I found several different recipes online and put together my own. These websites were both helpful: skinnycrockpot & how to make pumpkin butter
You can use either fresh cooked/pureed pumpkin OR canned OR a combination of both. I used a 4 or 5 quart crock pot, and filled it to within 2 inches of the top:

4-6 cups fresh pumpkin
1 can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups apple juice (or cider)
1-2 cups sugar or brown sugar (I used 1 at first, and then added at least 1/2 cup more)
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice

Stir well, cover and cook 8-10 hours on low. I added more cinnamon and another 1/2 cup sugar at the end. This is fantastic- it's great on rolls, in plain yogurt, or just alone, warm with half and half drizzled over it. There are lots of warnings about canning pumpkin butter - I'm not a canner, so I didn't pay attention. :) I put half of it in the freezer for later.

Delicious Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

These are easy-peasy! When the girls were young, and I was a frazzled mama, a dear friend invited us over and made them, allowing the girls to help.

1 box Spice Cake mix
1 can pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
1/3 cup water
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix first 3 ingredients; stir in chips. Spoon into cupcake tins (batter will be very thick). Bake as directed on box.

That's it - super yummy, great for fall - we took them our church dinner last night and only had a few left to take home.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was in the mood for something pumpkin-y, and we have a covered dish lunch tomorrow - I found these at Sweet Pea's Kitchen, which looks like a great website. I added nutmeg, and baked it on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan so I'd have more for the lunch. My changes are in bold type.

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Bar:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar (I used 1 1/3 cups)
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used 3 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda


For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. (I used a jelly roll pan, and lined it with parchment paper sprayed with PAM)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin on medium speed until light and fluffy. I did this mixing by hand.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.
Hand mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

the EASIEST cake ever - no eggs, no oil, but very moist

a friend shared this with me several years ago, and we use it regularly. No one believes me when I tell them there are no eggs or oil added. We made it for a birthday party when two of the guests were allergic to eggs.

1 cake mix
1 can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup water

Mix, then bake as usual. That's it - we've made chocolate cake, spice cake, and I've done it with a yellow cake, although we prefer chocolate or spice. And of course, chocolate chips are wonderful when added to the cake batter :) We've made cupcakes, mini cupcakes, round cakes and sheet cakes - they all turn out well.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

A fellow homeschooler shared this recipe from allrecipes.com, and I think it is a new favorite in our house. They are cake-like, and very good plain, as well as iced. We have some leftover cream cheese icing, which we'll use in place of the powdered sugar glaze. I doubled the recipe without any problems.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tsp ground ginger (I added this)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar (I used 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 122 | Total Fat: 3.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg

Pumpkin Muffins (these are GOOD!)

These are really moist muffins, and perfect for fall. I found this recipe on the internet, but lost the link.

1 2/3 cups flour (I use at least half whole wheat)
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup oil
1/2 - 2/3 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin (1 can)

Mix flour through spices together. In separate bowl mix remaining ingredients. Combine wet and dry, mixing just until moistened through. Bake in greased muffin tins at 400* for 12-15 minutes. Makes 12.

Pumpkin Bread

We made this in our family when I was a kid; this is a mainstay in my family and we give it as gifts as mini-loaves. One recipe makes 6 mini-loaves.

Sift together and make a well:
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1 /2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp nutmeg

Mix together and add to dry ingredients:
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 can (2 cups) pumpkin

Bake at 350' - mini loaves take ~25 minutes.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

these are really good

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped peeled apples

TOPPING:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

1.In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Combine eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle 1 teaspoon over each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.