pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

RECIPE: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c pumpkin puree
1 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1 egg
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 c (1 pkg) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix all ingredients until well-incorporated (usually wet first, mix, then add dry, mix, then add choc chips). Bake on a cookie sheet or stone at 350F for 10 minutes.

german pancakes with pumpkin

It was a beautiful fall day today, and I was feeling creative.  So as I mixed up my well-loved-by-kiddos German Pancake recipe, I tossed in some pumpkin puree and a dash of nutmeg.  It turned out good.  Different.  The entire consistency of the pancakes changed, making it more of a cake-looking concoction.   But it tasted more like a custard.  It was good.  I'd try it again.  Maybe with more pumpkin next time...



RECIPE: German Pancakes with Pumpkin

Yield: 8 servings
Calories:

Ingredients:
1/2 cube (1/4 c) butter
1 c. flour
1 c. vanilla almond milk
1 c. pumpkin puree
6 eggs
1/4 c. sugar
dash salt
dash nutmeg
cinnamon (to taste)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix/whisk all ingredients.  Pour the batter into a PAM-sprayed casserole dish.  Sprinkle the whole thing with (more) cinnamon, then pop the whole thing into the oven. Bake for 30-35ish minutes, or until the center is stiff and non-goopy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with maple syrup.

soothing pumpkin soup with swiss cheese paninis

I got this recipe off Studio5 (recipe submitted by one Laura Wolford) a couple years back. We LOVE it! It's a bit unusual, so we have to be careful who we invite over to share it, but we think it's pretty great. I altered it a bit this time around because I didn't have any cream on hand. Instead, I used 16ish oz. of evaporated milk and threw in a couple tablespoons of butter {can't be too healthy, right?}. It tasted great. We couldn't tell the difference. I think this substitution is ideal for making this even more convenient and easy, but here’s the cream version. Also, I reduced the sugar (by a third!) and couldn’t even tell- so we’ll do it that way now. And upped the garlic a bit. Because, garlic. 

We also grilled up a few swiss cheese paninis on wheat bread for the perfect fall-weather meal (also great open faced). Mmmm... autumn!

RECIPE: Soothing Pumpkin Soup

Serves: 4

Calories: 141

Ingredients:

3 c. chicken stock**

1 c. whipping cream

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree {NOT pie filling}

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1-2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

dash nutmeg

fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

chopped fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish {not necessary}

**Note: You really want either stock or broth, but not bullion. It comes out way too salty with bullion- especially the Mexican kind. :(

Directions:

Bring chicken stock and cream to a boil. Whisk in remaining ingredients except garnish. Reduce to simmer and let cook 15 minutes. Season to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish if desired.

RECIPE: Swiss Cheese Paninis

Ingredients:

bread slices

butter/margarine

swiss cheese, sliced

Directions:

Easy-peasy. For each panini, just butter two pieces of bread (one side of each) and throw sliced swiss between the two slices (cheese touching the non-buttered sides). Grill them up for a few minutes on each side (use a griddle, frying pan, George Foreman, panini-maker, whatever works), or until cheese is melty and bread is browned and crisp. Slice in half if desired and serve with soup.

Mmm... what a quick, easy, delicious meal. Enjoy!