Hobi Pumpkin

Thought I would put in one more pumpkin dish before October comes to an end. My friend who is a health nut gave me this recipe. It is really, really, really good - especially if you like pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, and cream cheese! I have not made it this year, so no picture. Just imagine in your mind a beautiful, little pumpkin full of some of Fall's best flavors with cream cheese and graham crackers on the side waiting to be topped with the deliciousness that is the Hobi Pumpkin!

1 small pie pumpkin, top removed and cleaned
2 c. chopped apples, preferably granny smith
1 c. raisins, (I prefer the golden)
1 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbs lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and place inside the pumpkin. Top with the pumpkin lid and place in a baking dish. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. When the pumpkin comes out of the oven, let it cool a few minutes before diving in. While cooling, get out the graham crackers and the cream cheese. Spread a graham cracker with the amount of cream cheese just right for you - then go to the pumpkin and scoop out some of the delicous apple goodness along with scrapping the sides of the pumpkin to add some extra goodness to your spoon. Top your graham cracker with the pumpkin applely goodness and enjoy!!

This can be served warm or cold. Usually after a few bites of warm delicousness, I will empty the pumpkin out, scrap the sides of the pumpkin, and mix it all together in a bowl and put it away in the fridge. This is what stops me from eating it all in one sitting. Changes can easily be made to the recipe to reflect your family's tastes.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

So I didn't take the picture. Or for that matter come up with the recipe. Both are from a favorite food blog smitten kitchen. Her posts are funny and sometimes even better than the recipes are her funny pictures and comments about her son. But anyhow, i digress. These doughnuts are amazing. Everything below the title is all the author but here are a couple of notes from my experience:

- The author says that the cider should reduce to 1/4 of a cup in about 20 minutes. Mine took closer to 45, just put it on early and let it simmer and simmer, longer than you would think.

- The doughnuts are supposed to go in the fridge for 20 minutes before you fry them. 20 minutes is definitely only a starting time. I have left my doughnuts in for alot longer without any problems.

- I have only ever dipped the doughnuts in cinnamon and sugar so I can't say anything about the glaze except that after dipping them in cinnamon and sugar I wouldn't have them any other way.

- One more thing, a doughnut cutter makes these really really easy, that is the one special piece of equipment needed to make these and a 3.5 in cutter is a perfect size for smallish doughnuts and perfect sized doughnut holes (after eating 10 doughnuts you will appreciate that at least they were "smallish").

Apple Cider Doughnuts
Adapted from Lauren Dawson at Hearth Restaurant

Makes 18 doughnuts + 18 doughnut holes (suggested yield for a 3-inch cutter; my larger one yielded fewer)

Most apple cider doughnuts, despite their name, are kind of a bummer because they don’t taste very apple-y. One of the many things that appealed to me about this recipe was the way the apple cider was reduced and concentrated to hopefully give it more presence. And despite the fact that these are cake doughnuts, which have always played second fiddle to yeast doughnuts in my experience (likely because cake are more likely to get stale sooner, or you know, by the time you buy them), I think this is all the more reason to make them at home.

1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil or shortening (see my explanation in the post) for frying

Toppings (optional)
Glaze (1 cup confectioners’ sugar + 2 tablespoons apple cider)
Cinnamon sugar (1 cup granulated sugar + 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon)

Make the doughnuts: In a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed (with the paddle attachment, if using a standing mixer) beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.

Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn the dough onto one of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Using a 3-inch or 3 1/2-inchdoughnut cutter — or a 3 1/2-inch round cutter for the outer shape and a 1-inch round cutter for the hole from a set like this, as I did — cut out doughnut shapes. Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)

Add enough oil or shortening to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350°F*. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels.

Make your toppings (if using): While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners’ sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth; make the cinnamon sugar by mixing the two together. Set aside.

Fry and top the doughnuts: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels for a minute after the doughnuts are fried. Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze or cinnamon sugar mixture (if using) and serve immediately.

Halloween Apple "Bites"

These are very easy, very healthy and they are just fun.

1. Cut and core an apple into quarters.

2. Cut a wedge out of the peel side

3. Stick slivered almonds in to look like teeth.
(I was in a big hurry when I threw these together, so I am sure you can make your teeth arrangement more "fun.")

(Dip the slices in orange, lemon, or lime juice to maintain color if you're not serving them immediately. Then place slivered almonds.)

Happy Halloween!!

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin bars just don't have the same appeal in the summertime as they do in the fall.  Since autumn weather has finally arrived for us, I'm in the mood for this tasty dessert.  This gives you the same flavors and textures as a pumpkin roll without all the fuss of rolling it up.

4 eggs
1 cup salad oil
2 cups sugar
15 oz. pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup nuts (optional for some - not for me)

FROSTING:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted to break up lumps

Mix eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin into large bowl.  Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and nuts together and add to mixture.  Pour into greased and floured cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting:  Beat cheese, butter, vanilla, and milk together until soft.  Add powdered sugar until correct consistency.  Spread on bars.  Cuts better if chilled.  Store in refrigerator.

Sweet Potato Fries

This is not my favorite fall recipe, because that obviously will be a sweet treat. But these are DELISH!! Not to mention, EASY, PEASY. We eat these year round, not just in the fall. I'll grill them during nice grilling-weather months, otherwise I roast them in the oven.

Sweet Potato Fries:

Sweet Potatoes, cut into 1" wide wedges ( I keep the skin on, but you can peel them if you want)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
(can also use seasoned salt, chili powder, etc, get creative)

Heat bbq grill, OR preheat oven to 425 degrees
Put sweet potato wedges in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss.

To Grill: Grill on med/med-high flame. Grill appx 3-5 min on each side, keep watch so as to not turn them into charcoal :) They are done when they are fork tender.

For Oven: Spread wedges in a single layer on baking sheet and roast, stirring every 10 min, until tender, 30-35 min.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cream Cheese Syrup

Pancake Batter
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 to 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
2 to 3 tbsp. oil or melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients. Mix wet & dry ingredients together until moistened (try to avoid over mixing). Cook on skillet or griddle over medium heat.

The syrup requires a little experimenting. You can use canned cream cheese frosting thinned with milk, vanilla frosting mixed with some cream cheese then thinned, or make some cream cheese frosting from scratch. (You can try 4oz cream cheese, ¼ cup margarine, 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla, milk to thin to your desired consistency.) These are also good with regular maple syrup sprinkled with a little cinnamon.

Taco Soup

Here is a yummy and easy recipe that I really love. I just throw all the ingredients in a crock pot for a few hours and it's ready to go.

TACO SOUP

1 lb. ground beef (I prefer to use ground turkey)
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. can corn (do not drain)
15 oz. can black beans(do not drain)
15 oz. can kidney beans(do not drain)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1 envelope Taco Seasoning
1 small onion

garnishes - Fritos corn chips, shredded cheese, sour cream

Brown beef and onion. Throw all other ingredients together and heat.