Pumpkin Soup
1 shallot, chopped fine
2 tbsp butter
2 large cans of pumpkin puree (plain)
2 cans chicken broth, one large and one small
4-6 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp each salt and pepper
Pinch of each: rosemary, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1 cup heavy cream (can substitute light cream or Half & Half)
Saute shallots in butter. Add chicken broth, then pumpkin and stir well. Add the remaining ingredients except the cream. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer five minutes. Add cream and blend well. Heat through, but do not boil.
2 parts vanilla vodka
1 part pumpkin spice liqueur
1 part Half & Half (fat free if desired)
Pour all into shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into chilled martini glass. (You can pre-dip the rim of the glass with cinnamon sugar for added sweetness.) Garnish with marshmallow peep pumpkin. Enjoy!
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This Pumpkin Soup recipe comes from one of Cousins' biggest fans, Maria O'Brien:
Take one medium-sized pumpkin. Cut it in half and remove all the seeds. Put the two halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the pumpkin halves with Pam or rub them with a light coat of oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and roast at 350 or 375 until the pumpkin is golden brown and soft. On separate baking sheet (without parchment paper) roast a handful of baby carrots. Same preparation (spray or rub with oil) and roast.
While your pumpkin and carrots are roasting take basic chicken stock—one or two boxes depending on how much soup you want, and heat it in a pot. Start with one box and you can always add more stock. Add a cup or so of peeled baby carrots and a medium-sized onion and boil in the broth until soft.
Once the pumpkin is roasted, scrape out the "meat" and put it in the soup. Take out your handy-dandy stick blender and zizz up the contents of the pot.
Serve hot with the roasted carrots as a garnish for the top of the finished soup. If you want to play around with adding heavy cream you can but I never do.
OK...Now see if you can make it!"
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This yummy recipe comes from a Cousin herself, Lisa:
Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Topping
I admit it, fall is my favorite season. I love the falling leaves, the crisp chill in the air and the smell. Oh how I love the smell.—hot apple cider, cinnamon and of course, pumpkin. I stand by the thermostat and count down the days until I can shut off the air and open the windows. As soon as I can do that, it's time to make pumpkin muffins with brown sugar topping. It makes me smile…☺ So go open the windows and make these muffins. Ah, Autumn, I’ve missed you so!
For the muffins you'll need:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp salt
3 cups sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (I use Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin)
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large (12 count) muffin cups and 1 loaf pan. (This recipe makes enough for both.)
Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a mixer combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water. Beat until mixed and then add flour mixture. Beat until mixed and spoon batter into muffin cups and loaf pan.
For the topping you'll need:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
¼ cup diced, chilled butter
Clean the mixer. Combine the brown sugar and flour. Mix well and then add the diced butter and mix until just crumbly. Add topping to each muffin and the loaf.
Bake the muffins 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake the loaf 50-55 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Get yourself a tall glass of milk, put on your most comfy PJs, and watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown." It doesn't get better than this.
Just made Lisa's Pumpkin Muffins ... They are AMAZING ... they melt in your mouth ... Too bad there will be no leftover muffins to test out Lisa's "How to Keep Leftover Muffins Fresh" kitchen tip!! Thanks CITK for another fantastic recipe!
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