Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Sarah

So, these are still my most favorite muffins of all time, not to mention the treat that got me addicted to pumpkin in the first place, but you know me… I just had to try another recipe. I had to see if there *might* be some other pumpkin muffins that compare. And let me tell you, these muffins are fantastic.

These light and springy Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins are so flavorful and addicting. What really makes these fall treats pop is the swirl of pumpkin pie spice in the mix, mingling with a pumpkin and banana-laced batter.

I know making your own pumpkin pie spice blend is the hot thing to do these days, but personally, I swear by Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie Spice. I love how this blend includes more than the typical cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves–mixing in lemon peel and cardamom takes a typical fall flavor palate from simple to sophisticated. I know I could buy my own cardamom and ground lemon peel and make my own mix, but at $1.99 per jar, my buddy T.J. can’t be beat.

Dipping the warm muffins in a mixture of pumpkin pie spice sugar [like cinnamon sugar, but way better] after they come out of the oven takes these muffins over the top. They’re almost reminiscent of tiny little pumpkin spice doughnut holes that no one can resist, including me. I think I need to go make another batch right away!

Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins [from Iowa Girl Eats]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 of a medium sized banana, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. In a smaller bowl, mix together banana, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until well combined.

Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove

Meanwhile, mix together white sugar and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.

Cool in tins for 3 minutes, then remove muffins, dunk in melted butter, and roll in pumpkin pie spice sugar. Serve warm.

Time: 30 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 36 mini muffins.

Pumpkin Brownies

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Sarah

So I have totally been slacking on Pumpkin Month. But don’t despair! I have some great pumpkin recipes to share this week that I am so, so excited about to make up for it. First up is one of my absolute favorite fall desserts… Pumpkin Brownies. Normally I am a brownie purist, but this time, I’ve made an exception. Pumpkin is a fun add-in to any recipe, so why not experiment with pumpkin in my brownies?

I first made these brownies last fall, but they disappeared before I ever got a photo. That is just a tiny glimpse into just how delicious they are, because this happened several times. Making the same recipes over and over again is just not something that I do–there are too many good recipes out there so it is very rare!

Needless to say, I was incredibly excited about fall this year so that I could have an excuse to enjoy these festive fall treats. These brownies are rich, fudgy, and chewy–everything a perfect brownie should be in my book. Combined with layers of spiced pumpkin cake, Pumpkin Brownies make the perfect festive seasonal treat that even the non-pumpkin obsessed can love. [If you read regularly, you'll know that I'm referring to my husband as one of the members of that club. ] Slivers of these brownies are delicious any way they are served–warm out of the pan, at room temperature, or chilled from the fridge, though I have to say that room temperature is best.

If you’ll excuse me now, I’m going to go hobble off and lament the fact that we don’t have any of these brownies freshly baked. They would be the perfect recovery fuel for the Columbus Marathon on Sunday. We’re still feeling the soreness of the day, but we finished and had fun running together. I’m so proud of Ben finishing his first full marathon! Even if it’s his first and only marathon, he did an awesome job pushing through the pain and helping me run through some unfortunate knee pain that I’ve never experienced before. If he hadn’t been there, it would have been easy to give up, but instead we kept at it and crossed the finish line hand in hand. It was a great experience that I loved sharing with my husband.

Reader Question ~ What’s one of your most recent proudest accomplishments?

Pumpkin Brownies [from anecdotes and apple cores]

printable version

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
15 tablespoons [2 sticks – 1 tablespoon] butter, melted
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 1/8 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, combine melted better, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time and then fold in flour slowly until completely incorporated. Divide the batter in half evenly into two bowls.

In one bowl, stir in cocoa and chocolate chips. In the other, stir in pumpkin and spices.

Spread half of the chocolate batter into the bottom of the dish. Pour half of the pumpkin batter on top. Repeat the layers and then drag a knife through the layers gently to marbleize it. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.

Time: 60 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 24 servings.

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Spinach Lasagna

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Sarah

So, I’m not usually one to share a recipe the same day I make it, but today, I’ve made an exception… because pumpkin is just that good.

Behold, the glory that is Pumpkin, Sausage, and Spinach Lasagna! Or, as Ben is apt to call it, lasumpkin. But, with no offense to my handsome husband, “lasumpkin” just doesn’t sound that appetizing. In fact, it sounds a wee bit sketchy and gross. I think that’s why he chose that fine name for this dish… because he thought it would taste sketchy and gross and weird. See, the thing is, I’ve had my eye out on pumpkin lasagna recipes for over a year, since before I made this. I found several recipes floating around the internet here and here, but never really made them because they sounded too rich or just not my thing. So he’s had a year to ponder and fear the depths of “lasumpkin.” But he tried it. And liked it. For that, I am thrilled.

I’ll warn you at the outset–this is not your typical lasagna. Don’t be wary because of the pumpkin and nutmeg. This is not a dessert lasagna where fruit and chocolate hide underneath pumpkin-laden noodles. On the contrary, my Pumpkin, Sausage, and Spinach Lasagna is a fresh take on an old classic, and is most definitely a hearty, savory main course to remember.

For a fresh take on lasagna, look no further! Nary a tomato can be found in the sauce, but all other typical fixings are present–noodles, sauce, cheese, and meat. Like other savory pumpkin or squash dishes, a plethora of herbs and spices work hard to accent the chameleon-like abilities of the pumpkin puree to adapt to whatever taste palate is being summoned. The creamy sauce is further enhanced by the use of sweet Italian sausage instead of the average ground beef. The richness of the ricotta cheese is tempered by the addition of iron-rich spinach, thrown in at the eleventh hour to use up some greens on their way out. Best. decision. ever. If there’s ever a time to have a bright orange and green pasta dish, October is where it’s at! The spinach/ricotta layer reminded the husband think of spinach manacotti, which he apparently loves. Win/win for the familiarity card that got seconds of lasumpkin on the husband’s dinner plate.

So, all that being said [I must be long-winded tonight... or just excited.], I really hope you’ll give Pumpkin, Sausage, and Spinach Lasagna a try sometime in this fall season. Not only is pumpkin good for you with it’s beta-carotene, immune-boosting carotenoids, and abundant fiber and potassium, but it tastes good too–in sweet and savory dishes. So do me a favor and try it out soon. I’d love to know what you think!

Reader Question ~ Anyone else have crazy names for foods/recipes to share? Or am I alone in the land of lasumpkin?

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Spinach Lasagna [a Pajama Chef original]
printable version

Ingredients:

8 ounces lasagna noodles
16 ounces ground mild Italian sausage
1/2 cup onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
29 ounces pumpkin puree
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh sage, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch salt
15 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
2 cups fresh spinach, packed tight
1 egg
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2-2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated [I didn't measure this...]

Directions:

Begin by boiling a large pot of water and preheating the oven to 400 degrees

Then, brown sausage in a deep skillet and drain fat. Set aside and saute the onions and garlic. Then return sausage to pan and add pumpkin, milk, sage, pepper, nutmeg, and oregano. Stir together and taste, adding salt and/or more pepper if necessary. Set aside.

When water is boiling, add noodles and cook to just under al dente.

Meanwhile, pulse together ricotta, spinach, and egg in a food processor until smooth.

When noodles are ready, assemble lasagna by spreading a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Top with a third of the noodles, a third of the spinach/ricotta mixture, and a third of the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat twice, finishing with a layer of sauce. [I always skimp on the sauce in the layers, preferring to have plenty to cover the dish with and ensure that noodles don't crisp in the oven.]

Bake lasagna for 35-40 minutes or until hot. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Time: 65-70 minutes [30 minutes active].

Yield: 12-14 servings [leftovers are great frozen].

Pumpkin Spread

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Sarah

I’m so excited for 31 days of pumpkin. I can hardly believe it is here! I thought I’d start the month off with a little something simple, but utterly tasty and unmistakably pumpkin. Because, of course, we don’t want to forget that this is a month to celebrate pumpkin after all.

I whipped up this tasty pumpkin spread as a way to give a little oomph to a recent lazy Saturday breakfast of waffles. The waffles… not so tasty. Edible, but not awesome. The spread… definitely my new favorite thing to enjoy by the spoonful! And yes, that is pumpkin granola that you see atop the spread of love. Pumpkin x2 is perfectly perfect in my book.

Reflecting on this tasty treat now, this is basically a hybrid pumpkin butter and pumpkin pie filling, except way simpler and [somewhat] healthier. You take your pumpkin, you take your sweetener, you take your spices, you mix it all together, and BOOM! pumpkin party in a bowl. It’s a fabulous way to get your fill of pumpkin in a non-threatening manner to the non-pumpkin affectionados in your life, like my dear husband. [Is that enough "non"s in a sentence for you? Ha!] I basically gobbled this stuff down in a day and then made some more, because let’s face it–everything can use a dose of pumpkin goodness.

Reader Question ~ What would you top with pumpkin spread?

Pumpkin Spread [a Pajama Chef original]
printable version

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canned pumpkin [not pumpkin pie filling]
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin, syrup, and spices. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. Serve on waffles, pancakes, or toast; stir into yogurt or oatmeal; dip apples or pears in it, or enjoy by the spoonful.

Yield: ~1/4 cup.

Time: <5 minutes.

October is…

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Sarah

PUMPKIN MONTH 2011! Well, at least in my little world. I hope you join in the fun.

Last year I had a week of pumpkin where I shared many of my favorite pumpkin recipes. Check them out here, and come back the rest of the month to see how my adventures with pumpkin in a variety of ways over the 31 days of pumpkin here at The Pajama Chef. We’ll be enjoying pumpkin:

in main dishes,
in snacks,
in desserts,
in decorating,
and in many, many other ways!

Don’t worry, non-pumpkin lovers… you’ll be converted soon! Or you can just enjoy the non-pumpkin posts of the month. I can’t wait for everything to begin on Monday! In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you about the best pumpkin dishes you’ve ever had–with recipes if possible. I’d love to have more ideas for this great month!

[pumpkin image source]