Woo-Hoo Wednesday-And Baby Makes Five

I am on Maternity Leave from September 4th till October 12th: The following is contributed by Colleen at And Baby Makes Five.

Greetings from Midcoast Maine! My name is Colleen and I'm happily popping over today from And Baby Makes Five for a little food related (and guest posting) fun. I'm so glad to be here!

Fall is, without a doubt, my very favorite season. Especially here in New England. There's nothing quite like the crisp air and colorful foliage, throwing on a fleece, taking a walk, or heading out to our favorite apple orchard and pumpkin patch for some long awaited Saturday morning fun. It's a bountiful, beautiful, and enjoyable time ... and it always leads me back to my kitchen. As the mom of three little (and getting bigger!) ones, it's both a necessity and a comfort to get back into the baking and making groove this time of year.

So with that sentiment in mind, I thought it would be fun to share a few of our fresh baked fall favorites with you today ... just in case you're feeling ready to focus on good food, good times, and a warm kitchen too.

Autumn Oatmeal

(inspired by a recipe from Deceptively Delicious)

1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin**
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tsps. peanut butter
dried fruit, granola, maple syrup and/or nuts, for garnish

Combine milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in oatmeal. Reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes, until creamy. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter, garnish and serve. (We like to garnish ours with dried cranberries, homemade granola, and a drizzle of maple syrup.)

** One 16 oz. can of pumpkin puree yields enough to make four batches of oatmeal. I freeze 1/4 cup portions in ziploc baggies and then defrost as needed to prepare the oatmeal. Just put a baggy in the fridge the night before or thaw it in a bowl of hot water in the morning.**

Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins

(based on a recipe from Allrecipes)

3/4 cup wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup butterscotch chips

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugars, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin puree, and melted butter. Stir into dry mixture and add butterscotch chips. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins and bake at 350º for 17-20 minutes. Makes roughly 18 standard-sized muffins.

Pumpkin Ribbon Bread
(a family recipe from Auntie Elly)

Filling:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 T flour
1 egg
2 tsp. grated orange zest

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour together until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Stir in zest and set aside.


Batter:

1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 325º. Combine pumpkin, oil, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, and spice. Mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda. Spray two 9x5 pans and pour about 1/4 batter in each pan. Spread half of filling in each pan. Top with remaining pumpkin batter. Bake 70-90 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (**I often bake these up in four mini pans for about 60-65 minutes.**)


NOTE: Last year's pumpkin harvest was a bleak one thanks in part to an incredibly wet summer ... which means that this year canned pumpkin in predicted to be in short supply. If you're having trouble finding it in the stores, you can make your own and freeze it.


Thanks so much for having me! Please be sure to stop by and say hello when you have the chance. It's always a treat to welcome new and old friends alike. Happy Fall!