Fall is in the air and everything is officially pumpkin spice flavored.  As far as Southern Californians are concerned, the more pumpkin the better.  With that being said, I figured I would share my favorite pumpkin recipes, that (shock) actually have real pumpkin in it! (unlike most of the pumpkin spiced things in the grocery stores…and Starbucks)

#1:  Pumpkin Puree Soup

This is my new favorite fall soup and we make it a few times each fall/winter.  It includes very few ingredients and yet it is FILLED with amazing flavor.  I know a puree sounds kind of weird…and you will be tempted to eat the soup pre-puree, but just trust when I say that puree-ing it makes it THAT much better.  Just do it and you can thank me later.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube sausage (we use spicy)
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 large can pumpkin (or equivalent amount of fresh)
• 2 yams (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 6 C chicken stock
• 1/2 C packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C milk (of your choice)

Directions:

1. Cook sausage in a large stockpot until cooked through (no need to remove grease, it helps saute veggies).
2. Add onion and cook until soft.  Add thyme, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.  Cook 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and brown sugar.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, until veggies are tender.
4. In blender puree soup in small batches until all chunks are gone.  Return to pot and stir in milk.  Warm but do not boil.
5. Best served with homemade dense bread.

Homemade Gluten Free Bread

I have made quite a few gluten free breads in my day and this one is so far my favorite recipe.  It is nice a dense and perfect for dipping into the soup but it is still light and yummy.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1/4 C honey
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs xanthan gum
• 1/3 C cornstarch
• 3 C gf flour
• 1 tbs yeast

Directions:

1. Put ingredients in bread maker in the order your break maker specifies.
2. Wait for break maker to do it’s thing.  Done!

#2:  Pumpkin Cupcakes

This recipe I literally just invented one day.  Pumpkin Patch Cake is our family tradition (recipe below), but it makes SO many servings and sometimes I just want a smaller serving (and frosting!!).  After making this once my husband and I were hooked and I make these for all fall/winter events.  And like always, it is gluten and milk free!!  (I know I have a ton of pictures but I can’t seem to find any, will post when I can find them)

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 1 box GF yellow cake mix
• 15oz (one small can) pumpkin pie filling
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• Pecan Topping:
• 1/2 C butter (or butter alternative of choice)
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 C diced pecans

Directions:

1. Cook butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan until melted and bubbling.  Add pecans and mix well.  Remove from heat.
2. Mix cupcake ingredients.  Fill cupcake pans with cupcake liners.  Fill about half way full with cupcake mix.
3. Top cupcake mix with a spoonful of pecan mix.  If needed, spread pecan mix so it makes an even layer.  With both mixtures cupcake pans should only be 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
5. Top with cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Homemade Milk Free Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 tub soy cream cheese
• 1 bag powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk (of your choice)

Directions:

1. Empty tub of cream cheese into a mixing bowl
2. Add a splash of vanilla extract, a few tbs of milk, and a cup of powdered sugar.
3. Mix with a hand mixer until it is all smooth.
4. If mixture is too runny (which it usually is) add more powdered sugar, if mixture is too thick, add a very small amount of milk.  Keep playing with the ratios until it is nice and thick.
5. Spoon frosting into a gallon baggie.  Seal.  Cut one of the corners of the baggie off to use as a piping bag.  Squeeze frosting and swirl onto cupcakes.

#3: Pumpkin Patch Cake

Like I mentioned above, this has been a family staple since my mom found the recipe many, many years back.  We make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every single year since I can remember.  Even when I realized my gluten and milk allergy, I was able to tweak the recipe to make it allergy friendly, because I refuse to make anything I can’t eat!!  (Sorry there is no picture, I will post one when we make it for Thanksgiving.)

Ingredients:

• 1 large can pumpkin
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1 C milk (of choice)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box GF yellow cake mix
• 1 C melted butter
• 2 C chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Mix together pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, salt, spice, and 1/3 of the dry cake mix.
2. Pour into greased 13X9 inch cake pan.
3. Sprinkle remaining dry cake mix on top.  Sprinkle nuts on top of cake mix.  Drizzle melted butter over the entire cake.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes and then for 325 degrees for 15 minutes.  Shake cake.  If center is still wiggly, bake for longer until the center stops to wiggling.  The cake will slightly set as it cools.
5. Top with a huge dollop of whipped cream.

#4: Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Last year we had no winter in Southern California.  I think the coldest day was about 85 degrees F.  We were not in the mood for hot dessert, so I decided to whip up some cold dessert.  I have “made” my own ice cream before, so I thought I would add a fall spin to it.  And by “make” my own ice cream, what I do is mix ingredients into plain old vanilla soy ice cream.  That is the most annoying part being lactose intolerant, they make some pretty great alternative ice creams, but the most exciting flavor they make is chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 tub soy vanilla ice cream
• 1 small can pumpkin pie filling
• 1 C (or more if you like it chocolaty) chocolate chips
• 1 C (or more or less) chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts would probably taste best)

Directions: 

1. Empty the entire ice cream tub into a blender.
2. Add about half or so of the pumpkin pie filling, blend until mixed.  Taste, if the flavor is too light, add more.
3. Add the chocolate chips and nuts.  Lightly blend until it is fully mixed, but the chocolate chips and nuts are still fairly whole.
4. Pour mixture back into the original tub.  Freeze for at least a few hours, until frozen throughout.

#5: Pumpkin Cheese Nut Roll

This recipe I found in “The Bread Machine Cookbook II” that my mother-in-law gave me when she gave me my bread machine.  I have made it a few times and it is a LOT of work (unless you enjoy rolling own dough) but the taste is worth it.  Had to tweak the recipe a bit to make it GF.

Ingredients:

• Bread:
• 1/4 C water
• 2/3 C pumpkin
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 2 C bread flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp yeast
• Filling:
• 4 oz softened cream cheese (can use soy)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 C chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

1. Mix filling ingredients together.
2. Make dough either in bread machine or by hand.
3. Roll dough into a rectangle.  Spread filling evenly on top.  Roll in a jelly-roll fashion starting at one of the wide ends.  Pinch seams closed.
4. Place on greased baking sheet, cover and let rise about 30 minutes.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown.