Instant Pot Pork and Pumpkin Chili #PumpkinWeek

 This spicy, delicious chili is a perfect fall meal.  The pork is fork tender and the flavors are warm and comforting.

Welcome to Day 4 of Pumpkin Week........

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells #PumpkinWeek

These shells are stuffed with two kinds of cheese and pumpkin puree, then surrounded by marinara and baked to a melty deliciousness.  

Welcome to Day 3 of Pumpkin Week.......

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread #PumpkinWeek

 Flavored with all the warm spices of fall, this Pumpkin Zucchini bread is perfect for breakfast, snacks or served alongside the Fall Harvest Chowder that I shared yesterday.

Welcome to Day 2 of Pumpkin Week.......

Fall Harvest Chowder #PumpkinWeek

This chunky, vegetable packed chowder is made extra creamy with the addition of pumpkin puree.  It is one delicious bite of goodness after the other.  A perfect way to enjoy all of the end of season produce before it is gone.

Welcome to the first day of Pumpkin Week 2020......

Pumpkin Seafood Curry #Pumpkin Week #FishFridayFoodies

This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Beautiful tender shrimp and chunks of white fish cooked up  in a curried pumpkin sauce.  This delicious stew can be on your table in less than an hour.  Perfect for your next Fish Friday meal.

Please join me today as I celebrate the final day of Pumpkin Week with the Fish Friday Foodies team.......

Pumpkin Joes #PumpkinWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

This quick and easy recipe is sure to be a hit with the kids and is a great way to sneak some veggies into them.

Welcome to Day 4 of Pumpkin Week.........

Pumpkin Banana Bread #PumpkinWeek #FantasticalFoodFight

This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Tender, moist and lightly spiced, this banana pumpkin bread is perfect with coffee in the morning or with a cup of hot cider for an afternoon snack.

Welcome to Day #3 of Pumpkin Week.  Join me as I pit my recipe against those others competing in our Fantastical Food Fight.......

Pumpkin Cheesecake Milkshake #PumpkinWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Creamy and delicious.  Now you can enjoy all your favorite pumpkin cheesecake flavors through a straw!

Welcome to Day 2 of Pumpkin Week........

Stuffed Pumpkin to Welcome you to #PumpkinWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Sweet Italian sausage mixed with macaroni in a creamy sharp cheddar cheese sauce, stuffed inside of a pumpkin shell and baked to perfection.

What a great way to kick of Pumpkin Week 2018!!!!  Join us as we celebrate all things pumpkin and enter to win an awesome giveaway from our amazing sponsors!!

A Fun Filled Family Weekend and The Weekly Menu

Wasn't Pumpkin Week fun?  I hope you enjoyed it.  I know I did and I have a plethora of great pumpkin recipes to last me until well after Thanksgiving.

I shared two savory and three sweet recipes.  I started with Pumpkin Donuts on Monday.  Tuesday we enjoyed a tremendously delicious Pumpkin Lasagna.  Wednesday and Thursday were both sweet days with a Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake and some tasty Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I finished up with a Pumpkin and Fish Stew perfect for Fish Friday.

We have a break before we are celebrating Chocotoberfest but I have a week's worth of great, decadent recipes to share beginning October 15th.

But this week?  This week there are no week long cooking events but there is still a lot of fun going on.  For one thing, I am going to take part in a photo a day challenge on instagram.  Please stop by and see what photos I shoot each day. This event runs for 20 days starting October 9th.

Tonight, we are meeting Amy, Doug, Jen and Lili for dinner at an Italian Restaurant.  Another perk of having Lil attend University closer to us is that my TC family will be coming down more often to visit.

Tomorrow, on the blog, I will be sharing a great recipe taken from a Community Cookbook but we won't be eating our meals at home.  Frank is covering the dive shop for our friend's, the Wrona's, while they finish up the last of their open water certifications for their students.  I am going to Eastern Market with Amy, Jen and Lil.  We are singing at Mass in the afternoon followed by dinner at our sister in law, Rebecca's, home.

Sunday we will be working at the Harvest Dinner, held on the second Sunday of October each year at our church. 

Wednesday we are meeting John and Kirsten over at our friend's, Sr. Maryann's, for pizza and are then helping her to prepare for guests on Saturday as she hosts a thank you reception for those who helped celebrate her 60th Jubilee.

Other than that it will be a typical week around here.  I will be posting a recipe each day for different events, baking each day in preparation of Choctoberfest and cooking each day so we can eat.

So this is what will be served up here on the Farm this week. What's on your menu?

Saturday

Dinner at Rebecca's

Sunday

Harvest Dinner at Church

#MadeinFrance Monday 

French Braised Venison

Mashed Potatoes

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Sage Butter

French Baguettte

Toddler Tuesday

Macaroni and Cheese

Carrot and Celery Sticks with Ranch 

Wednesday

Pizza at Sr. Maryann's

Thursday

Leftovers before choir

Fish Friday

Crab Ravioli (moved from tonight)

Pumpkin and Fish Stew #PumpkinWeek #MadeinFrance

Wow....This is it....The Final Day of Pumpkin Week.  Didn't that seem to go very quickly?  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I.  So many amazing recipes.  Good thing that October is just beginning because I have well more than a month's worth of recipes that I want to try.

Please join me in thanking Terri of Love and Confections for all of her hard work on this event.  It is definitely a labor of love.

I wanted to serve another savory dish this week and, since today is Friday, I wanted to include some fish and seafood with my pumpkin.

I cannot begin to tell you how wonderfully delicious this Fish Stew turned out.  I only made a recipe for 2 and was kicking myself because it was so good that we couldn't get enough of it.  This is definitely going on the recipe rotation and I look forward to serving it to guests.

I found this recipe doing a google search.  I found a website out of Florida that listed 6 Must Make Pumpkin Fish Recipes for Fall, which in turn sent me to this recipe at Rachel's Kitchen NZ.  I adapted it to serve only two. You can, and I recommend, doubling or tripling this recipe.  I used cod instead of monkfish and I added some shrimp that I had in the freezer.  The shrimp was a wonderful addition to this stew.

I served this up with some French Bread and a wonderful glass of French Sur Lie that had been provided by Whole Foods for the #MadeinFrance event they sponsored yesterday.  You can read all about that in this post.  

Disclosure:  I received product from Whole Foods for the #MadeinFrance event.  Whole foods is not involved at all in #PumpkinWeek and did not request inclusion in this post.  I wanted to share the pairing because I thought it was lovely.  All content and opinions in this post are exclusively mine.

This stew was quick, easy and comforting.  It is the perfect Fall meal on a Fish Friday and would also be an elegant and beautiful starter or fish course for your next dinner party.  I think the next time I serve it as the main course, I will add some white beans to make it a bit more substantial.

Pumpkin and Fish Stew

adapted from Rachel's Kitchen NZ

2 c. pumpkin, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 t. olive oil

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with their juices

1 c. water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 t. dried Italian herbs, crushed

2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves

2 (4-6 oz) cod fillets, skinned and cut into bite size pieces

8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

salt and pepper to taste

Place the pumpkin into a microwave safe dish with a 1/2 c. of water. Cover partially and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside.

In a soup pot over med high heat, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes.   

Add the tomatoes, with their juices, the water, and the bouillon cube along with the Italian herbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the pumpkin, and simmer for about half an hour, until slightly thickened.

Stir in the spinach leaves.  When spinach is wilted add the fish and shrimp, cover and cook until shrimp are pink and fish is easily flaked with a fork.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Print Recipe

All the Final Fabulous Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Drink Recipes:

"Grown Up" Potter Pumpkin Juice from The Crumby Kitchen.
Hot'N'Spicy Pumpkin Margarita from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Pumpkin and Fish Stew from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pumpkin Chili from Making Miracles.
Pumpkin Crab Soup from Hardly A Goddess.
Pumpkin Pasta from Caroline's Cooking.
Thai Pumpkin Curry from Palatable Pastime.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread from The Freshman Cook.
Fall Harvest Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins from Cooking With Carlee.
Pumpkin Spice Milkshake from Family Around The Table.
Pumpkin Pie Cream Horns from Mildly Meandering.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Snowball Cookies from Love and Confections.

Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies from The Bitter Side of Sweet.
Pumpkin Spiced Banana Bread from Daily Dish Recipes.
Pumpkin Tiramisu from The Redhead Baker.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies #FilltheCookieJar during #PumpkinWeek

We are still celebrating Pumpkin Week, hosted by Terri of Love and Confections.  This annual event has been so much fun and, sadly, it is almost over.  We will be sharing our final recipes with you today and tomorrow and then put away our love of pumpkin until next week, or at least a day or two.  After all, we still have Thanksgiving coming up and pumpkin is mandatory at Thanksgiving!

I intend to come back and revisit all these wonderful recipes over the next few months. There are so many that I cannot wait to try.

Today, I am joining forces not only with the other Pumpkin Week bloggers but also with a group of friends that share their favorite cookie recipes each month as we Fill the Cookie Jar.  This great group is led by Cynthia of Feeding Big.

We meet up on the first Thursday of each month to Fill the Cookie Jar with cookies that match the theme chosen for the month.  I was happy to see that pumpkin was this months selection.  Life is so good!

This recipe that I am sharing today makes a ton of cookies.  I had enough to take for dessert when invited to a friend's house for dinner, supply cookies at a party for 40 people and still stick 3 dozen in the freezer to be enjoyed later.

They are so delicious.  If you like traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you are going to love this version with the addition of pumpkin and cinnamon.  They were a huge hit with kids and adults alike.

You will find links to both the Pumpkin Week recipes being shared today and the Fill the Cookie Jar recipes being shared this month following my recipe.  You are in for a treat!!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Allrecipes, submitted by Ken Sherer

1 1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

4 c. flour

2 c. rolled oats

2 t. cinnamon

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, soda, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture, using the low speed on your stand mixer, until combined.  Add the chocolate chips and fold in with the mixer still on low speed.

Drop onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper using a small cookie scoop.  Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Print Recipe

More Pumpkin Recipes

Here are today's #PumpkinWeek recipes:

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Pumpkin Farrotto from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Pumpkin Habanero Salsa from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen.
Pumpkin Quesadilla from Making Miracles.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Cinnamon Pumpkin Muddy Buddies from Love and Confections.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles from The Crumby Kitchen.

Pumpkin Chip Cookies from Palatable Pastime.
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting from Daily Dish Recipes.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish from It Bakes Me Happy.
Pumpkin Cream Puffs from The Redhead Baker.
Pumpkin Creme Brulee from Kudos Kitchen by Renee.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pumpkin Struesel Bar from Cookaholic Wife.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter from Mildly Meandering
Spiced Pumpkin Mini Cakes with Mulled Cranberries & Brandy Brown Butter Glaze from Bacon Fatte.

More Cookies to Fill the Cookie Jar

• Pumpkin Chip Cookies from Palatable Pastime  
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Ginger Snap Crust by That Recipe 
• Pumpkin Pie Tasssies by Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oat Squares from Join Us, Pull up a Chair 
• Pumpkin Streusel Bars From  Cookaholic Wife   

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake #PumpkinWeek meets #FoodieExtravaganza

Welcome to Day 3 of Pumpkin Week.  Today I'm gonna go a little nuts and combine Pumpkin Week with Foodie Extravaganza.

Foodie Extravaganza is a fun little group where we take turns hosting a party each month to celebrate National Food Holidays.  Caroline of Caroline's Cooking is hosting this month and chose the theme nuts, in honor of International Nut Day which happens on October 22nd.

I decided to make this Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake that I found on line by Nestle Very Best Baking. This was a very easy recipe and I made it pretty much as written.

I hope you have been enjoying all of these great pumpkin recipes we have been sharing thanks to Terri of Love and Confections.  I know that I have earmarked numerous recipes already and the week is only halfway through.  

So many wonderful, fall flavors and plenty of time before the Holidays in which to prepare and enjoy them.  

This Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake is perfect for your Thanksgiving table.  The praline is put together and then baked along with the cheesecake so you don't need to worry about overcooking on the stove.

I have to say that I hesitated a bit when I saw that the recipe called for 1/2 cup of cornstarch in the batter. That is not a misprint, however, and I am glad that I followed the recipe instead of adapting it otherwise.

The recipe said it serves 16, however I only got 12 servings from mine, changing the calorie and nutrition facts included on the website.

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake

very slightly adapted from Nestle

Crust:

1 sleeve graham crackers

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. melted butter

Praline:

2 c. pecans, chopped

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 T. water

Cheesecake:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. cornstarch

1 t. cinnamon

2 eggs

1 (30 oz) can Pumpkin Pie Mix

For Crust:

Run the graham crackers through a food processor to create crumbs (alternately place in a bag and roll with a rolling pin).  Combine in a bowl with the sugar.  Stir in the butter and press onto the bottom and 1" up the sides of a 9" springform pan.

For Praline:

Combine nuts, sugar and water in a bowl.  Reserve 3/4 cup and sprinkle the remaining mixture over the graham cracker crust.  Place in preheated 350* oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove to wire rack and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

For Cheesecake:

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Beat in the eggs and the pumpkin pie mix.  Pour into the springform pan over the crust.

Bake for an hour, until sides are set but center still moves slightly.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with reserved praline mixture.  Return to oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and completely set. Print Recipe

More Great Pumpkin Recipes

Here are today's #PumpkinWeek recipes:

Pumpkin Drink Recipes:

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup from The Nifty Foodie.

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Blackened Steak Tacos with Roasted Pumpkin, Sweet Corn and Red Bean Salsa from Bacon Fatte.
Chicken and Pumpkin Curry from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.
Pumpkin Beef Stew from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen.

Pumpkin Beer Bread Pudding from Forking Up.

Pumpkin-Poblano Salsa from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Pumpkin Risotto with Garlic and Sage from Making Miracles.
Pumpkin Sausage Mac and Cheese from Daily Dish Recipes.
Pumpkin Sausage Skillet Dinner from Cindy's Recipes and Writings.
Pumpkin Walnut Sage Pierogi from The Crumby Kitchen.
Savory Pumpkin Sage Biscuits from Kudos Kitchen by Renee.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Maple Pumpkin Monkey Bread from The Bitter Side of Sweet.
Pumpkin Chess Pie from The Spiffy Cookie.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies from Amy's Cooking Adventures.
Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins with a Pecan Oat Crumble from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks.
Pumpkin Dump Cake from Seduction in the Kitchen.
Pumpkin-Nut Crumble Cake from Hardly A Goddess.
Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs from Mildly Meandering.
Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip from An Affair from the Heart.
Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes from The Freshman Cook.
Whipped Pumpkin Pie Honey Butter from Love and Confections.
White Chocolate Pumpkin Biscotti from The Redhead Baker.

More Nutty Recipes

• Barberry Pistachio Saffron Rice by Food Lust People Love
• Canadian Pecan Butter Tarts by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Healthy Granola Cakes by Sneha's Recipes
• Pecan Chicken by Family Around The Table
• Pumpkin Nut Braid by Passion Kneaded
• Pumpkin-Nut Crumble Cake by Hardly A Goddess
• Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Walnut Sauce by Caroline's Cooking

Pumpkin Lasagna #PumpkinWeek

One of my favorite things about Pumpkin is that it can be used in both sweet and savory applications.  Today I would like to share a savory recipe with you that I guarantee your family will enjoy.

This ooey gooey lasagna is chock full of fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants from the pumpkin and protein, zinc and niacin from the spinach.  All of this nutritional benefit is hidden by the comforting pasta and cheese so your family never realizes that you are sneaking in all that goodness.

This is day 2 of Pumpkin Week.  A fun celebration of all things pumpkin, hosted by our friend Terri of Love and Confections. We will be getting together each day to share our favorite savory and sweet pumpkin concoctions with you, just in time for the Fall Harvest.

I used oven ready pasta for this lasagna, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.  It can be ready from start to finish in less than an hour.  Have games right after school?  No worries, you can assemble this the night before and it holds perfectly in the refrigerator.  When you get home, just pop it in the oven for a half hour while you throw together a salad and viola......dinner is served.

This is a perfect Meatless Monday meal that we enjoyed immensely.  Even my sous chef, who sneered and turned up his nose while we were making it and even asked if I wanted to go out for dinner to avoid trying it.  Then he ate crow along with this wonderful dish that he had to admit was truly amazing.

I adapted this from a recipe I found so that it made a serving for four.  We enjoyed it for dinner one evening and lunch the following day.

Pumpkin Lasagna

adapted from Food&Wine

6 sheets (#399) oven ready lasagna

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

5 oz. baby spinach leaves

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

2 T. heavy cream

small pinch of nutmeg

small pinch of cayenne

small pinch of rubbed sage

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg

3 oz. parmesan cheese

4 oz. mozzarella, thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over med high heat.  Add the onion and garlic. Cook until tender and fragrant.  Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted.  Set aside to cool.

Combine the pumpkin, cream, nutmeg, cayenne and sage.  Set aside.

Combine the ricotta, egg and parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Spray a 7x7" baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread 1/3 cup of the pumpkin mixture onto the bottom of the baking pan.  Add two of the lasagna sheets, side by side, over the pumpkin.  Add 1/3 of the remaining pumpkin onto the lasagna followed by 1/2 of the spinach mixture and two more lasagna sheets.  Add another 1/3 of the pumpkin followed by, the remaining spinach, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture and 1/2 of the mozzarella slices.  Cover with the last two lasagna sheets.  Cover these sheets with the final third of the pumpkin, topped by the second half of the ricotta and finished with the second half of the mozzarella slices.

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350* oven for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Uncover and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.  Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.  Print Recipe

More Pumpkiny Goodness

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Bacon Pumpkin Waffles from Caroline's Cooking.
Pumpkin Lasagna from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pumpkin Pie Hummus from Mildly Meandering.
Pumpkin Polenta from Cindy's Recipes and Writings.
Savory Pumpkin Bread from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Bourbon Caramel Pumpkin Roll from The Crumby Kitchen.
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts from Love and Confections.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Bread from Palatable Pastime.
Pumpkin Casserole with Roasted Marshmallows from Daily Dish Recipes.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls from Cookaholic Wife.

Pumpkin Cookies from Making Miracles.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts #PumpkinWeek

I can't believe that it is already October!  October tells me that Fall is truly here.  I put out my Halloween and Autumn decorations.  I start craving soups and stews.  My mind turns to all things pumpkin.

Are you a pumpkin lover?  If you are then you are in luck because we are celebrating all things pumpkin all week long in a great event called Pumpkin Week.

I look forward to pumpkin week each year.  This is my 4th year participating in this event, hosted by Terri of Love and Confections.  Putting on one of these week long events is a lot of work and I am very happy that she continues to do so each year.

The first thing I do to prepare for pumpkin week is buy several pie pumpkins and roast them up so that I have plenty of pumpkin puree to use in my recipes.

This is a super simple procedure and much less expensive than buying pumpkin puree from the store.  

• Place your whole pumpkins onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  
• Pierce the outer skin with a fork several places.  
• Bake in a 400* oven for about an hour, until the pumpkin starts to cave in on itself and is very tender.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Cut in half and remove all seeds and stringy pulp.
• Scrape the remaining pulp from the skins, place into a food processor and puree.
• Refrigerate for use within a few days or freeze for longer storage.

I'm very excited and proud of the recipes I am sharing this year.  I am starting out with donuts because Autumn!!!  Autumn=Cider Mills.  Cider Mills=Donuts.  When my kids were young we would make donuts using refrigerated biscuit dough and enjoy them with cider while carving our pumpkins.  It was a fun tradition and one that I wanted to resurrect now that I have a little one in my life again.

But Grammy has evolved and so has her cooking and baking. So instead of doughnuts made from biscuit dough, the Little Miss and I made these homemade donuts that I am sharing with you today.

Do you use donut or doughnut?  I see that I have been using them interchangeably throughout this post.  I wonder if that says something about me?

I have to say that these donuts are not nearly as easy as those made from biscuits but they were a lot of fun and offered valuable "memory" time with my Angel Face.

The dough is very wet.  Even with the instructions to freeze for 15 minutes before rolling and cutting you are going to need LOTS of flour.  I think this recipe may be better suited for a donut press if you happen to have one.  I don't.  I used two different sizes of biscuit cutters.

Make sure that your counter, your baking pan, your hands and the spatula used to transfer them from the baking pan to the hot oil are well floured.  I was about to give up on this recipe but then.....

I got them into the oil and they fried up beautifully.  I am so glad I didn't give up in frustration.  Not only would we have missed out on these gorgeous, decadent donuts but my Little Miss would not have learned to keep plugging on even when things look hopeless.

She and Grampy (my sous chef) shook them in cinnamon sugar while they were still hot for the finishing touch.  

Nope, they were not as easy as the biscuit donuts but they sure were worth the extra effort!  Make sure to stop by and see what the others are sharing on this first day of Pumpkin Week.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #71

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. brown sugar

3 T. butter, melted and cooled

4 t. baking powder

2 t. pumpkin pie spice

pinch of salt

3 cups flour + extra for forming donuts

Canola Oil

1 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Whisk together the egg and the yolk until frothy, in a large bowl.  Add the pumpkin, both sugars, buttermilk and butter, whisking until combined. Stir in the baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt.

Gradually fold in the flour until a sticky dough forms.  Cover the bowl and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.  

While dough is in freezer, heat 2" of oil in a dutch oven to a temperature of 370*.

Using well floured hands turn the dough onto a well floured surface and pat to a thickness of 1/2" thick. 

Using a 3" and 1" round biscuit cutters, dipped in flour each time, cut out the dough, using the 1" cutter to make the holes in the center.  Transfer the donuts and the dough from the holes onto a well floured baking sheet.

Flour a spatula (each time) and transfer the donuts and holes, in batches, to the hot oil.  Cook until puffed and browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain.

Place the cinnamon and sugar in a gallon size bag.  Shake to combine.  While donuts are still warm, add them in batches, to the bag and shake to coat.  Print Recipe

More Positively Perfect Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Drink Recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule from Love and Confections.

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce from Hardly A Goddess.
Goat Cheese and Sage Pizza with Pumpkin Crust from The Spiffy Cookie.
Kaddo Bowrani (Afghan Pumpkin with Yoghurt Sauce) from Caroline's Cooking.
Pickled Pumpkin with Sage and Autumn Spices from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Pumpkin Beer Bread from Forking Up.
Pumpkin Beer Cheese Soup with Herbed Croutons from The Crumby Kitchen.
Pumpkin Chili from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.
Pumpkin Corn Chowder with Shrimp from Kudos Kitchen by Renee.
Pumpkin Focaccia Bread from Cookaholic Wife.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Parmesan Sage Cream Sauce from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen.
Pumpkin Rosemary Hummus with Sizzled Garlic from Amy's Cooking Adventures.
Pumpkin Stew with Chicken and Black Beans from Palatable Pastime.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from The Redhead Baker.
Cheesecake Stuffed Pumpkin Bundt Cake from Cooking with Carlee.
Easy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake from Daily Dish Recipes.
Jumbo Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Pecan Streusel Topping from Family Around The Table.
Pumpkin Blondies from It Bakes Me Happy.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars from The Bitter Side of Sweet.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake from The Chef Next Door.

Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from The Nifty Foodie.

Pumpkin Madeleines from Mildly Meandering.
Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites from Making Miracles.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal from Seduction in the Kitchen.
Pumpkin Pie Tassies from Cindy's Recipes and Writings.
Pumpkin Scones from The Freshman Cook.
Pumpkin Spice Donuts from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pumpkin Spice Donuts from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks.
Pumpkin Zucchini Streusel Bread from An Affair from the Heart.
Ridiculously Good Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cake from Bacon Fatte.

Good Bye Apples, Hello Pumpkins and the Weekly Menu

Wow, what a great celebration we had with #AppleWeek.  We shared over 100 apple recipes all week long!  I love this event and am looking forward to it, once again, next year.

We aren't letting any grass grow under our feet though....we are going right into #PumpkinWeek and will be sharing 5 glorious, wonderful days of Pumpkin recipes.  I am starting with donuts, followed by a savory lasagna on Tuesday.  Wednesday look forward to a cheesecake recipe, followed by some cookies and I will finish up with a wonderful stew that I think you are going to love.

So that is what will be going on with the blog but what about life itself?  Well, tonight we are invited to have dinner with the Case's (Tingting's friend, Charlie's parents). I am bringing dessert.

Tomorrow, we are hosting a dinner party for some of our friends, before the Green's take off  for warmer climates.

Other than that, it will be a typical week.  We are finally going to have to close up the pool.  It looks like Fall officially arrived along with October.

I am still trying to clear out the freezer and pantry so our Weekly menu will reflect that.  I pulled out some leftover Sloppy Joes that were in the freezer from a summer party.  It will be featured in the tacos that I am sharing tomorrow for Sunday Supper.

We are going to continue to get our daily walks in.  I am excited that the weather has cooled down a bit for this.  Other than that, no plans at all......I love when that happens!!

Please stop by and visit during the week.  I promise you are going to be loving all the Pumpkin recipes you will find.

The Weekly Menu

Saturday
Dinner at the Case's

Sunday-Dinner Party
Charcuterie Board
White Fish Bisque
Roasted Pear and Cranberry Salad
City Chicken
Meatballs in Mushroom Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Buttered Corn
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Pumpkin Praline Cheese Cake

Meatless Monday
Pumpkin Lasagna

Toddler Tuesday
Baked Coconut Chicken Strips
Tater Tots
Carrots

Wednesday
Pot Roast

Thursday
Hot Beef Sandwiches (with leftover Pot Roast)

Friday
Pumpkin and Fish Stew

The First Day of Fall?? and the Weekly Menu

Happy Fall everyone....here in Michigan we are still in the midst of summer weather.  The temps have been in the 80's and the sun has been shining.  Not that I am complaining, mind you, it is just that it's hard to want to stand in a kitchen, preserving food for the winter months, when the swimming pool is beckoning.

We spent last evening on a sailboat cruising the St. Clair River with a wonderful group of people including John and Kirsten, pictured here with us.  Our friends, the Bendas, had won this wonderful cruise and had generously included us in the group with whom they shared it.  We started off at the River Crab Restaurant for cocktails and appetizers.  The we cruised for an hour before returning to the restaurant for dinner.  It was a perfect evening.

Tomorrow we are celebrating Melody's 3rd birthday.  Three!  She is three!!  How did that happen? I asked.  Melody looked at me as if I were very slow...."I had a birthday, Grammy".

She is having a Moana themed party at her Aunt Amy's house.  Thankfully the weather is going to continue to be beautiful and sunny so it will be an outdoor party.  Aunt Amy and Uncle Doug live right on the Clinton River so it is a beautiful setting for a Moana party.  

Frank will be heading over there today to set up the tent and drop of tables and chairs.  I will be hitting the grocery store and spending the day cooking "Hawaiian Style" food.

Nothing else special going on this week in the household. However, we are celebrating #AppleWeek on the blog so I have a slew of apple recipes that I will be sharing with you each day.

I'm hoping to get some more canning and preserving completed and I will be cooking and baking my heart out because immediately after Apple Week we are celebrating #PumpkinWeek.

Here's what we're having for dinner each day, please stop in and visit each day.  I love seeing you.

Saturday- Moana Party

Kalua Pork

Pineapple Chicken Fingers

Rice Mingle Salad

Hawaiian Cole Slaw

Crockpot Kid Friendly Mac and Cheese

Sunday

Chicken in a Crock

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Steamed Brocolli

Meatless Monday

Pumpkin Lasagna

Salad

Toddler Tuesday

Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Bread

Wednesday

Out for Dinner

Thursday

Chicken Pot Pie

Fish Friday

Fish and Pumpkin Stew