Delightful Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spiked Drizzle

I started out with nothing particular in mind one day, looking at dessert recipes. I think of all desserts to make, cakes are possibly my favorite. Anything from a simple old fashioned coffeecake tosheet cake to decorated cakes and bundt or ring mold cakes. Suddenly I came upon a site with a recipe called Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Rum Icing. I love gingerbread - it is a kind of cake / dessert bread cross, after all. The pictures on the site are just lovely. The mold used for the Bundt cake was exceptionally pretty, though I don't own that particular style. And I thought about it a while and wondered, "The recipe calls for applesauce. I wonder how pumpkin would do in the recipe, instead?" 

Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spice Glaze

As I continued to peruse the recipe, I noticed that it is made a bit differently than any other cake recipe I've ever made. It called for melting butter, setting side to cool slightly, then beating together the sugar and eggs till fluffy and light. What? And then adding in the melted, cooled butter. Okay, so I went ahead with all this and made the cake with my own variations. I made the icing with Bourbon rather than rum as I have become interested in Bourbon of late.

The outcome was the finest grained cake, the most tender, and just flat-out delicious, that I had to share. The link above to the original recipe will show how it was. I loved the mix of Pumpkin and Gingerbread flavors. The drizzle icing was amazing. And here is the recipe, as I made it:

Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spice Glaze

Makes one bundt cake

200 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
4 large eggs
360 grams sugar (about 1⅔ cup)
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360 grams all-purpose flour (about 2½ cups)
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon flaky salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
1½ teaspoon cloves
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1 cup sour cream
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a Bundt pan with soft (not melted) butter and dredge with flour. Tap to release excess flour, then set pan aside.

Over low heat, melt the unsalted butter; once melted set aside. In a mixer, beat together the eggs with the sugar until they are light and fluffy, then slowly stir in the slightly cooled butter.

Separately, measure out all the dry ingredients and stir to evenly distribute ingredients. In a measure, stir together the sour cream and pumpkin to combine.

To the egg mixture add about a third of the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed to combine. Add half the pumpkin mixture and mix, then another third dry mixture, the remaining half pumpkin mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients, stirring after each addition. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan, rapping sharply on a hard surface to release bubbles.  

Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Rest on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, turn out onto the rack to cool completely before glazing.

BOURBON SPICE GLAZE:
180 grams / 1¼ cup confectioner's sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons Bourbon
1 - 2 tablespoons milk or water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

Stir all ingredients until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Try These Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

It has been a while since I have managed to get back to my blog. November was an exceedingly busy month, for me. And now we are into December, and it will get even busier, so before things really go crazy, I did want to post this recipe I started back in late October!
 

Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies with Marshmallow Creme

I had a lovely, Soft Pumpkin Cookie recipe I'd been using for years and finally got posted, but then I got thinking, "What about a Pumpkin Sandwich Cookie?" I couldn't recall ever seeing such a thing, so I started thinking about how could I make a slightly more crisp cookie, using a moist vegetable like squash? I did see a lot of recipes for "Pumpkin Spice Cookies," but these were nothing more than spice cookies, using the usual spices used when making a pumpkin pie. Beware, because there is no pumpkin or squash in those recipes at all. They are just spice cookies! 

Next, I went looking for other cookies I had made that would work as a sandwich. Then, comparing and reworking, to try and get the recipe to come out with a cookie at least crisp enough to hold shape when sandwiching. I didn't want domed cookies that would make the final sandwich look like a ball, because I did see some made that way online. They are probably delicious, but not at all what I wanted for my outcome. 

The amount of actual pumpkin/squash in the recipe would have to be fairly low, or else the cookies would be far too soft. Not enough pumpkin/squash and you have no flavor at all. A fine balancing act, to be sure.

And then of course: what to fill the cookies with? How would they stand up to being filled. When you bite, would all the filling just squeeze out? For my first attempt, I used a cream cheese frosting, flavored with pumpkin pie spice. The mixture was far too soft. It did literally flatten, on taking a bite, leaving all the filling falling out around the edges. Not at all good. And then I saw a suggestion somewhere for using Marshmallow Fluff. Hmmm. So then I went hunting for Marshmallow Fluff recipes, and it turned out to be not too difficult at all, so I compared a few recipes and went my own way, slightly on the low side of sweetness levels. The Marshmallow Creme recipe came together easily. The most difficult thing about the recipe was trying to put it into jars or containers once made! It can be made ahead of time, if needed.

Marshmallow Creme

Marshmallow Creme

Makes about 2 pints

3 large egg whites (4 fl.oz. / 114 grams)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar (0.05 oz./1 gram)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 oz./30 grams)
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⅔ cup granulated sugar (5.2 oz./148 grams)
⅓ cup water (3 fl.oz./88 grams)
¾ cup golden syrup (9.3 oz./265 grams)
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon caramel flavoring, optional

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until very foamy. Slowly add in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat to soft peaks.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the ⅔ cup granulated sugar, the water and the golden syrup (or substitute dark corn syrup, honey, or a combination of these two). Stir until the granulated sugar is dissolved, then bring to boil without stirring and using a candy thermometer, bring the syrup to 240 degrees F. 

Immediately remove from heat and re-start the whisking of the egg whites in the mixer bowl on medium high speed. Begin pouring the hot syrup carefully just down the side of the bowl, being very careful not to let the syrup hit the whisk attachment. Beat until all the syrup has been added, then continue to beat for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, until cooled. Beat in the flavorings. The marshmallow creme can be stored at room temperature for three days or in the fridge, well covered.

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Back to the Cookies. When I made this batch of cookies, it was my second batch, having first made them filled with a cream cheese icing, unsuccessfully. This time, I opted to cut them out with a fluted-edge cutter, and then I poked little holes in the centers using a two-tined pickle fork. Remember when making these, that they will be sandwiched, so there will ultimately be half the amount of finished cookies than the original amount of single wafers.

Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

Made 94 wafer cookies / 47 sandwich cookies 

Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies with Marshmallow Creme

1 cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice 
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add in the yolks and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and beat in. Combine the dry ingredients, then on very low speed, add to the creamed mixture, slowly, until all the flour is well mixed in. Flour a surface and roll out the dough rather thinly, about ⅛-inch thick. Cut out 2 or 2½-inch diameter cookies and bake them on ungreased cookie sheets for 14 to 16 minutes, or until set and just barely golden. Remove from cookie sheets immediately, to a rack or clean surface to cool completely before filling.  

Baked Cookies and Filling them

Set one cookie top side down and pipe or spoon on the filling, then top with another wafer right side up.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Tis the Season for Pumpkin

'Tis the season for Pumpkin in all its forms. My favorite of the squash varieties, when it comes to baking, are either butternut squash or one of those big blue-green colored ones, whether called Jarradale, Jamboree or whichever name they come by. They have such lovely smooth flesh, making them ideal for things like pumpkin pie, pumpkin tarts, pumpkin loaves, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies and anything else baked with pumpkin. Another reason I love these two types of squash best for baking is that they are less watery. 

Some Squash Varieties

Most every "pumpkin" (those orange ones, be they round, flat or other) I have ever tried is stringy and/or watery, even the sugar pumpkins. I bake my squash, to avoid having any water added to the equation, but even so, the pumpkin varieties give off so much liquid that by the time you've set the cooked flesh into a colander to drain for use in a recipe, there is not much left to use. 

I try to accomplish a nice, thick puree, similar to a can of "pumpkin." Ultimately, I use either the blue Jarradale type or everyday butternut for this purpose. Just my preference. If you have great luck with another variety, then do use whatever works for you. 

And then, there are always cans of "pumpkin," in case you run out during the year!
 

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

I started off using some of my stash of already baked and pureed Jarradale squash in the freezer. I do this with the big blue varieties in the fall and portion it into freezer zip-top bags in 2-cup portions, suitable for a pie. If I need less than 2 cups for a recipe, then I use the rest added into soup, which gives a nice body (not to mention great flavor) to any thin soup. This time, I decided to make Soft Pumpkin Cookies.

Lard vs Shortening vs Butter

I want to clarify on my reasons for using lard in this recipe. Firstly, I do not like using shortening, which is an unnatural product, and worse for one by far than lard or butter, which are from natural sources. (My own opinion.) I have made these cookies various times using one of all three fats. Butter tastes great, but leaves a flat cookie, just too soft. Shortening works better, keeping shape a bit more and holding their domed shape a bit better. Lard makes these cookies tender and delicate yet still retaining their pretty dome shape on baking. Ergo; lard it is, for me. Just know if you switch the fat the results will be far different. 

These cookies are, as the name states, "soft." They have a most wonderful flavor, and are as delicate as can be. They have a nice glaze icing using browned butter, making these truly irresistible. Next I want to attempt a Pumpkin Sandwich Cookie. I have the cookie part down, but was unhappy with the filling, which was too soft. Back to the drawing board with the icing part, but for now, here are my Soft Pumpkin Cookies:

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Made 5½ dozen (2-teaspoon) drop cookies

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

COOKIES:
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup lard (or shortening)
1 cup pureed pumpkin/squash, or canned pumpkin
zest of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole grain, ground Kamut Khorasan flour (or half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup ground nuts (walnuts preferred)

ICING:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (no butter substitutes!)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk, as needed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready one or two ungreased baking sheets.

COOKIES: Combine in a mixer bowl the sugars and lard, beating until smooth. Add in the pureed pumpkin, orange zest and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Add the dry ingredients in, beating very slowly until moistened, then beat briskly just to combine thoroughly. Add the nuts and stir to distribute.

Drop the cookies onto the baking sheet(s) using a two-teaspoon measure or cookie scoop, keeping them at least 2 inches apart. Try not to make them any larger, as they come out soft already. Bake the cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes, or until just set. Remove the cookies at once to racks to cool completely.

ICING: Heat the butter in a preferably light-colored skillet, so you can keep track of the browning process. Allow the butter to brown nicely, but not burn. Using a non-butter imitation will only burn. Pour the browned butter into the confectioners' sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Add in the vanilla and a pinch of salt, if desired. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, only if needed to make an icing that the cookies can be dipped into, leaving with a nice coating. If too stiff, add a little more milk. Dip the tops of the cookies in the icing, then turn upright and let the icing set.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Sonoran Style of Beef Stew

The Sonoran desert region, encompassing the state of Sonora in Mexico, Baja California, much of southern Arizona and some of lower California, is a sizeable area, and with a lot of the Southwestern flavors to the foods involved. When thinking of southwestern food, it is not all the Tex-Mex stuff that has gotten so common (Hot dogs??? Really???). There are foods and flavors that come of long standing in those desert regions. 

Sonoran Style Beef Stew

Pumpkins and squash, beans of many types, peppers of all description, corn, tomatoes, tomatillos sweet potato, nopal cactus; these are commonly known in Sonora, Mexico, and have been used to comprise much of the traditional cuisine. Spices and herbs are also quite specific, things like Mexican oregano, thyme, cilantro, epazote, annatto seed, chili powders, cloves, coriander, cumin, and "Mexican cinnamon" (or true cinnamon), cacao, vanilla and other more exotic spices. 

My Pueblo Pumpkin Stew

Some years ago, my sister sent me a recipe from Eating Well (no longer available on their site) called Pueblo Pumpkin Stew. The flavors are just absolutely amazing, and I have made that stew many times. It is really pretty as a picture and hearty, despite being meatless. Today, thinking about what to make for dinner, I just went to look at what I had in the freezer for meat, and came up with stew meat. My husband loves stew and so do I. I got the meat out thinking to use it in one of my common stews, but on the way up the stairs, the recipe for Pueblo Pumpkin Stew popped into my head, and my mind took off, thinking of how to incorporate those flavors into a beef stew. 

First off, I felt that pumpkin or squash (in this case I used both) should be in the stew. Beans of some kind, tomatoes. Peppers. I used both the mild chopped green chilies along with a bell pepper instead of the Anaheim chilies called for in the Pueblo Pumpkin Stew. I wanted corn to be represented also, but not sweet corn. Instead I used a couple of tablespoons of Maseca, the dry mix that is used to make corn tamales, mixed into some water and added in. What an amazing boost to the flavor!  

As for spices, I wanted to run with a mixture that was truer to the Mexican desert than using Garam Masala as was called for in the Pueblo Pumpkin Stew. Granted, most of the spices in Garam Masala are also common to those used in Sonora, but not necessarily all, and there are some not at all common in the Indian spice panoply, such as annatto or cocoa. I decided to concoct a spice mixture that would encompass those flavors I was looking for in a spice mixture and came up with this:

Sonoran Spice Mix

Annatto Seeds

Makes almost ½ cup

2 tablespoons ground cumin seed
2 tablespoons ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground Mexican cinnamon
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground annatto powder
2 teaspoons ground ancho powder

Stir together well and store in a glass jar in a cool dark place. Use 1 to 3 teaspoons as needed for flavor.

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I thawed my stew meat and got started making the stew, which simmered at very low heat (220 degree oven) for a few hours. I may not have needed that many hours, but I had a doctor appointment and needed something I could leave in the oven without worry. There is not a lot of hot spiciness to this dish. Should that type of heat define "Mexican cooking" then by all means add in hot chilies to your heart's content. This is the recipe for what I created:

Sonoran Style Beef Stew

Sonoran Style Beef Stew

Serves about 6

1 large or 2 medium onions
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying, more if needed
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound beef stew meat, in 1-inch cubes
2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin or squash (or use ½ to 1 can pumpkin puree)
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
3 small (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
1½ cups fresh peeled squash (butternut, buttercup, kabocha) in ½-inch dice
1 green bell pepper in 1-inch squares, about 1½ cup
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Sonoran Spice Mix) see above
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Maseca, dissolved into 1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, well drained and rinsed

Have ready a large, oven safe, heavy stew pot with lid. Preheat oven to 220 degrees, or adjust to whatever will keep a very low simmer.

Heat a large skillet and add in the oil. Halve the onions, then slice across about ¼-inch thick, then cut across the half-rounds once. Sauté the onions in the hot skillet, tossing occasionally, until they start to brown. Add the garlic and sauté a few minutes more.

While the onions are sautéing, add to the stew pot the pureed pumpkin/squash, the fresh squash chunks, tomatoes, chopped green chilies, bell pepper, thyme leaves, Sonoran Spice Mix and salt. When the onions and garlic are done, add them to the pot. 

Add half the meat to the hot skillet and brown on all sides quickly, then add to the pot, and repeat with the remaining meat. Stir together, cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 2 hours, checking for liquid levels. Add water only if needed.

Remove the pot from the oven and set the lid aside. Stir in the Maseca and water mixture and the drained and rinsed beans. Stir well, cover and bake for another hour at least. 

As with most stews, this is great served immediately, but will also benefit from reheating.




My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Pumpkins, Squash and Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin, Squash or Gourd

Fall is all about pumpkins, squashes, gourds and beautiful Fall colors. Hallowe'en comes around and some of these pumpkins and other colorful specimens are made into pretty displays, hideous, grimacing faces or anything else one can think of as ornamental for the season. These displays hang around for a time, and then comes Thanksgiving to make use of some of the wonderful, edible Cucurbita. There are so many varieties of pumpkin and squash available nowadays. The colors, shapes and sizes are astounding. Just seeing all the varieties available in our little, local Farmers' Market took my breath away this year. Mainly, I am speaking of the varieties with hard shells, commonly known as Winter Squash. 

Squash at the Farmers' Market

Squash or Pumpkin?

Apparently the term of "squash" or "pumpkin" is somewhat subjective. Here in the US, the big, round orange ball shaped ones we think of as of Jack-o-Lanterns and pumpkin pie are most often called "pumpkins", while everything else seems to get lumped under the term "squash". Not necessarily so. Even what we normally call a pumpkin can be one of two different varieties: C. pepo or C. moschata. Many other types than these large round orange balls also fall into these categories. C. pepo also covers most of the summer squash varieties, with edible, soft skins. C. moschata also covers the very common butternut squash, which looks nothing like what we call a pumpkin. 

Apparently, according to Wikipedia and other sites around the 'net, Libby's canned Pumpkin is made from the variety C. moschata, called "Dickinson's Pumpkin". The Dickinson's Pumpkin is a variety with tan skin and vaguely roundish. It does not really seem like what we think of as a "pumpkin". But, as I have been finding, those big orange balls we call pumpkins are most certainly not what will make your best "pumpkin" pie!

What is Best for Pie?

Guicoy 

When I lived in Guatemala, they knew nothing about those big orange squash we call pumpkins in the US. The only winter squash variety that was available was called a Guicoy (we-COY). This green squash with orange-greenish interior flesh, a C. pepo variety, was what I used when I made a "pumpkin" pie. This same Guicoy squash, when small, is used as a summer squash, then called "guicoyitos" meaning "small guicoys". It was all that was available, and it was acceptable. The skin was so very hard I could rarely cut through it with a knife, most often resorting to throwing it repeatedly onto the hard, terazzo floors in order to crack it. I would cook the pieces and puree the meat with my trusty food mill. 

Since living in the US again, I have tried many kinds of squash to make pie. Have I noted how very much I love pumpkin pie? Well, I just love pumpkin pie. Come Fall, that is where my mind goes, and I can't wait to get to Thanksgiving and make pies. Not that it is critical to wait for Thanksgiving, mind you. But that mystique is there at that time, making it more special. 

Jarrahdale Squash

What I have found, trying out different (orange-colored) "pumpkin" varieties (such as a leftover Jack-o-Lantern type pumpkins, "sugar" pumpkins and Rouge Vif d'Etampes, also called "Cinderella" pumpkins, is that I haven't been impressed. Many are mealy, even when using the really small ones. A few years ago I bought a beautiful, blue Jarrahdale squash. I had never seen such a lovely blue color on a squash before and was curious. I baked the squash whole (after first using it in my Fall displays), so I had no idea what to expect from the insides. When I cut open the baked squash, it had the brightest orange-yellow flesh, ever. The flesh was also some of the smoothest, densest and silkiest in texture. I used this squash to make my pumpkin pies that year and was most gratified. My pies not only tasted heavenly, but that silky texture followed through, giving me a most decadent mouth-feel also. On top of all that, this squash yielded a lot of pureed squash to use. I froze it in 2-cup portions in Freezer bags. 

My Favorites

Galeux D'Eysines, French Heirloom

This year, once again I got a blue Jarrahdale squash, but was also intrigued with an unusual variety, an heirloom from France called Brode Galeux D'Eysines (meaning "embroidered with warts", from Eysines). Both of these varieties are C. maxima. I got one of the Galeux D'Eysines and used it for almost 2 months in a display. I baked it and the Jarrahdale just before Thanksgiving. While the texture of the Galeux D'Eysines was oh, so silky-smooth, it was a very wet kind of pumpkin. Liquid was all over the place after baking, and I scooped out the flesh into a colander. While almost the same size (but not weight; it weighed far less) as the Jarrahdale, the flesh was far thinner and released so much liquid that all I got as a yield from that whole squash was three cups of puree! In comparison, the Jarrahdale, after allowingthe baked flesh to set overnight in a colander, yielded 12 cups of puree. Quite the difference!

I will say that the Galeux D'Eysines squash was the deepest, most gorgeous orange color; much deeper in color than the bright, orange-yellow Jarrahdale flesh. There just wasn't much of it. I used 2 cups of the Galeux D'Eysines squash to make my pumpkin pie last week for Thanksgiving, and I will say, the experience is decadent! It is the same with the Jarrahdale, so I would certainly recommend the Jarrahdale or another similar one I used called Jamboree, also blue-skinned.

So now I had a whole lot of squash puree. Yes, I was going to freeze it. But this amount was going to last just about forever. I love pumpkin pie, as I said. However, I am not one of those people who goes bonkers over anything "pumpkin" flavored. Pumpkin cake, bread, cookies, butter, coffee - none of these really call me. I love squash just cooked with butter, I love squash in soup, in a casserole, and about any savory way to make it. But aside from pumpkin pie, none of the other sweet applications really call to me. Still, I thought, I might be in a minority here. Most of my family, but particularly my sister Barb just loves Pumpkin Butter. So I got thinking. Maybe I should give this a try?

Pumpkin Butter on my morning toast

I set aside 6 cups of the pureed Jarrahdale squash to make pumpkin butter. The name is a misnomer in that it has no butter in it. The silky smooth texture is all that the name "butter" implies. It came together easily. It can also be made with some of that canned pumpkin, if desired. I think anything made from scratch tastes better! 

One thing to keep in mind when making pumpkin butter: It cannot be safely "canned". Something about not being able to really know what the density of the finished product will be, but a boiling water canner or even a pressure canner supposedly will not make this safe. It can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks, or it can be frozen. Here is what i did:

pureed squash in crock pot, added sugar and syrup, spices and lime juice added, mix and set to cook

Pumpkin Butter

Makes about 6½ cups

My Pumpkin Butter

6 cups well-drained, pureed squash or pumpkin, OR 3 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin puree
1½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

Place all the ingredients into a slow cooker, mix well. Cover and set to lowest temperature for one hour to bring up the heat. Not all slow cookers are equal, and many are certainly not too "slow". I read many warnings of splattering, hot lava-like eruptions. This never happened with my slow cooker. After the first hour, set the lid askew and continue to cook, stirring every 1 - 2 hours. My slow-cooker took 8 hours until I deemed the mixture to be done. This will depend on your preferences also. Once a dab set on a plate to cool has the desired consistency, it is done.

Place the mixture into small, sterile jars to keep in the fridge, or into freezer containers to freeze.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Another Weekend, Another Pheasant and Another Pheasant Recipe

4:30 PM Sunday

Saffron

Our friend Rich went out hunting again and came back with another pheasant. This time he wanted to make soup. The pheasant itself had a lot of very visible fat on its body; Rich commented he'd never seen one with so much fat on it. Still, it is a wild bird, so it was expected to be a bit on the lean and dry side. He cleaned the bird and I started in on the vegetables. Unfortunately, it took about 3 hours to get the bird to the point I could take the meat from the bones, so we had leftovers for dinner last evening. I let the soup cool and saved it for today. Rich wanted to serve the soup with egg noodles. All this made me reminisce a bit about going to my Grandma's house when I was young, smelling her soup cooking away on the stove, the scent of saffron in the air. Saffron comes from the Crocus sativa flower; the 3 tiny stigma of each flower are removed to dry and the flower is discarded. Saffron gives beautiful golden color to soups and pastries and a most wonderful flavor. Cooking with saffron is something I grew up around, so of course, I added saffron to the soup! 

Rich is also a big fan of pumpkin pies. Since I have had frozen portions of pureed pumpkin and squash in the freezer, along with portions of pie dough, it is a pretty simple matter to get a pie together in no time. I like freezing pie dough. I really do not like making it with all the mess it entails, but my Never Fail Pie Crust recipe makes enough for four 9-inch single crust pies or two 9-inch double crust pies. This means I can freeze portions for later, allowing them to thaw on the counter for an hour or so when needed. I made my Pumpkin Pie recipe last year for Thanksgiving, so I used that recipe last week when making a pie. As I tasted it, I felt it needed more spices than it had, even though I followed my own recipe. Rich was of the same mind about it, so I amended the recipe and we will be testing out the flavors after dinner this evening. 

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Rich and my husband had been out and about for a while today and when they got back, the pie was fresh out of the oven. Rich came in and said we just couldn't ask for a better Fall meal than Pheasant and Wild Rice Vegetable Noodle Soup and Spicier Pumpkin Pie!  

My Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Spicier Pumpkin Pie

Spicier Pumpkin Pie

Makes one 9½ - 10-inch pie

1 single-crust 10-inch unbaked pie shell
2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
2 cups whipping cream (can substitute evaporated milk)
1 cup white sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cassia cinnamon  
3 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons Brandy or Cognac, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using convection). With a whisk, hand held mixer or stand mixer, mix together all the ingredients until combined. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for about 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

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After making the Spicier Pumpkin Pie, I thought maybe I should just mix up my own Pumpkin Pie Spice. It can be used in either of my pie versions. Here is that recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Makes about ¾ cup

6 tablespoons good quality ground cassia cinnamon
6 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Stir all the spices together thoroughly and store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dark place.

To use in pies: For a regular pie, such as Chris's Pumpkin Pie or one using a label on canned pumpkin, substitute any spices called for with 1 to 1½ teaspoons of this mixture. To make my Spicier Pumpkin Pie above, use half the total amount of this mixture, or 7 teaspoons.

8:30 PM Sunday

Pheasant and Wild Rice Vegetable Soup

Dinner was just delightful. The Pheasant and Wild Rice Vegetable Soup was full of earthy flavors and wonderful textures. We served it over wide egg noodles. I had made my Multi Grain and Seed Bread earlier in the day and I served that alongside for another great texture to add to the mix. The Pumpkin Pie was revised from what I have posted on my website and I will be amending that a bit later. I nearly doubled the spice quantities. Keep in mind, the pie was made in a 9½ inch deep pie plate and the filling is ample. It tasted much better this time around, so that is my new go to recipe. Meanwhile, here is my Pheasant Soup recipe, which will serve a lot of people or be a meal for days: 

Pheasant and Wild Rice Vegetable Soup

Pheasant and Wild Rice Vegetable Soup

1 pheasant, cleaned and drawn
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, sliced in rounds
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 large potato, cut in small cubes
2 bay leaves
2 - 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
3 - 4 teaspoons salt (start with the smaller amount)
few grinds pepper
pinch of saffron, crumbled
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (Pimenton de la Vera)
¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
¾ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
3 cups boiling water
9 cups water
1 cup wild rice
cooked egg noodles, for serving

Set the dried mushrooms into the boiled water, cover and set aside to soak. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add in the onions, stirring occasionally while prepping the other vegetables. Add in the carrots, celery and garlic and continue to stir occasionally. Add in the whole bird, allowing to brown on each side. Add in the green pepper and potato, the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper saffron and smoked paprika. Add in the 9 cups of water, stir and bring to a simmer.

Remove the mushrooms from their soaking water, reserving the water. Cut stems from the shiitakes and slice. Check the porcinis for any that are too hard and woody, shopping any larger pieces. Add both kinds of mushrooms to the pot. Check the mushroom soaking water for dirt or grit in the bottom. If there is any dirt, strain the liquid through a coffee filter or paper toweling and add to the pot. Cover the pot and allow to simmer for about 3 hours, or until the pheasant is ready to freely come off the carcass. Remove the pheasant from the soup and allow to cool enough to handle. Meanwhile add the wild rice to the pot and bring to a medium simmer for at least 45 minutes. Once the pheasant is cool enough to handle, remove all the meat and discard the bones. Return the meat to the pot. Once the wild rice is completely tender the soup is ready to serve. This soup is wonderful served over egg noodles.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Pumpkin Pie - 'tis the Season!

Jamboree Squash

I had some pretty squash, pumpkins and gourds for decoration over the last month, but now it was time to use them. Nice heavy winter squash make very good pumpkin pies. I had gotten a green-blue colored "Jamboree" squash, just like I had last year, and from that squash I made the best "pumpkin" pies I have ever had. The texture is silky smooth, unlike the little pumpkins that no matter what, seem to end up with too much texture. The color of the squash inside is the prettiest bright yellow orange color - something I would not have expected, by looking at the cool outer color.

Yesterday I finally baked the squash (poke a few small holes into the top to let steam escape and bake whole on baking sheet at 375 degrees for 1 hour - for an 8-lb squash) and got all the flesh removed and pureed properly.  I had a little tiny ½-cup left yesterday, so I made some Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding, which was just delicious.  

Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding

Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding

Makes 4 servings

2 cups milk (or ½ milk, ½ cream)
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons instant tapioca
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cassia cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

In a saucepan combine the milk, sugar and tapioca and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring, for about 6 minutes until tapioca is cooked and thickened.

To prevent a skin forming over the pudding, either place a piece of plastic wrap directly covering the surface of the hot pudding, or just stir the pudding every 2 to 3 minutes as it cools. Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Today I made a pie. I was trying out a new recipe I made up.  I wanted to make a 10-inch pie, so I wanted to have enough filling.  I actually ended up using a 9½-inch pie plate, though it is exceptionally deep, so I believe it would be the same filling amount as for a 10-inch plate.  I figure it is better to have a large pie and make less of them.  Here is what I did:

Chris' "Pumpkin" Pie

Chris' Pumpkin Pie

1 single-crust 10-inch unbaked pie shell
2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
2 cups whipping cream (can substitute evaporated milk)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cassia cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons Brandy, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using convection). With a whisk, hand held mixer or stand mixer, mix together all the ingredients until combined.  Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Yum!


My passion is to teach people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and help pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. Join me at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook and Pinterest.