Day 15 Pumpkin Monkey Bread

When I found the website with this recipe I knew I had to make it. I thought about it everyday until I was able to make it happen. It is a longer recipe because you have to make the bread and let it rise. However, it is well worth it. I think this is my favorite recipe so far. It has inspired me to add Pumpkin cinnamon rolls to the list.

It didn't last long! Amazing!

Pumpkin dough

 Pumpkin dough after an hour

 Pour on the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.

Charlie, what do you think?

Out of the oven. Waiting for it to cool so I can flip it! The longest part of the process...or so it seems!

Finished! Ready to enjoy!

Day 14 Pumpkin Turkey Chili

A friend of mine knew I was doing this challenge and brought me a recipe from kroger. I had Pumpkin Chili on the list and decided now was a good time to make it. I loved it!! My roommates did too! Definitely a recipe to try again!

We ate it and watched a bollywood movie called, 3 idiots. It's actually a really good money. I have never seen a bollywood movie before. I liked it! "All is well!"

I used the Kroger card recipe and added cilantro. It was delicious!

Day 13 Pumpkin Brownies

For this recipe I used a box of Ghirardelli brownies from Costco and added the pumpkin creamcheese mix from an on-line recipe. They were really good. I was too tired so I didn't try them until the next day. Very tasty! I took them to a meeting I had on Saturday! They were a big hit!

I will find the recipe and add it later.

Day 12 Pumpkin Granola

I make granola almost every week anyway. It is one of my favorite foods as of this summer. I like mine pretty plain. I used my now not so secret recipe and added some pumpkin puree.

\

Recipe:  6 cups of rolled oats, 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of pumpkin puree
Bake at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes. Stir 2-3 times while cooking. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Day 11 Pumpkin smoothies

I was exhausted on Day 11 and decided to try Pumpkin smoothies, a colleague at work has one every morning with a scone. It seems simple enough. It was okay. For my taste, I would use more milk or cream and less pumpkin. One of my roommates really liked it. It did seem to have that healthy feeling when I drank it.

I don't think I used a recipe for this. I just made it based on how I make other smoothies. I added pumpkin puree, milk, creamer, vanilla, and sugar. I topped it with a caramel swirl.

Day 10 Pumpkin Cookies

One of my favorite pumpkin recipes had to be included...Pumpkin cookies. I had never heard of such until a few years ago when my friend, Linea Gwynne, made some for me. I wasn't excited. I was pretty sure I would like them. Turns out I was wrong. I love them! I'll have to admit. I didn't share as many of this as I probably should have.

One of the comments I got twice from two different people was that they are like little cakes. Icing would be a good addition. Maybe I'll try it next time!

This time I tried something new...I added some of the toffee chips I had left over to the tops of some. Nice touch! 

Great snack after a long day!

Day 9 Pumpkin Trifle

I was excited to make this recipe. I love trifles, it wasn't anything new, and it was my turn to cook for our home fellowship group (the perfect way to give it away!) I used a spice cake mix for one layer...butterscotch pudding with pumpkin and pumpkin spice for the second layer...and whipped cream, toffee chips, and caramel sauce for the third.

It was good! If I make this recipe again, I will add more butterscotch pudding and less cake...just a preference I have. It was easy to make, although it is fairly time consuming because of all the steps.

I like how it looks too!

Day 8 Pumpkin Penne

So I wanted to try some recipes that weren't sweet. It's hard to find for pumpkin. I found this recipe and thought I would try it. It definitely tastes better with hot sauce in it which the recipe calls for. I added more afterward and it was better. Without the hot sauce flavor, it's just okay. My roommate called it "interesting." The flavor could probably be called "organic." If I made this again, I would use less pumpkin and more hot sauce. Also, it really makes a lot! I would half the recipe.

This recipe is from Rachel Ray.  It's called Penne wise Pasta because it is very affordable. How clever, Rachel Ray. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/penne-wise-pumpkin-pasta-recipe/index.html

Day 7 Pumpkin Waffles

So I was leaving town for a conference on Day 7 first thing in the morning and I would be staying at a hotel so I decided to move pumpkin waffles to the top of the list. I even got up in time to make them for my roommate to eat before she left at 6:30am.  It is a very easy recipe and any leftovers can be saved in the refrigerator and used later. You can also make all of the batter and save the waffle for later. Either in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to make mine fresh.

I again turned to my girl, Betty Crocker, for this recipe. She'll never let you down. I used the regular waffle recipe and added pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Without the pumpkin spice, it doesn't taste much like pumpkin.

Day 6 Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is another one of my favorite recipes.  I love pumpkin spice latte and frappucino, but I normally pay Starbucks too much money to make me one. This is a simple recipe and it tasted great! I didn't use all of it that night so I refrigerated the mix and made another one in the morning. It was delicious!! This is a recipe I will repeat.

I used a recipe I got from

http://www.sweethappylife.com/2011/easy-family-recipes/homemade-pumpkin-spice-latte-recipe/

Then I topped with whipped cream, caramel, and some pumpkin spice.

Day 5 Pumpkin Donuts

Yes, pumpkin donuts. Now I have never made donuts of any kind so I was a little nervous about this one. I saw the pictures and wanted to take the challenge. I had told my students about my crazy pumpkin challenge after reading my favorite fall book, Too Many Pumpkins. So of them ask each day to see what I tried. I promised them that if they turned out I would bring them to class for "Muffin Club."
That was the first questions they asked when I picked them up..."Did you bring the donuts?"

First you make the dough and cut out the donuts. I couldn't find a donut cutter in the local stores so I used a biscuit cutter and a melon baller to cut them out. It worked! See Charlie is "helping" again.

Then you fry them. It doesn't take long for each one. I used a electric cooker because it would regulate the temperature for me. It is very important to keep the temperature steady.

Charlie and Ruth Ann inspecting the finished donuts and donut holes.

 I did not frost them. I just added powder sugar. Perfect!

I used a recipe I found at

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Doughnuts-with-Powdered-Sugar-Glaze-and-Spiced-Sugar-Doughnut-Holes-230926

I think it is definitely a recipe that would improve with practice. Not sure that's going happen.

And yes, I gave them to my students and they loved them!! They tasted a lot like funnel cake!

Day 4 Pumpkin Pie

I had pumpkin pie on the list from the start. How could I not? It is probably the most well-known American dish with a pumpking. While it is one of the tastiest Thanksgiving treat, it is actually really easy to make. So on Tuesday night since I didn't get home until around 9pm. I made a pumpkin pie. It was so late that Charlie was already asleep and so I had to wait to take the picture the next morning.

It was delicious with whipped cream! A classic! Yum!

I used the recipe from the back of the pumpkin pie can. Works everytime!

Day 3 Pumpkin cupcakes

I had a little more time and energy on day 3 to make something I liked. I make pumpkin bread and mini-muffins every fall. It's one of my favorite fall treats. This time I added cream cheese icing to some. You can see Charlie is helping again. He didn't get to taste any even a lick, but he liked the smell.

I was able to share these the next night with my friends and students at Liberty Street. It is a bible club for students we have each week. We had about 50 students that week. The kids and adult alike indulged in this tasty treat. We had some left over to snack on for days. The mini-muffins are great for breakfast, with or without the icing.

On the way to club, my roommate, Ruth Ann, was already feeling a bit like she was sacrificing since she saw the big plate of cupcakes leaving the house. She consoled herself outloud with the idea "that at least we have the ones in the bag at home." No, Ruth Ann, sorry, I brought those for the workers. Wow! So she was a disappointed, but it worked out for her and the others because we got to take some home anyway!

I used, my girl, Betty Crocker's pumpkin bread recipe. Then I added store bought icing.

Day 2 Pumpkin layered Cake

I also found this at the store. Although I wanted to make a lot of different dishes, I found this kit at Wal-Mart as well. It has been one of my favorite dishes so far. I was a bit disappointed at first that I wasn't making it from scratch, but it was better than not finishing the challenge. It turned out to be very tasty! I took this to the church picnic as well. It did not last very long.

With this dish, I learned how well caramel goes with pumpkin. It was pumpkin bread or cake layered with a cream cheese icing. Then topped with sliced almonds and caramel sauce. Yum!

I didn't eat much of it, but it was delicious!

Day 1: Rice Krispie Treats

On Oct 1, I was involved in coordinating the CEF dinner for about 50 people. I waited until that night afterward to cook my first treat. I wanted to do the challenge, but I didn't want it to take long on Day 1. That is the reason for my choice. On the list was Pumpkin rice krispie treats. I was going to add pumpkin to the marshmellow, but that day walking down an aisle at Wal-Mart, I spied some Pumpkin Spice Marshmellow. Much easier...I followed the recipe on the Rice Krispies box.

In less than 15 minutes, I had a tray of pumpkin rice krispie treats. I was so tired I didn't even try them until the next day. Charlie joined me for this endeavor, he loves to "help" me cook.

 I was able to put them on a nice tray and take them to the our church picnic to share. Another important part of the challenge...to give away much of the food so I don't gain any weight.

Thankfully, people have been very generous in obliging me and eating the treats.

31 Days of Pumpkin

For the month of October, I am making a different pumpkin dish a day. Check out what I have made.