The air is becoming crisp, the days are getting shorter and once again everything that is pumpkin spice flavored is on the shelf. There's just something about that combination of spices that brings to mind mugs of hot chocolate, cozy fires, crisp days and time spent with family and friends. What was once a comfort item has become a national obsession. Join me today as we look a little at the history of this spicy goodness and I share some recipes that are sure to make your mouth water.
You can find the article about the history of pumpkin spice here:
http://chicagoist.com/2014/10/31/pumpkin_spice_rise_and_fall_of_an_a.php
Pumpkin Spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20476/pumpkin-spice/
Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
1 ½ tablespoons margarine, melted
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135
degrees C).
Combine the margarine, salt, garlic
salt, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in
shallow baking dish.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring
occasionally.
Easy Pumpkin Spice Latte
2
tablespoons half-and-half
2 teaspoons
white sugar, or to taste
¼ teaspoon
pumpkin pie spice
1 cup coffee
1 tablespoon
whipped, cream topping, or to taste (optional)
Mix half-and-half, sugar, and
pumpkin pie spice together in a coffee mug. Pour coffee into mug; stir to
blend.
Heat in microwave until hot, about
15 seconds. Top with whipped cream.
Spicy Pumpkin Spice
Latte
1 cup unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 fluid ounces hot strongly brewed coffee
2 tablespoons whipped cream, or more to taste (optional)
1 pinch pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
Whisk almond milk, pumpkin puree,
vanilla extract, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and pepper together
in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until
mixture is almost boiling; remove from heat and whisk until frothy, about 1
minute. Divide mixture between 2 mugs.
Slowly pour coffee into each mug.
Top with whipped cream and pinch pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
½ cup milk
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup milk chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin puree
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup whipped cream
1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
1 pinch ground nutmet (optional)
Whisk milk, cream, chocolate chips,
and cocoa powder together in a saucepan over medium heat until chocolate chips
are melted and hot chocolate is smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree
and pumpkin pie spice until fully incorporated.
Pour hot chocolate into 2 mugs. Top
with whipped cream; sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over whipped cream.
Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175
degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together
pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate
bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and
ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.
Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the
preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean.
