Vintage Peonies: October 2012

So here it is a list of my most favourite things about Autumn.Take a look.

1.Wearing Boots.
2.Hot Chocolate on a breezy day!
3.Caramel Apple Lollipops.
4.Scarfs.
5.Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at Starbucks.
6.Ginger,Clove and Cinnamon Spiced Candles.
7.Pumpkins.

I have never had a Pumpkin pie or any baked dessert made from pumpkin! Its shocking, I know.But then when I was a little girl we used pumpkin only for savory dishes and used its seeds as lovely snack.
I found this recipe for Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins on The Pioneer Woman website and Wow, the Muffins went POOF! They where all gone in a day! The Kitchen smelled of cinnamon and ginger.These are super moist, easy to make and will be a regulars on our treat list :)

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins(with cream cheese frosting)

Recipe by The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:

Muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 heaping cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup evaporated milk (nesaldintas kondensuotas pienas)

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees( 200 C) Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins.

Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Into a strainer or sifter sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

Add butter

Use a pastry cutter to cut the mixture together.I used just an egg whisker or you can use a food processor to combine the breadcrumbs.

In a separate bowl mix together pumpkin, milk, egg and vanilla.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture.

Hello my sweeties......After 10 min. I put the muffins on a cooling rack.Its time to make coffee!

You don't have to use a frosting at all, they are as tasty and delicious as they are. And your waist line will thank you :) I didn't use any raisins, maybe next time.They are lovely for breakfast too. I made my own pumpkin puree ,but you can use canned pumpkin too. To make your pumpkin puree follow the steps bellow:

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Recipe by: The Pioneer Woman

Preparation Instructions

Select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this.

Place all the seeds into a bowl (you can roast them later ). Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp.

Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I’ve done both) and roast in a 350-degree (180 C )oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.

Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill.

Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.)

Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done.

You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, store it in the freezer for later use.

To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.

I used one medium sized pumpkin, but its always a good idea to make an extra puree batch for freezing, so I do recommend to get two pumpkins.You will save your time.
Also my pumpkin was very watery (very British pumpkin :) ) So I used a muslin to get rid of some of the liquid.

I love Autumn. I love the changing colours of nature, lingering longer over a cup of coffee, the smell of cinnamon and apples cooking at home and those long walks in a woods on Sunday.
Yes, the days get shorter and colder, cosy sweaters, hats and gloves start to be worn and out comes the richly scented candles evocative of spices, warmth and comfort.......

'' Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.''
Albert Camus.
''Ruduo tai antras pavasaris kai kiekvienas lapas gele.''

I thought it would be an excellent time of year to post my favourite pumpkin soup recipe, given to me by my son Marius.

This recipe I make every fall when pumpkins are fresh.

Serves 4-6

1 kg.of pumpkin (peeled and diced)

8 cloves of garlic (skin on)

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 carrot (finely chopped)

1.5-2 litres of chicken or vegetable stock

85g.plain flour

50g. of butter

Bunch of fresh thyme and rosemary

Splash of olive oil

Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Splash of double cream

Preheat your oven to 200 C.

1. In a baking tray spread your pumpkin along with the herbs and garlic.Splash with olive oil.

Roast for about 30-40 min. or until soft when sliced.

2.Clean the pumpkin from out of any sprigs and herbs.Remove the garlic from the skin by gently pressing it.

3.In a big pot melt the butter and add your veg.Cook for around 12 min.until slightly caramelised.

Add the flour and cook down to a sandy texture.Then add your garlic , pumpkin and stock.Cook for around 30 min.

4.Get your hand food blender and give it a good whiz around.Add double cream.Once the soup has no lumps,check your seasoning. You can even sprinkle the soup with grated Parmesan.

Bon Appetite !