Pumpkin-Apple-Leek Soup

Photo by Katie Guymon

The heat finally broke in Saint Louis, and I am ready to get my fall on! You all know that I am obsessed with all things pumpkin. I mean, my heart beats for this particular gourd. So, on top of pumpkin spiced lattes and O'Fallon's pumpkin beer, I added pumpkin-apple-leek soup to the weekend menu.

Growing up in Southern Illinois, my parents always took us to Mary's in Herrin for special occasions: my granny's birthday, my grad school graduation, my uncles visiting for the holidays.... It's not often that I visit the restaurant these days - we're talking maybe once a year - but one thing is a guarantee. I pray to God that the soup of the day is the pumpkin-apple-leek soup, a freaking delicious sweet-savory combination topped with melted cheese that makes my taste buds swoon. And, really, I can't tell you the last time that I won the second course lottery because in recent years, I've had to settle for potato bisque or corn chowder. Life is unfair, I tell you.

So, I had to take matters into my own hands. My mom recently gave me a recipe for curried pumpkin soup, so I combined bits of that with bits of one of my favorite fall meals, Barefoot Contessa's roasted butternut squash soup. And then I improvised with apples and got a little loco with cinnamon. I know. Stuff's getting serious.

Pumpkin-Apple-Leek Soup
-2 tablespoons of butter
-2 teaspoons of garlic, minced
-5 leeks, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
-1 tablespoon red curry
-2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
-3 14.5 oz. cans of low-sodium chicken broth
-2 15 oz. cans of pumpkin puree
-1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
-1/2 cup of half-and-half
-salt and pepper to taste
-freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-fresh parsley

1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add the garlic and the leeks until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the curry and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the chicken broth and apples and cook until the apples are tender.

5. Add the pumpkin and cinnamon and cook for ten minutes. Puree the soup with a immersion blender.

6. Add the half-and-half and the salt and pepper.

7. Garnish with the Parmesan and parsley to serve.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last weekend, after a long work week filled with parent-teacher conferences, I traveled to my parents' house for two days of sitting and doing a lot of nothing. And, oh yeah, eating. Lots of eating.

My friend Nikki passed this Martha Stewart recipe for pumpkin pancakes on to me at the beginning of October, and all I had to do was give my mom a couple of "pretty pleases" so she'd make them for me. Nikki warned that we'd have to up the ante on the pumpkin puree if we wanted a noticeable pumpkin flavor, so the recipe below is exactly how Jude made the pancakes last Sunday.

They make me so very happy. I'm so glad they came into my life. 

Pumpkin Pancakes [adapted from Martha Stewart]
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-2 tablespoons sugar
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
-pinch of ground cloves
-1 cup milk
-10-12 tablespoons pumpkin puree (depending on your personal love of pumpkin)
-2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 egg

1. Whisk first eight ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients.

3. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.

4. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3-4 minutes per side until batter is cooked through.

Pumpkin Bars

Matt and I had a little housewarming gathering yesterday, our first time entertaining in the new digs. How I managed to forget what a tremendous about of work throwing a par-tay is escapes me, but I was reminded today while scrubbing smashed chocolate chips off my kitchen floor. Oh well, it was worth it to see so many friendly faces all in the same place. That rhymes. Sort of.

Plus, it was a good excuse to celebrate my favorite season - and month - in true autumnal style: pumpkins, mums, fire pits, the works. 

I made Paula Deen's pumpkin bars as a dessert, and they were a hit. The recipe is easy, and the cake itself is not too sweet. The cream cheese frosting gives it the sweetness it needs. I say YUM. Heck, I'll say it again. YUM. 

Pumpkin Bars [recipe from Paula Deen]
Pumpkin Bars:
-4 eggs
-1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
-1 cup vegetable oil
-15-ounce can pumpkin
-2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
-8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
-2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

3. Spread the batter into a greased 13 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

4. To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

The Absolute Best Fall Recipes

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, and I love all of the food that goes with it. I've compiled some of my go-to recipes in this blog post, and I'd love for you to share yours in a comment below.

Pumpkin Apricot Cookies

I love my friend Alice. Recently, she went out of her way to drop off a batch of pear-applesauce that she made from scratch (of course, from apples picked at an orchard), and it was so good that I almost ate the entire container in one sitting. That made me love her more. Plus, she bought me my first copy of The Joy of Cooking as a "just because" gift. Her generosity always stuns me. 

Alice is due in February with her first child. This is how I know that she's going to be a great mama: she loves to comfort people she loves with homemade recipes, and she savors family traditions. I am thrilled that she lent me her gramma's famous pumpkin apricot cookie recipe to share with you all. 

-3.5 cups flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1.5 teaspoon nutmeg
-1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
-1.5 sticks of butter
-1/2 cup pumpkin puree
-2 cups brown sugar
-2 eggs
-2 cups chopped dried apricots
-1/2 cup cold black coffee

1. Sift first five ingredients and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and pumpkin. With mixer on low, add coffee add flour mixture slowly. Mix in fruit. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

3. Drop small 1 or 1.5 inch balls of the dough about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-14 minutes at 350. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cookies start to brown.

Apple Muffins
Click here for the recipe online.

My mom has turned into quite the gourmet home cook over the last several years. She is constantly trying out new recipes and encouraging my very "meat and potatoes" father to be adventurous, as well. He recently decided to become a rice eater (although beans are still off limits). And he now likes guacamole. Craziness, I know.

Last year, my mom and my maid-of-honor, Kerri, hosted a bridal shower for me at my parents' home in Southern Illinois, and my mom made these apple muffins for breakfast for all of us girls. I fell in love. They are easy to make, and with apples in season, they are the perfect fall breakfast item. 

Pumpkin Bread
My best friend Britt's sister, Erin, recently shared with me a recipe for what she advertised as the best pumpkin bread ever. I completely trust Erin's opinion when it comes to baked goods. Not only does Erin often test new recipes for her husband and two little ones (and one lucky one on the way), but she is a self-taught amazing cake decorator. If you live in the Chicago area, seriously check out her work. 

I recently made Erin's recipe for pumpkin bread, and I have to agree: it is amazing. She told me beforehand that she thinks what sets it apart from other recipes is the addition of coconut milk. I wholeheartedly agree. 

-3.5 cups all-purpose flour
-2 cups packed dark brown sugar
-2/3 cup white sugar
-2 cups pumpkin puree
-1 cup vegetable oil
-2/3 cup coconut milk
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, coconut milk, baking soda, salt, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Mix until all of the flour is gone. Fold in the nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven and cover loaves with foil tightly. Allow to steam for 10 minutes. Remove foil and turn out onto a cooling rack. Tent lightly with the foil and allow to cool completely.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup [recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa]
The first time I tried this soup was at my cousin Casey's house in Virginia. I was visiting in January 2009, and it was, to put it mildly, frigid outside. One (of very many) unique traits about Casey is that she purposely doesn't have a microwave in her home. I emphasize the word purposely. So, on a cold Saturday afternoon, she heated up this butternut squash soup in a Dutch oven on her stovetop, and I was instantly blown away by its intense yumminess. I've tried a lot of butternut squash soups in my day - the famous Wolfgang Puck's, the vanilla-enhanced version at Mosaic - but this is by far and away, the best recipe I've stumbled upon. I don't do all the condiments on top, but I wholeheartedly endorse a sprinkling of green onions. 

Since my visit almost two years ago, Casey and I have traded recipes online, and I'm thankful to have someone who thinks of me often when scouring cookbooks and planning menus. Casey and I both love a warm and cozy meal, and we share the understanding that food brings a family together. 

By the way, I've spent many an hour peeling and cubing a butternut squash to prep it for roasting. I think that process takes longer than actually making the soup does. The next time I make it, I am going to simply halve the squash and roast it with the skin side down. When the flesh is soft, you can scoop it right out. Much easier! 

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili 
I am not a huge meat eater (unlike my husband), so I prefer my chili to have plenty of veggies. When Matt and I feel like a healthy meal, I'll use turkey in this recipe. But, it's just as great (or better?) with ground beef. I started with a recipe that I found online, but I've added my own pizazz over the years. With a dollop of sour cream on top, it's so delicious. I could eat the leftovers for days. And I do. 

Of course, you might want to adjust the ingredients according to your personal tolerance for heat. I have a pretty high tolerance myself.

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 yellow onion, chopped
-2 tablespoons minced garlic
-1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
-1.5 pounds ground turkey (or beef)
-1 (28-ounce) can crushed organic tomatoes, undrained

-1 small can tomato paste
-1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon sugar
-2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
-1.5 teaspoons sea salt
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

-2 serrano peppers, minced

1. In a large skillet, saute onions, garlic and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.

2. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients to a crock pot set to low heat. Bring to a simmer.

3. Add the ingredients from step one and cook for a another hour or two.

Pumpkin Bars [recipe courtesy of Paula Deen]

Seriously, with all that butter and cream, you can't really go wrong with any Paula Deen recipe. Unless you are watching your weight or your cholesterol. Other than that, eat up! 

I made this recipe for my brother John's birthday party last year, and even I was amazed at how well the pumpkin bars turned out. The best part might be the cream cheese frosting.

Pumpkin Dip 
I am instantly obsessed with all things pumpkin when the fall weather arrives. When I overheard my department chair, Agnes, discussing her go-to pumpkin dip recipe a few years ago, I asked (well, demanded) that she share the it with me. 

The dip was a big hit at Matt's and my Halloween party a few years ago. It's great served with ginger snaps. And it's so easy to make. But a warning - it makes a ton. Unless you are expecting a crowd, you might want to cut the recipe in half.

-4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
-2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
-1 30 oz. can pumpkin pie filling mix
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Combine sugar and cream cheese. Beat until well-blended.

2. Beat in remaining ingredients. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

3. Serve with purchased ginger snaps.