Roasted Veggie and Pumpkin Curry Soup

Whenever we have roasted veggies of any variation for dinner, I am always sure to make enough for leftovers so I can make soup. Roasted vegetable soup is one of my favourites. This time, I also had some canned pumpkin leftover so I decided to make something a little different.

Roasted Veggie and Pumpkin Curry Soup
3-4 cups leftover roasted veggies (any combination and variation will work - and you can also roast veggies specifically for the soup if you want -mine had onions, mushrooms, carrots, turnip and potatoes)
2-3 cups water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1-3 tsp curry powder
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk

1. Place vegetables in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to nearly cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender, process vegetables until smooth. Alternately, you could transfer the mixture to a food processor.

3. Add pumpkin, curry powder, brown sugar and salt. Stir to combine.

4. Return pot to the stove over medium heat. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, until well integrated. Heat over medium until soup is hot throughout, but do not boil. Taste and add more curry powder, brown sugar or salt to taste. Blend once more, if needed to make soup entirely smooth.

Serve with a light drizzle of heavy cream, or a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Makes 8-10 servings.

This recipe is being shared at Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday and Tuesday's at the Table.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

The FD's aunt made these delightful muffins last autumn and I have been thinking of them ever since. Rumour has it that Starbucks has given them a whirl as well. I looked through a number of recipes online and finally decided that I was going to combine a bunch of different ones and see what happened. In the end I used this and this recipe as the basis for the muffins.

These muffins are a real treat. They take a bit of preparation but it's worth it. Seriously, they're divine. If you live near me, maybe if you hurry you can get one before I eat them all. I'm debating hiding them so FD doesn't see them. I want them ALL to myself.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

For the filling:
3/4 cup cream cheese (I used light - 44% less fat - because if you couldn't tell this recipe is ALL about the nutrition)
3/4 cup icing sugar

For the muffins:
2 cup flour (1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup all purpose)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin
1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla

For the topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 T butter
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup granola

1. Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until well combined. Set aside. I followed the instructions from this recipe and froze it in a log but I found that it didn't really work that way. So, I would suggest just setting it in the fridge until you're ready for it and then using a spoon to put it in the muffins.

2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices.

3. Beat together eggs, pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla.

4. Add dry ingredients and combine until an even batter is formed.

5. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full (I filled mine WAY too full). I only made 12 muffins and could have easily made 18. Don't use all the batter.

6. Spoon a dollop of cream cheese mixture into each muffin and use your finger to press it down into the batter.

7. Use remaining batter to cover cream cheese.

8. Mix together streusel ingredients and sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.

9. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy! Makes 12 (gargantuan) muffins or 18 regular muffins. I only made 12 and they are too big. I can only eat 1/2 at a time because they are so rich.

This recipe is being linked at Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table, Newlywed's Pumpkin Roundup and the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Pumpkin-Pie Apple Muffins

The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook is one of my most trusted sources for new recipes. I have the Special Edition Breast Cancer Awareness copy and so there is a section in the back called "Eating for Life" that includes recipes with ingredients that are said to reduce risk. If you don't own a copy of this cookbook and are the least bit inclined to ever step foot into a kitchen, you really should own it.

I was flipping through the other day and come across this muffin recipe that I thought sounded absolutely wonderful. They are delicious! The smell while they are baking is tantalizing. This is fall in a muffin.

Pumpkin Pie Apple Muffins - slightly modified from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook
1 cup unbleached white flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice**
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup milk
1 T cooking oil
1 T applesauce
1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped apple (about 1 small apple)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

**If you don't have pumpkin pie spice mix together 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice and 1/8 tsp nutmeg for 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

1. Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl.

2. In a separate bowl combine pumpkin, applesauce, eggs, brown sugar, milk, and oil. Whisk until well combined.
3. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined but batter is still lumpy.

4. Fold in apples and pumpkin seeds.
5. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 delicious muffins!

This recipe is being shared at Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday