Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Pumpkin Fest 2.0

If you know me at all or if you've read the blog for a while you've probably heard once or twice that I LOVE Pumpkin! All things pumpkin! Last year my friends and I gathered to share our love of pumpkin and coined our dinner party "Pumpkin Fest".  We decided it would be an annual event and starting planning this year's Pumpkin Fest (aka Pumpkin Fest 2.0) at the beginning of September, it was that important we could not miss it this year and finally set the date for this past Saturday, October 11th.  I truly believe this year was an even bigger hit.  We had an amazing menu that could not have been possible without the help of everyone!

Menu
Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good recipe included
Biscuits and Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Sausage Pasta recipe included
Pumpkin Bourbon Sangria recipe included
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel recipe included
Sweet Pumpkin dip with graham crackers
Coffee with Pumpkin Creamer

Enough blabbering, on to the recipes!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good -Daly made this dish and it was absolutely FANTASTIC! She got the recipe originally from Epicurious, she made two pumpkins - one with bacon and one without - you can't go wrong! Since I didn't make this dish I am going based off the directions on the blog, no worries I will be making this SOON and can update any notes as needed but I think this will cover you completely.

Ingredients
  • 1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 2–4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped
  • About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • About 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

  •  
    Steps
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    3. Cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin, clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and inside of the pumpkin.
    4. Season inside of pumpkin with salt and pepper and put it on the baking sheet.
    5. Toss the bread, cheese, bacon and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper and pack into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled.
    6. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour into the pumpkin.  You want the ingredients nicely moistened but not swimming in the cream.
    7. Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours - check after 90 minutes - until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced with the tip of a knife.
    8. Remove the cap during the last 20 minutes of baking and let the liquid bake away and the stuffing brown a little.
    9. Transfer very carefully to a platter for presentation.
     
    You can either spoon out portions of the filling or cut it in slices so everyone will get ample amounts of pumpkin. We were a little nervous about slicing Saturday night but it worked out perfectly. It is best served as soon as it is ready.
     
    Thank you Daly for this great new pumpkin recipe! I can't wait to make it sometime this fall.
     
    Pumpkin Sausage Pasta - If you've been reading my blog lately you know that this is my new go-to fall recipe! I mixed it up a little this weekend and made it with Turkey Sausage. Just as a reminder I originally got this recipe from Mix and Match Mama.

    Ingredients
    1 pound pasta (I used whole wheat penne)
    1 pound sausage (I used turkey sausage this time- yum!)
    3 garlic cloves, chopped (I used 1 1/2 tsp of minced garlic)
    1 onion, chopped
    1 cup chicken broth
    1 cup of pumpkin
    Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
    Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    Salt and Pepper to taste (I actually didn't add either of these, I don't think it needed it but that could be your choice)

    Steps
    1. Bring one large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta until cooked completely.
    2. In another large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown and crumble the sausage.
    3. After the sausage has browned, add in onion and garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes.
    4. Once sausage and onion mixture is sautéed, add in the chicken broth, lower heat to low and let chicken broth simmer 2-3 minutes.
    5. Stir in pumpkin and heat through about 3 minutes.
    6. Drain your pasta and add to the sausage pan.
    7. Stir in cheese and enjoy!

    Pumpkin Bourbon Sangria - A little background on why I chose this drink choice to include in our Pumpkin Fest, October 11th was 18 years since my dad passed away and usually on his birthday and the day he passed my sister and I like to do things that remind us of him - donuts are a MUST and usually pizza and bourbon in his honor. So I wanted to incorporate a bourbon drink into our Pumpkin Fest and found Pumpkin Bourbon Sangria - It won my vote by a landslide!  I highly recommend actually making this 24 hours before serving it (a step I missed), but that gives it plenty of time to chill and the flavors to set. I found this recipe off the one and only Pinterest from Kiran Tarun.

    Ingredients
  • 2 small honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp whole cloves
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin butter or puree
  • 1 cup apple or pumpkin flavored bourbon (I went with straight bourbon- had an impossible time finding pumpkin bourbon!)
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1 bottle of pink rosé wine

  • Steps
    1. Add all ingredients into a tall large pitcher. Stir to combine and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. If you are reading this with only 6 hours until your event, do not worry, you can still make this drink!
    2. Serve over ice! Enjoy!



    Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting - another fall favorite! I kept saying I was going to try a different pumpkin recipe but when you find a tried and true one it is hard to stray from it! I originally got this recipe from Made in Melissa's Kitchen and it has been a few years since I posted it so we could all use a refresher!

    Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon coarse salt
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
    1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
    1 cup packed brown sugar
    1 cup granulated sugar
    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
    4 large eggs, lightly beaten
    1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

    Steps
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cupcake pans and set aside.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
    3. In another bowl combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on low until smooth.  Fold in the pumpkin puree.
    4. Fill each cupcake liner about halfway and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotate the pans once halfway through baking.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

    Ingredients for Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    2 tablespoons water
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 stick salted butter
    1 stick unsalted butter
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    2 cups powdered sugar

    Steps
    1. In a saucepan stir granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes (but watch it closely and don't just go by the time, it can burn easily). Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes until it is just barely warm and still pourable.
    2. In a medium bowl, beat butter and salt together until light and fluffy. Reduce to low speed and add powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.
    3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add caramel.  Beat on medium speed until light and airy and completely mixed, about 2 minutes.  You should be ready to frost your cupcakes! If the caramel was too warm when you added it, your icing will be runny and should refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

    Enjoy!


    I hope you all enjoyed this review of Pumpkin Fest 2.0, I'm sure it will not be the last pumpkin related post for the fall season but it is the most pumpkin packed! Happy Fall!