Category: Halloween

Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Bundt

10/29/2019

[Ed. note: Once again, since it's Halloween, our four-pawed special-guest blogger returns.]

Okay. Hello. Marlowe here. Mom and Dad say it okay to write because I has a did last Halloween (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/mini-butterscotch-apples) and then also as well again repeated here (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/sauteed-white-beans-with-kale). Dad better give me raise of more treats or I bite him. [Ed. note: We'll talk.]

Mom say Halloween one of her favorites times of year, which I no understand because weird little people ring doorbell all night and everybody tell me to stop barking. But I guess okay since little people very nice to me and give me lots of pets and scritches. Howevers nobody let me have any of small packages that they put in their bags, maybe I need to talk to union repersentartive.

Since it Halloween, Mom and Dad dress me up. You may remember I was UPS driver last year. This year I something called Little Red Riding Hood, and also a lumberjack. Mom like Riding Hood since good story, Dad like lumberjack because he keeps singing some silly song and I no know what a Monty Python is. Also not want speculate what Dad do in spare time. [Ed. note: More treats, yes! I think we can work something out.]

Mom says to tell you this cake like "little bite of autumn on your plate," which strange since though I a dog even I know you no can put a season on dinnerware. Duh. Oh, she also say this no need frosting and what the fresh hell who are you Mom?

Besides weird little people ringing doorbell, Mom and Dad like to put on even weirder movies like Hocus Pocus, The Blair Witch Project, Shaun Of The Dead, and The Shining. Me no like when that guy puts face through the door.

Mom and Dad say wish you all Happy Halloween, and Dad say please click ads on right-hand side because that give me more minty treats that good for teeth.

Thank you for reading and hope you like bundt cake!

PS: Last year Mom also went crazy with pumpkin motif and this quote-unquote epic pumpkin bread (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/epic-pumpkin-bread).

PPS: We no just stuffing ourselves with pumpkin stuff and candy, also try be healthy with this butternut squash chickpea stew, which Dad should have more of because he taking shape of school bus I always afraid of (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/butternut-squash-chickpea-moroccan-stew).

Me also not know what up with "Amok Amok Amok."

I wish I were a kitteh, just like my dear Papa!

Adapted from: Cozy Cakes Cottage
Number of servings: 10-12

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ⅓ cups canned pumpkin
¾ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature [Ed. note: God yes it's back ROOM TEMPERATURE]
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
3 eggs (large)
Powdered sugar (for sprinkling)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Spray bundt pan (10-11 cup capacity) with Baker's Joy (or butter and flour). Set aside.
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Mix pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-alone mixer (I used a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures, alternating (beginning and ending with flour mixture).
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 45 minutes (check at 40 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (crumbs on the toothpick are okay since it should be moist).
Cool about 10 minutes and remove from pan. Let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

5 Comments

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

10/25/2019

4 Comments

Halloween looms [Ed. note: OoooOoOooOooo], and I love making this soup every October. Recently, the BF and I had a good friend over for dinner, and she specifically requested it. I served biscuits with jalapeno butter, a crispy green salad, and various soup toppings for everyone to add what they like.

If you're familiar with the blog, you know I don't like super thick, heavy soups, so I lightened this up to my liking. The recipe also calls for ham, which I left out. Usually I prepare this vegetarian, but this time included crispy pancetta as a topping. You can leave it out, of course.

The pumpkin is really a nice background flavor. Key word is "background," as both the BF and guest did not realize pumpkin was one of the main ingredients.

Speaking of ingredients, I made a ton of changes to the original recipe:

Left the majority of beans whole.
Added one more cup of broth, to make it lighter. If you prefer a thicker soup, don't add it.
Subbed pancetta for ham and only used it as topping. Did not add meat back in the soup as our guest does not eat pork or red meat.
Subbed chicken broth for beef broth, only because our guest does not eat red meat.
Cut back on the butter.
Replaced onion with shallots.
Nixed the sherry vinegar at the end.
Added cayenne pepper. It will not be too spicy. It's just a little kick.

My favorite stress-free kind of dinner party.

[Ed. note: Chef Jacquie loves her Halloween. How much? ↓↓↓]

A very vintage Steiner Halloween (Portland, 1966).

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 9 cups, approximately 6 servings

Ingredients

½ pound pancetta, diced small (you can find diced pancetta in your grocery store)
Three 15 ½ ounce cans black beans (about 4 ½ cups), rinsed and drained
1 ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes
2 cups shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you're heat averse, use less)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups beef, chicken or vegetable broth (Add one more cup broth if you like a brothier soup like I do)
One 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup dry Sherry

Topping Suggestions

Crispy pancetta
Avocado, chopped
Sour cream
Jalapeno, Fresno or Serrano peppers, thinly sliced
Scallions, thinly sliced
Pumpkin seeds
Cilantro leaves
Shredded cheddar or jack cheese
Corn or tortilla chips

Directions

In a food processor, coarsely puree ¾ cup black beans and 1 ¼ cup diced tomatoes.
In a 6-quart heavy pot, cook the pancetta (if using) until slightly crispy, rendering out most of the fat. With a slotted spoon, remove pancetta, place on plate and set aside. Pour the rendered fat out and wipe pot with a paper towel.
Place pot back on burner. Heat butter and extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Throw in shallots, garlic, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until shallots are softened and beginning to brown.
Stir in beans and tomato puree.
Stir in broth, pumpkin, Sherry, and the rest of the whole black beans, until combined. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Season soup with salt and pepper.
Serve soup garnished with toppings of your choice.

Soon. The guest blogger returns.

4 Comments

Mini Butterscotch Apples

10/29/2018

2 Comments

Happy Halloween.

Adapted from: I Am Baker (blog)
Number of servings: Makes approximately 20-24 mini apples

Ingredients

3 large Granny Smith apples (each yielded 8 mini apples)
2 cups butterscotch morsels (Guittard was used here)
1 tablespoon shortening (can also use oil)
Melon baller
Cleaned twigs, sticks or cake-pop sticks
lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Place parchment paper on a baking or cookie sheet.
Using melon baller, scoop out sections of the apple. One apple typically yields about 6-8 mini apples. Work quickly as you don't want the apples to brown. If you have lemon juice on hand, sprinkle it over the apples (this helps).
Insert the twig/stick into the mini apple, being sure not to go in all the way.
Melt butterscotch and shortening in the microwave. Heat for 1 minute, stir, then heat for 10 second intervals until fully melted. Transfer melted butterscotch to a tall glass. Work quickly.
Important: dry mini apples off with paper towel.
Briefly dip apples into the butterscotch, until covered. Lift up and let excess butterscotch drain off. Set on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate or leave on counter.
Suggestion: you can also drizzle with chocolate or colorful candy melts. Orange and black would be fun for Halloween, or if you have a San Francisco Giants fan in the house. [Ed. note: Dodgers haven't won since '88, Dodgers haven't won since '88, Dodgers...]

2 Comments

Feast Mode

Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Bundt

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Mini Butterscotch Apples

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