The pigments of summer are fading, but the trees and plants are bursting forth with a grand finale of fall color and flavors The bright orange pumpkins are ripe and ready to be turned into jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pies and pumpkin soup. This week is all about fall flavors and Halloween. All classes will make a fall treat. The cake this week is a spice cake. I am posting two pumpkin soup recipes. The one we made in class, Curried Pumpkin Soup, was made from canned pumpkin. Even Martha Stewart says canned pumpkin is as good as fresh and a lot easier. Soup in a Pumpkin needs more adult supervision but makes for an interesting family meal.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon coriander

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

• 1 cup half and half

• sour cream (optional)

• chives (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, (we used a wok in class) melt butter and cook the onions and garlic until soft.

2. Add curry powder, salt, coriander and red pepper; cook for 1 minute.

3. Add broth and boil gently, uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

4. Stir in pumpkin and half and half; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. The soup can be blended until smooth with an immersion blender.

6. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chives, if desired.

Soup in a Pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 1 large pumpkin, the size of a soup tureen, yet small enough to fit in your oven

• 1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs

• 2 cups minced onions

• 1 stick butter

• 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

• 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon sage

• 1 cup warmed heavy cream

• a handful of chopped fresh parsley

1. Cut a neat cover out of the pumpkin.

2. Scrape out the insides of the pumpkin.

3. Rub the inner flesh of the pumpkin with butter as well as the pumpkin’s cover.

4. Cook the onions in the butter until tender but not browned.

5. Stir the crumbs into the onions and cook for 3 minutes.

6. Put the crumb mixture in the pumpkin.

7. Stir in the Swiss cheese.

8. Fill the pumpkin with the chicken or vegetable stock within 2 inches of the top and season with salt, pepper and sage. Put the pumpkin top on.

At this point an adult should take over. Bake.for 1 1/2 hours on a pizza pan. Do not remove the pumpkin from the pizza pan! It will fall apart and make a mess. Add the heavy cream and chopped fresh parsley and serve. Ladle the soup, scraping off flesh from the side of the pumpkin and serve in bowls.

What do you do with pumpkin seeds?

Wash them. Dry them out. Melt two tablespoons of butter and mix them with salt and roast them in the oven for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. They make great snacks.

Halloween Spice Cake Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 1 SproutCake Mix

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/4 cup melted butter

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

• a pinch of nutmeg

1. Whisk all ingredients until well blended.

2. Pour in a 6” greased and floured cake pan.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean it is done. If it comes out with batter bake for 2 minutes longer until done.

4. Ice and decorate.