Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Is there anything better than a chunk of warm cornbread next to a hot bowl of full flavored chili?  Especially when the cornbread is slightly sweet, soft in texture, and the perfect palate for butter, honey, or jam?  Nope, there really is nothing better!  (Well, except maybe a Swedish massage or an all expense paid trip to Tahiti, but let's focus on the simple things.)

I made this to accompany the delicious Chicken Barley Chili I featured in my previous post.  It was the perfect side kick to the robust flavors.  The pumpkin really does something to the flavor of the cornbread, not to mention the beautiful orange hue it gives.  And forget about dealing with anything dry or crumbling, these are so soft, you could eat them plain, I did!

This whole meal was a total kid pleaser!  I fed five kids with this and every single one of them ate everything, some even asking for seconds.  Definitely a keeper.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
By Nancy Creative

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup plain yogurt 
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/2 Tablespoon honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8�8? baking pan or line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and cornmeal (using a whisk to blend these ingredients works well); after blending ingredients well, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, then stir in the pumpkin puree, plain yogurt, canola oil, molasses, and honey.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined. Pour batter into the greased 8�8? baking pan, smoothing the top, OR spoon batter into 12 lined muffin cups (each cup should be about 2/3 full of batter).

Bake CORNBREAD (in 8�8? pan) at 375 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or almost clean (be careful not to over-bake cornbread, or it will be too dry).

Bake CORNBREAD MUFFINS at 375 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or almost clean (do not over-bake, or muffins will be too dry and may brown on the bottom).

Cooking with my Blog Friends

How are you east coasters doing so far?!  Right now my kids and I are hunkered down in the living room with flashlights strapped to our foreheads, waiting for the eye of the storm.  I've got a pile of blankets, a bunch of candles and two loaves of bread.  That's what they tell you to stock up on for huge tropical storms, right?  So far it's just pretty nasty and drizzly, and I'm hoping that it doesn't get worse than that.  Unfortunately, I think it's probably wishful thinking.

Speaking of storms, I've been a tornado in the kitchen lately.  My schedule has me at home a lot more, and to keep myself occupied, I've been tackling so many of the recipes all of you have been putting out.  Each and every one has been a complete hit in our home, and they are all perfect for fall, especially if you need something to distract you from oncoming hurricanes!

All of the pictures below belong to the blogger who posted them.  They are not mine.

Taste and Tell: Homemade Tator Tots (Perfect for your leftover mashed potatoes.)

Two Peas and Their Pod Apple Cinnamon Granola

Mel's Kitchen Cafe Pumpkin Blondies

Mel's Kitchen Cafe Baked Spaghetti Pie

Mel's Kitchen Cafe:  Ultimate Beef Stroganoff (As you may have noticed, I've currently got a bit of a  crush on Mel's blog.  She can do no wrong!)

Epicurian Mom:  Eggplant Parmesan

Gonna Want Seconds: Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Eats Well with Others: Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Recipe Shoebox:  Pork Chops with Apple Butter

Recipe Shoebox:  Homemade Granola Bites

Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice: Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese 

Stay safe east coasters!  We'll get through this together!

Crockpot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili

Fall is quickly approaching (yay!), which means cooler weather, busier schedules, and more PUMPKIN in our diets.  At least that's what it means in our house.

I love pumpkin season.  I'm a bit of a pumpkin hoarder actually.  The second I see pumpkin on the shelves, I leave with half a cart load.  Consequently I've sat through a few interventions from my husband on the matter.

Most pumpkin recipes are things you're pulling out of the oven, things like cookies, muffins and pies.  This recipe doesn't require quite as much work, and also doesn't come with as much guilt either.

This is a Skinny Taste recipe that you make in the crockpot.  And before you raise your eyebrows at pumpkin in your chili, let me ease your mind.  The only thing the pumpkin does is add a velvety creaminess and richness to your chili.  You can't taste it.  If you have a picky eater at home, just don't tell them that there is pumpkin in it, they'll never know. 

I ate this when I was on my strict weight lifting diet.  It has plenty of protein and fiber and is absolutely delicious.  Be sure to enjoy a big comforting bowl when the weather cools!


Crockpot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili
From SkinnyTaste

Ingredients

cooking spray 
2 lb 99% lean ground turkey
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder, to taste
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 (15 oz cans) of white northern or navy beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
4.5 oz canned chopped green chile
2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
fat free sour cream for topping (optional)
chopped cilantro and chives for topping (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
 
Heat a large heavy saute pan over high heat and lightly spray with oil. Add meat and cook, breaking it up until white, about 5 minutes.  Add to crock pot.

Add oil to the saute pan, then onions, garlic, saut� about 3 - 4 minutes; add cumin and saut� another minute.
 
 Add to crock pot. Add beans, pumpkin puree, green chilis, broth, chili powder, oregano, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

Usually I'm not super excited about eating leftovers. Even if I enjoy it for dinner, I'm ready to move on. So when I tell you that I've eaten this soup three other times after making it, you know that it's good!

My friend introduced me to this soup as a bit of an experiment shortly after doing our pumpkin food group. Always being one for an adventure, I dove right in. I don't know what it is about this soup, but it is so good that even thinking about it makes me want some now. The pumpkin is flavored so well, it's warm, filling and just so dang comforting. And the best part is that it's SO healthy. There's very little fat in it and pumpkin is chock full of fiber, potassium and all sorts of vitamins. My advice is to make Dinner in a Pumpkin and then use the pumpkin for this soup, killing two birds with one...pumpkin!


Pumpkin Chipotle Soup

Ingredients

1 t. cumin
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. diced onion
2 t. minced, seeded serrano or jalapeno pepper (I used jalapeno)
5 c. chicken stock or canned, low sodium chicken broth
5 c. diced (1/2") fresh pumpkin such as Sugar Pie or Cinderella, or butternut squash
1/2 T. chipotle pepper puree (I actually didn't use this, yes I realize it's what gives the pumpkin soup it's name, but I liked it just as much without it)
1/4 c. chopped scallion
Salt
any type of cheese for garnish, I loved Parmesan
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine oil and butter in skillet, cook over medium heat until butter melts. Add onion and cook until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Add chili pepper (jalapenos) and ground cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute; set aside.

2. Bring stock to boil in large sauce pan or soup pot. Add onion mixture and pumpkin/squash, cover, and cook until pumpkin/squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes (since I already roasted the pumpkin I don't cook for very long). Stir in chipotle puree, scallion, and 2 t. salt. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish each with heaping tablespoon of cheese and cilantro leaves.