pumpkin Archives * My Hot Southern Mess

Pumpkin Chip Muffins with Flax Seed

November 26, 2015
Recipes, Uncategorized
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Hey you, don’t put the pumpkin away just yet! Yeah, I know Thanksgiving is here and the end of all things pumpkin season is upon us but I have one more really great recipe for you! The chocolate mint and Christmas cookies and candies can wait just a few more days. My Pumpkin Chip Muffins with Flax Seed are calling your name, saying bake me, bake me! Seriously they are.

My recipe is the product of me trying to find the perfect pumpkin muffin. I just couldn’t find a recipe that had everything I was looking for. So I took the best of several recipes and made my own recipe. As an added plus they are gluten free and they have flax seed which adds it’s own health benefits. They are full of fiber, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, may even help prevent some types of cancer and more! I sneak flax seed into many things I make for my family. Shh…don’t tell my kids. In addition to flax the muffins get a healthy boost from pumpkin which is full of vitamin A and other vitamins, along with carotenoids and potassium. Lastly I swap out the oil for applesauce to reduce some of the fat in the recipe. I do add chocolate chips (white or regular chocolate) because well it’s chocolate, who doesn’t like chocolate?

These muffins are the perfect thing for breakfast, to put in my kid’s lunches, after school snack or just whenever they are hungry and want a snack. My kiddos are always hungry so these muffins are whipped up often. Many times my kids are the ones helping whip them up because they are that easy to make. So what are you waiting for? Head to the kitchen and whip these muffins up! You will be happy you did!

Pumpkin Chip Muffins with Flax

Author:

Country Girl Gourmet

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Ingredients

4 Eggs
1½ Cups Pumpkin Puree
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ cup Applesauce or your favorite cooking oil
¾ Cup Sugar
3 cups Flour
½ cup Ground Flax Seed
1½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1½ Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 (heaping) teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ginger
½ teaspoon Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 cup Chocolate Chips (white, semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chips)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Mix sugar, apple sauce, eggs. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. In separate bowl mix together the Gluten Free flour, flax seen meal, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups ⅔ full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Mousse

September 2, 2015
Uncategorized
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So I have been patiently waiting. It is now September so I think i’m good. I am going to go basic, white girl on you. It is time to bring out the Pumpkin. Pumpkin everything please! Yes, as long as you keep some pumpkin puree around you can have pumpkin anytime you want (and trust me I keep some in my pantry year round) but there is something about pumpkin in the fall and over the past few years I think the rest of the world has realized that. Not every pumpkin spice product out there will be a winner but I have made something that is and i’m excited to share it with you! Are you ready? Easy Pumpkin Pie Mousse, it is what you need this fall.

Pumpkin Pie is a favorite of mine but I don’t always feel like making a pie crust. Add into it being gluten free, I am always looking for gluten free dessert alternatives. This easy, Pumpkin Pie Mouse is perfect and a bit dangerous since it is so easy to make. The recipe uses 5 ingredients, Pumpkin Puree, Milk, Vanilla or Cheesecake Pudding Mix, Pumpkin Pie Spice and Whipped Cream or Topping. From there you can make it as high fat, full calorie or low fat and light in calories as you would like. This recipe works with both regular full fat ingredients as well as sugar free, light and fat free ingredients. Once you decide how you want to make it, mix it up and pour it into individual ramekins and put it in the fridge to chill and set. In just an hour you have a delicious creamy pumpkin dessert. Top with some whipped cream and maybe a drizzle of dark chocolate and enjoy. It is a perfect fall time pumpkin spice sweet treat!

Pumpkin Pie Mouse

Author:

Country Girl Gourmet

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Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
½ cup milk
1 (1 ounce) package instant vanilla or cheesecake pudding mix
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping or cream (regular, lite or fat free)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix together the pumpkin, milk, and instant pudding mix. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice, and fold in half of the whipped topping.
Pour into individual ramekins. Chill for 1 hour, or until set. Top with additional whipped topping and favorite toppings.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Do you love all things Pumpkin Spice? What is your favorite Pumpkin Spice treat?

Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies

September 26, 2014
Uncategorized
1 Comment

With it being all things pumpkin season I want to share with you a sweet recipe I fell in love with last year. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I made it. What is this creation? It is Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies from Allrecipes. The name blondies is a bit misleading for this recipe because it is much more cake like than blondie like but that said it is delicious! We have eaten it plain, drizzled with caramel, with vanilla ice cream and caramel on top. Every way we have tried it we have loved.

The problem with the recipe it is that I don’t eat gluten anymore so I had to convert the cake to a gluten free recipe if I wanted to continue enjoying it. Which is something I most definitely want to do. So I tested it out and I am so glad I did. I now have a gluten free and vegan pumpkin pie blondie recipe that my family loves!

If you love pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavored things as much as my family and I do that I am sure you will love it too! Try it for yourself!

Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
Sift flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. Stir pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla extract into flour mixture until a thick batter forms. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 minutes.
Serve plain, with caramel sauce, ice cream, cream cheese frosting etc.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola with Chia and Quinoa

September 24, 2014
Uncategorized
4 Comments

It is the first day of fall so i’m bringing you a great fall recipe! Fall brings so many great things especially to the food world. Soups, stews, comfort food galore, apples and pumpkin, yes pumpkin! We love pumpkin in our house and while I keep pumpkin in my pantry year round there is just something about eating it during the fall and it appears i’m not the only person who thinks that either. Other than Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte have you been to a grocery store and have seen all the pumpkin spice goodies they have now? It can be a bit overwhelming but at the same time really tasty.

While the world is on pumpkin spice overload there are still a few things that have not found a pumpkin spice version so I decided to make my own. My kid’s and I are addicted to granola. While it is easy to make I kept picking up bags of our favorite brand and it was devoured in no time at all. So I decided to save my $4 a bag and make my own, pumpkin spice flavored of course and it was delicious!

If you like granola and pumpkin spice this is the granola for you! Plus I added all sorts of other goodies to it like quinoa and chia seeds to add to the nutrition factor. Just don’t tell my kids that it is healthy.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola with Chia and Quinoa

Ingredients

2 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/4 cup Quinoa
2TB Chia Seed
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (canned or fresh)
1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1T Cooking Oil (canola, coconut, etc.)
2t Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 t Cinnamon
1/2t Nutmeg
1.2t Ground Ginger
1/2t Cloves
1/2t Salt

optional add in’s include your favorite nuts (such as pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds etc.) and dried fruit (such as craisens and dried cherries). I have a kid in braces so I leave these things out.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees . Line a large baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
Combine the oats, ground flax seed, quinoa, chia seed and nuts (if you are including them) in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin puree, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg,cloves,salt and vanilla in a saucepan and coat oat mixture well. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring at 30 minutes. Due to differences in ovens bake until toasted and crispy.
Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Dried fruit can be added once the granola has completely cooled also.

Cake Mix Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

November 9, 2013
Uncategorized
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I grew up cooking from scratch so a few years ago when I learned you can make cookies from cake mix, I was intrigued and tried it out. Every now and then now I will make them. They are quick and easy when you need a quick treat. They are also one of my oldest son’s favorite cookies to make. I discovered a cake mix pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recently and I had to try it out. The simplicity of mixing cake mix and pumpkin and getting a cookie, once again I was intrigued. I will say scratch made pumpkin cookies are still my favorite but these cake mix pumpkin chocolate chip cookies aren’t that shabby themselves.

Just Like Nana’s Pumpkin Cookies

from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 teaspoon shortening, or as needed (optional)
1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (15 ounce) can canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets with shortening or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.Whisk cake mix, cinnamon together in a bowl, breaking up any lumps. Beat pumpkin, eggs, milk, and vanilla into the cake mix mixture; stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed through the dough.

3.Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

4.Bake in the preheated oven until cookies begin to brown and spring back when touched (approx.8-10minutes) . Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before to a wire rack to cool completely.

Semi Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes

October 25, 2013
Uncategorized
1 Comment

It is that time of year again, time for pumpkin everything! Over the weekend I decided it was time for pumpkin for breakfast but what I wasn’t sure. With hungry kids begging for pancakes the decision was made for me, if they wanted pancakes.. pumpkin pancakes they would get. Since I was also trying to get out the door for my weekend long run I turned to a box of pancake mix. It was then Semi Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes were born.

Semi Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes

makes approx. 24 pancakes

1 28oz box Hungry Jack Wheat Blends Pancake Mix

4cups Water

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 (heaping)tsp Cinnamon

1/2tsp Nutmeg

1/2tsp Ground Ginger

1/4tsp Ground Cloves

1. In a bowl, whisk together pancake mix, water, pumpkin, cinnamon,nutmeg, cloves and ginger until well blended. Be careful not to over mix.

2. Spray griddle with nonstick spray and pour pancake batter on hot griddle (to desired size).

3. Cook pancakes over medium heat approximately 2 minutes or until bubbles appear, then turn pancakes over and cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Serve and top with your favorite pancake toppings such as butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, pecans or enjoy plain.

Apples and Pumpkins and DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte, oh my!

October 25, 2013
Uncategorized
1 Comment

Recently I received a sweet package from Allrecipes filled with SPLENDA® along with a fun assignment, apple vs. pumpkin, which is your favorite? They are going to have me decide which is better? Really? How am I going to decide? I love them both! This was a challenge I was ready to take on. Bring on the pumpkin pie, cookies, turnovers, muffins and more. For fun I threw in a DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte that my husband thought was better than Starbucks.

I am a fan of SPLENDA® and have used it since 2003. At that time I was pregnant with my third son and had gestational diabetes. It was my second time with gestational diabetes but not my last, I had a tough go with gestational diabetes in my 4th and last pregnancy as well. Having gestational diabetes 3 times has placed me at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes so I need to watch what I eat and exercise so I do what I can. I run, lift weights and watch what I eat and not just as it is going into my mouth. SPLENDA® has become a regular part of my diet as I often use SPLENDA® in recipes in place of sugar. You can use it in everything from sweetening your coffee or tea to baking. So…I was needed to use it to help decide what fall flavor I liked best, no problemo I can do that!

First up we had team Apple! Sweet and Tart apples how do I love thee! Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala and your friends are all welcome in my home! You will always find some in my crisper drawer.

Miniature Apple Muffins

Baked Apple Turnovers

and finally…
Apple Cookies

All three of the apple recipes were pretty good. I did tweak the recipes a smidge though. For both the apple muffins and cookies I left out the raisins. We are just not big fans of raisins in our baked goods. The cookies in my opinion could have been made better if the apple was shredded like in the cookies. The apple chunks turned off 3 of my 4 kids. They still ate the cookies. They just picked out the apples. The turnovers were wonderful! I did up the cinnamon to a full teaspoon and found it to be perfect for us. The only way to make that apple recipe even better was to use homemade pie crust.

Team apple was definitely tasty but pumpkin was up next. Oh sweet pumpkin who visits us in the fall. Sweet pumpkin that I hoard cans of in my pantry just in case I decide I need a pumpkin fix during spring or summer.

Pumpkin Waffles
Harvest Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Easy Pumpkin Pie

and finally a better than Starbucks a DIY Quick Pumpkin Spice Latte

Oh dear apple I hate to break the news to you but I am most definitely a team pumpkin girl as are 3 of my 4 children and my husband. Only my second son voted apple as his favorite. The pumpkin waffles were yum and I made no changes at all. The pumpkin cookies were perfect and instead of raisins and walnuts I mixed in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into a batch and I was in heaven. It is a great little cookie. The pumpkin pie was pretty good too. It was a tad sweet for us and missing the spices we usually use. I will be making it again with my own crust and some nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Then there is that Pumpkin Spice latte. I don’t drink coffee but my husband does and he likes Starbucks. Sadly where we currently live we no longer have the overabundance of Starbucks so it is much easier to make and take our own drinks. This drink was a happy surprise for my husband.

Now all these pumpkin treats that you will be baking come fall don’t always use the full can of pumpkin. So what are you suppose to do with that little bit that is left over? Throw it away? No way! Use it for a DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte.

You only need 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin.

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan along with 1 tablespoon of sugar or you can do like I did and use SPLENDA®. Whisk in 1/2 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can use equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. I like a dash of cloves as well.

You bring this to a simmer for 5 minutes and then whisk in another 1/2 cup of milk.

Now this next step is important. Take a fine sieve and stain the milk mixture into a mug. At this point I also rinse out my sauce pan.

This will take a little time to get this. Be patient it is worth it.

Or you could drink this. It is up to you.

Now return your strained milk back to your saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add your coffee or espresso and whisk until frothy.

Then serve! Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon if desired and enjoy!

Quick Pumpkin Spice Latte

from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup milk, divided
1 tablespoon white sugar or SPLENDA® (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup brewed espresso (or strong coffee)

Directions

1. Whisk 1/2 cup milk, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup milk.

2. Pour milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove pulp. Return milk mixture to saucepan and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes. Add espresso and whisk until foamy, 1 minute.

SPLENDA® Share the LOVE of all things SWEET.

Crockpot Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

January 16, 2012
breakfast
8 Comments

I am a mom of 4, add on to that a mom of special needs kids so…. mornings in my house can be hectic and down right crazy but there is one thing we need every morning, a good breakfast.
I love giving my kids a good healthy hot breakfast and this recipe fit the bill along with being easy to make. French toast casserole in the crockpot! Who would have thought. I whipped this up way after my kids were asleep so no mommy I need this or that while i’m trying to create breakfast. I did wake up several times during the night to the yummy aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg. That may have been the hardest part. Then in the morning voila, breakfast was ready as soon as we woke up.

Try it for yourself!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Crockpot Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Author:

Country Girl Gourmet

Recipe type: Breakfast, crockpot

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 15 mins

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No need to worry about not having enough time in the morning to make breakfast. Make breakfast in the crockpot and let it cook while you sleep.

Ingredients

1 loaf sandwich bread (white or wheat), diced
1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
6 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves

Instructions

Place cubed bread in a large bowl
In another bowl, whisk eggs and then mix in milk. pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla and spices until well combined.
Pour egg mixture over bread and mix until bread is well coated
Pour bread mix into a well sprayed crockpot
Cook on low 6-8 hours/ overnight.
If needed allow to sit uncovered for up to 30minutes before serving if too moist (I live in the desert so I did not do this)
Serve and enjoy. Top with maple syrup, whipped cream or powdered sugar
Note- Some great add in's to this recipe would be chocolate chips or pecans;) I did not do this do to one kid with a chocolate allergy and my kid’s aren’t a big fan of nuts in cookies/muffins etc. they prefer to eat them plain.