Pumpkin Custard

My grandpa asked me to make this dessert, and to be honest at first, I was like "ewww". But, I dug out the recipe from my mom and decided to make it. I tasted the "batter" and was pleasantly surprised at how creamy it was.

Pumpkin Custard

2 C. canned pumpkin (I used a 15 oz can)

6 eggs

4 C milk scalded

1 and 3/4 C white sugar

1 t cinnamon

5 T flour

Combine pumpkin and eggs - beat. Combine dry ingredients while milk is being scalded. When milk is warm, pour a little into the egg mixture and whisk it together. Then pour the egg/pumpkin mixture into the dry and continue to add the milk. Whisk well. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and set inside a larger pan filled with hot water. Pour custard into pan and bake at 325 degrees for 90 minutes. Insert knife in center , if it comes out clean, it is done. You can see in the lower picture above where I stuck the knife in (2 times). If you use a really sharp knife I am guessing you will not get such large marks - I used a butter knife :)

Baking Pie Pumkins and Pumpkin Muffins/Bread

I found there pumpkins at the local apple orchard market for way cheap (.50 ea). I decided to bake one of them yesterday following these directions - except I just sprayed the pan with non-stick spray, then added an inch of water and did not brush the pumpkin with the honey.

I then put the flesh into the food processor and got about 3 cups of pumpkin puree. I used 2 cups to make the Muffins/Bread/Mini Muffins pictured above.

Pumpkin Bread

2 C Sugar

1 C Veggie oil (I used 1/2 C oil and 1/2 applesauce)

4 eggs lightly beaten

2 C pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

3 1/2 C flour (I used 1 C whole wheat)

2 t salt

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 t nutmeg

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t cloves

2/3 C water

2 apples - peeled and grated

Stir sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin. Blend in dry ingredients alternately with the water. Stir in grated apples.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 min in 2 - 9x5 loaf pans, or separate it between loaf pans and muffins tins.

Let stand 10 min and remove from pan. I found the fresh pumpkin to be less "pumpkin-y" than canned pumpkin, but still yummy! Enjoy!

Visit to the Orchard

My 3 year old had a BLAST at the apple orchard earlier this week. She is SO into apple picking, I think we will go to another orchard this weekend when my husband can go with us.

Making Applesauce

Every year, I buy lots and lots of Macintosh apples. You could say it is a love affair. Love them. That is about all I can say. When we go to the local Harvest Festival, I always buy at least 3 bags(pecks) of Macintosh. Last year, they were about to go bad (gasp), so I made them into a simple applesauce – no canning- just froze the extra in freezer bags in about 2 cup amounts. YUMMY! I bought one bag to eat and two to make into applesauce this year. I recently made a very impromptu pot of applesauce – I used 1 peck of apples (just one of the bags in the picture above).

I put an inch to an inch and a half of water in the bottom of a large pot, peeled and cored the apples (added ¼ C sugar and a 2 T lemon juice) – and boiled it until the apples became soft. Then I put the apple “stuff” in the blender and blended it smooth. I froze the yummy goodness in 2 cup increments (enough for our family to eat as part of a meal) and kept a little in the fridge to eat now. Could not be more simple!

For more great recipes, visit LifeAsMOM and the Ultimate Recipe Swap!

Apple Picking

Last week, my DD and I were watching Rachael Ray and she mentioned using apples they had picked in upstate NY. My DD promptly said “Rachael Ray goes apple pickin’ just like we do.” This is funny because DD has been apple picking once and it was a year ago when she was 2 (about the time of the photo above).

We plan to go apple picking this year, we just have not made it to an orchard yet - last year, we went toward the end of October, the weather was a little chilly, but perfect for sweatshirts and hot apple cider!

Check out other Fall traditions at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free!

Harvest Festival

Every year, we pack up our “wagon” and make our way to the local Harvest Festival. We LOVE the apples and they are soooooo cheap - $5 a bag and we always splurge and buy 4 or so bags (the extra bags in the wagon are my parents and grandparents - we make a big apple run). I like to make applesauce with a couple of bags and the rest we just eat. DD loves to ride the horse carriage and watch the sheep shearing, or “haircut” as she calls it. For some reason, the old time ways always signify fall to me – maybe it’s the campfire smell and the cooler air – although I did manage to get some sunburn this year!