Two Pumpkin Recipes + Leola's Vintage Home & Garden

We're smack dab in the middle of fall and if you ask me, there's nothing better right now than delicious pumpkin treats.

This first recipe for Pumpkin Swirl Brownies is from a really great, very seasonal food blog called Smitten Kitchen. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to cook simple but delicious food with the freshest ingredients! I made these brownies just the other night and to be honest I was a little worried about the pumpkin/chocolate flavor combination, but it was really great; I normally prefer a fudgier brownie but these were fluffier and more like cake. Interested? Heeeeeere you go!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 3/4 cups sugar (the original recipe calls for the larger amount; I think it could be dialed down a bit)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Cut a length of parchment that will cover the bottom and two sides (makes it much easier to remove), and line the pan with it. Butter the lining as well. (Deb note: I used an 8-inch square, because it was what I had. It works, too, but the brownies are crazy thick and take much longer to bake, just to give you a heads-up.)

2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

4. Pour half of batter (about two cups) into a separate bowl and stir chocolate mixture into it. If you find that it is a little thick (as mine was) add a little more batter (a few tablespoons or so) until it is more pourable. This is important because mine was quite thick, and the pumpkin half was quite thin, so I had trouble swirling the two together.

5. In other bowl, stir in the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don’t set.

6. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Be sure to get your knife all the way to the bottom of the pan–I didn’t, and ended up with a chocolate base, not that it is such a bad thing. Sprinkle with nuts, if using.

7. Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

The second recipe I wanted to share is from the kitchen of my friend's mom who once made this for me on my birthday (Halloween!). Most squash soups are somewhere between savory and slight natural sweetness but this one is all out sweet. I like to have some as dessert or even an appetizer, served with cold milk and some Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps!

Cindy's Pumpkin Soup

2 - 29 oz. cans 100% Pumpkin

1 - 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Each of these ingredients is to taste:

brown sugar

vanilla extract

nutmeg

cinnamon

ginger

salt

Milk to thin the soup

Add first 3 ingredients and thing to liking with milk (or cream); add seasonings to taste while heating on low heat. That's all! My favorite thing about making this recipe is that it is completely customizable.  Enjoy!

My 3rd favorite pumpkin treat? Braum's Pumpkin Ice Cream. I highly recommend. 

The last thing I wanted to mention in this post is a favorite store of mine located in Ozark just behind Lambert's called Leola's Vintage Home & Garden. If you're into somewhat romantic, cottage style vintage stuff, you need to know about Leola's! It's a hard place to describe... but each time I go there I get inspired to make something or decorate something! I just went to their open house this past weekend (which they do each season) and got so inspired to start my homemade Christmas gift-making adventure! They don't have a website, but they often update their Facebook page with news and photos of the store (which might give you a better idea of the feel of it than I have described...). They're open every day of the week, from 9:30 until 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and on Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.. 

Last Minute Farmer's Market Details + Yummy Fall Recipes

Okay, so we're really getting to that time of year in the Ozarks when Farmer's Markets end for the season. In fact, the next few weeks will be the last times to get thee to the markets! Here's a quick list of some of the larger ones that I've been to and the information on how much time is left to enjoy them! I'd also love feedback on these and any other markets that you've been to.  For instance, has anyone been to the Friday Night Farmer's Market?

One of my favorites, the Christian County Farmer's Market that meets at the Ozark Community Center (the same one that used to be located on the Ozark Square, which I definitely preferred!) will have its last week next Thursday, October 7th. They meet each Thursday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.. As well as hosting some of the same vendors that are sold at Homegrown Foods, you can oftentimes find a variety of handmade crafts there. Last year my mom bought a beautiful birdhouse that was made from a gourd.

The Greater Springfield Farmer's Market is another popular one, located in the Battlefield Mall parking lot. They start each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. until October 30th, with no specific end time, so it's best to get there as early as possible! Their website has a useful table of harvest times for different produce as well as an extensive list of their vendors.

If you live closer to the downtown area, the C-Street Market  is a great option. I couldn't find info online with specifics on closing dates, only that they run from May 8th "through October". I've only tried to go to this one a few times, and recently there were only a few vendors when I got there around noon. Their hours are listed as Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.. But, even if that happens, the upshot is that there is plenty to do near this market!

As much as I love going to Farmer's Markets, I'd be the first to admit that the experience can be very hit and miss. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who has been to several different markets to see which market they find to be the most consistent as far as vendors showing up and produce variety and abundance. If you're lucky at this time of year, you may find some farmers selling early fall produce. Here are a few recipe ideas for those of you lucky enough to get them fresh (or, of course, purchase from a grocery store) beginning with my favorite ever apple pie recipe:

French Apple Pie with Oat Crust

¾ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 ¼ cups of flour

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

6 cups sliced apples (about 6 apples)

½ cup butter

Pastry for 9” Pie

1/4-1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pastry. Mix sugar, ¼ cup of flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apples. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate; Mix 1 cup flour, butter and brown sugar and oats to your liking until crumbly. Bake 50 minutes. Serve warm. 

Here is a recipe for an Eggplant Rollatini from Kraft Foods that I haven't yet tried, but I'm dying to. Their website also has a lot of other fall food ideas that sound great. 

2 eggplants, trimmed and peeled

1 container  (16 oz.) BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese

2 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/3 cup  plain dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup  chopped fresh basil

1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce

HEAT oven to 350ºF. CUT thin slice off 2 opposite sides of each eggplant; cut remaining eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place 12 slices in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 5 to 6 min. or until very tender; place in colander. Drain well. Place in single layer on clean kitchen towel; top with second towel. Press out excess moisture from eggplant. MIX cottage cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, bread crumbs, Parmesan and basil; spoon about 1/3 cup onto each eggplant slice. Roll up. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with spaghetti sauce and remaining mozzarella. BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Lastly, for seasonal cooking, I have to direct you to Bon Appetit Magazine and their website, which has the recipes from each issue on it. I can't give any specific recipes because every single one on this page sounds delicious. 

So, time to share... what are your favorite fall foods and recipes?