Tag Archives: pumpkin

October 28, 2011 · 7:32 AM

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good

Hello, pumpkin!

This week I feel compelled to share with you the story of how I came to participate in French Fridays with Dorie.

I was first introduced to Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table and FFWD by Pam at Sidewalk Shoes.    She gave the book a glowing review and included a link to the FFWD site.

Look at all that good stuff.

A couple of weeks later, I heard Dorie on All Things Considered on NPR.  She was at home with Michele Norris and they made “Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good” together.  They made it sound so good!  How exciting would it be to cook with Dorie in your own kitchen!?  You can read about it and listen to the story here.

After that I checked out the reviews on Amazon, and immediately added the book to my WishList.  It would be one of the items I was most hoping to receive for Christmas.

Ready to go in the oven...

Around this time I was gearing up to start my own blog.  I thought that participating in French Fridays would be a fun way to give some structure and inspiration to my new blog, hopefully attract some readers, and also have some fun cooking and eating.

I couldn’t wait for Christmas so I could get started!  I thought that “Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good” would be one of the first recipes I tried.  Of course, I never did make that recipe.  Until now.  “Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good” is this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe!

Wow that looks good!

This pumpkin really is stuffed with everything good:  bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, herbs, and cream.  It bakes for about 2 hours, until the pumpkin is super tender and the stuffing is hot and bubbly.  I took the top of the pumpkin off for the last 20 minutes of cooking as Dorie suggested, and the stuffing got nicely browned on top.

My husband loves any kind of squash, so he really enjoyed this dish.  I feel kind of “meh” about squash, so while I didn’t mind the pumpkin part I didn’t love it either.  But the “everything good” stuffing makes up for it: it is divine!

Mmmmmm...

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December 1, 2010 · 1:57 PM

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

Pumpkin-Apple Muffin

I fell in love with pumpkin muffins in the late ’90s when I worked in the Factoria area of Bellevue.  The Great Harvest Bread in Loehmann’s Plaza made these wonderful Pumpkin Hazelnut muffins that I used to buy when they were still warm.  So delicious, and addictive!

This Pumpkin-Apple Muffin recipe has been my go-to pumpkin muffin recipe for a long time now.  I try to make it once every fall.  I got the recipe from the Seattle Times years ago (at least 11 , since I haven’t lived in Seattle for 10 years now and I remember making these while I lived there).  A note on the recipe says it was originally from “Colonial Homes Magazine”, which apparently is no longer published.  Look!  The recipe is still available on the Seattle Times web site:  Pumpkin-Apple Muffins.

I decided to try substituting white whole wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour.  The results were delicious, and the whole wheat adds a bit of extra nutrition.

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

Click here to print.

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour (substitute 1 cup traditional or white whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose, if desired)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
  • 2 cups chopped apples (Granny Smith are a good choice)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease muffin pan(s) or line with paper cups.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and oil until blended.  Whisk in the pumpkin until smooth.  Stir in the apples and walnuts.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.  Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about ¾ full.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Turn out onto a wire rack and cool a bit before serving.

Makes 24 muffins.

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