Farmstyle Pumpkin French Toast

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The most amazing winter morning breakfast! Perfectly sweet and spicy using leftover canned pumpkin that will melt in your mouth!

Welcome to Part II of my leftover canned pumpkin recipes.  Last week we made my delectable Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and today we are going to use up the remaining pumpkin in my recipe for:

FARMSTYLE PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

A lot of times I struggle between choosing French toast and pancakes.  My mom made both all the time growing up and I think I lean toward pancakes, but every now and then I get a hankering for luscious, decadent French toast.

So I pulled out my mom's old recipe for French toast that she got from her Aunt Grace and tweaked it a bit to create a pumpkin version.  Wonderfully pumpkin pie spiced bread that's dripping with warm cinnamon syrup will make your breakfast irresistible.  You'll have this pile of deliciousness on the table in the time it takes you to say "I'm hungry"!

My great aunt lived on a farm in Oklahoma and she came up with some great homestyle recipes.  I treasure those dearly.  To keep in that tradition use a good country bread that's on the thick side.  It's preferable if the bread is slightly stale as it will soak up all that deliscious custard better.  

Enjoy a great winter breakfast this season using leftover canned pumpkin.  It's a great staple to have in your house, and one the whole family (especially the kids) will enjoy!






Farmstyle Pumpkin French Toast

Yield: 2- 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:


2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 loaf Country bread, thick sliced 

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 

Syrup:

1/2 cup maple syrup 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, allowing to soak for at least 20 seconds and coating both sides.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread slices to the skillet, working in batches, and cook until evenly golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Use additional butter and repeat with remaining bread.

Meanwhile in a small pan add maple syrup and cinnamon and simmer over low until heated through but not bubbling.  Stir to combine.  

Serve immediately with maple syrup, garnished with powdered sugar, if desired.

Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, family, friends, and lots of good food!

Let's talk about leftovers.  One of the best things about the Thanksgiving feast is all the leftovers that you can eat for days! Don't you agree?  Some just love having another plate of that turkey dinner with all the sides and a slice of pie.  Some want to re-create those leftovers into a totally new dish like my Turkey Tex-Mex Quesadillas, Turkey and Swiss Panini, or my Turkey Wild Rice Soup.  These are great ways to use that leftover turkey, but what do you do with extra cans of pumpkin?

Well, I have several ways that you can use a can a pumpkin!  Let start out with a breakfast dish.

SMALL BATCH PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

These are perfect to whip up on the weekend or anytime over the cold winter months.  The kids LOVE them, and they are great for quick breakfasts on the go, or as a little sweet something with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.  This is a small batch of 6 muffins which is just perfect when you want just a little something.  

The pumpkin flavors pop in this moist muffin that's studded with mini chocolate chips.  Heaven!  The combination of pumpkin and chocolate is hard to beat.  I used mini chocolate chips so that the chocolate flavor is plenty throughout the muffing although you can use regular chips if you like.  Dark chocolate chips would be awesome as well. 

What equipment do I need?  I always keep this six cup muffin tin on hand for small batches.  It works perfectly.  I also can't make muffins with out my trusty scoop.  This is a "necessity" for even sized muffins in my house! Other staples such as this and this help make baking easier.  

This recipe won't use up that whole can of pumpkin, so make sure to save the rest in a sealed container in the refrigerator so you can make my next pumpkin recipe coming up!  

Enjoy a hot breakfast and the flavors of the season.  These muffins will leave you wanting more!




Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

yield: 6 muffins

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 tin muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.  Stir to combine.  Add wet ingredients and mix until the flour is just blended.  Don't overmix.  Fold in mini chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into 6 muffin tin wells.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Remove from the oven an cool on a wire rack.  Serve with butter if desired.

This post contains affiliate links to items you can purchase, in which I get a small amount of compensation for at no cost to you. I bring you items that I actually use that are of great quality that I can pass along suggestions to you.

Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Topped Muffins

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Have extra cans of pumpkin?

I'll show you what to do with it.  I always seem to have either an open can or extra cans of pumpkins around.  One good way to save that pumpkin is to portion it into muffin tins and freeze them.  Then you can take out a couple, thaw them and use them all winter in recipes.  Pumpkin smoothie anyone?

Another way is to make my fabulous Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Topped Muffins.  Hot from the oven, bursting with the aromas of fall, these muffins will bring comfort to your soul!  Filled with pumpkin, and spices such cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and topped with a sugary crumble, you will be dancing a jig when you bite into these tender muffins.  

PUMPKIN PECAN CRUMB TOPPED MUFFINS

Perfect for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning, or the day after! 

MAKE AHEAD!  You can make these ahead and just reheat them in the oven covered in foil, at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  How simple is that?  Or you can freeze any leftovers to pull out for a quick breakfast on the run during winter.

Any way you serve these up they are a winner!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Topped Muffins

Makes 6

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup 2% milk
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Crumb topping:
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons finely chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cold butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to blend.  Add the egg, pumpkin, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Stir together just until combined.  Fold in chopped nuts.

In a small bowl add all crumb topping ingredients. Cut in butter with 2 forks or using your hands until the mixture is crumbly.

Using a scoop, fill muffin tins, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, almost all the way full.  Top with crumb topping.

Bake 20 minutes until tops are golden brown.  Allow to cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan.  Serve warm.

                  

Using Leftovers: Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

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I usually don't ever have leftover pumpkin pie that I don't know what to do with!

We usually just eat it all...

However, there have been times when we had multiple desserts and just too much pumpkin pie to finish before it gets old.  So I have a delicious and easy way to use that leftover pumpkin pie!

PUMPKIN PIE MILKSHAKES

This shake is the real deal....it's made with actual pie!

You are going to love this Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes.  And the kids?...forget about it!  This drink is really off the hook.  By putting a slice of pie, crust in all into the shake you get a chunky texture that tastes like mix-ins at your favorite ice cream parlor. 

So if you are planning on having pumpkin pie for Christmas make sure to save a couple of slices and make these Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes.  They are soooo good!

Enjoy!






Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

serves 1-2

1 slice of pumpkin pie (crust and all!)
1 -2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
1/3 - 1/2 c milk
Garnish:  whipped cream, sprinkles

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Turn on blender and blend until all ingredients are combined, leaving a little texture from the crust.

Pour in tall glasses and serve.

Thanksgiving Tablescapes and Helping Tips Cheat Sheets

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I wanted to bring you some Thanksgiving inspiration for your table this year. Along with a couple of Cheat Sheets that I created.

First up is the tablescape.  I'm all about a well dressed table.  I just love decorating and changing up the table to create a theme or just enhance a mood.  MGG can attest to that as I have a spare closet full of various, dishes, tablecloths, napkins, and serving pieces!  It's a problem.  Along with cookbooks.  But that's a story for another day!

Each year I change the mood of my Thanksgiving table.  Last year I went with a frosty winter theme filled with the colors of silver, greys, and mercury glass with touches of orange pumpkins. 

The focal point was a beautiful mercury glass apothecary jar I used as a vase to hold off white hydrangeas, surrounded by silver candlesticks which held white tapers.  Orange pumpkins that hold side dishes are displayed.  I also found a wonderful glass pumpkin that I picked up which added more sparkle.  Add in some smoky grey wine glasses and the table is ready for the food.

The place settings started with silver chargers, followed by white dinner plates, and then a favorite salad plate that have deep oranges and rusts with a pumpkin motif.  Add in some southern styled silverware and a fluffy white napkin and you are set for a simple yet elegant dinner.

This year I changed the mood by going will deep fall colors such as copper, rust, deep oranges, creams, and silver/mercury glass. I also added a pop of green to bring in the outdoor feeling inside.  The textures are different as well, with silk, glass, wood, and ceramics.

I used the same mercury glass apothecary jar as a vase.  This time I found some muted green hydrangeas which gave the table a pop of color.  Surrounded by silver candlesticks with cream tapers and cream mini pumpkins.  The runner is copper silk with a nice sequin accent. 

For the place setting I used wood chargers to give the table an earthy feel.  Cream dinner plates topped with a salad plate that displays fall leaves in deep reds and rusts.  Top that with a lidded cream colored pumpkin bowl.  Gold crinkle glasses frame each plate along with clear wine glass goblets to give a more substantial feeling.

Dinner is served!

I hope you enjoyed the tablescapes and found some inspiration for your own table.  Now I've would like to share with you 2 cheat sheets that I created for Thanksgiving, and beyond.

TURKEY ROASTING TIMES

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

Have a wonderful, peaceful Thanksgiving!

6 Irresistible Pumpkin Recipes

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We're celebrating the wonderful pumpkin today! 

I love pumpkins and can hardly wait for October to roll around each year so I can bake (and cook) with pumpkin. 

If you love pumpkin too then this post is for you!  I'm sharing with you 6 of my favorite pumpkin dishes today.  These are the ones I gravitate to each year.  I hope you enjoy them and find one that becomes a favorite of yours as well.

Enjoy your pumpkins!

Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls

Pumpkin Cobbler

Pumpkin Pie with Orange Marmalade

Layered Pumpkin Bread

Spicy Pumpkin Fool

Low Carb Pumpkin Pancakes

Fall baking: Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls

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October started off with a bang.  Fall baking and fall flavors were in so on my mind.  I made this delicious Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake and then bang...vacation time took over.  Not just any vacation, but a tropical one.  Hot, humid, tropical weather, which put me right back in the summer mood.

Well, we're back and we had a fantastic time, but it's taken me a little kick in the butt to get back in the fall flavor swing...until today that is.  We took this week trying to slowly get back into the swing of everyday life, work etc.  It's been rough as I'm still dreaming of the islands.  Last Friday night we decided to go out for a bit and walk around the mall.  I knew I had to stop in my favorite store, Williams-Sonoma, and pick up a jar of Pecan Pumpkin Butter by Muirhead.  Yum! It's full of all natural ingredients such as Pumpkin, sugar, lemon juice, pecans, spices and it tastes so good.  Definitely something to purchase if you get the chance. 

So I had in mind using this as an ingredient in a mixture to spread on to some crescent rolls.  A new recipe was born!  Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls are on the menu for breakfast today.  Taking a cue from my favorite pumpkin pie I whipped up a filling of pumpkin butter, orange marmalade for a citrus zing, and some vanilla.  Put it all in a ready to bake crescent roll dough and you have the best breakfast, or snack, or dessert you will even want on a fall day.

The pumpkin lends the earthiness, and the citrus lightens it up a bit, making this a comfort food treat that will have your house smelling wonderful and your tummy saying "MMMnnn!"  Done in 20 minutes, so this is easy to whip up when you are short on time.  We just loved this recipe which was evident by the 3 rolls I inhaled in 30 seconds and the fight over the remaining rolls with my love, MGG.  Haha!  I think more of these rolls will be made

Note:  You can use whatever pumpkin butter you like best.




Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls

Yield: 8 rolls

1 can of crescent rolls (such as Pillsbury)
2 T pumpkin butter
1 T orange marmalade
1/2 tsp vanilla
Garnish:  ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl add pumpkin butter, orange marmalade, and vanilla.  Stir until mixed well.

Remove crescent dough from the can and unroll.  Separate into 8 individual triangles and place the rolls on a working surface.

Smear pumpkin mixture on one side of each triangle with about 1 tsp of mixture.  (Putting too much will cause the mixture to ooze out when baking.)  Starting at the large end roll dough toward small point until a crescent is formed.  Place on a baking sheet.  Continue until all dough is rolled in crescents. 

Sprinkle a little fresh ground nutmeg over the tops.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

7 Halloween Party Ideas

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7 Halloween Party Ideas

For all the Ghouls and Goblins out there I bring to you 7 Halloween Party Ideas.  Whether you are having and adult party of one for the kids there is something for everyone!

Happy Halloween!

Screaming Pretzels

Monster Mash

Sloppy Guiseppe's

Crescent Roll Mummy Dogs

Pork and Pumpkin Stew

Baby Acorns

Crispy Chicken and Apple Salad