Pumpkin Recipes and Pumpkin Fun

Many of you love pumpkin season.   In this blog, I am helping you prolong this season to your heart’s desire. Enjoy your pumpkin recipes and pumpkin fun.  You will love Pumpkin foods this season with muffins, puffs, crustless pie, and pumpkin painting fun.     

Pumpkin Muffins

I have been making pumpkin muffins since my kids were young.   They loved them, because I, the mom who loves chocolate, added mini chocolate chips to the recipe.

 While traveling, I lost my recipe and came across some other recipes. In the process, I combined the recipes to make the one that I am more satisfied with as I used a whole can of pumpkin.   I cut some oil, sugar and added a mashed banana.   The muffins end up being very moist and denser, but I like it! Pack in the flavor. 

Recipe- Pumpkin Muffins

• ½ cup oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 mashed banana.  (I defrost a frozen banana for 1 minute, peel and it’s perfect)
• 2 eggs
• 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice -optional – they taste good without.
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cream oil, and sugar. Add banana, eggs, pumpkin, and mix well.  Next, add dry ingredients, spices, and mix.  Lightly mix in chocolate chips.  Spray muffin pans and with 1/3 cup scoop- place batter into each muffin cup.  Makes 16. If you only have a 12 cup muffin pan take the extra 4 scoops and add them into a mini loaf pan.

Bake 350 for 20 min and 25 min for the mini loaf pan

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

I am a person who has never liked pumpkin pie, mainly because it was always served cold and I don’t like pie crust.   When I made this, I had a new love for pumpkin pie without the crust.  I would like to think it is almost pumpkin custard and makes a nutrient-dense dessert.  

I cut some of the sugar from the normal pie recipe.  You can use ½ cup sugar if you want to cut it even more.  If you cut it too much it will feel like you’re eating vegetables.

I just heated a piece on a plate this morning and ate it for breakfast.  It is loaded with Vitamin A and protein.  Why not?  This is great to give to the elderly because it is so nutrient-dense and soft to eat. 

Recipe- Crustless Pumpkin Pie- or Pumpkin Custard

• 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
• 2/3 cup brown or white sugar- you can cut it to ½ cup if you like less sweet.
• 1 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice or (1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves)
• 1 graham cracker crushed into crumbs (can make without the crumbs but it helps absorb the moisture.)

Mix pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, and spices until smooth. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs.  Pour into a lightly greased square baking pan or a 9 inch round pie pan.  Bake 325 degrees for 50 minutes until a knife in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or chill and heat up in the microwave to serve warm at a later time.  

Pumpkin Spiced Puffed Eggs

I did a blog called “Pumpkin Everything” a few years ago and included these Pumpkin Puffs.  These are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.  I enjoy them because they are high in protein and Vitamin A and lower in sugar than the crustless pumpkin pie.

Next time you have a morning free make some for your family to try.  These are great for breakfast. Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Puffed Eggs link.

Painting Pumpkins

If your kids have grown and no one wants to carve a pumpkin then consider painting pumpkins.  You can paint flowers or leaves of any color or simply use a sharpie to paint your pumpkin.  The pumpkin will last all season.   If you paint a pumpkin pie “smaller” pumpkin, you can later cook it up and use the pumpkin in the recipes I shared.   

Pumpkin Fun

How many pumpkins can you find in a day?  Start a contest with your family, co-workers, or yourself. For a week, day or a month see how many pumpkins you can count in a day.   As you go about your day and see a pumpkin on a step, at your friend’s house, or in front of the store, count it.   At the end of the day share your total pumpkins.

Your kids will love the challenge of counting pumpkins all day.  If you do this over a week or month, make sure the same pumpkin can only be counted once.   You make the rules as a family.   See what works best for you.  At the end of the day compare your numbers and give a prize to the most pumpkins counted. 

Be honest!   If you think there will be cheating then just count together as a family and talk about it together in the evening. 

Set the Fall Mood

Every night you sit down to eat dinner, light a candle.  It sets the mood for dinner and makes it kind of cozy.  When dinner is over, blow it out.  Burn your favorite fall candles making your dinner fun.  My friend does this every night all year long- so why not start a new habit this fall. 

Pumpkin Nutrition Information

Finally, if you want to know how good pumpkin is for you here are the nutrition facts.

According to the USDA, 1 cup of Pumpkin is about 49 calories. It is nutrient-dense with powerhouse amounts of potassium, Vitamin A/Beta Carotene, and good amounts of Vitamin C.   Pumpkin is low in carbohydrates at 12 grams and dietary fiber is only 2.7 grams. 

Add pumpkin to eggs and milk and you have a custard.  You’ve added Vitamin A to your muffins.  Add pumpkin to anything and you just provided nutrients you may neglect.   Eat up. Enjoy your Pumpkin Recipes and Pumpkin Fun.

More Pumpkin Ideas

If you want more pumpkin ideas with more recipes and carving activities see the blog on Pumpkin Everything. Fall apples may be your thing, so see the “Apples, Apples, read all about them” blog.

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