It’s fall, pumpkin!

I came across these pumpkin cupcakes on the Williams-Sonoma website and decided that I probably just need to go ahead and make them – then maybe I can stop thinking about them. So…this will be my baking project this weekend!

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes These moist pumpkin cupcakes can be tailored to your familys preferences. For a more grown-up version, substitute chopped crystallized ginger and dried cranberries for the walnuts and raisins.Unfrosted cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Once frosted, cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

For the cupcakes: 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. salt 2/3 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup raisins 1 can (15 oz.) solid-packed pumpkin (about 1 3/4 cups) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 cup canola oil 4 eggs For the frosting: 14 oz. pure white chocolate, finely chopped 12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-size pieces 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-size pieces Food coloring Colored sugars and decorating pens Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line three 12-cup muffin tins with decorative cupcake papers. To make the cupcakes, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Toss the walnuts and raisins with the flour mixture. (This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin tins.) In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the flour mixture in three additions, stirring with a large wooden spoon until just combined. Fill the muffin tins about three-fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the tins to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tins and let cool completely. To make the frosting, in a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Let stand until just warm to the touch. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth and blended. Add the melted chocolate and beat again until smooth. Use the frosting immediately, coloring it as desired. Spread 1 to 2 Tbs. frosting over each cupcake and decorate with colored sugars and decorating pens. Makes 36 cupcakes. Dede Wilson, Author, Bake It To The Limit (William Morrow, 1999).

Fall = soup time at my house.

I’ll be making this this weekend, and it will last me all week! I’ll try to remember to take a picture of it, I know how you “food blog” people are with your pictures!

Aunt Toni’s Spicy Tortilla Soup

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 medium zucchini, sliced

4 cups chicken broth

16 oz. can stewed tomatoes

15 oz. can tomato sauce

12 oz. can corn, undrained

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. pepper

Tortilla chips

½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Saute onion and garlic in oil in a Dutch oven. Add zucchini, chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, cumin, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, simmer 15-20 minutes. Spoon soup into individual soup bowls; add tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

Serves 4-6

*** I usually add squash, black beans, extra corn, and shredded chicken — I LOVE this stuff! I’ve added hominy before too — everything is good in it ***

Feels like Fall!

I am a Michigan girl at heart, and any true Michigan girl loves cider, especially fresh cider. I grew up in Rochester Hills and the surrounding area and every fall we went to Yates Cider Mill.

I miss it so much, watching them press the apples, having fresh cider and a hot, fresh donut to eat with it while we sat by the river. There cannot be a better way to spend a cool fall day.
Another place we spent some time at was Millers.

This was where we picked out our pumpkins each October and where we picked all our apples. It was a great family tradition that I am reminded of each year when the weather gets cool for about a day here in Texas.