PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS WITH WALNUTS

Makes about 12 muffins:

• 1 3/4 all-purpose flour
• 250 g pumpkin (you can use pumpkin puree or simply make it yourself!)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil (any oil that has no specific flavor)
• 50 g walnuts
• 2 tbspns milk
• 1 1/2 tspn baking powder
•  3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tsp gingerbread or pumpkin pie spice mix (you can use whichever you have or prefer!)
• a pinch of salt

If you have a piece of raw pumpkin (not canned puree), you have to cut it into small cubes and bake them in the oven preheated up to 170ºC (338ºF) for about 25 minutes. After that, you have blend it until solid and you use it just as well as already prepared puree!

In a large ball, mix 2 eggs with sugar until foamy. Pour in flavorless oil, then add in pumpkin puree and mix everything well again. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and all the spices. Sift it into the egg-mixture. Pour in some milk and combine everything well.

In a dry pan, roast some walnuts (be careful- don’t burn them!). Try to remove as many bitter peels as you can. Chop the nuts into smaller pieces. Add them into the batter and mix them in.

Preheat the oven up to 180ºC (356ºF). Bake for about 20 minutes (keep an eye on them!) Enjoy!

What is better than having an afternoon tea with your friends on a chilly autumn’s day?

You can serve these muffins with some whipped cream, frosting, jam, yogurt or vanilla ice cream… Improvise bravely! These muffins are simply delicious!

SWEET PUMPKIN RISOTTO

Good morning everyone! What are you planning to cook on Halloween morning? Nothing special? Then this recipe is here for you! Of course, it is suitable for everyday breakfast. I’m sure that the children are going to love this risotto too!

Serves 2 children or 1 hungry adult:

• 2/3 cup round white rice
• 2 medium apples, peeled
• 100-120 g pumpkin, peeled
• 1,5 tspn lemon juice
• 2 tspns lemon zest
• 2 tspns cinnamon
• 1/4 raisins or dried cranberries
• 2 cups water
• 2 tspns butter
• 2 tspns cooking oil or butter

Grate the pumpkin and the apples. In a pot, preheat the oil or the butter. Add in rice and cook them for about 2 minutes or until slightly browned. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in 1 cup of water and wait until rice absorbs it. From time to time stir everything. Pour in another cup of water and pumpkin. After about 2 minutes, add in grated apples, dried fruit, lemon juice and zest. Wait until there is no water left. Turn off the heat. Add in 2 teaspoons of butter and cinnamon.

As you see from the recipe, there’s no added sugar in this risotto. Apples and pumpkin naturally sweeten it.

If you try out this recipe, I’d like to see the pictures!

Have an awesome day!

TOTALLY AUTUMN AND HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN PIEng blog

Hello there! If you’ve seen those fresh pumpkins at the farmer’s or at your local store you probably were thinking ‘I should bake something with them!’. But what to do when you have a pumpkin already and no ideas on where to use it? I’m going to help you by sharing this easy pumpkin pie recipe!

The ingredients:

• 450 g pumpkin, peeled
• 400 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g sugar (I used brown sugar)
• 160 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 tspns baking powder
• 1,5 tspn cinnamon
• 1/2 tspn ground ginger
• 1/4 tspn ground cloves
• a pinch of salt

Melt the butter in a pot a let it cool for a bit. Grate the pumpkin. In a bowl, pour in the flour, baking powder and all the spices (except for the salt) and mix everything with a dry spoon. In another bowl, add in the eggs and the salt and mix everything until foamy. Pour in the sugar, mix again. Now, add in the flour-mix. Slowly pour the butter (make sure it’s not hot!) and the grated pumpkin in. Mix everything well.

Preheat the oven up to 180ºC (356ºF) and bake for about 30 minutes. You definitely need to look at the oven sometimes because the time always depends on the size of the baking pan!

This pie is not too sweet but perfect with a cup of tea or milk. You can spice it up by adding walnuts or grate in an apple!

If you try out this recipe please let me know!

Until tomorrow!

PREPARING FOR HALLOWEEN!

Hey guys! Halloween is just 5 days away, so I’ve decided to prepare for it with you by posting every day till friday! I’ll be giving you some tips and recipes every day, so if you want something specific you can write to me or just comment bellow!

Today, I was walking around the old town and I saw Marks&Spencer store. I had a lot free time, so I came in. The store was full of Halloween treats! Of course, I took some pictures just to give you some ideas on what sweets to buy on friday.

These chocolate lollies woud be so great as a treat! It looks like each one is differently wrapped so the children would be even happier!

Oh just look at these gummy cats! Buy some packs if you feel very generous that day.

Could you tell me, who wouldn’t like to get some of these spooky chocolate balls?

You probably couldn’t tell by the package what is this, but it’s a package of jelly sweets. Again, a pack for the best dressed child!

So if you found these treats cool and spooky as I did, you can find them at Marks&Spencer store. Yes, they are on the higher price, but they’re totally worth buying! If don’t have a store anywhere near you, look for something similar at your local store!

I know, it could be a bit stressful when it comes to the desire to please the little ghosts and witches, but I hope you got some inspiration on what treats to buy!

See you tomorrow!