PUMPKIN CAKE

From Taste of Home

Every weekend in the fall I want to make apple and pumpkin recipes.  This pumpkin cake won last week.  This weekend it is apple brownies so stay tuned.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ICING:
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

• In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended.
• Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt;
• gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into an
• ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for
• 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
• For icing, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter and
• vanilla in a small bowl. Add enough milk to achieve spreading
• consistency. Spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2
• dozen.

PUMPKIN GINGER SOUP and TOMATILLO SALSA

My darling friend, Ashley, brought me a jar of her pumpkin ginger soup and tomatillo salsa. Both were excellent so I knew you would want the recipes.  The pumpkin soup had a nice burn from the ginger and although the twins next door (they are now nine years old!) didn't try the soup, they loved the salsa.

PUMPKIN GINGER SOUP 
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon peeled and diced fresh ginger
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup raw, hulled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add ginger, carrots, celery, onion, and saute until vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Add pumpkin and stir well.  Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Add salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree the mixture until smooth.  Strain the soup back into the saucepan and add the cream.  Keep warm.

Put the raw pepitas in a medium non-stick skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring until the seeds are fragrant, light brown, and begin to pop, about 3 minutes.

To serve, ladle the warm soup into serving bowls and garnish with toasted pepitas.

TOMATILLO SALSA
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
8 tomatillos, husked and diced
1 cup diced red, yellow, or orange bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To prepare the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl.  Let stand at least 1 hour and not more than 3 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.  That's it!

Both recipes are from Seasonal Southwest Cooking by Barbara Pool Fenzl.