October 25, 2016
Kyle Guthrie
It’s that time of year again. The dreaded pumpkin spice flavor has cracked open its sarcophagus and raised its ugly head, taking over everything from coffee flavorings to bleach.
But fear not, brave Scribe reader! If you’re not on the pumpkin spice bandwagon, there are other options that are just as tasty as the pumpkin spice juggernaut.
Pumpkin Pie
Many people claim to be lovers of pumpkin pie, and there are countless products that use this sweet and savory flavor to its highest potential.
Products available both online and in stores incorporate pumpkin pie flavoring, such as syrups, seasonings, sauces and coffee.
Alcoholic beverages are included in this mix; several vodkas, whiskeys and wines channel this flavor to its maximum potential.
Recipe from: Taste of Home
Preparation/bake time: 10 minutes/50 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 frozen deep-dish pie shell (9 inches)
Directions
Mix the first 10 ingredients in a bowl until its smooth, then pour into the pie shell. Cover the edge with foil.
Bake the pie at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and finish baking for 40 minutes longer. Remove foil and cool on a wire rack.
A fun option is to roll left over pastry together and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake these on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 7 minutes then take out to cool.
Pumpkin spice may have cornered the market in terms of fall flavors, but take out the S and C and you get the great taste of pumpkin pie.
Hot Chocolate
Recipe from: Taste of Home
Preparation/bake time: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark baking cocoa
2, 32 ounce cartons of vanilla almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry marshmallow crème
Directions
Mix the sugar and cocoa in a large saucepan and slowly whisk the milk in. Heat the mix until bubbles form around the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally, then remove the mix from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
For a final touch, you can top off your cocoa with marshmallow crème and sprinkles.
Chocolate is delicious all year long, but it isn’t until the temperatures begin to drop that it really has a chance to shine.
Nothing hits the spot like a cup of warm hot chocolate when you’re fighting off a cold, especially when it’s made from real melted chocolate flakes as opposed to its inferior, but still tasty, powdered counterpart.
Butternut squash and sausage soup
Recipe from: Taste of Home
Preparation/bake time: 50 minutes/45 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (4 pounds)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tart apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cooked Italian chicken sausage links, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
2/3 cup reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Corn bread croutons
Directions
Cut the squash in half and take out all seeds. Put the squash, cut-side down in a 15-by-10-inch pan with cooking spray. Bake the squash uncovered at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes. Cool the squash, scoop out the pulp and set aside.
Cook the onion and apple in oil until they are both tender. Then add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in all seasonings and cook until fragrant for 10 seconds. Add broth and the squash and wait for it to come to a boil. Reduce the heat and wait 17 minutes for the flavors to mix. Cover and wait until soup is smooth.
Place pureed mix to the pan and stir in the sausage and carrots. Bring this to a boil and reduce the heat as you cover it and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Last, stir in the yogurt, sage and vinegar. You can also serve with croutons and extra yogurt.
This season, apple-pie products such as apple-pie oatmeal, cookies and good old fashioned apple-pie a la mode also pair well with flavors like cinnamon, sugar and caramel.