A Month-of-Appetizers: Pumpkin Pie Fruit Dip

I write a food column, “The Quick Cook”, for a small town newspaper in Arizona, The Pinewood News. I publish one column a month. I guarantee to make the cooking life easier with my Quick Cook Tips and simple recipes. I will not live long enough to write all the columns I want to do!

In the past two months, I made the case for not buying the very expensive spice blends (which you bought for one specific recipe); rather, likely the person with a decent spice shelf can concoct the combos with existing bottles of spices bought, mostly, for one recipe.

Today’s appetizer makes use of one of the most ubiquitous of those little jars: pumpkin pie spice. For the pumpkin pie fruit dip, you can use the commercial spice blend, but below the recipe, I share my pumpkin pie spice combo to use instead! A two-fer today!

Pumpkin Pie Fruit Dip

1¼ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

8 ounces cream cheese

¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or honey Greek yogurt)

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Apple and pear slices

Graham crackers

With a mixer on low speed blend the pumpkin puree with the confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add yogurt and pumpkin pie spice. Mix in thoroughly. Pour into the serving dish and refrigerate at least an hour. Serve with fruit and chocolate graham crackers.

Pumpkin Pie Spice  (makes about ½ cup)

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container away from light.

DH’s Rating: 3 ½ Tongues Up  DH isn’t a huge pumpkin fan but he does like that this is a relatively healthful dip (if you don’t count the sugar!).

Boo Soup!

Last morning to vote for NaNoWriMo story. Poll at the bottom of the page.

Finally it is cooling down here in Arizona, but part of that is because we are near Flagstaff and it’s always 25-30 degrees cooler here.

So it is soup time. I am making my pork posole tomorrow so the flavors will get to know one another for Tuesday dinner. Served with Guinness beer bread-Mmmm, good! (See February’s Month of Soups for my recipe. While you’re there also check out my Pumpkin Soup with Black Truffle Oil.)

I’ve been trying out pumpkin-black bean soup possibilities. What a great flavor combo, and don’t hold back on the garlic--you know me!

I was telling Pattycake about it, and she said, "Halloween Soup.” By golly, Miss Molly, you’re right! Orange pumpkin and black beans floating around. Perfect Halloween Soup! But isn’t that just a too boring name for delectation? I’m calling it Boo Soup. Don’t you think the kids are more likely to eat that???

Boo Soup (serves 6-8)

2 T olive oil

1 lg onion, diced

1 tart apple, diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2-15 oz cans pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 cans black beans, rinsed

4 c chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 t curry powder

1 t red pepper flakes

½ c Calvados (apple brandy)

1 c cream (or Half-and-Half)

cilantro

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté until almost softened. Add apple. Stir and cook until soft. Add garlic slices and sauté. Remove from heat. Add in pumpkin puree, beans, broth, curry and red pepper flakes. Heat to a simmer. Add in Calvados. Bring to simmer again. Add in cream. Stir. Remove from heat. Dish up and garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy a pot of this and you won’t even miss the meat, it is so filling! We usually serve soup with fruit, cheese, and crackers or bread. As Maria, in my culinary mystery series would say, “Bone Appetite!”