Fall!

Did I mention that I love fall? This year, I tried a new recipe that I really like. It's for pumpkin butter, and it's super-easy.

Pumpkin Butter
2 sticks softened, unsalted butter
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice

Heat pumpkin in a small pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until some of the water evaporates from it. (About 2 minutes.) Add pumpkin and spices to softened butter, combining well with a whisk or fork.

This is a recipe I ripped out of a Martha Stewart magazine long ago. (Hey, I don't care if she went to prison or not. The woman still makes a mean pastry crust, ok?)

Of course, I couldn't just make pumpkin butter, could I? Bless my little anal-retentive heart. I decided that, as long as I was making the butter, I was going to try preparing some MOLDED butter, using those silicone molds, and freezing it. Then, if I had dinner parties, company over the holidays, etc., I could whisk it out of the freezer for a special treat.

I went to this awesome site and bought two types of leaf molds. Then, I spread the softened butter into the leaf molds, froze them, and popped out gorgeous little "falling leaves" of pumpkin butter! They are sooo pretty! I wrapped them in saran and sealed them up in ziploc bags to store them in the freezer. They will be PERFECT for Thanksgiving dinner!!

In the meantime, I've been lavishly spreading the remainder of the pumpkin butter on cinnamon raisin toast in the mornings. YUM. With a cup of coffee and two slices of this stuff, I almost don't care that it's still 80 degrees outside.

Comments

Stacey said…
Yuuuuum.

So, this may sound weird, but it is what it is. At one play group, the hostess served pumpkin butter in a wide dish with crumbled up bacon sprinkled liberally on top. She put crackers on the side and that stuff disappeared within roughly 10 minutes.
Nicole Bradshaw said…
OMG. Williams Sonoma has a FAB pumpkin-pecan butter, and you can make a super appetizer with it. You cut a block of cream cheese in half, and lay the pieces side by side. Cover the cream cheese with pumpkin butter, and sprinkle sliced green onions, crumbled bacon, and chopped peacns. Serve with crackers, and people will think you are a GENIUS. It's very holiday/decadent/slap-your-mama good.
Stacey said…
Yeah, that's what my friend made. I was clearly missing a few elements.
Nicole Bradshaw said…
Oh my Lord. I've brought that out at holiday gatherings before, and it never lasts long. Nev. Er. It's definitely artery-clogging, but it's wonderful for Christmas and Thanksgiving. People LOVE it.