sweet miscellany

When I was younger, one of my favorite things about Halloween (besides choosing a costume and eating candy) was carving pumpkins. I loved scooping out the stringy pumpkin guts studded with seeds. After completely gutting the pumkpin, I would start carving it while my mom washed and then roasted the seeds in the oven. Dare I say they were more delicious than the candy that came home with me after a night of trick-or-treating?

I have always had a love for anything pumpkin which I can only imagine is somehow linked to my childhood fascination for carving pumpkins. I think it also has to do with the fact that with pumpkins comes warm and comforting spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Since I already made some pumpkin scones, I decided to go a different route and make a thick and creamy spiced pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin butter is similar to apple butter, except it uses pumpkin puree and takes a lot less time to make. If you are a fan of pumpkins, you will love this butter and find yourself thinking of things to slather it on. The recipe makes enough to fill about 2 half pint (8-oz.) jars. Make sure the spices you use are fresh or else the butter won’t have quite as pronounced of a flavor.

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

1 heaping cup of all natural pumpkin puree (I used close to 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup of apple juice (or apple cider if you have it)
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup raw sugar
fresh lemon juice (about 2 or so tsp.)

In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, apple juice, spices, and sugar. Stir the mixture well and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it on low for about 30 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Make sure to stir the mixture frequently or else it will begin to burn on the bottom. At this point, you can taste the mixture and adjust the spices to your liking. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and let the mixture cool completely before putting in jars or an airtight container. The pumpkin butter should be kept in the refrigerator when you aren’t busy slathering it on everything in sight. Enjoy!

Have you ever had a Lara Bar? They are one of the healthiest most natural bars out there, not to mention they are vegan, gluten free, AND raw. I was introduced to them several years ago during my field school for archaeology and was immediately hooked. They basically combine dates with nuts, spices, and fruit, depending on the flavor. No baking required, only a food processor.

I have been making a lot of things myself lately because for one, it tends to be a lot cheaper, and two, it is a lot healthier without the added preservatives and ingredients I can’t even pronounce. I decided to make my own Lara Bars simply for the fact that it is a lot cheaper than buying them. The last time I looked, it was $1.29 per bar. I found some great dried blueberries at Central Market, so I decided to make a blueberry pie version, but feel free to make any flavor you would like. Dried cherries, cranberries, and apricots would be escpecially yummy! Or, if you don’t want to add fruit, the dates and nuts taste great on their own!

Blueberry Pie “Lara” Bars
makes 3 or 4 bars, depending on how large you cut them

scant 1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup of raw pecans
splash of pure vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup dried bluberries, coarsely chopped

Put the dates, cinnamon, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor and process until the dates are finely chopped. Remove them and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Next, add the pecans to the food processor and process until they are finely chopped. Put the pecan in the same bowl as the dates. Add the blueberries to the bowl and mix together with your hands until thouroughly combined. The mixture should hold together well. If it is too crumbly, add more finely chopped dates.

In a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, smush the bar mixture down until it is the desired thickness you want it. Put the loaf pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This will help the mixture firm up so you can easily cut it. After the 10 minutes is up, remove the loaf pan and lift the bars out using the plastic wrap. Place on a cutting board or hard surface, and using a knife dipped in warm water, slice into bars. Depending on how big you want your bars, you should end up with 3 or 4. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap. If you are planning on eating the bars within a couple of days, they will be fine at room temperature. But, if you want them to last longer, place them in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Autumn Love: Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Homemade Blueberry Pie “Lara” Bars