Cinnamon Chicken with Pumpkin Grits

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was a reader submitted, prize winning recipe. You can see a prettier picture here. I made some little changes - only 2 chicken breasts for us, same amount of grits for a larger serving size, no fresh sage in mine.

Yummy!

CINNAMON CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN GRITS

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
cooking spray
salt
black pepper
cinnamon
2 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 /2 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Arrange chicken breast halves in a small baking pan. Spray chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cinnamon (both sides).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Stir in grits until combined. Stir in pumpkin, sage, and salt to taste. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

To serve, spoon grits onto dinner plates and top with chicken breast halves.

Yield: 2 servings

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

My birthday was last week and this is what Eddie made for me as my birthday cake!

It was delicious!

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

1 baquette, diced
1 cup toasted pecans
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, diced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Line a 10-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. Put the bread cubes and the pecan pieces in the pan and toss.

Whisk together the half-and-half, pumpkin and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture over the bread. Mix it all together. Let this sit for 20 minutes. Give it one more mix before you put it in the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe was found here.

Other pumpkin recipes from the past:

Pumpkin Blondies

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Pudding Snack

This is not a pumpkin pudding dessert that you would serve to guests, just my new favorite healthy snack.

Just mix a container of vanilla yogurt (I use one that's fat-free or "light") with 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. Add a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. I also add one packet of Splenda to sweeten it more.

Half a cup of pumpkin is only 40 calories and has 5 grams of fiber! So, it adds alot of volume without adding many calories. In fact, if you are a "weightwatcher", the pumpkin will not add any points to your yogurt.

I had one can of pumpkin left over from the holidays. I hope I can find some more, I heard there's a shortage.

Pumpkin Blondies

More pumpkin!

These are so, so good, you must make them for yourself!

Mine sort of fell apart, I didn't wait for them to cool long enough, not really an issue...

They are softer and fluffier than you would expect for a blondie (usually sort of thick and chewy). Just so you know.

PUMPKIN BLONDIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup chopped, toasted nuts (optional)

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the pumpkin puree. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips (and nuts, if using) with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Yield: 24

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I have pictured the Spicy Caribbean version in the notes at the end.



CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and brown sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add broth, water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); process until smooth. Return to pot. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Variation: For Spicy Caribbean Pumpkin Soup, add 1/2 tablespoon McCormick Perfect Pinch Caribbean seasoning in addition to the cinnamon. (This seasoning used to be called Jerk seasoning, I think McCormick just recently made the change. It is a sweet and spicy seasoning.)

Be very careful when blending hot soup!!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I love pumpkin! You will see a few pumpkin recipes in the near future.

Again, this is a coffee cake that serves as dessert, too. It's not super sweet, so it is a nice breakfast treat.

It's a new recipe that I tried for the first time the other day. It turned out really good and tasted even better the next day. It tasted even better the day after that when Eddie brought home Pumpkin Pecan ice cream from Brewster's to go on top!




PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE

Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) , softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin

For the topping, combine all topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until crumbly. Set aside.

Butter and flour 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Set aside.

Sift 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup of butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Mix in entire can of pumpkin and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add the dry mixture. Mix until just blended. Pour half of the batter into the bottom of the pan and spread it out carefully. Sprinkle on half the topping mixture. Pour and spread remaining batter on top. Sprinkle the rest of topping evenly over batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean and topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe from: weekofmenus.com