Anna Sultana’s Kuchen Cookies, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Ginger Muffins and Potato Bread / Welcome, Ghosts

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers!
Happy Columbus Day to my American readers!
To everyone else… Have a great day, eh!

Thanksgiving Day has traditions, especially in the dinner department.
Covid-19 has affected supply chains and prices, but Thanksgiving does call for a bit of a nod to tradition, including its special meal.

It’s always hard to guess how much everyone wants to eat, so, to be on the safe side, we usually do cook a little extra of everything.
I mean, nobody wants to ration out veggies and trimmings during a family dinner.
It’s bad enough a turkey only has two legs.

Before prices became so ridiculous some of the leftovers were just tossed.
Well, no one wants to do that anymore.
Not at these prices.

One rule for lowering grocery prices is to buy what is in season and, if possible, local.
Another rule is to make use of leftovers.
Here are a few recipes Ma learned from her friends.
Back in the 60s moms didn’t let anything go to waste.
As moms back then said Waste not, want not.


Hints:



About the Kuchen Cookies…
There are many Kuchen recipes, for example, Blechkuchen is a sheet cake pastry, with variations. For example, if it is butter-based it is known as Butterkuchen.
Lebkuchen is a Blechkuchen commonly made during Christmas.

This Kuchen calls for apples, but it works with other fruits, too.
 If you don’t have fresh fruit you can use canned or frozen.
 All you need is 1 1/2 cups of fruit.

You could also use shortening instead of the butter or margarine.


About the Pumpkin Cookies…
Don’t have shortening? Use 1/3 cup oil.

You can scoop the insides from your Halloween jack-o-lantern, then steam, drain and mash.


About the Pumpkin Ginger Muffins…
You can use leftover baked squash or steamed pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin.

If you don’t like currants, leave them out. You can use raisins or walnuts, or both, instead.

You can bake a few muffins at a time. After filling the paper-lined tins place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid. Remove the frozen batter in the paper cups from the tins and place in covered plastic containers. The frozen batter will keep in the freezer for up to six weeks.
When ready to bake, remove the paper cups from the freezer and place in a muffin tin, allow to thaw, and bake. 




About the Potato Bread…

Yeast is cheaper in the tin or a jar. I do hope you bought one.
A package of yeast has 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast.

If you’re planning on making this recipe add an extra cup of water to the pot of boiling potatoes and set it aside. If you salted the water when you boiled the potatoes, reduce the salt in the bread recipe.
Regular water will do if you don’t have leftover potato water.

For extra texture you can substitute a cup of barley or whole wheat flour for a cup of the white flour.




                       
                        Kuchen Cookies



Grease and flour a 15 x 11 inch cookie sheet with sides

Have on hand 1 1/2 cups fruit, for example: blueberries, sliced and peeled apples or peaches, sliced strawberries or plums, etc.

For Streusel:
Place in small bowl
1 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup margarine, softened
Mix with butter knives until crumbly.
Set aside.

For Batter:
Sift together into a medium bowl

3 Cups flour

1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder

Combine in a measuring cup
1 Cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place in a large bowl

1/3 Cup butter or margarine, softened

Cream, then add gradually
1 Cup sugar
Add
1 egg, beaten
Add
the milk / vanilla mixture
Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
Beat well.

Preheat oven 350º F

Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Top with prepared fruit.
Sprinkle streusel over the fruit.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Slice and serve as bar cookies.
                      

                        Pumpkin Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cookies  

Grease 4 cookie sheets                

Sift together
2 1/2 Cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/3 Cup shortening
1 Cup sugar
Beat until fluffy.
Blend in
2 large eggs
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla
Stir in
1 Cup canned pumpkin
Add
the flour mixture
1/2 Cup raisins
1/2 Cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375º F  

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake about 15 minutes.
Remove cookies from pans and cool on racks.
                       
                       


                        Pumpkin Ginger Muffins


Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners

Sift into a medium bowl
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Place in a large bowl
3 ounces margarine or butter, softened
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Beat until light and fluffy.
Beat in
1 large egg
1/2 Cup canned pumpkin
Add the flour mixture alternately with
1/2 Cup milk
Blend well. Stir in
1/2 Cup currants

Preheat oven to 350º F  

With an ice-cream scoop, fill paper-lined muffin tins three-fourths full.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes.





                        Potato Bread


Grease three loaf pans     

Place in a large bowl
1/3 Cup warm potato water (about 110º F)
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast  
Let stand about 10 minutes, then stir.
Add
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon oil
3 Cups mashed potatoes
Mix well then stir in
6 Cups white flour
Mix well, adding more flour until no more can be added.
Place dough in an oiled bowl.
Rotates to cover surface with oil.
Cover with a cloth, set in a warm place to rise, about 3 hours.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface.
Knead until it is smooth, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Divide the dough in three parts and put each piece in a prepared loaf pan.
Flatten to fill the pans.
Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 50 minutes.

When the dough is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 375º F.   

Bake 60 minutes, or until bread tests done and is golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes.
Remove from pans.

                                                       ~~~
Thanksgiving and Columbus Day are events people mark as milestones.
But there are also personal milestones.
Today my Ma would have been 100 years old.
She died in 2009, and, a few days after she died, I started this blog.
At first it was just a place to write my thoughts.
Turning 60, deaths, thoughts… just another personal blog.

During the 90s Ma had gotten interested in the cooking shows.
I usually sent Ma the Christmas recipe brochures that I found in the stores.
She enjoyed reading and trying a new recipe or two.
I can't send recipes to her anymore, so, now I share her recipes on-line.


About a year after Ma had died, I had a dream and wrote this post about it.
Ma was still being Ma, having a hand in things…

I now believe in ghosts.

Up to now I never gave ghosts much thought. I've always enjoyed watching a spooky movie as much as the next person. But, I just thought of ghost flicks as wonderful flights of fancy.

You'd think I'd know better.

I was born a Catholic. Had Dominican nuns as teachers from kindergarten to grade 12. The good sisters did their job. I memorized the Baltimore Catechism and learned all about the Communion of Saints and how our dear departed, along with our guardian angel and saints with a vested interest (the ones we were named after) are looking over our shoulders trying to make sure we'd eventually join them. I received the sacraments and married in a church wedding ceremony.  

I've read saints' biographies. Lots of them mention having really chummy chats, while alive, with saints who had predeceased them. Saints don't lie, right?

So... why did it take 60 years for me to believe?


It started with the flu vaccine. I'd heard on Monday that the vaccination clinics would be running until October 23. I jotted a reminder on the calendar. I didn't give it another thought.

But Ma did.

First I had a dream of Ma having a cup of tea with me and asking me when I was getting my flu shot. The dream didn't seem that weird. Every year, since I'd turned 50, Ma asked if I'd gotten my flu shot yet. I just thought I was having a little flashback of when Ma was alive.

I liked the sharing tea part of the dream. Much cozier than using the phone which we had to do since she was all the way in New York and I am in Winnipeg.

Then, last night, I had the dream again.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I couldn't wait until tomorrow. All day the thought was nagging at me. Finally, at 3:00 p. m., I walked over to the clinic.

Hoo boy... There was a large sign:
The vaccination clinic would close October 22 at 4:00 p. m.
I had 50 minutes left.

I filled out the consent form and waited my turn. After I received my shot I had to wait 15 minutes, just in case there was an adverse reaction. As I was leaving I saw 2 people being turned away because they were too late.


Like I said, I now believe in ghosts.
And I love sharing a cup of tea instead of having to use the phone.
Bet Ma loves it, too.

Apple Cider Hot Toddy / Seasonal Drink Recipes / Hunting the Winnipeg Christmas Tree by Margaret Ullrich

 

Covid-19 is making us do strange things.
Well, okay, maybe they’re not all strange, but things we didn’t normally do.
Remember the toilet paper hoarding and the sourdough craze we went through back in the Spring?

On the news tonight they reported that people were rushing to buy real trees.
Yes, even people who normally didn’t do ‘the Christmas tree bit’ wanted a real, honest-to-goodness pine tree in the house.
All of a sudden everybody wants a real, over the top, Clark Griswold Christmas, starting with a real tree.
A tree about the size Clark had in ‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation’ is now the thing to have. About the folks who normally didn’t bother with a tree…
I picture rows and rows of popcorn garlands winding around that huge bit of wood.


The weather isn’t being deterred by the virus.
It’s winter, and, here in Manitoba, that means cold.
A toddy is a traditional cold remedy.
It’s perfect both for when you’re feelng chilled or a bit under the weather.

Some say the first toddies were made in 18th century Scotland, where folks added honey and spices hide the flavour of bad scotch.
Whatever… it’s become a folk remedy that, in moderate amounts, can warm you from head to toe.


Hints:

Don’t have apple cider? You can use apple juice or hot water.
For a tart flavour you can add a slice of lemon, or a few drops of lemon juice.

Don’t have bourbon? You can use almost anything alcoholic in a toddy, even tequila or gin.
Want a non-alcoholic hot toddy? Fine, don’t add the bourbon. It’ll still be warming.

If you want to prepare hot toddies for the gang after you’ve been tree chopping, it’s easy to increase the ingredients in a large pot.
Just let it simmer over a low flame.
Keep the bourbon and honey handy and let your guests ladle the apple cider mixture into their mugs.

You can add a few spices to each mug for an extra touch of aroma.

                        Apple Cider Hot Toddy

For two servings

Place in each of two heat-proof mug
1 1/2 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon honey

Place in a saucepan
1 cup apple cider
10 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 anise stars (optional)
Heat the mixture over medium-low heat.
Let  simmer about 10 minutes.
Strain the cider into the mug and stir.

~~~~

For another broadcast of our CKUW radio program ‘2000 & Counting’ we planned to reminisce about when we had gone out into the woods to chop down a Christmas tree.
Yes, this was, and is, a popular Winnipeg Christmas tradition.
And, yes, in Manitoba it can get cold enough to make trees brittle!


God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
I didn't know I'd ever be stupid enough to be outdoors in that kind of cold.
I didn't know I'd been stupid enough to marry someone stupid enough to work with people stupid enough to be out in that kind of cold.

It was December in Winnipeg.

Paul and I had grown up in New York City. There people went to an empty parking lot where the trees had magically appeared, like the pre-wrapped ground beef at the local supermarket. No questions asked. No one wanted to get too personal with an ornament that would be out with the trash in a matter of weeks.

At the New York parking lot we'd browse, find a tree we liked and switch the price tag with the cheaper tree which no one liked. Then we'd carry the tree to the clerk, who gave us the fish eye as he noticed the fullness of such a "good find", sighed and took our money. The whole deal was done in ten minutes. Another Christmas had begun.

Apparently, that isn't good enough for Winnipeggers.
Oh, no, they have to get down and dirty with their holiday bushes.


I'll never forget how happy Paul was when he came home and told me we'd been invited to join his co-workers, a group of Winnipeggers, for a real, old-fashioned Christmas experience. If I'd had a clue I'd have realized that giving birth in a barn, unaided, would've been an easier old-fashioned Christmas experience.
We were going to chop down a real Christmas tree, just like our ancestors.

Well, my parents are from Malta, a sunny Mediterranean island. It just wasn't in my genes to know how to dress for a freezing, miserable, forced march through a blizzard-hit forest. The windchill - which I still didn't understand - was in the "exposed skin can freeze in 2 minutes" range.

That didn't sound good, so I said, "Thanks, but no thanks."


Somehow Paul convinced me that his entire future career prospects, our unborn children's college fund, our grandchildren's lives and our golden years' security and comfort would all go up in smoke if I didn't join in the mighty tree hunt.

His Jewish co-workers were going. Everybody, even that ditzy receptionist who always dressed like a showgirl wannabe with skirts up to there, was going.

So, we were going.


God, it was cold.

I thought I had dressed warmly.
That fink, the ditzy receptionist, showed up looking like the Michelin Man. She was ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary. So were the three other women co-workers. The other wives - who all knew better - had begged off. One was even pregnant. Or so she said.

I was alone with four career women who were full of the 1970s "I am woman, hear me roar" career fever. While they talked shop I felt as welcome as a lump of coal in a kid’s Christmas stocking.

The Jewish co-workers - who I had hoped would keep the tree hunt frenzy within limits - had turned into lumberjacks. They were also ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary.

After walking five minutes I couldn't feel my toes. We hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot. I was doomed.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
We marched. Finally, someone approved of a tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. The branches that hit the ground broke off the tree.

I said, "The bare side could be placed against a wall."

The heat from their glares should have restored my circulation. It didn't. We marched. Someone approved of another tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. It broke.


God, it was cold.

We were doomed to spend all day wandering like Flying Dutchmen on a quest to find the perfect unbreakable tree. The lot was littered with other broken felled trees. Some trees had landed across their comrades in a criss-cross pattern that looked like a cradle.
A cradle, something soft, something to receive and hold...

Hold it… something to catch a damn tree!

Dripping snot and tears had frozen my mouth shut. If I'd had the equipment I would've written my idea in the snow. I slapped my face trying to restore circulation to my lower jaw. Finally my lips parted. I clutched Paul's arm.

"Cradle... tree... cradle," I mumbled and criss-crossed my arms.

The women thought I was pregnant and wanted a homemade cradle. Thank God, months of marriage, misery and love had united Paul's mind to mine. Months of marriage had also taught us that Paul was no carpenter. He knew the homemade cradle idea was bunk. Paul caught on to my pantomime and told the others of my plan.

Someone approved of another tree. It could land on four broken trees. The men chopped. The tree landed on its fallen comrades. It survived.
We marched. Someone approved of another tree. It, too, survived.

Christmas was saved.


God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
I couldn't believe it.
Some fool was planning the next year's tree chopping expedition.

~~~~

Here are a few more hot, and cold, drinks. Curl up and enjoy!

Golden Milk Lattes

Appletini and Hot Apple Pie Vodka Drink Recipes

Long Island Iced Tea

Old Fashioned Recipe

Highball Recipe

New Year Hot Toddy

Anna Sultana’s Hot Drinks: Caramel Coffee & Spiced Vanilla Coffee

Anna Sultana's Nonalcoholic Hot Chocolate

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Smoothie

Anna Sultana's Mulled Apple Cider

Anna Sultana's Mulled Wined

Carmela Soprano's Hot Buttered Rum

Carmela Soprano's Spiked Hot Chocolate with rum and hazelnut liqueur

Carmela Soprano's Candy Cane Martini

Carmela Soprano's Spiked Egg Nog

Hunting the Winnipeg Christmas Tree by Margaret Ullrich / Seasonal Drink Recipes

For another broadcast of our CKUW radio program ‘2000 & Counting’ we planned to reminisce about when we had gone out into the woods to chop down a Christmas tree.

Yes, this was, and is, a popular Winnipeg Christmas tradition.

And, yes, in Manitoba it can get cold enough to make trees brittle!

God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold.

I didn't know I'd ever be stupid enough to be outdoors in that kind of cold.

I didn't know I'd been stupid enough to marry someone stupid enough to work with people stupid enough to be out in that kind of cold.

It was December in Winnipeg.

Paul and I had grown up in New York City. There people went to an empty parking lot where the trees had magically appeared, like the pre-wrapped ground beef at the local supermarket. No questions asked. No one wanted to get too personal with an ornament that would be out with the trash in a matter of weeks.

At the New York parking lot we'd browse, find a tree we liked and switch the price tag with the cheaper tree which no one liked. Then we'd carry the tree to the clerk, who gave us the fish eye as he noticed the fullness of such a "good find", sighed and took our money. The whole deal was done in ten minutes. Another Christmas had begun.

Apparently, that isn't good enough for Winnipeggers. 

Oh, no, they have to get down and dirty with their holiday bushes.

I'll never forget how happy Paul was when he came home and told me we'd been invited to join his co-workers, a group of Winnipeggers, for a real, old-fashioned Christmas experience. If I'd had a clue I'd have realized that giving birth in a barn, unaided, would've been an easier old-fashioned Christmas experience. 

We were going to chop down a real Christmas tree, just like our ancestors.

Well, my parents are from Malta, a sunny Mediterranean island. It just wasn't in my genes to know how to dress for a freezing, miserable, forced march through a blizzard-hit forest. The windchill - which I still didn't understand - was in the "exposed skin can freeze in 2 minutes" range.

That didn't sound good, so I said, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Somehow Paul convinced me that his entire future career prospects, our unborn children's college fund, our grandchildren's lives and our golden years' security and comfort would all go up in smoke if I didn't join in the mighty tree hunt.

His Jewish co-workers were going. Everybody, even that ditzy receptionist who always dressed like a showgirl wannabe with skirts up to there, was going.

So, we were going.

God, it was cold.

I thought I had dressed warmly.

That fink, the ditzy receptionist, showed up looking like the Michelin Man. She was ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary. So were the three other women co-workers. The other wives - who all knew better - had begged off. One was even pregnant. Or so she said.

I was alone with four career women who were full of the 1970s "I am woman, hear me roar" career fever. While they talked shop I felt as welcome as a lump of coal in a kid’s Christmas stocking.

The Jewish co-workers - who I had hoped would keep the tree hunt frenzy within limits - had turned into lumberjacks. They were also ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary.

After walking five minutes I couldn't feel my toes. We hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot. I was doomed.

I didn't know it could get that cold.

We marched. Finally, someone approved of a tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. The branches that hit the ground broke off the tree.

I said, "The bare side could be placed against a wall."

The heat from their glares should have restored my circulation. It didn't. We marched. Someone approved of another tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. It broke.

God, it was cold.

We were doomed to spend all day wandering like Flying Dutchmen on a quest to find the perfect unbreakable tree. The lot was littered with other broken felled trees. Some trees had landed across their comrades in a criss-cross pattern that looked like a cradle. 

A cradle, something soft, something to receive and hold...

Hold it… something to catch a damn tree!

Dripping snot and tears had frozen my mouth shut. If I'd had the equipment I would've written my idea in the snow. I slapped my face trying to restore circulation to my lower jaw. Finally my lips parted. I clutched Paul's arm.

"Cradle... tree... cradle," I mumbled and criss-crossed my arms.

The women thought I was pregnant and wanted a homemade cradle. Thank God, months of marriage, misery and love had united Paul's mind to mine. Months of marriage had also taught us that Paul was no carpenter. He knew the homemade cradle idea was bunk. Paul caught on to my pantomime and told the others of my plan.

Someone approved of another tree. It could land on four broken trees. The men chopped. The tree landed on its fallen comrades. It survived. 

We marched. Someone approved of another tree. It, too, survived.

Christmas was saved.

God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold. 

I couldn't believe it. 

Some fool was planning the next year's tree chopping expedition.

                            ~~~~

Curl up by a warm fire and enjoy a few hot - or cold - drinks…

Golden Milk Lattes 

Appletini and Hot Apple Pie Vodka Drink Recipes 

Long Island Iced Tea 

Old Fashioned Recipe

Highball Recipe

New Year Hot Toddy 

Anna Sultana’s Hot Drinks: Caramel Coffee & Spiced Vanilla Coffee

Anna Sultana's Nonalcoholic Hot Chocolate

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Smoothie

Anna Sultana's Mulled Apple Cider

Anna Sultana's Mulled Wine

Carmela Soprano's Hot Buttered Rum

Carmela Soprano's Spiked Hot Chocolate with rum and hazelnut liqueur

Carmela Soprano's Candy Cane Martini

Carmela Soprano's Spiked Egg Nog

Anna Sultana’s Spices, and the North Taurids and The Leonids Meteor Showers

Now that the holiday season is in full swing it’s time for some serious baking.

And that, of course, also includes using more and different spices.

Don’t be afraid of buying spices in bags. 

Along with being quite a bit cheaper than the spices in those small, pretty bottles, the larger bags of spices are also a good buy for making your own spices blends, which is a lot cheaper than buying the prepared blends.

Ma had a few favourite blends she kept on her kitchen shelf throughout the year.

The sweeter ones were really handy during the holiday season.
Pumpkin Spice on everything is not a new idea!

                                   Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

1/4 Cup ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoons ground allspice

Makes a scant 1/2 Cup

Pumpkin Pie Spice also goes nicely on mashed sweet vegetables and onions.

                                   Sugar & Spice Christmas Blend

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Makes a scant 2/3 Cup

Sugar & Spice Blend is perfect for topping rice pudding or egg nog.

                          Homemade Seafood / Chicken Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons ground allspice

1 Tablespoon celery seed 

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons powdered mustard 

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

1 Tablespoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)

Makes 1/2 Cup

                        Homemade Meat and Poultry Seasoning Mix

2 Tablespoons ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons onion powder

2 Tablespoons paprika

2 Tablespoons salt

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon ground thyme

Makes a scant 2/3 Cup

Hints:

Here are some links to give you more ideas on how to best use spices:

Allspice 

Anise   

Caraway 

Cardamom 

Cayenne

Celery Seed

Cinnamon 

Cloves   

Coriander Seed 

Cumin 

Fennel 

Ginger   

Nutmeg & Mace  

Mustard 

Paprika 

Thyme 

About the sky, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

November 12-14 - North Taurids Meteor Shower peak, with the best viewing, is from 12 – 2 a.m. local time; and good news, the sky will be nice and dark due to the tiny waning crescent Moon. 

The Taurids are actually two annual meteor showers created by the dust left behind from the comet Encke. They are named for constellation Taurus, where they are seen to come from in the sky (near the Pleiades). But they can be spotted anywhere - simply look up!

November 15 - First Quarter Moon, 9:54 a.m. In this phase, the Moon looks like a half-Moon in the sky. One-half of the Moon is illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing, on its way to full.

Look to the south in the evening to see the First Quarter Moon paired up with Mars.

November 17-18 - The Leonids Meteor Showers peak. Best viewing time is between midnight and 5:30 a.m. local time. This meteor shower, named for the constellation Leo, is typically one of the more exciting showers of the year, producing an average of 20-30 meteors per hour. 
The radiant for the Leonids is near Algieba, one of the stars of the “sickle” or “backward question mark” within Leo. This shower may be hindered by the glow of the bright waxing gibbous Moon.

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Recipe Links and the Full Flower Moon

A week ago, in honour of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and his bride, Meghan, I posted the recipes for No knead Orange Scones and Clotted Cream.

We’re so glad the weather was good, the wedding went smoothly and everyone had a brilliant time.

Ah… royalty and marriages. What’s not to love?

Another thing to love is another pumpkin recipe.

Pumpkin is a staple ingredient in Maltese cooking, so of course it found it’s way into a scone recipe.

Just think - 

the flour is a starch

the pumpkin is a fruit 

the egg is a protein

the cream is a dairy

This recipe has something from each of the four major food groups!

Yes, a pumpkin is a fruit.

It has seeds, just like a tomato.

Yes, a tomato is a fruit, too.

It’s so good to learn something new every day!

Are you a pumpkin lover, too? Here are a few more old favourites:

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Smoothie

Desserts

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and Pumpkin Pie Spice

Anna Sultana’s Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Cheesecake, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - Margaret Ullrich

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars - Margaret Ullrich

Soups

Anna Sultana's Soppa Qara - Pumpkin Soup, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana's Pumpkin Soup, Maltese Style, 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Pumpkin Pie Spice

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Black Bean Soup / Preparing Dried Beans

Anna Sultana's Kawlata - Vegetable Soup with Meat, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana's Kawlata #2 - Vegetable Soup with Meat, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana's Minestra tal-Haxix (soup, Maltese Style)

Anna Sultana's Minestra tal-Haxix #2 - Vegetable Soup, Maltese Style

Anna Sultana's Soppa tal Kirxa - Tripe Soup, Maltese Style

Hints:

If you don’t want to serve these scones with butter or clotted cream, you can also drizzle a simple glaze over the scones.

                                                Glaze 

Combine in a small bowl

!/4 Cup confectioners’ sugar

3 Tablespoons lemon juice or water (more or less)

Drizzle over the scones.

Of course, they are also good plain.

                           Pumpkin Scones

                       

Grease a large cookie pan         

Preheat oven to 425º F        

Makes 8 scones

In a large mixer bowl mix together

2 1/2 Cups flour

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Make a well in the centre and add

2 Tablespoons butter, melted 

1 Egg, slightly beaten

1 Cup canned pumpkin

Mix well.

Add

1/8 Cup milk

Stir enough to combine.

Add more milk (about 1/8 Cup milk) to make a soft, but not sticky, dough.

Turn out dough on a floured surface and knead gently.

Pat dough into an oblong, about 1 inch thick.

With a floured knife cut into 8 rectangles.

Place scones on prepared sheet.

Bake 20 minutes

Serve warm with butter or clotted cream (or see hints)

About the sky, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

May 29 - Full Flower Moon, 10:29 a.m. The visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Though the Moon is only technically in this phase for a few seconds, it is considered “full” for the entire day of the event, and appears full for three days. May’s full Moon is called the Full Flower Moon.

Anna Sultana’s Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake, December's Full Cold Moon and the Geminid Meteor Showers

Christmas will be here in three weeks!!

That’s right… 

We’ve got about three weeks to get EVERYTHING done.

The main thing is, don’t panic.

You’ve done it before, and you’ll do it again. I believe in you.

Take a deep breath, make a list, and do your magic.

While you’re writing that list, take a minute and enjoy a slice or two of cheesecake.

Ah, Cheesecake! 

Is there any problem that can happen to any woman, at any age, that can’t be helped by a slice of cheesecake.

Hint:

If you have a pumpkin sitting in the kitchen, why not make some pumpkin purée? 

It’s easy. Really. 

Cut up the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Don’t forget to save them for roasting. 

Preheat oven to 375° F

Place the pumpkin pieces on a large baking pan, and cover them with foil or a lid. 

Bake for one hour or until very tender. 

Remove the pan from the oven, and set aside to cool. 

Scrape the cooked pumpkin’s interior off of the rind and into a food processor and purée until smooth. Just compost or toss the rind.

For a bit of variety you could make a pecan crumb crust: 

1 1/4 Cups crushed gingersnap cookies or graham wafer crumbs

1/4 Cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 Cup margarine or butter, melted

Check cheesecake doneness by gently shaking the pan. 

If the cheesecake is done, it will be set except in the centre that will be soft. 

Do not insert a knife into the centre - that could make the cheesecake crack during cooling. Still edible but not as pretty.

Want to make the cheesecake in a 9x13-inch pan to serve as small dainties?

No problem.

Line the pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. 

Prepare the cheesecake batters, then spoon into the prepared pan and swirl. 

Bake in a 350° F oven 35 minutes or until centre is almost set. 

Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. 

Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Have a bit of pumpkin purée left over?

Consider yourself lucky.

Pumpkin is a popular ingredient in Maltese cooking, especially in vegetable soups.

Pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie are also great any time.

As are other cheesecake recipes.

                        Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake 

Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Butter a 9 inch springform pan.

Wrap the exterior of the pan in a double thickness of aluminum foil.

The Crust

Preheat the oven to 325º F

Combine in a small bowl

1 1/4 Cups graham wafer crumbs

1/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup margarine, melted 

Press the mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake 10 minutes.

Remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

The Filling

Combine in a large mixer bowl

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat at medium speed until smooth.

Add, one at a time

3 large eggs  

Mix well at low speed after each egg is added.

Combine in a small bowl

1/4 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Set aside.

Bring to a boil

about 3 Cups water

Place in a small bowl

1 Cup pumpkin (canned or cooked and puréed)

Stir in the sugar / spice mixture.

Remove 3/4 Cup of the mixture and set aside.

Pour the remaining pumpkin mixture into the crumb crust in the pan.

Top with the cream cheese mixture. 

Drop by spoonfuls the reserved pumpkin filling over the top of the filling.

Cut through the filling with a knife to swirl the filling. 

Preheat the oven to 350º F

Place pan in a large baking pan, and add 1 inch of hot water to the larger pan. 

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the centre is just set. The top should appear dull. 

Remove the springform pan from the water bath. 

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. 

Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen.

Cool 1 hour longer, then refrigerate overnight. 

Remove sides of pan. 

Serve with 

whipped cream

Sprinkle with nutmeg (optional)

About the sky this week and next, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

December 3 - The December Cold Moon will be astronomically full at 10:47 a.m. E.S.T. This Moon will also be considered a supermoon because it coincides the closest with perigee (December 4). 

Of the year’s 12 full moons, only December’s full Moon comes close enough to Earth (222,443 miles or 357,987 km) to be considered a true supermoon.

Learn more how this month’s full Moon got its names in this short Farmers’ Almanac video: December's Full Cold Moon    

December 4 - The nearly-full waning gibbous Moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth in its orbit.

December 7 - Earliest sunset of 2017 at 40º N. latitude. This comes come some 2 weeks before the winter solstice, not on the solstice as you might think!

December 8 - Look eastward after midnight to see the waning gibbous Moon paired up with the star Regulus. Regulus will be sitting above the Moon.

December 11-13 - Bundle up for the annual Geminid Meteor Showers! These showers will peak on December 13th. Normally one could expect up to see up to 120 meteors hourly with this display, but the Moon’s brilliant light will likely obliterate all but the very brightest meteors. Regardless, they’re considered the best meteor showers of the year and it’s worth taking a look.

The radiant - that spot in the sky where the meteors will appear to emanate - lies just below and to the right of the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini (hence the name, “Geminids”). Best viewing after midnight when the radiant point is high in the sky, until dawn, no matter where you are.