A Spicy Soup and a Sweet Treat

We did two new pumpkin dishes tonight: spicy pumpkin soup and pumpkin buckle. The soup is good, but I don't like it. I know that doesn't make any sense. I can tell that the texture is good, the spices and flavors have a nice balance, but having grown up without savory squash dishes means that my brain rebels against something close to the consistency of pumpkin pie but not sweet and with a distinct curry flavor. Although I won't make it again, I encourage others to give it a try. The pumpkin buckle will certainly be made here again - it was delicious!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 c. chicken broth
16 oz canned pumpkin
1 c. half-and-half cream (I used Silk soy creamer)

1. Melt butter in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft.
2. Add seasonings. Cook at least one minute.
3. Add broth and bring to a low boil for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add pumpkin and half-and-half. Boil for 5 minutes.
Makes 6 cups. Recipe from Recipezaar, #385456.

Pumpkin Buckle
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
Crust:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
1 tsp vanilla
Filling:
3 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. evaporated milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
2 eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 T flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Pour butter or margarine into a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Mix up the crust batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then stir in the milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour this into the pan over the butter, do not stir!
3. Mix up the filling: Beat the pumpkin, milk, and eggs. Combine all of the dry filling ingredients and stir that into the pumpkin mixture. Pour this into the pan over the batter and butter, do not stir!
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
This dessert is much like I cobbler I make with cherry pie filling and a batter made with Bisquick - the ingredients invert so that the result is a pumpkin pie bottom and a crispy, tender, 1/2" thick cobbler type top. Serve this warm with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or with milk.
Recipe originally from Recipezaar.