Pumpkin curry soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsps mild curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups peeled, diced potatoes (about 2 large)
5 cups vegetable broth
1 29 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup half and half

Heat olive oil; add onion, sautee until translucent - about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sautee for 1 minute. Add spices (curry+garam masala) and sautee for 1 minute. Add potatoes and 3 cups of broth, heat until boiling. Turn down heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Add pumpkin puree, salt and pepper and remaining 2 cups of broth, heat until boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree soup in two batches in blender; return to pot, add 1 cup half and half. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Potato salad

5 potatoes
3 eggs
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; boil eggs fro 10 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, garlic salt, mustard, pepper, yoghurt and mayonnaise. Mix together well and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Pumpkin orange pecan bread

1 large orange
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Cut orange into wedges, and remove seeds. Place orange, peel and all, in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin, water, and the ground orange. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir into batter just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Black and white cupcake

Cream cheese filling:

8 oz (227gr) cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 C (65 gr) sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate cupcakes:

1 1/2 C(195 gr) all-purpose flour

1 C (210gr) light brown sugar

1/3 C (30 gr) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 C (240 ml) water

1/3 C (80 ml) vegetable/canola oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Black Bottom Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or generously butter or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

Cream Cheese Filling: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside while you make the Chocolate Cupcake batter.

Chocolate Cupcakes: In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until nice and smooth. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Then spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cream cheese filling is a little brown and the cupcakes feel springy to the touch (a toothpick inserted into the chocolate part of the cupcake will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Recipe from "The Joy of Baking"