Cuban Pumpkin Soup

1 oz butter

1 onion, diced

2 pounds peeled and diced pumpkin

2 tsp. diced Chile pepper

5 cups chicken stock

2 springs fresh thyme

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cream

SPICED CREAM TOPPING:

1/2 cup cream

1/4 tsp. each ground cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper

Chopped chives

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan and saute the onion until tender.

Add the pumpkin, chile pepper, stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover

and simmer until the pumpkin is tender. Puree until smooth. Before

serving, stir in the cream.

To make the topping, lightly whip the cream with the seasonings.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a little of the whipped cream

and some chopped chives.

Serves 4-6

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each baking soda, pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. maple syrup, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
Topping
1/4 tsp. chopped pecans
2 tsp. brown sugar
Directions
Muffins: In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking
powder, cinnamon, soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk eggs,
pumpkin, milk, oil and 1 tbsp. maple syrup; stir into dry ingredients
just until moistened. Fold in pecans. In a small bowl, beat cream
cheese and 2 tbsp. brown sugar and remaining maple syrup until smooth.
Gently stir into batter until mixture appears swirled. Fill greased
or lined muffin cups about 3/4 full in 12 cups. Combine topping;
spread over batter. Bake at 400º F 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins.

PUMPKIN-CLOVE PANCAKES

2 cups all purpose flour

6 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

4 tablespoons (about) butter

Pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250�F. Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl to  blend.

Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs and melted butter in medium  bowl until

well blended. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until  smooth.  Melt 1

tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Working

in batches, drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet. Cook  pancakes

until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown,  about 2 1/2 minutes.

Turn pancakes over. Cook until bottoms are  golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to baking sheet; place in  oven to keep warm up to 20 minutes.

Repeat with remaining batter,  adding more butter to skillet as necessary

for each batch.  Serve pancakes hot with maple syrup.

Makes about 15.

Cuban Pumpkin Soup

1 oz butter

1 onion, diced

2 pounds peeled and diced pumpkin

2 tsp. diced Chile pepper

5 cups chicken stock

2 springs fresh thyme

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cream

SPICED CREAM TOPPING:

1/2 cup cream

1/4 tsp. each ground cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper

Chopped chives

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan and saute the onion until tender.

Add the pumpkin, chile pepper, stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover

and simmer until the pumpkin is tender. Puree until smooth. Before

serving, stir in the cream.

To make the topping, lightly whip the cream with the seasonings.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a little of the whipped cream

and some chopped chives.

Serves 4-6

White House Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Pumpkin Thyme Crust

2 Frenched Racks of Lamb

1 cup pumpkin purée

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 cup bread crumbs from good bread

3 tsp olive oil

Remove excess fat from lamb. Salt and pepper the meat and sear on all sides in a saucepan with a little vegetable oil. Place in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes depending on the size of the rack. Cook ¾ of the way from your desired doneness. Let the rack sit on your counter and rest 20-30 minutes. When slightly chilled, spread pumpkin puree on the back and top of the lamb. Mix bread crumbs with salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil. Roll the rack of lamb in the bread crumbs. Put back in the oven to brown and finish. When done, cut chops and serve.