🌲Turquoise Trail Tales: On the Homefront: Pumpkins Aplenty Early Fall Table

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

On the Homefront: Pumpkins Aplenty Early Fall Table

Autumn the Dalmatian is so very proud of her plump but petite pumpkin!

Fall has finally arrived, and while we are still suffering through summery temperatures, there have been a few signs that the seasons are changing. One of these signs is my pumpkin harvest shown at the bottom of this post, which inspired me to set a pumpkin-themed table to celebrate the arrival of the autumnal equinox. I took a temporary break from my Year of the Dog tablescaping - except for a few Dalmatian stuffed toys this table is not dog-themed. Instead I went cucurbit crazy, so of course pumpkin orange is the dominant color, along with browns, muted greens, and a bit of ivory. I also left my newest and current favorite table runner on the table, as the colors are very autumnal. Here is the result:

Dark brown wooden bead placemat (from Target years ago), Orange Distressed Pumpkin Charger Plate (from Pier 1), ivory BHG Amity Dinner Plate, Way to Celebrate Pumpkin Salad Plate (from Walmart), glazed terra cotta chili bowl (owned for so many years I can't remember where they are from!), Cambridge Silversmiths Pine Cone Flatware, green-stemmed goblet (from Target, I think, years ago), Luminarc ARC International Working Storage Jar Glass.

A closer look at the Way to Celebrate Pumpkin Salad Plate from Walmart
(they are very reasonably priced).

I first saw this Orange Distressed Pumpkin Charger Plate from Pier 1
mentioned on the Between Naps on the Porch blog. They are currently
on clearance, so if you want them now is the time to buy!

A large pumpkin-shaped tureen for the chili sits at the head of the table,
while brown-eyed Dalmatians Pumpkin and Spice happily show off their
cute little cucurbits.

My usual centerpiece, but with a pumpkin-shaped candle holder instead
of the usual white candle.

This inexpensive Way to Celebrate Pumpkin Platter from Walmart
matches the salad plates at each setting.

In my opinion, an autumnal menu calls for comfort food, and of course a pumpkin-themed table calls for pumpkin-based dishes. My version of a recipe for Smoky Pumpkin Black Bean Chili from the She Likes Food website meets both criteria. The ingredients list is long, but the recipe is very simple and the chili is ready in less than an hour.

The snickerdoodles recipe comes from the Ruled.Me website, which features recipes for a ketogenic diet. Since I follow a fairly low-carb diet rather than a ketogenic one, I used coconut sugar and not the sugar substitutes called for in the original recipe (I prefer to use a reduced amount of sugar rather than substitutes, since I do not care for the taste of the latter). My version of the recipe is not very sweet, so if you prefer a sweeter cookie and/or are not trying to reduce sugars then you may want to increase the amount of sugar or sweetener that you use.

I happened to have a bottle of Stonewall Kitchen Maple Balsamic Dressing for the salad, but any favorite dressing would work, especially if it includes fall flavors, like the dressing recipes here. This salad is based on a Nigella Lawson recipe, which you may wish to use instead.

Pumpkins Aplenty Early Fall Menu:

Smoky Pumpkin, Black Bean, and Pulled Chicken Chili*

Pumpkin Cornbread

Avocado and Pepitas Green Salad/Maple Balsamic Dressing

Low Carb Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies**

My husband loves this chili, and says it is one of the best he's ever had!

*Smoky Pumpkin, Black Bean, and Pulled Chicken Chili

2 T. oil
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée
1 T. chocolate or maple syrup
1 T. chili powder
2 tsp. McCormick Gourmet Collection Cocoa Chili Blend (no longer available)
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 1/2-3 C. vegetable broth
1 package (12 oz.) sauceless pulled chicken (see Note) or 2 C. shredded cooked chicken (optional)

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add the peppers and onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings and serve. Serves 6.

Note: I used Curly's Sauceless Roasted & Seasoned Pulled Chicken from our local Publix.

**Low Carb Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 1/2 C. almond flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 C. salted butter
1/2 C. pumpkin purée
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg
1/4 C. plus 2 tsp. coconut sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Combine the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix the butter, pumpkin, vanilla, egg, and 1/4 C. coconut sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until a firm pasty dough forms. You should be able to roll the dough into soft, slightly sticky balls. If your dough is not firm enough, add more almond flour, 1 T. at a time, until the desired texture is reached (I had to add 3 T. more almond flour).

Roll the dough into about 15-18 small balls and set on a Silpat-lined cookie sheet. Gently press the balls flat with the back of a fork in a crisscross pattern, like you would for peanut butter cookies, to form a round, flat disc. You could also use your hand or the bottom of a glass or jar, but do not press too hard or the dough will stick to whatever you use to flatten it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes. While the cookies bake, combine the remaining 2 tsp. coconut sugar with the pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven and place on a wire rack. Sprinkle with the spice mixture. Allow the cookies to cool completely. Serves about 15-18.

Notes: Next time I might try draining the pumpkin purée in a sieve, perhaps lined with paper towels, so that the batter will not be as wet and I will not have to add extra almond flour. I think I would also add 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice to the dough for more of a spicy flavor (as is, these cookies mostly taste like almonds).

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