Vegetarian Gumbo

Watch out everyone, the Polar Vortex is coming!! At least, according to every news and weather station. In my opinion it doesn't really seem to be heading towards NC. The weather forecast just looks like the normal late fall and early winter weather...am I missing something? 

Regardless of the Weather Man being right or wrong, cold weather is creeping in, which means I plan to make a large pot of soup, or in this case, gumbo. I threw this one together on a whim a few weeks back when we had vegetarian friends over for dinner. It then took me two more attempts to actually write the recipe down and perfect the amounts! Hate it when I do that sometimes. 

Anyways, this is a great soup, or, gumbo for a large crowd with various dietary needs. You basically start with a vegetarian soup, then have the option to add grains and meat for those that want it. The Hubby and I personally love adding in spicy pork sausage (that we from Fickle Creek Farm - love those guys)! 

So, grab a blanket, light the fire and whip up a pot of my Vegetarian Gumbo! 

Great with rice, grits or cornbread.

Vegetarian Gumbo

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour (use gluten free if needed)
3 Tablespoons butter (only for vegetarian version)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, cut into rounds
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

3 cups vegetable stock, separated
1 cup tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups button mushrooms or crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cups fresh Romano beans or green beans, chopped
1 Tablespoon dry sage
1 Tablespoon dry thyme
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (use Tamari if gluten free)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound Sage Hot pork sausage (optional for non-vegetarian version)
Rice or grits for serving (optional)


First step, chop all the vegetables! This is definitely a recipe where you want to have your mise en place (stuff in place).

In a large soup pot, prepare the roux:

• Vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.
• Non-vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and cook the sausage through. Remove the sausage and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pot. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.

Add the onions, carrots and garlic along with a quarter cup of vegetable stock so the roux doesn’t burn (the mixture will be thick and pasty). Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and the broth has evaporated.

Stir in the tomato sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms and beans and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Add the herbs, spices and soy sauce and mix well.

Stir in the canned beans and rest of vegetable stock and Parmesan rind and allow the gumbo to come to a boil over medium-high heat. If the gumbo is too thick, add more broth. Lower the heat to a simmer and let everything cook for another 10 minutes.

Maple Chili Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts

IT'S FALL!!! My favorite time of year!! Beautiful, earthy colors, comforting spices, blankets, sweaters, and boots! Who doesn't also love the obsession with pumpkin flavored everything. OK, well a lot of people are probably sick of it by now, but everything else about Fall is amazing.

Butternut squash is a quintessential Fall vegetable for me. It is the closest thing to a sweet potato that the Hubby will eat, and it's truly versatile - prepared either sweet or savory. I decided to combine both flavors, and, like most recipes, add in a little green. 

Enter, Brussels sprouts, a vegetable that both the Hubby and I are fans of and have been most of our relationship. I knew the Brussels were dense enough to hold up against the squash if roasted at high temperatures. Brussels sprouts are also a flavorful vegetable that don't require a lot of spices or added flavors.

This is an easy side dish for your Fall menus. It does require some cooking time, so be sure to allow for that. This side dish goes well with most meats or a rice pilaf. The leftovers are a perfect addition on a salad as well. Enjoy!

Maple Chili Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts 

Yields: 8 servings 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 45 minutes

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends cut off, halved

1 pound Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon chili powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

The easiest way to peel a butternut squash is to cut off both ends and use a vegetable peeler, scraping down the sides until the thick skin is peeled off. Note, this might take a few peels in the same spot. Otherwise, you can cut both ends off the squash and then cut in half width-wise and use a sharp knife to cut the skin off. Be sure to scoop out the seeds from the middle of the squash before cutting into cubes.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy duty foil. Mix the halved Brussels sprouts and cubed butternut squash with the maple syrup, chili powder and olive oil. Lay out the mixture evenly on the baking sheet (might have to use two if the baking sheets are small) and sprinkle evenly with about a teaspoon of salt.

Roast the vegetable mixture at 350F for 25 minutes, then increase the heat to 425F and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes (depending on oven). Once the vegetables are well browned, remove and serve with salt and pepper to taste.

Cherry Walnut Granola

I am straight up addicted to granola! I eat it for breakfast almost every day with Greek yogurt, milk or berries. Usually a batch of granola lasts me around two weeks, but recently the Hubby has started getting into my stash, so I find myself making granola pretty much every weekend.

Don't get me wrong, I am more than happy to do this. Plus, this is the first time I've seen the Hubby actually eat breakfast in the more than 10 years we have been together. 
I started making some of my past recipes like Crunchy Nut Granola or Pumpkin Granola (which I totally need to revisit and re-photograph)! However, he likes his granola a bit sweeter, so I took the basic principals, measurements and cooking instructions, then just changed the ingredients a bit to include more maple syrup (my favorite Fall sweetener) and dried sweet cherries.

After making the first batch, the house smelled so good that we decided to have a late afternoon granola snack! The Hubby approves and continues to eat breakfast. YAY for jump starting your metabolism and eating healthy. Which reminds me, I need to go make more granola now...

Cherry Walnut Granola

Yields: 6 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

4 tablespoons Grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 cup old fashioned oats (use gluten free if needed)
1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1 cup raw pepitas/pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Mix the Grapeseed oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup and applesauce until well blended. Stir in the oats, walnuts and pepitas.

Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with oil or butter. Spread the granola mixture on the baking sheet.

Bake at 325F for around 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Let sit to room temp and stir in the cherries.

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Kale

The other night it was cold, and rainy, and dreary. There is only one option in our house when the weather is like that...SOUP. I love making soups! They are so versatile, hearty and filling. And best of all, soups feed a lot of people. 

I started with a vegetable that was new to me in soup-land, cauliflower. I love this cruciferous veggie, but have never made it the star of a soup...until now. This recipe turned out fantastic! I got a little inspiration from Rosemarried, a new blog I have discovered (and become quite fond of). 

This soup was very easy and quick to make. Once I got all the ingredients in the pot, I decided to make kale chips to go on top of the soup instead of croutons. I made the kale chips a bit spicy so it added more flavors to the soup. After 30 minutes, I had the soup, kale chips and a side of Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad for dinner. Hubby gave me a "hell yeah, babe" and we were off to yummy-town.

Other soup topping options:
 - sautéed mushrooms
 - crispy bacon or pancetta
 - croutons
 - drizzle of truffle oil

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Kale

Adapted from Rosemarried
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine (Chardonnay is best)
2 small cauliflower, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus extra to garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 liter of vegetable stock
Parmesan rind
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Kale chips:
1 small bunch kale, stem removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch paprika

Preheat oven to 350 for kale. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onions, garlic and shallots and sweat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Deglaze the pot with wine and stir well then add cauliflower, thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, while stiring. Add the stock, bay leaves and Parmesan rind and cover the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft.

On a large cookie sheet, add kale and drizzle sesame oil (or olive oil) and salt and pepper over. Toss to coat with your hands and massage kale for 1-2 minutes, until flavors are well distributed. Bake for about 15 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking, until crispy. Remove and set aside. Watch carefully as they will burn quickly.

Fish out the thyme and bay leaves from the soup pot. Using a immersion blender or regular blender, puree the soup. Stir in the cream if using and top with paprika and kale chips. Season with salt and pepper.

5 Beers You'll "Fall" Head Over Heels For

Special treat to start off your week, a guest post from the Hubby!! At least one thing will cheer you up on a Monday...Fall beers!

Hey there Kettler Cuisine readers! Ryan aka “The Hubby” here. Hope you’re enjoying everything that comes along with the Kettler household’s favorite season, FALL!!

Color-changing leaves, football, bonfires, Halloween, and hoodies aren’t the only things that I look forward to. I also anxiously await the release of the many glorious Fall seasonal beers that some of my favorite breweries put out!

These beers span the autumn flavor spectrum. Typically you’ll see A LOT of pumpkin and marzen (the traditional oktoberfest beer) along with some lesser known flavors like maple. 

More darker beers such as stouts, porters, and browns come into the equation. These Fall beers are usually higher in alcohol content so they have a nice warming effect on cooler evenings. Dark beers tend to be smoother because of their dark malt characteristics (think of the velvety consistency of a Guinness as opposed to the crispness of a pilsner for example).

One thing’s for sure: there’s something suitable for even the most fickle palette. 

Today I would like to share with you 5 of my favorite fall seasonal beers, so sit back, pour a cold one (or a hot toddy), and enjoy!

Warlock - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

This imperial pumpkin stout gets us started with a bang. At 8.6% abv, it’s not messing around.  I was able to try this one the other day and boy, was it delicious. The vanilla, chocolate, and cinnamon characteristics made it taste like a liquified s’more. No joke.

Commercial description: Imperial stout brewed with pumpkins Warlock is brewed to enchant your palate on its own and also to counterpoint our Imperial Ale, Pumking. Make your own black magic by carefully pouring this Imperial Stout into a goblet. Dark and mysterious, the Blackwater Series is serious about high gravity. Reanimate your senses with Warlock’s huge roasted malt character, moderate carbonation and spicy pumpkin pie aroma.

Food pairings: Particularly tasty with spicy BBQ, smoked or roasted foods. Try it as a float with a scoop of organic vanilla ice cream, or paired with a slice of carrot cake.


Pumking - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

I couldn’t mention Warlock without giving a nod to its flavorful cousin, Pumking! Another must-have fall ale if you can’t get enough pumpkin flavor. This beer contains a whopping portion of pumpkin puree and according to the brewery, is “bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit”. 

Commercial description: All Hallows Eve is a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent. It is thought that we harness this magic to brew our powerful pumpkin ale. Not so, but it is with great respect to the magic of their trade that our brewers produce this fine beer. Take a whiff of this complex ale and your journey has just begun. At first sip, a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds, yet another victim enraptured by the Pumking.

Food pairings: Particularly tasty when paired with traditional thanksgiving dinner, a compliment to pumpkin pie, desserts. 

Marzen - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

I’ll go ahead and apologize to all of you reading this in a state other than North Carolina. The Duck-Rabbit is an awesome brewery located in tiny Farmville, NC, about an hour and a half east of Raleigh, so their scale doesn’t allow them to distribute nationwide. 

If you ever make it to NC during the Fall, be sure to pick one of these gems up. It’s a wonderfully balanced marzen, which is the traditional style of beer that is served at most German beer gardens during Oktoberfest. 

Dark brown, full-bodied, and bitter, marzen is often kept in the cellar until late in the summer.

There’s no corporate description for this beer yet but it’s dark amber in color, smells of caramel and fruit, has a slightly sweet and bitter taste. Wunderbar!

Food pairings: Fried chicken with white gravy, roast leg of lamb, roast pork, chicken cordon bleu, sausage, and pretzels.


Punkin Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery

This easy-drinking ale is more accessible to the general populace, and that’s great because it’s very tasty! I actually had it on the 1st of October when Jessica and I went to our favorite Raleigh restaurant, Poole’s Diner, for our 2nd anniversary!

Most beer connoisseurs would consider this to be more of a “harvest” beer instead of a pumpkin because it isn’t very heavy on the pumpkin flavor. You will get a lot of spice aromas and a really nice sweet aftertaste that lingers pleasantly. Nicely balanced overall. 

Commercial description: A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, organic brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with. 

Food pairings: Turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings, sharp cheddar.



Smashed Pumpkin - Shipyard Brewing Co.

In case you couldn’t tell already, I’m a huge fan of pumpkin. If you share my sentiments, then this beer will not let you down. 

This ale is considered by most beer knurds to be in the top 10 of pumpkin beers because of it’s intense pumpkin flavor and brown sugar sweetness. That sweetness combines with the exceptional malt giving it a buttery pie crust flavor. Now who wouldn’t like that?

Commercial description: Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg. The Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of hops to balance the sweetness of fruit.

Food pairings: roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, brown sugar squash pie.

Be sure to keep your eye out for these beers in your local grocers or craft beer shops as some (especially Warlock & Pumking) are in very high demand and therefore sell out quickly. The word “seasonal” infers you won’t be able to have the opportunity to try them again until next Fall! Don’t fret though, there’s always a new season right around the bend. WINTER BEERS ARE COMING!

I hope you all have enjoyed reading about the 5 spectacular beers. Do you have any Fall seasonal beers that I didn’t mention? I want to hear about them, so leave a comment below! Cheers!

Spiced Apple Sauce

It feels so wonderful to be back in my kitchen! I have been a busy bee today, cooking away, motivated by the Fall spirit. Fall flavors are everywhere...apples at the Farmer's Market, pumpkin spice coffee at Trader Joe's, cinnamon candles at Target! Fall certainly has become a trendy season.

I am ok with this, especially when it comes to apples. Even though apples are available all year round, there is something about the healthy fruit during it's peak season. I decided to attempt apple sauce for my first Fall recipe this month. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be!

First, the apples. I don't think I realized how many different types of apples there are! I chose to mix a few different types for the sauce, Magna Bonma NC Heirloom, Virginia Beauties and Jona Gold.

During this season, I think any apple would do as long as you like the flavor. Be sure to taste the apples before you cook with them....same concept as only cook with wines that you drink!

Then, the added flavors. I have always been a fan of cinnamon apple sauce, so decided to add a cinnamon stick. After making the first batch, I don't really think the sauce needed any sugar since the apples are so sweet by themselves. However, I added a little maple sugar to add in a little extra comfort!

Spiced Apple Sauce

Yields: 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 1/2 hours, plus warming time

8 cups sliced apples, skins on
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon maple sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 whole cinnamon stick
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Add all the ingredients into a slow cooker and place on high for 3 and 1/2 hours. Stir the apples every hour to prevent the skins from sticking to the bottom a bit. Keep the apples on warm for an hour to let them cool down a bit.

Remove the cinnamon stick and pour the apples and liquid into a blender or food processor and mix up. We like chunky apple sauce here, so only pulse a few times. Let the apple sauce cool and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze.

Anniversary and Fall Flavors

Happy Anniversary Hubs - 2 years :)

Honeymoon in Costa Rica!!

October 1, what a great day of the year!! Besides reminding me of the best day of my life, it marks the beginning of Fall, our favorite season in the Kettler home! Since there seems to be this obsession with pumpkin flavors...

...we decided to be Fall-flavor agnostic this year and will post a series of Fall-inspired recipes this month. Yes, this will include the occasional pumpkin-flavored-something since I am one of the many that fall into the trend :)

But for now, we want to share our amazing Anniversary meal at Poole's Diner - our favorite restaurant! Never disappoints!!

Arugula salad with Marcona almonds, buttermilk blue cheese, Honeycrisp apples, red onion and maple dijon vinaigrette. 

Beef carpaccio with crispy okra and horseradish creme fraiche.

Local rabbit confit with trumpet royals, pink eyed peas and ricotta gnocchi.

Short rib au poivre with braised cabbage, currants, tobacco onions and shallot gravy.

Local green beans with toasted chili flakes and white wine.

The Famous Macaroni and Cheese.

Dark chocolate torte with Rye whiskey caramel and fleur de sel.

Leftovers :)

Flavor Infused Water

I can't believe September is here! The weather is amazing! You can feel it in the air...the humidity is gone and Fall is coming (GOT fans??). Yes, we still have warm days ahead, but those are the beautiful, delightful, can't-stand-to-be-inside type of days! This is when our porch gets the most use. We make drinks and snacks, Ryan pulls out his golf club and practice balls, I open a book or magazine and we just sit outside enjoying the comfortable weather. The perfect thing for porch-sitting-September evenings is fresh flavored waters.

Flavored water is the perfect beverage for those "Ahh, this feels nice" kind of days. If you are feeling a little spunky, add some vodka too!

For our relaxing porch day this week, I made a large pitcher of refreshing cucumber and lime water (with maybe a bit of vodka in it...we were feeling spunky). We are obsessed with infused waters...it is the best way to hydrate, especially if you aren't a fan of boring water. I found this handy infuser tool a few years ago that allows you to easily infuse your water without having to fish out all the scraps. Here are a few of our favorite flavor combinations:

• Cucumber and lime
• Citrus - orange, lemon, lime
• Raspberry and mint
• Strawberry and basil
• Cucumber alone - feels like you are at the spa!

Infused water is my go-to healthy mixer for a vodka cocktail as well. You get fresh flavor with no calories or sugar. When Kendal (remember Trendy Kendie) and I were at the beach last year, we discovered a shared love for this type of cocktail and had a great time muddling fruit into our water to cool us off at the beach. I think we tried about 4 or 5 combinations in one afternoon...it got a bit wild :)

Porch sitting days remind me of family and I have to mention a special birthday today! Happy Birthday Desiree!!! You are possibly the best "Mother-in-Law" a girl could ever have. I think we have come to the point where we could just drop the "Mother-in-Law" tag though! Love you so much and hope you have a fantastic birthday....hopefully filled with porch-sitting drinks. :)

Infused Water

Yields: 1 pitcher / 4 glasses
Prep Time: 30 minutes

1 pitcher of filtered water

1 cup of fruit/citrus/vegetable of choice

Combine the ingredients and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Teaser
Football season is here! Check back early next week for the best baby back rib recipe you will ever come across. 

Fall Spinach Salad

Fall into Spinach

Leftover night! Our attempt to clean out the fridge before Sunday Fun Day! And yes, Sunday Fun Day is my favorite day of the week, because it usually means going to the Farmer's Market and grocery store, then cooking all day! Oh and not to mention, football!

But, I digress. So, we were eating leftovers and I decided to use the remaining fresh spinach for a side salad to accompany the leftover soup (for me) and pasta (for him). I literally did not have any dressing in our fridge, so decided to make my own. A little homemade dressing, a little nuts and dried fruit and this became a "throw together" that turned into a delicious salad, especially for the Fall.

We devoured the salad so fast, that I didn't take a picture. So I woke up the next morning and remade it. 

Ryan is a Ranch-lover, we all know this. I have been on a mission to create (or buy) other dressings that he will equally love. This was one such success. The key for Ryan is to create a creamy texture that mimics the thickness and richness of ranch. However, I am not a fan of the fat content that accompanies ranch dressing. So I improvised a bit. Yes, I do add a little bit of mayonnaise to this dressing, but only in moderation to get the texture. I have to face the fact that Ryan will never stop eating Ranch, but if I can get him to use it less, then I consider that an accomplishment!

This is a very easy and quick salad, especially in the fall, when apples are crisp and abundant in most kitchens.

Fall Spinach Salad

Yields: 4 salads
Prep Time: 10 minutes 

2 cups fresh spinach

1/2 cup apple, julienne (we use Honeycrisp)

1/3 cup raisins (can use dried cranberries, cherries or currants as well)

1/2 cup raw walnuts, toasted, chopped (can use hazelnuts or pine nuts here too)

Sharp cheddar or Gruyere cheese, grated or chopped into small squares

2 tablespoon cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoon  honey

2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

For the salad, place spinach on a small plate and equally distribute the apple, walnuts, raisins and cheese among the plates. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey and salt and pepper. Slowly add in the olive oil, while whisking. 

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

In this final day of October, I had to squeeze in one final pumpkin recipe. I know, I know, pumpkin is EVERYWHERE this Fall. It is in our sweet treats, candy, bread, beer, candles and of course, drinks. I personally love it, mostly because I love pumpkin, but I can understand how it can be a bit overkill this year.

One thing is for sure, the weather is finally feeling like Fall in NC, which gives me a hankering for warm drinks. As much as I would love to just hop into a Starbucks and order the ever-so-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte, I know better. First of all, they use a syrup in the drink that doesn't even contain any pumpkin! Wait, a Pumpkin Spice Latte doesn't have any pumpkin in it...absurd! 

Secondly, a small "Pumpkin" Spice Latte has 40g of sugar with non-fat milk. This doesn't even include the whipped cream. Not to mention, the sugar grams aren't even from a natural sugar! These drinks may be good, but I don't enjoy putting unknown ingredients in my tummy.

Lastly, these drinks cost you a pretty penny...every time! There is a reason why Starbucks is called "Four Bucks!" 

I do love my hot drinks though, so I was determined to create my own to prevent deprivation from my favorite Fall drink. It was easier than I thought. I seem to have an abundance of pumpkin puree in my kitchen this year, so I started with that and hot milk (non dairy milk works well here too) and added pumpkin pie spices, maple syrup and a bit of vanilla extract. Heat this, add your coffee and BAM....an actual pumpkin spice latte at home.

And for a little healthy treat with your latte, try these Healthy Pumpkin Spiced Cookies from Kris Carr's blog. Delish! 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Yields: 1 drink
Prep Time: 2 minutes + brew time

1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy milk like almond milk)

1 T pumpkin puree (can is OK)

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup (or more for a sweeter drink)

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strong coffee or espresso
whipped cream (optional)
ground cinnamon (optional)

In a microwave safe bowl, whisk the milk, pumpkin, syrup, vanilla and spices briskly to combine well. If you are using homemade pumpkin puree, it might be a good idea to put this in a blender or food processor to blend the small pumpkin bits. 

Make the coffee on a strong setting or use espresso if you have a machine.

Heat this in the microwave in 30 second increments, whisking in between cooking sessions. After about 1 min and 30 seconds, remove the milk mixture and pour into a large mug. Add in the coffee and top with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

Kettler Cuisine Notes:

• For a stronger drink, increase the amount of coffee.
• For a creamier drink, increase the amount of milk.
• I prefer less sweet coffee drinks, so increase the maple syrup for a sweeter drink.
• Canned pumpkin puree can be used here as well. 

Recap on Pumpkin Recipe Roundup:

• Pumpkin Puree
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
• Pumpkin Almond Granola
• Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin and Pancetta Pasta