Pumpkin Fruit Cake

Well I see your pumpkin Judy and I'll raise you :).  I collect recipes from many sources, and often the suggestions that come on the pack of the pack or can can be very good.  I found this one on the back of the Sunbeam mixed fruit packet, and must say that I found it very good indeed, and relatively healthy for a cake. Even better you mix it all up in the one pot.

Ingredients:
500g dried mixed fruit
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
125g butter
1 cup apricot nectar
1 tsp bicarb soda
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup cooked pumpkin cold and mashed
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour

- Preheat oven to 160 d C
- Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin
- In a largish pot bring to boil mixed fruit, sugar, syrup, butter and nectar, stirring all the time and then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add bicarb soda then allow mixture to cool
- Add eggs and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
- Sift in flours and mix well to combine
- Place in tin and bake for 70 minutes or until a skewer in the centre comes out clean.

Roast Carrot and Cumin Soup

I think I found this recipe from Gourmet Travellor ages ago.

1.5 kg Carrots, chopped
120 ml Olive oil
3 large Lebanses flat bread
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 litres chicken stock
Greek yoghurt Lemon - juice and zest
Preheat oven to 220C. Scatter carrots onto 2 baking tray, drizzle with 1/3 of the oil, season and roast for 25 mins. Place flatbread on trays, drixzzle with half remianing oil, scatter with cumin seeds, . Roast 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in large saucepan, and saute onion and garlic about 5 mins. Add cumin and coriander and stir about 1-2 mins. Add stock and bring to simmer. Add roast carrots. Blend with stick blender. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Service scattered with lemon zest, parsley and a dollop of greek yoghurt. (Black Swan is gooood. Val put me onto it!!)

Pumpkin, lentil and ginger soup

This is delicious.  The ginger gives it a zing! 

1/2 cup red lentils

1 kg jap or butternut pumpkin cut into chunks

1 tbs ginger, grated

1 tbs orange zest

4 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup coriander, chopped

Rinse the lentils and place in pot with the pumpkin, ginger and orange zest.  Add the stock and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook for 30 mins.  Remove from heat.  Blend with stick blender.  Stir through buttermilk and top with chopped coriander.