"P" is for Pumpkin Party

I threw Kinley and his buddies a Pumpkin Party to celebrate Halloween. I found an awesome invitation on someone's blog, so we printed them out and mailed them to our little friends. There were 6 toddlers, 4 babies, and 5 adults - a FULL house! The house was destroyed and everyone left here with full tummies of pumpkin snacks. We had a ball!

Top of our Pumpkin Invitation

Food had to start with the letter "P" so I had pretzel rods, popcorn bags, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin dip, pumpkin bagels, and pumpkin monkey bread. Lots of baking and the house smelled great - just like Fall. The only requirement was for each toddler to B.Y.O.P. (bring your own pumpkin) with them to paint. I had found some glow in the dark paint along with regular colors and the kids got to work. However, they seemed more interested in eating pumpkin cookies and making a mess with our toys!

Earlier this week our Preschool had a field trip to the Venetucci Farm and Pumpkin Patch to tour and pick a free pumpkin to take home. The pumpkins were small and perfect for the kids to paint today - it worked out well!

First, I made Pumpkin Bagels and had regular cream cheese and pumpkin spice cream cheese. These bagels were delicious and I'd make them again!

Pumpkin Bagels

Ingredients

- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups all purpose flour (plus 2 tbsp. at high altitude)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (plus 1 tbsp. at high altitude)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp. baking soda
- 1 egg
- cornmeal for dusting baking pan
- flax seeds

1. In a medium bowl mix yeast, water and brown sugar together. Let stand for 10 min until a thin foam appears on the top. Then stir in the pumpkin puree.
2. In a separate bowl mix the flours, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice together.
3. Using the dough hook on your Kitchenaide Mixer, add the wet ingredients to the dry.
4. Once the dough has come together place it on your counter and knead it for 2-3 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add more flour to it.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl with cling wrap on top. Put the bowl in a warm, dry place to rise for about 60-90 minutes. (I placed mine in the oven that was off)
6. The pumpkin bagel dough should double in size. Punch it down on a flat surface and divide the dough into 8-12 balls on a cookie sheet. (I made 12 bagels with this recipe)
7. Cover the balls with a dry dish towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
8. Shape the dough into bagels by making a hole in the middle of each ball.
9. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
10. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the baking soda.
11. Using tongs, drop a few bagels into the water bath for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place the finished bagels on a dry towel to drain.
12. Once all bagels have been boiled place them on a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal.
13. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush the tops of each bagel with it. Sprinkle flax seeds on top.
14. Bake for 15-20 min or until golden brown. Mine only took about 13 minutes to bake so keep a close eye on them!

 Dough shaped like bagels

Boiling the Bagels

 Sprinkling flax seeds on top

Pumpkin Bagels!

Pumpkin Monkey Bread - this recipe called for a 'glaze' to drizzle on top of the monkey bread once baked, which I did not do. The monkey bread was sweet enough and I didn't feel it needed a glaze - plus I didn't want the kids to get too wild from all the sugar!

Ingredients

Dough:

- 3 1/4 cups flour (plus 3 tbsp. at high altitude)

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

- 1/8 tsp. cloves

- 2 tbsp. butter, melted

- 1/2 cup warm milk

- 1/4 cup warm water

- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast 

Coating:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 stick of butter, melted

1. In a mixing bowl whisk all the dry ingredients together: flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
2. In another bowl whisk the wet ingredients together: butter, milk, water, pumpkin, sugar and yeast.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry in your Kitchenaide Mixer and mix together using the dough hook.
4. Knead the dough on your counter and then place it in a greased bowl. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a dry, warm place to rise for 60 min.
5. Once doubled, place dough on your counter and knead for 2 minutes, then separate dough into little balls, which you place on a cookie sheet. This recipe made about 40 dough balls.
6. Grease your bundt pan.
7. In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
8. In another small bowl, melt your 3/4 stick of butter.
9. Dip each dough ball into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and into the bundt pan.
10. Continue to layer the balls in the pan until all balls have been dipped.
11. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

 Dough balls, melted butter, cinnamon/sugar mixture, greased bundt pan

 Pumpkin Monkey Bread

Up-close

The Party Decor!

Happy Pumpkin Party!

 Each toddler guessed (with help from mommy) how many candy pumpkins there were

 The Spread!

Clockwise from left: Popcorn, Pumpkin Dip with honey crisp apples, Pumpkin Monkey Bread, Pumpkin Cookies

 Pumpkin Painting

Pumpkin Painting

All the kids had a great time and I will have to add a few more pictures from my friends who were happily clicking away as I played hostess and paint/water assistant!

Pumpkin Dip

- 1 can of pumpkin puree
- 16 oz. cool whip
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 packet vanilla pudding mix
- 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

*Mix everything together and serve with fruit! Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Brittney