My boys are not huge soup fans. So although they did attempt to try the sweet pumpkin soup I made in little cups, it was definitely not a hit. 

I love the taste of pumpkin and coconut together and I'd love them to share this enjoyment, especially at this time of year. It's good for them to know that a pumpkin isn't just to decorate and leave by the front door! 

Like most children (and grown ups) they adore chips!

So here is our Halloween version. Pumpkin fries with caramelised coconut sprinkles, served best in paper! 

Ingredients: 

• Half a large pumpkin makes 4 small servings
• Dark Musovado sugar
• Desiccated coconut

The ingredients aren't in exact quantities as I ground a handful of the sugar and coconut together in the pestle and mortar and then simply rubbed the pumpkin chips in the mix before I lay them on a baking tray.

Heat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4. Prepare your pumpkin by deseeding the flesh and cut the pumpkin into more manageable pieces. Peel your pumpkin skin off and chop your chunks of flesh into chip shape batons approximately the width and length of your index finger.

Rub in the ground coconut and sugar mix and rub generously. Place on a baking tray and cook for 40 minutes until they are golden and have crispy edges. You can add a drizzle of olive oil if you'd like, but the sugar gives a great sticky texture.

No pre cooking involved and absolutely delicious! 

A hit with everyone in this family! You could make a more grown up batch by added some flaked chilli.

When I bought these pears I had no idea what I was going to make with them. In fact, I could have quite happily have had a mini photo shoot just with these pears.

Then I drove past the local cider press, Thatchers HQ, and an idea sprang to mind. 

I have never poached a fruit for fear of them ended up soggy and looking like a damp squib.

I stand corrected. 

Ingredients (makes one serving) : 

• 1 pear
• 2 peaches
• half a lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 250ml cider. I used Thatchers 2012 Vinatge Oak aged Somerset Cider. Sop local all! Well local to me anyway! 
• 2 handfuls of granola. I used Bendylegs because it's delicious.
• vanilla yoghurt to serve.

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4. Carefully peel your ripe but not mushy pear and cut a little off the bottom so it stands upright. I used a baking loaf tin as it was the perfect size. Slice your peaches in half and place in the tin. Add your lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and pour over the cider.

Bake for 30 minutes and baste half way through until the fruit has absorbed almost all the cider sauce. 

Serve immediately with a scattering of granola and vanilla yogurt. 

A lazy Sunday brunch or replace the granola and yoghurt for ice cream and use for an entertaining dessert idea. 

If you wanted to make the recipe more child friendly poach in apple juice. 

I love Autumnal recipes. What are you making this week?

Linking up with Savouring the Season. 

and Michelle at Utterly Scrummy 

This is pumpkin month and I love it.  

Mini ones, giant ones, funny shape ones and even better pick your own ones.  

I wanted to make something the whole family would eat, so something small boy friendly whilst still being full of flavour for us.  I used half a large pumpkin in this recipe and saved the other half for something else which I will share soon.

The mini ones make super props don't you think?! 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions
• half a pumpkin
• drizzle olive oil
• 500ml stock (I used boiling water and a Knorr vegetable gel pot)
• 250ml coconut milk
• salt and pepper
• pistachio nuts to garnish

Dice your onion and pumpkin and soften in a drizzle of olive oil for 5 - 10 minutes. Add your stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is soft. Test with a knife.

Blend until smooth and add the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped pistachio nuts.

I like to serve it in little mugs. A lovely alternative to watery cup a soups!  

Dip in chunks of crusty bread. 

There's something quite heart warming about holding a cup of soup in your hands. How sweet are the copper mugs - 50p from my local charity shop?!  

I have some super cute photos to share later this week. Straight from the patch.