Festive Breakfast: Part Six

Ronda L. Halpin

Last week, I shared my secret for cinnamon-honey butter. It's a fantastic spread for everything from toast to pancakes. And that got me thinking about other equally-delightful, but healthier options that I might share. And I remembered pumpkin butter. Fat free, gluten free and dairy free, it's great on all kinds of breads and even super layered with yogurt and granola for a fun breakfast parfait. Beyond that, it's really, really easy to make. And hey, rather fall-winter in theme as well. Another recipe for finding cooking classes with more yummy recipes like this is www.onlineclasses.net.

For this recipe, I'd suggest splitting a batch into several small jars and giving them as gifts. That is, if you can avoid enjoying it all yourself. If you don't plan to use all of it within a week or two, consider freezing the excess. It freezes beautifully and it will keep it fresher for you. Enjoy and spread the warmth!

Pumpkin Butter

3.5 cups pumpkin puree (or a 29-ounce can)
1 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the lemon juice, in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let cool. Pour into airtight jar(s) and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Yields: 2 pints
Preparation Time: 40 minutes