Image from my own batch, Thanksgiving 2007

Inspired by Essin’ Em’s post on how to make pumpkin pancakes, I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes, also fall- and pumpkin-related, delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Although I’m not quite as obsessed with pumpkins as Essin’ Em admits to being, I do love pumpkin, especially these and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (which I may also post a recipe for!), and I’m definitely going to be making the pumpkin pancakes she gave us the recipe for.

I found this recipe last year via the Vegetarian community on LiveJournal, just in time for Thanksgiving. That was the first time I made them, and let me say, they made Thanksgiving last year. They are amazingly delicious, if you like cinnamon rolls or pumpkin you will love these!

The recipe is for vegan pumpkin cinnnamon rolls (use Earth Balance or another vegan margarine), but you can (of course) make this non-vegan by using regular milk and vegan or non-vegan margarine. I made it vegan, though I’m not vegan but vegetarian, but I don’t really do milk and I already had soy milk, so it was just due to not wanting to buy cow’s milk. I’m sure it’s delicious either way.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
3/4cup Pumpkin Puree
1/4 cup soy milk (or cow’s milk if you prefer)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 T vegetable oil

Filling:
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled margarine, cut into small pieces

Glaze:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the warm water with the yeast and whisk together with a fork, let stand for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, milk, melted margarine, and sugar in with the yeast, and lightly mix. Sift in the first two and a half cups of flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Take the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and use it to flour the top of the dough and your surface a tablespoon at a time, as needed to keep the dough from getting sticky as you knead it. Knead the dough for about ten minutes, the dough will be elastic but soft and still a little sticky to the touch without being floured.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in margarine with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, from the long side, pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place the slices in a 9-inch square or round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake the rolls for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add the water and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. It should be thick, but easy to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add another 1/2 teaspoon of water.

-Scarlet Lotus Sexgeek

While I cannot define it as a true fetish (I don’t NEED it to get aroused/get off), I have what most people would call a pumpkin fetish.  I LOVE pumpkin EVERYTHING.  Pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin bread, pumpkins to carve (I have one in my car named Antwone just waiting to be carved up), roasting pumpkin seeds, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin chai, pumpkin covered nail polish, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake.  It sounds like an obsession…and to be perfectly honest, it kind of is.  Nothing is better and more delicious than pumpkin.  For a last cute present before we broke up, one of my ex’s gave me a jar of pumpkin pie spice…to flavor my pumpkin soy milk (OH MY GOD SO GOOD!).

But most of all, more than ALL those other pumpkin things, I LOVE pumpkin pancakes.  I started eating them fall of my sophomore year of college. IHOP (international house of pancakes) has them seasonally, and my nerdy group of friends used to go to IHOP every Saturday night after Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the Tuesday each block before the end of the block.  And I discovered pumpkin pancakes.  Over the years, I’ve had them add chocolate chips, I’ve tried them with various syrups, whipped cream, powdered sugar, you name it.  They are amazing. Here is a picture from senior year, eating them with friends:

Yes, they’re that good.  These particular ones are with chocolate chips and whipped cream.

After I left Colorado, I decided it was high time I learn to make my own damn pumpkin pancakes. And so I did.  I cooked them for myself, for friends, with my ex, you name it.  Over time, I have perfected my recipe. And today, because I love Femmes as much as I love pumpkin pancakes, I share it with you.

First, mix these dry ingredients together in a bowl:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 Once you’d done that, in a separate bowl, mix together these wet ingredients:

1 cup milk (I use skim)

¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg

After that is all nice and mixed, fold mixture into dry ingredients, and stir a lot to get all the clumpage out.

You can use a pan or a skillet - I have a pan, so I use that. I’ve experimented both with olive oil and melted butter as my base for non-stickage - both work fine, so choose which ever you prefer.  You can make BIG pancakes, or little dollar pancakes or anything in between.  About 2-3 minutes per side - don’t forget to check them and flip them.  I like to serve them with either powdered sugar or whipped cream…my current partner likes them with maple syrup - it’s up to you.  Makes enough for 4 people (or two people who are holed up having sex for 24-hours). They re-heat well AND taste good cold.

So happy fall season!  Enjoy the blessing o’ pumpin!

-Essin’ Em

I realize that not all of us are totally into nail polish, I myself being a chronic nail polish “picker” to the point that I just don’t even bother to wear it unless something important is happening. Like a party! Since today was the very first day that we’ve had a coolish breeze down here in south-central Florida I’m inspired to bring to you some Fall nail polish colors.

O.P.I.: This fall/winter palette is “La Collection de France”, so all of the colors have some awfully punny names. My favorites out of this collection are Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not (a bright royal purple), Bastille My Heart (adeep, cheery red), and Baguette Me Not (a peachy, “cinnamon” color). (Where to buy OPI)

Orly Gems: Thinking outside the box when it comes to a Fall collection, Orly Gems goes bold with their colors! See how this lacquer-savvy gal takes the polish indoor and outdoor so you know exactly what you’re getting with each color. I disagree with her take on that pink one of the bunch - Sea of Light - she says it’s not really a fall color. I think a “deep, rosy pink” can totally be a fall color, but it really depends on how you put together the whole ensemble. (Where to Find Orly)

Rescue Beauty Lounge: RBL gives us four down-to-earth colors with a prime formula. “Plie” is a pinkish neutral that will pretty much go with anything. “Bruised” is a dusty plum, followed by a simple “Teal”. Finally, RBL creators introduce “No More War” which is somewhere in between camo green and sage green, makes a bold political statement. Here’s their description: Peace signs have never looked so chic. This olive green is the perfect color to wear when voting a peace-loving candidate into office. Check out RBL on the web, or if you’re in the Big Apple, there are 2 salons.