Here are three delicious Autumn recipes from Midwest Today magazine food writer ELISE MICHAELS:

PUMPKIN SOUP
1 large onion, chopped (I usually use the white or yellow onion, not the red)
1/2 pound of bacon, chopped
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
1 cup water
2 cups apple cider (not apple juice)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cubes of chicken bouillon cubes
1 apple, unpeeled and chopped
A dash of liquid smoke (be careful with this; a drop will do)
2 teaspoons white pepper
Salt to taste
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
Saute lightly the onion and bacon in a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Blend to thicken in blender-sized batches. Serve with sour cream, one dollop per serving. For a clever idea, hollow out some small pumpkins and serve the soup in them.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups butternut squash, cooked until soft and cooled
4 large eggs
Grease and flour 3 9x5-inch loaf pans. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the water, oil, eggs and squash. Fill each loaf pan half full with batter. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. It smells so good and tastes great, too!

HOT MULLED APPLE CIDER
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash of nutmeg
3 cinnamon sticks (the 3 inch ones)
2 quarts of apple cider
Some orange wedges (I like to use navel oranges)
1 whole clove
Combine brown sugar, allspice, the teaspoon of cloves, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and apple cider in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain to remove spices and serve in mugs with clove studded orange wedges. This is so delicious!


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