Official behind-the-scenes blog of the Dallas Museum of Art
Our Education Department is always up for a creative challenge, so we celebrated today’s holiday by dressing up our pumpkins in their DMA finest for our annual Great Pumpkin Contest. Competition was fierce, but the winning, Linus-approved trophy was awarded to Emily and Jennifer, for their take on everyone’s favorite, somewhat creepy, DMA toddler, Dorothy. Check out all the terrific submissions below. Happy Halloween!
Sarah Coffey is the Education Coordinator at the DMA.
Education staff celebrated Halloween with some festive pumpkin decorating fun this afternoon. For our second annual Great Pumpkin Contest, we had a spirited pumpkin patch full of artistic gourds sure to knock the socks off of Linus himself.
But there can be only one winner, and this year that honor went to Jessica Fuentes and Jessica Thompson, for their detailed interpretation of The Minotaur. Snoopy was so proud.
Sarah Coffey
Education Coordinator
The always creative DMA Education Department celebrated Halloween with a Museum-inspired pumpkin decorating contest. Staff members paired off and created a patch of pumpkins disguised like works in the DMA’s collection and special exhibitions. The pumpkins were judged by a team from the Exhibitions and Curatorial departments. An Isa Genzken re-creation took home the coveted Great Pumpkin Prize. We hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!
The pumpkin prize winners, Rhiannon and Betsy, with their pumpkin inspired by Isa Genzken’s Empire/Vampire III
This month’s recipe is inspired by one of my favorite artworks in the collection, Orange, Red and Red. Like Rothko’s work, these muffins are composed of layers that add to a more complex flavor. And with Thanksgiving only yesterday, they’re the perfect way to utilize that leftover pumpkin for a Black Friday breakfast. Enjoy!
Mark Rothko, Orange, Red and Red, 1962, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Yields 12 regular or 6 large muffins
Level: Easy
Streusel:
¼ cup flour
¼ cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Muffins:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin pan with paper liners or lightly spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Streusel: Stir together flour, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in cold butter until mixture forms into small crumbs. Set aside.
Muffins: In medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and ginger until combined. In another bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture in two batches, stirring with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, filling each cup slightly less than ½ full. Spoon an even layer of streusel into each cup. Cover streusel with remaining batter until each cup is ¾ full. Spoon remaining streusel on top of batter, evenly covering each muffin.
Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Recipe adapted from CHEFS Pumpkin Walnut Bread with Streusel.
Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives
