When my children were little, we used to go Pumpkin Hunting in the beginning of October. Now not much hunting was actually done, and no weapons were ever needed. We would go to a local farm (that sadly is no longer there)..Pumpkin hunting included drinking samples of warm cider, buying fresh picked apples and aforementioned cider (fresh pressed), along with apples pie, and apple dumplings..all home made..we would watch the caramel apples being made in a huge copper pot.. and of course buy and eat said apples. Oh yeah we would pick out pumpkins and buy them too. Now going pumpkin hunting with six kids wasn't as easy as it sounds..we would get the largest pumpkin we could for the house..to be dutifully carved and set on the front porch on Halloween night..but each precious darlin' wanted their own pumpkins...good thing we had a van!! Small pumpkins would be given the jack o'lanternish faces thanks to Mom and her ever handy black marker.
Pumpkin hunting was exciting as it was the kick off for the holiday frenzy that would follow on its heels.. Meg's Birthday...Halloween...Thanksgiving...Laura's Birthday.. Christmas Eve..Christmas Day..New Year's Eve and finally New Year's Day..at which point all I wanted to do was vegetate..at least till Valentine's Day!
Needless to say, I love pumpkin... pumpkin anything...so there will be a plethora of pumpkin recipes till Thanksgiving...try a few and enjoy, my little foodies!!
Pumpkin
Pumpkin as a Super Food might be a surprise to you. Like turkey, people probably only think of it in the Fall. And then, it's only thought of as a decoration rather than a food... or, if it is, then it's only ever made into Pumpkin Pie ( my favorite pie right up there with squash pie).
But that's a shame because of all the good things that it contains! Pumpkin is known to be:
- High in fiber.
- Low in calories.
- Full of disease-fighting nutrients like potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.
- One of the richest supplies of bioavailable carotenoids and are thus full of both alpha-carotene and beta-carotene.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
2 cups dried elbow macaroni (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf sage, crushed
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoonolive oil
Sage leaves (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.
2. For cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add whipping cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer macaroni and cheese to an ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
3. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, walnuts, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with sage leaves.
Pumpkin custard
MIX in a medium bowl
1 cup warm water
2/3 cup powdered milk
2 eggs
ADD
1 15-oz can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg/allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Mix well. Place custard mixture in a buttered 4 quart slow-cooker pot. Cook on low for 7 hours. Done when touching the center leaves no batter on your impeccably clean finger. Let cool for at least one hour before serving. Top with vanilla yogurt or toasted nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.
Pumpkin Pecan Tassies
A cross between pumpkin and pecan pie... YUMMY
filling
In a small bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Beat in flour. Shape into 24 balls. With floured fingers, press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups.
Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, pumpkin, 4 teaspoons butter, egg yolk, cream, extracts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into warm cups. Combine the pecans and remaining brown sugar and butter; sprinkle over filling.
Bake 23-27 minutes longer or until set and edges are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.
Harvest Pumpkin Dip
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.
Pumpkin Soup
In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the broth, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cream; cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Fresh Pumpkin Soup Recipe
In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until pumpkin and apples are tender.
Meanwhile, toss pumpkin seeds with oil and salt. Spread onto an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 250° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
Cool soup slightly; process in batches in a blender. Transfer to a large saucepan; heat through. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin Chili
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground beef
In a large Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add water if desired to reduce thickness. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
recipe from Epicurious
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch glass baking
dish.
2. Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet and bake
in the oven, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
3. Combine the cream, milk, and vanilla bean and seeds in a
small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
4. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and
pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture until
combined. Discard the vanilla bean and whisk in the bourbon.
5. Scatter the pumpkin bread cubes in the prepared baking
dish. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing down on the bread to totally
submerge it in the custard. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up
some of the custard.
6. Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and pour hot
water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the glass
dish. Bake until the sides are slightly puffed and the center jiggles slightly,
about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and the water bath and cool on a wire rack
for at least 30 minutes before serving.
7. Serve the warm bread pudding topped with whipped cream
and drizzled with spicy caramel apple sauce . Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if
desired.
Pumpkin Bread
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch loaf pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking
powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves in a small bowl.
3. Beat the butter, sugar, and oil on high speed in the
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scraping down the sides
and bottom of the bowl a few times, until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the
eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. Mixing on low speed,
slowly add the flour mixture and 2/3 cup water and mix until just combined.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into
the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan on
a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce
1. Combine the cream, apple juice, star anise, ginger,
cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Strain the mixture
into a clean small saucepan and place back over low heat while you make the
caramel.
2. Combine the sugar, 1/2 cup water, and the vinegar in a
medium saucepan over high heat and cook without stirring until a deep amber
color, 8 to 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk in the warm cream mixture a
little at a time, and continue whisking until smooth. Add the apple schnapps and
cook for 30 seconds longer. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. The sauce can be
made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat over low heat before serving.
recipe from Epicurious
Warm Pumpkin Salad with Polenta and Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Prepare polenta:
Bring cornmeal, water, and 2 1/4 teaspoons salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta is creamy and tender, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in 11/2 tablespoons butter and cool slightly.
Bring cornmeal, water, and 2 1/4 teaspoons salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta is creamy and tender, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in 11/2 tablespoons butter and cool slightly.
Spoon polenta onto center of a lightly buttered large
baking sheet, then spread evenly into a 10- by 7-inch rectangle (about 1/2 inch
thick). Cover with plastic wrap, then poke several holes in wrap with a small
sharp knife and chill 2 hours.
Candy pumpkin seeds:
Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in sugar, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook, without stirring, until caramelized. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until seeds are puffed and golden. Transfer to a plate to cool. When seeds have hardened, break up any clumps with your fingers.
Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in sugar, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook, without stirring, until caramelized. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until seeds are puffed and golden. Transfer to a plate to cool. When seeds have hardened, break up any clumps with your fingers.
Make vinaigrette:
Whisk together pomegranate juice, vinegar, and shallot and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
Whisk together pomegranate juice, vinegar, and shallot and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
Roast pumpkin:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut pumpkin quarters crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow baking pan
and arrange slices in 1 layer. Roast in middle of oven until just tender, about
20 minutes. Remove from oven, then cover with foil to keep warm.
Fry polenta while pumpkin roasts:
Trim polenta into a 9- by 6-inch rectangle. Cut polenta into 6 (3-inch) squares, then halve each square diagonally. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet until hot but not smoking, then cook polenta in 2 batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes (if necessary, use remaining tablespoon oil for second batch). Transfer as cooked to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Trim polenta into a 9- by 6-inch rectangle. Cut polenta into 6 (3-inch) squares, then halve each square diagonally. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet until hot but not smoking, then cook polenta in 2 batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes (if necessary, use remaining tablespoon oil for second batch). Transfer as cooked to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Assemble salad:
Shave 12 strips from cheese with a vegetable peeler.
Shave 12 strips from cheese with a vegetable peeler.
Whisk vinaigrette, then toss arugula in a large bowl with
enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Place several pieces of pumpkin and 1 piece
of polenta on each of 6 plates. Top with arugula, more pumpkin, and remaining
polenta. Sprinkle with candied pumpkin seeds and top with Parmesan shavings,
then drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
• Polenta, spread on baking sheet and not yet fried, can be chilled up to 1 day. • Candied pumpkin seeds can be prepared 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• To juice a pomegranate, firmly roll it on a work surface until it feels softer, then cut a small hole in skin and squeeze.
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