It is the peak of pumpkin harvest time and though pumpkins are not generally one
of the more popular cooked squashes, don't be so quick to turn it away in the
kitchen. While Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins are abundant this time of year, if you
are looking to use pumpkin for cooking, you should choose a type that is specifically grown for baking and eating quality.
Best Cooking Pumpkin
 The sugar pumpkin - small in size, usually weighing 1.4 to 3.5 pounds
How to Purchase
Make sure the pumpkin is bright in color, free of blemishes and solid/dense for
its size.
Storing
Pumpkins may be stored at room temperature for up to a month and in the refrigerator for 3 months.
How to Use
Pumpkins may be used the same as any other winter squash.
Equivalents
Fresh pumpkin: 5 pound pumpkin is equal to about 4.5 cups cooked and mashed
Canned pumpkin: a 15 ounce can is equal to 1.75 cups mashed
Pumpkin Recipes:
1 small to medium pumpkin
1 quart cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 15 ounce can pumpkin |
Cut top of pumpkin (remove and save lid) scoop out all of the stringy contents
and seeds and discard. Scrape out as much pumpkin as possible being careful not
to break pumpkin shell or make any holes in it. When you have removed all of the
pulp that you can, place the pulp in a pan and cook until soft with 1/2 cup of
water over medium heat. When the pulp is soft cool a little and place in food
processor and pulse until creamy. Grind cloves in chopper until pretty fine and
combine with other spices. Place all ingredients except cream in large pot and
bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 10 minutes. If you need to, add
a little water, 1/2 cup, to keep from sticking, be sure it doesn't scorch. Add
cream and blend well, reduce heat to low and let cook about 10 more minutes.
Pour soup into pumpkin shell, replace lid and serve.
Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese.
Makes about 8-10. |
 Spicy Pumpkin Dip
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons tahini, sesame paste
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
In a food processor, process pumpkin and chickpeas until fairly smooth. Add remaining ingredients to food processor and process until smooth. Season to
taste. Serve with pita chips.
Makes 3 cups.
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon (well rounded teaspoon)
1 teaspoons nutmeg
2 1/2 cups sugar
Sift or stir all the above. |
Add:
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups pumpkin
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray; set aside. Mix just until creamy.
Bake
at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
|
Pumpkin Bars
|
Helpful Hint:
Preserve the Harvest with Lehmans.com
Whether you are just getting started or are looking
to add to your canning and preserving equipment, we recommend Lehman's
for all the necessary appliances and accessories.
They have lids,
jars,
canners,
dehydrators,
strainers
(pictured), even books
to help show you the way.
Browse an extensive selection of canning and preserving equipment by
visiting Lehmans.com,
here.
Lehman's: Products for Simple
Living since 1955.
|
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
In bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt;
set aside. In a mixer bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add flour mixture;
beat well. Stir in pecans. Spread in ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking
pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out
clean. Cool on wire rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat together a 3 ounce package cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar, beating
until smooth.
Frost bars and sprinkle with additional pecans.
Makes 2 dozen bars.
|
Pumpkin Surprise |
|
Mix together:
1 large can of pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Place in ungreased 9 x 13" baking pan. |
Sprinkle over top:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
Drizzle:
1 1/2 cubes melted margarine (real butter is even better!)
Bake
at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool completely before serving. Good by itself or with ice cream. |
|
Pumpkin with Rice Stuffing |
1 5 or 6 lb.pumpkin (make sure their is a stem)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion (to yield 1/2 cup) -- chopped
1 medium celery stalk (to yield 1/2 cup) -- sliced
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
1/4 cup raisins or currants
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices whole wheat bread -- cut into cubes
1 cup apple cider |
Heat oven to 375. Cut out lid from top of pumpkin. Remove seeds and fibers from
pumpkin.
Melt butter in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and celery in
butter, stirring occasionally until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except
cider. Fill pumpkin with rice mixture. Pour cider over rice mixture. Cover with
pumpkin lid.
Place pumpkin in ungreased 8 x 8" pan. Bake for about 2 hours or
until pumpkin is tender. Let stand 15 minutes. To serve, remove lid and cut pumpkin into wedges.
Serves 6. |
Helpful Source: The New Food Lover's Tiptionary: More Than 6,000 Food and Drink
Tips, Secrets, Shortcuts, and Other Things Cookbooks Never Tell You by Sharon
Tyler Herbst
|
