I do love pumpkin. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cakes,
cookies, breakfast rolls -- you name it. It just seems right at this
time of year, to celebrate fall with something pumpkin.
By Cynthia Bowan
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I loved Dr. Leo Buscaglia, a gentle man who believed in the power of hugs and love - and autumn leaves.
In one of his books, he talked about how much he loved the beauty and the fragrance of those leaves, all the colors - in fact, everything about them. He wouldn't rake his lawn, because the leaves gave him so much pleasure. In fact, he even wrote about the time he brought piles of leaves into his own living room...
Through the years, my husband and I had the pleasure of seeing our five children grow, along with their friends. Somewhere in our huge collection of slides and photographs, we have many pictures of the kids playing in the leaves.
I would put cornstalks on either side of the front door, and sometimes, we would have a few pumpkins there as well. Decorations stayed up as long as possible, at least until after Thanksgiving, when things would be cleaned up and Christmas decorations took their place.
But those pumpkins...I would feel so guilty about not using them to cook with, or do SOMETHING more with them. I mean, granted, you could use the seeds to make toasted pumpkin seeds, but that left a great deal of the pumpkin. (I'm referring to the uncarved ones now, for who would want to cook with one that was carved and had candle wax and soot in it?)
Using a pumpkin for cooking, however, meant dealing with the pumpkin's insides. And frankly, how many of us really deal with pumpkin dishes from scratch anymore? I have been toying with the idea the past couple years - much like I do every fall, but so far, have had the wisdom to remember that first of all, there are only two of us at home now.
Secondly, I do not mind getting messy in the kitchen. I love mixing dough with my hands, rolling out cookie dough, spreading a rub of spices on roasts...perhaps it is because my Momma never wanted us to get dirty or play in dirt or sand. Perhaps it is part of the Mother Earth complex - but who knows? I just enjoy it.
I do not, however, enjoy sticking my hands inside a pumpkin and pulling its innards out. When I was growing up, we had a carved pumpkin at Halloween a few times, and Dad made a production out of cleaning off the seeds, salting and baking them. Now that I think about it, my Momma never would do that. So perhaps my aversion is hereditary!
I do love pumpkin. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cakes, cookies, breakfast rolls -- you name it. It just seems right at this time of year, to celebrate fall with something pumpkin.
Well, if you are going to play around with fresh pumpkins, remember to choose heavy ones with a fairly dull rind and solid stem. They will keep for months in a cool place. To cook a pumpkin, pierce the skin and microwave on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, or until it is soft. Pumpkin also can be peeled, cut into chunks and boiled or steamed until tender. The rest is up to you!
With pumpkins in mind, fresh or otherwise, I offer the following recipes for you to Enjoy! Enjoy the beauty of the fall colors, and CYH - consider yourself hugged.
Pumpkin-Beef Chili
2 c. fresh or canned pumpkin
3 lb. lean ground beef
2 cans red kidney beans
2 med. onions, chopped
3 cans cut tomatoes, 15 oz. each
2 T. chili powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper (optional)
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
1 c. mushrooms (optional)
Brown ground beef and drain off excess fat. Put ground beef into a large pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 1-2 hours. Serve with crackers, hot fresh bread or garlic bread. Serve with additional red pepper and chili powder for those who love hot foods.
Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin
1 medium Pumpkin
1/4 cup Onion -- chopped
1 1/2 lb Ground beef
2 T Soy sauce
2 T Brown Sugar
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Clean stringy pulp and seeds from pumpkin. Saute onion and ground beef. Add soup, soy sauce and brown sugar. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cooked rice. Put meat-rice mixture into pumpkin. Replace lid. Place the pumpkin in a 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 for 60 min to 90 minutes until pumpkin is tender. Slice in quarters to serve. (I have also made this in winter squash.) From Ruth Ann in Nebraska; shared by my friend Nancy in Florida...
Curried Pumpkin Soup
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. curry powder
2 T. butter
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. sugar
1 bay leaf
2 c. veggie broth (or can use chicken broth)
1 1/2 c. milk
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. heavy cream (optional)
chopped chives (as decoration)
In large pan cook onion, garlic, and curry in the 2 T. butter for a few minutes until onion is tender. Add pumpkin, nutmeg, sugar and the bay leaf. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Take out the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup of the milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes.
In another bowl, stir together the remaining milk and the cornstarch until dissolved, and then add it to the pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook a couple more minutes.
To serve: Swirl the cream on top, and garnish with chives. This can also be frozen after it cools. In the freezer it will be good for up to 3 months. Serves 4-6.
Note: The spices can certainly be adjusted to your individual tastes.
Pumpkin Dip with Gingersnaps
1 30-oz. can pumpkin (not pie mix)
4 c. confectioners sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Combine ingredients with a mixer, place in serving bowl, chill. To serve, place bowl on platter and surround with store-bought gingersnaps. Amazingly simple for something so good. Recipe by: Richard in Cincy as posted on Gail's Recipe Exchange.
Pumpkin Fudge
makes 3 1/4 pounds
1 can (5 1/2 oz.) evaporated milk (not skim)
3 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 pkg. (12 oz.) butterscotch chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème
Butter a 13x 9" baking pan. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, pumpkin and spices. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Boil over medium-low heat until mixture registers 234 F. on a candy thermometer, stirring constantly (should take about 25 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in butterscotch pieces until melted. Add marshmallow crème, nuts and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Cool at room temperature.
Cut into squares. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.
Pumpkin Caramel Custard
1/2 c. pureed, cooked pumpkin (can use canned, but not pie mix)
1 1/2 c. sugar, divided
1/2 c. water
2 c. low-fat milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 c. sugar and water. Cook over medium heat. Once sugar has dissolved, swirl the pan and cook, until it is a deep caramel color. Quickly divide the caramel among six dessert cups. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350F. Scald milk in a saucepan. In a bowl, combine the pumpkin, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla and spices. Whisk milk into the pumpkin mixture and portion into dessert cups. Place in a baking dish; cover each with a piece of foil. Pour hot water into the baking dish so water is halfway up the cups. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Remove cups from the baking dish and let cool. Run a knife around the sides, invert onto plates. Serves 6.
Spicy Pumpkin Butter
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie mix)
Combine the sugars, water and spices in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes; stir. Add pumpkin and Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate. Keeps several weeks in refrigerator or can be frozen.
Yield: 2 c.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Pumpkin-Beef Chili | Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin | Curried Pumpkin Soup | Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Caramel Custard | Spicy Pumpkin Butter | Pumpkin Dip with Gingersnaps
