How To
Prepare Fresh Pumpkin
- Break off the pumpkin stem
- Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise and scoop out the seeds and stringy
material. (Save the seeds for the recipes below)
- Place the halves, cut sides up, on a foil lined baking sheet. Cover and
seal each half with foil Bake in a preheated 350 Degree F. oven until the flesh
is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Cool until able to handle.
- Scoop out the flesh and mash with a potato masher, puree in a blender or
processor, or push through a fine sieve.
- If the puree is too watery, drain in a colander lined with cheesecloth,
folding the cheesecloth over the puree and weighing down with a plate.
- Puree will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the
freezer.
CANNING THE PUMPKIN
- You'll need about 2-1/2 pounds per quart. Pumpkin should be fully mature
with a hard rind and stringless flesh. Small pumpkins give the best results.
- Wash, remove seeds, and peel. Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. Boil 2 minutes
in water. Do not mash or puree.
- Fill jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Adjust lids and process in a pressure canner as follows:
Quarts: Process 55 minutes at 12 pounds pressure.
Increase pressure to 13 pounds at altitudes over 4,000 feet. Increase pressure
to 14 pounds at altitudes over 6,000 feet.
Pints: Process 55 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.
Increase pressure to 15 pounds at altitudes over 1,000 feet.
Pumpkin
& Praline Pie Recipe
Prepared pie pastry for 2 - 9 or 10" pie (single crust)
PUMPKIN FILLING
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Light brown sugar
1 tb Flour
1 tb Bitters, optional
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground ginger
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground cloves
1 ea Egg,slightly beaten
2 tb Butter
1 cn Pumpkin puree (29 oz)
1 cn Evaporated milk 12 oz
1/4 c Sweet milk
1 c Water
PRALINE
4 tb Butter, softened
2/3 c Light brown sugar
2/3 c Pecans, coarsely chopped
Whipped cream or whipped topping
PUMPKIN FILLING: Mix sugar, light brown sugar,
flour, bitters, if desired, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a
large bowl. Stir in egg; set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over low
heat. Add pumpkin puree; simmer, stirring occasionally, until puree thickens
slightly, about 10 minutes. Gradually, stir hot pumpkin puree into the sugar
mixture. Stir in evaporated milk, sweet milk and 1 cup water.
PRALINE: Beat butter and brown sugar in a medium
bowl. Stir in pecans and set aside.
ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Bring dough to room
temperature. Working with one disk at a time, place on a floured surface. Using
half of the remaining 1/4 cup flour, roll into a 13" circle, 1/8"
thick. Transfer and fit dough into a 9" deep dish pie pan; trim away
excess dough and flute the edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining disk of
dough to make a second pie shell. Prick each pie shell all over its surface
with a fork.
Preheat oven to 450F. Freeze pie shells for 10 minutes. Spread half of the
praline mixture over the bottom of each pie shell. Bake until praline is golden
brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes; cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to
400F.
Pour half the pumpkin filling into each crust; smooth the top of each with a
spatula. Bake until pumpkin filling in each pie pan is firm and crusts are
golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool completely and serve. Makes 2 - 9" pies.
Top with whipping cream or whipped topping, if desired. Garnish with whole
pecans.
So Easy
Recipe for Pumpkin Pie
1 1/3 c Pumpkin; cooked & pureed
1 1/3 c Condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 Egg
1/2 ts Salt
1 1/4 ts Cinnamon, ground
1/2 ts Nutmeg, ground
1/2 ts Ginger, ground
1/4 ts Cloves, ground
1 c Water, hot
Beat all ingredients together. Pour into a 9-inch pastry shell. Bake at
375F for 55 to 65 minutes.
Pumpkin
Nut Bread Recipe
3 1/2 c Sifted flour
2 ts Baking soda
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Nutmeg
3 c Sugar
1 c Pecans
4 Eggs
1 1/2 c Canned pumpkin
1 c Butter
2/3 c Water
RECIPES TOPPING
2 tb Melted butter
2 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Cinammon
Sift dry ingredients into large mixer bowl. Quickly add all remaining
ingredients. Mix only until dry ingredients are moist. Bake in 2 greased
9x5x3-inch pans in preheated 350F. oven for 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. While warm brush with butter and
sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Yield: Two loaves.
Country
Pumpkin Bread
3/4 c Shortening
2 1/2 c Sugar
4 Eggs, beaten
2 c Cooked pumpkin
2/3 c Water
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Baking powder
2 ts Soda
1 ts Salt
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Allspice
1 c Black walnuts
2/3 c Raisins
Preheat oven to 350F. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Stir in pumpkin
and water. Mix together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Stir dry
ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in nuts and raisins.
Spoon bater into two greased and floured 9x5" loaf pans and bake for one
hour, or until bread tests done with a toothpick. Yield: 2 loaves.
Recipe
For Cranberry-Pumpkin Muffins
2 c Flour
1 c Whole Wheat Flour
1 c Sugar
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Baking Powder
1 ts Baking Soda
3/4 ts Allspice
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Butter
2 1/2 c Pumpkin; thick puree
2 Eggs
2 c Cranberries; cleaned;halved
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, cinnamon,
baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. Stir the ingredients to mix
them well. Add the butter, pumpkin, and eggs, strring the ingred. til they are
just moist. Stir in the cranberries. Spoon the batter into 24 greased muffin
cups. Place the muffin tins in the hot oven. Bake for 40 min. or til tester
inserted in center comes out clean.
Pumpkin
Oat Bran Muffin Recipe
1 1/2 c Oat Bran
2/3 c Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
2 ts Baking Powder
1 ts Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 ts Salt
1 c Mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 c Skim Milk
2 ea Egg Whites, beaten
2 tb Vegetable Oil
Vegetable Cooking Spray
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Make a sell in
centre of mixture. Combine pumpkin and next 3 ingredients; stir well. Add to
dry ingredients, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon batter into muffin pans coated with cooking spray, filling two-thirds
full. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately; serve warm or
at room temperature.
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
1 1/2 c All purpose flour
1/2 c Sugar
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Milk
1/2 c Solid pack pumpkin
1/4 c Melted butter
1 Egg
6 oz Semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c Finely chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 400F. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder,
cinnamon, and salt; make a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine milk,
pumpkin, butter and egg; add to well in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips;
stir until dry mixture is moistened. Spoon mixture into greased muffin cups,
filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle 1 tsp. nuts over each muffin. Bake at 400F for
18-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans, completely cool on racks.
Recipes make 12.
Recipes
- Best Pumpkin Cookies
Yield: 3 - 4 dozen
2 c Butter, softened (4 sticks)
2 c Sugar
2 Eggs
2 c Mashed cooked pumpkin (or - canned)
2 ts Vanilla
5 c All-purpose flour
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
4 ts Ground cinnamon
2 ts Ground cloves
2 ts Ground nutmeg
1 ts Salt
2 c Raisins
2 c Chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the pumpkin and vanilla, blending well. In
a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,
cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, stirring well. Mix in the
raisins and nuts.
Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake in a preheated 375 F oven
for 10 to 15 minutes.
Frosted
Pumpkin Walnut Cookies Recipe
Yield: 7 dozen
1/2 c Butter/margarine, softened
1 1/2 c Brown sugar, firmly
2 Eggs
1 c Pumpkin -cooked, mashed
1/2 ts Lemon extract
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 1/2 c Flour - all purpose
1 tb Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Pumpkin pie spice
1 c Walnuts, chopped
Maple Frosting
1/4 c Butter/margarine, softened
2 1/4 c Powdered sugar, sifted
2 tb Milk
3/4 ts Maple extract
Cream butter; gradually add brown sugar, beating well at medium speed of an
electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in
pumpkin and flavorings. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie
spice. Gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in walnuts.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at
375F for 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Frost with Maple Frosting.
Maple Frosting Recipe: Cream butter; gradually add
1 cup powdered sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add
remaining sugar alternately with milk, beating until smooth enough to spread.
Add maple extract, and beat well.
Harvest
Recipe Pumpkin Bars
1 2/3 c Sugar
1 c Soy oil
4 Eggs
1 cn (16-ounce) solid pumpkin
1 1/2 c Flour
1/2 c Soy flour
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Salt
1 ts Soda
2 ts Baking powder
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 10 x 15 x 1 inch pan with non-stick spray. In
large bowl, combine sugar, eggs and oil. Add pumpkin and mix thoroughly.
Combine flours and spices and stir into pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into
prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean from
middle of pan. Yields 24 to 36 bars.
Quick
& Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
BARS
1 c Vegetable oil
4 Eggs
2 c Sugar
2 c Canned pumpkin
1 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Baking powder
2 ts Cinnamon
2 c Flour
FROSTING RECIPE
3 oz Cream cheese, softened
6 tb Margarine, softened
1 ts Milk
1 ts Vanilla
2 c Confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream oil, eggs and sugar.
Add remaining cookie ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into an ungreased 15
x 10-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting. To make frosting, cream
together all the frosting ingredients. Spread on cooled, uncut cookies. After
frosting has set, cut into equal size bars. Store any leftover bars, covered,
in the refrigerator. Variation: Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or raisins to the
recipe. Yield: 36 pieces.
Hazelnut
Pumpkin Spice Cake
1/2 c Shortening
1 c Sugar
1 c Brown sugar
2 Eggs; beaten
1 c Cooked, mashed pumpkin
3 c Sifted flour
4 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Cloves
1/2 c Milk
1 c Roasted & chopped hazelnuts
Cream shortening; gradually add sugars. Beat in eggs and pumpkin. Sift
together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Fold
in hazelnuts. Batter will be heavy. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch
layer cake pans. Bake in 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes in pans, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. Add
roasted, chopped hazelnuts to butter icing for frosting and garnish with sliced
hazelnuts. Yield: 1 8-inch layer cake.
Quick
& Easy Pumpkin Cake
1/2 c Shortening
1 c Brown sugar
1/2 c Granulated sugar
2 Egg yolks
3/4 c Mashed pumpkin
2 c Flour
1/4 ts Soda
3 ts Baking powder
1 ts Salt 1 ts Cinnamon
2/3 c Chopped nut meats
1/3 c Sour milk
Cream shortening and sugars together. Add egg and pumpkin. Sift flour,
soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Add nut meats and add dry
mixture alternatley with sour milk to creamed mixture. Mix well. Turn into two
8 inch layer pans with oiled paper in the bottom. Bake in a moderate oven,
350F, for 25 minutes. Cool. Put together with spiced whipped cream between
layers.
Recipe
for Pumpkin Cheesecake
CRUST
3/4 c Graham wafer crumbs
3 tb Melted butter or margarine
1/4 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Nutmeg
FILLING
1 c Cream cheese (8 oz)
1/4 c Sugar
1 lg Egg
2/3 c Pumpkin, cooked or canned
3/4 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Cloves
GARNISH
Whipped cream or topping
In a small bowl, combine graham wafers, spices and melted butter. Mix
together and press into 8x8" spring form pan. Place cream cheese in large
mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in sugar then
egg. Blend dry ingredients together and beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in
pumpkin.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake at 325F about 40 min or until filling
is just set. Cool on a wire rack for one hour, then refrigerate until serving
time. Garnish with whipped cream or topping just before serving.
Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
- from Martha Stewart Living Yield: 6 Servings
2 md Cloves garlic, peeled
1 md Onion, peeled and quartered
1 lg Jalapeno pepper, seeded and -coarsely chopped
2 Stalks celery, cut into -2-inch lengths
3 lg Carrots, peeled and sliced -1/4 inch thick
2 tb Olive oil 1 3/4 lb Kabocha squash (about half a -small squash), peeled,
-seeded, and cut -into 1-inch dice
3 c Low-salt chicken stock, -skimmed
1 Bay leaf
2 ts Curry powder
1 ts Turmeric
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 ts Salt Freshly ground pepper
1 Ripe plantain, cut into -chunks
1/4 c Shelled raw pumpkin seeds -(pepitas)
2 tb Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tb Creme fraiche (optional)
Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion
and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and
pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set
aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Heat 1 tb of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the
garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent,
about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add
the squash, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 t of the salt,
and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plantain.
Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat remaining T of olive oil over medium-high
heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 t salt and cook for about 30 seconds,
shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped.
Remove from heat and add parsley.
Place 2 C of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 C of the liquid in the bowl of
a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust
seasonings, and stir in the creme fraiche, if desired. Garnish with roasted
pumpkin seeds.
Prairie
Pumpkin Soup
Yield: 6 Servings
1/2 c Onions
3 tb Butter
2 c Mashed cooked pumpkin
1 ts Salt
1 tb Sugar
1/4 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground pepper
3 c Chicken broth
1/2 c Light cream
Chop the onions and gently brown in the butter in a pan or kettle. Put
mashed pumpkin into onions in pan with the salt, sugar, nutmeg and pepper.
Slowly add chicken broth and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. To serve, pour
into a tureen and add the cream. Makes 4 to 6 small servings.
Pumpkin
Butter Recipe
Yield: 3 Cups
2 1/2 c Pumpkin; cooked, mashed
3/4 c Sugar
1/4 c Apple cider or orange juice
1/2 ts Cinnamon, ground
1/2 ts Cloves, ground
1/4 ts Allspice, ground
1/4 ts Nutmeg, ground
Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce
heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Cover
and chill.
Roast
Pumpkin Seeds
1 Pumpkin
2 tb Vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Scoop out the seeds and pulp from a pumpkin, and separate the pulp from the
seeds, discarding the pulp. Rinse the seeds in a large colander under cold
running water, removing any remaining clinging strings. Seeds will feel
slippery to the touch under the water.
Dump seeds, a small amount at a time, into paper toweling and dry. Spread onto
a large baking sheet and allow to finish air-drying for an hour or so. When
seeds are dry, toss them with the vegetable oil to coat well and sprinkle
liberally with salt.
Spread seeds into a thin layer on the baking sheet and place in a 350 F oven
for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring every few minutes to prevent
burning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
Recipes
for Salted Pumpkin Seeds
2 c Water
1/4 c Salt
2 c Pumpkin seeds
Use seeds of the Halloween pumpkin. Combine water and salt in saucepan. Cook
and stir until salt dissolves; cool. Add pumpkin seeds and soak overnight.
Drain thoroughly.
Pat seeds dry with paper towel. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300 F until
seeds are dry, about 1 hour.
