Sunday, September 5, 2010

Wild for Pumpkins!



This is a post that I wrote last November on my other blog and since I'm really looking forward to some fall cooking, I thought I'd repost these great pumpkin recipes here. I'm hoping to find some nice sugar pumpkins at my farmer's market again this year.

Last week I roasted a large pumpkin and 2 small sugar or pie pumpkins. Last year was the first time I had even attempted such a feat but it was easy once I got the huge think cut up. I have been told that sugar pumpkins are different from the kind of pumpkins jack-o-lanterns are carved from in looks and texture and now I believe it. There isn't as much pulp to the pie pumpkins and they are a slightly darker color after being cooked. If you would like to roast your own pumpkin in the future, you can to All Recipes for 3 different ways to cook your pumpkin. It really is easy to do. The result was that I had all this cooked pumpkin! What was I going to do with it?

The sugar pumpkin pulp I am saving for 2 pumpkin pies for our Thanksgiving dinner. This is the recipe I usually use for one pumpkin pie, which is adapted from Libby's Brand Famous Pumpkin Pie:

Pumpkin Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(Instead of the individual spices, you can also use 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
2 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin (15 ounce can of pumpkin can be used here)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell


Mix sugar, salt, and spices in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving, if desired.

From the big pumpkin I have already made some yummy treats for us.
The first thing I made was 4 loaves of pumpkin bread, one of my family's favorites. This is pretty much the same recipe I've always used for the last 25 years, although I have tweaked it a little to make it more healthy. It's from my 1980's Pillsbury cookbook.

Pumpkin Bread

15 or 16-oz. can (2 cups) pumpkin
2 cups
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (not oil) and flour bottoms only of two loaf pans. In large bowl, blend first 5 ingredients. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Add remaining ingredients; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

This next pumpkin recipe is a new one for me and my family went crazy over it, even the ones that aren't crazy for pumpkin anything! I got it from About.com in the Southern Food section. I will be making this one again. It was so moist and cream cheese-y.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pumpkin puree or cooked mashed pumpkin
cream cheese frosting, below
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree.

Pour batter into two greased floured 9-inch round layer cake pans or a 13-x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using round cake pans, turn out cake onto racks to cool. Frost pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' (powdered) sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat well until smooth. Makes enough for 2-layer pumpkin cake or 13-x-9-inch cake.

The last recipe I tried was the Crockpot Lady's CrockPot Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe, although I made mine over the stove. I couldn't wait 2 hours to try it! It was very good!

I still have lots of pumpkin in the freezer and I'm always looking for new recipes, so what do you use your pumpkin in? Please, share your favorites!


6 comments:

April@The 21st Century Housewife said...

I do love pumpkin in anything sweet...your recipes sound fantastic.

the BLAH BLAH BLAHger said...

Pumpkin is my favorite part of fall, too!

Anonymous said...

The cake is one of my favorites. It is always moist and a crowd pleaser.

Gloria

Brandi said...

I love pumpkin baking, too!! Every year on the first day of fall, I make Pumpkin Smoothies for me and my kids--so yummy--and they're perfect for where we live--the desert. :) Now you've got me craving my pumpkin pancakes!!! Just a few more weeks . . .

Erin said...

I was just thinking about making pumpkin stuff...I guess it is the change in the weather.

Brandi said...

Here is a link to Pumpkin Smoothies

http://www.autumnfawn.net/2006/09/autumn.html

I may use raw milk and honey this year to make these just a tad healthier, but probably not the first time!! I want our annual first-day-of-autumn treat to be perfect.:)