It is now possible to buy ridiculously inexpensive, ripe pumpkins which were ready for harvest far too early for Halloween. What do I do with them? I've found a handful of online recipes which look good, but my experience with following such recipes is checkered. Very often, some key step or ingredient is missing. (Seriously. I once tried a brownie recipe which omitted chocolate. Fortunately, my friend and I caught on before baking.) Have any of you tried these recipes, or similar ones? Do you have any personal favorites? What (preferably inexpensive) foods can I make with pumpkin?
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
Pumpkin seeds
Cooking spray or butter
Salt or other seasoning such as cayenne, garlic, onion powder, etc. (optional)
Instructions
Method 1:
Rinse seeds and separate all pulp and fiber from seeds. Let seeds dry. Spray cookie sheet with oil or coat seeds with melted butter. Spread seeds on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt or other seasoning if desired. Roast at 250 degrees F. for about an hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Watch so they don't burn. (If the seeds are very dry, you can increase the temperature up to 300 F. and reduce the cooking time.) Let cool before eating. Seed shells are edible as well as the seed inside. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three months or in the refrigerator up to one year.
Method 2:
If you like them saltier, soak overnight in salted water. Let dry overnight. Then roast as per above.
Microwave Method:
Rinse 1 cup of seeds in water to remove some of the fibers, then pat seeds dry with paper towel. Place 2 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart rectangular dish and microwave on high 30 seconds. Stir in seeds to coat; spread evenly in dish. Microwave on high 7 to 8 minutes or until toasted, stirring every 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt or other seasonings. Cool before storing in an airtight container.
Pumpkin Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cooked squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, -- pureed
or parsnips*
2 eggs -- separated
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons melted butter
maple syrup
*The vegetable can be leftover pumpkin or squash that has been baked with maple syrup, honey, or, some other sweetener and butter, or sweetened sweet potatoes or perhaps even sweetened parsnips. Remove any skin and puree the vegetable in a food processor or put through a vegetable mill.
Toss or sift the flours, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the vegetable puree with the egg yolks, milk, and butter, and mix with the dry ingredients. Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks and fold them into the batter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto a preheated, lightly greased griddle.
Bake until bubbles appear on the surface, then turn and bake the other side until lightly browned.
Serve with warm maple syrup.
Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried orange peel (or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest)
2 cups puréed pumpkin (fresh or one 15-ounce can)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (see Note, below)
In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and orange peel.
In a second bowl, combine pumpkin, butter, oil, eggs and molasses.
Make a well in center of the dry ingredients. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until mixture is combined and dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in pecans.
For bread, divide the batter between two greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.
For muffins, grease two muffin tins (or use vegetable cooking spray). Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in tins for 5 minutes; then turn out muffins on wire racks. Makes 20 to 24 muffins.