Pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins

With fall upon us we thought it was time for some pumpkin talk!!  We thought we would give you all some ideas of what to do with pumpkins!

Of course you could carve the pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern, but what do you do with all those seeds?? Have you tried roasting them, just add a little amount of butter or cooking spray, and add seasoning such as cinnamon, sugar, or lemon pepper, garlic, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, or cayenne pepper if you like a little spicier.  Just let your imagination flow. Place evenly on baking sheet, and bake 350* for 12 to 15 minutes, longer if you like them crisper.

Another idea is to get small pumpkins (enough for the family), and carve the meat out of them. Cook the pumpkin, puree it then make a soup. When soup is ready to eat place in the pumpkin shells, and serve to your family. Garnish with mozzarella cut into bat shapes (or any other spooky shape), nice spooky dinner for the family at Halloween. Kids would enjoy helping with this meal.  (See below for the soup recipe)

After Halloween has passed should we fill the land fields with the yucky old Jack-O-Lanterns? Throw them in the trash? Well that’s one option, but why not give them to the cattle, horses, chickens, or pigs. Well if you don’t have any of these critters, maybe you know someone that does, ask them if they would like to feed their critters.

Here are a few GREAT PUMPKIN RECIPES:

Pumpkin Soup:

Makes 4 servings

4 Cups low sodium vegetable stock

4 Cups puree pumpkin

1 ½ Cups no fat milk

2 tsp ground black pepper

2 teaspoons onion powder

½ teaspoons ginger

2 tsp garlic powder

2 Tablespoons curry powder

Cilantro or basil leaves (for garnish)

In large pot blend broth, pumpkin, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, curry powder, and ginger.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in milk.  Return to a simmer, and cook 5 more minutes, uncovered, stir often, until heated through

Pumpkin Rolls:

¾ cups flour                                            3 eggs (room temperature)

½ teaspoon nutmeg                               1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ginger                                    2/3 cups pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon baking powder                     1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoon cinnamon                             ½ c pineapple crushed (opt)                               ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs, sugar. Mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon in another bowl. Stir this mixture into the egg mixture, before adding pumpkin, and lemon juice. If you want pineapple, or nuts add at this time.  Pour in a greased and floured cookie sheet (10x15x1).  Bake 15 minutes at 375*.

Cool 10 minutes in pan. Sprinkle powder sugar on cloth, turn the baked goody onto the cloth with powder sugar, and then roll up jelly roll style in the cloth leave in cloth for 20 minutes.  Unroll and spread the filling onto the cake then roll back up, and cut in 1 inch rolls.

Filling for pumpkin roll:

1-8 oz pkg. cream cheese room temperature

4 Tablespoons butter

1 cup powder sugar

½ cup pineapple (optional)

½ cup pecans chopped (optional)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies:

350* 10-14 minutes

3 cups flour                                             1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons cornstarch                        ½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cream of tartar                  ½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda                        ¼ teaspoon all spice

½ teaspoon baking powder

Mix all the above dry ingredients together in large bowl, make sure it’s all blended together.

1 cup white sugar                                   1 cup butter room temperature

¾ cup packed brown sugar                 1 large egg yolk

¾ cup pumpkin puree                          1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In large mixing bowl, beat butter, and sugars together on medium speed (about 30 seconds). Add egg yolk, then pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix just till combined.  On low setting of mixer, add the flour mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

¼ cup sugar                     1 Tablespoon cinnamon

In small bowl combine, sugar, and cinnamon, roll 1 inch ball of cookie dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the rolled cookie on parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart, bake 12-14 minutes at 350*.

So Yummy, ENJOY!