Cooking with 'Hope'

Pumpkin Recipes

It’s that wonderful time of the year when we go out and venture into the local farms and pick pumpkins and apples. Researchers state that eating pumpkin is very healthy for you because it has carotenoids and can possibly help prevent diabetes. Here are some wonderful and easy to make recipes. There are so many recipes for pumpkins that I will be writing another column in a couple of weeks with more pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkins are healthy and tasty, and offer many cancer-fighting antioxidants for our bodies. They are low in calories and rich in fiber. With the depletion of vitamins and minerals in our farming these days it’s nice to know that pumpkins have many nutrients, vitamins and minerals for our health. One serving has a day’s worth of Vitamin A for healthy vision and your immune system.

When purchasing pumpkins choose smooth, deep orange ones that are heavy for their size and have no cracks or soft spots. Sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkins are small, sweet and very tasty, but standard pumpkins work fine, also canned pumpkin. Pumpkins can be baked, roasted, boiled and/or microwaved. They can be cooked in with so many things and in so many ways, become creative with your recipes.

Helpful Hint: To help jack-o-lanterns last longer, wipe petroleum jelly around the cut edges which will hold in the moisture of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Bread

(I won a Blue Ribbon for this bread.)

2  2/3   cups white sugar            

1              teaspoon salt

4          eggs, beaten                                               

1            teaspoon cinnamon

½         cup canola oil                                 

2/3       cup water

2          cups canned pumpkin or fresh puree              

2          cups chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

3 1/3    cups flour                            

2/3       cup raisins

1            teaspoon baking powder

2            teaspoons baking soda

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream oil and sugar together. Add eggs, pumpkin, and water and mix. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and then add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in nuts and raisins. Bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Makes 2 loaves.

Roasted Pumpkin Puree

2            3 to 4 pound pie pumpkins (preferred) or standard pumpkins

Cut pumpkins in half and clean out the seeds and strings. Reserve seeds for roasted pumpkin seeds. Cut pumpkin into 5 by 5- inch slices and in a single layer place pieces in a foil lined baking pan with the orange rind side facing up. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until tender. Set aside and let cool about 1 hour. Scoop the cooked pulp from the rind and place in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth. Put into freezer bags or containers and store in refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze for 6 months. I like to put 2 cups into a container for easy use in recipes.  Thaw pumpkin in the refrigerator, any leftover puree can be used in a smoothie.

Pumpkin Smoothie

6          ounces skimmed milk

½         cup plain or vanilla non-fat yogurt

1            teaspoon cinnamon

1-2            teaspoons honey

½         cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh made)

4          ice cubes (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend for one minute. This is a wonderful and tasty recipe and it has so many antioxidants for our health. It’s so easy to make.

Easy Pumpkin Pudding

1            package (5-ounce) vanilla instant pudding

1          12-ounce can evaporated milk (you may use fat free)

1          15-ounce can pumpkin or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree

1-2            teaspoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spices

Whisk together pudding and milk; refrigerate for 15 minutes. Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass

Serves 6

2          cups skim milk

¾         cup brown sugar

¼         cup cornstarch

2          large eggs

1          cup canned pumpkin or fresh puree

½            teaspoon pumpkin pie spices

            Pinch of salt

            Whipped cream (Optional)

In a saucepan whisk together milk, sugar and cornstarch.  Stirring over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil and boil for 3 to 4 minutes whisking continuously. Set aside. In a bowl whisk eggs and gradually add about half the hot mixture, stir and then return the mixture to the saucepan.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture is thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin, pinch of salt, and pumpkin pie spices.  Pour into large low glasses or custard cups, let it cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours until pudding is set. You may garnish with whipped cream.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Scoop out seeds from pumpkin and remove strings. In cool water gently rinse the seeds and dry with paper towels. Place in a single layer on a greased cookie pan. In a preheated 350-degree oven roast seeds for 20 to 25 minutes. When removed you may add salt to taste.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Into your favorite pancake batter stir in ½ cup canned pumpkin or fresh pureed pumpkin, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Cook as you would normally. Serve with maple syrup or cinnamon, sugar butter. 

Cinnamon Sugar Butter: Mix together 1 stick butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Hope is a retired professor from North Carolina. She resides in Hampstead for the past 13 years, with her husband Vincent, a retired New York City Police Detective. She enjoys cooking and has been awarded numerous ribbons for her breads and has a Blueberry Festival prize for her blueberry cheesecake, which is presently being enjoyed by cruise ship tourists in New Zealand.