Given that thanksgiving is right around the corner, I thought I would share a few pumpkin recipes. I have not tried these yet but they are definately on my "to do" list.
First a few facts....
The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon.” The origin of pumpkins is not known, although pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico.[3][4] Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size (less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms)), shape, color, and appearance (smooth or ribbed)
A pepita (from Spanish pepita de calabaza, "little seed of squash") is an edible seed of a pumpkin or other cultivar of squash (genus Cucurbita), typically rather flat and asymmetrically oval, and light green in color inside a white hull.
Now on to the good stuff...
Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Ingredients
· CAKE:
· Cooking spray
· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
· 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
· 3/4 cup granulated sugar
· 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
· 1/2 cup butter, softened
· 4 large eggs
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
· 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
·
GLAZE:
· 1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 2 teaspoons cornstarch
· 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare the cake, lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels. Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.
Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.
Pumpkin Pie Crunch
Ingredients
· cooking spray
· 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
· 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
· 3 large eggs
· 1 1/4 cups sugar
· 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 (18 3/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
· 1 cup chopped pecans
· 3/4 cup butter flavor shortening, melted
· Sweetened whipped cream
1. Coat a 13- x 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Combine pumpkin and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; pour into pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture, and top with pecans. Drizzle with melted shortening.
2. Bake at 350ยบ for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Let cool 2 hours or until completely cool. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Pumpkin-Ginger Pancakes with Ginger Butter
Ingredients
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 large egg
· 3/4 cup milk
· 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
· 1/4 cup plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt
· 2 tablespoons butter, melted
· Candied-ginger butter (recipe follows)
· Maple syrup
1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, mix egg, milk, pumpkin, yogurt, and butter until well blended. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened.
2. Place a nonstick griddle or a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat (350°); when hot, coat lightly with butter and adjust heat to maintain temperature. Spoon batter in 1/3-cup portions onto griddle and gently spread into 4-inch rounds. Cook until pancakes are browned on the bottom and edges begin to look dry, 2 to 3 minutes; turn with a wide spatula and brown other sides, 2 to 3 minutes longer. As pancakes are cooked, transfer to baking sheets and keep warm in a 200° oven. Serve warm with candied-ginger butter and maple syrup.
Candied-ginger butter: In a bowl, with a wooden spoon, stir 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger into 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) soft butter (soften in a microwave oven on full power [100%] for 5 to 10 seconds). Chill until firm before serving. Makes about 1/4 cup.
Spicy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
· 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon ground allspice
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
· 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
· 3/4 cup fat-free milk
· 1/3 cup vegetable oil
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 2 large eggs
· 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
· Cooking spray
· 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine sugar and the next 5 ingredients (sugar through pumpkin) in a bowl, and stir well with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool loaves completely; cut each loaf into 12 slices.
