Recipes for Pumpkin Nut Pudding and Pumpkin Bread Cookies
For the next six weeks pumpkins play an important part in our lives.
Not only are pumpkins a major decorative item for Halloween and even beyond,
their flavor has a strong association with autumn. Unfortunately some don't
realize that pumpkins can be used for other then just pies.
There are a whole variety of ways to use pumpkins for cooking. Perhaps
the oldest is baking or boiling.
To boil, place the pumpkin, cut into halves, scrape off the stringy
parts and seeds. Cuts into quarters and eights. Place in pan, covering the
pumpkin with water and cook for 10 minutes or until the pulp is tender. Drain.
Remove the pulp from the rind and mash the pulp. Season with salt and pepper
and you have a vegetable or the basis for pie filling.
Another method of cooking pumpkin it to prepare it as described
above. Place the pumpkin, cut side down in a shallow pan and bake in a 350-degree
oven for 35-40 minutes. Turn the pumpkin pieces over, season with salt and
pepper and brown sugar and bake another 10 plus minutes. Serve in the shell
as you would a squash.
Unless planning to serve pumpkin as a vegetable, I prefer to buy
a can of pumpkin pie mix and then proceed with the recipe. Call me lazy,
but I find this to be much more practical and much less
complicated.
When buying canned pumpkin, be sure you check to determine whether
the pumpkin in the can is "pie filling" or "pie mix." Both are good, but
there is a difference. The "filling" does not have spices added. The "mix"
has spices already incorporated into the pumpkin which means you don't need
to add more for the recipes below.
Here are two recipes using canned pumpkin pie mix. Both deliver
a nice pumpkin flavor and both are somewhat different than the usual pumpkin
pie that can become a menu cliche this time of year.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
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2 1/4 cups low fat milk
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1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
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2 teaspoons cinnamon
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1 teaspoon ginger
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1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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1 16 oz. can pumpkin pie filling
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1 egg, lightly beaten
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1 egg white, lightly beaten
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6 slices raisin bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
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vegetable cooking spray
Combine the milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves,
pumpkin pie filling, beaten egg and egg white. Blend with a whisk until
thoroughly combined.
Add the bread cubes and to the pumpkin mixture and stir.
Pour the mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole coated with cooking
spray. Bake at 350-degree for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set. Serve warm
or chilled. Can be served with whipped or ice cream. Serves 8.
Pumpkin Nut Cookies
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1/2 cup margarine (one stick)
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1 cup sugar
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2 eggs, beaten
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1 cup pumpkin pie filling
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2 cups flour, sifted
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4 teaspoons baking powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
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1/4 teaspoon ginger
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1 cup raisins
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1 cup nuts (chopped)
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cooking spray for pans
Cream the margarine and gradually add the sugar and continue mixing
until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin. Mix well. Sift the flour, baking
powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together. Stir the dry ingredients
into the pumpkin mixture. Add raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful on a
greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in 350-degree oven. Yields 48
cookies.
About the Author: Dr. Thom Ris is the author of the Palm Springs
Lifestyle Cookbook, available at major area bookstores. Contact Dr. Ris at
760-321-5354. His address on the Internet is:
Chefthomr@aol.com, and his website
is:
Desert-winds.com/thomris. |
