Speaking of processing your own pumpkin puree...

[housewolf]

I just came across a bunch of non-pumpkin-pie pumpkin recipes for making and using pumpkin (pureed, roasted, chunks, shredded or baked) that I wanted to share here on this fine October evening -

Savory And Sweet Recipes With Pumpkin Puree

Basic Roasted Pumpkin Puree:
Generally speaking, you'll get one cup of puree for each pound of
raw pumpkin. Cut a small pumpkin (2 to 3 pounds) in half crosswise,
scoop out and reserve the seeds (use them in one of our pumpkin
seed recipes). Place pumpkin halves cut side down on a rimmed
baking sheet and spoon a little water around it. Cover with foil
and bake at 350 ° F. until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. When cool
enough to handle, scoop out flesh. Season puree with sugar, maple
syrup, butter, or Parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Risotto:
Stir 1 cup pumpkin puree into 3 cups of risotto along with grated Parmesan and sage.

Pumpkin Ravioli:
Combine 1 cup pumpkin puree with 1 large egg, a small handful of
Amaretti cookies, crumbled, a generous amount of Parmesan, a couple
of tablespoons of breadcrumbs, sugar to taste, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the filling onto a wonton wrappers, top each with another
wrapper and seal. Boil and serve with browned butter and sage
leaves. Watch Gail Simmons demonstrate how to make her pumpkin
ravioli using wonton wrappers.

Pumpkin Pasta:
Cook 1/2 pound of fettuccine. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking
water. Drain pasta and return to pot along with a couple of
tablespoons of butter, a couple of cups of shredded arugula and
3/4 cup of pumpkin puree. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and
serve with shards of Parmesan.

Pumpkin Polenta:
Stir 1 cup of pumpkin puree into 4 cups of stiff polenta along with
a 3/4 cup (or more to taste) of crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue
cheese.

Dolled-Up Vegetable Soup:
Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to 3 cups of your favorite chunky
vegetable soup -- it'll thicken it up a little and sweeten it too.
Get more ideas for gussying up canned soup.

Pumpkin Cornbread:
Follow your favorite cornbread recipe using equal parts flour and cornmeal. In place of the liquid called for in the recipe,
substitute an equal quantity of pumpkin puree. Bake as directed.

Pumpkin Butter:
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine 2 cups pumpkin puree with 1/2
cup each brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir in 1 tablespoon
chopped crystallized ginger, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until reduced
to about 2 cups. Use the way you would use jam.

Pumpkin-Ginger Ice Cream:
Fold 1/2 cup of sweetened pumpkin puree into a couple of cups of
vanilla ice cream along with 1/3 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger. Freeze.

Pumpkin Rocky Road Ice Cream:
Fold 3/4 cup of sweetened pumpkin puree into 3 cups of chocolate ice cream along with a cup of mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped toasted pecans. Freeze.

Pumpkin Bread:
Swap out bananas from your favorite banana bread for thick pumpkin
puree. Top with cream cheese frosting.

Sweet Pumpkin Turnovers:
Combine 1 cup pumpkin puree with sugar and cinnamon to taste, an egg, mini chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Cut out squares of puff
pastry, spoon filling onto half and fold other half over. Crimp edges with a fork. Bake at 400° until golden brown and puffed. (Watch Gail Simmons demonstrate other recipes with puff pastry.)

Recipes With Pumpkin Chunks And Shredded Pumpkin
Savory Pumpkin Turnovers:
Steam chunks of pumpkin until tender. Mash with a potato masher.
Combine 1 cup mashed pumpkin with 1 egg (fold the egg into the mash).
Add 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar and a couple of teaspoons of Dijon mustard. Cut out squares of puff pastry, spoon filling onto half and
fold other half over. Crimp edges with a fork. Bake at 400° until
golden brown and puffed.

Balsamic Baked Pumpkin:
Halve pumpkin crosswise and cut off a small slice from the bottom of each, so that pumpkin halves will stand upright. Place on a baking
sheet, cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and
add a couple of teaspoons of butter to each half along with a
tablespoon of brown sugar and a couple of teaspoons of balsamic
vinegar. Bake, uncovered until pumpkin is soft and filling is
bubbling. Let cool slightly before eating.

Pumpkin Chutney:
Cook a large onion and a diced red bell pepper in some olive oil
until the onion is tender. Add a couple of cups of peeled and
chunked pumpkin and stir to coat. Add some sugar, cider vinegar to
taste, a small handful of raisins, and a little cayenne and cook, stirring frequently until pumpkin is tender and chutney is thickened.

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Peanut Stew:
Sauté a few garlic cloves in olive oil over low heat until oil is flavored. Add boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook over
medium-high heat until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Add a couple of cups of peeled
pumpkin chunks, some chicken broth, a couple of tablespoons of
peanut butter, some crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and the set
aside chicken including any juices from the plate. Simmer until
pumpkin is tender and chicken is cooked through.

Cider-Glazed Pumpkin:
Sauté peeled 1/2-inch chunks of pumpkin in a combo of butter and
oil with a sprinkle of sugar until lightly golden. Add 1/2 -inch
chunks of skin-on apple and cook until starting to soften. Add
enough cider to moisten and cook, stirring frequently, until
pumpkin and apple are tender.

Pumpkin Rice Pilaf:
Stir 1 cup of cooked diced pumpkin into 3 cups of cooked brown
rice along with a 1/2 cup of caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts
and golden raisins.

Maple Pumpkin:
Peel pumpkin and cut into 1-inch chunks. Sauté in butter over
medium heat, tossing frequently until starting to color. Add 1/2
cup maple syrup and 3 tablespoons brown sugar for 3 cups pumpkin
chunks. Cook, tossing frequently until pumpkin is glazed and crisp-
tender.

Pork, Pumpkin, and Potatoes:
Place pork tenderloin in a roasting pan and season with a mix of
paprika, crumbled rosemary, a little ground ginger, coarse salt,
pepper and a little brown sugar. Rub the mix into the pork and
then drizzle it with oil. Place a couple of cups of 1/2 inch
chunks of peeled pumpkin in the pan along with a couple of cups of
1/2 inch chunks of scrubbed potatoes, and a few peeled garlic
cloves. Scatter vegetables around and roast at 375° until vegetables
are tender and pork is cooked to 150° on an instant read thermometer.

Spinach, Pumpkin and Lentil Salad:
Cook a cup of lentils according to package instructions and toss
while still warm with a red wine vinaigrette and a cup of diced,
cooked pumpkin. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach and top with crumbed fresh goat cheese.

Roast Pumpkin with Red Onions: Rinse pumpkin and cut in half cross-
wise. Scoop out seeds, reserving if you'd like. Cut each half in
half again and then slice into 1/2-inch thick half moons. Place in
a roasting pan with thick slices of red onion, a little rosemary,
salt and a couple of unpeeled garlic cloves and olive oil to coat.
Roast at 375°, tossing occasionally until vegetables are tender.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili:
Cook onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add some green
bell pepper, chunks of pumpkin, cooked black beans, tomato paste,
cumin, coriander, oregano and enough water so it's not too dry and
cook until pumpkin is tender. Add corn kernels and cook until heated through. Scatter shredded Jack cheese over and serve.

Curried Pumpkin:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Stir in chunks of pumpkin, a paste/puree of jalapeno peppers, scallions, fresh ginger,
and fresh cilantro and cook a couple of minutes. Add some coconut
milk, chopped mango chutney, and some garam masala, or curry powder,
and salt and cook until pumpkin is tender. If you like, add some
frozen peas and cook until heated through. Serve over rice.

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Peanut Stew:
Sauté a few garlic cloves in olive oil over low heat until oil is flavored. Add boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook over medium-
high heat until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Remove chicken
to a plate and set aside. Add a couple of cups of peeled pumpkin
chunks, some chicken broth, a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, some crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and the set aside chicken
including any juices from the plate. Simmer until pumpkin is tender
and chicken is cooked through.

Pumpkin Quesadillas:
Lightly oil a baking sheet and place a burrito-size flour tortilla on top. Scatter shredded Jack cheese over and top with shredded peeled pumpkin, dried chorizo or crumbled cooked bacon, a little salsa verde
and more cheese. Top with another tortilla and press to seal. Bake at 350° until crisp. Cut into wedges and serve with more salsa and sour cream.

Halved Or Whole Pumpkins:
Stuffed Pumpkin:
Halve pumpkin crosswise and place cut side down on rimmed baking
sheet. Add a little water to the pan, cover the pumpkin with foil
and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and turn cut side up. Fill cavity with a mix of soaked and drained bulgur, cooked chickpeas,
chopped dried apricots, a little apricot jam, and some broth. Cover
and bake at 350° until the filling is piping hot and the pumpkin is tender.

Balsamic Baked Pumpkin:
Halve pumpkin crosswise and cut off a small slice from the bottom of
each so pumpkin halves will stand upright. Place on a baking sheet,
cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and add a
couple of teaspoons of butter to each half along with a tablespoon
of brown sugar and a couple of teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Bake, uncovered until pumpkin is soft and filling is bubbling. Let cool slightly before eating.

Pumpkin Soup:
Cut off stem end of pumpkin and reserve. Scoop out seeds and save
for roasting if desired. Fill pumpkin cavity with some broth,
Gruyere cheese, sliced bread, salt, and pepper and replace the top.
Place in a roasting pan, put the pumpkin lid back on and bake at
375° until tender. Scoop out pumpkin, broth, bread, and cheese and
serve.

[Denninmi]

1. Thanks. Nice.

It's good to remind people that squash and pumpkin are much more versatile than many realize. They're not just for pie anymore.

A few years back, Martha Stewart's 'Everyday Food' published a recipe for Butternut Squash Sage Lasagna. It layered pureed butternut with a cheesy white sauce, and flavored the dish with sage, onion, and garlic. It was fabulous.

I've also made a soup very similar to the Chicken, Pumpkin, and Peanut soup recipe above, except I used ham instead of peanuts. Fabulous.

Finally, I like to make a squash chowder -- cooked squash puree, carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, some ham, all cubed or sliced, a bay leaf, chicken stock to cover, cook for about an hour. Take out and reserve about half the ham, potato, celery and carrot cubes or slices,and then puree the rest. Add some cream or even sour cream, return the reserved ingredients to the soup, and serve.

[NJCher]

2. Annoys the daylights out of me

At this time of year, they have all kinds of pumpkin recipes and I read the ingredients and they want you to use processed, canned pumpkin!! How ridiculous is that?

I asked my husband (who is in the food business) why they do that and he said because people are lazy.

I don't know if that's the case, but the least they should do is provide info on both fresh and canned.

These recipes look terrific. I just bought a blue pumpkin at the farmer's market today and I'll probably give one a try!


Cher