More Pumpkin Recipes

It's Wednesday and almost time for Halloween so here are some more pumpkin recipes to share.

Moist Pumpkin Tube Cake

What You Need:

2 1/2 C cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger, ground

1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp. cardamom, ground

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C brown sugar, packed

4 eggs, room temperature

1 C pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

How to Make It:

Sift together in a large mixing bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.

Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.

Pour the brown sugar 1/2 C at a time being sure to beat well each time.

Pour in the vanilla extract and continue beating for 2 minutes.

Separate the eggs into two separate bowls setting the whites off to the side.

Beat the egg yolks slightly then add them to the butter mixture and mix to combine.

Place the pumpkin puree into the butter mixture and continue beating until smooth.

Beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time and only mixing until moist.

Place the cream of tartar into the bowl with the egg whites.

Beat on low speed until soft peaks begin to form when beaters are lifted out.

Fold into the batter.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 10 in tube pan with a non stick cooking spray.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake 40 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched with a finger.

Cool well before cutting into slices.

16 Servings

The pumpkin puree and egg white mixture make this cake moist and a delight to eat. The spices give it just the right kick and make this cake a hit with everyone who tries it.

Edible Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns

What You Need:

4 3/4 C all-purpose flour

2 TBSP baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ginger, ground

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 C sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C pumpkin puree

How to Make It:

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

Sprinkle in the cinnamon and ginger and toss to combine well.

In a separate bowl beat together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Place one egg into the bowl and mix until combined.

Add the second egg and the vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Place the pumpkin puree into the mixture and continue to beat just until the pumpkin is mixed in.

Turn the mixer on low and beat the mixture for 45 seconds increasing the speed from low to medium as you mix.

Place the cookie dough on a clean flat surface

Roll the dough into 2 in. logs and wrap each log in plastic wrap.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 1 1/2hours.

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow heating up.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the logs into 1 in. slices and place the slices on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 13 minutes or until the cookies just begin to crack.

Makes 4 doz. cookies

These can be decorated to look just like a jack o lantern with a little white icing colored with a few drops of food coloring. Use gel icing to make the eyes and mouth. Replace the pumpkin puree with molasses for a different treat.

Enjoy your Halloween.

Pumpkin Recipes

In honor of Halloween and Pumpkins: I figured we would feature some more Pumpkin recipes this week.

Chilled Pumpkin Pie Delight

What You Need:

1/2 C brown sugar

4 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 TBSP instant coffee

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 C boiling water

1 pt. vanilla ice cream

1 C pumpkin puree

1 9 in graham cracker crust

How to Make It:

Place the brown sugar into a mixing bowl.

Sprinkle in the gelatin, instant coffee, the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Toss carefully to combine.

Very carefully pour the boiling water over the top.

Stir until completely dissolved being sure to stir from the bottom up.

Add the ice cream one spoonful at a time stirring after each addition.

Fold in the pumpkin puree until completely mixed in.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator 5 minutes or until chilled enough to mound when scooped out with a spoon.

Place the mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Cover and refrigerate two hours or until firm.

8 Servings

This is a different twist on an old favorite. Try using 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices to save both time and money.

Pumpkins + kids = Fun

Today's post really isn't about cooking or cookbooks, but will Halloween/Fall Harvest time upon us, I thought it would be fun to discuss what fun pumpkins can be.

Kids can do wonders with pumpkins if they are given the chance. When fall finally arrives, let them see what they can do with pumpkins and pumpkin images.

Small pumpkins are so cute. They sit over in the produce section looking like holiday decorations. They look more like gourds than a form of squash/gourd.

Buy a few of these tiny pumpkins and bring them home to your kids. They are too small for carving but each one of those pumpkins can have a unique face. Using non-toxic paint, allow the kids to decorate those pumpkins.

Besides paint, kids can use squiggly eyes, pipe cleaners, glue, construction paper, and other accessories to turn those pumpkins into great table centerpieces or household decorations for fall. Using non-toxic pain allows you to skin the pumpkins and cut them up later to be used in food dishes.

These tiny pumpkins resist bruising and dents. Use them for outdoor fall games instead of the bigger pumpkins. Try a pumpkin toss or pumpkin bowling. Be sure to conduct any pumpkin games on grass or other soft surfaces to avoid damage to your pumpkins.

Pumpkin activities don’t have to involve the actual pumpkin fruit, but its image. Create pumpkins using orange and green felt. Use them to decorate hallways or homemade costumes for Halloween. At school, kids can give each classmate a pumpkin invitation for a seasonal or Halloween party. Or what my son's class is doing making a pumpkin and then trying to disguise it. We are going to work on this a little later.

Kids love to cook. For older kids that have been taught how to use the oven and microwave, hold a pumpkin cook-off. Give each kid a can of pumpkin or fresh pureed pumpkin and see what they create with it. As the official taste tester (or maybe let someone else taste test), you will choose the winning dish and reward the prizes.

Kids are more into community service these days. One activity can involve giving away pumpkin art to neighbors and friends. Pumpkins can be lacquered to be used in centerpieces, wreaths, as candleholders, and paperweights.

Empty milk jugs can be cut and painted orange to resemble carved pumpkins. With a little sand and votive candles, pumpkin luminaries can be placed throughout the neighborhood on October 31^st for costumed trick-or-treaters or as walkway lights at a fall festival.

Pumpkins aren’t just for adults to carve and enjoy. Kids want to have their shot at the orange ball, too. Given half a chance, kids can create food dishes, decorations, community projects, and carved creations that can be enjoyed by everyone during the fall season.

Halloween Pumpkins That Outlast Carved Jack-O-Lanterns By Months! Click here!

Would you like to quickly make creative Halloween costumes that you and your children will be proud of -- for a fraction of the price of store-bought? Click here!

Pumpkins, its that time of year

The fall brings cooler weather and shorter days every year. It also brings the pumpkins. We usually only think of the colossal orange wonders during October and November, but a good pumpkin parent can keep them alive and edible for much longer.

Pumpkins are not only good for carving and scaring the neighborhood folks on Halloween but also for eating. Pumpkins are featured in many recipes during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season but it is a wholesome addition to meals all year round. If you can’t find fresh pumpkin, canned will work just fine.

Pumpkin has found the greatest popularity in desserts. Who has Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Those who aren’t used to working with fresh pumpkin make pie filling just fine with canned .

Pumpkin pie filling is great for mini tarts at a holiday gathering or a church function. The filling can also be cooked in small ramekin dishes and topped with whipped cream for a crustless treat.

Don’t limit yourself to pumpkin pies, though. Pumpkin bread tastes nothing like pumpkin for those who are like me and haven’t particularly taken a shine to pumpkin pie. The more pumpkin added to the recipe, the moister the bread will be. Serve with butter alongside a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.

Pumpkin bars remind some of pumpkin bread but they are denser than the bread. Pumpkin bars are topped with icing. They make sweet treats for kids after supper instead of cake and ice cream.

Any recipe that calls for sweet potatoes can be readjusted to accommodate pumpkin. Cookies, cakes, bars, pies, and muffins are a hint sweeter when pumpkin is added. Pumpkin fans can go all out for the holidays with a pinch of pumpkin added to the recipe.

Pumpkin can also be sliced up and used in stir fry recipes with other gourds like zucchini and squash. Served over rice or as a side dish for meats, guests will be eating pumpkin and won’t even know it.

The pumpkin in your recipe doesn’t have to be the main ingredient. A hollowed out pumpkin can be used much like a bread bowl. It can hold stews, soups, and chili that contain pumpkin, or not. The outer rind will stand up to the temperature and may even cook any remnants of pumpkin inside and add to the flavor.

What are you doing with those pumpkins this year? Add them to your favorite recipe and taste the difference.