After Halloween pumpkins are still sitting on the front step, some have been carved and ready for the trash, but others not even opened yet. Let alone the number or pumpkin patches that are still thriving with harvest, the popular and most successful ways to utilize the extra pumpkins are listed below:
Roasted Pumpkin-
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2: Cut off the stem of the pumpkin. Compost the stem.
Step 3: Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. It’s easiest just to pick them out with your fingers. Set the seeds aside.
Step 4: Use a spoon to scrape out the pumpkin “guts.” Compost these.
Step 5: Cut the pumpkin into large pieces while leaving the skin on.
Step 6: Place pumpkin into a roasting dish.
Step 7: Roast for 1 to 2 hours or until tender.
Step 8: Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool.
Step 9: Remove the skin from the cooked pumpkin and compost it.
Step 10: Mash the cooked pumpkin with a food processor until smooth.
The roasted pumpkin can replace canned pumpkin in any recipe. The inside of the pumpkin can go into tons of recipes—pies, muffins, cakes, soups, breads and more. Try using your roasted pumpkin in these yummy recipes: pumpkin thyme scones and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
The seeds you set aside when roasting the pumpkin can also make a tasty treat. Try making cinnamon roasted pumpkin seeds or spicy pumpkin seeds. You can also store the seeds to plant your own pumpkins next year.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese–
Ingredients2
cups dried elbow macaroni (8 ounces)2
tablespoons butter2
tablespoons all-purpose flour1/2
teaspoon salt1/2
teaspoon ground black pepper1
cup whipping cream1
cup whole milk4
ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)1
15 ounce can pumpkin1
tablespoon snipped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf sage, crushed1/2
cup soft bread crumbs1/2
cup grated Parmesan cheese1/3
cup chopped walnuts1
tablespoon olive oil
Sage leaves (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.
2. For cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add whipping cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer macaroni and cheese to an ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
3. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, walnuts, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with sage leaves.
Baked Stuffed Pumpkin:
2 pounds pumpkin, halved, seeded, top reserved
2 apples, cored and quartered
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup pineapple chunks, drained
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place pumpkin cut side down on a baking pan and bake until soft, 40 to 45 minutes. Using a metal spoon, scrape out the cooked pumpkin, leaving a ¼-inch thick shell.
Process the apples in a food processor until chunky. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until just mixed but still chunky.
Spoon into reserved pumpkin shell. Cover with top of pumpkin shell and place on baking sheet. Bake until filling is hot and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly
For more receipts go to: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.org/