Pumpkin Time

Being the first week of October, I decided I could wait no longer for the steady stream of pumpkin something treats.  Wanting a more efficient (and easier) way to get the pumpkin puree from our heirloom Small Sugar pumpkins, I did a quick search online (so not old fashioned I know) and read about baking the entire pumpkin in the oven - stalk and all.

Well, while I was doing my morning baking, I put one in.  The oven was set at 350 degrees and in it stayed for about 90 minutes or so.  I turned the oven off, kept the door shut and let it stay in until it cooled.

I was then completely wowed!  The skin peeled right off and then it was a breeze to cut through and using my ice cream scoop, the "guts" scraped right off.  I would say in about five minutes, I had all of the puree.

So far I have made Pumpkin Bars from one of my favorite cookbooks - 

Uprising - The Whole Grain Bakers' Book

(I have added my variations)

Crust:

4 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup butter

Blend together oats and flour.  Cut in butter.  Add maple syrup and mix well.

Filling:

1 2/3 cup mashed pumpkin

3/4 cup cream

1/2 cup honey

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ginger

1/8 t. ground gloves

Combine .

Spread 1/2 crust in an 8 x 12 pan.  Spread filling over crust and then crumble rest of crust mix over filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

(this recipe was in one of my books - hand written by a friend)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 c. safflower oil

2 eggs

1/4 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon 

1/4 t. allspice 

Walnuts

Combine all.  Bake in a bread pan at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

What seasonal recipes are you enjoying?