Cooking with Pumpkins

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year.  I love the sound of the leaves crunching under my feet; I love to watch the leaves swirl behind cars driving down country roads; I love the beautiful colors in the trees and all of the mums; and I love to cook with those beautiful round fruits that appear during this time of year - pumpkins!

I start my pumpkin fetish in the beginning of the fall season.  I usually buy several different sizes and types to sit around the house and outside for decorations.  After a while, I get weary of the decorations and begin to chop them up!

Did you know you can cook pumpkins in the crock pot?  I didn't until this year!  I have loved cooking with pumpkins even more after finding out about this handy way.  It is so easy too.  Wash the outside of the pumpkin before you start.  Simply cut the pumpkin in half.  Scoop out all of the seeds and stringy stuff on the inside (I usually scrape it out with a spoon until I hit the hard flesh underneath all that goop).  Then cut it into as many pieces as needed to make it fit into your size crock pot.  My crock pot isn't huge, but not small.  I can usually fit a medium-sized pumpkin, cut into quarters, into my crock pot.  Pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pot in about an inch of water.  Turn it on high and cook for about 4-6 hours.  You know your pumpkin is done when the flesh can EASILY be scraped off of the skin.  I turn my pot off and let it sit for a while to cool off.  It's just a matter of picking up one piece and scooping out all the good stuff and tossing the skin away!  Easy peasy!

After scooping out all the flesh, I puree it either with a hand mixer or with a food processor (either method works fine).  Cooked pumpkin keeps in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several weeks.  Over the next few days after cooking a pumpkin I enjoy making all sorts of different pumpkin recipes.  Two of my all time favorites are listed below.  I plan to experiment with a pumpkin cookie recipe, a pumpkin pancake recipe, and a pumpkin latte recipe in the near future :)

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Dessert

Process in a blender 24 graham crackers until fine.  Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 c. melted butter.  Mix well.  Pat into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Cream 8 oz. of cream cheese until smooth.  Add 2 eggs and 3/4 c. sugar.  Mix well.  Pour over crust and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool.

In a large saucepan cook 2 c. pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 2 c. milk, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cook until beginning to thicken.

Dissolve 1 package plain gelatin in 1/2 c. cold water.  Add to pumpkin mixture.

Whip 3 egg whites stiff.  Add 1/2 tsp. cream of tarter and 1/4 c. sugar.  Fold into cooked pumpkin mixture.  Pour over cooked crust.  Refrigerate at least one hour.

Top with cool whip!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Cream 1 stick butter with 1 c. brown sugar and 1/4 c. white sugar.  Mix in 1 c. pumpkin, 3 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Add 2 c. whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Stir until just moistened / incorporated.

Pour into greased muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.