Recipes

Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Puree
Cream Cheese-Pumpkin Pie
Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Soup
Date Topped Pecan-Pumpkin Muffins
Roasted Pumpkin & Wild Mushroom Risotto
Pumpkin Pancakes
Petite Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Martha Stewart's Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Squares

Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread

1 c. wheat flour
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. all-spice
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 c. pumpkin puree (see recipe below)
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and spices into a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, pumpkin puree, buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla and butter until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix until blended. Divide the batter between two 9x5 loaf pans.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

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Pumpkin Puree

Remove the seeds from one small to medium size pie pumpkin. Cut it into smaller wedges. Steam the wedges over a steamer pot for about an hour or until a fork easily inserts into the pumpkin flesh. Let the pumpkin cool before processing it. Scoop the flesh away from the skin (discard the skin) and place it in a food processor. Process it on high until a smooth puree forms. Use as directed.

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Cream Cheese-Pumpkin Pie

1 unbaked pie shell
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. all-spice
1 c. milk
2 eggs (beaten)

Cream cheese until light and fluffy, blend in the egg, 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla. Spread cheese mixture in bottom of unbaked pie shell.
Blend together the remaining ingredients. Pour carefully over cheese to form a second layer.
Bake at 425 deg. for 10 min then reduce heat to 350 deg. and bake for 30-35 minutes longer.

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Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs (crumbled well in food processor)
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 c. pumpkin puree
7 oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Grease a 9" spring form pan. Combine nuts, crumbs and butter together and press into the bottom of the pan. Combine cream cheese, 1/4 c. sugar, 1 egg, and vanilla using a strong mixer. Pour over crust and chill for about 2 hours.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the cheese mixture.
Bake in a 325 deg. oven for about 1 1/2 hours. It should be set by this point.
Cool slightly and then remove the ring of the pan and continue to chill.
Garnish with whipped cream and toasted pecans and serve.

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Pumpkin Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. water
2 c. apple cider
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1 apple, chopped
salt to taste
2 tsp. white pepper
1/3 c. crystallized ginger, chopped

Lightly sauté onion and bacon in a large pot. Add pumpkin, water, apple cider, brown sugar, chicken bouillon, apple, salt, white pepper and ginger to pot.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir frequently.
Blend in food processor to thicken.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

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Date Topped Pecan-Pumpkin Muffins
Description: This is a recipe adapted from Pumpkin Nook

1 cup pumpkin puree (see recipe on this page)
5 tablespoons melted butter
5 tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 beaten eggs
16 chopped, pitted dates
1/4 cup ground pecans
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/3 cups sugar
12 half pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a non-stick muffin pan.
In a bowl, mix together and set aside: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar.
In a large bowl, mix together: pumpkin puree, melted butter, milk, vanilla, beaten eggs, chopped pitted dates and ground pecans.
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.
Spoon batter into muffin pans.
Top each muffin with a pecan half.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Let cool a little and serve warm.

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Roasted Pumpkin & Wild Mushroom Risotto (by Susan Sampson from Toronto Star)

1 pound pumpkin, cut in big chunks, seeds and fibres removed
olive oil for brushing
3/4 oz.(20 g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Place pumpkin on baking sheet. Brush with oil. Bake in a pre-heated 400F oven for 45 minutes or until browned and tender but still firm.
Meanwhile, cover mushrooms with boiling water.
When pumpkin is cool enough to handle, discard peel and cut flesh in 1/2 inch dice. (You should have about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups.)
Drain mushrooms through sieve, putting liquid in a medium pan. Add stock. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer on back burner.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pan on medium heat. Add onion. Cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and salt. Cook stirring, 2 minutes. Add wine and pumpkin. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring, until wine evaporates. Ladle about 1 cup stock mixture into rice mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice absorbs most of liquid. Repeat with remaining stock mixture. Process should take about 30 minutes and rice should become creamy and tender, with a bit of chewiness in the centre of each grain.
Meanwhile, melt remaining tablespoon of butter in small skillet on medium heat. Coarsely chop mushrooms. Add to skillet. Cook, stirring until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir mushroom and their juices into rice mixture with final ladle of stock mixture.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in parmesan. Cover and let sit 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 side servings.

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Pumpkin Pancakes

1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
3. The ¼ cup serving will yield approximately 4” diameter pancakes.
Makes 14-16 pancakes.

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Petite Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Makes 24 mini donuts

For Donuts:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

For Coating:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven 350 F. Butter a mini donut pan and set aside.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, careful not to over mix.

Using a pastry bag or a steady hand and a spoon, fill each donut cup with the batter. The donut cups should be fairly full, but not overflowing. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until donuts spring back when gently pressed (if you're using a larger donut pan, allow them to bake for 12-15 minutes). Tutn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another. When donuts are still hot (but not too hot to touch), quickly dip each donut in melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

*Note: If you're not going to serve the donuts immediately, you can bake them up to a day in advance and store them in an airtight container. Do not coat them in the butter/cinnamon-sugar mixture until just before serving or they may get soggy.

You can also adapt this recipe for mini muffins. Just bake muffins for 10-12 minutes then follow the same procedure for coating.

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Martha Stewart's Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Squares

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice (or 1.5tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. ginger, 1/2tsp nutmet, 1/2tsp allspice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

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