SWEET AND SAVORY PUMPKIN

Not quite fall yet, but with sugar pumpkins (the small ones) popping up at our farmer's markets and grocery stores, here are two favorite pumpkin recipes.  If you want to make your own pumpkin puree, I obviously recommend it.

Bake like you would butternut sqaush.  Just halve the pumpkin, seed it (save seeds for roasting) and place on foil covered, lighlt oiled baking sheet.  Place in 400 degree oven and roast until tender; about 35 min.  Cooking time will vary depending on how big/small the pumpkin.

I've used the canned stuff, too and it does work well- try Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin.  If you're making a trip to a pumpkin farm and can get your hands on a bunch of these little guys, try making your own puree.  This stuff freezes really well, too.

On to the recipes...

THE SWEET

CPM's FAVORITE PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS
Yields 18 muffins

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar

15 ounces canned or fresh pumpkin puree

1/3 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

¼ cup molasses

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

For sprinkling:

2 Tbsp raw sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place cupcake/muffin paper liners in tins or grease muffin tin with cooking spray or butter.
2. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Mix together brown sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk/yogurt, canola oil, molasses, vanilla extract and eggs.
4. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Do not over mix.
5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Use a cookie dough scoop to place the batter in the muffin tins if you have one.
6. Mix raw sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter before placing tins in oven.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Carefully remove muffins from tin and serve warm or cool on rack before storing in airtight container.  Muffins are best within 2 days of baking or can be frozen after completely cooled.  Individually wrap muffins in foil and place in freezer bag.
9. Reheating after frozen:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Place foil wrapped muffins on sheet pan and reheat for 15-20min, checking frequently.  

After many iterations, this recipe finally satisfied my husband's discerning pumpkin palate.  I hope you enjoy them, too.  If you don't have all those spices on hand, but you have one of those little bottles of pumpkin pie spice, you can use 2 tsp or so of that since it's just a blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg.   



THE SAVORY
 

PUMPKIN KALE SOUP

Serves 4-6 

1 large yellow onion, diced

3-5 cloves fresh garlic, diced

30 ounces pumpkin puree (organic canned or fresh)

1 cup white wine

2-2 ½ quarts of chicken or vegetable stock

1 bunch kale, chopped

Parmesan rind or 1 inch thick slice of parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

1-2 Tbsp butter (optional)

Olive oil

1. Coat bottom of large soup pot or dutch oven with olive and add onions.  Cook over medium high heat until onions are tender and translucent. 
2. Add garlic to pan and sauté until fragrant
3. Add pumpkin puree to pot and sauté mixture, 5 min.
4. Add wine and cook on medium high for 3-5 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Add stock, kale and cheese rind, bring to boil then simmer for 45 min- 1hr, until pumpkin is cooked and kale is tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Salt and pepper to taste and stir in butter before serving

Variations:

1. For a completely pureed soup, use an immersion blender (one my favorite kitchen tools)or process in traditional blender or food processor; just be sure to remove cheese rind before blending.
2. Add cannellini beans for extra protein.
3. If soup is too thick, stir in additional stock.  If soup is too thin, increase heat and reduce until thick enough.

Enjoy!
MJM

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