Pumpkin Fudge

- by Melody Bodily

2 cups sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cups butter

2/3 cups canned milk

1/2 cup pumpkin canned

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

One package white chocolate chips

7 oz marshmallow cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Line a 9X12 pan with foil

In a large sauce pan combine: sugars, butter, milk, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Cook & stir over medium heat to soft ball stage (235° F)

Stir in: chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, vanilla and chopped pecans.

Stir and pour into 9X12 pan cool 2 hours on rack, put in fridge until ready to cut and serve.

*Makes 3 lbs

Roasted Pumpkin

“So easy and you don’t have to measure a thing…but I’ll include a tip on how to easily cut up pumpkin.  This is also is delicious with butternut squash, our favorite!”
 
1 pumpkin or squash (Any size that works for your family)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh chopped thyme (You may use dried but fresh will be more flavorful)
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
 
This is the hint that will make the pumpkin (or squash) easier to cut.  Take a sharp knife and randomly pierce the pumpkin all over…like you do with potatoes before baking them.   Also cut off the top of the pumpkin if there is a stem.   Place the pumpkin in your microwave.   The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pumpkin.  Begin with 2-3 minutes and then carefully remove it from the microwave and attempt to cut down the sides of the pumpkin, removing the skin.  (If the pumpkin still seems to be too hard, continue to cook in the microwave for a few additional minutes at a time.)
 
Now that the pumpkin is easier to work with - Use a heavy, sharpened chef's knife and cut off about ¼ inch from the bottom of the pumpkin in an even slice. Then cut off about a ¼ inch from the stem end.  This will stabilize the pumpkin as you cut down the sides to remove the skin.
 
Once the skin is removed, cut the pumpkin in half and begin to remove the pulp and seeds with a large spoon.   Next, lay the pumpkin halves, cut side down on the cutting board for stability. Working a section at a time, cut the pumpkin into slices and then cut each slice into the desired cube size, about 1 inch.
 
The hard work is done!  Place all the cubed pumpkin into a baking dish that allows for most of the pumpkin to lie in a single layer.  Pour olive oil, salt and pepper over the pumpkin and mix well, coating all the pumpkin cubes.  Put the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45-55 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You may need to bake a little less or a little longer depending on the amount you are cooking and if you like your pumpkin softer or more crisp.
 
Once the pumpkin reaches your desired doneness, stir in fresh chopped thyme while it’s still hot and serve.
 

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

‎6 ounces whole wheat penne pasta

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1 teaspoon margarine

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch ground cloves

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground ginger

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1.Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

2.Heat the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, milk, margarine, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger in a large skillet over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the drained pasta, and toss with the Parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin-Apple Streusel Cake

Apples

· 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

· 4 cups diced peeled cored Granny Smith apples (about 4 large)

· 3 tablespoons sugar

· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cake

· 11/2 cups all purpose flour

· 1 cup (firmly packed) golden brown sugar

· 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

· 1/3 cup sour cream

· 2 tablespoons sugar

· 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 2 large eggs

· Vanilla ice cream

For apples:
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; sauté until apples begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and cinnamon and sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Cool.
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside 2/3 cup of mixture for topping. Beat pumpkin, sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, spice, and baking soda into remaining flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Beat in eggs. Transfer batter to pan. Scatter apples evenly over top. Sprinkle reserved topping over apples.
Bake cake until topping is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides from cake. Transfer cake to platter. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

Mini Pumpkin Tarts

3 packages (15 tarts each) prebaked frozen mini pastry shells (we used Athens Mini Fillo Shells)

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

2 cups (plus extra for garnish) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 teaspoon (plus extra for garnish) pumpkin pie spice

1 (3.4-ounce) package cheesecake-flavor instant pudding and pie filling

Mint leaves (for garnish)

1. Remove the shells from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin, whipped topping, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl, whisking until smooth. Add the pudding mix and whisk until smooth and thick.

3. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into each of the shells (you can also pipe the filling with a pastry bag or a plastic sandwich bag with one corner snipped off), then top the tarts with whipped topping, a sprinkling of the pumpkin pie spice, and a mint leaf, if you like. Makes 45 tarts.

   picture by Family Fun Magazine

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 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 allspice

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.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1 1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ginger
3 tsp cinnamon
7 1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 large can pumpkin
1 package milk chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar, add dry ingredients and mix well. Add eggs, pumpkin, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Mix well. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

3+9 inch baked pastry shell
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup evaporated milk (1 5 fl oz can)
3 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (1 15 oz can)
whipped cream for topping

In saucepan, combine gelatin, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Stir in evaporated milk and beaten egg yolks. Cook- stirring over low heat until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat. Add pumpkin. Chill, stirring occasionally until thickened. Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup white sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks. Fold egg mixture into pumpkin mixture. Spoon into cooked, baked pie shell. Chill until firm. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

(from allrecipes.com)
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice cinnamon, and clove.
3. In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake:
Powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 15x10 inch jelly roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Makes 10 servings.