Pumpkin is a favorite fall flavor, in everything from Starbucks coffee to holiday dessert pies, but how can people work this healthy vegetable into more unique dishes?
Fortunately, pumpkin is a very versatile vegetable, and the following recipes can be used as springboards for working this yummy fall staple into even more great meals.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients:
- Boxed pancake mix
- Canned or fresh pureed pumpkin
- Allspice or pumpkin pie spice
- Brown sugar (optional)
- Whipped cream or syrup (optional)
Directions:
- Follow boxed pancake instructions.
- Before cooking, add 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin or one tablespoon pureed fresh pumpkin per pancake. Mix thoroughly.
- Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon spices per every 2-4 pancakes, taste-testing before adding additional spices.
- Although the pancakes will taste flavorful without brown sugar, they are sweet enough to eat without syrup if 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar is added per pancake.
- Cook as usual. Top with whipped cream or warmed maple or cinnamon syrup if desired.
Pumpkin Spread
Ingredients:
- 23 oz can of canned pumpkin or just under 4 cups fresh pureed pumpkin
- 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice/pumpkin pie spice - OR -
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
- Place pumpkin in large saucepan. Stir in apple cider. Place on stove on medium-high heat. Slowly stir in sugar once mixture is warmed. Add spices, adjusting for personal tastes.
- Heat thoroughly, stirring almost constantly. The mixture should flop, or sputter - keep mixing to avoid splatters and steam pockets. Keep mixture on heat for about 35 minutes, until it darkens slightly and is a thicker consistency than just after cider was added.
- Pour into sterilized canning jars or pre-warmed glass containers. Refrigerate after cooling if not canned. Great on toast, over cream cheese as a dip, mixed into pancakes in place of extra ingredients in above recipe, or spooned over ice cream.
Garlic Butter Pumpkin
Ingredients:
- 1 medium fresh pumpkin
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Clean and quarter fresh pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and stringy innards, then peel. Cut pumpkin into bite-size chunks. Steam for approximately 55 minutes or boil for approximately 30 minutes, or until soft all the way through. Mince garlic during interval.
- Remove water. In separate pan, sautee garlic in butter until garlic turns golden. Remove from heat, add spices, and pour butter mixture over pumpkin chunks. Add additional butter if necessary. Gently mix pumpkin chunks to coat with garlic butter and spices.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Red pepper, ginger, allspice, sage, rosemary make tasty alternatives (or additions) to basil and oregano. Tasty alone or dipped in sour cream and chives.
- If desired, coated pumpkin chunks can be mixed with a half cup of milk or water, pureed, and served like pureed squash or mashed potatoes would be.
Cooking With Pumpkin
These recipes only scratch the surface of possible recipes with fresh or canned pumpkin - try pumpkin in bread or cake, or even marmalade. There are also many delightful alternatives to the mix-ins for each of these recipes, which can give the dishes new flavors.
In many cases, fresh chunked pumpkin can be served like a squash or potato dish, pairing well with many flavors and adding a beautiful orange color to the plate.
Because pumpkin is also a very nutritious vegetable, it can make a great pureed homemade fall food for babies, provided care is taken with spices to avoid allergies.
Katherine Brind'Amour - Quality. Creativity. Professionalism. Writing you can trust, from an expert in the health sciences, creative writing, and academics.
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