Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup water
1 15-oz can pumpkin (or 2 cups pumpkin puree)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of two 9x5x3 inch, three 8x4x2 inch, or four 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 inch loaf pans; set aside. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set sugar mixture aside.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Alternately add flour mixture and the water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

I usually halve this recipe and bake it in a 10 inch loaf pan. It takes right around 60 minutes to bake. Always a hit!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

From my sister-in-law, Erin! (Or more accurately, from her mom, Patty!)

1 small pumpkin
1 chopped onion
1.5 pounds ground beef/turkey
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 oz mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup (I made a white sauce)
1.5 cups cooked rice
1-8oz can sliced water chestnuts- drained
Additional vegetables, if desired

This is a very forgiving recipe. You can add green beans, bell pepper rings, zucchini slices, or peas for added color. Any other vegetables or corn mixed in are great too.

1. Clean pumpkin and scrape out seeds (easier to do if zapped in microwave first –like 7 minutes. Turn often so sides don’t get soft). Paint a face on the pumpkin in permanent marker.
2. Saute onion until tender. Brown meat and drain. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and soup, and any other veggies you choose.
3. Simmer 10 minutes, add rice and water chestnuts.
4. Spoon into pumpkin shell.
5. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees (may need to be baked longer for the side of the pumpkin to be soft enough to scrape out when you serve it). Bake the top of the pumpkin on the cookie sheet also so it will shrink to fit the opening of the pumpkin.

Try #1 - November 18, 2010
We made this for William's first birthday (happy birthday, buddy!). It definitely needs a full hour (or maybe longer) to cook the pumpkin through - I took it out a little early and ended up having to stick it back in after we'd eaten some of the filling out of it. The original recipe from Patty called for doubling or tripling the soy sauce and brown sugar... I think next time I would follow that advice. It was good, but could have used a little more flavor. I didn't have any water chestnuts so I used celery instead, which gave it a little crunch. I also added frozen beans, peas, and corn.

Spinach and Feta Pasta

From allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups spinach leaves, packed (I used 16oz frozen spinach)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and cook until golden brown. Mix in tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2 minutes more, until tomatoes are heated through and spinach is wilted. Reduce heat to medium, stir in pasta and feta cheese, and cook until heated through.

Try #1 - November 16, 2010
This was good, and easy. I left out the mushrooms because I didn't have any. I added some basil and red wine to the sauce. Nathan and I liked it, although it wasn't such a hit with the kids. This is a good option, though, for a fast and easy meal.

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

From allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dash salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Try #1 - November 2010
This was good, and the pumpkin more or less disappeared into the chili. I used tomato paste because I didn't have any diced tomatoes, and it was just as good. A good way to use up/disguise pumpkin (we were starting to get sick of it, but still had a ton left!).

Italian Chickpea Soup

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 16-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish
Feta cheese, for garnish (optional)

Bring broth, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, celery, and mustard, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes more, or until vegetables are very soft.

Mash vegetables and chickpeas to chunky purée with potato masher or large spoon. (Chickpeas will remain mostly whole.) Stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish each serving with parsley sprig, or use feta.

Source: Let's Eat!

Try #1 - February 2011
This was just ok. It was easy to make, and the kids liked it. We didn't have any fresh parsley, so I just used dried. I mashed it a little bit with a spoon, but I didn't think it was necessary. I like a chunky soup.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup of whole wheat)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Add pumpkin and water and mix well. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add in the pumpkin mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased or lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Source: Let's Eat!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

From MOPS newsletter, recipe by Rachel Gough

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 beaten eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (15 oz can)
1 1/2 cups white unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ginger
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 12 oz. bags)

Cream butter, add sugar, cream until ight and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin; mix well. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

Try #1 - November 6, 2010
Yummy! I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. I also used only one 12 oz bag of chocolate chips (which was plenty... although the more chocolate, the better!). These cookies are a bit cake-like, but delicious!

Root Vegetable Mash

From Prevention magazine, Nov. 2010. A recipe from Mario Batali!

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium turnips, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Grated zest of 2 oranges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

1. Bring the carrot, potato, turnip, onion, parsnip, sweet potato, and water to cover a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Then lower to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain the vegetables and pass through a food mill into a large bowl or mash thoroughly by hand. Stir in the cinnamon, oil, and orange zest and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives and serve.

Try #1 - November 5, 2010
I made this without the parsnips or turnips (not something we usually have lying around the house...), and it turned out well. I also left out the orange zest and chives... so, I only used about half of the actual ingredients. :) Still good, and a good alternative to traditional mashed potatoes!

Pumpkin Coconut Curry

From allrecipes.com

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (2 pound) sugar pumpkin -- peeled, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
salt to taste

1. Season the chicken pieces with poultry seasoning and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to the skillet; cook and stir until browned on the outside and cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger; cook and stir until onion is transparent. Season with coriander, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook and stir until spices are fragrant. Add pumpkin, cooked chicken, coconut milk and chicken broth. Season with salt to taste. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat. Serve over rice or noodles.

Try #1 - November 2010
This has probably been my favorite pumpkin recipe so far. Delicious, creative way to use pumpkin!

Pumpkin Soup

From allrecipes.com

1 2/3 pounds sugar pumpkin -- peeled, seeded and cubed (I used 6 cups of pureed pumpkin)
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large potato, sliced
1 quart water (or use some pumpkin stock!)
3 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled
1 cup heavy cream (I used plain yogurt)
1 1/4 tablespoons ground nutmeg (I used 1/2 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Place pumpkin, carrots and onions in a baking dish or roasting pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil.
3. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes, until soft but not blackened.
4. In a large pot over medium heat, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Cook potato in simmering water until soft, about 20 minutes.
5. Combine potato and water with roasted vegetables and puree in a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender until smooth. Return to pot over low heat, and stir in cream, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat gently; serve.

Try #1 - November 9, 2010
I made some changes to this recipe - I sauteed the onions, potatoes, and carrots together in the olive oil instead of roasting them. This just seemed easier to me, and less chance of error. Plus I already had pureed pumpkin cooked from last weekend. I also used plain yogurt instead of the heavy cream. I could definitely taste the yogurt flavor in the soup, but it was still good. Made a lot! I don't know how much a nearly 2 pound pumpkin would make, but I used 6 cups of pumpkin puree. I also used about 2 cups of pumpkin stock (so I only needed to add 2 more cups of water). Also, 1 1/2 Tbsp of nutmeg sounded like a lot of nutmeg, so I only used about 1/2 Tbsp.

Honey Nut Oatmeal Bread

1 1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp vegetable or walnut oil
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp yeast

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) - add after first kneading cycle

Whole wheat, sweet, or basic cycle. Medium loaf.

Source: Melissa

One of my favorite bread machine breads!