Category Archives: Pumpkin

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have the Wilton Long John Pan and have been trying to think of a good recipe to make to use it. I tend to use the doughnut pan more often when baking a breakfast.

Yields 5 to 6 large long johns

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray with canola oil cooking spray your Long John Pan.

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp good quality Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puréed
1 tsp if Mexican Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup low fat buttermilk
4 TB Canola Oil
1/2 cup Egg Substitute or 4 Egg Whites

Cream Cheese Glaze:
3 oz Reduced Fat (neufchatel) softened
2 tsp butter
1/2 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 TB Skim milk

Toppings:
Walnuts toasted 1/3 cup Chopped (optional)

Directions:
Place all dry ingredients in bowl and whisk together.

In a separate bowl place the wet ingredients.

Whisk together until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients into wet and whisk together well until there are no signs of flour visible.

Now place batter scant amount in 2/3 cup and add to the long john cooking sprayed pan.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tooth picked inserted into center comes out clean.

Place on wire rack to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert & remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

Once cooled completely ice with cream cheese frosting.

For an added touch sprinkle with Walnuts.

Pumpkin Pie

One of my husband’s favorite pies is pumpkin! Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without a piece of pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:
2 cups of pumpkin purée
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz of 1/3 fat reduced cream cheese
1 tsp of high quality pumpkin pie spice
1 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp Mexican Pure Vanilla extract

Crust:
1 cup AP Flour
1/3 cup plus 1 TB of shortening
1-3 TB ice cold water
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Crust Directions:
Mix flour and salt together. Add shortening and using hands cut shortening into flour mixture or use a pastry cutter but I prefer hands. Cut until dough has pea sized particles.

Start to add water in small amounts. Knead with hands until dough is no longer sticky or dry. Adding more shortening and water as needed. Start with first amount as listed above and increase to max amount as necessary.

Cover in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out chilled dough in a circle shape on to a lightly floured surface.

Roll dough onto rolling pin and center over a 9 inch pie dish and crimp edges.

Blind bake with pie dough weights in foil for 20 minutes.

In the meantime beat the cream cheese with paddle attachment.

Add pumpkin.

Beat together. Add sugar, salt, add eggs mix until incorporated.

Add heavy cream, half and half and melted butter and mix.

Add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and mix to blend spices throughout.

Pour filling into the prepared pie crust.

Place pie in oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center is firm.

Remove from oven and let rest on wire rack.

If you have left over dough; roll out and use cookie cutter molds to make leaves for fall. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Once cooled place on top of fully cooked pie.

Say it isn’t so ….Pumpkin Alfredo

I am been working on trying to make all the canned pumpkin recipes that FN had in their October 2013 Magazine. The other night I was making my pumpkin granola bars and had some left over fresh roasted pumpkin puree. I don’t like to waste food, so I decided now was as perfect time as ever to make this Alfredo for dinner. I made a few modifications to lighten up the recipe and add some whole grains as well.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (if you do not like the nutty flavor of whole grain go with Dreamfield’s pasta or Smart Taste made by Ronzoni) both of these pasta’s cook white and trust me no one will know the difference!!
1 Cup of fresh pumpkin puree
1 Cup of Fat Free Half and Half
2 TB of Butter
10-12 Fresh Sage leaves
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box.

2. In the meantime whisk pumpkin puree, half and half & nutmeg in a 2 qt sauce pan on medium heat allow to simmer for 5 minutes. In a small sauté pan melt butter and add sage leaves sauté for 2 to 3 minutes add to pumpkin puree mixture, whisk until incorporated.

3. Drain the pasta and add the penne to the sauce.

4. Add freshly grated cheese to taste and serve.

Enjoy !

Pumpkin Granola Bars

If you didn’t know it by now, I’m sure you would have eventually guessed…I love pumpkin! My husband does too! I even made pumpkin Alfredo tonight for supper!

Tomorrow at work we are having a lunch and learn (without the lunch) unfortunately everyone is having to cut back. The plus side packing a lunch is less expensive and can be healthier! That said I decided to make us a fall snack for during the webinar. I cannot think of anything better than this wholesome snack.

Ingredients:
4 cups of old fashion oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 roasted pumpkin seeds (chopped)
1 TB of high quality pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of kosher salt
3/4 cup purée pumpkin (I used fresh)
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 honey
1 TB milled flaxseed
1/2 TB of pure vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a 9 by 13 pan with foil & spray with cooking spray.

Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Whisk dry ingredients together until incorporated.

In a separate large bowl add the wet ingredients together.

Whisk until mixed well.

Add dry mix to wet batter. Fold in the dry ingredients until there are no signs of dry crumbs.

Add the batter into the foil lined baking dish.

Press the batter evenly into the pan using a spatula.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

Let cool completely. Use excess foil as handles to help you remove the granola from pan.

Cut into 12 bars

Roasting Pie Pumpkins for Puree

Roasting Pie Pumpkin Pumpkins

My wonderful neighbors provided us with some homegrown beautiful pie pumpkins. I have been waiting for the prefect time to roast them to make pumpkin puree for my passion and love of baking. Pumpkin is a great way to decrease fat in baked goods without sacrificing moisture in recipes. Pumpkin is also good in savory dishes as well. I love adding the puree to pasta dishes and soups as well.

Ingredients:

3 Pie Pumpkins 60 to 62 ounces each

Dash of cinnamon (optimal)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Wash and rinse the pumpkins. Cut the pumpkins in half.

Remove the seeds and stringing part of the pumpkin. Do not discard the seeds, save for roasting in the oven for a perfect snack later. FYI 3 pie pumpkins will yield 2 cups of seeds.

Sprinkle halves with cinnamon.

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and face the pumpkins cut side down.

Place in the oven for 90 minutes on 350 degrees .

In the meantime wash & rinse with cold water the seeds. Lay out the seeds on wax paper to dry (optimal for 1-2 days).

Remove pumpkins from oven and let cool.

Turn pumpkins over and scoop out the “meat” of the pumpkin.

It should be pretty easy to remove the “meat” from the pumpkins.

3 pie pumpkins will yield about 12 cups of pumpkin puree

Place in the food processor to puree. Freeze or use right away. I like to place the pumpkin about 1 to 2 cups in freezable zip type plastic packages.

If you would like try my pumpkin butter recipe you will not be disappointed.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cinnamon Chips

I love pumpkin! So does my husband…. these cookies are a combo of our favorite chocolate chip cookie with a few things substituted to make it seasonal and delectable. The purée and pudding mix makes the cookies very moist.

Ingredients:
1.5 sticks butter or margarine (room temperature) aka 3/4 cup
1/4 cup pumpkin purée
2/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2¼ cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 small box pumpkin instant pudding ( you can use sugar free)
1 cup of mini cinnamon chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

1. Beat sugars, butter, and pumpkin purée until light and fluffy in stand mixer.

2. Add vanilla, and one egg at a time. Incorporate but don’t over mix.

3. In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients together ( except for the pudding mix).

4. Gradually on low add in flour mixture.

5. Mix on low/medium until no signs of flour. Add in pudding dry instant pack and mix until incorporated.

6. Fold in cinnamon chips.

7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and use number 60 scoop for perfectly portioned cookies.

8. Bake for 13 minutes on 350.

9. Let rest on pan for a minute and remove cool on wire rack.

Yields 55 cookies when using # 60 scoop

Enjoy!

Roasted Everything Pumpkin Seeds

I just got my FN magazine a few weeks ago. Which I love btw!! I always read it cover to cover. There was a recipe for “everything” blend spice mix. This morning I was roasting the pumpkins for the purée and remembered growing up always making roasted pumpkin seeds at out neighbors house! Which led me to try the everything mix with pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients:
1 TB sesame seeds
1 TB poppy seeds
1 TB minced dried garlic
1 TB of dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp caraway seeds ( which FN left out)
2 cups of pumpkin seeds dried out (3 pumpkin pie pumpkins worth of seeds)

Mix together first 6 ingredients and place in a container. You will only need 5 tsps for this recipe.
Plus
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 TB of canola oil
2 TB egg substitute or egg whites whisked

Preheat oven to 350.

Place parchment paper down on a half sheet pan.

Place seeds, salt, 5 tsp if everything mix into small bowl.

In a separate small bowl whisk the egg whites. Pour egg whites along with oil into the seed mixture.

Mix with spatula. Pour mixture onto the sheet pan. Spread evenly.

Roast in oven for 32 to 36 minutes or until golden brown. Stir every 10 minutes.

Enjoy !

Pumpkin Butter

I just love fall! One of my favorite things about it is pumpkin dishes and baked goods. This recipe uses fresh pumpkin that was first roasted in the oven for 90 minutes on 350 degrees face down. For full details check out roasted pumpkin puree.

Ingredients :
10 cups of roasted pumpkin purée
1 cup brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 TB of pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup Apple cider

Directions:

1. Place the pumpkin purée in a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients in your crock pot.

2.Place the slow cooker on low. Stir pumpkin mixture every hour and cook for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Remove cinnamon sticks and purée with emulsion blender or place in a food processor and pulse until well blended and no signs of stringy pumpkin remain.

4. Enjoy on crackers or my sister’s favorite with cottage cheese .

Yields 8 cups of apple butter! Enjoy

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Category Archives: Pumpkin

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Pie

Say it isn’t so ….Pumpkin Alfredo

Pumpkin Granola Bars

Roasting Pie Pumpkins for Puree

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cinnamon Chips

Roasted Everything Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Butter