<p>Looking for new ways to prepare pumpkin this fall – in salads, side dishes and entrees, not just desserts and quick breads.</p>
<p>I’ll start with our household favorite:</p>
<p>Nestle Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins (makes 12)
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. milk
1/2 c. solid pack canned pumpkin
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 egg
6 oz Nestle Toll House morsels
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts (optional)</p>
<p>Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Make well in center. In small bowl, combine next 4 ingredients. Add to well in flour mixture. Add morsels. Stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Spoon into greased muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle 1 tsp nuts over each muffin (optional). Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.</p>
<p>my local farm outlet foisted half of Hubbard on me. </p>
<p>I’m going to make pancakes. A lot of pancakes. Buttermilk/yogurt pancakes. Then freeze them.
I like my pancakes unleavened, without baking powder.</p>
<p>I have a couple favorite recipes at home including a pumpkin dip that is always loved. But was actually just sent this link by a family member, OMG I think they look delicious!!!</p>
<p>1 sweet red pepper, diced
I large onion, diced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
2 in chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 or 2 Tbs oil
2 Tbs Thai red curry paste, preferably homemade and aromatic as opposed to mainly hot
3 or 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 of the standard large size cans of plain pumpkin (not the “one pie” size)
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
Salt to taste
For optional garnish: Asian toasted sesame oil and Asian fried shallots</p>
<p>Add onion, pepper, apple, and ginger to large saucepan with oil, and cook over low/med heat until well softened and beginning to caramelize.
Add curry paste and cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add broth, bring to a simmer, partially cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Puree stock mixture. (A stick blender is simplest if you have one.)
Stir in pumpkin and coconut milk, bring to simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes to blend flavors. Be careful, because it can easily stick and burn.
Add salt to taste.
Serve as is, or garnish with a little drizzle of Asian toasted sesame oil and fried shallots.</p>
<p>For any diabetics out there, this is low carb and high fiber.</p>
<p>I go the minimalist route and just roast the pumpkin seeds.</p>
<p>Found a road side market last week that is selling medium-sized pumpkins for $2/piece. Haven’t seen them less than $3.99 at any grocery store, so I bought ten, hollowed out four and roasted the seeds. Then, good mom, no GREAT mom that I am, divided them in half and sent them to my daughters; they should get them today.</p>
<p>However, one of my tasks today is to go buy more pumpkins so I can make seeds for H and I (I want to keep several on our front porch for decoration, too).</p>
<p>Roasted pumpkin can substitute for roasted winter squash in any recipe. Cut up the cooked pumpkin and drop the pieces into Asian stir-fries and curries. It’s surprisingly yummy with soy- and fish-sauce based flavors.</p>
<p>Hanna, that sounds intriguing since I typically stir-fry once a week anyway. When you drop it in, does it dissolve and serve to thicken the sauce?</p>
<p>I suppose you could cook it longer and mash it up to have that effect. I want it to stay in chunks like the other vegetables, so I prefer it roasted just until done, and added to the mix late in the game. Japanese pumpkin (kabocha) is good for this. The skin is edible, so you don’t have to worry about removing it.</p>
<p>You can also simmer the pieces of pumpkin instead of roasting them.</p>
<p>My chocolate-chip pumpkin muffin recipe is a little different than the OP’s. I always use mini-morsels because they don’t sink to the bottom. I’ve made this recipe for almost 20 years and it is the one I have to send to my D in college and make for my hs S every year for his November birthday:</p>
<p>Mix together in a bowl the dry ingredients:</p>
<p>3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves</p>
<p>Mix together in a large mixing bowl:</p>
<p>4 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil</p>
<p>When well blended, beat in:</p>
<p>1 can pumpkin (half-pound size)
2/3 cup water</p>
<p>Gradually add in flour mixture. When well blended, add in:</p>
<p>1 ½ cups mini-morsel chocolate chips</p>
<p>Pour into greased loaf pan, mini-loaf pans, or muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes for muffin tins, longer for mini-loaf pans (around 25 minutes) or up to 70 minutes for a loaf pan.</p>
<p>Pumpkin Bread
Combine 3 cups of sugar, 4 eggs, 1 can of pumpkin, and 1 cup of vegetable oil. Add sifted ingredients that include: 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. each of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves. To mixture add about 2/3 cup of water. Bake in small loaf pans at 325 degrees for about 45-50 minutes.</p>
