Pumpkin season is here! Make these easy holiday recipes that will be a staple in your family's repertoire for years to come.
Pumpkin, the perfect fall decoration, has so much more to offer than just sitting around as a jack-o-lantern. Pumpkin recipes abound! Look for the smaller, medium-sized sugar pumpkins for baking and the largest pumpkins for carving and decorating.
Pumpkin is a versatile and nutritious fruit but In today's world is used mostly in seasonal dishes and desserts.
Pumpkins are Healthy for You
Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, zinc, Vitamins A & C, and also high in essential fatty acids (EFA's) which help maintain the health of blood vessels and nerves, as well as reduce the levels of cholesterol. Pumpkin is a good source of minerals and fiber.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds:
Here are two roasted pumpkin seed recipes; one savory and one sweet. Enjoy both!
For Savory Pumpkin Seeds, Follow this Recipe:
Empty the seeds from one pumpkin (remove all stringy pulp)
Wash the seeds and dry them on paper towels
Spray cookie sheet with olive oil spray or butter spray
Lay out seeds on sheet, drizzle olive oil, (2 Tblsp) and sprinkle sea salt (lightly) over all
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned
For Sweet Pumpkin Seeds, Follow this Recipe:
Empty seeds from one pumpkin (remove all stringy pulp)
Wash the seeds and dry them on paper towels
Spray cookie sheet with olive oil spray or butter spray
In resealable baggie, place 4 Tablsp melted butter with 4 Tablsp Brown sugar, 1 teas Cinnamon
Shake seeds in baggie till coated well, lay out in single layer on cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned
After seeds have cooled, place in small bags for lunch bags, snacks, or for trips in the car.
Combine flour, pie spice, soda and salt in bowl. Make a well in center and pour pumpkin mixture into well. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Add cranberries
Spoon batter into two greased and floured aluminum loaf pans
Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 1 hour. Two loaves are better than one!
Pumpkin - Yogurt Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1 teasp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
whipped cream topping (optional)
cinnnamon for sprinkling (optional)
Directions:
Combine yogurt, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice in bowl; mix well
spoon into 4 dessert dishes
refrigerate for 15 mins or till ready to serve
spray whipped topping and sprinkle cinnamon on top
Easy Pumpkin Flan
Ingredients:
1 box Jello Flan mix (3 oz)
1 cup pumpkin pie mix
1 cup milk (lowfat)
4 custard cups or ramekins
Directions:
Place 6-oz custard cups or ramekins on a tray
Follow directions on back of flan box but substitute 1 can pumpkin pie mix for one of the cups of milk. (Freeze remaining pumpkin)
Chill!
Helpful Tips:
fresh pumpkin puree can last three days in the refrigerator or frozen up to 6 months.
one med sized sugar pumpkin yields around 4 lbs of mashed pumpkin.
Use the fresh puree for all recipes that call for canned pumpkin.
The copyright of the article Fun Fall Treats with Pumpkin in Fall Recipes is owned by Vicki F. Chavis. Permission to republish Fun Fall Treats with Pumpkin in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
