Pumpkin Pleases the Fall Palate

The crisp, cool days of autumn are a great time to experiment with pumpkin recipes—from breads and soups to pies, cookies and cakes. While your children carve their jack-o’-lanterns, you can fill the house with the wonderful aroma of baking pumpkins, which pack a lot of flavor and nutrition within their bright orange shells.

You can use either fresh or canned in any recipe calling for pumpkin. When buying pumpkins to bake, look for small varieties that are blemish-free and have been harvested with their stems intact. The pie pumpkin, or sugar pumpkin, with its sweet taste and smooth texture, is the best variety for baking.

To make pumpkin purée, split the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and strings, and place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours at 350 degrees, until the pulp is soft. Spoon out the pulp, and measure the quantity needed for your recipe. As an alternative, cut the cleaned pumpkin in chunks, and cook it for 20 to 40 minutes in simmering water until the pulp is soft. Then pare off the skin, and mash the pulp. A 4-pound pumpkin will yield about 1 and 1/2 cups of purée.

If your family likes to snack on pumpkin seeds, you may want to roast your own. Rinse the seeds carefully to remove all the pulp, and set them aside to dry. Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil, spread the seeds on the sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Roast the seeds at 250 degrees for about 1 hour, or until the seeds are golden brown. Be sure to stir the seeds every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Cindy Gissy of Vienna, W.Va. (pop. 10,861), sent us the recipe for pumpkin dump cake. "With two active teenage boys, anytime I can use a recipe that is quick and easy, I will." This recipe has "the great taste of pumpkin pie" and is "a great choice for dessert any time of the year," Gissy says.

Selenda Girardin of Newbury, Vt. (pop. 396), sent us the recipe for pumpkin stuffed shells. "I developed this recipe after I tasted some squash-stuffed ravioli in a restaurant. I raise a lot of squash and pumpkin, and this is a great way to prepare it," Girardin says.

As always, American Profile looks forward to receiving—and publishing—your favorite recipes each week, and sharing them with our millions of readers across the nation.

Pumpkin Dump Cake - Cindy Gissy, Vienna, W. Va.

1 29-ounce can pure pumpkin
112-ounce can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup melted margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first six ingredients until well blended, and pour batter into a 9-by-13-inch greased pan. Sprinkle cake mix on top, and then cover with pecans. Pour melted margarine over top. Bake 50 minutes.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Top with whipped cream.

Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin - Selenda Girardin, Newbury, Vt.

1 12-ounce package jumbo pasta shells
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 and 1/2 cups grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 cups cooked pumpkin or squash
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup chopped raw spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed
Olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta until done, and rinse with cold water. Do not overcook or shells will tear when being stuffed. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in flour; continue stirring and add milk. When sauce thickens, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. If too thick, add another 1/2 cup milk. Season to taste and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup Parmesan cheese, pumpkin, ricotta, spinach, salt, pepper and garlic. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. Stuff shells with pumpkin filling, and place in baking dish. Cover shells with sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella over top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Gruyere cheese is a nice substitute for mozzarella.

first appeared: 10/2/2005