Favorite flavor of fall

By LISA LOSASSO BELL

This fall, a big jack-o’-lantern for the front porch can be a lot more than a decoration.

Although carving pumpkins for Halloween has become a fun, family oriented activity, it seems a shame to leave it sit there just to toss it out.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, pumpkins can do “double duty.” Instead of leaving the flesh to waste, pumpkins can be decorated with nontoxic paint or markers. Once Halloween is over, the pumpkin flesh can be preserved.

Here’s how

The Ohio State University Extension recommends selecting pumpkins that are fully ripe with a firm rind and bright orange color. Both pumpkins and winter squash should be heavy for their size. This indicates a more edible flesh. They should also have a hard rind and stringless, mature pulp. Small-sized pumpkins (sugar or pie varieties) are ideal.

The pumpkin should be washed, cleaned of seeds, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces and peeled. The cubed flesh should then be boiled in water for 2 minutes. Prepared jars can then be filled with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Rich in beta-carotene, pumpkin contains no fat or cholesterol. One cup of cooked pumpkin has 12 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber and 2 grams each of sugar and protein. It also includes vitamins A and C, calcium and iron.

Different options

Other safe methods of preservation include freezing and drying.

Freezing pumpkin is the easiest method for preservation and yields the best quality. Pumpkin should be washed, cut into cooking-size sections and cleaned of seeds. The cubed and cleaned pumpkin pieces can then be placed in a pan of boiling water, steam pressure cooker or oven. The pulp may then be removed from the rind and mashed. To cool, place the pan containing pumpkin in cold water and stir occasionally. The pumpkin can then be packed into containers, leaving headspace, and frozen.

To dry pumpkin and pumpkin seeds, wash, peel and remove fibers and seeds from pumpkin flesh. Cut into small thin strips. Blanch strips over steam for 5-6 minutes and cool rapidly. Dry the strips in a dehydrator until brittle. To make dried vegetable leather, pur e cooked pumpkin and strain. Add honey and spices and dry on a home food dehydrator tray.

Pumpkin seeds can be both dried and roasted. To dry, seeds must first be washed clean. They can be dried in the sun, a dehydrator set at 115-120 degrees for 1 to 2 hours, or in an oven on warm for 3 to 4 hours. The seeds need to be stirred frequently to avoid scorching. To roast, toss dried pumpkin seeds with oil and salt and roast in a preheated oven at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Ways to enjoy

Pumpkins can be cut in half or pieces, cleaned of seeds and stringy parts, placed cut sides down on a baking dish with 1‚Ñ4-inch of water and baked until tender. When it’s nearly done, turn it right side up and season with margarine, brown sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg. It can also be stuffed with sausage, apples and cinnamon.

To boil, cut up or cook whole in salted water; then scrape the flesh out of the shell and use pur e in pies, breads and casseroles. It can also be mashed with cream, nutmeg, brown sugar, crumbled crisply fried bacon, candied ginger, and grated orange peel or orange juice.

Pumpkin and Corn Dessert

1 small pumpkin

2 ears corn, cut from cob or 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained

1‚Ñ2 cup whole wheat flour

Sugar or honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and seed sliced pumpkin. Cover with water and simmer until tender. Place corn kernels in pie tin and bake 15 minutes. Add corn to pumpkin. Add flour, stirring constantly over low heat until mixture thickens. Add sugar or honey to taste. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Recipe from Native American Recipes using Commodity Foods from the USDA Food Distribution on Indian Reservations.

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

3‚Ñ4 cups sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1‚Ñ4 teaspoon salt

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon cinnamon

3‚Ñ4 teaspoon allspice

1‚Ñ3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients (flour through allspice) and set aside. Beat oil, eggs and pumpkin together until well blended. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir until moistened. Fill paper lined muffin cups to two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe from the USDA’s Eat Smart. Play Hard, Healthy Lifestyle Menus.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon curry powder

1‚Ñ8 teaspoon ground coriander

1‚Ñ8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups water

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 (23-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup fat free half-and-half

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry powder, coriander and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add water and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes to develop flavors. Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half; cook for 4 minutes or until heated through. Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); cover. Blend until creamy. Serve warm or reheat to desired temperature. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and chives.

Preparation tip: Soup may be prepared the day ahead. Cool to room temperature after adding pumpkin and half-and-half. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, blend then reheat to serving temperature, but do not boil. Serves 4.

Recipe from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cooked Pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut pumpkin into small manageable pieces and cut off pith and seeds. Place cut pumpkin, skin side up, in a large roasting pan. Add 1‚Ñ4 cup water and bake uncovered for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from oven, and allow pumpkin to cool. When cooled, cut away skin and mash or pur e the pumpkin flesh. Use in any recipe that calls for canned pur ed pumpkin. Serves 6.

Recipe from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pumpkin Raisin Bread

3 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1‚Ñ2 cup water

4 eggs

2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin

11‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

31‚Ñ2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups seedless raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

In large bowl, mix sugar, oil and water until sugar is dissolved. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Add salt, flour, baking soda and spices; mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Bake in 2 greased and floured 9x5x3- inch loaf pans at 350 degrees for 75 minutes or until bread tests done.

Recipe contributed by Debbie Janis to “Favorite Recipes from our Best Cooks,” compiled by The Trumbull Baptist Neighborhood Ministries Board and Christian Friends in support of the Trumbull Baptist Neighborhood Ministries.

Pumpkin Pie

1 large can pumpkin

4 eggs

11‚Ñ2 cups sugar

5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk

1 package whipped topping

Beat all ingredients. Put in unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until done. When cool, top with whipped topping.

Recipe contributed by Irene Hazel to “St. Christine Cookbook,” compiled by The Altar and Rosary Society, 1967.

PUMPKIN CAKE ROLL

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2‚Ñ3 cup of pumpkin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3‚Ñ4 cup of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon nutmeg

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter or oleo

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs on high speed of mixer for 5 minutes; gradually beat in granulated sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Fold into pumpkin mixture; spread in greased and floured 15x10x1-inch pan. Top with 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn out on towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Starting with narrow end, roll towel and cake together; cool. Unroll. Mix filling ingredients and spread over cake. Roll and chill. Makes about 8 servings.

Note: Cake should be refrigerated for at least 24 hours.

Recipe contributed by Mary Ann Franklin to “Recipes to Remember; Personal favorites,” sponsored by Local 717 Women’s Committee. Published in 2001.

Pumpkin Cookies

1‚Ñ2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1‚Ñ2 cup nuts

1 cup pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream shortening and sugar. Add the nuts, pumpkin and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine mixtures. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. May be iced.

Recipe contributed by Freda F. Hovis to “The Dining Car; Shenango Street Station Cookbook.”