Favorite pumpkin recipe from scratch?

Question

I grew a pumpkin in my yard, and I picked it the other day. It is beautiful, but now I want to make something with it. Pie, bread, soup, anything. What do you recommend?

Answer 1

Pumpkin soup in a pumpkin tureen

Cut the top third off of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds. Turn the pieces cut side down in a baking dish, add some water to the bottom and bake for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees until flesh is tender. Cool completely. Scrape out flesh, leaving sides about 1/2" thick.

Puree the flesh in the food processor. For two cups of puree heat 2 cups of chicken broth with a pinch of saffron, 1/2 chopped onion, a bay leaf and 1/2 tsp of whole sage. Bring to a boil then turn it off and let steep for 10 minutes, strain, put the broth back into the pot. Stir in the pumpkin puree, 1 can of coconut milk, 1 tsp or more of curry powder (to taste) and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, place your pumpkin shell on a plate. Pour the soup into the shell and top with the lid. Usually you can get all of the soup back into the pumpkin. This is also fabulous with 1/2 pound of cooked crabmeat stirred in just before serving. You could also top the soup with shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds.

This is not one of those super exact recipes, but I really have made this several times and people ooh and ah when they see it.

Answer 2

Canned pumpkin is just as good as real pumpkin and saves you a lot of time. Have you ever tried getting fresh pumpkin? It's very time consuming. If your determined to use fresh pumpkin do research. But there are some nice recipes that people posted and use the canned.

Answer 3

It may be worth the effort to make from "scratch" but I do't think so. Have done it before and canned pumpkin is just as good with little work. It is truly a massive undertaking to use fresh pumpkin.

Answer 4

http://www.heritagefarms.com/recipies/index.php Just click on the links. Of Pumpkin Pies I have tried some of them they are soooo good.

Answer 5

I like these!!!

Praline Pumpkin Pie
Yield: 12 servings

Praline Crust:
2 tablespoons hot melted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pie Filling:
1 (15-ounce) can no sugar added pumpkin filling
3/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
1 tablespoon plus a dash pumpkin pie spice
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
4 eggs
Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Make the crust: Mix all crust ingredients together in a small bowl. While mixture is still warm from the butter, press it evenly into the bottom of a deep-dish pie pan. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until browned. Remove piecrust from oven.

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Make the filling: Place all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with a wire whisk. Pour filling into prebaked piecrust. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Continue to bake for an additional 50 to 55 minutes. To test for doneness, stick a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean, the pie is done.

Cool and then chill before serving. To serve, top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.

Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
1 teaspoon no sugar added vanilla extract

With an electric mixer on high, whip the heavy cream just until frothy. Then add in the sugar substitute and vanilla extract and continue to whip on high until peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or cream will break. Transfer to a pastry bag or just spoon onto pie.
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Pumpkin Bread Pudding

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
5 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin or 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
8 slices white bread, with crusts, torn into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Kentucky Bourbon sauce follows

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Then lightly grease an 8-cup casserole or mold with 2

teaspoons butter and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the half-and-half, cream, eggs, and orange zest. Add all of the granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Grand Marnier, and whisk together vigorously until well incorporated. Add pumpkin and whisk until incorporated. Fold in the bread and
walnuts, and mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole, dot with the remaining tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake the bread pudding in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour (or 1 hour and 15 minutes; while the bread pudding is in the oven, make the Kentucky Bourbon Sauce.)

Serve warm at room temperature with the Kentucky Bourbon Sauce.
Makes 8 generous servings

Kentucky Bourbon Sauce:

Makes 2 cups
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon whisky

Directions for sauce :
Heat the cream, half-and-half, vanilla and sugar in a heavy saucepan over high

heat, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the bourbon to dissolve.

When bubbles form around the edges of the cream, whisk in the bourbon mixture. As the cream bubbles up, remove the pot from the heat and continue whisking vigorously until well blended and slightly thickened. Place the mixture over low heat and simmer for 1 minute. Serve immediately with the Bread Pudding, or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Cook's Note: This sauce is not meant to be thick, but fairly thin.
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Pumpkin Spice Cake in Jars
Serves 8

This is an easy and fun gift to make at Christmas time.

1 cup Seedless Raisins, chopped
1 cup Walnuts, chopped
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ground Cloves
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
4 Eggs
2 cups Sugar
1 cup vegetable Oil
16 ounces Canned Pumpkin Purree

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Sterilize 8 (12 oz) canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from water with tongs and allow to air-dry and cool. Leave the lids and rings in the hot water until ready for use.

Using a pastry brush, brush the inside of the cooled jars with melted shortening and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Add raisins and walnuts and toss them in the flour. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom as the cakes bake. In another large bowl, beat eggs at high speed until thick and yellow (2-3 minutes). Gradually beat in the sugar until thick and light. At low speed, beat in the oil and pumpkin,. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Divide among the 8 canning jars (should be slightly less than 1/2 full. Wipe the outsides of the jars if any mixture has spilled while you were filling them.

Place jars on a cookie sheet and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of each jar comes out clean. Remove jars from oven one at a time with heavy oven mitts.

Place a lid and ring on and screw down tightly.

Place the jars on counter top to cool. Jars will make a clicking sound when they seal