Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Line pie pan with your favorite pie crust

Combine:

2/3 cup chopped pecan

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. butter

*Mix together all above ingredients and layer bottom of unbaked pie shell

Combine:

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup brown sugar

15 oz. can pumpkin

1/4 cup evaporated milk

*Mix together and pour over pecan layer

Bake Pie for 15 mins. on 425 degrees. Then turn down to 350 degrees for 40 mins.

Great Harvest Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I got this recipe from our neighbors. If any of you have been to Great Harvest, you know how amazing their breads are! I haven't tried this yet, but I'm sure it's awesome!

• 2 ½ C. White flour
• 1 C. whole wheat flour
• 3 C. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. cooked or canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 C. oil
• 4 eggs, beaten lightly
• 2/3 C. water
• 1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre heat oven to 350’ F. Grease two (9x5”) loaf pans or three (8x4”) loaf pans. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside. Mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, and 2/3 C water together and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter in prepared pans. Bake 60 or 70 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

How to Make the Great Pumpkin

I should note that this is again an cut and past from my blog. I am obsessed with fresh pumpkin and every fall usually make my own. For all of my pumpkin recipes posted here, unless otherwise specified, I use homemade pumpkin, this is how I do it!

One of my favorite things to do in the fall is prepare pumpkin for pie making and freezer storage. Now this month's Better Homes & Gardens will tell you that canned pumpkin is better for you because the vitimans actually survive the cooking process and concentrate down. But really, can that make up for the fact that the canning/cooking process cooks all the pumpkin-y goodness and flavor out? No. Do you want to eat mashed styrofoam? No you don't. You want to eat the Great Pumpkin!

So to prepare pumpkin do the following:

1--Pre-heat oven to 375F
2--Cut pie pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds (Pie Pumpkns are small and have a deeper orange color than jack-o-lantern pumpkins).
3--On a baking sheet that has been lightly brushed with oil, place the pumpkin halves face down and cover with foil.
4--Bake for about 1 hour, or till a knife inserted in the side goes in, but does not meet resistance--like a baked potato.
5--Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 30-45 mins.
6--When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out and place in a bowl. Mash with a potato masher, or blend in a food processer or blender till a thick, pulpy ocnsistency.
7--To preserve, scoop into quart sized ziplock bags, using one cup measurements. I usually get about 2C a bag. Label the bag with how much and the date and freeze, up to a year.

You should note that fresh pumpkin has higher water content so you will have to adjust accordingly in recipes. But it does taste so very good and is so good for you!

Pumpkin Pie

This is Jospeh's favorite dessert.

3/4 C sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
2 eggs
2 C pumpkin
5 oz (a small can) evaporated milk

Method:

Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer. Pour into an uncooked pie shell and bake for 15 mins on 425F. Reduce the oven temp to 350F and continue baking for 40-50 mins or till a knife insterted in the center comes out clean and the top is firm. Yeild: one thick pie!

Suggestions to help give you a better pie: wrap the crust with a piece of long foil to prevent burning. To increase the yeild of the pie, double all ingredients. You can also just use 12 oz of milk too--for some reason it still works. If you use pumpkin you've prepared yourself, the pie will have a nice buttery taste to it and you will never want to use canned again!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Again another cut and paste from my blog

When I was a Zoobie, I lived with a great girl named Sandy Cooper, or Cooperfart for short. I don't know why we called her Cooperfart, but we did. (I think she called me her crazy roomate and always had the state mental hospital on speed dial.) Sandy also drove a little Dodge Colt, I can't even explain what that car is because I think they only made it for one year in 1988. Anyway, we always drove around Provo in that thing like clowns in a clown car. Good times!

Sandy always used to make this dessert, called Pumpkin Pie Cake, which whenever she baked it attracted the waifs, un-washed masses and taterd refuse of our apartment complex and the greater BYU 31st ward.....it was GOOOOOD!

One year Sandy gave the the recipe for Christmas, I think that year she also gave me a noogie or a wedgie, or maybe a kick in the pants, I'm sure I deserved all three. But this recipe I've treasured the most. Of course I treasure it so much I write it on a post it note and loose it. So, after a request from Marie (my sister) to post this recipe and after Sandy's kindness in sending it to me AGAIN! I present, the best of all desserts, The Great Pumpkin--Pie Cake.

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 C melted butter + 4 T soft butter
1 lb can of pumpkin**
1/2 C white sugar
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
2/3 C evaporated milk



Combine and press into bottom of 9x13 cake pan:
1 yellow cake mix (reserve one cup for topping), 1 egg, ½ c. melted butter.

Mix together and pour over crust layer:
1 lb. can pumpkin, ½ c. sugar, 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. nutmeg, ½ tsp. salt, 2 beaten eggs, 2/3 c. canned evaporated milk.

For topping, combine using butter knives till crumbly & sprinkle over pumpkin layer:
1 cup cake mix, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ c. sugar, 4 Tbsp. softened butter.

Bake at 350F for 50 mins. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick in center. Should come out clean.

(Note: To double recipe, use 2 lb. can pumpkin, full can of canned milk plus additional regular milk. Second cake will freeze well for later)

**Also, you will want to use canned pumpkin for this, even though I told you not to ever use that stuff. The water ratio will not be right with fresh pumpkin and it will be a soggy mess!

Pumpkin Bread

Yet another recipe in my series of recipes dedicated to the greatest of all the winter squahes, The Pumpkin. It's also a nod to Linus Van Pelt, my favorite Peanuts charachter.

To make this recipe really good, you need to use the "Muffin Method", if you watch Alton Brown, you already know what this is, but if you don't, I will explain. The muffin method requires that you combine the wet and dry ingredients seperately. You do this so the leavenings work best. You can use this method with all quick breads such as: pumpkin, zucchini, banana, cran-orange etc. You can also use it with muffins you make yourself.

3 C sugar
1 C oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 C flour**
1/2 C wheat germ (optional)
1/4 C ground flax seed (optional)
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
2/3 C water***
2 C pumpkin***

Method:
In one bowl combine the sugar, oil and eggs and beat till smooth. In another bowl combine the flour**, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg. Now, combine the contents of both bowls and beat. When this is done, add the pumpkin*** and water*** and beat till blended. Pour out into two greased/foured bread pans and bake at 350F for 55-65 mins, or till a knife insterted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins in the pan, then turn out on to a rack or cutting board to finish cooling.

**I use a combination of white and whole wheat flour. I usually put 2 C white flour to 1 1/3 C wheat flour. In other recipes I will use a half and half mixture. Using all whole wheat flour tends to make the bread very dry and crumbly. Whole wheat flour can be found in the store near the white flour, usually in the Bob's Red Mill display, and must be kept in the fridge so it won't spoil.

***Regarding the pumpkin you use. If you use canned (but why would you??) get the 15 oz size. You will need to add the 2/3 C water if you use canned pumpkin. If you use fresh pumpkin, omit the water as the fresh pumpkin has the water in it. Also, you might need to add 1/4 C extra flour with fresh pumpkin if you omit the flax seed and wheat germ.

As for flax seed and wheat germ, I'm a big fan of both. Flax seeds have tons of good omega-3 fats in them, they also have a ton of dietary fiber. Wheat germ is the same -- good fats, and fiber. They can be found also in the Bob's Red Mill display.

Pumpkin Custard

This is great in the fall when pumpkins abound. If you read my blog you will know I'm a little bit in love with pumpkins, they are so good and pumpkin-a-licious!

4 c pumpkin**
1 1/2 c sugar
1, 12 oz can evap milk
4 beaten eggs
1 C craisins (optional and you can use the orange or cherry)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon (optional)

Method:
Combaine all ingredients in a crock pot and blend well. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve with crushed ginger snaps and whipped cream. I like to eat it a little warm, but cold is good too.

**On pumpkin again, why would you use canned?? But if you did, use the 30 oz can of pumpkin pie mix and omit the sugar. The pumpkin pie mix is just the pumpkin pie slurry that is pre-made.