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Monday, September 27, 2010

Pumpkin with Spices and Pumpkin Butter




In my backyard we have a compost bin - well actually two, we lovingly call them Phil - and all sorts of things are thrown in the Phil - bin. Last year we must have thrown our pumpkin in because this year, growing out of the smaller one came a pumpkin vine - a long lovely vine that produced 2 pumpkins. Yes, we left them alone - we will "harvest" the good dirt next year. 

I made 2 different recipes one for each pumpkin. The first is Pumpkin with Spices. It sounds deceptively simple - it is, but the flavor is wow out of this world.

Pumpkin with Spices
2 1/4 pounds pumpkin
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp hot chili sauce (or to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp cinnamon
Salsa and either sour cream or creme fraiche, to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin into large pieces. Scoop out and discard the fiber and seeds  (actually save to roast the seeds later) (you can leave the skin on or cut it off - it is up to you)

Put the pumpkin seeds in a roasting pan.

Mix the melted butter and chili sauce and drizzle the mixture evenly on the pumpkin pieces.

Put the salt in a small bowl and add the allspice and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture on the pumpkin.

Roast for 25 minutes or until the pumpkin flesh yields when pressed gently. Serve on a warm platter and pass the salsa creme fraiche seperately.
Thoughts:
I cut off the skin - next time I won't bother.
This is a great fall appetizer and snack.




My second entry into grow your own is pumpkin butter. It is so delicious - and easy to make. I made a small amount because I was unsure if we would like it - and boy did we ever! I should have made more. 

You can put it on bisquits or toast, or scones, on breads like banana. You can mix it with cream cheese and spread it on a bagel, stir it in your oatmeal, I like mine rolled in a crepe.

 You'll need one pound of raw, untrimmed pumpkin for each cup of finished pumpkin puree. To make the puree, remove the stem, cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and fibrous mass and cut the pumpkin into large chunks. I steamed mine for about 12 minutes, or until it's fork tender. It could also be boiled, or baked if you prefer. When it's tender and cool enough to handle, remove the peel with a knife and your fingers. Puree the pumpkin using a food processor, blender or food mill.

Pumpkin Butter



Ingredients:

I used about 3 cups of my own pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon mace
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar (I used rapidura)

Directions:
 Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 30 minutes, or until mixture thickens.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

(When a spoon pulled through middle of the  mixture leaves a trail that does not close in upon itself it is done.)

If you plan to use immediately, let cool to room temperature.  This will stay good for a month in the fridge if it lasts that long or you can freeze it and it will last about 6 months.

I am submitting this to GROW YOUR OWN #45 hosted in September by Heather @ girlichef!

This is also my Hearth and Soul Hop linkup!!
H‘nSFCC


and Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist
plus Tuesday Night Supper Club @fudgeripple -
and Life as Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap - Pumpkin
Simple Lives Thursday @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
A brand new hop This Weeks Cravings  @Moms Crazy Cooking  - pumpkin theme

16 comments:

  1. First of all...YUM! This sounds amazing...hooray for compost pumpkins! Which brings me to my second of all... ha ha ha ha! I was just harvesting the beans growing from my compost today and laughing at myself...this makes me feel a little better ;) LOL! Love your hearth and soul hop post and so glad you submitted it to GYO this month, too...thanks!

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  2. Wow. two for the price of one. What great recipes. I love pumpkin and can't wait every fall for them to get ripe.

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  3. The Pumpkin with Spices and Pumpkin Butter looks wonderful! I am going to try both recipes. I can almost taste it.
    Thank You...

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  4. I keep seeing posts for pumpkin butter, I guess it is time to give it a try. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  5. this looks wonderful...i just plucked 2 pumpkins from the vine yesterday..and have a few more that are just about ready. it is pretty funny actually, we still have watermelons growing side by side with the pumpkins...oh sunny california!

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  6. I am so giggling at your compost pile christy, as we too had some vines growing in ours, which were most likely cuccumber or zucchini. Unfortunately a cut worm got them, so we will never know. These two recipes look easy and so remind me of the lovely fall weather and tastes of the harvest. Thanks for hosting and posting on the hearth and soul hop! Hugs! Alex

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  7. What wonderful fall recipes! I love seeing different recipes for pumpkin (not that I don't love pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, etc.). They both sound delicious!

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  8. Chili in pumpkin, this I just have to try as this is something very new for me. If the truth be told, I do not really enjoy pumpkin so spicing it up could maybe just help a bit.

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  9. Both of these sound wonderful! We had volunteer pumpkins this year too. 2 years ago, the kids through their pumpkins into the garden in November. We thought we might have pumpkins last year, but we didn't and forgot about them. This spring little seedlings popped up. I have already harvest 6 small pumpkins, so I am lokking for recipes!

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  10. Gardening accidents are the best, aren't they. Plants that come up volunteer are almost always my favorite, I feel like they're underdogs :) These are great recipes for the Hearth and Soul hop. I love that the pumpkin with spices isn't all sweet. Num!

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  11. I love pumpkin, and love both of these ideas - pumpkin butter is a really interesting twist - I am imagining a shard of crispy prosciutto on top of that!
    Sue :-)

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  12. Wow, those both sound fabulous!

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  13. Mmm, your roasted spicy pumpkin sounds and looks delicious. And what fun, to have "bonus pumpkins" appear from your phil-bin! V. cool. We will have our second annual neighborhood pumpkin-growing contest in a couple weeks ;) but once that's over, I will cut into one of our orange babies and try this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  14. YUM... love to try that Pumpkin Butter!!! Thanks a million for sharing with us! It looks like something happen to the blog address when you linked up in this post to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS: here is the correct link, it's linking to my Profile instead. (weird) :-)

    http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-weeks-cravings-blog-hop-1-pumpkin.html

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  15. That pumpkin with spices sounds delicious, like a healthier pumpkin pie that you can eat for dinner.

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  16. They both look great - I love pumpkin butter. This recipe is slightly different than what I've tried in the past, looks wonderful!

    Thanks for linking to This Week's Cravings!

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