I know, I've already posted today, but since it's Halloween, I figured I'd add another post full of Halloween recipes.
It's hard to not get a little excited about Trick-or-Treating – either as a kid, as a parent, taking your kids around the neighborhood, or seeing all the kids in their costumes while you're passing out treats.
It's also the unofficial start of the holiday season. As soon as Halloween is over, it's time to start looking forward to Thanksgiving, then the winter holidays – Christmas, Hanukkah, the winter Solstice – then New Year's. Are you ready? I'm not sure I am!
Anyway, today's recipes include five snacky-type foods and one actual dinner idea, including Baked Eyeballs Casserole and Spooky Ghost Cupcakes. Enjoy!
HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN COOKIES
This comes from the infamous-long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. cooked pumpkin or pie filling
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together in bowl. Add egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add to bowl. Mix. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
GINGERBREAD CORPSES
Another recipe from the infamous-long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. It begins, “Who wouldn't love biting the head off a little gingerbread man?? It's a perfect cookie for Halloween trick-or-treaters or for anytime you feel like being an aggressive eater!”
Note: In this day and age, though, I'd have to add: don't pass out to trick-or-treaters unless you know them and their parents are with them and give their okay.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
1/4 cup raisins for decorating
Directions
In large bowl, cream shortening, sugar, egg and warmed molasses. Dissolve baking soda in warm water and add to egg mixture. Beat until smooth.
Slowly add flour, spices and salt. Mix until well blended.
Cover and chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
Roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface. Cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Use raisins to make eyes, noses and buttons. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
Finishing Touches
Use icing to make "X"s for eyes, bloody gashes and decorate accordingly.
HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
And yet another recipe from the infamous-long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. It's amazing how many recipe emailing lists I was on, years ago. Most of them either stopped sending out recipes as members wandered away or whoever ran a list folded it. No matter.
This recipe makes 12 servings.
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. plus 1 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. butter, melted
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ginger & nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 pt. sour cream (2 c.)
1 tsp. vanilla
Whipped cream; toasted, sliced & whole unblanched almonds (optional garnishes)
Mix crumbs with 1 tablespoon sugar and the melted butter until blended. Press onto bottom of 8 or 9 inch springform pan; chill.
Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Pour into prepared crust.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 50 minutes. Remove cake; raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Mix well sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the vanilla. Spread over filling. Bake 8 minutes. Cool cake on rack. Remove sides of pan; chill cake. Before serving, garnish with border of whipped cream and/or almonds.
BAKED EYEBALLS CASSEROLE
This comes from Family Time.com, and starts off, "The 'eyeballs' that top our spooky casserole are made from mozzarella cheese and sliced olives. But the cheesy, baked pasta that lies below is a real treat that everyone will enjoy." Serves 8 (about 1 1/4 cups each); prep time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
This recipe can be viewed online here. It originally called for 1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Italian Sausage & Garlic Italian Sauce, but I opted to change it to their traditional spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
7 cups bow tie-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 container (8 ounces) small fresh mozzarella cheese balls (about 1-inch)
Directions
2 tablespoons sliced pitted ripe olive
Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch shallow baking dish with the cooking spray.
Mix 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and pasta in the prepared dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and cover the dish with foil.
Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Arrange the cheese balls randomly over the pasta mixture. Place a sliced olive on each cheese ball. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Tip: Easy Substitution Tip: If fresh mozzarella cheese balls are not available, substitute 1 package (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese. Cut crosswise into thirds. Cut each third in 6 wedges, for triangle-shaped eyes.
SPICED PUMPKIN-RAISIN COOKIES
This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of Giada At Home on the Food Network. Makes 23 to 26 cookies. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 20 min; Level: Easy
You can view this online at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spiced-pumpkin-raisin-cookies-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup raw sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice. Stir to blend well. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, syrup and vanilla; whisk to blend. Using a flexible rubber spatula, gradually stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the raisins.
For each cookie, drop 1 generous tablespoon of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 1 inch apart (or use a mini ice cream scoop). Using moistened fingertips, flatten each to a 2-inch-diameter round. Sprinkle each cookie with a bit more raw sugar.
Bake the cookies until brown and a bit firm to the touch, 17 to 20 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.
SPOOKY GHOST CUPCAKES
This is from The Baker Chick. It makes 20 cupcakes, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seven Minute Frosting:
3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
mini & regular chocolate chips for the face!
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake tins with liners, set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Make a small well in the middle of the bowl and add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together and then incorporate the dry until smooth and lump-free.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20-23 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool while you make the frosting.
Place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. In a small saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
On medium-high heat cook the sugar mixture until boiling. At that point- turn the mixer on medium high speed to get the egg whites to soft peaks. When the sugar mixture has reached 230F, slowly pour it down the side of the bowl in a steady stream while the mixture continues to run.
Beat on medium-high for about 7 minutes or until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and stiff glossy peaks have formed. Add the vanilla right before you finish beating the frosting.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes right away (it gets a bit firm otherwise.) and decorate with the chocolate chips!
Notes:
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Halloween!
It's Halloween! Are you ready for Trick-or-Treating or passing out treats? I'll be passing out treats, and looking forward to what costumes everyone is wearing. Several years ago, Hilary Clinton and Trump masks are big this year, which can be scary, depending on how you feel about politics. I'm curious to see what kind of costumes will wander by this evening.
But enough about that. Halloween is usually fun. If you're taking the kids out Trick-or-Treating - or going to get candy for yourself - make sure to stay safe!
So with that, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to try out today, including Harvest Corn Custards and Pumpkin Cheesecake. Enjoy!
PUMPKIN SPICE SCONES
This absolute yumminess comes from The Baker Chick (otherwise known as Audra). If you haven’t checked out her blog, I highly recommend doing so, along with subscribing to it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Imagine the sound of me tapping my foot….) Did you ? Great, if you did. If you didn’t, check it out sometime.
Okay, Audra starts off by writing, “Let’s grab a cup of coffee and a scone, what do you say? It’s been a long day, and right now I just want something delicious and a warm cup of coffee. Doesn’t that sound lovely? And, since pumpkin season seems to be at it’s peak, how about these tender, melt-in-your-mouth, Pumpkin Spice Scones? Oh these were so good. Everything you want in a scone really. Nothing dense or tough about these babies- just fall baked good perfection.” At the end of the recipe, Audra, added, “This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 8 scones. Yum!
To view this online at Audra’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup pumpkin pureé
3 tablespoons International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
1 large egg
For the Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
dash of cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a sil-pat. Set aside.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Add the butter, and use a pastry blender or your hands to break down the butter chunks until they are no bigger than the size of a pea. (I like to use my hands and work them in.)
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the pumpkin and creamer. Stir gently until dough just comes together. (It may seem dry)
Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until dough has moistened and is a cohesive ball.
Shape into a 6-7 inch circle, about 2 inches thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges, and arrange on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until scones are just golden on the edges. Allow them to cool slightly while you make the glaze.
For the glaze:
Whisk together the powdered sugar, creamer, and cinnamon until smooth and thick. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy warm or room temperature.
SAVORY PUMPKIN QUICHE
This comes from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe starts off, “Who says pumpkin pie has to be sweet? This version goes together in no time and makes a great autumn supper served with whole-grain bread and a tossed salad.” Serves 6. Makes 1 8-inch pie.
1/2 cup low-fat Gruyère cheese
1 frozen 9-inch prepared piecrust
1 cup low-fat milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. chopped thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle cheese over bottom of piecrust.
Whisk together milk, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Blend in pumpkin. Pour mixture over cheese in crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and bake 45 to 50 minutes more, or until pie filling has set and tip of knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 206; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Cholesterol: 146 mg; Sodium: 321 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 3 g
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Yield: 12 to 14 slices
Source: "1,001 Delicious Desserts for People with Diabetes"
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/21.shtml
Ingredients
3/4 cup ground reduced-fat graham crackers
3/4 cup ground gingersnap cookies
8-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes or 27 packets Equal sweetener, divided
4-5 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup light whipped topping
Chopped toasted pecans, as garnish
Directions
Mix graham cracker and gingersnap crumbs, 1 teaspoon Equal for Recipes, and melted margarine in bottom of 9-inch springform pan; reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. Pat remaining mixture evenly on bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese until smooth in large bowl; beat in pumpkin, eggs, and egg whites. Mix in remaining 7-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes, spices, and cornstarch. Pour mixture into springform pan.
Bake at 300 degrees F. just until set in the center, 45 to 60 minutes; sprinkle with reserved crumbs and return to oven. Turn oven off and let cheesecake cool in oven with door ajar for 3 hours. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): Calories: 213, Fat: 9.8 g, Saturated Fat: 4.3 g, Cholesterol: 47.2 g, Sodium: 444 mg, Protein: 12.1 g, Carbohydrate: 18.2 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Meat, 2 Fat
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST
From "Pumpkin Flan Puts Fall Flavors in Latin Classic" by Linda Cicero in the Miami Herald. Can be viewed online at http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/cooks-corner/article3416212.html.
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup or 4 ounces cream cheese
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
5 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or canela
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed chocolate graham crackers
In a medium saucepan, set over medium-low heat, heat sugar, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until fully dissolved and caramel colored. Quickly pour caramel into the bottoms of 10 individual ramekins, swirling around to coat the bottom of each one. Work swiftly as caramel hardens fast.
In a food processor or blender combine half-and-half, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt and puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into prepared ramekins, filling to 1/4-inch below the rim. Top each ramekin with 2 generous tablespoons of crushed crackers; don’t press them down. Place flans in a large baking dish or roasting pan; fill pan with hot water halfway up the height of the ramekins.
Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil. Carefully place into the oven and bake for 50 minutes; flans should look completely set. Remove from the oven, remove the aluminum foil and remove each ramekin from the water bath. Let the flans cool completely before covering with plastic wrap and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. When ready to eat, run a small knife around the edge of each flan all the way to the bottom. Invert dessert plate over ramekin, flip over and shake slightly to release. Leave the ramekin on top of the flan for a minute or so, so all the caramel sauce can run over the flan.
Per serving: 390 calories (30 percent from fat), 13.3 g fat (6.8 g saturated, 4.2 g monounsaturated), 121 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 6.4 g carbohydrates, 1.2 g fiber, 203 mg sodium.
HARVEST CORN CUSTARDS
This decadent dessert is sure to be a hit. It comes from the October 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36, and begins, "Layers of colorful custard and snowy whipped cream mimic the look of candy corn in this dessert." Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups low-fat milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. honey
Orange or red and yellow food coloring, such as Wilton or Seelect
1 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate or 3 Tbs. chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
Ground nutmeg, for sprinkling
Whisk together eggs and sugar in heat-proof bowl until smooth and light-colored. Whisk in flour and salt.
Bring milk to a boil in saucepan. Whisk 1/4 cup boiling milk into egg mixture. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then gradually whisk in remaining milk. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla.
Scoop 1 cup custard into bowl, and whisk in honey. Add food coloring to achieve bright-orange color.
Transfer remaining custard to separate bowl, and whisk in chocolate until melted. Cover both custards with plastic wrap pressed directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool.
Once cooled, whisk both custards until smooth.
Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/2 cup whipped cream into chocolate custard.
Spoon 21/2 Tbs. honey custard into 6 small glasses, pressing down to remove any air pockets. Layer 1/4 cup chocolate custard atop honey custard in each glass, and smooth with spoon. Top each serving with 3 Tbs. whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 304; Protein: 7 g;Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 121 mg; Sodium: 124 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g;Sugar: 21 g
PUMPKIN GNOCCHI WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND SAGE
(GNOCCHI DI ZUCCA)
This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food expert. She writes, “A tempting, toothsome fall dish, these homemade gnocchi can be made with either butternut squash or pumpkin (or any other rich, sweet winter squash). They are classically served with a very simple sauce of browned butter and sage (burro e salvia), but really you can serve them with any sauce you'd like -- simpler ones will work better, as the gnocchi themselves are so flavorful.” Yields 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi:
1 1/2pounds (675 g) raw butternut squash or pumpkin
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (350 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
For The Butter and Sage Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4-6 small fresh sage leaves, washed and dried
Freshly grated pecorino (optional)
Directions
For the gnocchi:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the squash into large chunks (about 3 to 4 inches in size), retaining the rind, and scoop away the seeds and strings with a spoon. Place the squash pieces on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake (still in the rind) until tender enough to be pierced with the tines of a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the rind, into a fine-mesh strainer placed over a large bowl. Set aside until the squash has cooled completely and is thoroughly drained of excess liquid.
Transfer the squash to a large mixing bowl and mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher. If there are still large chunks, you can use a handheld immersion blender, blender, or food processor to quickly puree it until smooth. Add the eggs and salt and stir to combine. Then add the flour, a little bit at a time, stirring after each addition until evenly incorporated.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, start forming the gnocchi: using a teaspoon, scoop up a small amount of the dough, then use your fingers (or another small spoon) to shape each small, round gnocco. If using spoons, you can use the shape of the spoons themselves to form small quenelles, or you can make them smaller and ball-shaped. If you wish, you can also use the tines of a fork to press the traditional gnocchi grooves into each ball, but that is optional.
When the water is boiling, gently drop the gnocchi in at the same time. When they start to float (after just a few minutes, but timing will depend on the size of your gnocchi), they are done -- remove them with a slotted spoon.
About 16 gnocchi should be enough to serve 4 people as a "primo" (pasta course that will be followed by a main dish) or 24 if it's the main dish itself.
For the sauce:
While the gnocchi are cooking, gently brown the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Be careful not to burn it, as there is a fine line between "browned" butter and burnt butter! Add the sage leaves – whole if small enough, or coarsely chopped if large – and stir to coat well and flavor the butter, about 1 minute.
Serve each dish topped with browned butter and sage and a sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino, if desired. A dry white wine would pair well with this meal.
But enough about that. Halloween is usually fun. If you're taking the kids out Trick-or-Treating - or going to get candy for yourself - make sure to stay safe!
So with that, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to try out today, including Harvest Corn Custards and Pumpkin Cheesecake. Enjoy!
PUMPKIN SPICE SCONES
This absolute yumminess comes from The Baker Chick (otherwise known as Audra). If you haven’t checked out her blog, I highly recommend doing so, along with subscribing to it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Imagine the sound of me tapping my foot….) Did you ? Great, if you did. If you didn’t, check it out sometime.
Okay, Audra starts off by writing, “Let’s grab a cup of coffee and a scone, what do you say? It’s been a long day, and right now I just want something delicious and a warm cup of coffee. Doesn’t that sound lovely? And, since pumpkin season seems to be at it’s peak, how about these tender, melt-in-your-mouth, Pumpkin Spice Scones? Oh these were so good. Everything you want in a scone really. Nothing dense or tough about these babies- just fall baked good perfection.” At the end of the recipe, Audra, added, “This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 8 scones. Yum!
To view this online at Audra’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup pumpkin pureé
3 tablespoons International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
1 large egg
For the Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
dash of cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a sil-pat. Set aside.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Add the butter, and use a pastry blender or your hands to break down the butter chunks until they are no bigger than the size of a pea. (I like to use my hands and work them in.)
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the pumpkin and creamer. Stir gently until dough just comes together. (It may seem dry)
Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until dough has moistened and is a cohesive ball.
Shape into a 6-7 inch circle, about 2 inches thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges, and arrange on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until scones are just golden on the edges. Allow them to cool slightly while you make the glaze.
For the glaze:
Whisk together the powdered sugar, creamer, and cinnamon until smooth and thick. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy warm or room temperature.
SAVORY PUMPKIN QUICHE
This comes from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe starts off, “Who says pumpkin pie has to be sweet? This version goes together in no time and makes a great autumn supper served with whole-grain bread and a tossed salad.” Serves 6. Makes 1 8-inch pie.
1/2 cup low-fat Gruyère cheese
1 frozen 9-inch prepared piecrust
1 cup low-fat milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. chopped thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle cheese over bottom of piecrust.
Whisk together milk, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Blend in pumpkin. Pour mixture over cheese in crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and bake 45 to 50 minutes more, or until pie filling has set and tip of knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 206; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Cholesterol: 146 mg; Sodium: 321 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 3 g
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Yield: 12 to 14 slices
Source: "1,001 Delicious Desserts for People with Diabetes"
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/21.shtml
Ingredients
3/4 cup ground reduced-fat graham crackers
3/4 cup ground gingersnap cookies
8-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes or 27 packets Equal sweetener, divided
4-5 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup light whipped topping
Chopped toasted pecans, as garnish
Directions
Mix graham cracker and gingersnap crumbs, 1 teaspoon Equal for Recipes, and melted margarine in bottom of 9-inch springform pan; reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. Pat remaining mixture evenly on bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese until smooth in large bowl; beat in pumpkin, eggs, and egg whites. Mix in remaining 7-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes, spices, and cornstarch. Pour mixture into springform pan.
Bake at 300 degrees F. just until set in the center, 45 to 60 minutes; sprinkle with reserved crumbs and return to oven. Turn oven off and let cheesecake cool in oven with door ajar for 3 hours. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): Calories: 213, Fat: 9.8 g, Saturated Fat: 4.3 g, Cholesterol: 47.2 g, Sodium: 444 mg, Protein: 12.1 g, Carbohydrate: 18.2 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Meat, 2 Fat
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST
From "Pumpkin Flan Puts Fall Flavors in Latin Classic" by Linda Cicero in the Miami Herald. Can be viewed online at http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/cooks-corner/article3416212.html.
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup or 4 ounces cream cheese
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
5 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or canela
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed chocolate graham crackers
In a medium saucepan, set over medium-low heat, heat sugar, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until fully dissolved and caramel colored. Quickly pour caramel into the bottoms of 10 individual ramekins, swirling around to coat the bottom of each one. Work swiftly as caramel hardens fast.
In a food processor or blender combine half-and-half, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt and puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into prepared ramekins, filling to 1/4-inch below the rim. Top each ramekin with 2 generous tablespoons of crushed crackers; don’t press them down. Place flans in a large baking dish or roasting pan; fill pan with hot water halfway up the height of the ramekins.
Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil. Carefully place into the oven and bake for 50 minutes; flans should look completely set. Remove from the oven, remove the aluminum foil and remove each ramekin from the water bath. Let the flans cool completely before covering with plastic wrap and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. When ready to eat, run a small knife around the edge of each flan all the way to the bottom. Invert dessert plate over ramekin, flip over and shake slightly to release. Leave the ramekin on top of the flan for a minute or so, so all the caramel sauce can run over the flan.
Per serving: 390 calories (30 percent from fat), 13.3 g fat (6.8 g saturated, 4.2 g monounsaturated), 121 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 6.4 g carbohydrates, 1.2 g fiber, 203 mg sodium.
HARVEST CORN CUSTARDS
This decadent dessert is sure to be a hit. It comes from the October 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36, and begins, "Layers of colorful custard and snowy whipped cream mimic the look of candy corn in this dessert." Serves 6
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2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups low-fat milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. honey
Orange or red and yellow food coloring, such as Wilton or Seelect
1 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate or 3 Tbs. chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
Ground nutmeg, for sprinkling
Whisk together eggs and sugar in heat-proof bowl until smooth and light-colored. Whisk in flour and salt.
Bring milk to a boil in saucepan. Whisk 1/4 cup boiling milk into egg mixture. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then gradually whisk in remaining milk. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla.
Scoop 1 cup custard into bowl, and whisk in honey. Add food coloring to achieve bright-orange color.
Transfer remaining custard to separate bowl, and whisk in chocolate until melted. Cover both custards with plastic wrap pressed directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool.
Once cooled, whisk both custards until smooth.
Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/2 cup whipped cream into chocolate custard.
Spoon 21/2 Tbs. honey custard into 6 small glasses, pressing down to remove any air pockets. Layer 1/4 cup chocolate custard atop honey custard in each glass, and smooth with spoon. Top each serving with 3 Tbs. whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 304; Protein: 7 g;Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 121 mg; Sodium: 124 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g;Sugar: 21 g
PUMPKIN GNOCCHI WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND SAGE
(GNOCCHI DI ZUCCA)
This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food expert. She writes, “A tempting, toothsome fall dish, these homemade gnocchi can be made with either butternut squash or pumpkin (or any other rich, sweet winter squash). They are classically served with a very simple sauce of browned butter and sage (burro e salvia), but really you can serve them with any sauce you'd like -- simpler ones will work better, as the gnocchi themselves are so flavorful.” Yields 4 to 6 servings.
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Ingredients
For the Gnocchi:
1 1/2pounds (675 g) raw butternut squash or pumpkin
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (350 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
For The Butter and Sage Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4-6 small fresh sage leaves, washed and dried
Freshly grated pecorino (optional)
Directions
For the gnocchi:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the squash into large chunks (about 3 to 4 inches in size), retaining the rind, and scoop away the seeds and strings with a spoon. Place the squash pieces on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake (still in the rind) until tender enough to be pierced with the tines of a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the rind, into a fine-mesh strainer placed over a large bowl. Set aside until the squash has cooled completely and is thoroughly drained of excess liquid.
Transfer the squash to a large mixing bowl and mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher. If there are still large chunks, you can use a handheld immersion blender, blender, or food processor to quickly puree it until smooth. Add the eggs and salt and stir to combine. Then add the flour, a little bit at a time, stirring after each addition until evenly incorporated.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, start forming the gnocchi: using a teaspoon, scoop up a small amount of the dough, then use your fingers (or another small spoon) to shape each small, round gnocco. If using spoons, you can use the shape of the spoons themselves to form small quenelles, or you can make them smaller and ball-shaped. If you wish, you can also use the tines of a fork to press the traditional gnocchi grooves into each ball, but that is optional.
When the water is boiling, gently drop the gnocchi in at the same time. When they start to float (after just a few minutes, but timing will depend on the size of your gnocchi), they are done -- remove them with a slotted spoon.
About 16 gnocchi should be enough to serve 4 people as a "primo" (pasta course that will be followed by a main dish) or 24 if it's the main dish itself.
For the sauce:
While the gnocchi are cooking, gently brown the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Be careful not to burn it, as there is a fine line between "browned" butter and burnt butter! Add the sage leaves – whole if small enough, or coarsely chopped if large – and stir to coat well and flavor the butter, about 1 minute.
Serve each dish topped with browned butter and sage and a sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino, if desired. A dry white wine would pair well with this meal.
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