Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday.

I love autumn for many reasons, one of which is the wonderful food. Whether you call it fall or autumn, pumpkins and different kinds of squash seem to be on everyone's plates.

Most of the following recipes were from different emailing lists, most of which have since disappeared. I'm not sure exactly who came up with these recipes, although I'm sure that the Vegan Pumpkin Risoto came from a vegetarian list, possibly Vegetarian Times.

Either way, check these out these six recipes, including Pumpkin Mousse and Vegan Pumpkin Risotto. Enjoy!

AUTUMN SQUASH CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 stick of butter, melted

1 onion, chopped

5 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Place the butter, onion, squash and orange juice in the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Add the cinnamon and maple syrup. Using a potato masher, mash the ingredients. Mix until smooth and serve warm.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, APPLE, ONION AU GRATIN

Cooking spray

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 pinch cinnamon

1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded and sliced

4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3 slices soy bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9- x 11-inch glass baking pan with cooking spray.

Place flour, salt, and cinnamon into a large plastic bag. Add squash, apples, and onions; shake until lightly dusted.

In glass dish, layer 1/2 of squash, apples, and sweet onion. Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock over the top, then sprinkle 1/2 of cheese. Layer with remaining squash, apple, and onions. Pour remaining chicken stock over the top, and cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Take out and sprinkle with bacon crumbles and remaining cheese. Return, uncovered, to oven; bake for another 5 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE

Prep: 4 min; Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin, chilled

1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk, chilled

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1 small sliced banana

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 dozen ice cubes (optional)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

PLACE pumpkin, evaporated milk, orange juice, banana and sugar in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Pour over ice. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

nutrition facts: Amount Per Serving 6 servings: Serving Size 1/6 of recipe: Calories 150, Total Fat 1.5g, Dietary Fiber 3g

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Inspired by Martinique’s tropical cuisine, mildly spicy whipped pumpkin can stand alone as a dessert or accompany seafood as an exotic side dish.

Prep Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

1 cup plus 2 cups chilled heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ounces white chocolate, shaved

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, 1 cup heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Chill for at least 1 hour before preparing the mousse.

Whip the remaining 2 cups chilled cream into peaks. Gently stir 1/2 cup of the chilled pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream. Once the 1/2 cup of pumpkin is almost fully incorporated into the cream, fold in the remaining pumpkin. Serve chilled with white chocolate shavings as a garnish.

Makes 8 servings.

VEGAN PUMPKIN RISOTTO

This recipe begins, "A vegetarian and vegan twist on classic Italian risotto - pumpkin! Why not? Pumpkin adds a sweet and unique flavor perfect for fall, as a vegetarian Thanksgiving7 entree, or anytime. This Italian risotto recipe is both vegetarian and vegan."

Ingredients:

1 onion. diced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp margarine

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft. Add the rice. Allow to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Slowly add the wine. Start to add the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Allow the moisture to cook off before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, and cook for just a few minutes, until heated through.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”

Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)

7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)

5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.

Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.

Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

CHEF'S NOTES:

You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.

My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.

Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.