Friday 26 / April / 2024
Make a hearty soup, a lip-smacking starter, or a yummy dessert; this winter enjoy the warm taste of pumpkin in some of your favourite recipes.
PUMPKIN SOUP
Peel 3 medium size potatoes and cut into small pieces. Place the potatoes and 1/2kg whole pumpkin without peeling in separate pots and fill with water until each is covered. Boil both the pots and let it simmer until soft.
Remove pumpkin and peel the skin, and save the pumpkin broth. Blend pumpkin with 21/2 cups of pumpkin broth in a blender. Drain potatoes and blend with the pumpkin. Then warm the mixture on low heat, adding 1/2 cup cream and a little all seasoning powder while stirring. Serve hot.
PUMPKIN SPRING ROLLS
Take 3 cups pumpkin and remove skin. Cut the flesh into big serving pieces and steam them over hot water until tender. Soak 4 dry mushrooms until soft. Remove their stalks, wash and chop them. Chop 1 spring onion also. Heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil, fry spring onion, dry mushrooms, and 115g minced meat in turn, then season them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Simmer and add the steamed pumpkin to mix well. Take the mixture out and divide it into 8 equal portions and cool. Take 8 spring roll skins and spread each spring roll skin flat. Put 1 portion of the mixture on the side near the body and roll the skin forward twice. Fold both sides in, then continue to roll and seal it with thick flour paste. Make all the rolls in the same way. Heating oil to medium heat, put the rolls in, deep-fry them until the skins turn golden yellow.
PUMPKIN CAKE
Beat together 1/2 cup butter or shortening and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Now in another bowl combine 1 cup canned pumpkin, 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well and stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf pan. Preheat oven to 220°C and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.
PUMPKIN DIP
Mix 11/2 cups cream cheese, 3/4 cup canned pumpkin, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped dried beef, 1/2 cup red and 1/3 cup green peppers chopped, and 1 cup olives chopped. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Great to serve with fresh vegetables, crackers, pretzels, or tortilla chips.
PUMPKIN LASAGNA
Preheat oven to 220°C. Take one packet of lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add 2 chopped onions, and sauté. Add 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained and cook for 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced and 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 can mixed greens, drained and heat through. Set aside. Mix 1 can pumpkin and 2 cups ricotta cheese, in a bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg until well combined. Grease baking dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1/4 noodles, covering the bottom of the dish. Spread 1/4 of the pumpkin mixture over the layer of noodles and scatter 1/4 of the green mixture over the pumpkin. Repeat layers of noodles, pumpkin and greens, until you have 4 layers of each. Top with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce over the top. Cover with a sheet of foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; top with remaining Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
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