More Pumpkin Recipes

I've been munching on our home roasted & spiced pumpkin seeds all week long. If you're familiar with our blog you are probably aware that pumpkin is one of my favorite foods.

While we separate out pumpkins from squash in our thinking, the Indians thought of pumpkins as squash. Recipes can be interchanged between winter squash and pumpkins. Although most people use canned pumpkin (available year-round), now is the time to experiment with the real thing!

Check out these interesting recipes we found for winter squash (aka pumpkins) - get out to your farmer's market and buy some pumpkins to experiment. The following recipes are from “Foods of the Superstitions” by Don Wells and Jean Groen. Permission to reprint the recipe has been granted by Wells/Groen Publishing, 1375 S. Mountain View Rd., Apache Junction, AZ 85219.


WINTER SQUASH WITH ORANGE SAUCE

• 4 cups cooked & mashed WINTER SQUASH
  
• 2 Tbsps. BUTTER
  
• 2 Tbsps. CREAM
  
• 1/2 tsp. SALT
  
• PEPPER to taste
  
• 2 large ORANGES, grated rind & juice
  
• 1 Tbsp. CORNSTARCH
  
• 1/3 cup BROWN SUGAR
  
• 1/4 cup BUTTER

Mix the squash, butter, cream, salt & pepper well and pour into buttered casserole. Combine oranges, cornstarch & brown sugar and stir over low heat until thickened. Add butter, stirring well. Pour over squash mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

WINTER SQUASH DOUGHNUTS

• 1 1/4 cups SUGAR
  
• 2 Tbsp. SHORTENING
  
• 2 EGGS, beaten
  
• 1 cup mashed cooked SQUASH
  
• 1/2 tsp. VANILLA
  
• 3 cups FLOUR
  
• 3 tsp. BAKING POWDER
  
• 3/4 tsp. SALT
  
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground NUTMEG
  
• 1/2 tsp. CINNAMON
  
• 1 cup MILK
  
• OIL for frying

Combine sugar & shortening and cream together. Add eggs, squash & vanilla and mix well. In the meantime, sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately. Chill for at least 2 hours. Roll or pat 1/4 inch thick.

Heat oil to 365 degrees. Fry doughnuts until brown, turning once. Drain. Dust with powdered sugar.