By By Lisa Tindell
In just a few days Halloween will be over and you’ll be left wondering what to do with that pumpkin.
If you’re looking for a way to use the pumpkins you’ve had sitting on your porch for the last few weeks the recipe I’ve found this week will help with your search.
First of all, you’ll need to clean and cut up the pumpkin to get it ready for recipes. If you’ve never done that, don’t fear, it’s actually an easy task.
Wash the outside of the pumpkin to remove any dust or dirt. Cut a whole a little larger than the size of your fist into the top of the pumpkin around the stem end. Reach in and pull out as much pulp and seeds as possible. (You can save the seeds to roast for a great, healthy snack.) Cut through the pumpkin flesh by slicing into manageable pieces. Peel the dark, thick skin away from the flesh and trim away in remaining pulp. Cube the flesh into about two-inch square pieces.
To prepare for recipes, boil the flesh cubes in just enough water to cover until fork-tender. Process in food process or mash with potato masher and proceed with recipes as directed.
Use the pureed pulp in a variety of recipes from pies and cakes to bread and soup. Pumpkin is healthy and inexpensive when prepared from fresh pumpkins.
If a recipe calls for a 15-ounce can of pumpkin, substitute it with two cups of fresh pumpkin puree. Also if you choose to use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices, determine the total amount of spices called for in a recipe and substitute with an equal measure of pumpkin pie spice. It won’t be the same taste, but it will be close.
Pumpkin Cheese Bread
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup margarine, softened
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar, cream cheese and margarine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in pumpkin; mixing until completely incorporated. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and cloves. Mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture; stirring just until moistened. Fold in the walnuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes then remove from pans to cool completely on a wire rack.
Lisa Tindell is staff reporter for The Atmore Advance. She can be reached at 867-4876 or by email at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.