Delicious Pumpkin Recipes!

After Halloween is gone, the pumpkins used for decoration can be used to create wonderful pumpkin soups or desserts. The best way I have found to serve pumpkin soup is to bake up some bread molded over up-side-down oven-proof bowls as the 'pan' and making soup bowls out of them. Delicious and an attractive presentation, too. You can get a great bread soup bowl recipe at Allrecipes.com. Or you can serve pumpkin soup in a small pumpkin, as in this photo I found on http://younghomemakers.blogspot.com.

Ideas I plan to try:

• Use cooked pumpkin in a pasta recipe
• Make a pumpkin cheesecake
• Toast the pumpkin seeds
Make pumpkin cookies

If you have tried any of the above, please comment below and let us know how it turned out!

3 lbs. peeled pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups chicken broth, plus enough water to cover pumpkin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. rum extract
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle with nutmeg

Combine all ingredients except butter, cream and rum extract in a large sauce pan. Bring to a heavy boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until pumpkin is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Put pumpkin mixture in a blender and puree. Return to pan. Add butter and beat in with a wire whisk. Add heavy cream and rum extract. Gently blend with wire whisk. Thin with chicken broth or cream if the soup is too thick. Reheat and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. Allspice

Beat 1 minute, add 4 eggs beat 2 minutes. Pour into sprayed Bundt pan. For topping melt ½ cup butter with ½ cup brown sugar. Add ¾ cup pecans. Pour half of mixture on top of the cake batter. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto plate. When cool, drizzle remaining topping on cake.

3 ¼ cups small chunks of pumpkin
2 eggs, at room temperature, slightly beaten
¾ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
Pastry for one 9" deep dish pie

Boil pumpkin for 10 minutes, or just until tender. Drain water, mash pumpkin, and set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs , brown sugar and honey in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled pumpkin, cream, and spices. Mix thoroughly. Pour filling into an unbaked 9" pie shell and smooth surface with the back of the spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Allow to cool. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

½ cup pecans, chopped
1 tbsp. plus 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. allspice
2 cups heavy or whipping cream

In 2 quart saucepan, pan roast pecans over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tbsp. brown sugar until sugar melts and coats pecans (about a minute). Allow pecans to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together pumpkin, pudding mix, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and remain brown sugar. Blend well.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate 1 cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Fold the rest of the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture, then spoon the mixture into 8 ten oz. dessert dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with reserved whipped cream. Sprinkle sugared pecans on whipped cream before serving. Makes 8 servings.

1 can (30 oz.) pumpkin pie filling
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup crushed ginger snaps
Whipped cream or whipped topping, optional

In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, evaporated milk, cranberries and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Pour into crock pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 4 ½ hours. Serve topped with crushed ginger snaps and whipped cream or topping. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

1 can pumpkin
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
2 eggs
1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk
½ of a yellow cake mix (2 layer size) or 1 yellow cake mix (1 layer size)
½ cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted
Frozen whipped topping, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together pumpkin, sugar, spices, and eggs and mix until just combined. Slowly stir in evaporated milk and mix well. Pour into a 8X8X2 inch greased pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture, then top with a sprinkle of nuts. Drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are firm and the top is golden brown. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

1 cup canned pumpkin
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. molasses
1 ½ cups milk
1 (3 ¾ oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
½ cup heavy cream, whipped

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, spices, and molasses. Stir well, then blend in milk. Add pudding mix. Beat mixture slowly for about 1 minute, or until thick. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Spoon into dessert dishes and chill for at least an hour. To serve, top with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Blend:

1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
16 oz. softened cream cheese
7oz. jar marshmallow cream

Add 1 tsp. lemon juice

Immediately top pie with 8 oz Cool Whip mixed with ½ cup sour cream. Put in a baked pie crust. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.