Easy Pumpkin Pies

When you go to pick out your pumpkin there are some qualities you will want your pumpkin to have.

• Make sure the pumpkin has the same color all around. But don't worry if there are blemishes on the surface.
• Turn the pumpkin upside down, press down on the bottom with your thumbs. If it gives in or pumpkin squishes out it is not fresh.
• Make sure it is firm and heavy for it's size.
• Make sure the stem is solidly attached.
• Look for open cuts or soft spot that would indicate early spoilage or damage.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe Ingredients:
Pumpkin
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper

Directions for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

1. Clean the seeds - When you are carving your pumpkin, separate the seeds from the pumpkin flesh and strings. Wash them well (usually putting then in a big bowl of water and rubbing them between your hands is a fast way to clean them) and let them drain in a strainer for about 30 minutes, then spread them out on a baking pan. Now just use a hair dryer to dry them quickly
2. preheat the oven to 275 F.
3. Spread the seeds evenly over a cookie sheet and lightly baste the seeds with melted butter, margarine, or vegetable oil.
4. Heat them in a 275-degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Check on them every few minutes and stir about every 5 minutes. Some ovens run hot and it can be as little as 10 minutes or as long as 30 minutes to roast them. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot or cold.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked pastry shell (9-inch)

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs; mix well.
3. Add evaporated milk, water, and vanilla; mix well.
4. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan.
5. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake about 35 minutes longer, or until center is set.

Pumpkin Muffins Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) pumpkin puree ( or you can use fresh pumpkin)
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans or raisins cinnamon-sugar, optional

Makes 12 - 16 pumpkin muffins

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Stir to blend In separate bowl, combine pumpkin, melted butter, milk or half-and-half, the beaten eggs, sugars, and vanilla; mix until blended.
3.Stir pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened.
4. Fold in pecans or raisins. Do not over mix.
5. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well and dust with flour. Fill the about 3/4-full with the pumpkin muffins batter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if desired.
6. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Makes 1 loaf

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.

2. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.

3. Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of pumpkin seeds
1 cup dried currants

Makes 4 Dozen

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and beat for another 3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cardamom and cinnamon and whisk together. Slowly add it to the butter mixture until just combined, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom once or twice to ensure even mixing.
5. Fold in the pumpkin seeds and currants. Drop spoonfuls of dough on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray for a minute or two to set, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients:
Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups finely ground ginger cookies, homemade or store bought
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
4 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

2/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)

Topping:

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar

Serves 10 - 12

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick spray) an 8 inch spring form pan.

For Crust:

1. In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely ground ginger snap cookies, sugar, and melted butter.
2. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cheesecake filling.

For Cheesecake Filling:

1. In a separate bowl, stir to combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
2. In the bowl of mixer , on low speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
4. Pour the filling over the chilled ginger crust and place the spring form pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
5. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10 - 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
6. Meanwhile whisk together the sour cream, vanilla extract and sugar. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the baked cheesecake and rotate the pan slightly to evenly distribute the topping.
7. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake about 8 minutes to set the topping. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
8. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly.
9. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground nutmeg

Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting ( see below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter.

2. Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.

3. Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside.

5. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.

6. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

7. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.

8. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one-third recipe of Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.

Pumpkin Roll Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating with an electric mixer until thick and light yellow in color. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mixing until blended.

2. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to egg mixture, mixing well. Spread batter into greased and waxed-paper lined 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan.

3. Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 15 minutes. Place cake on clean tea towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. Cool 10 minutes longer. From 10- inch side, roll cake up in towel. Set aside.

4. While cake is cooling in towel, prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese and butter; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.

5. Unroll cake. Evenly spread filling over cake. Roll up cake (without the towel). Wrap in plastic wrap.

6. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Slice before serving. Keep leftover slices refrigerated.