The Great Pumpkin

TheVez2 said:

Never thought there was any great secret to it. I just wash the seeds off well. I usually just throw them in a colander and let water run through them for a while and pull out the big chunks of orange bits. Then I sometimes dump them onto a towel to dry the outside off (just reduces the time in the oven). Then I spread them out on a baking sheet and salt them. Put them in an oven on low heat (250) and check/flip them every 15 minutes or so until they are done (about an hour). It's not science, you just have to play temps and baking times by ear. You can cook them at a higher temp (350), and you'll likely have more browning on the shell. Some people like this, some don't. I find that if they are cooked at a higher temp, with some good browning on them, then I don't mind eating the whole thing shell and all.

It really all comes down to how you like your seeds. If your oven will do 100 degress (some electrically controlled ovens don't start that low), you can essentially dry the seeds rather than cook them. It'll take a while (no, a lot longer) for them to dry out that way, but the seeds will be pretty good and should crack out of the shell pretty easily. If you cook them at 350 though, the skins begin to cook (and break down slightly) making them more difficult to open (in one piece), but they break down easier in your mouth by chewing, if you want to eat the seed and skins together. Any higher than 350 and you need to watch them closely. They will go from done to burnt pretty quickly.

How you like your seeds to turn out will tell you if you want the higher or lower end of the temp scale. Either way, it's not rocket surgery. Place seeds on pan, salt, bake in oven until dry, flipping every now and then for even drying. Easy Peasy!

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DoctorShavegood said:

Tony, here's a recipe from my church cookbook.

View attachment 495044


Pumpkin Fritters

1 lb. canned pumpkin
2 eggs
pinch of cinnamon
flour
1 Tbl. spoon brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
S&P to taste
oil for frying

In large bowl add beaten egg, sugar, cinnamon, S&P and baking powder to pumpkin. Beat well. Add enough flour to make a batter consistency for frying. Drop teaspoonfuls into oil and fry until golden brown.

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August West said:

This is a keeper.

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• 1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2–4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped (my addition)
• About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions (my addition)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (my addition)
• About 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

DoctorShavegood said:

View attachment 492317

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups pumpkin, mashed or canned
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

-Paula Deen

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TheVez2 said:

I just roast the seeds and throw the rest away. Never cared for pumpkin (pie, bread, cookies, etc.).

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jzuzphreek said:

We should hang out. I love the pumpkin, but don't care much about the seeds.

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August West said:

View attachment 511829

Feel free to post pictures of your jack-o-lanterns.

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DoctorShavegood said:

I bought one today. We'll see what how it turns out. I'll save Tony the seeds.

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