HAPPENINGS

Fall’s harvest is full of deep colors, rich, comforting flavors and an abundance of produce … like pumpkins! It is a wonderful time to spend in the kitchen with the cooler weather. Warm up your heart and home with the irresistible aromas of sweet pumpkin baked goods as well as savory dishes. From lasagne and cookies to cheesecake and chile, the recipes below showcase one of our autumn favorites – pumpkins!

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup chicken, cooked and diced
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cumin
Dash of salt & pepper
8 corn tortillas
1 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1/4 cup. diced scallions

Directions:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion slices. Saute until brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken to the pan, stirring it to mix with the caramelized onions, then remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, cream, broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper. Spoon chicken mixture into the tortilla’s, rolling them tightly and placing in a medium-sized baking dish. Once all enchiladas have been rolled, spread the pumpkin cream sauce over the top. Sprinkle generously with Queso Fresco, then bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 2O-25 minutes, or just until the tips of the cheese begins to brown. Garnish with diced scallions before serving.

Pumpkin Dip

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Apple and pear slices

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

Pumpkin Lasagna

1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
Dash of pepper
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 3/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pot, boil water and cook noodles until they are bendable but not quite al denté. Rinse with cold water and keep submerged until you use them.

In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the oil until tender; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, half-and-half, sage, pepper, and remaining salt.

Spread ~1/2 cup pumpkin sauce in an 9in x 9in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with three noodles (snip off approx. 2″ of each noodle so they fit in the dish). Spread ~1 cup pumpkin sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce.

Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 1O-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 1O-15 minutes before.

Pumpkin-Snap Milkshake

1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tb. brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 LARGE scoops vanilla ice cream
6-8 broken gingersnap cookies
1/4 – 1/3 cup milk

Puree in the blender until smooth. Garnish with extra cookies pieces or pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Whip Cream

Yields 12 2×3 mini cheesecakes

Crust:

1-1/4 cups ginger snaps

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of candied ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up,
• 1 tablespoons butter

Bourbon Whip Cream:

• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoon of bourbon
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease pan. Combine In a, combine ginger snap crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.
2. Add cream cheese and sugar into a bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Add pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, candied ginger, vanilla, and salt to the bowl and beat until combined. Remove 1 cup of the mixture.
3. In a heat proof bowl combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 1 tablespoons butter and place in an inch of simmering water. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1 cup pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Gently pour remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 4O to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed. Cool on a wire rack for 3O minutes before releasing.
5. Whip cream until medium peaks form. Fold in bourbon and finish by drizzling caramel sauce on top and sprinkle with nutmeg seasoning.

 Pumpkin Chili

1.5 pounds ground chuck
1 – 15 oz can dark red kidney beans
1 – 15 oz can light red kidney beans
2 – 14 oz cans pumpkin puree
2 – 28 oz cans crushed or diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to suite your tastes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried cilantro
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Directions:
1. Add ground beef, salt and pepper to a large soup pot. Brown meat. Add diced onion, diced green pepper and garlic. Cook until translucent.

2. Add dark and light red beans, pumpkin puree, tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, dried cilantro and dried oregano. Stir well. Bring soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Adjust seasonings to taste. Simmer far at least 1 hour, stirring from the bottom every 1O – 15 minutes.

Crock Pot Method:
1. Add ground beef, salt and pepper to a large soup pot. Brown meat. Add diced onion, diced green pepper and garlic. Cook until translucent.

2. Add ground beef and vegetables to crock-pot. Then add dark and light red beans, pumpkin puree, tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, dried cilantro and dried oregano. Stir well. Turn to low for 6 – 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 2 eggs

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and          cloves.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin, and eggs. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until incorporated.

Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls on to a hot, buttered griddle. Cook for a couple minutes before flipping to cook the other side.

Pumpkin Cookies

2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c shortening
1 c pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chocolate chips (or as many as you want. I usually add more.)

– Mix everything together.  If you have a mixer, I suggest using that with a dough hook. It’s easier than stirring by hand or using beaters.

– Bake it up at 35O for 1O-15 minutes, give or take.

– For a double batch you can use 1 small can of pumpkin; for a triple batch, use 1 large can of pumpkin.