Several years ago I lived in a part of Tulsa called Brookside. I used to shop at a Homeland nearby. One night right after Halloween I drove by. There right behind the store was the dumpster filled with all their unsold pumpkins. I could see them piled high. That image will never leave my mind. Every year I say to myself when Halloween is over I want to buy some pumpkins that are greatly discounted and cook them and then freeze them. Today I found a bunch of easy recipes that you could make with pumpkin.
Pumpkin popovers
Healthy Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Flan
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
Baked Miniature Pumpkins
Baked Pumpkin Puree Recipe
Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Muffins
Creamy Pumpkin Polenta
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Squares Recipe
Pumpkin Sauce over Pasta
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin Nutmeg Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin Apricot Muffins
See Below

Pumpkin Popovers
Preheating the muffin pan before baking makes these reduced-fat popovers rise to dramatic heights.
Makes 1 dozen popovers
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
2 cups nonfat milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a 12-cup muffin pan on a baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
2. Whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, egg whites, milk and oil in a medium bowl until smooth. 3. Combine flour, salt, pie spice and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
4. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and coat it with cooking spray. Divide the batter among the prepared cups. Bake the popovers until they are puffed and browned, about 25 minutes. Remove the popovers from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°. With a small knife cut small slits into the sides of the popovers, about 3 or 4 per popover. Bake an additional 7 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 134 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 54 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 146 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (20% daily value), Vitamin A (19% dv), Folate (17% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare up to 8 hours in advance. Reheat at 325° for 7 minutes.
Found at EatingWell.com
Healthy Pumpkin Soup
My favourite pumpkin soup. Thick and creamy but low in fat. I eat this all winter long.
by dale!
4 servings 40 min 10 min prep
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
35 1/3 ounces pumpkin flesh, chopped (I use butternut)
1 carrot
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3 bay leaves
1 cup skim milk powder
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and gently cook onion without browning, for 3-4 minutes.
Add pumpkin, carrot and rosemary and cook,stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Add stock and bay leaves.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Remove any rosemary stalks and bay leaves.
Place a third of the soup in the blender with a third of the skim milk powder and puree.
Pour into a large bowl.
Repeat with the remaining soup and milk powder and pour the whole lot back into the saucepan, heat through and serve.
For Vegetarian use vegetable stock.
Pumpkin Flan
Servings: Serves 6.
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ground allspice
1 cup low-fat milk
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until mixture turns amber-colored, brushing any crystals that form on sides of pan with wet brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 7 minutes. Immediately divide caramel among six 1/2-cup soufflè dishes to cover bottoms and sides with caramel. Cool.
Whisk pumpkin, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in milk. Divide mixture among soufflè dishes. Place dishes in large baking pan. Add enough water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Bake until flan is set, about 55 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Run small sharp knife around edges of dishes to loosen. Turn flans out onto plates and serve.
Per serving: calories, 190; fat, 3 g; sodium, 54 mg; cholesterol, 110 mg
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the pumpkin, sugar and applesauce.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, then add to the pumpkin, mixing well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until done.
Taken from VegetarianAbout.com
Baked Miniature Pumpkins
The Author says: “Minature pumpkins look exactly like very tiny pumpkins. Sweet Dumpling squash are a bit larger, either bright yellow with orange stripes, when mature, or creamy white with dark green vertical strips. One small squash is perfect for 1 person. The little pumpkins might be especially amusing for children.” –Deborah Madison
1 minature pumpkin or sweet dumpling squash
salt
freshly ground pepper
1-2 tablespoons cream, milk or marscarpone cheese
1 fresh or dried sage leaf
grated Fontina or Gruyére cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice off the top 1/2-inch of the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and rub salt and pepper into the cavity. Pour in the cream, add the sage leaf and the cheese, replace the lid, and bake in a pan until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Take care not to overcook the squash or it might split and collapse in the oven.
Yield: 1 serving
Taken from HomeCookingAbout.com
Baked Pumpkin Puree Recipe
From Peggy Trowbridge Filippone,
Instead of buying canned pumpkin puree, it’s easy to make your own while fresh pumpkins are in season. Baked pumpkin makes a fabulous side dish with the simple addition of butter, salt, and pepper.
1 fresh pumpkin, up to 4 pounds (see Notes)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cut top from pumpkin. Scrape out stringy membranes and seeds. (Reserve seeds to make Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, if desired.)
Cut pumpkin into large pieces and place on a baking sheet.
Bake about 45 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Let cool until you can comfortably handle it.
Scrape the soft pulp from the skin into a food processor or heavy-duty blender. Discard the skin. Pulse until evenly pureed. Reheat if serving immediately or refrigerate and use within 3 days. The pumpkin puree may be frozen in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 10 to 12 months.
Savory Pumpkin Puree: Add butter, salt, and pepper to taste to the pumpkin puree. Add brown sugar for a sweeter side dish. Makes a great menu substitution for mashed potatoes.
Pumpkin Pie Puree: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and brown sugar to the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie spice blend may be substituted for the spices, if you wish.
Notes: Choose smaller pumpkins weighing 2 to 4 pounds for eating purposes. Overly-large pumpkins tend to be dry and stringy.
Taken from HomeCookingAbout.com
Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Muffins
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Filling:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon milk
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, 2-1/2 by 1-1/4 inches, or line with paper baking cups.
Mix eggs,pumpkin, milk and oil. Stir in remaining ingredients (except cream cheese filling) just until flour is moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Divide Cream Cheese Filling among muffins, placing about 1 teaspoon on top of each; swirl with knife. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan.
Cream Cheese Filling:
Mix cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth.
Yield: 12 muffins
Taken from HomeCooking.About.com
Creamy Pumpkin Polenta
Ingredients
5 cups water or vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
1-1/3 cup corn meal
3/4 cup cooked (or canned) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup cream cheese (cut into small pieces)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Bring water or stock and salt to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in pumpkin. Slowly add corn meal while continuously stirring. (An easy way of doing this is to pick up cornmeal by the handful and let it run through your fingers in a very slow stream, stirring constantly.) If mixture gets too thick and impossible to stir, add more boiling liquid. Once cornmeal has been added, stir in the small pieces of cream cheese (a little at a time) until cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the mixture.
Continue cooking and stirring for about twenty minutes. If you don’t cook the polenta long enough, you won’t achieve the proper creamy consistency. Continue to add additional liquid as necessary. The proper consistency should be that of a thick Cream Of Wheat Cereal. Your spoon should be able to stand straight up when stuck in the middle and the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pot.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Fluffy Pumpkin Dip Recipe
Imagine pumpkin pie as an interesting dip and you have a desseert that will delight adults and children alike. It is a simple mixture of vanilla pudding, pumpkin, spices, and whipped cream that is fast and easy to make, but quite decadent. Serve with graham crackers, cookies, or sliced fresh fruit as dippers.
1 (5 ounces) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice berries (not the spice mixture)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups whipped cream (may substitute whipped cream in a tub)
Whip vanilla pudding, pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, ground allspice, and nutmeg for 2 minutes, until thoroughly combined.
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
4 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin
1 (2-ounce) package powdered pectin
4-1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
Place pumpkin in a heavy kettle. Stir in pectin. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and butter. Continue stirring and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard exactly 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir 5 minutes.
Ladle into 1/2 pint hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps according to manufacture’s directions. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. After cooling, check seals.
Yield: 6 (1/2-pint) jars
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Pumpkin Squares Recipe
Ingredients
1 (16 ounces) can pumpkin (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
1 box ginger snaps
Instructions
Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add pecans. Fold pumpkin mixture into ice cream or vice-versa. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan or Pyrex dish with one-half of the ginger snaps. Top with one-half of the pumpkin ice cream mixture. Cover with the remaining ginger snaps and spread the balance of the pumpkin mixture over the second layer of ginger snaps.
Freeze. When firm, cut into squares. Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Yield: 18 servings
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Pumpkin Sauce over Pasta
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound pumpkin flesh, peeled seeded and diced (use one pumpkin about 1-3/4 pound)
8 fluid ounces strong vegetable stock
2 tbsp parsley, or 1 tsp dried parsley
4 fluid ounces single cream
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
pinch of ground black pepper
pasta, freshly cooked, to serve
Instructions
Gently fry the garlic and onion in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes. Do not allow them to burn.
Add the pumpkin and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender.
Break up the pumpkin by beating it with a wooden spoon, and stir in the parsley, cream, nutmeg and seasoning. Cook for a further minute and add a little of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Pour over the pasta and serve immediately.
Yield: 3 servings
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/8 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup soft butter
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1-3/4 cups (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix first five ingredients until crumbly, than add butter. Reserve 1-1/4 cups of this mixture for topping. To the remainder, add 2 eggs and mix until dough forms. Spread in bottom of 9X13 ungreased pan.
Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, and salt well and pour over unbaked crust. Top with the reserved dry topping. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool and serve plain or topped with whipped cream.
Yield: 4 servings
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups commercially canned pumpkin
1 cup whole milk
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp)
3 extra-large eggs, slightly beaten
1 9-inch unbaked pastry piecrust pie shell
Whipped Cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg; stir to combine. Add the pumpkin; stir vigorously until well blended. Add the whole milk, evaporated milk, and eggs; stir until blended and smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell.
Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue baking for 45 additional minutes, or until a table knife inserted into the pumpkin filling halfway between the edge and the center of the pie comes out clean.
Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. To serve, spoon a large dollop of whipped cream on top of each pie slice. After serving, leftover pie must be refrigerated.
Yield: 7 servings
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
Pumpkin Nutmeg Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2-1/2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk, heated to lukewarm
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 large whole egg, beaten lightly
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree
An egg wash made by beating 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
In a small bowl proof the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar in the milk for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy. In a large bowl combine well 7 cups of the flour, the nutmeg, the salt, and the remaining sugar and blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the whole egg, the pumpkin puree, and the yeast mixture and stir the dough until it is combined well.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a well-buttered large bowl, and turn it to coat it with the butter. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it into 14 pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Fit the balls into a buttered 10-inch springform pan and let them rise, covered with a kitchen towel, in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until they are almost double in bulk. Brush the rolls with the egg wash and bake them in the middle of a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let the rolls cool slightly in the pan, remove the side of the pan, and serve the rolls warm. The rolls may be made 1 week in advance and kept wrapped well and frozen. Reheat the rolls, wrapped in foil, in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 25 minutes, or until they are heated through.
Yield: 14 rolls
Pumpkin Apricot Muffins
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all purpose white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil (or other low saturated fat oil)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup non-fat milk
1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried apricots (about 6 to 8), chopped fine
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
Instructions
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl mix the egg whites, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, milk, yogurt, vanilla, apricots, and optional nuts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring as little as possible to incorporate.
Divide the mixture among twelve muffins cups that have been greased or sprayed with a cooking spray. Bake in the middle of a preheated 400-degree F (200 degrees C)oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top of the muffins spring back when pressed.
Yield: 12 muffins
Taken from HomeCooking.About.Com
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