What can we do with pumpkins?

[Mabay]

Hey everyone! First off, I wanted to introduce myself. I'm a 24 year old woman in Los Angeles, living out here for the past seven years :). I'm excited to have found this community!

So I ask, what kinds of dishes can we do with pumkins, and what's your favorite pumkin dish? :)

[quelle4]

My favorite thing to do with pumpkin is pumpkin butter. Here is a great recipe: http://christonium.com/culinaryreview...

With pumpkin butter you can do so much. I have made pumpkin scones utilizing pumpkin butter, as well as milkshake etc... It's also great on toast or tasty next to a piece of pork.

[kittyfood]

Whatever you do with them, you need to use pie pumpkins or other varieties that are intended to be cooked. You can toast the seeds from that Halloween pumpkin, but I once tried to cook one up -- first I baked, then I microwaved, and I think I finally boiled it, and I ended up with about a cup of puree and a whole lot of stringy waste.

[Chew on That]

Well, there's a WHOLE LOT you can do with pumpkins from desserts to savory dishes.

Some ideas:
-pumpkin cheesecake
-pumpkin pie cookies
-pumpkin ice cream
-pumpkin bisque
-pumpkin bread

Seriously, you name it! There's a recipe for it. And speaking of recipes, here's one for fabulous pumpkin pie cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 C. healthy butter such as Smart Balance
1 C. Splenda
3 eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Craisins and toasted pecan pieces
Directions

Grease cookie sheets and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and Splenda with mixer until well mixed. Add eggs, pumpkin, spices, vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together gradually add to pumpkin mixture, mixing by hand. Mix in Craisins and pecans. Drop onto cookie sheets bake 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned.
Yield Size

3+ dozencookies

Hope this helps!

Hillary