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Posts Tagged ‘pumpkin’

SRC: Pumpkin Ravioli with Garlic Butter

September 10, 2012 by erinRD

It’s September! Let the pumpkining begin!

Another month of Secret Recipe Club and we are entering into my favorite season and favorite time of the year to cook and bake.

Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks is an awesome person, teaching special education and cooking and baking in her spare time. I had a hard time choosing a recipe with such great ones to pick from – Overnight French Toast, Mexican Eggrolls (with a delicious avocado sauce!) and don’t forget the dessert - “Boozy” cupcakes made with Bailey’s and rum (my kind of recipe! )

But I had to chose the Pumpkin Ravioli for this months Secret Recipe Club – to start off the Fall season right with pumpkin!

1 package wonton wrappers
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Garlic Butter:
6 Tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat to toast. Stir every few minutes and when the pine nuts begin to brown add the minced garlic cloves plus the olive oil and sauté for two minutes.

Remove from heat and chop pine nuts or use a small food processor or grinder like I did!

2. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, pine nut mixture, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well then taste. Make any adjustment needed to the filling.

3. On a cutting board line up as many wonton wrappers as possible. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the wrappers and spread out in the middle of one of the wrappers.

Brush the edges with water and top with another wrapper. I just used my finger to place the water on the wrappers.

Work from the middle, pressing on the filling, to ensure a tight seal, getting ride of any air bubbles. Reseal with water if any of the edges seem loose. (If you are freezing any of the ravioli: put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight. In the morning you can remove the raviolis and place in a freezer bag to store in the freezer. These can be frozen for up to one month.)
4. Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once it is boiling slip 3-4 ravioli into the water (making sure they don’t touch).

When the raviolis begin to float gently lift them from the water with a slotted spoon to drain. Continue on with this process until the desired amount of ravioli is cooked. Lay out on wax paper until you are ready to serve the ravioli.

5. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. When butter begins to brown add the garlic and herbs.

Heat for an additional two minutes, then pour over cooked ravioli and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Nutrition Notes: Pumpkins belong to the squash family and offer numerous health benefits. Remember how butternut squash is loaded with beta-cartone just like carrots? Well, that bright orange color indicates that pumpkin contains beta-cartone as well. Pumpkin is low in fat and calories and loaded with vitamins A, C and E. Pumpkin is also an excellent source of fiber providing 5 grams in 1/2 cup. Fiber helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, helps to control blood sugar level and promote healthy digestion.

Taste Test: This recipe uses wonton wrappers in place of pasta so it is a lot less time consuming than making homemade pasta AND it was just as delicious! Wholesome Husband loved it and said I had to make it again. It was so good!

Enjoy!

Category Uncategorized | Tags: garlic butter,pasta,pumpkin,ravioli,wonton wrappers | 20 Comments
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

November 3, 2011 by erinRD
Adapted from Good Life Eats

Are you sick of all of the pumpkin recipes out there right now?

Yeah me neither!

You’ll definitely want to add this one to your “to make” list!

Ingredients

Dough:
¼ cup warm water (not hot, about 110°)
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
⅓ cup warm milk
1 large egg, beaten
¾ cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1¼ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Filling:
½ stick butter
⅔ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon each of allspice and ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces low-fat cream cheese
¼ stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Stir yeast into water to soften in a large bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before stirring to combine.
2. Stir in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, butter, 1¼ cups whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
3. Slowly add the rest of the flour (all purpose), a bit at a time, until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Begin with 1½ cups of flour and increase if necessary. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
4. Place the dough into a greased bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and rise until doubled, approximately 1 hour.
5. Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a another bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16″ x 12″ rectangle.
6. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.
7. Roll the dough into a log the long way; it’ll stretch to about 20″ long as you roll.
8. Using a very sharp knife, slice (do not press down) the log into 16 slices.
9. Place slices in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
10. Bake in a preheated 375° oven. Bake the rolls till they’re brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.
11. While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice to a small food processor. Blend until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, blending in between, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached.
12. Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately. Serves 16.
Nutrition Notes

Not healthy – but definitely worth the splurge. Hey – pumpkin is a fruit right?

Taste Test

Hold onto your seats people. These are amazing. They take a little work to make but they are worth it. This recipe makes a lot of cinnamon rolls so share them with your friends and enemies.
Category Uncategorized | Tags: cinnamon rolls,desert,dough,pumpkin,rolls,yeast | 2 Comments
Brown Butter Pumpkin Muffins

October 6, 2011 by erinRD
Adapted from Savvy Eats

Ingredients

For the Muffins:
½ cup butter (1 stick)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup low-fat milk

For the Streusel Topping:
3 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a muffin tin.
2. Brown the butter. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the butter is a dark gold/light brown. Remove from heat.
3. In the meantime, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, salt and spices together in a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the browned butter, pumpkin, egg, vanilla and milk.
4. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the batter and there are no dry spots left.
5. Combine the ingredients of the streusel and mix until small clumps of oats form.
6. Fill a greased muffin tin with muffin batter, filling each cup about ¾ of the way.
7. Sprinkle with streusel and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350F, or until the tops of the muffins are firm.
8. Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Makes 12 large muffins
Nutrition Notes

Taste Test

Moist and delicious! These were good for breakfast and dessert! They had a fantastic spice flavor to them!

Enjoy!
Category Uncategorized | Tags: autumn,fall recipes,muffins,pumpkin,pumpkin pie,streusel | 3 Comments
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

September 19, 2011 by erinRD

The husband and I are pretty much obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Latte’s. So I thought why not try to make them at home.

Here’s what you need:

A good espresso:

(source)

I’m a big fan of Lavazza but you can use whatever espresso you want. Just make sure you don’t use regular coffee – it won’t be strong enough for the latte. Other good brands are illy, Intelligentsia or Cafe Bustelo.

Espresso maker:

You can buy one of those fancy $500 machines

(source)

Or, what’s even better if getting a stovetop espresso maker and it makes the same espresso for way cheaper.

(source)

In this espresso maker, you put the water in the bottom part and the espresso grounds go in the filter in the middle. As the water boils it comes through the top part and sits in the top compartment.

Milk Frother:

This will make that lovely foam that is on the top of the lattes at your coffee shop. If you have one of the expensive espresso machines, it usually comes with a milk frother attached to it. But you can by one by its self.

(source)

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Coffee:
1 1/2 Tablespoons espresso
1 cup water
1 cup skim milk

Directions:
1. Combine all pumpkin syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir regularly to keep the syrup from burning as it reduces.
2. The pumpkin will combine into the sugar and water. When it takes on the consistency and thickness of maple syrup, remove from heat and pour into heat-proof containers.
3. Don’t let it get too thick, or it will won’t blend into your drinks well. Refrigerate until needed. Keeps for 2-3 weeks.

4. Make your espresso according to the directions on your espresso maker. You’re going to need around 2 ounces of espresso for each drink (more or less depending on your desired . Heat up your milk in the microwave for 2 minutes.
5. Use your milk frother to make as much foam as you desire.

Add in the espresso and 2 Tablespoon of the pumpkin syrup(more or less depending on your tastes). Stir and enjoy! Serves 1.

Taste Test: You’ll never want to go buy another pumpkin spice latte after trying this one! It’s delicious!

Enjoy!

Category Uncategorized | Tags: cafe,coffee,espresso,latte,pumpkin,pumpkin spice latte | 1 Comment
Pumpkin Gingerbread

February 8, 2011 by erinRD

Let’s take a trip back to Autumn.

Cool crisp air, changing leaves, pumpkin patches, bonfires, Halloween…my favorite time of the year.

Pumpkin in February? Oh yes, I did it.

Something must help us get through this dreadful winter. A taste of autumn is the perfect cure to winter blues.

Pumpkin Gingerbread
Adapted from A Foodie Stays Fit

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs (or 8 egg whites)
2/3 cup water
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs; beat until smooth.

4. Add water and beat until well blended. Mix in pumpkin until combined.
5. In medium bowl, combine ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, flours, soda, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between greased pans.
6. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 60-75 minutes.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Notes: Replacing half the oil with unsweetened applesauce in this recipe cuts down on the fat and calories. Pumpkins belong to the squash family and offer numerous health benefits. Remember how butternut squash is loaded with beta-cartone just like carrots? Well, that bright orange color indicates that pumpkin contains beta-cartone as well. Pumpkin is low in fat and calories and loaded with vitamins A, C and E. Pumpkin is also an excellent source of fiber providing 5 grams in 1/2 cup. Fiber helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, helps to control blood sugar level and promote healthy digestion.

Taste Test: I loved this sweet bread. It makes a HUGE amount so cut it in half if you only want one loaf. It was moist and delicious with a great spice flavor! It’s perfect for breakfast or after dinner. Enjoy!

Category Uncategorized | Tags: applesauce replace oil,ginger,gingerbread,pumpkin,pumpkin bread,spelt flour | 3 Comments