10 things you never thought you'd do with a pumpkin
- Make a pumpkin Old Fashioned
- Discover a pasta shortcut
- Get a recipe for pumpkin barbecue sauce
Pumpkin. Carve, put candle it and then toss it after Halloween, right? If that's what you've been doing with pumpkin, you're missing lots of delicious options.
Pumpkin tastes good and, surprisingly, fits into lots of recipes. Plus, it's loaded with vitamins A and C.
Fresh pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes. Small pumpkins, often called "sugar pumpkins" or "pie pumpkins" have firm, sweet flesh that works well in lots of dishes.
If you choose canned pumpkin, be sure to buy pureed pumpkin and not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
Put it in hummus: Puree a can of drained garbanzo beans with a cup of pumpkin puree and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice. For seasoning, you may go sweet or savory. For sweet, add maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice, and serve the hummus with ultra-thin ginger snaps. For savory, blend in roasted garlic and curry spices and serve with chips or smear it on a burger.
Put it on your face: Skinnygirl Cocktails founder and former "Housewives of New York City" cast member Bethenny Frankel developed a pumpkin facial mask recipe she shared with Delish. Vitamins and moisture in pumpkin benefit the skin, said Frankel, who attended National Gourmet Institute for Healthy and Culinary Arts in New York City. She blended two cups canned pureed pumpkin with four tablespoons each of Greek yogurt and honey, plus a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
Serve it with pork chops: Simmer fresh, cubed pumpkin and roast fresh, peeled apple slices until they're both tender. Mash them together with butter, salt, black pepper, a little honey and a little sage. Serve the mash with grilled pork chops or a pork roast.
Blend it into a smoothie: Whiz together vanilla yogurt and/or almond milk, canned or fresh cooked pumpkin puree, a dash of vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and honey, molasses or maple syrup to taste for a pumpkin pie sipper. A little espresso adds a nice flavor and energy kick.
Stir it into beef stew: Substitute fresh, cubed pumpkin for the potatoes in your next pot of beef stew. Add a pinch of cinnamon to bring out the pumpkin's subtle sweetness.
Pair it with pasta: Toss fresh, cubed pumpkin with a little olive oil to coat the pieces. Roast the pumpkin at 400 degrees until tender. Mash the cooked pumpkin with roasted garlic, plenty of parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper. Layer the mixture in red- or white-sauced lasagna or use it to fill ravioli or tortellini. Don't stress making fresh pasta; use wonton wrappers instead.
Add it to meatloaf: A cup of canned or fresh cooked, pureed pumpkin adds flavor and moisture to meat loaf recipes.
Make a barbecue sauce: A couple cups of ketchup, a cup of pureed pumpkin, two or three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a dash of smoky chipotle, some chili powder, garlic, cinnamon and whatever other spices you think sound yummy could make you the barbecue master of the next tailgate party.
Spread it on toast: In a medium saucepan, stir together a cup of pureed pumpkin, about one-third cup of brown sugar or more to taste, a half teaspoon of vanilla extract, a half cup of apple cider and a dash of cinnamon, ginger and pumpkin pie spice. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Once the mixture has fully cooled, stir in a couple tablespoons of softened butter.
Just add bourbon: Stir a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree to your next Old Fashioned. Sweeten the drink with maple syrup instead of sugar and use a honey- or cinnamon-flavored bourbon.
Call Liz Biro at (317) 444-6264. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Email her at elizabeth.biro@indystar.com.