Leon County Cooks: Pumpkin - more than just a pretty face

Hannah Matney is not excited about cleaning the inside of the pumpkin out in order to make her “Jack-O-Lantern” while sister Sarah plans her strategy. Sherry’s Shots I’m betting that most folks who grew up around here rarely, if ever, had pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Most of us looked forward to sweet potato pie and were told that it tasted a lot like pumpkin.

Today, pumpkin pie is as much a staple in the rural areas of Leon County as it is in the cities.

On the health side of things, pumpkins are rich in Vitamin A and potassium and are high in fiber. That is correct – they are very good for you, until you start adding other ingredients.

Pumpkins have been referred to in many forms of literature, for instance; The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; and Cinderella. And we all know about the Jack-O- Lantern, but do you know how it got its name?

It seems there was a mean, stingy man who lived in Ireland nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” Over the course of his life Stingy Jack had been one bad dude and had tricked the devil into promising to never claim his soul. When Stingy Jack got to the Pearly Gates of Heaven Saint Peter turned him away because of his hateful life and the Devil wouldn’t let Jack in Hell either, sending him off into the dark with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

When the Europeans came to The Americas they realized that the pumpkin made a much better “Jack –O-Lantern” and the rest is history.
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
1 1/2 cups Cooked, strained
pumpkin(or canned)
2/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup
Brown Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Evaporated Skim Milk
3 Eggs
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon*
1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves*
1/4 teaspoon Ginger*
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg*
1/4 teaspoon Salt
*(or you can use Pumpkin
Pie spice and omit these 4
spices)
1 Unbaked Pie Shell
Preparation Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degree.

2. Mix pumpkin, sugars, and spices in large bowl.

3. Add evaporated milk and eggs.

4. Mix all ingredients well

5. Pour pumpkin filling into pie shell.

6. Bake at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes.

7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more. TIP: If crust begins to get too brown, loosely cover crust only with foil.
Pumpkin Muffins
1 cup Fresh or Canned Pumpkin

3 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/4 cup 2% Milk
1/4 cup Soft Butter or margarine

1 cup Raisins
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Put muffin cups into muffin tins or grease the tins.

3. Cream butter(or margarine) and sugar until fluffy.

4. Beat in pumpkin and eggs.

5. Dredge raisins in 1/2 cup of flour.

6. Sift remaining flour and spices together.

7. Pour milk into a mixing bowl.

8. Mix in dry ingredients by hand until just mixed.

9. Stir in raisins.

10. Spoon mix into paper cups in muffin tin.

11. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve pumpkin raisin muffins warm or cool. Spread on butter or margarine, if desired.
Pumpkin Soup
16 ounces Pumpkin (canned
or fresh pureed)
13.75 ounces Chicken Broth
1 Large Onion
2 Carrots(Wheels or Diced)
2 cups half and half or evaporated
milk
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/3 teaspoon(or less) Salt
4 teaspoons artificial bacon
bits

1. In a large pot add, chicken broth, onions, carrot, baking soda, salt and pepper.

2. Simmer uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes until carrots are soft.

3. Optional: Put vegetable and broth into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

4. Return to pot.

5. Add pumpkin and half and half.

6. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

7. Pour into soup crocks or soup bowls.

8. Top with sour cream and artificial bacon bits.