I love fall and pumpkins. So, this project is perfect! Make something delicious to eat and bake it and serve it inside a beautiful natural pumpkin. It is such a special presentation for a fall meal, and almost anything will work from hearty soups, or rice and vegetables, to savory or sweet soufflés and special desserts.
To get started, remove the top with a sharp knife and clean the pulp from the inside of the pumpkin. Heat the pumpkin and the top on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Be sure and save the seeds to toast because they are so delicious. Then fill the pumpkin with soups, vegetables, or a special dessert.
Wild Rice in a Pumpkin
4 mini pumpkins (about 4 inches) or 1 small pumpkin (about 6 inches)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 (8.8-ounce) package long grain and wild rice ready rice
2 tablespoon salted butter
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a knife, slice tops from pumpkins and scoop out insides and seeds (reserve seeds for roasting, if desired). Place pumpkins on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and rub inside each pumpkin with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until pumpkins are just tender when stuck with a fork. Remove from sheet, and place pumpkins in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside. In microwave, prepare rice according to package directions. Place in a bowl, and stir in butter, salt, pepper, thyme, pecans, and dried cranberries. Spoon rice mixture into each pumpkin, and bake for 15 minutes or until pumpkins are soft and rice is heated. Remove, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 4 servings
Pumpkins with Cheesecake
4 mini pumpkins (about 4 inches) or 1 small pumpkin (about 6 inches)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a knife, slice tops from pumpkins and scoop out insides and seeds (reserve seeds for roasting). Place pumpkins on parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. With mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and egg yolk. Beat in pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon filling into pumpkins, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Cool, and chill for at least 1 hour. With mixer, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Beat in confectioners’ sugar. To serve, place pumpkin with cheesecake on plate and top with whipped cream and candied pumpkin seeds.
Yield: 4 servings
Candied Pumpkin Seeds
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, stir together melted butter, cinnamon, and salt. Add pumpkin seeds, and toss until evenly coated. Spread in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until browned and crunchy. Allow to rest and dry on baking sheet until cooled. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 1 cup
