Pumpkin Bumpkin

The fall is surely pumpkin time, one of our favorite flavors. Pumpkins have been American favorites for centuries, and connected with history and folklore through the ages. The Indians roasted strips of pumpkin for food. Colonists sliced off the top, removed the seeds and filled the center with milk, spices and honey which they baked in hot ashes; probably the beginning of pumpkin pie. Folklore is filled with pumpkins in stories and fairy tales. Cinderella rode to her dream-of-a-lifetime ball in a pumpkin-turned-coach. She just had to remember to be home by midnight (have you heard someone say they'll turn into a pumpkin if they don't go home early?).  Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater kept his wife in a pumpkin (not an appealing adobe). And, on Halloween, let's not forget The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Ichabod Crane disappearing after meeting the headless horseman, leaving behind his horse, his hat, and a pumpkin.

Today, I haven't heard any modern pumpkin stories, just good pumpkin recipes. And its a food you can enjoy for the taste and for the nutrition. The orange color of pumpkin is a sign of the rich antioxidant beta carotene, and Vitamin A. This nutrient may help reduce the risks of certain cancers and protect against heart disease as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. And, if you're worried about freckles or snakebite, Indian legends claim that pumpkins are good for curing both!

Most of the pumpkin supply is available in October and the fall is my favorite time for baking with pumpkin. I recently visited son Clint in Iowa and did a 'pumpkin weekend', making pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin pie.  Here's my recipe for pumpkin muffins, quick and easy, and extra good!

WHOLE WHEAT PUMPKIN APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

2 cups whole wheat flour (or blend)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

⅓ cup white sugar

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup applesauce

½ cup canned pumpkin

⅓ cup buttermilk (or 1 tsp lemon juice + milk = ⅓ cup)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl; set aside.

Beat eggs. Combine brown sugar, white sugar, oil, applesauce,, pumpkin, buttermilk, and eggs in a medium bowl. Mix until well blended. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in raisins and pecans, if desired (1/4 cup each)

Divide the batter evenly in 12 muffin tins. Bake 15 – 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack and remove from pan. 

another favorite, and quick-to-do recipe, is this one for pumpkin bars: I made this for church coffee time earlier in the fall. 

Pumpkin Spice Frosted Snack Bars

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

1 cup Miracle Whip dressing

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, beat cake mix, pumpkin, dressing and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour into greased 15x10x1-inch pan.

 Bake 20-22 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

 Frosting:  (or if you're in a hurry, use a can of ready-to-spread cream cheese frosting)

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 pkg (16 oz) powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar beating after each addition until well blended. Spread over cooled cake. Cut in to bars to serve. Store any leftover bars in tightly covered container in refrigerator.