by Rachel Paxton
By the middle of September you already have a pretty good idea which
pumpkin is going to be your prize winner this year. The big one with the
round smooth face will make a perfect jack-o- lantern come October, as
will the tall skinny one that seems to call out "Pick me!" as you gaze
out over this year's pumpkin patch with childlike anticipation.
So after you've picked the best pumpkins to carve and display, what do
you do with the rest of them? I've discovered some interesting and
unique ways to use up every last bit of your pumpkin crop this year.
Everyone knows you can toast and eat pumpkin seeds, but did you know you
can also sprout them? First soak them by placing them in a glass jar
with just enough tepid water to cover them. Cover the jar with
cheesecloth, holding the cheesecloth in place with a rubberband at the
neck of the jar. Let the seeds set in the water overnight to make sure
they're nice and soft. The next morning, drain the water from the jar by
gently turning the jar upside down until all of the moisture is gone.
Place the jar out of the light (in a closet or cabinet). The temperature
should remain at about 70 degrees. Rinse the seeds in the jar 4 to 6
times a day. After 3 days you should have approximately 1/4-inch
sprouts. Rinse them once more and set the jar in a sunny window for
about a day until the sprouts grow tiny leaves. Eat them in salads,
sandwiches, or add them to soups and casseroles. They're very healthy
and easy to make!
You can also make flour out of fresh pumpkin. Cut the raw pumpkin into
chunks, cut off the skin the best you can and dry in the oven. Grind the
dried pumpkin in the blender or a food mill. Use pumpkin flour as a
partial substitute for all-purpose flour in your favorite breads and
other baked goods. Store in an airtight container.
Last but not least, why wait to enjoy the fruits of your labor? Try
these easy quick bread recipes. Quick breads are easy to prepare because
you don't have to mess around with yeast and waiting for the dough to
rise. You just mix a few ingredients together in a bowl, pour into a
loaf pan, and bake! It's really that easy.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 eggs, beaten slightly
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cooked pumpkin
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup chopped cranberries
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and
pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and
salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add
the pumpkin. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and
floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.
Autumn Bread
2/3 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/4 cups cooked pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
Chopped nuts (optional)
Mix all ingredients together and pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake
at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour.
Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer
and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook
containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to
organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more,
visit Creative Homemaking at
Creative
Homemaking
