Pumpkin Patch Pizzazz

So Halloween is over, but the pumpkins are still everywhere. Here are a few ideas. Even canned pumpkin will do in a pinch. But the ideas are endless!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

3/4 cup crumbled almonds 3/4 cup grated carrot 5 eggs, divided 3 cups grated pumpkin 6 T. flour 1 t. grated orange rind 1/2 t. fresh grated gingerroot 1 1/4 cups sugar 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp 1 cup sour cream 1/2 t. grated orange and/or lemon rind 1/4 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set aside some almonds and carrot for the topping. Beat three of the eggs with three-quarters a cup of the sugar, and then fold in the pumpkin, carrot, flour, orange rind, gingerroot and almonds. Spread this mixture in a greased nine-inch springform pan using a fork. Bake for 40 minutes on a cookie sheet. The center will still be "custard-like" in consistency. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a food processor and then add the remaining half cup of sugar, two eggs and the rest of the ingredients. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the baked pumpkin shell. Sprinkle the reserved almonds and carrots on the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until firm. Chill. Serves six to eight.

Real Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup shortening 2 2/3 cup sugar 4 eggs, beaten lightly 1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin purée 2/3 cup water (or orange juice) 3 1/2 cups flour 2 t. baking soda 1 t. baking powder 1 1/2 t. salt 1 t. ground cinnamon 1 t. ground cloves 2/3 cup walnuts, chopped 2/3 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two large (or three small) loaf pans and line with waxed paper, cut to fit the bottoms. Cream the shortening and the sugar in a large bowl —stir in the pumpkin, eggs and the water. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Blend this into the pumpkin mixture, and then fold in the nuts and raisins. Divide the dough evenly into the pans. Bake for one hour —test with a toothpick, the loaves may need 10 minutes more. Cool on racks in the pans before removing to cool completely. Freezes well! This can be made into muffins as well —bake for 20 minutes. (Liners are recommended for lining the muffin tins.)

Pumpkin Soup

2 t. olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 1/2 cups diced sweet red peppers 2 cups pumpkin purée 2 1/2 cups milk 1 T. chili powder 1/4 t. ground cumin 1/8 t. cayenne pepper Salt & pepper 1/2 cup minced sweet red peppers 1 pumpkin, hollowed out

In a large soup pot, heat the oil and then sauté the onions and red peppers until limp —about three to four minutes. Add the pumpkin purée and the milk —heat through. Cool slightly and then purée in a blender until smooth. Add the spices, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes and then pour into the prepared pumpkin and cover with foil or the pumpkin top. Place the pumpkin on a baking pan and bake for one hour at 300 degrees. Serve in the pumpkin and sprinkle the top with a half-cup of the minced red peppers. Serves six.

Pumpkin Oyster Bisque

(*DKTUYTI)

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin 6 cups chicken stock 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t. pepper 3/8 cup dry sherry 1/2 pint shelled oysters, liquid too 1 cup heavy cream

Place the pumpkin in a soup pot along with the chicken stock —bring to a simmer. Stir in the sherry; add the oysters and liquid and the cream. Cook slowly just long enough to heat the soup and until the edges of the oysters curl. Serves four to six.

(*Don't knock this until you try it!)