Vegetables: Pumpkin :: Leslie Durso

Archive for Vegetables: Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yoghurt

By Leslie · Comments (4) · October 9th, 2012

It’s that time of year when all the food lines start making everything pumpkin flavor so I thought I’d get a jump on it and make this Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yoghurt. I’d never made frozen yoghurt before, but how hard could it really be? Turns out it’s not! This recipe is so easy, so delicious, and the perfect thing to make when you have just a little bit of leftover pumpkin! The only fault (if you can call it one) is that this dessert has to be eaten the same day you make it… with such a high water content it will freeze into a giant block if you leave it overnight.

Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yoghurt

Serves 8

What you’ll need:

18 oz. vanilla flavored coconut milk yoghurt (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

2 tbsp. canned pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

What you’ll do:

Blend all the ingredients together in a bowl with a hand mixer. Then either place in a ice cream maker and churn till desired texture or place the bowl of yoghurt in the freezer and stir every half hour until you’ve reached desired consistency about 4 1/2 hours.

Enjoy!

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Comments (4)

Categories : Desserts, Desserts: Ice Cream, featured, recipes, Vegan, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Harvest Pumpkin Chip Muffins {Gluten-Free}

By Leslie · Comments (4) · October 23rd, 2011

This is an adaptation of one of my favorite recipes that my Mom always made in the Fall. This is the "regular" version. Below is the gluten-free, vegan version. I have to be completely honest with you and say that I may like this version better! I served them to a bunch of girlfriends last night at a little get together and everyone loved them.

I always try to use the simplest ingredients, but this one does require a few less traditional ones. To be helpful, I've added hyperlinks to where you can purchase all of the ingredients.

Harvest Pumpkin Chip Muffins

Makes 2 dozen

What you'll need:

3 cups gluten free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Baking Flour), sifted

3/4 tsp. chia seeds

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3 heaping tsp cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

3 cups sugar

1 cup melted vegan butter (Earth Balance is my favorite)

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin

2 mashed ripe bananas (mash them well)

12 oz bag of dark chocolate chips or carob chips

What you'll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour and carefully mix in the chia seeds, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside.

Mix sugar, butter, pumpkin, and butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a standing mixer (kitchenaid) When incorporated, add the bananas.

Add slowly to the dry mixture to the wet mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon into muffin cups (pretty full since they don’t rise much)

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Comments (4)

Categories : gluten free, Muffins, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Pumpkin Cupcakes

By Leslie · Comments (6) · October 18th, 2010

Oh how I love pumpkin! I get so excited at the beginning of Fall when that giant bin of pumpkins appears in front of the grocery store! Using pumpkin in your cooking and baking add such a fabulous punch of flavor. And nothing says Fall to me like the combo of pumpkin and cinnamon : ) I crave that combo all summer! This recipe totally satisfies those cravings!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

What you'll need:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tbsp. cinnamon (I like these with lots of cinnamon, scale back if you are not as big of a fan)

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

4 eggs, beaten

1 15oz. can of pumpkin (or fresh that's been roasted and pureed)

For the frosting:

1 8oz. package cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, melted butter and eggs. Make sure your butter has cooled so the eggs don't cook when you add them in : )

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, whisking well. Then whisk in the pumpkin.

Fill the cups 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Let cool before you frost.

For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer or in your kitchen aid with the paddle attachment. Add in the vanilla and gradually add the powdered sugar.

To decorate:

Put the frosting in a ziplock bag, snip the tip off with a pair of scissors and pipe on the cupcakes.

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PS if you love pumpkin like I do, check out these other fantastic recipes:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Tools I used:

cupcake pan

cupcake single carrier

gift boxes

Comments (6)

Categories : Desserts: Cakes, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (7) · September 13th, 2010

Is mid-September too early to break out the pumpkin recipes? I don't think so. It is after labor day. And I have put away all my summer whites. . . What better way to welcome fall then with some yummy-in-my-tummy cookies!?

Don't be afraid, put that bikini away and start baking! Fall is coming!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

What you'll need:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tbsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, soften

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine. You can even use pumpkin pie mix for extra yummy)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups oats

chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking soda, spices and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Blend in the pumpkin. Then gradually add in the flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips and oats.

Using a teaspoon or cookie scoop, place large gum-ball size dollops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.

Now you can either bake as is, or if you like really salty cookies like me, you can sprinkle some salt on the dough before baking.

Bake for 9 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Comments (7)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Cage Fight! Butternut Squash vs. Pumpkin

By Leslie · Comments (0) · October 30th, 2009

pumpkinandsquash "In Season" was the theme last night! I made pomegranate, pumpkin and butternut Squash. I made dinner for Sim's Brother Suveer (here from NY), his sister Sahiba and her boyfriend Keith. It was a "Throw Down Royale!"

Here was the menu:

Salad with avocado, tomatoes and pomegranate seeds

Marinated Grilled Chicken

A cage fight between:

Pumpkin Polenta and Butternut Squash Risotto

We had the chocolate chip pumpkin muffins for dessert with some hot apple cider Such a yummy fall meal! Here is how I did everything!:

The Salad: I used mache and arugula lettuces with hass avocados, cherry tomatoes and pomegranate seeds. I dressed it with a red wine vinaigrette. Click here for a trick to getting pomegranate seeds out of the fruit.

salad

So after a vote, the butternut squash risotto won 3-1. Here is the recipe for the winner!

DSCN2177

Here they are! Too bad risotto had to kick the polenta's butt in the taste challenge!! Let me know if there are ever any two recipes you'd like to compare and we'll continue the "cage fighting"! Here are Sahiba and Keith enjoying the muffins! DSCN2179

Comments (0)

Categories : Party Ideas, Salad, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

By Leslie · Comments (6) · October 29th, 2009

These are my favorite muffins in the whole world!!!! I wait all year for my grocery store to carry pumpkin so I can make these! They are the ultimate fall recipe! Please enjoy!
pumpmuff

So YUMMY!!!!!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

What you'll need:

3 cups flour, sifted

3 cups sugar

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 heaping tsp cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

1 can 15 oz pure pumpkin (you can use fresh pumpkin, but it takes an additional hour or so to roast and puree)

2 eggs

12 oz bag of chocolate chips (for this one, I use semi-sweet)

What you'll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, butter, pumpkin and butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.

pre-mix

Add eggs one at a time. (be sure to let the butter cool before mixing or you will scramble the eggs!)
Stir all the dry ingredients together
Add slowly to the wet mixture, beating in between.
Add the chocolate chips

pumpbatter