Early this morning I noticed that our pumpkin was missing from the front of our Baltimore row home. I’m sure the theft was due to the orange fever that has swept Charm City. Last night the Baltimore Orioles baseball team won their post-season wild-card game and begin a five game series tomorrow against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards. Our neighborhood erupted in wild cheers when the game ended after midnight.
I’m actually surprised that our fall decoration lasted outdoors for an entire week. I’ll replace it soon because I enjoy hearing shrieks of delight when toddlers walk by our house and enthusiastically announce, “pumpkin!”...
I’m actually surprised that our fall decoration lasted outdoors for an entire week. I’ll replace it soon because I enjoy hearing shrieks of delight when toddlers walk by our house and enthusiastically announce, “pumpkin!”...
Perhaps the best part of having a pumpkin adorning a front stoop in October is baking it afterwards. Instead of carving a jack-o-lantern or making a pumpkin pie, I use a recipe that I heard described several years ago by cookbook author Dorie Greenspan during a NPR interview.
You can use your outdoor decorative pumpkin if it's still fully intact or purchase a small to mid-size pumpkin depending on the number of people you plan to serve. Whoever is currently in possession of our pumpkin may enjoy baking it for a delicious dinner using the following recipe:
Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good
You will need:
1 small pumpkin, about 3 pounds
freshly ground pepper
¼ pound stale bread, cut in ½ inch chunks (or use cooked brown rice)
¼ pound cheddar cheese cut into ½ inch chunks (or use shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese)
2-4 cloves garlic, split, germ removed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup sliced scallions or cooked chopped onions
1 teaspoon thyme
about 1/3 cup or less light cream (or half and half)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Optional ingredients: walnut pieces; apple or pear chunks; cooked vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, mushrooms); frozen peas; cooked brown rice and beans
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Using a knife and caution, cut cap out of pumpkin top. Make opening large enough to remove seeds and strings from cap and inside of pumpkin. Generously season inside of the pumpkin with pepper. Place on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish. Toss bread, cheese, garlic, herbs and optional ingredients together in a bowl. Season with pepper and pack the mixture into the pumpkin until well filled. Stir cream with nutmeg and pepper and pour into pumpkin until ingredients are moistened. Replace cap and bake pumpkin for 2 hours, checking after 90 minutes. Remove the cap during last 20 minutes of baking time to brown stuffing. When pumpkin flesh is tender, remove from oven. With a large spoon, pull pumpkin meat from sides into filling and mix everything together. Serve immediately.
Adapted from: Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
A similar recipe called "Swiss Pumpkin" can be found in Comfort Me With Apples by Ruth Reichl.
Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Serving Size 1/3 pumpkin; Yield: 3 servings
Calories: 448
Calories from Fat: 174
Total Fat: 20 grams (30% Daily Value*)
Saturated Fat: 12 grams (58% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 16 grams (64% Daily Value)
*NOTE: 5% Daily Value or less is considered LOW; 20% Daily Value or more is HIGH
Recipe Analysis Summary:
Good points:
High in dietary fiber
Very high in Vitamin A
Not so good point:
High in (artery clogging) saturated fat due to the cheddar cheese and light cream. Use reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese and less cream (or substitute half-and-half) to lighten up the recipe.
Be Well,
Mary
P.S. Please ignore the text box below; your comments are always welcome here.
You can use your outdoor decorative pumpkin if it's still fully intact or purchase a small to mid-size pumpkin depending on the number of people you plan to serve. Whoever is currently in possession of our pumpkin may enjoy baking it for a delicious dinner using the following recipe:
Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good
You will need:
1 small pumpkin, about 3 pounds
freshly ground pepper
¼ pound stale bread, cut in ½ inch chunks (or use cooked brown rice)
¼ pound cheddar cheese cut into ½ inch chunks (or use shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese)
2-4 cloves garlic, split, germ removed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup sliced scallions or cooked chopped onions
1 teaspoon thyme
about 1/3 cup or less light cream (or half and half)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Optional ingredients: walnut pieces; apple or pear chunks; cooked vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, mushrooms); frozen peas; cooked brown rice and beans
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Using a knife and caution, cut cap out of pumpkin top. Make opening large enough to remove seeds and strings from cap and inside of pumpkin. Generously season inside of the pumpkin with pepper. Place on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish. Toss bread, cheese, garlic, herbs and optional ingredients together in a bowl. Season with pepper and pack the mixture into the pumpkin until well filled. Stir cream with nutmeg and pepper and pour into pumpkin until ingredients are moistened. Replace cap and bake pumpkin for 2 hours, checking after 90 minutes. Remove the cap during last 20 minutes of baking time to brown stuffing. When pumpkin flesh is tender, remove from oven. With a large spoon, pull pumpkin meat from sides into filling and mix everything together. Serve immediately.
Adapted from: Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
A similar recipe called "Swiss Pumpkin" can be found in Comfort Me With Apples by Ruth Reichl.
Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Serving Size 1/3 pumpkin; Yield: 3 servings
Calories: 448
Calories from Fat: 174
Total Fat: 20 grams (30% Daily Value*)
Saturated Fat: 12 grams (58% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 16 grams (64% Daily Value)
*NOTE: 5% Daily Value or less is considered LOW; 20% Daily Value or more is HIGH
Recipe Analysis Summary:
Good points:
High in dietary fiber
Very high in Vitamin A
Not so good point:
High in (artery clogging) saturated fat due to the cheddar cheese and light cream. Use reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese and less cream (or substitute half-and-half) to lighten up the recipe.
Be Well,
Mary
P.S. Please ignore the text box below; your comments are always welcome here.
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