Jeannie Sprague's Roasted Pumpkin Kabob Salad

Roasted Pumpkin Kabob Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pie pumpkin (about 2 lb.) or 2 lb. butternut or acorn squash
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or salad oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. snipped fresh sage or flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
• 1 tsp. kosher salt or 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or salad oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 oz. semi-soft goat cheese (chèvre) or 6 small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)*
• 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pumpkin seeds, purchased pumpkin seeds, toasted walnuts or pecans
• 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh sage
• 6 cups mesclun or arugula

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees °F. Halve pumpkin or squash; scoop out and discard fibrous strings and seeds. Peel with a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife. Cut into 1-1/2- to 2-inch chunks. Thread onto six 8- to 10-inch wooden skewers. Place in a foil-lined shallow baking pan.

2. Combine the 1/4 cup oil, garlic, the 2 teaspoons sage, lemon peel, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush half the oil mixture over kabobs. Roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Brush kabobs with remaining oil mixture. Roast for 15 minutes more or until tender.

3. Meanwhile, in a screw-top jar combine the 1/3 cup oil, lemon juice, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and shake well; set aside. Shape goat cheese into 6 balls; roll in pumpkin seeds or nuts and/or the 1 tablespoon sage.

4. Just before serving, place mesclun, kabobs, and prepared cheese balls in a serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Makes 6 servings

Jeannie Sprague's Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

• Nonstick spray for baking
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into chunks (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1 1/2-lb. pie pumpkin, shredded* or one 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 6 eggs, slightly beaten
• Molasses Glaze (below)
• Molasses Whipped Cream (below)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With the nonstick spray for baking, generously coat a 10-inch square tube pan without removable bottom or a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl set aside 1/2cup of the flour. In a large bowl combine remaining flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. To the reserved 1/2 cup flour, stir in chocolate chunks; toss to coat.

3. In another bowl combine pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Add chocolate mixture. Stir until combined. Pour batter into tube pan.

4. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove cake from pan; cool 30 minutes. Brush with Molasses Glaze; cool. Served with Molasses Whipped Cream. Makes 12 to 16 servings

Molasses Glaze: In a small saucepan melt 1/4 cup butter; stir in 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup dark-color corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons molasses. Bring to simmer. Cook, uncovered, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool 5 minutes; spoon over cake.

Molasses Whipped Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl combine 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, and 2 to 3 teaspoons molasses. Beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spoon into serving bowl. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or ground cinnamon. Pass with cake.

Alexis Dorny's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

16 oz canned pumpkin

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

12 oz chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. Sift together flour and dry ingredients. Stir to form dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Alexis Dorny's Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin

1/4 cup softened butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon yeast

Combine ingredients in bread machine and process on dough cycle. Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape rolls as desired and place on greased baking sheet. Cover and rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cherry's Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon each kosher salt, cinnamon and allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Place oil, red onion, garlic and seasonings in large pot. Cook on medium-low heat until red onion and garlic brown. Puree the beans and tomatoes with half the vegetable broth. Add pureed ingredients, pumpkin and rest of broth to the pot. Simmer uncovered until thick, about 40 to 45 minutes. Before serving stir in balsamic vinegar. Garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Next Cooking Class Sept 30th!

Hello everyone, are you surprised to see this blog get updated? I sure am! I got the flu, which forced me to cancel a trip so I had time to write this. Imagine what a cool person I could be if I didn't travel! Wait sorry, this isn't my personal blog it is a cooking blog so.. LET'S COOK!

Or not..

September's topic:

BROWN BAG!! See how this could help you...

• Are you tired of your kids complaining that the food you send in their lunch has no trade-in value on the streets?

• Are you burned out on getting invited to a quilting lunch and just stay home and watch your favorite rerun of MASH instead because you don't have anything at home that doesn't require hours in the kitchen?

• When your grandkids come over, do you feel like you have to have costco snacks in the pantry to bribe them (wait, which ones do they like?)

• When you go to play group, do your kids always want to eat Lyndsi or Jo's snacks?

• Do the cafeteria ladies make your kids put their chocolate away (I know, that is none of their business, right?)
  

Well this is the class for you! Come to class and bring something that looks healthy enough to fool even the most astute of lunch ladies!

SEPTEMBER 30th at 7pm MPR (Multipurpose room, I just got that acronym from a cool school in Indiana!)

Lynette Mill's Chocolate Mud Cake

This was the slow cooker recipe. I know, I know, forever ago. But just in time for the slow-cooker season!

Serve with vanilla ice cream

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons + 1/3 cup cocoa

1 tablespoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoons salt

1/ 3 cup milk

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water

1. Spray Pam all over slow cooker.

2. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. Melt butter and chocolate chips in microwave.

3. Whisk in 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk and egg yolk. Add to flour and stir well.

4. Pour batter into slow cooker and spread evenly. In bowl, whisk together brown sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa and hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

5. Pour mixture over batter in slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours.

6. When done, cake is very moist -- floating on a layer of chocolate (sides pull away from pot)