Zucchini Bread with walnuts and craisins

I have a wonderful friend who is always kind enough to share her zucchini with me.  I tried this recipe at Christmas and made it into mini loaves for the kids' teachers.  I loved it!  The walnuts and craisins were a delicious  alternative to chocolate chips.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 5 by 9 inch loaf pans.

2 In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter.

3 Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture and stir it in. Add the flour, a third at a time, stirring after each incorporation. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg over the batter and mix. Fold in the nuts and dried cranberries or raisins if using.

4 Divide the batter equally between the loaf pans. Bake for 55 minutes (check for doneness at 50 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Pumpkin Stew

As soon as we started seeing fresh pumpkins this year, the kids were begging me to make this stew.  It has a long cook time, but it's easier than you think to prep and definitely worth the little bit of extra effort.  I also love using this recipe when we need to take dinner to other people.  It's hearty and beautiful to serve.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

• 1 cup water

• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 4 medium carrots, sliced

• 1 large green pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 pumpkin (10 to 12 pounds)

• Directions In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tablespoons oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin; cut to 6 to 8 in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loosen fibers from inside. Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Topping

Ingredients

• CRUST:
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• FILLING:
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• TOPPING:
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 pecan halves

Directions

1. Combine crust ingredients. Press into bottom of a 9-in. springform pan; chill.
2. For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for topping, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over filling; return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack; chill overnight. Garnish each slice with a pecan half.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground pecans
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 3/8 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the melted butter or margarine and mix well. Firmly press mixture into one 9 inch springform pan.
3. Combine 3/4 cup of the white sugar, the pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, ground cinnamon, ground mace, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.
4. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and mix well. Add the whole egg, remaining egg yolk and the whipping cream, beating well. Add cornstarch and vanilla and lemon flavorings, beat batter until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes. Do not overbake. Center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter or grease one 10x15 inch jelly roll pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth. Evenly spread the mixture over the prepared jelly roll pan.
3. Bake 15 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
4. Remove cake from pan and place on tea towel (cotton, not terry cloth). Roll up the cake by rolling a towel inside cake and place seam side down to cool.
5. Prepare the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
6. When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with cream cheese filling. Roll up again without towel. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle top with confectioners sugar and slice into 8-10 servings.

Crumb Topped Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bites

Crumb Crust
2 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. uncooked regular oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
3/4 c. butter, melted
Combine flour, sugar, oats, salt, and nuts in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and
combine with hands until mixture is coarse and crumbly.
For mini tarts, drop a generous teaspoon of mixture into each hole;
for cupcake-sized tarts, line a tin with foil
cupcake liners and drop a generous tablespoon into each liner. Press down.
Use
leftover mixture to sprinkle on tarts before baking.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
1 small can pumpkin
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese (light works great), softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Combine pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add eggs and seasoning and mix completely. Spoon into prepared crust (1 Tbsp. for
minis, 2 generous Tbsp. for regulars) and
sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake at 350;
for mini tarts, bake for about 15 minutes. For the regular tarts, bake closer to 20. If
you'd like the crumb topping a little darker, you can turn the broiler on for a few
minutes, but you have to keep a close eye on them because they will literally burn in a
few seconds.
Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate for at LEAST 24 hours. Run a knife around
the edge of each tart to loosen and then gently pop out with the knife. Serve with
sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Makes 12 regulars and 24 minis or 2 pans of each.

Pumpkin Bars/Applesauce Bars

2 C flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1 16 oz can pumpkin
1 C cooking oil
1-2 C chocolate chips (optional)

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in eggs, pumpkin and oil until thoroughly combined. Fold
in chocolate chips. Spread in an ungreased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
Frost with cream cheese frosting if you omitted the chocolate chips.
(For APPLESAUCE bars, prepare as above except use 16oz can of applesauce instead of pumpkin

Pumpkin Bread by Marilyn Macdonald

1 C Vegetable Oil
4 eggs
3 C sugar
2 C Pumpkin
2/3 C water

Mix and beat well.

sift the following ingredients then add to mixture above

3C Flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

mix well. Stir in
1 C Nuts (pecans of course)

Bake in 4 greased and floured loaf pans or 1 lb coffee cans
fill 1/2 way and bake at 350* for 40-50 minutes (loaf pans)
60-70 minutes (coffee cans)

Pumpkin Cookies by Stephanie Doll Dunklee

1 C Shortening
2 C Sugar
2 eggs
4 C Flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 C Pumpkin (or applesauce)
3 C Chocolate Chips

Cream Sugar and Shortening. Mix in eggs. Add all dry ingredients and mix well (dough will be crumbly)
Add pumpkin and mix well. Add Chocolate Chips. Drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes at 375*. Makes about 5-6 dozen

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
...1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pumpkin Bars by April Gustafson

2 C flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1 16 oz can pumpkin
1 C cooking oil
1-2 C chocolate chips (optional)

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in eggs, pumpkin and oil until thoroughly combined. Fold
in chocolate chips. Spread in an ungreased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
Frost with cream cheese frosting if you omitted the chocolate chips.
(For APPLESAUCE bars, prepare as above except use 16oz can of applesauce instead of pumpkin

Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Crumb Crust
2 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. uncooked regular oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
3/4 c. butter, melted
Combine flour, sugar, oats, salt, and nuts in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and
combine with hands until mixture is coarse and crumbly.
For mini tarts, drop a generous teaspoon of mixture into each hole;
for cupcake-sized tarts, line a tin with foil
cupcake liners and drop a generous tablespoon into each liner. Press down.
Use
leftover mixture to sprinkle on tarts before baking.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
1 small can pumpkin
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese (light works great), softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Combine pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add eggs and seasoning and mix completely. Spoon into prepared crust (1 Tbsp. for
minis, 2 generous Tbsp. for regulars) and
sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake at 350;
for mini tarts, bake for about 15 minutes. For the regular tarts, bake closer to 20. If
you'd like the crumb topping a little darker, you can turn the broiler on for a few
minutes, but you have to keep a close eye on them because they will literally burn in a
few seconds.
Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate for at LEAST 24 hours. Run a knife around
the edge of each tart to loosen and then gently pop out with the knife. Serve with
sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Makes 12 regulars and 24 minis or 2 pans of each.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 4 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

• Variations : Add raisins, mini chocolate chips (the best), pecans, or walnuts.