Newsletters: September - October 2007

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Cook's Corner

Pumpkin Pancakes
SERVES 8

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour
2 T packed brown sugar
1 T aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 T oil

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl. Combine milk, pumpkin, egg and oil in another bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened; batter may be lumpy.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with oil (try coconut oil). Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with Pumpkin Maple Sauce.
From www.pastrywiz.com

Pumpkin Maple Sauce

1 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Blend well.

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana
SERVES 6

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1-3 tsp olive oil or oil of choice
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup each diced red and green pepper
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounce) kidney beans
1 can (4 ounce) diced green chilies
1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned
1 T chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Brown ground beef or turkey, set aside. Saut onion in oil until it begins to turn translucent. Add garlic, then diced peppers. Cook about 1 minute. Add rest of ingredients including browned meat. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Adapted from www.chron.com

The Soup
SERVES 10

1 pumpkin or winter squash, weighing approx 2.5 pounds, halved and scooped out
3 T butter
1 medium onion, diced 1/4 inch
1/2 tsp salt
6-7 cups stock
1/2-1 cup light cream
White pepper
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated
Thyme leaves, finely chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the pumpkin halves, skin up, on a lightly oiled baking sheet until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh is soft, about an hour. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. Reserve any caramelized juices that may collect in the pan.

Melt butter in a soup pot, add the onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the cooked pumpkin, the juices, if any, the salt, and about 6 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil; then simmer, covered for 25 minutes.

Pass the soup through a food mill, which will smooth it out while leaving some texture. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cream. Add more stock if a thinner consistency is desired.

Add white pepper. Stir in grated cheese, garnish with thyme leaves and serve.

Spicy Pumpkin Butter MAKES 2 cups

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 T white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp each ground cloves and ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Pumpkin puree

Combine the two sugars, water, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a quart mixing bowl. Mix well. Add pumpkin and beat on high for 5 minutes. Refrigerate. Use as you would apple butter. Add to whipped cream to garnish a pumpkin pie.
From www.pastrywiz.com

Raw and Living Pumpkin Pudding MAKES 5 cups

4 cups raw pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
1 avocado
1/2 cup freshly squeezed carrot juice
1 cup raw pine nuts, soaked for several hours
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
1/2 cup raw honey

Place all ingredients into a blender or Vita-Mix. Blend until smooth. Place mixture in individual serving cups, smooth with spatula and refrigerate several hours.
From Beautiful on Raw by Tonya Zavasta

Quick and Easy Polenta Ideas

Polenta can be purchased pre-cooked in tubes, eliminating the 40-45 minute cooking time. It is versatile and easy to use. The Food Merchants Brand® Organic Polenta that we carry comes in Original, Basil Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato Garlic flavors.

• Just slice polenta into 1/2-inch thick rounds and microwave, bake, broil or grill. Top polenta with your favorite sauce, gravy or cheese.


• You can also substitute thin slices of polenta for pasta in your favorite lasagna recipe. Do the same with Southwestern ingredients (refried beans, green chili, and cheese) and create a tamale pie to remember.


• Top polenta with your favorite pesto or use as a base for poached eggs.

Grilled Tomato Polenta with Gorgonzola
SERVES 6

4 cups Water
1 cup Bob's Red Mill® Corn Grits/Polenta
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 T dried basil
2 ounces Sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Fresh basil
Oil for grill

In a medium saucepan bring water to a boil; add polenta, basil, salt and tomatoes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until very thick; stir at least every 5 minutes.

Pour and scrape polenta onto a buttered platter, cool about 3-5 minutes. Cut into squares. Heat grill and grill for 2-4 minutes on each side. Top with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese; heat under broiler until cheese is melted (watch closely). Top with freshly chopped basil.
From Bob's Red Mill

Polenta Stuffed Peppers
SERVES 4

3 cups water
1 cup Bob's Red Mill® Grits/Polenta
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, divided
1 cup chopped parsley
4 large green bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, cored and seeded

Bring water to a boil over high heat in a large, deep pan. Add salt and gradually stir in polenta. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently until mixture is very thick, about 30 minutes. Stir in both cheeses. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 can of tomatoes and parsley. Fold polenta mixture into vegetable mixture.

Spoon mixture into pepper halves. Lightly grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Spread remaining can of tomatoes in bottom of pan. Place peppers in pan; cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degree F for 50 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes or until peppers are tender.
From Bob's Red Mill

Homemade Applesauce

There is nothing better than homemade applesauce, and it is so easy to do! The key is adding a few strips of lemon peel to the apples while cooking. The lemon heightens the apple flavor.

3 to 4 pounds of peeled, cored, and quartered apples Make sure you use a good cooking apple like Granny Smith or Fuji
4 strips of lemon peel-use a vegetable peeler to strip 4 lengths
Juice of one lemon
3 inches of cinnamon stick
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
Up to 1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 tsp of salt

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes and remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks and lemon peels. Mash with potato masher. For a smoother applesauce, run the cooked apples through a food mill. Serve hot or cold
From www.massrecipes.com