PUMPKIN PUMPKIN and more PUMPKIN

I don't know about anyone else but growing up I loved getting those pumpkins to carve because it meant we made pumpkin seeds!!!!!!!!  YUM my favorite.  So this fall I bought a pumpkin, I didn't carve it because I wanted to try and cook the pumpkin for dinner.  But first I made Pumpkin seeds! They were delish I might add

Pumpkin Seeds

1. Place pumpkin seeds and strings in a colander and run under water to rinse and separate the seeds from everything else.

2. Measure pumpkin seeds in a cup. Place the seeds in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to the pan for every half cup of pumpkin seeds. Add more salt if you'd like saltier seeds.

3.  Bring saucepan to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan or thick baking sheet with olive oil, about a tablespoon. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan in a single layer, and toss them a bit to coat them with the oil on the pan. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown 5- 20 minutes, depending on the size of the seeds.  Keep an eye on the pumpkin seeds so they don't get over toasted.  When lightly browned, removed the pan from the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack.

 

Sweet Pumpkin over Nutmeg Quinoa

 

 

1 cup Quinoa, cooked

Nutmeg, to taste

2 cups chopped pumpkin

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

 

 

Directions

 

1.  Cook quinoa according to box (I use chicken stock instead of water, but that is optional). Once quinoa is cooked add in just a dash of nutmeg so you can taste just a hint of it.

 

2. While quinoa is cooking add a tablespoon of pumpkin into a medium frying pan. Add chopped pumpkin sauté until carmelized then add ground coriander and ground cardamom.

 

 

 

Herbed Sauted Pumpkin over Wild Rice

 

1 cup Wild Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups Pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoon Rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoon Thyme

 

1.  Cook wild rice according to directions, (I used chicken stock and lemon juice).

 

2.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil into a medium frying pan. Add chopped pumpkin and sauté until caramelized.  Add Rosemary and Thyme to the pumpkin and cook until just fragrant.

 

 



Browned Butter Gnocchi with Pumpkin

 

1 16 oz package prepared gnocchi (on pasta aisle)

3 cups chopped pumpkin

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons soy nuts

1.5 oz Parmesan Cheese

 

1.  Cook gnocchi in a large Dutch oven according to package directions.  Add pumpkin during the last minute or two of cooking.  Drain

 

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium-heat.  Add butter and oil; cook 7 minutes or until butter browns. Add gnocchi mixture and pepper to pan; toss to coat. 

 

3. Spoon about 1 1/2 gnocchi mixture into each bowl. Sprinkle each serving with soy nuts and 2 teaspoons of cheese.