Posh pumpkins

Pumpkins seem to be as much a part of American history as the Liberty Bell.

When the colonists first landed in North America, they discovered Native Americans growing and using pumpkins. The large, cumbersome fruit was enthusiastically embraced, and pumpkin pie soon became a national tradition, according to “The New Food Lover’s Companion.” In fact, one early Connecticut colony actually delayed Thanksgiving because the molasses needed to make pie wasn’t readily available.

Today, the versatile pumpkin remains a jack-o’-lantern of all trades. Whether it’s being used as Fright Night’s favorite fruit or to make Turkey Day pie, this decorative yet delicious gourd reigns supreme in the fall.

Read on for storage tips, recipes and craft ideas.

Whew! Still plenty o’ pumpkins here

There’s no need to panic. Although weather-related pumpkin shortages have been reported around the country, Fargo-Moorhead seems to have pumpkins a’plenty.

Dean Hornbacher, president and chief operating officer of Hornbacher’s Foods in Fargo-Moorhead, says the local growers who supply his stores are reporting no dearth of jack-o’-lanterns.

Of course, one has to always factor in the unpredictability of this region’s weather.

“But right now, it looks like we’re going to have pumpkins,” Hornbacher says.

Mike Halvorson, owner of Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch, agrees. Halvorson and his family run the family farm 14 miles east of Fargo along Highway 10. He says this year’s crop had a slow start, but has rallied back nicely.

“They’re a nice color, a nice shape. I think it’s going to be a good year,” he says. “That nice warm weather in September really helped things turn.”

The Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch is open from 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends through Oct. 31. For information, call (218) 498-2684.

How to pick, store gorgeous gourds

Selecting: To pick a good pumpkin, opt for one that is mature, feels firm and has a rich orange color. Avoid ones with scars or cracks. You can check the firmness by pushing on it with your fingernail. If it is mature, it will not scratch under pressure.

Storing: Once you get the pumpkin home, you can store it for at least a month in a cool, dry place. If you want it to keep longer, you can take the pumpkin flesh out of its skin; it can then be frozen, dried or canned.

Using: You don’t need to carve them into jack-o’-lanterns; pumpkins make great eating, too. (See recipes that follow.) They are loaded with antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin A, fiber, potassium and even calcium.

Pumpkins can be baked whole in the oven (set at 325 degrees; cooking varies by size). Just be sure to poke holes in it first and then, when it’s finished, to remove the skin, seeds and membrane.

Gilding the pumpkin

Not in the mood to mess up the kitchen with homemade jack-o’-lanterns?

Here are some super-easy ways to decorate the pumpkin (Note: No gourds were harmed in the making of this article):

• Stick to the basics. Use stickers, rubber stamps, adhesive-backed letters and rub-on decals to decorate whole pumpkins.
• Elegantly creepy. For a more understated effect, cut out and discard the solid center of a paper doily. Spray the backside of the doily with repositionable spray mount, then place on the top of the pumpkin. Use a small stencil brush to daub black paint in the holes outlining the doily pattern. Remove the paper template and – voila! – you have a tastefully decorated pumpkin. (See example in photo at upper left.)
• Bling it on. Can’t find white pumpkins? Make your own with a couple of coats of ivory acrylic spray-paint. When dry, the gourd can be decorated with rhinestones.
• Back in black. Want a gothic look? Try painting the pumpkins black, then decorating them with silver spiderwebs, silver spiders, faux pearls and sequins. For a Tim Burton-esque effect, use a Sharpie or fine-line paint brush to paint “stitched curlicues” all over a white pumpkin (see photo at right), then garnish with stick-on black sequins,  faux gems and black feathers.

From “Better Homes and Gardens Halloween Tricks & Treats”

Roast your own pepitas

Pepitas are pumpkin or squash seeds that have been roasted till crunchy, then salted for flavor. They are sold all over Mexico from carts on the street and bags in the store.

To make your own version:

1. When you carve the pumpkins, scoop the seeds into a colander and the “guts” onto plenty of newspaper. Rinse the seeds thoroughly under the tap to clean off extra pumpkin goo. Drain well.

2. Pour them onto a large, dry cookie sheet and let them sit for at least 24 hours to dry out. At this point, you can pick out the remaining pumpkin pieces that survived the first wash.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss 1½ cups cleaned, dried seeds in a bowl with 2 teaspoons melted butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. (You can change it up a bit by using seasoned salt, garlic salt or – if you like snacks with “bite” – a dash of cayenne pepper.)

4. Spread the seeds in a large baking dish or cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until they are lightly golden and crunchy. (If they are still soft, let them roast a bit longer.) Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Sources: www.about.com, http://allrecipes.com/

To spice up the holiday table, try these pumpkin recipes:

Gingered Pumpkin Soup

1 tablespoon butter

2 15-ounce cans pumpkin

2 14-ounce cans chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup or maple-flavor syrup

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Salt

Ground black pepper

Maple sugar or packed brown sugar (optional)

Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in pumpkin, chicken broth, half-and-half, maple syrup, and ginger. Bring mixture just to boiling. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into a serving bowl. If desired, garnish with maple sugar and pumpkin seeds. Makes 8 appetizer servings.

From www.bhg.com.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the ½ cup of butter and brown sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To make glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon. Add milk as needed to achieve desired drizzling consistency.

Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/

Pumpkin Marmalade

2 cups cooked fresh pumpkin puree or one 15-ounce can pumpkin

1 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

English cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese (buy about 2 ounces for each person you’ll be serving)

Assorted hearty breads

In a medium saucepan combine cooked fresh pumpkin puree, marmalade and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to serving bowl. Cover and cool. Serve as a spread with cheese and bread.

Makes about 3 cups or 24 (2-tablespoon) servings. Spread will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

From www.bhg.com.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1½ cups. Great with bagels, muffins, crackers and other breads.

From www.bhg.com.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Tammy Swift at (701) 241-5525

Tags: pumpkins, halloween, food, cooking, recipes, crafts, moms, life