Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Let me just tell you a little bit about my life the last few months. I had one son in hockey for about six months. There were two practices a week (one on Friday evening) and games every Saturday. Sometimes we'd have to travel up to an hour each way for his two-hour games. On top of that was the holidays. And on top of that we began our remodel project (which will hopefully be done really soon...crossing my fingers). Then in January my other son started basketball which included on average two nights a week. And that went on for about six weeks. So for about six weeks we had basically no weeknights free, our Saturdays were gone and plenty of stuff going on during the day time too.

Keep in mind that this is all vital preparatory information for the recipe that I will share with you today. I had to learn to be very efficient in dinner prep or it wouldn't happen. One of the things that I learned was that I love my electric pressure cooker for those kind of crazy schedules. I used it a lot. Not only as a cooker but also as a warmer to keep the food warm while I was gallivanting around running kids here and there. It's so awesome.

Here's one recipe that I converted to a pressure cooker recipe from a recipe I found at Lulu the Baker. It may not be any more efficient to use the pressure cooker (in fact in this case I think it's not). But it sure is nice when you have like 12.5 minutes to get dinner ready before you have to take someone somewhere. It's called throw it in, push a button and walk away. Then you come back for 2.2 minutes. Just enough time to throw the broccoli in, push a button and leave again. Then around seven that night when you finally get home and everyone is STARVING, you have a hot dinner all ready to go. Saved my life. I should have called this post "Ode to the Cheesy Vegetable Chowder." :)

Well...maybe you're life is just normal (*sigh*)...so ignore the "busy mom" (a.k.a. pressure cooker) directions and go with the stove top method. Either way you make it, this recipe is packed with vegetables, quick and easy to make. Absolutely divine. Yes, it's one of our very favorites! Hope you enjoy.

What about you? What do you do for dinner on those crazy evening schedules?

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder
Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Cup chopped onions
1 Cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 Cup finely chopped celery
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
4 Cups chicken broth
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 Cup water
2/3 Cup milk
2 Cups chopped broccoli
2 heaping Cups shredded cheddar cheese

STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium heat until veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender. Mix flour with water and add to the soup. Simmer until soup is slightly thickened. Add milk and chopped broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through. Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER DIRECTIONS:
In electric pressure cooker, melt the butter using sauté or brown function. Add onions, carrots, and celery and continue to sauté until veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add chicken broth and potatoes, lock lid in place, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally (while you're running here and there). Then mix flour with water and add to the soup.  Add milk and chopped broccoli, lock lid back in place and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Release pressure naturally (running again...). Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Recipe Source: Slightly Adapted from Lulu the Baker (increased onions - they are good for ya, and added electric pressure cooker directions)

Cauliflower Soup

I have an amazing sister-in-law, Lisa. She inspires me in so many ways. And to top it off, she's an excellent cook. This is a recipe that I've adapted from one that she shared on her blog Finer Things Club where she wrote "I dream about this soup on dreary days. I know once you try it, you will too." And she was right. I do. I dream about it a lot...and I make it a lot. And my family doesn't mind because they love it a lot. It is comfort food in its purest form.

I've been waiting for quite a while to post this recipe until I came up with the pressure cooker method for cooking it. I'll include both the pressure cooker method and the regular stove top method here, but I love that the p/c method seriously takes minutes. Either way, it's such an easy soup and tastes delicious. We've had a lot of cold, dreary cold, winter days. Why not enjoy a bowl of this for dinner tonight?

Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Soup

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped in pieces
1 tablespoon of parsley, fresh or 1 tsp. dried
1 Quart chicken broth (or use vegetable broth)
3 Tablespoons flour (or 1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch)
1-1/4 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoons of salt
Sour Cream

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a pressure cooker over medium heat (or use the saute' setting for electric cookers). Add the diced onion and stir for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until onion starts to soften. Add chopped carrot and celery and cook about 5 minutes or until veggies are almost tender. Then add the cauliflower pieces, parsley and 1 Quart of chicken broth. Lock pressure cooker lid and bring to Low Pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan on the stove melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Then add 3 Tbsp. flour until a soft paste is formed and stir with a whisk for a minute or two until mixture is bubbly. Slowly pour in 1-1/4 Cups milk and whisk well. Heat mixture until thick and then add 1 tsp. salt to make a white sauce. When pressure cooker time is up, let the pressure release naturally for about 5 minutes and then do a quick release. Add the white sauce to the pressure cooker and let it incorporate and simmer for a few minutes. Serve the soup hot, adding a dollop of sour cream to individual bowls, if desired. Serve with a fresh roll or slice of homemade bread.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com



Cauliflower Soup
Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped in pieces
1 tablespoon of parsley, fresh or 1 tsp. dried
1 Quart chicken broth (or use vegetable broth)
3 Tablespoons flour (or 1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch)
1-1/4 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoons of salt
Sour Cream

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion and stir for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until onion starts to soften. Add chopped carrot and celery. Then add the cauliflower pieces and parsley. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then add 1 Quart of chicken broth and let it simmer over medium heat. You want the cauliflower to be melt in your mouth tender. In a separate pan melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Then add 3 Tbsp. flour until a soft paste is formed and stir with a whisk for a minute or two until mixture is bubbly. Slowly pour in 1-1/4 Cups milk and whisk well. Heat mixture until thick and then add 1 tsp. salt to make a white sauce. Once the cauliflower has reached that melt in your mouth point, add the white sauce to the soup pan. Let it incorporate and simmer for a few minutes and then serve hot. Add a dollop of sour cream to individual bowls, if desired. Serve with a fresh roll or slice of homemade bread.

Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from Finer Things Club

This week I'll be linking to some of these link parties.

Navy Bean Soup

What tastes better on a cool day then a warm, savory soup? Here's a family favorite recipe that you can make in the pressure cooker or crock pot and is sure to be a hit with old and young alike. How about serving it for dinner tonight along with a loaf of fresh homemade bread?

Navy Bean Soup {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*This is my preferred method to make this soup. It's faster and everything seems to come out more tender and savory!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks
2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
7-1/2 Cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker, being careful not to fill water over the fill line. If necessary, use less water. I use a 6-quart cuisnart electric pressure cooker and it fills the pressure cooker just barely at the fill line. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Pressure release using quick or natural release method. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Add 6-8 cups of hot water or until soup reaches a good consistency. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Love the pressure cooker? Check out more pressure cooker recipes here or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest!

Navy Bean Soup {Crock pot Method}

Printable Recipe (Crock Pot Method)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups dried navy beans

12 Cups water

1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat 4-6 hours until beans are tender. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Alphabet Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}

I've gotten through almost a whole week of spelt posts without any spelt jokes! Well that's pretty good, if you ask me, but sorry that's going to end right now...

How did the Mom making alphabet soup say "I love you?"

She spelt it out!

Ha ha! Okay, I know that one was pretty cheesy, but I couldn't resist. Especially with valentine's day just barely behind us.

On a more serious note, soup is a great thing to include spelt (or any whole grain) in. It's easy to hide (the kids don't notice) and it adds nutrition and texture. It's really easy to do this when you use a pressure cooker! Here's an alphabet soup recipe that I've added spelt and adapted for the pressure cooker from the prudent homemaker's (non-pressure cooker) version here. This is a wonderful soup for kids because it's so colorful, has a very simple flavor (which is a good thing), but is still interesting enough for adults to enjoy.

Alphabet Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}

Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

1 28 oz. can tomatoes

1-1/2 Tbsp. beef base (or 5 tsp. beef bouillon)

2 tsp. dried onion

1 tsp. granulated garlic (or 2 garlic cloves)

2-3 carrots, diced

1/2 Cup uncooked spelt (or barley or brown rice)

1 Quart water (4 cups)

Combine above ingredients in an electric pressure cooker and pressure on high pressure for 12 minutes. Use quick release method. Open up pressure cooker and then add:

1 can green beans

1 can corn

1/2 Cup alphabet pasta

Close the pressure cooker lid again and pressure on high for 3 minutes. Then release pressure (quick or naturally), salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! Very simple meal that the whole family will love. In the pressure cooker it literally takes under 30 minutes from start to finish.

I've also made this recipe in the pressure cooker without adding spelt. It's even faster if you're really in a hurry. Just add ALL the ingredients (including green beans, corn and alphabet pasta) but use only 3 cups of water. You could substitute red or white quinoa for the spelt or just leave it out completely. And pressure it on high for 6 minutes. Very, very simple, very quick and very economical (plus a lot healthier than the store bought variety)! Everything I love in a great recipe!

Recipe Source: Adapted from the prudent homemaker

For more pressure cooker recipes see my pressure cooker recipe page. Or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest.

Linked To: Tastetastic Thursday, Recipe Linky, Cast Party Wednesday, It's a Keeper Thursday, What's Cooking Thursdays, Full Plate Thursday

Chicken Noodle Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}

This recipe is comfort food at it's best! Perfect for a cold, winter day. If you're not feeling well, it is the cure - it really is! I've posted the crock pot version here in case you don't have a pressure cooker, but a pressure cooker makes it SOO much easier to make! You can have it made and on the table in 30 to 40 minutes.

We made this a few days ago for a soup & bread party that we had at our house. We like to invite our neighbors over to get together every other month or so. A dear lady that lives around the corner came and she was so excited - she loves this soup! We made it for her once before and she said it was the best chicken soup she's ever tasted.

And do you know what the secret ingredient is? Squash! Can you believe it? Do you notice that the color is a little more orange that your average chicken noodle soup? It's lovely isn't it? Not only does it look prettier, but the squash gives the soup an extra burst of "comfort" taste. You can use any squash that blends into a smooth puree. Hubbard would be perfect, since that's the squash I'm featuring this week!

Gourmet Chicken Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}

Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can also make this recipe in the crock pot!

*Note: The secret ingredient in this recipe is the pureed squash. You can cook and puree any winter squash the same way I've demonstrated here with pumpkin or you can use canned pumpkin.

*Serves 6-8

6 Cups water

3 tsp. instant chicken bouillon

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. onion salt

Parsley (as much as desired)

1 tsp. pepper

2-3 chicken breasts (boneless or not), leg quarters or leftover turkey meat

1-2 Cups chopped onions

2 Cups diced carrots

2 Cups diced celery

2 Cups cooked, pureed Hubbard Squash (or other winter squash - pumpkin, butternut, banana, etc) 

5-8 oz. Egg Noodles or 1-2 Cups of cooked rice (we like the wide or narrow egg noodles of the Country Pasta brand or you can make your own)

2 cans Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup (or thicken it with ultra jel)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients except egg noodles and cream soups in an electric pressure cooker. Pressure on high for 21 minutes (you only need to cook for 6 minutes if using pre-cooked meat). Use the quick release steam method. Then remove chicken carefully, discard bones, and chop meat. Return chopped chicken to pot. Add 2 cans cream of chicken or mushroom soup (or one of each) and heat with the lid off until warm on the "saute" or "brown" pressure cooker setting. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile cook the egg noodles separately in boiling water on the stove according to package directions. Drain and add to soup when done. Taste the soup and add salt or pepper to taste. 

I haven't tried cooking the noodles with the soup in the pressure cooker - I'm pretty picky about my noodle "done-ness". I like to control how done they are really carefully and that's easier to do on the stove. You can add cooked rice instead of the egg noodles or eat it without. It's also Gluten-free as long as you don't put in the egg noodles and thicken with ultra-gel. 

*Note: This recipe is delicious served with fresh, homemade bread!

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

For more pressure cooker recipes see my pressure cooker recipe page. Or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest.

Linked to Tuesdays Tasty Tidbits, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Blog Hop, Tasty Tuesdays, Recipe linky, Weekly Recipe Collection, Made Famous

Butternut Squash Soup

We went over to a friend's house for dinner a few weeks ago and he cooked up this mouth-watering amazing butternut squash soup. I loved it so much. I thought for sure when I tasted it that it was full of cream and other fatty-no-good-for-you-stuff. I was shocked when I saw the recipe - simple, healthy ingredients. I made it last week for dinner - mmmh! The red pepper puree adds a wonderful little zip that is sooo yummy! This recipe's going down in my book of favorites - especially in fall and winter. We have so many squash still down in our basement that I'm sure I'll be making it again soon. Next time maybe I'll try it with a different kind of squash...

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Purée

Printable Recipe

Butternut Squash Soup

*This Soup can be made a day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill. Re-warm before serving, thinning with more broth if desired.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2¼ Cups chopped onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 2½-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces

5½ Cups (or more) chicken or vegetable broth

3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon grated orange peel (or 1/4 cup of orange juice)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add squash and 5 ½ cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is soft, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Add 1 teaspoon thyme and orange peel. Thin soup with more broth if desired. Simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tablespoon Roasted Red Pepper Puree (see recipe below) into soup in each bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Purée

*This red pepper puree can be made a day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup coarsely chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar (or roast fresh red peppers to use)

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Salt and Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Puree all ingredients in processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a recipe given to me by my friend Colin

Gourmet Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been fighting a cold the last few days - it wants to be there, but I'm not letting it. Brandon has been taking good care of me. He made me drink a red raspberry tea yesterday - it was disgusting - I really don't like the stuff, but it really helped. He had me take some vitamin C and garlic capsules yesterday - the garlic is good for killing infection. And today I woke up and he had put the ingredients for chicken noodle soup in the crock pot. We had it for dinner and oh my - it was delicious! I have to share with you this recipe because I don't think there is anything more delicious in the whole world (okay perhaps I'm exaggerating a little, but this is really really good!). Here's the story of the recipe:

Right after I had J.B several ladies in our neighborhood brought us dinner. One lady brought us turkey soup and another one brought chicken noodle. They were both delicious and I asked both of them for their recipes. Well we combined the two recipes and modified them a bit (most of the new ingredients were discovered by Brandon of course) and came up with our current recipe. And not to brag or anything, but this really is gourmet! The pumpkin puree is a secret ingredient that makes this soup a heart-warming comfort food. As I was eating it tonight I wondered if I had step into heaven for a few minutes. :) And I don't have any evidence or anything but it really does help to eat chicken soup when you're sick! Enjoy!

Gourmet Chicken Soup
Printable Recipe

*Note: The secret ingredient in this recipe is the pureed squash. You can cook and puree any winter squash the same way I've demonstrated here with pumpkin or you can use canned pumpkin.

*Serves 6-8

6 Cups water

3 tsp. instant chicken bouillon

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. onion salt

Parsley (as much as desired)

1 tsp. pepper

2-3 chicken breasts (boneless or not), leg quarters or leftover turkey meat

1-2 Cups chopped onions

2 Cups diced carrots

2 Cups diced celery

2 Cups cooked, pureed Hubbard Squash (or other winter squash - pumpkin, butternut, banana, etc) 

5-8 oz. Egg Noodles or 1-2 Cups cooked rice (we like the wide or narrow egg noodles of the Country Pasta brand or you can make your own)

2 Cans Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup (or thicken it with ultra jel)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients except the egg noodles and cream soups in a crock pot and cook for 5-6 hours or until chicken is soft. Then remove chicken carefully, discard bones, and chop meat. Return chopped chicken to pot and add 2 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup (or one of each) or alternately thicken with ultra gel. Cook egg noodles (we like the wide egg noodles of the Country Pasta brand or you can make your own). You can add rice instead of the egg noodles or eat it without. Add noodles to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.

*Note: This recipe is delicious served with fresh, homemade bread!

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Update: You can also try this recipe in the pressure cooker!

Pumpkin Chicken Soup

My husband made the BEST soup yesterday for dinner. We had a lot of pumpkin left over from our jack-o-lantern from Halloween. He added a couple of cups of pumpkin to our chicken soup and it really improved the flavor. Chicken soup is already such a comfort food, but with the pumpkin it's even more of a comfort food. Here's the recipe for you to enjoy!

Pumpkin Chicken Soup
6 C. water
3 tsp. instant chicken bouillon
1 tsp. onion salt
Parsley (as much as desired)
Dash of pepper
2-3 chicken leg quarters
1-2 C. chopped onions
2 C. diced carrots
2 C. diced celery
2 C. cooked, pureed pumpkin

Heat the above ingredients in a large crock pot for 5-6 hours or until chicken is cooked. Then remove chicken carefully and discard bones and skin. Return chicken to pot and add 4 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup (he used 2 of each). Cook Egg Noodles separately and then combine with the soup. We like the wide egg noodles of the Country Pasta brand or you can make your own! Serve with fresh bread, bread sticks or rolls.

You can add rice instead of the egg noodles or eat it without. I'd like to try this in the pressure cooker sometime because I think it would do great! It's also Gluten-free other than the egg noodles and cream of chicken soup. For lower fat you can substitute 1 or 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts for the Leg Quarters. Mix in some cornstarch if it needs thickening.

The many uses for Pureed Pumpkin

Are there more uses for a pumpkin than just carving scary faces and lighting them with a candle on Halloween? The answer is yes, of course. Pureed pumpkin is a wonderful thing and there are dozens of things you can put it in. The nice thing about pumpkins is that they are very easy to grow in the garden and they store very well (for about 6 months) in a cool basement. After harvesting the pumpkins, let them sit in a warm place for about 2 weeks to cure before putting them in the basement (this allows the stems to fully dry out). You can't store them after carving of course; they have to be left whole. But you can use the meat from the carved ones if you use it within a few days (before it starts to mold). If you didn't grow any this year, this is a great time to go buy them for cheap and store them this winter. Last year, we grew several pumpkins and they were still good even in April! We just opened them one at a time and cooked and pureed the meat and divided it into 1 and 2 cup portions and froze it. Other winter squash (such as Hubbard, Banana, Butternut, Buttercup, etc) also works well in many of these ideas & recipes.

To start with, I'll first tell you the health benefits of pumpkins. Next I'll describe how to cook & puree pumpkin. Next, I'll list some of my favorite uses for pureed pumpkin. Finally, I'll give a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

Health Benefits of PumpkinPumpkins are orange because of the high amounts of carotenoids found in their meat. Carotenoids have great anti-cancer properties. Pumpkins are also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which help promote the health of eyes. Pumpkins also contain nutrients like Vitamin C, potassium, iron, zinc, and fiber. These are all important to overall good health.

Pumpkin seeds are also very healthy. They are high in zinc and essential fatty acids. Be sure to roast your seeds at or below 300 degrees to protect the inherent good fats.

How to Prepare Pureed Pumpkin (don't you love the P's?):
To start with, cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out pulp and seeds (Don't throw the seeds away - they are healthy and delicious roasted!). Then use one of the following methods:

• Microwave Method - This is the easiest way I've found. Cut up the pumpkin into pieces that will fit in your microwave. Cover meat side of the pumpkin pieces with plastic wrap and microwave for 5-15 minutes or until meat is tender and you can scoop it out with a fork. Then place the meat in a blender or food strainer and puree (adding a little water if necessary). Then place pumpkin puree in usable portions (1/2 Cup, 1 Cup or 2 Cup increments depending on the recipe) and freeze.

• Oven Method - Cut up the pumpkin and place, cut sides up, in ungreased rectangular baking dish (13x9x2"). Pour water into dish until 1/4" deep. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven 30-40 min, in 350 degree oven about 40 min, in 325 degree oven about 45 min or until tender.
• Boil Method - Slices or cubes - 15 to 20 min or until tender.
• Steam Method - Slices: 12-15 min, Cubes: 7-10 min or until tender.

Uses for Pureed Pumpkin:

• Pumpkin Pie - this is probably a no-brainer at this time of year, but pumpkin pie is delicious all year round!
• Pumpkin Bread - substitute pumpkin for the zucchini in a zucchini bread recipe, or you can make a whole-wheat pumpkin bread that's not sweet.
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Pumpkin Cookies
  
• Fat Substitute - you can experiment with substituting pumpkin puree for part or all of the fat in your baking recipes. This works great for cookies, pancakes, waffles, breads, etc.
• Stews or Cream Soups - Add a cup or two of pumpkin to stews or cream soups. Some examples include: cream of broccoli, cream of potato, corn chowder.

Others? What do you do with Pumpkin?

Pumpkin Recipes:
Here are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes. Many of them are gluten free or can become gluten free with a few alterations. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided
1 C. Pumpkin, cooked and blended
1 lb. bulk sausage*
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med. Onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 C. Chicken broth, divided
2 tsp. ground sage
½ C. heavy cream**
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Add 1 Tbsp. oil to hot pan & brown sausage. Transfer to paper towel. Drain off fat. Add remaining oil & sauté garlic & onion. Add bay leaf, sage & 1 C. chicken broth. Reduce liquid to half. Add remaining stock & pumpkin. Stir & heat to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat & stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Simmer 5-10 minutes to thicken. Cook pasta & drain. Remove bay leaf from sauce. Combine sauce and pasta & top with cheese.

Notes:
*you can substitute tvp (textured vegetable protein) for the meat. We usually do 1/2 sausage and 1/2 tvp. Just rehydrate about 1/2 C. of unflavored tvp (cover with water and let sit 10-15 min), then add it when you are browning the sausage and it will take on the flavor.
**instead of cream you can add milk or half & half or evaporated milk and its fine

Corn, Potato, Pumpkin Chowder
1 lb. bacon*
1 med. onion
6 med. potatoes
1 can cream style corn
1 C. cooked, pureed pumpkin
Cheddar cheese, sour cream opt.

Brown bacon and crumble. Sauté onion with bacon until tender. Add chopped potatoes and cover with water until barely over top of potatoes. Boil until potatoes are tender. Add canned corn and pumpkin. Cook until warmed through. Serve topped with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese if desired. Can add cooked grains into this recipe for added health.

Notes:
*I usually use a lot less bacon - maybe 1/3-1/2 lb. It tastes just fine and is a lot better for you.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
3 C. pumpkin, cooked, pureed
3 C. brown sugar
¾ C. butter, softened
¾ C. canola oil
4 C. whole wheat flour (or other grain)
4 C. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. salt
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

Mix pumpkin, sugar, butter and oil well. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Bake 375 F for 8-10 min. Makes 11 dozen 2” cookies.

Pumpkin Muffins
1-1/2 C. flour (use freshly ground whole-grain - try oat, brown rice, barley, spelt or combination)
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
½ C. milk
1/2 C. canned pumpkin
1/4 C. butter, melted
1 egg

Mix all ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Grease bottoms of muffin pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

If you have any other great pumpkin recipes - will you post them as comments for us? Thanks!