Pumpkin Pie Using a Fresh Pumpkin

Pumpkin pie from real organic pumpkins is easier than you think!

Best served barely warm, with freshly whipped cream kissed with maple syrup and vanilla.

1 medium sugar pumpkin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie (see below)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup honey, warmed slightly for easy pouring and mixing
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

To Roast/Prepare the Pumpkin:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Lightly oil the cut surface. Place cut-side down on a glass baking dish or baking sheet with four rimmed sides. Bake until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork (usually about one-half hour to 45 minutes). Cool until just warm. Scoop out the cooked flesh from the skin and puree.

For the Pie:
Increase oven preheat temperature to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). In large bowl, blend together 2 cups pumpkin puree, spices, and salt. Beat in eggs, honey, milk, and cream. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at the new temperature, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge of pie comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Options:
Reducing the amount of honey to 3/4 allows the pumpkin flavor to come out more in this recipe, and also makes it less sweet.

Instead of baking in a pie crust, bake it in greased custard cups or pie dish. The result will be gluten-free pumpkin custard!

If you want to make the pie or custard extravagant, mince up candied ginger and spread a layer on the bottom of the crust, or bottom of the dish, before filling.

Exclude milk as desired, and substitute soy, rice or almond milk.

Pie Crust
2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
6-7 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, pulse the butter, flour, salt, and sugar until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, while mixing on low. When the dough just barely starts to come together, turn off the mixer and stop adding water. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead briefly until the dough is cohesive. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

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Posted on December 23, 2014

Sweet Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies?!? You never told me I could make cookies out of pumpkin! I gotta try this!

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups Nash’s white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt, and add to the mixing bowl. Stir well to form a soft batter. Stir in the chopped nuts, raisins, and chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a large, baking sheet (or two smaller ones), allowing space for the cookies to spread as they bake. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and the cookies begin to brown slightly on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack or plate. Enjoy!

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Posted on November 25, 2014

Whole Grain Pumpkin Pie

These pumpkins are now ripe, cured, and ready to entertain your tastebuds!

Makes two pies.

Step 1: Select pumpkin or winter squash and wash, cut in half and remove seeds. Bake in oven at 350 for 45-90 minutes until soft. Let cool.

Step 2: Scoop out the cooked pumpkin, and drain if too watery.

Step 3: Make the pie crusts. You’ll need:

2 cups Nash’s soft white wheat flour
2 sticks butter, sliced and frozen
Pinch of salt (optional)
3-5 tablespoons ice-cold water

In food processor add flour, salt and butter and pulse until mixed. Add 1 tablespoon ice-cold water at a time until a ball forms. Take care not to let the dough get too wet or to overwork it. Separate dough into 2 balls and cover and refrigerate until ready to roll out crust. If you don’t own a food processor, no worries. You can do the crust by hand with a pastry cutter or fork.

Roll dough ball out on a floured surface to fit your pan, about a 12″ circle for a 9″ pie pan. Place rolled dough over a buttered pie dish and press in, crimp or flute edge.

Step 6: Make the filling. You’ll need:

1 cup sugar (1 1/4 cup honey may be substituted)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
(or 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of above spices)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups cooked pumpkin or winter squash
12 ounces liquid, such as local Dungeness Valley Creamery milk, canned evaporated milk, or milk substitutes such as coconut milk or almond milk

Mix all filling ingredients well in hand mixer or blender.

Step 7: Fill the crust. You may choose to parbake the crusts for 3 minutes before filling. Pour filling into crust from 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top. Bake at 425 F for the first 15 minutes then turn down to 350 F and bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a blunt knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 8: Let cool and enjoy! Ideas for excess filling: make french toast, muffins, or bake without a crust. You may choose to save the pumpkin seeds for planting next year or to roast in the oven for a snack.

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Posted on November 25, 2014

Nash’s Carrot Cake

It’s carrot season! Let’s celebrate with cake.

2 cups Nash’s soft white wheat flour
2 cups organic sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups organic light oil
2 cups grated Nash’s carrots
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh pineapple, well chopped
1 cup organic flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
6 ounces cream cheese or fromage blanc (perhaps from Mt. Townsend Creamery)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups organic powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chopped nuts for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, oil, carrots and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in pineapple, coconut and nuts. Pour into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost cake. Sprinkle with additional nuts. Store int eh refrigerator.

Yield: 12-16 servings.

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Posted on September 11, 2014

Rhubarb-Ginger Cobbler

4 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup rapadura sugar
2 teaspoons allspice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 egg
1/3 sorghum molasses
3+ tablespoons grated ginger root
2+ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup milk with vinegar (or buttermilk)

Put rhubarb in a bowl. Pour sugar over it and toss well to mix. Let stand in refrigerator for an hour. Drain rhubarb and discard all but 1/4 cup juice. Return to its bowl, sprinkle with allspice, and toss.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large rectangular baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the brown sugar. Beat the egg into the creamed mixture and add to the sorghum and ginger root. In a small bowl, mix together the ground ginger, cinnamon, mustard, baking soda, and the flour. Add in increments to the batter, stirring as you go along. Add the milk-with-vinegar and beat until smooth. Pour the rhubarb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Drop the ginger mixture by the teaspoonful on top. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees. Bake for another 15 minutes, until the cake is well browned. Yields 8 servings.

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Posted on July 3, 2014

Strawberry Ideas

Strawberries are here, strawberries are here! Hurry and make as many delicious strawberry dishes as you can before they’re gone!

Salads—Great with spinach.

Smoothies—with yogurt, milk, juice, bananas and oranges.

Syrup—Boil in a little water, allow to cool, and use on Nash’s buckwheat pancakes, or on ice cream. Add a little chopped basil for a taste explosion!

Desserts—Dip in melted chocolate; add to a fruit pie; slice and put on vanilla ice cream, drizzle with high-quality Balsamic vinegar, garnish with mint.

Butter—Chop fine and add to softened butter with a little pepper.

Popsicles—Crush into chunky liquid, mix with a little sugar, put into popsicle forms and freeze. Kids love ‘em!

Ice Cubes—Put one strawberry into each ice cube section of an ice tray, freeze and put in lemonade, wine coolers, etc.

Trail Mix—Dry in a food dehydrator and mix with nuts, raisins, etc.

Soup—Blend 3 cups strawberries, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup Reisling, and 1/3 cup sugar. Chill and drizzle with olive oil and a dash pepper.

Salsa—Chop and mix strawberries, chives, cilantro, dried cranberries, and avocado. Mix with red pepper jelly, lime juice and a little dried crushed red pepper.

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Posted on June 5, 2014

Rhubarb Custard

Try rhubarb in a custard for a quite enjoyable treat.

4 cups chopped rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar (or less)
2 tablespoons Nash’s white wheat flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix together and put in buttered baking dish. Bake in hot oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

3 eggs
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat eggs in bowl, add cream, butter and nutmeg, and blend. Pour over hot rhubarb. Bake 20 minutes more till golden. The filling can also can be put in an unbaked pie shell and baked the same way.

Margie recommends using the tasty organic rhubarb from Lazy J Farm in Agnew — and turning it into custard pie!

We thank Nash’s own Margie Diffner for this recipe.

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Posted on April 25, 2014

Gluten-Free Ginger and Apple Cornmeal Cake

8 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon xanathan gum
1 cup xylitol or organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 apples, cored, cut into eighths
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour, such as Manini’s or Bob’s Red Mill
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup almond milk

Melt 4 tablespoons coconut oil in skillet (preferably cast iron). Add 1/2 cup xylitol/sugar and stir until smooth, making sure to coat sides. If not using cast iron, transfer mixture to a 9” pie pan and coat sides.

In a circular pattern, lay apple wedges on bottom of pan, covering it entirely. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated ginger over apples, then place in oven for 15 minutes at 350 F, or until apples are tender.

Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining ginger and salt in a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix remaining coconut oil (solid) and xylitol/sugar until fully integrated and smooth. Add eggs one at a time and blend until combined. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix thoroughly, but do not overwork batter. Add milk and mix until batter is smooth.

Remove apples from oven and pour batter on top, distributing evenly.

Return to oven and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand 10 minutes, run knife around sides of pan, and invert onto platter or cutting board. Cut and serve.

We thank chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Posted on February 28, 2014

Baked Doughnuts

Makes 1 1/2 dozen doughnuts

1 large potato
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk, scalded
2 1/2 cups Nash’s red wheat flour
1/3 cup butter, softened, plus melted butter for topping
1/2 cup honey, warmed
coconut sugar (see below)
2 teaspoons dry yeast

Cook potato in enough water to cover until tender. Drain, reserving 2
tablespoons cooking water. Mash potato.

Combine milk, butter and honey in a large bowl. Stir well and cool to
lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm reserved potato water. Let proof, then add to
milk mixture. Add 1/2 cup mashed potatoes and egg, then work in flour.
Place in an oiled bowl, turn once to oil top, cover and let rise in a warm
place until light, about 1 hour.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5-8 minutes. Roll to 1/2-
inch thickness and cut into circles using a 3-inch doughnut cutter.

Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place doughnuts on baking sheet and let rise
again for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. remove from oven,
brush immediately with butter and dust with coconut sugar.

Coconut Sugar
Place 1 cup unsweetened dried coconut in blender or coffee mill and process at medium speed until coconut is very fine. Store in a sealed jar and use in place of powdered sugar to dust cakes and cookies.

We thank Rodale’s Basic Natural Foods Cookbook for this recipe.

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Posted on February 28, 2014

Sweet Buttermilk Shortbread

Top this shortbread with strawberries and cream, mmmmmmmm.

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups Nash’s soft white wheat flour
10 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Strawberries and whipped cream to top

Mix all dry ingredients. Cut butter into dry ingredients until crumbly, about pea size. Add the buttermilk gently. Don’t overmix.

Form dough into large disc on floured board about 1 inch thick. Cut out with a round cutter (2” diameter) and bake at 375 for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Top with crushed strawberries and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on February 28, 2014