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

Extra-Special Pancakes

This recipe is one of our favorites. It makes a fluffy, moist and nourishing pancake—a lovely holiday brunch item and perfect for a cold winter morning. Plan on preparing them a day ahead.

What extra-special morning will you make these extra-special pancakes on?

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons melted butter

Soak flour in the buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt in a warm place for 12-24 hours. Stir in other ingredients and thin to desired consistency with water. Cook on a hot, oiled griddle or on a cast-iron skillet.

These pancakes take longer to cook than pancakes made with unsoaked flour. The acids in the cultured dairy activate the enzyme phytase which begins to break down phytic acid found in the grains, making the grains and the nutrients they provide easier for us to digest and absorb. The lactic acid and lactobacilli found in the cultured dairy help to break down complex starches and proteins that can be difficult to digest.

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Posted on December 18, 2014

Green Timbale

Green fans of delicious nutrition!

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely shopped
1 pound collard greens, stems and leaves shopped separately
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese
5 eggs, lightly beaten

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. Stir in the collards and cook, covered, until tender, about 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and remove the cover. Cook tossing constantly, until all the liquid has evaporated. Cool in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt the remaining butter and add it, plus all the remaining ingredients, to the greens mixture. Mix well and pour into a buttered soufflé dish. Place the dish in a roasting pan and pour boiling water in the pan to half the depth of the dish. Bake until a knife comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the pan and let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and carefully invert onto a shallow serving platter.

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Posted on December 15, 2014

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease a loaf pan with melted butter.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.

Add the water, sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla, mixing after each addition.

Now mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Add the hazelnuts and stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the pan and tap the sides to settle the batter.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan.

Slice and serve.

We thank The Art and Soul of Baking in the Sur La Table series for this recipe.

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Posted on November 25, 2014

Pumpkin Ginger Nut Muffins

What I love about these quick bread pumpkin muffins is that they are so easy to throw together, and so hard to mess up. You can mix everything by hand with a wooden spoon, don’t need an electric mixer. Baking soda and eggs are the leavening agents, so you don’t have to worry about old baking powder that refuses to rise. The one cup of pumpkin purée can come from a can, or from leftover baked squash, any winter squash will do – butternut squash, acorn, pumpkin – they’ll all work. If you don’t like nuts, keep them out. If you like raisins, add them in. The ginger gives the pumpkin a nice spicy kick, but if you don’t like ginger, skip it. This pumpkin muffin recipe is very flexible. Serve freshly baked, warm, and if you really want to be indulgent, with a little butter, once you’ve broken them open.

1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
2 tablespoons well chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.

Mix the pumpkin, melted butter, eggs, 1/4 cup water and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Fold in the candied ginger and chopped nuts.

Spoon mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cool on a rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

We thank Elise from SimplyRecipes.com for this recipe.

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Posted on November 25, 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

Aquacotta-Tuscan Peasant Soup

4 cups onions, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
3 cups celery, chopped fine, including leaves
3 cups savoy or green cabbage
2 cups lacinato kale, sliced fine
1 cup firm tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed
8 leaves basil
Broth, vegetable or chicken
1/3 cup dried Nash’s kidney beans, soaked, cooked and drained
12 slices day old bread
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 eggs

Place onion, salt, and olive oil in a pan and cook until onion wilts. Add celery, cabbage, and kale, and stir. Add tomatoes, basil, and broth until all veggies are covered by 2 inches, and simmer 2-3 hours. Add beans and pepper to taste.

Toast bread and soft-cook the eggs. Don’t overcook because you want the yolk runny. Place a piece of toasted bread in bottom of soup bowl, ladle the soup on top, sprinkle with some cheese, and top with an egg.

From Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazen.

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Posted on October 25, 2014

Jason’s Berry Scones

Have a little summer in your scones!

1 cup Nash’s soft white wheat flour
1/4 cup ice cold butter
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons beaten egg
1/4 cup frozen whole raspberries
1 teaspoon orange zest

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add milk, egg, raspberries and zest.

Mound up the dough and cut. Brush with rest of egg and sprinkle raw sugar on top. Bake on greased parchment at 425 for 13 minutes.

Makes 4 scones.

Thank you Jason Thompson for this local food recipe!

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Posted on September 29, 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