Pumpkin pie from scratch

After I've processed my pumpkins in the fall, I use them for various recipes. While pureed pumpkin is definitely different from the store bought canned pumpkin, here's a fantastic pie recipe, using your own pumpkin. While this was initially an original experiment, my husband called this 'delightful' (high praise from a man of few words) and was very interested to find out what I'd done differently as the end result was so much smoother and creamier than normal grainy pumpkin pie.


4 c. cooked and blended pumpkin
2 c. sugar
2 T. fresh finely grated ginger
1 t. grated nutmeg
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. flour
6 eggs
1 can evaporated milk

2 uncooked pie crusts

Heat oven to 425*.
In a medium saucepan heat pumpkin, ginger, spices and flour. Once this reaches a boiling point, lower heat to medium and add vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Take 1 c. of pumpkin mixture and quickly incorporate into egg mixture, briskly mixing all the time so that the eggs don't cook and curdle. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture in pan, whisking briskly to incorporate. Continue to heat and stir until just before mixture comes to a boil. Turn off heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Pour into two uncooked pie crusts and bake at 425* for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350* and continue to cook for an additional 45-50 minutes.

Plant Based Pumpkin Pie

 With Thanksgiving around the corner, I've been experimenting with different recipes - seeking a great plant based pumpkin pie alternative. Following is my favorite -using cashew milk, aquafaba and coconut sugar as plant based alternatives.  

 

 

2 cups pureed pumpkin

1 cup coconut sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 Tablespoon fresh finely grated ginger

1/2 t. grated nutmeg

1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup aquafaba (chickpea bean juice)

13.5 oz cashew milk (blend 1 cup cashews with 2.5 cups water in high powered blender, then measure out 13.5 oz)

Combine all ingredients except milk and aquafaba in a saucepan. Heat over medium while stirring until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture boils. Boil while stirring for 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat. 

Place cashew milk and aquafaba in bowl, mix. Gently pour into pumpkin mixture, whisking to incorporate. When smooth, pour mixture into prepared pie crust. 

Bake at 425* for 10 minutes, then 350* for 45 min.  Cover crust edges as needed with foil to prevent burning. 

Remove from oven and cool before serving. 

Whole Wheat, plant based Pie Crust

2-3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup coconut cream

Salt (pinch)

1/2 t. baking powder

Mix flour, salt and baking powder then pour onto parchment paper. 

Add coconut cream and cut in with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse pebbles

Gently gather flour mixture into a mound, then cover with parchment paper and smooth out using a rolling pin. 

Turn parchment paper into opposite direction and once again gather mixture into the middle and smooth out again. Add a few teaspoons of water (one at a time as needed). 

Continue to gather, and turn approx 5-7 times until the mixture becomes a homogeneous thin crust. Be gentle and limit over-mixing. It will be crumbly. 

Use parchment paper to transfer crust into pie pan and fill in where needed. 

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Pie Bars
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar, divided
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. pecans
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
3 eggs
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 T. pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350. Line 13x9 inch pan with foil and grease.
Mix flour, brown sugar and 1/4 c. of the granulated sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and pecans. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 min.
Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 c. sugar, eggs, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice in smal bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
Bake 25 min. Lift from pan using foil handles; cool completely. Cut into 24 bars.

Notes: If you can't find pumpkin pie spice, combine 1 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Nuts may be toasted in oven at *350 for 5-7 minutes or in microwave on a plate on high for 2 minutes, stir, then continue cooking 1-2 minutes until nuts are fragrant and toasted to taste.
C/O Kraft

Pumpkin, Cranberry and Pecan Strata

Pumpkin, Cranberry & Pecan Strata

One of the things I love about stratas is that they can be made the night before.  And, since they take a while to bake, I can pop one into the oven and go out for a morning walk, and find breakfast ready when I get back, tasting like I’ve slaved away for hours, while the house smells amazing to everyone else just waking up. 

This is a great Christmas morning, or brunch solution as it can be made in advance and requires minimal fuss.  I initially came across this recipe on the Betty Crocker website.    

Here’s my version:

7 c. bread – cut or broken into 1 inch cubes (day old french bread is ideal)

½ c. craisins OR 1 ¼ c. frozen whole cranberries

½ c. toasted chopped pecans**

3 eggs

3 c. milk

2 c. cooked and pureed pumpkin OR 1 can pumpkin (15 oz. not pumpkin pie mix)

2 T. orange peel (peel of two oranges grated)

1 T. grated or finely chopped fresh ginger

½ t. ground ginger

¼ t. ground nutmeg

½ c. brown sugar

2 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

¾ t. salt

Maple syrup or vanilla yogurt for serving

Spray a 9” square baking dish with cooking spray and spread with half of the bread.

Sprinkle half of the cranberries, nuts, and ginger (fresh) over the bread, and repeat.

In a large bowl beat eggs, milk, pumpkin, orange peel, sugar, salt, spices and vanilla together. 

Pour over bread and cover with plastic or a piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and refrigerate for 4 – 24 hours. (No longer than 24)

Heat over to 325* and bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 – 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm topped with whipping cream, yogurt, and/or maple syrup.

8 generous servings

**Toast pecans in the microwave for 2.5 +/- minutes.  Allow to cool slightly, then place in paper or plastic baggie and beat with a rolling pin.

Plant Based Pumpkin Pecan & Cranberry Strata (breakfast casserole) with Caramel Syrup

We recently served this to a breakfast crowd of young adults. While they aren't necessarily fans of plant based/vegan cooking, some of them said it was the best thing they had ever had for breakfast. A perfect fall, winter or holiday breakfast featuring pumpkin, spices, cranberries for a tart contrast and crunchy toasted pecans, topped with a delicious caramel syrup. 

Because this recipe needs to be refrigerated overnight (to allow the bread to soak up the liquids), it is a perfect prep and bake - simply pop it into the oven, and enjoy seeing your home wake to the delicious aromas of cinnamon, pumpkin and caramel. We especially love this for holidays as all of the clean up can be taken care of the night before. 

Let's just acknowledge that this isn't a great photo - it was devoured before a photo was taken, so here's what your leftovers may look like! :) 

 

Blend 

1 large can (29 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Aquafaba drained from 2 cans chickpeas (approximately 1/2-3/4 cup)

8 oz soft tofu 

1 T. freshly grated or finely chopped ginger, or 1 t. ginger powder

1/2 t. salt

1 T. Cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg

1.5 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cardamom

5 cups soy or plant based milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

Cut or chop into 1 inch cubes and place in large mixing bowl

2 loaves sourdough bread

4 costco artisan rolls

Pour over bread cubes and toss to coat

3/4 cup coconut cream (melted), or coconut oil

Add and mix in

2 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped

1.5 cup frozen cranberries

Pumpkin mixture

Place in parchment lined baking dish or 11x15x2 pan 

Cover with foil. 

Refrigerate overnight, or for 4-6 hours.

Bake at 350* for 30 min. 

Remove foil, bake for an additional 15-20 min. 

Caramel Sauce

Combine in small pan and bring to boil

1.5 cups maple syrup 

1 cup coconut milk

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced into a thick syrup (20-30 min). 

Add 

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt 

Dash of cinnamon and ground cardamon

Serve with baked strata. 

Pumpkin Spice Cookies-Plant-Based

 I found this recipe in my drafts folder, (from 9/26/24) - I think I was waiting for a photo. We inhaled these. 

Fall is (was) in the air and I was craving these cookies this morning. I felt certain I had made them previously with very few ingredients, but couldn't find any recipes which matched what was in my mind. 

As I trolled the internet looking for pumpkin spice plant based cookies, everything I found used white or brown sugar and butters or oils-all of which we opt to avoid.

Here's my adaptation of several recipes I found-but tweaked with more plant based ingredients.

1/2 c. Mashed Avocado-approximately one small avocado (soy yogurt, banana or applesauce could be used here too, however banana may not have a neutral taste) 

1.5 c. Dates

3/4 c. Pumpkin (I cook pumpkins in the fall, then freeze them bags in 2 cup portoins)

1.5 c. Whole wheat pastry flour

1 t. Vanilla

1.4 t. Sea salt

1/4 t. Baking powder

1/4 t. Baking soda

1 t. Cinnamon

1 t. Pumpkin pie spice 

2 T. aquafaba (as needed) (chick pea juice- I save this from cans, or when I cook chick peas and freeze in baggies for baking)

3/4 c. Vegan chocolate chips or coarsely chopped bar

1. Place dates in high speed blender, cover with boiling water and let soak for 10+ min. Drain water, then blend until it becomes a mostly smooth paste. 

2. Cream Avocado in mixing bowl. Add pumpkin and date paste and mix well. Add aquafaba and mix well.

3. Add dry ingredients, then chocolate chips. Mix well, add more aquafaba if needed to create a cookie dough consistency.

4. Place  in 2 inch balls on cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat

4. Bake at 350* F for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 10 more minutes. 

Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

As I sat down to figure out my menu for our Thanksgiving day meal, I realized that the recipes I will use, are all over the place.
Here, for those who enjoy instant gratification, (or merely organization) are my links to this year's Thanksgiving dinner.

Appetizers:
Asparagus roll ups

Dinner
Turkey (compliments of Emeril Lagasse)
Cranberry Sauce
Cheesy Beans
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (see Emeril's turkey recipe for gravy recipe)

Northwestern Salad with Frosted Pecans
Broccoli, Bacon & Grape Salad
Yams & Apples or Yamples
Rolls with homemade raspberry jam

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie
Banana Cream Pie