Scrumptious Pumpkin recipes

    Before turning all your pumpkins into jack o’lanterns, consider trying one of these scrumptious recipes that have fall written all over them. Add your fall recipes at www.MyEagleNews.com.

Stuffed Pumpkin

 I remember enjoying Stuffed Pumpkin at a friend’s house for dinner several years ago. The presentation was beautiful and the rice casserole inside was delicious comfort food. I found a similar recipe online at RecipeCottage.com and made it for my family last night. It turned out great - one of my picky children even gobbled it up!

1 pumpkin (small to medium, mine was about 10 inches across)
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. rice, cooked
8 oz. water chestnuts, drained, sliced

    Cut off top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds. If desired, paint an appropriate face on the front of pumpkin with a permanent marking pen or acrylic paint. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet. Bake 1 hour or until inside meat of the pumpkin is tender. Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat. For vegetable, scoop out cooked pumpkin and serve.
    Tip: You can vary the ingredients, I used celery instead of mushrooms and water chestnuts. You could also saute bell pepper with the onions. I skipped painting a face on the pumpkin.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 C. fresh pumpkin seeds
4 C. water
3 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. paprika

    Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pumpkin seeds, water, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Drain seeds, blot dry, and toss with olive oil, paprika, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a nonstick baking pan; roast until lightly golden and crisp – about 30 minutes.
    Tips: Like many nuts, roasted pumpkin seeds should be stored in the freezer. Try varying the seasonings by using soy sauce, garlic salt or curry powder. Recipe could be halved.
    From Delish.com

Light and Spicy Pumpkin Cake

1 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. oil
1/2 C. apple juice
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs

    Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Beat all ingredients at low speed until moist. Beat 2 minutes more at medium speed. Spread in pan. Bake 20-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. plain nonfat yogurt
sprinkle of nutmeg on top of cake after frosting

    In medium bowl combine all frosting ingredients, but adding only enough yogurt to make spreading consistency. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake, sprinkle with nutmeg. Refrigerate to set frosting. Enjoy.
    Calories, 90; fat, 3 g.; cholesterol, 9 mg.
    From Virginia Hagen of Houston, Texas

Pumpkin Cookies

1 C. butter-flavored shortening
1 C. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. canned pumpkin
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 (3.4-ounce) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (16-ounce) container cream cheese frosting

    Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets
    In a large bowl, cream together the butter-flavored shortening and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the pumpkin puree. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla instant pudding mix; gradually mix into the pumpkin mixture. Roll into walnut-sized balls and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
    Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned at the edges. Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

 Tip: For a firmer dough, chill first then roll into balls; dough can be dropped by spoonfuls if preferred.
  
From allrecipes.com