5-Minute Pumpkin Parfait

November 7, 2021November 7, 2021 Belinda

A quick, healthier alternative to pumpkin pie, this pumpkin parfait is velvety smooth and packed with comforting fall flavors including cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, and even dark chocolate!
Recipe from “The Mediterranean Dish”

1 15oz can pumpkin puree or scant 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cup Greek full-fat plain yogurt
3-4 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2-2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Parfait toppings
2 tbsp honey or molasses, more for garnish
Chocolate chips for garnish
Chopped roasted hazelnuts or walnuts for garnish

Place the pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt and the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips and nuts, in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand electric mixer or a whisk, mix together until you reach a smooth consistency.
Give it a taste and adjust flavor to your liking (add a bit of molasses or brown sugar to sweeten some more, for example. Or adjust the spices if you want more cinnamon or nutmeg.) Mix again to combine.
Transfer the pumpkin-yogurt mixture to small (3-oz) serving goblets or small mason jars. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to serve, top each with a drizzle of molasses, chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Enjoy!

NOTES

Prepare-Ahead Tip: You can prepare this pumpkin parfait one night in advance. Refrigerate in a tightly closed container or individual mason jars (hold the chocolate chips and nuts for later). When ready to serve, stir the yogurt mixture and transfer it into the serving goblets or mini jars and add toppings.

To serve a larger crowd: Simply double the recipe to feed 12 or more (small 3-oz goblets or mason jars.)

Stir-fried vegetables on Asian-style coconut and pumpkin polenta

July 18, 2021July 18, 2021 Belinda

Recipe by Olivia Andrews

Give an Asian twist to this classic Italian ingredient, and serve stir-fried greens on a bed of creamy coconut polenta.

Serves 4
14 fl oz (400ml) vegetable stock, plus 3-4 fl oz (100ml) extra
1lb (500g) pumpkin, peeled, chopped
14 fl oz (400ml) can coconut milk
5 oz (150g) instant polenta
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic clove, crushed
1.5 tsp finely chopped ginger
3.5 oz (100g) fresh wood ear mushrooms, sliced
3.5 oz (100g) canned baby corn, halved lengthways
3.5 oz (100g) gai lan (Chinese broccoli), cut into 1.5″ (4cm) pieces
1 long red chili, deseeded, finely chopped
Fresh cilantro and toasted cashews, to serve

Bring the stock and pumpkin to the boil in a pan, then simmer over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until tender. Cool slightly, then puree in a food processor. Return to pan with coconut milk and bring to the boil. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes until the mixture thickens. Season to taste and keep warm

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat and cook the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add the mushroom, corn, gai lan and chili and toss for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked. Add the extra stock and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
Divide the polenta among 4 shallow bowls, top with vegetables and scatter with cilantro and cashews. Serve immediately.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Baked pumpkin with tahini

November 18, 2020 Belinda

A lovely alternative to your usual pumpkin dishes

1/2 of a small pumpkin, cut into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 lime – juiced
¼ bunch fresh cilantro
sea salt and ground black pepper
3 tbsp tahini dressing ( see below)

For the dressing
2 tbsp tahini
1 small garlic clove – minced
1 lemon – juiced
½ tsp cumin ( I roast mine as it has a better flavor)
1/3 cup water
sea salt and ground black pepper

1/4 cup pepitas, toasted until golden (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin, olive oil, and spices. Lightly toss to ensure all the pumpkin is coated in oil and spice.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the pumpkin to the baking try (skin side down). Season and place in the oven and bake for 25 mins or until browned and cooked through.
Remove from the heat.
In a mixing bowl combine the tahini and minced garlic.
Add the lemon juice, cumin and stir. Slowly add the water until desired consistency is reached.
Season, add the lime, tahini dressing, coriander, season and drizzle over the pumpkin slices when serving on a platter.
Top with the toasted pepita seeds

Do-ahead · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Fast and easy sheet-pan mac and cheese with pumpkin and brown butter

October 4, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from Ella Quittner on FOOD 52.

“There’s nothing cozier or easier to pull off than sheet-pan mac and cheese. It’s perfectly creamy and crunchy, lacking in any superfluous bits. And when pumpkin and brown butter join the party, well, it’s unstoppable. Think of this fall-flavor-forward version as a flexible blueprint: play around with cheese-type, and scale up (or down) the pumpkin to your taste. Toss in caramelized shallots, or chunks of roasted pumpkin or squash if you please. Panko can be swapped out for other breadcrumbs, or jazzed up with a pinch of cayenne. No matter what path you take, just be sure to go back for seconds.”

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Serves 4
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound Cavatappi (or other twisty pasta shape with lots of nooks for cheese to nestle into)
6 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the pan
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (you can substitute black or rainbow if you prefer)
1 pound sharp cheddar, grated, roughly divided into about three-quarters (12 ounces) and one-quarter (four ounces)
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups plain panko
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw

Heat oven to 475°F. Grease a 11×17-inch sheet pan with rimmed edges.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for only 4 to 5 minutes, so they’re quite al dente—just soft enough that if you taste one, there’s no audible crunch. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain the pot of pasta.
In the same pot you used for the noodles, brown 6 tablespoons of butter: Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it foams. The foam will recede, and the butter will be golden-tan. (If your pot is dark, you’ll know it’s ready when it starts to give off a deeply appealing rich, nutty scent.) Turn the heat down to low, add back the noodles, and immediately toss so your butter doesn’t stay on the bottom and burn. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of the hot reserved cooking water. Add the salt, pepper, three-quarters of the cheddar (about 12 ounces), Pecorino, and milk, and stir until you have a homogenous, creamy sauce. Mix in the pumpkin puree, adding a little more reserved water if needed to thin slightly. Turn off the heat.
Transfer to the sheet pan, and sprinkle the remaining 4 ounces of cheddar, the panko, and the pumpkin seeds over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the panko is nice and toasted, and some of the cheesy noodles sticking out around the edges are tinged with amber spots.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Icecream

Pumpkin ice cream pie!

November 2, 2018September 7, 2022 Belinda

YIELD: ONE 9-INCH PIE
8 TO 10 SERVINGS

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This is the easiest and most stress-free pumpkin pie you’ll ever make. It has a buttery, graham cracker crust that’s fast, easy, and the crunchy crumbs are the perfect contrast to the creamy filling. Best of all, no traditional pie crust to make, roll out, or fuss with. The filling is made with Breyers Gluten Free Extra Creamy Vanilla ice cream, pumpkin puree, and it’s nicely flavored with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin flavor really shines through. You can make the pie weeks in advance and keep it in the freezer since it’s ice cream, making it an easy make-ahead Thanksgiving pie recipe.

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (about 5 1/2 tablespoons)
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs if necessary)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 cups Breyers Gluten Free Extra Creamy Vanilla (or similar vanilla ice cream), well-softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
whipped cream or whipped topping for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 350F and spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Add the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and stir to combine.

Turn mixture out into prepared pie dish, hard packing it with a spatula or your fingers, making sure to extend the mixture up around the sides.
Bake for 10 minutes; set aside to cool. While pie cools, make the filling.

To a large mixing bowl (same one used for the crust is okay, wipe it down with a paper towel) add the ice cream, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and combined.

Pour filling into crust and place in the freezer to chill for at least 4+ hours (overnight is fine) or until set.

Prior to slicing, you may with to place pie on counter for about 15 minutes so it’s not as firm. Optionally, top with whipped cream before serving.
The pie will keep covered in the freezer for at least one month.

Dessert · Holiday Food

Pumpkin turtle cheesecake parfait

November 2, 2018October 13, 2021 Belinda

And now for something completely different for Thanksgiving.
No pie crust to have to bake and the easiest, most delicious dessert to make

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Serves: 4

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 package (size that serves 4) vanilla instant pudding
½ cup milk/cream/half and half, divided
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
8 oz (1 regular tub) whipped topping
chopped pecans for garnish
caramel sauce for drizzle

The instant pudding mix is used dry–DO NOT MAKE PER PACKAGE DIRECTIONS
Beat the cream cheese and ¼ cup of the milk/cream in a large bowl until it’s smooth and silky
Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, the remaining milk and the dry pudding mix
Beat for 1 minute
Fold in the whipped topping
Divide evenly into small dessert dishes
Garnish with chopped pecans and drizzle with caramel sauce

Baking · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Pumpkin Cornbread

August 26, 2018September 12, 2024 Belinda

I am already fantasizing about my favorite season, Fall. This recipe is from “Spoonforkbacon” and is wonderful for something a little different for the Thanksgiving table.

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1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp pure cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and divided
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp honey, warmed (plus extra for drizzling)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place three 5 inch cast iron skillets or one 8 inch cast iron skillet (nonstick is fine too) into the oven.
Place the first 6 ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs, 1/4 cup butter, buttermilk, and honey
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until well mixed.
Fold in the pumpkin mixture.
Pour the remaining butter into the heated skillets and carefully swirl to cover all sides.
Pour the batter into baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (for the small skillets) or 50 to 55 minutes (for the large skillet) or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Remove from the oven and drizzle with a small amount of honey.
Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Pumpkin banana mousse tart

November 24, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

This is delectable and well worth trying, especially for Thanksgiving. Thanks to Ina Garten for this gorgeous and easy recipe

For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 ripe banana, finely mashed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange zest, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.

For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don’t want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.

Asian flavors · Curry · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Butternut squash curry with garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

May 1, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

I am a curry freak, but don’t always want a meat curry. This is such a fabulous vegetarian alternative that you will cook many times.

Serves 4
1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
2 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste (I buy this brand on Amazon.com and it lasts for months in the fridge. Actually, I have a red, green and yellow curry from the same brand.) You can also use 3 tbsp of the curry paste if you like really spicy. It’s worth playing around with it.

2 onions, finely chopped
3 large stalks lemongrass, bashed with the back of a knife
6 green cardamon pods
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 piece of butternut squash,peeled and cubed in 3/4″ inch pieces, weighing about 2lbs
8 fluid ounces vegetable or chicken stock
15 fl oz can coconut milk
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 large limes
A large handful fresh mint
naan bread or steamed rice , to serve

Heat the oil in a saute pan, then gently fry the curry paste with the onions, lemongrass, cardamon pods and mustard seeds for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the butternut squash and coat in the paste, then pour in the stock and coconut milk.
Bring everything to a simmer, add the chick peas, then cook for about 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.
The curry can now be cooled and frozen for up to 1 month.
Squeeze the juice of one lime into the curry, then cut the other lime into wedges to serve alongside.
Just before serving, tear the mint leaves up, then bring to the table with the lime wedges and rice or warmed naan breads.