Recipes

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We're gladly welcoming pumpkin season.

The king of fall produce, this fruit (yeah, science is weird) is incredibly nutrient-dense, packed with vitamins and minerals inside relatively few calories... until you add the pie crust, that is. Their large size and wonderful flavor mean pumpkins are an easy way to incorporate seasonal produce into your meals this month. For soups, they can be used as a part of a chunky stew (we love adding it to chili) or blended up for the base. While we know and love sweeter baked goods featuring pumpkin (think pie, cookies and sweet breads), more savory applications are just as lovely; dinner rolls, quiches, cornbread, pasta and more! Pumpkin can be a tasty stand-in for potatoes, carrots, other squashes and more in your favorite dishes. Here are some easy, accessible pumpkin recipes that will have you in the autumn spirit in no time!

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ON PUMPKIN PURÉE:

Most of these recipes call for pumpkin purée. Generally, it’s safest to use canned pumpkin unless a recipe specifi es that homemade is okay. Why? For one, the moisture content of canned pumpkin is more controlled, ensuring a consistent result. While this will matter less for a soup, for instance, it’s absolutely crucial for breads, pies or other baked goods. Using homemade pumpkin purée generally results in a watery pie or breads that never set.

But an equally important factor is that canned pumpkin… isn’t exactly “pumpkin” as you think of it. Commercial canned pumpkin purée actually tends to include various winter squashes (including pumpkins!), which creates a depth of fl avor that a single roasted pumpkin simply won’t provide. The signature blend of pumpkin and squash is what gives each brand its distinctive taste; there’s a reason everyone loves Libby’s, after all! There’s a very important distinction between pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie fi lling. Pumpkin pie fi lling or mix includes spices, sugar, salt and more additional ingredients that will affect the fi nal fl avor of your dish; don’t buy this! True pumpkin purée will often be labeled as “100% pure pumpkin.” If you’re dead-set on making your own pumpkin purée, plan that the resulting fl avor will taste a little more vegetal and less sweet; you may want a recipe that compensates with extra sugar and spice. You will want to start with a sugar pumpkin (sometimes referred to as a pie pumpkin) and roast it. Add it to a blender to puree it. Place a large mesh strainer and cheesecloth over a bowl; add purée to strainer and press with a spoon to release water. Let sit for 1 hour to drain more. When packed into a cup and turned onto a plate, the purée should stand up, slumping slightly at the base. Making a lot of pumpkin purée? Try a mixture of squashes to amp up the fl avor! As the name suggests, sugar pumpkins bring more sweetness than some other varieties. Jarrahdale pumpkins are rich with a velvety texture that’s wonderful in a pie. Cinderella or Fairy Tale pumpkins have tough skins, but delicious fl esh. If you can get your hands on a Dickinson variety pumpkin, you’ll be holding the secret to Libby’s famous fl avor; Dickinsons make up most of their famous pumpkin purée! And don’t forget about other winter squashes, like acorn or butternut; the resulting texture will be smoother and the fl avor sweeter.

Pumpkin pie is a staple

of autumn dining. Sweet potato pie is a delicious southern tradition. It may seem like overkill to combine the two, but this recipe makes something that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. It’s more silky than traditional sweet potato pie, yet is sweeter and airier than your typical pumpkin pie. INGREDIENTS:

15oz. pumpkin purée 1 c. mashed sweet potatoes (see note) 3/4 c. brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 3 large eggs, beaten 1 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream 5oz. evaporated milk 1 T bourbon Prepared 9” pie crust

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix together pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sugar and spices in a large bowl. Add the eggs, heavy cream, evaporated milk and bourbon, mixing until combined. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean or an instantread thermometer says 170°F. If you don’t want to mar the surface of your pie, give it a gentle nudge; the center should jiggle slightly, but not slosh. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers. Note: we recommend roasting your sweet potatoes rather than boiling or steaming; they take on more of a roasted, caramel fl avor profi le. Simply bake them whole, then scoop the fi lling out of the skin once cool enough to handle. We also recommend pressing your mashed sweet potatoes through a fi ne mesh strainer to remove lumps and strings.

We love soup season!

This is a perfect recipe for those chilly days when you feel like spending a little time in a warm, cozy kitchen. The time it takes to roast the pumpkin and simmer can make it a challenge for weeknight cooking. Instead, we recommend making this ahead of time, but leave out the heavy cream for the time being. Freeze or refrigerate the mixture, then add the cream after you’ve heated up the soup, just before serving. INGREDIENTS:

4lb. pie pumpkin 3 T. olive oil (plus more for brushing) 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 medium cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 4 c. vegetable broth 2 T maple syrup 1/2 c. heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and strings. Rub or brush the flesh with olive oil and place flesh side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork, but not mushy (about 40 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly. Peel the pumpkin skin off the pumpkin and discard. Heat 3T. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic and salt, cooking until onion is translucent. Add the roasted pumpkin flesh and spices to Dutch oven. Pour in broth and use a wooden spoon to break up the pumpkin and mix the ingredients slightly. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the heavy cream and maple syrup. Blend using an immersion blender (see note). Salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Feel free to use a stand mixer to blend. Allow to cool more before adding to your blender cup, and work in batches. Use caution to ensure you don’t burn yourself with escaping steam! If you want to make this recipe vegan, simply swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk.

Serving suggestion: drizzle rings of cream on top, then use a knife or toothpick to drag lines out from the center to create this spiderweb effect. If you don’t want a spooky look, try just a dollop of crème fraiche with some toasted pepitas.

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Who doesn’t love cheesecake? INSTRUCTIONS:

While making your own can be a bit of a chore, the result always proves well worth the effort. Just be sure to follow the instructions exactly; it’s tempting to skip the water bath or long cooling process, but that can result in uneven doneness or cracking. Trust the process! INGREDIENTS:

For the crust: 2 c. cookie crumbs (see note) 6 T melted butter 1/4 c. granulated sugar

For the cheesecake: 4x 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened 1 c. granulated sugar 1/4 c. brown sugar 3 large eggs 15oz. pumpkin purée 1/3 c. heavy cream 2 tsp. molasses 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground clove 1/4 tsp. allspice Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a 9” springform pan with foil, then lightly spray with cooking spray. Combine the crust ingredients. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and sugars until fluffy. Add in eggs, pumpkin and cream, mixing until fully combined. Finally, add in the molasses and spices, mixing until combined. Spread batter in prepared crust. Place into a large baking pan that’s larger than your springform pan (at least 10”x10”). Pour boiling water into the larger pan so that the level reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 1 hour. When given a nudge, the edges should be set yet the center should jiggle. Turn off the heat, crack the oven door and let rest for 1 hour in the oven as it cools.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Note: The cookies you choose for the crust have a big impact on the flavor profile of the final cheesecake. If this sounds like a lot of spice for your taste, graham crackers, vanilla sandwich cookies, pecan sandies or Nilla wafers are your best bet. If you want to amp up the autumn spice flavors, go with Speculoos cookies or ginger snaps. Decorating with whipped cream, caramel, nuts and crumbled cookies can make this dessert a show-stopper!

Anyone who has ever done

serious fall baking knows that you almost always have leftover canned pumpkin purée and/or evaporated milk hanging around. This is a great, easy recipe that can use up a little of both ingredients. INGREDIENTS:

3/4 c. butter (plus more for greasing pan) 2 c. sugar 3/4 c. brown sugar 2/3 c. evaporated milk 1/2 c. pumpkin purée 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1 package white chocolate baking chips 7oz. marshmallow creme chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Line a 13x9” pan with foil. Grease the foil and set aside. Cube the remaining butter. Add butter, sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin and spices to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook until it reaches soft ball stage (a candy thermometer will read 238°F). Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and stir until the chips have melted. Stir in marshmallow creme until combined. Pour into prepared greased pan. If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans. Chill until firm. Slice into squares. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Note: if you want to include nuts, feel free to mix some directly into the batter before spreading. Some people prefer topping this fudge with toasted pepitas... or just leave them plain!

Fudge

Pu nS ad When you think of hearty INSTRUCTIONS:

autumn dining, a salad may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the combination of roasted or grilled pumpkin and chickpeas is filling and delicious. It’s a great vegan meal on its own, or the delicious start to a fall feast.

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin or squash Olive oil Drained, prepared chickpeas 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) 1/8 tsp. smoked paprika 1/8 tsp. turmeric Chopped red onion Mixture of lettuce of your choice, torn into bite-sized pieces Walnuts, chopped Dressing of your choice Cube or slice your squash. Lightly coat flesh with olive oil. Roast or grill until it can be pierced with a fork, but not mushy. Set aside to cool slightly, then remove skins. Toss chickpeas with paprika, turmeric and cayenne (if desired). Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine your choice of lettuce, chopped red onion and walnuts. Gently toss. To serve, spread lettuce mixture on plate, then top with prepared chickpeas and roasted squash. Add dressing of your choice. Note: obviously, this recipe allows for a lot of leeway. Your mixture of lettuce could include greens, cabbage, any variety of lettuce, spinach, chard, bok choy or kale. We think the pepperiness of arugula is welcome here while radiccio brings both color and a pleasant bitterness that balances the squash nicely. As for your dressing? Mix a little pumpkin purée into some apple cider vinegar and shake together with Dijon mustard, maple syrup and olive oil for a delicious, autumnal vinaigrette. •

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We pride ourselves on our Mount Sterling location just 25 miles east of Lexington, where “Small Town America” is still alive and well throughout the community. We want to extend an invitation to individuals 55 and over that are interested in experiencing an exceptional lifestyle to stay in one of our beautifully decorated apartments, receive a relaxing manicure and pedicure and enjoy delicious meals and scheduled activities tailored to them.

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