Ah, the humble pumpkin. It has been turned into lattes, beers and yogurt — but does anyone know it in true form?

As kids, many of us stuck our arms elbow-deep into a pumpkin to scoop out the goopy, cold center in an effort to make the best jack-o-lantern on the block. Somehow, the face of your jack-o-lantern always turned out to be slightly lopsided with one eye bigger than the other, but man, you were proud of it.

Transitioning into adulthood, pumpkin seems to always come in a can or in a powder that Starbucks mixes with milk and coffee and sells for an ungodly price. It is incredible that something as simple as a squash can be catapulted to such fame yet lose its entire identity.

This week I not only carved a pumpkin, but used as much of it as I could to make some true pumpkin treats.

PUMPKIN SEED RECIPES

First rule of pumpkin carving — save the seeds. Pumpkin seeds are not only delicious when oven-roasted, but are also a great source of protein and antioxidants. There are a few ways to prepare the seeds, from simple and salty to rich and sweet.

To roast pumpkin seeds, you must first separate them from the stringy insides of the pumpkin. Rinse them off in the sink and then lay them out in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Roast the seeds to dry them out first, then you have a blank canvas for whatever kind seeds you’d like to prepare.

For seasoning, you can always go with classic salted seeds, which allows for a versatile product that can be used in yogurt, salad or as a snack. But personally, I like to spice mine up a little with a few variations. With so many seeds per pumpkin, there is no excuse to make just one boring variety of roasted pumpkin seeds.

My favorite way to prepare the seeds is in homage to my fellow Marylanders out there — Old Bay-flavored pumpkin seeds. First, roast the seeds in a 300-degree oven for 30 minutes on an oiled baking sheet to dry them out. Remove from the oven and toss with olive oil and Old Bay seasoning. Return to the oven for about 20 more minutes until they are crisp and golden.

College kids will eat this one up — literally: sriracha pumpkin seeds. Boil a pot of salted water and add seeds. Cook for 10 minutes and then pat the seeds dry. In a bowl, combine the seeds, vegetable oil, sriracha and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper and then toss them into a 400-degree oven to bake for 20-25 minutes.

If you want your pumpkin seeds to actually taste like pumpkin, try maple pumpkin spice seeds. This recipe is slightly more involved but definitely worth it. All you need is seeds, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, ground cloves and coarse salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet and add in the pumpkin seeds and stir about two minutes until browned. In a medium sized bowl, combine the seasonings and then add in the browned seeds. Pour the seasoned seeds onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pop it in a 325-degree oven for about 15 minutes until they are dry and crisp.

When most people cook with pumpkin, they run to the store for a can of pumpkin puree. What most people don’t know is that it is actually pretty simple to make your own pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half from stem to base, scoop out the seeds and cover each half with foil. Bake it in a 325-degree oven for 1 hour or until the inside is fork tender. Scrape the pumpkin insides from the halves and puree in a blender. Strain the puree in a wire colander over a bowl to remove any stringy pieces that may be left behind.

Now, with your fresh pumpkin puree you are free to make any pumpkin dish you desire. Personally, I love pumpkin bread. I also love banana bread — so I decided to combine the two. The addition of bananas keeps the bread most and rich — taking it beyond normal pumpkin bread.

Although there are a lot of ingredients, the steps are pretty simple. In a large bowl mix 2 mashed ripe bananas, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, 1 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of sugar. In a separate bowl combine 2½ cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Slowly stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until just combined and then pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees and cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing so it doesn’t fall apart.

It’s time to take back the pumpkin.

Published on October 30, 2016 at 7:24 pm