The pumpkin, fall/winter squash and sweet potato recipe thread

Here's a recipe for a sweet potato casserole that I made last Thanksgiving.


Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic (from allrecipes.com)


5 sweet potatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (whipping cream)

For the topping:

1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Note: You may want to double the topping to make sure that there's enough to cover the sweet potato mixture.


-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

-Bake sweet potatoes for 35 minutes or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel and mash. (You can also microwave or boil the potatoes. Just be sure to poke holes all over the potatoes if you plan to cook them in the microwave.)

-In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup softened butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, granulated sugar and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

-In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup softened butter, flour, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.

-Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.
 
I have been using this recipe and everyone loves it! The lemon adds great flavor.

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 lemon
butter pats (one pat per potato slice)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until peels can be easily removed, approximately 10 percent done (about 10 minutes). Cool potatoes slightly (about 10 minutes), peel then cut into diamond shape or rounds about 3/4 - 1 inch thick (I prefer cutting into rounds).

Place into a 2-quart baking dish.
Place one pat of butter on top of potatoes. Cut lemon into 4 wedges, squeeze juice over potatoes and place wedges in with potatoes. Combine sugar and spices and add 3/4 cup evenly over potatoes.

Bake in 450 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until candied, basting frequently.
 
It just occurred to me that I should provide an index for this thread. I'll start working on it now.
 
I moved this recipe from the front page to make room for the index.



Here's one of my favorite pumpkin recipes. It's a bit of a pain to make, but it's totally worth the effort! I make it only once a year.



Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake (from Sunset magazine)





1 1/2 cups (3 sticks or 3/4 lb.) butter, at room temp.
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs (preferably at room temp.)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (I always leave out the salt)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder (I've used regular unsweetened cocoa powder and it turned out fine.)
2/3 cup buttermilk

Chocolate glaze (recipe follows)



- In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape half the mixture into another bowl.

- To make the pumpkin batter: Beat pumpkin into half the butter mixture until well blended. In another bowl, stir together 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt (opt.), cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed or fold in with a flexible spatula just until blended.

- To make the chocolate batter: In another bowl, mix remaining 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt (opt.), and the cocoa powder. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the other half of the butter mixture (starting and ending with flour mixture), beating after each addition just until blended.

- Spoon half the pumpkin batter into a buttered and floured 12-cup Bundt pan. Drop half the chocolate batter by spoonfuls over (but not entirely covering) the pumpkin batter. Repeat to spoon remaining pumpkin and chocolate batters into pan. Gently run the blade of a butter knife around the center of the pan several times, then draw the knife across the width of the pan in 10 to 12 places to swirl the batters.

- Bake in a preheated 350 degree regular or 325 degree convection oven until a wood skewer inserted into center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 55-60 minutes. Let cake cool for 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a cooling rack, lift off pan, and cool cake completely.

- Pour warm chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let stand until glaze is set, about 2 hours, or chill about 30 minutes.


Makes 12-16 servings.


Chocolate glaze:

- In a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler, combine 4 oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate, 1/2 cup whipping cream (heavy cream), 1 Tbsp. butter, and 1 tsp. light corn syrup. Bring an inch or two of water to a boil in a pan that the bowl can nest in or in the bottom of double boiler, then remove from heat. Place chocolate mixture over water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 10 minutes.


Tip: It's best to make this cake the day before you plan to eat it (although I always want to dig into it the very same day :)). Let the cake sit overnight, covered, and pour the glaze over the cake the next day. The first time I made this cake, I served it the same day that I made it and most people said that they couldn't really taste the pumpkin at all. When I tried the cake the next day, the spicy-pumpkiny flavor had really developed nicely.
 
Sweet Potato Bread (from allrecipes.com)


1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup water
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped pecans


- Combine sugar and oil; beat well. Add eggs and beat. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with water. Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped nuts.

- Pour batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour.


Many of the reviewers for the recipe gave a lot of great advice on how to make this recipe even better. Here's a link to the reviews of this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Bread-I/Reviews.aspx?Page=1
 
Get ready for a

"Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice"
Weekend!!!



All desserts, all weekend long!


:woohoo: :cool1: :banana: :cheer2:
 
Sweet Potato-Apple Cobbler (from Southern Living magazine)


4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, divided
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
2 tsp. granulated sugar

Bourbon Whipped Cream (recipe follows)


-Pierce sweet potatoes sevveral times with a fork, and place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

-Bake at 400 degrees F for 1 hour or until done; cool slightly. Peel and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

-Place apple slices in an even layer in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish; top with sweet potato slices.

-Stir together 1 1/2 cups orange juice and the next 6 ingredients. Pour over sweet potato mixture. Dot with 6 Tbsp. butter or margarine.

-Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on a cutting board. Unfold 1 pie crust and place on pecans; gently roll pie crust dough into pecans. Cut out with a leaf-shaped cookie cutter; place leaves over sweet potato mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans and pie crust.

-Microwave remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a 1-cup glass measuring cup (or other microwave-safe bowl) at high for 20-30 seconds or until melted. Brush butter over crust and sprinkle with 2 tsp. granulated sugar.

-Bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve warm with bourbon whipped cream, if desired.


Bourbon Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. bourbon

-Beat whipping cream and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; stir in bourbon. Makes 2 cups of whipped cream.
 
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (from foodnetwork.com)


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper



-Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

-Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.

-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips.

-Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks. Makes about 60 cookies.
 
Pumpkin Roll (from verybestbaking.com)


Cake:

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Filling:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)


For the cake:

-Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

-Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

-Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

For the filling:

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

TIP: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.


Click on the link below to watch a step-by-step video showing how to make the pumpkin roll.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/advice/baking101/standalone/pumpkin_roll.aspx
 
Sweet Potato Pie With Crunchy Topping

(I found this recipe on chow.com, but it was originially printed in the New York Times.)



For the pie:

One unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of salt.


For the topping:

2 tablespoons chilled butter or margarine

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup Rice Krispies.



- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a pastry shell in a pie plate and crimp edges; set aside. In a bowl, blend together the sweet potatoes, butter (or margarine) and eggs. Whisk in the sugar, evaporated milk, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

- Pour filling evenly into the pie shell. Cover the pastry edge with a strip of foil, leaving the center uncovered. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil from the pie and bake for an additional 15 minutes; meanwhile, prepare the topping.

- For the topping: in a bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender or fork, mix together until crumbly. Add the pecans and Rice Krispies and stir to blend.

- When the pie has finished baking (for 45 minutes), remove from the oven and spread it evenly with the topping. Immediately return to the oven and bake until the topping is browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature before serving. Serves 8 to 10.
 
Sweet Potato Swirl Cake (from The New York Times)



For the cake:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup peeled sweet potatoes, boiled until tender and mashed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 cup confectioners' sugar.


For the filling:

7 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla.



- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a greased 10-by-15-inch baking sheet with greased wax paper. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the eggs for 3 minutes. Add the sugar, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and flour and beat until just blended. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the pecans on top.

- Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar on top of the cake and cover with a tea towel. Place another baking sheet on top of the towel, and then invert the sheets and remove the top baking sheet; peel off the wax paper. Sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar. Roll the cake and towel into a log and let cool completely on a wire rack.

- In a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling over the cake, and gently reroll in the same direction -- without the towel. Place on a dish, seam side down; cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 10.
 
Pumpkin Cheesecake I (from verybestbaking.com)


For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar


For the cheesecake:

3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


For the topping:

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



-Preheat oven to 350° F.

- For the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

For the cheesecake: Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat well. Pour into crust.

-Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

For the topping: Combine sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan.
 
Pumpkin Cheesecake II (Originally printed in the Honolulu Advertiser)


Crust:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 yolk
2 1/4 cups flour
Nonstick spray


Filling:

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 lb. cream cheese, at room temp.
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

*You may want to double the spices.

Caramelized pecans (recipe follows)


For the crust:

-Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until smooth by hand or in a food processor, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk and mix until well combined. Add flour and mix until evenly blended. Scrape down the sides of mixing bowl several times.

-Form dough into ball, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

-Spray a 13-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 2 8-inch tart pans or pie tins with nonstick spray.

-Roll out dough to at least 16 inches across for large tart. for 2 standard pies or tarts, divide dough in half and roll dough 9 to 10 inches across and place in pan in same manner as for large tart. Place dough in tart pan, and trim off excess, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Fold overhang into side of tart pan so sides are double-thick. Use scraps to make decorations for the top of the pie (if you want to). Bake decorations separately on a baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 5 to 8 minutes.

-Place the crust-lined tart pan in the freezer while you make the filling, or refrigerate at least one hour.


For the filling:

-Cream pumpkin, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves by beating until mixture is smooth.

-Pour filling into chilled crust. Do not overfill.

-Bake at 300 degrees F until filling is puffed and firm to the touch, about 50-60 minutes. (If using 2 pie tins, cooking time will be about 10 minutes less.) Cool on a rack.


Caramelized pecans:

1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves

-Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat and add sugar and nuts. Stir constantly until sugar loses grainy appearance, about 5 minutes.

-Pour nuts onto sheet of aluminum foil and let cool about 15 minutes. Store up to 2 days in an airtight container.
 
Sweet Potato Pie (from allrecipes.com)


1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust


*According to several of the reviewers of the recipe, it's best to:

-use 1/4 cup (half a stick) of softened butter
-use a little less sugar (try using only half the amount that the recipe calls for, taste the mixture before adding the eggs and add more sugar if you need to)
-half white sugar and half brown sugar
-add 1/4 tsp. of ground ginger.


-Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.

-Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.

-Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
 

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