Butternut Squash Soup

Submitted by Karen Neueswander
Ingredients:
2 T. butter, room temperature
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped (1/2 inch)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut
     into 3/4-inch pieces (7 to 8 cups)
6 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. chopped fresh sage leaves
salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. In an 8-quart stockpot, add butter and oil; melt together. Add onion and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add squash and chicken stock. Bring to boil and add sage. Continue to boil until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). Turn off heat. Using immersion blender, blend until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Curried Butternut Squash

Submitted by Karen Neuenswander


Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, seeded, peeled and chopped
3 T. butter, melted
1 t. curry powder
1/4 t. salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450*. Combine butter, curry powder, and salt. Toss over squash to coat.
2. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until tender and slightly carmelized.

Variation: You can bake the squash 20-25 minutes and then remove from the oven and thread onto pre-soaked wooden skewers and grill it for 3-5 more minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

Submitted by AJ Palmer


Ingredients:
3 c. sugar
3 1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
4 eggs
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. oil
2/3 c. water

Directions:
1. Sift together sugar, flour, nutmeg, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat in eggs, pumpkin, oil, and water.
2. Add nuts or chocolate chips if desired.
3. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes (20 minutes for mini muffins). The tops will appear dry when done. Remove from pans immediately. Makes 6 mini loaves or 3 regular loaves.

Spicy Frozen Pumpkin Treat

Submitted by Florence Madsen


Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 1/2 c. gingersnap crumbs
1/2 c. melted butter

For the filling:
1/2 gal. softened vanilla or butter pecan ice cream
2 lbs. pumpkin (1 large can)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1 t. cloves

caramel and fudge toppings
chopped and toasted pecans

Directions:
1. Mix together crust ingredients. Press onto bottom and sides of a springform pan or a 9-by-13 pan.
2. Mix together all filling ingredients. Pour 1/3 mixture into crust. Drizzle with caramel sauce and fudge sauce. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Repeat twice more.
3. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours or up to 1 week. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 12-15

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Submitted by Lezlie Zollinger

Ingredients:

1 large pumpkin--about 10 to 12 inches in diameter

2 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground ham or bulk sausage

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 T. green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 t. oregano

1 t. Italian seasonings

1/2 c. stuffed green olives, chopped, plus 1/2 the marinade

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 small can plain tomato sauce

3 c. cooked rice

Directions:

1. Cut off top of pumpkin, making sure to cut a couple of notches to fit it back on. Clean       
out seeds, etc. Place in roasting pan.

2. In a frying pan, combine the meats, salt and pepper, onion, green pepper, garlic, and seasonings. Simmer until meat is browned. (Taste and add more seasonings if desired.)

3. Add remaining ingredients, plus a little more water or olive marinade if the mixture appears dry. Let simmer another 10 minutes.

4. Scoop entire mixture into pumpkin shell, replace cover and cover loosely in foil. Bake at 350* for about 1 1/2 hours. During the last 20-30 minutes, watch carefully. You don't want your pumpkin to lose it's shape by shriveling too much, but you do want it to be tender.

5. Serve straight from the pumpkin along with a little of the pumpkin meat, which you can scoop off the insides with the serving spoon.