Pumpkin Month: Part 2

For the second segment of pumpkin month, I bought a HUGE pumpkin. I couldn't decide on my intentions for this pumpkin right away, and since it was so big, I didn't have to. I used this pumpkin 3 ways and still have puree to spare! Check out fresh pumpkin, 3 ways:

Lamb Stew with Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Cranberries

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds lamb shoulder
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh pumpkin- cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups butternut squash- cut into 1 inch pieces
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat a large sauce pan on medium heat and drizzle in olive oil. Cut lamb into 1 inch pieces and brown in pan. Add onion and garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add wine, broth and salt and pepper to pan and lower heat. Simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes.

Add pumpkin, butternut squash and seasonings and simmer with th elid on another 30 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Next up with a pumpkin coffee cake from my favorite new cookbook, A Harvest of Pumpkins and Squash that I blogged about last week.

Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Coffeecake
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Toast walnuts in a skillet about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, sour cream and pumpkin and beat with a large whisk or an electric beater until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix just until incorporated. Stir in the cranberries and 2/3 cup of the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup nuts on top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan to room temperature, then cut into 12 rectangles.

This was a great breakfast dish with my Texas pecan coffee from Central Market :)

Finally, I still had pumpkin left and some squash from dinner, so I decided to make a side dish.

Roasted Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, Apples and Raisins

3 cups fresh pumpkin, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups apple, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a greased baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with roast chicken or other main dish for a delicious autumnal meal.

Do yall have any recommendations for my leftover pumpkin puree?