Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

If you're a follower of my blog, you know we grow and process our own pumpkins, which results in a lot of puree in the freezer. While I do like pumpkin pie, I've found other ways to incorporate the squash in both sweet and savory dishes. 

These whoopie pies are a fun change from a traditional pumpkin cake. They're portable and easy to eat. I especially like to serve them at a casual fall Supper Club where they can be enjoyed around the bonfire sans silverware. They also make a great addition to fall tailgates and school parties. Bonus: they can be made with whole grain flour.

The size of the cookies is up to you. I prefer a smaller size but you can make much larger. Just be sure to increase the bake time. 

Begin by combining butter, oil, sugar, molasses,
baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

 Add eggs and pumpkin. The mixture may appear curdled. Don't worry -
the batter will come together with the addition of the flour.

Stir in flour, mixing just until smooth.

I have several dashers I use to make cookies,
but this is my favorite: 1 1/2 inch scoop.

Scoop batter onto cookie sheets. Instead of
parchment paper, I like using a silpat.

Bake 8-9 minutes. Let cool on the baking
sheet for 5 minutes before removing.

Combine filling ingredients and fill cooled cookies.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

COOKIES
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
15-ounce can pumpkin purée (or a scant 2 cups if using fresh puree)
3 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour

FILLING
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons soft butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Beat together the butter, oil, sugar, molasses, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, until fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin.

Add the flour in two additions, mixing well after each addition. Use a small dasher to deposit the thick batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies feel firm; a slight indentation will remain when you gently press them in the middle, about 8 -9 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the sugar in two additions. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, until very fluffy.

Assemble: Divide filling between half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

Yield: About 30 sandwich cookies.

My Favorite Pumpkin Pie

We grow a few varieties of eating pumpkins. Each fall we pick and process the crop into puree that we freeze for use in baked goods throughout the year. The flavor of a Fairytale or Long Island Cheese pumpkin is richer and more complex that commercially canned pumpkin.

A freezer full of pumpkin inspires me to find new ways to use it. The puree can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. I like it in cakes, scones and muffins as well as soups. My latest favorites include pumpkin cinnamon rolls and pumpkin mousse. And of course, pie. We eat pumpkin pie September through March.

I've tried lots of recipes, but Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie is the best version of a traditional pie. It's easy, fast and has a good balance of spices that compliment, rather than overpower, the pumpkin flavor. It's delicious plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.

A Long Island Cheese pumpkin on the vine.

A few large pumpkins provide lots of puree.
This will hold in the freezer for a year.

Prepare a 9-inch crust. Here's my favorite crust recipe.

Combine sugar, spices and salt. I like to pass
my spices through a sieve to break up clumps.

Add eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees
and bake for 40 to 50 additional minutes. Cool 2 hours before cutting. 

If desired, top with homemade whipped cream.

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
15 oz. fresh or canned pumpkin puree
1 can (12 fl. oz.)  evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Cinnamon-Swirl Pumpkin Rolls

Each fall we process our eating pumpkins and freeze to enjoy throughout the year. Depending on the growing season,  I usually have plenty of pumpkin puree. I use most of it in baked goods, but use to make bisque, oatmeal and pudding. 

These delicious breakfast rolls combine pumpkin, whole grain flour and dried fruit to provide a hearty start to your day. If you don't eat them all, they re-warm well in the microwave. I added the dried cranberries and swapped out the crystallized ginger for pecans.

Combine dough ingredients in a mixer until a shaggy dough comes together. 

Knead for a few minutes. Dough will form a soft, smooth ball.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise.

Roll dough on a greased surface to 14" x 22" rectangle.

Top with cinnamon sugar and dried fruit/crystallized ginger, if using.

Starting at the short end, roll dough to form a log. Pinch seam to seal.

Slice log into 9 equal pieces. Place in a greased 9" pan. Cover and let rise.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool 15 minutes.

Make glaze and drizzle over rolls. 

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Rolls

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Dough
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup lukewarm water*
1/4 cup soft butter
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, optional
3 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
*Adjust the amount of water by the time of year or your climate. For summer, or in a humid enivronment, use the lesser amount of water. In winter, or in a dry climate, use the greater amount. 

Filling
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger, raisins, or dried cranberries, optional

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons milk, or enough to make a "drizzlable" glaze

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients together — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until you've made a soft, fairly smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, until it's almost doubled in bulk. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface. Roll it into a 14" x 22" rectangle; the dough will be thin.

Make the filling: Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Spread over dough, leaving one short edge free of filling. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger or dried fruit (or both), if desired. Starting with the short end that's covered with filling, roll the dough into a log.

Cut the log into nine 1 ½"-thick rolls. Place the rolls into a lightly greased 9" x 9" pan that's at least 2" deep. Set aside, covered, to rise for 1 hour, or until the rolls look puffy.

Bake the rolls in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're lightly browned and feel set. Remove them from the oven, and set them on a rack. Turn them out of the pan, and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes. Towards the end of the cooling time, make the glaze.

To make the glaze: Heat the butter and milk together till the butter melts. Whisk into the sugar.  Drizzle the warm rolls with the warm glaze. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.

Yield: 9 rolls.

CanningLive: Pumpkin Edition

Interested in learning how to process fresh pumpkins? Then join us for the second annual #CanningLive event on Saturday, October 3, 2015 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm EST as we live tweet the process. Although the event name suggests we'll be canning, the USDA recommends that pumpkin puree should be frozen (more on that during the event).

We'll live tweet, and post on Facebook, how to select, break down, roast and puree fresh pumpkin. By the end of the event you'll know how to make and store homemade puree perfect for pies, soups and side dishes.

Joining me in my kitchen will be Bren Haas, host of #GardenChat and local food enthusiast. If it's anything like last year's event, Bren will be furiously photographing, video recording and posting! 

Rather than a traditional chat with posted questions, we'll be tweeting and posting while we're processing. In addition to discussing pumpkins, we'll also post freezing tips, share pumpkin recipes and take food preservation questions. Followers can watch the process, join in the conversation and ask questions using #CanningLive.

Find Us:
Twitter: log on and follow us by using #CanningLive
Facebook: Join the group #CanningLive

Almost ready to harvest.

We grow several varieties of pumpkins and winter squash.

Lots of pies from a single pumpkin!!

Enjoy fresh pumpkin in baked goods, soups and side dishes.

Have questions about pumpkins or food preservation? Leave them in the comment section below.

Garden Goings On August 2015

This summer has provided a few gardening challenges. An unusually wet June and July led to standing water for several weeks. A recent stretch of dry, sunny days has helped some plants recover, but the tomatoes took a hit: we lost almost the entire crop of slicers.

On the upside, successful crops included sour cherry, eggplant, beets, cucumbers and peppers. Looks like the pumpkins and winter squash are bouncing back, tomatillos are filling out and the ornamental broom corn looks fantastic. We're hopeful for the fall harvest.

I should add that the chief gardener is a bit uncomfortable that I'm sharing these photos. Due to the rain, the garden is pretty shaggy. Weeks passed with no tending, and when we finally waded in, the voracious mosquitos drove us out. But this is gardening. We all have good and bad years.

I'd love to hear how your season is progressing. Leave me a comment below!

A harbinger of summer! This is the last of the sunflowers. 

The Fairytale pie pumpkins are doing well. Several applications of
fungicide have helped with mildew issues.

Acorn squash recently set fruit.

Young butternut squash. 

This is the rye cover crop that we didn't terminate this year (plus weeds).

Broom corn is about seven feet tall. Looking forward to using in our fall decorations!

Tongue of Fire shelling bean drying on the bush. 

All the peppers did well, but the banana peppers were the heaviest producers.

This was our best eggplant year with more coming on. LOTS of eggplant parm!

We love this arrowhead cabbage (var. caraflex). The small, compact heads
are the perfect size for the two of us - great for slaws & stir fries. 

Tomatillos are just about ready. Green salsa coming soon!

Processing Pumpkins

One of my favorite garden goodies is pumpkin. Not the carving kind, but the sweet, delicious baking kind. Each year I browse the seed catalogs looking for new varieties of pumpkins to use in pies and other baked goods. Two of my favorites are Musquee de Provence and Long Island Cheese pumpkins.

Commercially canned pumpkin is nothing more that pureed pumpkin flesh. The homemade version is easy to make and preserve, and tastier. When selecting pumpkins, look for pumpkins labeled "pie" or "sweet". Seed catalogs will indicate pumpkin use and often suggest which varieties are best for baking.

Some recipes suggest preparing the flesh by boiling or steaming the pumpkin. I prefer roasting as it intensifies the flavor without adding additional moisture.

Once roasted and pureed, the pumpkin may need to be strained (some varieties have more moisture than others). Line a large strainer with cheesecloth or towel and allow to drain for an hour. Place drained puree in 2 cup containers (which is roughly equal to a 14 oz commercial can and the amount called for in most pie recipes) and place in the freezer. The USDA recommends pureed pumpkin be frozen, not canned.

Right: Long Island Cheese pumpkin. Left: mysterious volunteer pumpkin. 
Could be a cross as we didn't plant or compost this variety. 
I'll roast to see if the flesh is suitable for baking.

To prepare for roasting, cut in half and scrape out seeds.

This large musquee de provence had to be cut into wedges to fit into the oven.

Place cleaned pumpkins cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast at 375 degrees for about one hour.
Pumpkins are ready when flesh can be easily pierced with a paring knife.
The musquee de provence was roasted for 1 1/2 hours as the flesh is denser.

Roasted pumpkins. Use a tablespoon to scrape the flesh from the skin.
Unfortunately, the mystery pumpkin wasn't as tasty as
the other varieties, so I didn't include the flesh in the puree.

Puree the flesh in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Place puree in a lined colander and let drain for one hour.

I usually give the puree a final squeeze just before placing into containers. 

Place puree in 2-cup containers and freeze. Use within one year.

What do I do with all that pumpkin?
I make pies, cookies and pumpkin casserole
(similar to sweet potato casserole). But one of my favorite dishes is pumpkin oatmeal.
It's delicious, comforting and I like that I sneak in a vegetable for breakfast! 

Pumpkin Oatmeal
This makes a generous amount of oatmeal. I like to make a batch early in the week and refrigerate leftovers. Then I heat a portion in the microwave for a quick, nourishing breakfast throughout the week.

2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (not the instant kind)
Optional toppings: Honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, cream, raisins, pecans, roasted pumpkin seeds

In large saucepan over high heat, combine the pumpkin puree, water, milk, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a boil. Add the oatmeal. Turn the heat down and cook according to your oatmeal instructions (about 5 minutes). Stir often. Serve with toppings. Refrigerate leftovers.

Preparing winter squash

We had a great winter squash harvest this year, resulting in acorns, butternuts and a few varieties of pie pumpkins. Squash is one of my favorite side dishes. In addition to being flavorful and easy to prepare, fresh, uncut squash will hold for months (between 50-60 degrees is optimal).

Squash recipes are plentiful and I strive for the easiest preparation, which generally eliminates peeling. Many recipes calling for peeled squash can be modified to use squash roasted in and scraped from the skin.

Although they might not be much to look at, the butternut (l)
and acorn (r) squash are tasty fall treats.

To prepare, carefully cut in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Thoroughly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place squash cut side down and roast at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Flip squash cut side up and, if desired, stuff cavity. For the acorn squash, I made a bread stuffing
with apples and cranberries. The butternut was sprinkled with cinnamon. Brown sugar and butter were placed in the cavity. Return the stuffed squash to the oven for an additional 25 minutes.

Finished squash. Comforting, filling and healthy!

You can bake squash cut side down for 45-50 minutes, scrape flesh from skin and mash for a casserole. I added a a bit of butter, nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup. This is a great Thanksgiving side that can be made the day before and heated in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes (while the turkey rests). Roasted flesh can also be used as a base for cream soup.

Squash Stuffing
1/4 cup onions
1/4 cup celery
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup dried bread cubes
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 small apple, peeled, cored and cubed
2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1 tsp dried sage or 2 tsp fresh sage
1/2 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or cider
Salt & pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan cook onions and celery in butter just until softened, about five minutes. Combine sauteed vegetables with bread cubes, cranberries, apple, bacon, and sage. Add stock/cider, stirring to moisten ingredients.  Divide stuffing evenly between four partially baked acorn squash halves. Return to oven and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Leave a comment with your winter squash preparation tips!