Pumpkin recipe ideas?

So far I have learned:

*if you are going to try baking/roasting a stuffed pumpkin, once the skin on the bottom is pierced, there is no going back. Any attempts to patch it are futile.

*pumpkin actually tastes better (since it steams inside its own skin) if you microwave it for 30 minutes, as opposed to roasting it for 2 hours.

*there's a good reason most of the Western world pumpkin recipes are for desserts. Savory recipes require a LOT more work and ingredients.

*sugar--from any source or level of refinement--can make almost anything taste good.

*ditto butter.

Another idea: Soaking red lentils now; will cook on stovetop with various spices...also rub the same spices into the interior of the pumpkin...stuff it completely full with lentils and bake in oven.

So far, neither of the two I have prepared and cooked were stuffed completely full and the flesh was a little tough....maybe I need to make sure the cavity is full and that the contents are rather wet?

The 'dessert' one came out best...walnuts and brandy-soaked raisins, raw brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and butter. This is the one that I tried to patch a small hole in the bottom and the plug wouldn't stay put so most of the liquid ran out while it cooked. Still pretty delish, though. I have plenty of everything so I may try it again, with a few tweaks....

Soup dear. Blend the cooked pumpkin with DRY powdered milk, and a tab of butter. Flavor with your taste buds. Blend until smooth...yummy.

Thanks....I am thinking I will try a vegan version of that with soy milk and use my immersion blender...or maybe a 'cream' of walnuts soaked in hot water and then pureed, with a little fresh sage thrown in.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm~ AND VEGAN!!!!!~ =D

For health reasons, I'm trying to go vegan...but the hardest to eliminate are the dairy products (when you learn that casein, whey, lactose, milk solids and ghee are all terms involving milk proteins or some component thereof, well, you feel as if you need a chemistry degree just to go grocery shopping.). I'm something of a cheese freak, which makes it doubly painful.
One step at a time....

I've dropped a couple of pounds in the last couple of weeks (no mean feat for me) and my blood sugars have stabilized at a more reasonable level as well. So I'm thinking I'm just going to persevere with the plan.

don't deny yourself~ I admit to falling to the dairy myself now and again~
cheesecake is my downfall and imported cheeses like Asiago~ BUT I keep it all in perspective~ I'm about 100% vegan maybe 60% of the time~ ;)

Yep--deprivation is a diet killer! one day at a time, one step at a time...

Stilton and a Granny Smith or a Jonathan apple...that's my idea of dessert. But cheesecake was once my favorite sweet, until my blood sugars began to react drastically to anything more than a mouthful.

Still, 'moderation in all things....including moderation'.

I'm so happy you asked. I tried a pumpkin ravioli recipe I've wanted to share with everyone I knew. I'm attempting to translate the pasta into something vegan and gluten-free, so here goes:

Filling:
One roasted pumpkin, mashed and mixed a tsp at a time with your favorite savory spices (I like cumin and thyme). Add olive oil if you want a smoother mash.

Pasta:
2 & 1/2 cups gluten-free flour. If yours doesn't inlcude a gumming agent, add 1/4 tsp. guar and xanthum gum.
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1 tsp of a colored spice like cilantro or ground chili pepper (optional)

Mix the flour, (gum), (spice), and salt, then add water slowly to turn the concoction into dough. Knead the mix until it is nice and smooth. Take a 10-minute break.

Now, if you have a pasta machine or roller, by all means use that. Otherwise, throw waxed paper on a hard surface. Roll the dough until it is very thin but not translucent. Cut into 1-inch by 1-inch squares or use a cool cookie cutter that's about the same size (I make hearts).

Place a 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. of the mash into half of the squares (avoid over-stuffing). Wet all of the squares' edges and place the plain pieces on top of the filled, squeezing the edges together to make a seal. Let it dry a bit to ensure the seal (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water or broth.

Boil the pasta until it's tender. Toss it in your favorite sauce, eat plain or toss it with olive oil and garlic. Yum!

Lauren, that sounds really delicious....looks like my next culinary adventure will be making my own pasta! My son works at the local whole foods co-op and I've been a member there for 20 years+ so no problem finding the guar and xanthum gum. My mother has a roller and a ravioli press; I may borrow them one weekend and experiment.

thanks for the recipe!

See the pumpkin bread recipe that I posted last night: Pumpkin Bread

I've never ever cooked with pumpkin. I've always purchased my pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread. I don't have the patience for this, therefore you can tell I'm not a good cook. LOL Your recipes all sound wonderful.