Always a mom on a mission, I'm continually looking for sly ways to sneak some veggies and fruit into my children's diet. I turned the homemade pumpkin puree I made yesterday into a decadent dinner and delicious dessert and my kiddos are none the wiser ;) The pumpkin I used yielded me about 2 1/4 cups of puree, which was perfect for the scrumptious recipes I want to share with you now.
FOR DINNER: Pumpkin Ziti
Ingredients
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3 cups hot milk (a minute or two in the microwave usually does the trick)
8 oz block of Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 ¼ cups fresh pumpkin puree
1 lb ziti, cooked al dente
8 oz block of Mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup toasted Italian bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a saucepan. Sprinkle in flour and mix until incorporated. Add garlic and continue stirring for another 2 minutes to cook out the “flour taste”. Whisk in milk and continue whisking until mixture is smooth and thick. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste (and you will need it!). Add shredded Colby Jack cheese and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted. Add fresh pumpkin puree until all incorporated.
Stir in al dente ziti noodles. Sprinkle a couple handfuls of the mozzarella cheese. Pour cheesy pasta mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and toasted Italian bread crumbs.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.
Ingredients
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3 cups hot milk (a minute or two in the microwave usually does the trick)
8 oz block of Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 ¼ cups fresh pumpkin puree
1 lb ziti, cooked al dente
8 oz block of Mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup toasted Italian bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a saucepan. Sprinkle in flour and mix until incorporated. Add garlic and continue stirring for another 2 minutes to cook out the “flour taste”. Whisk in milk and continue whisking until mixture is smooth and thick. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste (and you will need it!). Add shredded Colby Jack cheese and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted. Add fresh pumpkin puree until all incorporated.
Stir in al dente ziti noodles. Sprinkle a couple handfuls of the mozzarella cheese. Pour cheesy pasta mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and toasted Italian bread crumbs.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.
AND FOR DESSERT: Pumpkin Cupcakes topped with Marshmallow Fluff
Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 325°. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, beat the melted butter, sugar and pumpkin until smoothly blended. Beat in the eggs. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated. The batter will be thick.
Fill each paper liner with ¼ cup of batter. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack. Once the cupcakes are cooled down, top each with a piping of marshmallow fluff (recipe below).
Marshmallow Fluff
Ingredients
3 tablespoons water
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste
2 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
Bring water, corn syrup 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon of sugar to 246°F on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, whip egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until foamy, about 2 minutes. Still whisking, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the whites hold very soft peaks, about another 2 minutes.
Turn your mixer on a slow speed, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup. Turn the mixer to high and whisk until thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
Mix on low, add the pure vanilla bean paste.
Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 325°. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, beat the melted butter, sugar and pumpkin until smoothly blended. Beat in the eggs. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated. The batter will be thick.
Fill each paper liner with ¼ cup of batter. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack. Once the cupcakes are cooled down, top each with a piping of marshmallow fluff (recipe below).
Marshmallow Fluff
Ingredients
3 tablespoons water
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste
2 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
Bring water, corn syrup 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon of sugar to 246°F on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, whip egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until foamy, about 2 minutes. Still whisking, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the whites hold very soft peaks, about another 2 minutes.
Turn your mixer on a slow speed, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup. Turn the mixer to high and whisk until thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
Mix on low, add the pure vanilla bean paste.
Hope you try these yummy recipes in your home. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy!
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