The book, “Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food – Recipes & Stories from Mountain Kitchens,” by Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley, takes into consideration the bounty that this area can offer, sharing stories, tips, and recipes throughout its 250 pages. Whether growing your own cooking pumpkins or picking them up from local growers, just one pumpkin can provide enough “flesh” for many entrees and baked goods. Besides the meat of the pumpkin, the seeds are healthy and delicious, too.
COOKED PUMPKIN & ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Cut a pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds; clean flesh away from seeds. Put seeds aside. Place each half of the pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook on 350 degrees F. for about 40 minutes, or until a knife can be put completely through. Let cool and scoop out cooked flesh and put into freezer bags, or immediately use in recipes.
To toast seeds, lightly coat the cleaned seeds in cooking oil, spread them out atop a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and place in a 375-degree F. oven. Toast until they begin to show a hint of brown and then remove. The seeds can be eaten whole as a snack, sprinkled over salads, or added to granola.
PUMPKIN BREAD
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups cooked pumpkin
- 1 cup butter or shortening
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (can use ½ wheat or spelt flour)
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 ½ cups black walnuts or pecans
Combine sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and butter (or shortening). In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Combine pumpkin mixture with sifted mixture. Stir in black walnuts. Pour into greased loaf pans and bake for an hour at 350 degrees F. A toothpick or cake tester should come out clean.