Curried Pumpkin and Mushroom Soup
Squash Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Bread

Curried Pumpkin and Mushroom Soup  

This is a hearty soup and the mushrooms add a pleasing depth of flavour. Float some sautéed slices of mushrooms on top.

¾ lb	mushrooms, thinly sliced	375 g
1½ cup	onions, chopped	375 mL
3 tbsp	butter	45 mL
3 tbsp	all purpose flour	45 mL
1½ tbsp	curry powder	20 mL
4 cups	chicken stock	1 L
4 cups	pumpkin, pureed*	1 L
3 tbsp	brown sugar	45 mL
½ tsp	nutmeg	2 mL
3 cups	whipping cream	750 mL
	Sour cream

In a large saucepan over medium heat sauté mushrooms and onions in butter until onions are translucent.  Add flour and curry powder and blend, stirring for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, pumpkin, brown sugar and nutmeg, stirring until blended.  Transfer to food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Add cream.  Return to saucepan and reheat until hot. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and nutmeg.

*Puréed Pumpkin, (not pumpkin pie filling) can be purchased in cans at the supermarket or you can make your own at home. Take a medium-sized pumpkin and cut into wedges, approximately 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick. Seed, peel and cut into cubes. Place in a large stockpot, cover with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until pumpkin is tender. Drain the pumpkin in a colander. Place well-drained pumpkin in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. This purée also works well as a base for pumpkin pie or cheesecake. The same method can be used for puréed squash, which will also work in this recipe

Makes 8 - 10 servings.

Excerpt from The Taste of Nova Scotia Cookbook

Squash Pie 

Butternut squash has a different flavour and texture than pumpkin. It is firmer and not as sweet. Pumpkin may be substituted, but try the squash first – you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

2 cups	butternut squash or pumpkin, cooked and mashed*	500 mL
1½ cups	evaporated milk	375 mL
2	eggs	2
¾ cup	brown sugar	175 mL
1½ tsp	ground cinnamon	7 mL
½ tsp	ground ginger	2 mL
½ tsp	ground nutmeg	2 mL
½ tsp	salt	2 mL
1	single pie crust	1
¼ cup	whipping cream (optional)	50 mL

*Cut a medium-sized squash into wedges, approximately 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick. Seed, peel and cut into cubes. Place in a large stockpot, cover with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until squash is tender. Drain the squash in a colander. Place well-drained squash in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

In a large bowl add squash, milk, eggs, sugar and spices, mixing at a medium speed until well blended. Pour mixture into a 10-inch (25-cm) pastry lined pie pan. Bake in a preheated 400EF (200EC) oven for 60 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch/2.5cm from edge comes out clean. Shield crust with foil for last 20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack. To garnish, whip cream in a small bowl with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peeks form.  Serve each slice of pie with a dab of whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

Two 400 g packages of frozen, mashed squash may be substituted.  Strain excess liquid off until you have 2 cups (500 mL) of pulp remaining.

Makes 8 servings

Excerpt from The Taste of Nova Scotia Cookbook

Pumpkin Cheesecake 

Howard Dill’s award-winning pumpkins come from the soils of Windsor in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Mr Dill has grown pumpkins that tip the scales at 700 lbs – that’s a lot of pumpkin pie and cheesecake. Fortunately you do not need a giant pumpkin to make this luscious cheesecake. 

Crust:
2 cups	graham cracker crumbs	500 mL
¼ cups	butter	50 mL
Filling:
1½ lbs.	cream cheese (3 lg. pkg)	750 g
1 cup	granulated sugar	250 mL
1½ tsp	ground cinnamon	7 mL
1 tsp	ground nutmeg	5 mL
½ tsp	ground clove	2 mL
4	eggs	4
1½	pumpkin puréed*	375 mL

Crust: In a small mixing bowl, blend together graham cracker crumbs and butter.  Press crust mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23-m) springform pan.  Chill until filling is ready.

Filling: Divide filling ingredients into roughly three portions and mix each portion in a food processor until smooth.  Pour each portion into a large bowl as done.  Mix all portions together with a hand mixer until smooth and well blended.  Pour into springform pan.  Bake in preheated oven at 275F (140C) for 2 ½ hours.  Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. To serve, top with fresh whipped cream and garnish with slivered almonds.

Makes 12 servings.  (Recipe is an excerpt from The Taste of Nova Scotia Cookbook)

*Pumpkin can be purchased in cans at the supermarket or you can make your own pureéd pumpkin at home. Take a medium sized pumpkin and cut into wedges, approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.  Seed, peel and cut into cubes. Place in a large stockpot cover with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until the pumpkin is tender.  Drain the pumpkin in a colander.  Place well-drained pumpkin in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

Pumpkin Bread 

This reddish-brown, sweet and chewy quick bread is easy to make and gives a new use for pumpkin. One trick is to have all the ingredients out and ready before beginning the mixing process. This recipe makes 2 loaves, one for now and one for the freezer. 

4	eggs	4
2 cups	granulated sugar	500 mL
1¼ cup	vegetable oil	300 mL
2 cups	puréed pumpkin	500 mL
3 cups	all-purpose flour	750 mL
2 tsp	baking soda	10 mL
2 tsp	baking powder	10 mL
1 tsp	salt	5 mL
1 tbsp	ground cinnamon	15 mL
1½ cups	raisins (optional)	375 mL

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the 4 eggs until well beaten. Add the sugar, oil and puréed pumpkin and whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl blend together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir into pumpkin mixture until well combined. Fold in raisins.

Pour batter into two greased 8 x 4 inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pans. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 1 hour or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 2 loaves

(Recipe is an excerpt from Nova Scotia Cooking)