Pumpkins

This is a photo of the girls ready for a walk a couple of weeks ago. This is what I wish we had managed a bit more of this week, but with windy, showery weather for the past 8 days really prevented us leaving the house at all. We all tend to get a little tetchy when we can't get outside (especially me). Thankfully Ian did take the girls for a drive this afternoon so I could get out into the garden.



So, had lot of time to cook this week. We are down to our last 4 pumpkins so I thought I would get stuck into one of them. They are a variety called Triamble from The Digger's Club. By far the best growing and healthiest looking pumpkin variety I have grown and a really heavy fruiter. I will definately be growing them again this year. We seem to have had pumpkin in everything this week from muffins and fruit cake to lasagne and risotto.

A few tried and tested pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin, Zucchini and Bacon Soup

about 1 1/2 kg pumpkin, peeled and cubed
2 rashers bacon, trimmed and chopped
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
chicken stock to cover
sprinkling of nutmeg
tsp sugar

In a large pan add pumpkin, bacon, onion and zucchini to a little olive oil and gently fry until all heated through. Add stock to just cover (not too much or with the zucchini it will become too watery). Gently simmer until all ingredients are soft. Wizz in a blender or using a hand blender (less washing up), add the nutmeg and sugar and season will salt and pepper.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins
makes about 10

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sultanans
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
1 cup mashed pumpkin
2 cups SR flour
cinnamon and raw sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 180* and prepare muffin tins. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix through pumpkin and sultanans. Fold through spices and flour until just combined. Spoon into prepared pans. Sprinkle tops of muffins with cinnamon and raw sugar and bake for about 20 minutes.