PUMPKIN RECIPES

I am reclaiming this blog that I forgot I even had! to post my pumpkin recipe experiments. This year, instead of making endless batches of pumpkin bread, cookies, muffins, and pies, I am going to try to use my 100 or so cups of pumpkin in more dinner-appropriate recipes. My goal is one pumpkin recipe per week, which I'll try to post. I started with two that I made last week--the chili, I discovered last year; the bread, I tried for the first time last week. Both were hits with kids and adults--

PUMPKIN YEAST ROLLS

Be warned that my bread-making technique is not traditional, but after a few years of trial and error, it works for me! If you don't "trust" this method, or if you don't have a stand mixer that kneads bread, use your usual technique--

Combine in large measuring cup:
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup room-temp water
1/2 cup flour
Cover lightly with plastic wrap (air should still be able to get in) and let sit for 1/2 hour until bubbly.

Mix yeast mixture and following ingredients in mixing bowl and use dough hook to knead.
3/4 cup water
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
5 cups bread flour

Add more flour as needed to get slightly sticky dough. Knead for about 2-3 minutes in mixer or until desired texture is reached. Put in lightly greased bowl, cover with cloth, and let rise in warm place for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled.

Spray baking sheet with Pam. Shape dough into about 60 rolls and put on baking sheets. Cover with cloth and let rise about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake rolls 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Chili

I've made this two times; the only problem I had with it is that my homemade pumpkin puree is more watery than canned pumpkin--so I had to simmer the pumpkin and tomatoes on the stovetop a little to let some of the liquid evaporate. If I were to cook the chili on the stovetop instead of the crockpot, I could have let the liquid simmer out as the chili was cooking--

PUMPKIN CHILI
2 cups pumpkin puree
1-2 pounds ground beef or turkey, cooked and drained
2 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained (15 oz cans)
1-2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper
2 bay leaves

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until onions are cooked and flavors are blended.

About 8 servings?