Not all types of pumpkin are in season and therefor available all through the year, so you have to use the one that is in season at a certain time.  The most common and quickest way to prepare pumpkin is to boil it in a little bit of water, season lightly with salt and add some cinnamon.  Otherwise you can mix the pumpkin with flour, salt and egg and bake “pampoenkoekies” in a little bit of oil, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.

Another favourite recipe from times gone by, a truly traditional South African recipe, is “pampoenmoes”.  You can either bake this in the oven or boil it in a little bit of water in a saucepan.  This is a recipe worth trying:

Ingredients

• 8 slices of white bread
• Butter
• Apricot jam
• 2 cups of pumpkin (1 butternut squash should do.  Slice very thinly)
• Salt
• Sugar
• Cinnamon

Directions

1. Butter the bread on both sides and spread apricot jam on the side facing up.  Place one layer in an oven proof glass dish, jam facing up.
2. Cut the pumpkin thinly, season lightly with salt and place on top of the bread.
3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the pumpkin.
4. Repeat this until all the pumpkin and bread is used up, finishing with a layer of pumpkin.  Dot a few extra clots of butter on the top.
5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour in a pre-heated oven of 180°C

Serve the pumpkin hot with vegetables and maybe a lovely chicken dish, maybe a pie?  This is a great dish to try and impress your friends with.  It is very easy to make, so try it and see what happens!

• 1 cup Pumpkin Seeds — Shelled
• 1/4 cup Onion; Chopped — 1 sm
• 1 each Bread; White — Slice *
• 1 each Clove Garlic — Crushed
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons Green Chiles; Chopped — Canned
• 14 ounces Chicken Broth — Canned
• 1/2 cup Whipping Cream
• Dash Salt

Directions:

* Slice of white bread should be torn into small pieces.

Cook pumpkin seeds, onion, bread, and garlic in oil, stirring frequently, until bread is golden brown. Stir in chiles. Place mixture in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blad; cover and process until smooth.

Stir in broth, whipping cream and salt. Makes about 3 cups of sauce.

BLENDER METHOD:

Place pumpkin seed mixture and about half the broth in blender container; cover and blend until smooth. Stir in remaining broth, the whipping cream and salt.

• One 9-inch pie shell.
• 6 ounces of cream cheese, softened.
• ¾ cup of cooked pumpkin.
• 2 medium sized eggs.
• 1 ½ cups of sugar.
• ¼ cup of flour.
• ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Beat the cream cheese, eggs and sugar together until the mixture is smooth.

Add the pumpkin.

Stir in the flour, nutmeg, and the cinnamon. Beat well.

Pour into the pie shell and bake for one hour.

• 4 cups of water.
• 1 can of canned crushed tomatoes.
• 3 can of red kidney beans.
• 1 can of pumpkin.
• 1 cup of chopped onion.
• 1 cup of chopped red bell pepper.
• 1 cup of uncooked bulgur.
• 1 cup of chopped green chili.
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
• 1 teaspoon of garlic minced.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
• 1 teaspoon of salt.

Directions:

Drain and rinse the beans.

Put all ingredients in a large pan.

Over a high heat, bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium-low heat and simmer for 35 minutes.

COOKIES

• 1 medium egg.
• 2 cups of flour.
• 1 cup of butter.
• 1 cup of sugar.
• 1 cup of pumpkin.
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
• 1 teaspoon of soda.
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

ICING

• 1 cup of powdered sugar.
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
• 4 tablespoons of milk.
• 3 tablespoons of butter.
• 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla.

Directions:

COOKIES

Cream the sugar and the butter.

Add the pumpkin and the egg.

Add the dry ingredients.

Bake at 350F for about ten minutes.

ICING

Combine the butter, the milk and the brown sugar.

Boil for three minutes minutes. Allow to cool.

Stir in the sugar and the vanilla.

Apply icing to the cookies.

With all those rich chocolate chips set against a striking orange background, this kid favorite isn’t just delicious, it’s pretty too. For a healthier option, substitute raisins for the chocolate chips.

Please note: The overabundance of batter (see guest comments) could be caused by using too much pumpkin. The recipe requires 1 cup of plain canned pumpkin, not a full can (and not pumpkin pie filling).
Giving festive breads as gifts? Check out our Easy Wrapping Ideas.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 CUP canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with waxed or parchment paper (or grease and flour it), then set it aside. Heat the oven to 350º.
2. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter in a large bowl, gradually adding the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin.
3. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
4. With a wooden spoon, blend a third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then add half the milk. Alternate additions of the remaining flour mixture and the milk, blending well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (except for a little melted chocolate), about 50 to 60 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling. Makes 10 servings.