Pumpkin Soup


3 cups pureed pumpkin

3 cups milk�

1 tbsp butter�

� cup chicken stock�

� tsp nutmeg

� tsp ginger

� cup ham, finely diced

pinch salt�

pinch pepper�

crushed peanuts

chopped green onions�

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Scald the milk over medium high heat, but do not let it come to a boil. Lower heat and stir in pumpkin. Add butter and whisk until blended. Stir in chicken stock, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Heat uncovered until mixture begins to bubble. Stir in ham and cover; simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 minutes.
Garnish with crushed peanuts, chopped green onions, or both. Serves four to six.�


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Classic Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Roasted pumpkin seeds are grownup candy (don?t even try dumping them in a kids? candy sack). Not only are they a healthy snack, but also they?re great in salads, sandwiches and as a garnish to pumpkin soup.

Place the seeds in a saucepan and cover with salted water, using 1/4 cup salt to 2 quarts water. Bring the seeds to a boil, and simmer about 2 hours. Drain the seeds and dry them on absorbent paper.

To roast, place seeds in a shallow pan in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir occasionally.

Remove the seeds from the oven and add 1 teaspoon of melted butter or margarine to each cup of seeds. Salt to taste. When cool, store in an airtight container. If they are to be stored longer than 10 to 14 days, place in the freezer.

Salt may be omitted in the cooking water, and other seasonings can be used. Simply sprinkle the cooked, drained seeds with onion or garlic salt before roasting.

Hulled seeds may be mixed with vegetable oil (2 teaspoons oil to each cup of seeds) and seasonings and then roasted. Place in a 300-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

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Autumn Punch

1 part apple cider

1 part jug red wine�

cinnamon sticks

nutmeg

dried orange peel�

rose hips�

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Combine the first two ingredients in a large pot over medium heat; add the cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel and rose hips to taste once the mixture starts to warm. Simmer on low. The longer you simmer the mixture, the stronger the spice element will be.
The punch can be served warm or cold. Place it in a cast iron or silver container for a change from school-dance ?crystal? punch bowls. If serving cold, float a few lit votive candles in the punch for the initial stages of the party. Needless to say, you?ll remove these before a) you serve the punch, or b) the candles melt down.

Now being the southern Phantom I am, it would not be mannerly to invite y'all for a visit and not offer you something to eat... tonight the old hag is cooking up some of her finest down home cookin. So please come in, "set a spell" and enjoy. And for your convince we have a boo bag so you can take some on home with you.

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