Pumpkins herald in autumn as a sign of the season. The tradition of
carving pumpkins into
jack-o-lanterns was started long ago. The ancient Celts carved turnips
into lanterns to ward off
evil spirits on
All Hallows Eve. The custom was brought to America by Irish immigrants
and
pumpkins
became the choice for lanterns being easier to carve. Today
jack-o-lanterns add a
special glow
our Halloween festivities with their grinning and ghoulish
faces.
Pumpkin Muffins
1/2 cup
butter
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4
cup brown
sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4
cup
honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1
egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 cup
pumpkin
Cream
butter and beat in sugar. Add honey, egg and pumpkin mixing well.
Combine dry ingredients
and
add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in nuts. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4
full. Bake at 400' F for 18 min.
Yield
about 18 muffins. **
**This recipe (pumpkin muffins) is one of several in the
book "The Perfect
Pumpkin" by Gail
Damerow. It contains a wealth of knowledge
about pumpkin growing, cooking and carving.
Pumpkin
Pie
4
eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4
cup white
sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4
cup dark brown
sugar
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1
teaspoon
salt
2 tablespoons dark
molasses
2 1/2
heaping teaspoon
cinnamon 3
cups canned milk
1/2
teaspoon
nutmeg
1 1/2 to 2 - 16 oz. cans pumpkin
3 pie crusts
Mix
ingredients and pour into pie crusts. Bake at 425' F for 15 minutes then
350' F for 45 minutes.
The
Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, Ohio is only one event of many
events across the
country that feature pumpkins as the main attraction. http://www.pumpkinshow.com/
