The cooler weather, along with Halloween and Thanksgiving around the corner, has us craving a bit of pumpkin spice. And, while Zucchini is considered a “summer squash,” it actually is planted in late summer and harvested in the fall. Here are four delicious recipes to try that might be a little bit good for you, too!
Spiced Pumpkin Bars
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 15 oz can of pumpkin
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- Pecan halves (optional)
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and oil on medium speed. Add the flour mixture; beat until well combined. If desired, stir in chopped pecans.
- Spread batter into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
- Frost pumpkin bars. If desired, top with pecan halves. Cut into squares. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.
Source: Culinary.net
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Pie
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50-55 minutes
Servings: 8
1 pie crust (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) Green Giant 100% Pure Pumpkin
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Roll out dough to 2 inches larger than pie dish. Gently press dough into dish until it lines bottom and sides. Trim dough to within 1/2 inch of dish edge. Fold edges underneath themselves, creating thick 1/4-inch border. Crimp edges with fingers. Refrigerate. Preheat oven to 375 F.
In large bowl, whisk eggs and sugars until smooth. Add pumpkin, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir until well blended.
Slowly pour filling into pie shell. Cover edges with thin strips of aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Source: Green Giant Pumpkin.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 70 minutes
Yield: 48-50 cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) Green Giant 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
For Rolling:
2 tablespoons cane sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
In small saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir regularly until butter turns deep golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Pour browned butter into heat-safe bowl or measuring cup and refrigerate until cooled, but not solid, about 15 minutes.
In large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In separate medium mixing bowl, stir browned butter and brown sugar. Whisk in pumpkin and vanilla extract followed by eggs and egg yolks.
Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry until evenly mixed. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes.
Form dough into four separate logs 2-3 inches in diameter and about 7 inches long. Wrap each cookie dough log with plastic wrap. Freeze dough 30 minutes, or until ready to bake.
For rolling: Preheat oven to 350 F and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir sugars and cinnamon on large plate. Unwrap desired amount of dough (thaw slightly at room temperature if dough is completely frozen) and roll each log in sugar mixture.
Slice into 1/2-inch slices. Place on baking sheet 3 inches apart.
Bake 14-15 minutes. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Cool cookies at room temperature on baking sheet 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack and cooling 10 minutes.
Source: Green Giant Pumpkin.
Zucchini Spice Bundt Cake
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
1 box spice cake mix
2 cups grated zucchini
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1 cup chopped white chocolate chips, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
milk
Heat oven to 350 F.
In bowl, mix cake mix, zucchini, butter, eggs, 3/4 cup walnuts and 3/4 cup white chocolate chips. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool about 10 minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling.
Mix powdered sugar and milk, about 1/4 cup, to reach desired consistency of frosting. Pour over cooled cake then sprinkle with remaining walnuts and remaining white chocolate chips. Cut and serve.
Source: Culinary.net