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| Pumpkin "Butter" made in a crockpot |
The theme for this month’s Recipe Redux is to share a recipe
that uses a crockpot. Crockpots are used today more than ever by busy families.
The NPD Group, a market research firm, found that in 2008 usage of slow cookers
had reached an all-time high with 12% of households using them. Although I
haven’t seen recent figures, I venture to guess that number is much higher
today as our lives continue to get busier and busier.
I love fall and one of the reasons I do is because I love
pumpkins. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin breads, pumpkin soups, even pumpkin
chili. So when I saw the challenge for this month, I decided to do something
with pumpkins. I wanted to see if a slow cooker could be used to make pumpkin
butter.
Pumpkin butter is a little misleading as there really is no
butter in the recipe. It is really a spread. The traditional way to make pumpkin
butter is to cook the pumpkin and other ingredients on a range top. However,
the pumpkin splatters and can make a mess. With a crockpot there is no splattering
and no mess.
I found baby pumpkins at a nearby garden center.
Because the outer layer of the raw baby pumpkin was difficult
to cut with a knife, I started by roasting the pumpkin whole, on a baking sheet
for an hour.
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| Roast whole pumpkin on baking sheet |
Once the pumpkin comes out of the oven, let it cool. Then
cut in half. Scoop out seeds and guts.
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| Scoop out seeds and guts |
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| Mix roasted pumpkin pulp with other ingredients |
Then transfer the pulp to a crockpot. Add other ingredients
and mix well. Cover and let cook on low power for about 4 hours.
So now that you’ve made the pumpkin butter, what do you do
with it? My favorite way is to spread it on whole grain toast. Yum. You could
use it on pancakes or waffles. You could stir it to cooked oatmeal. You could
make a parfait, alternating rows of pumpkin butter, slightly sweetened Greek-style
vanilla yogurt, and granola. You can dip fresh fruit into it, such as apples, Asian
pears, or banana slices.
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| Pumpkin Butter will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks |
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Here is the complete recipe:
Pumpkin “Butter”
Ingredients:
1
pumpkin (about 3-1/2 lbs)
Non-stick
cooking spray
1/2
cup pure maple syrup
1
Tbsp ground cinnamon
1
tsp vanilla extract
1
tsp lemon juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole pumpkin on baking
sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake whole pumpkin for
60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
Remove stem from cooked pumpkin and slice pumpkin in half.
With large spoon, remove seeds, guts, and strings. (Seeds can be washed and
roasted, if desired.) Scoop out cooked pumpkin flesh with spoon and place into
crockpot. Mash. Stir in maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla; stir well. Cover and
cook over low heat for about 4 hours, depending on desired thickness of pumpkin
butter. Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice. Serve. Keep refrigerated.
Makes 2-3/4 cups (or 22 2-tablespoon servings).
Nutrition Information
per Serving (2 tablespoons):
28 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg
cholesterol, 1 g dietary fiber, 0 g protein, and 1 mg sodium. One serving of this low cost
recipe provides an excellent source of vitamin A.
Cost per Serving:
$0.33
Pricing Note: all ingredients were at “regular” prices
except pumpkin which was featured for $2.50 each.
