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Now that the holiday season is over, you might just be pumpkined out. But, in my meandering around the web, I found this recipe and just had to share it with you:

Pumpkin Tiramisu from Italian Cooking & Living magazine.

I love Tiramisu and I can’t wait to try out this pumpkin variety at my next party!

Here’s a fun recipe that makes a slightly sweet biscuit. It’s a nice alternative to the ordinary biscuit, and makes a very tasty snack. The original recipe called for pecans, but I’ve always used walnuts.

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/ cup butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup pumpkin pureé
1/3 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and spices. Cut butter into mixture until it looks like small peas. Stir in nuts. In a glass measuring cup, combine pumpkin and half-and-half. Stir into flour mixture. Dough should be stiff. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. If the dough is too wet to handle (which it often is), add more flour. But be careful not to add too much so that the biscuits end up coated with flour! Pat dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut out with 2-inch cutter or glass with 2-inch diameter opening. Place biscuits onto lightly greased baking sheet, about one inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 20 biscuits.

Check out this video from RealMeals.TV

link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271575303/bctid647738222

Sounds yummy.

I’ve found a lot of delicious pumpkin recipes at this website from Down Under:

www.taste.com.au

The site is nicely designed with clean graphics, professional photography and bright colors. In addition to recipes, it has news, health information, how to instructions and more.

Do you like pesto? Try this twist on one of my favorite dishes. It’s a great way to use those pumpkin seeds you get from the innards of your jack-o-lantern.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Spinach and Feta

12 oz Fusilli Spiral Pasta
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3 loosely packed cups fresh basil, stems removed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 oz pkg frozen spinach
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package and set aside.

Cook spinach according to the instructions on the package. Toss into the pasta.

Place pumpkin seeds in a small skillet. Toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the seeds are lightly browned and puffed up, about 2 to 3 minutes.

In a food processor, combine toasted seeds, basil, cheese, lemon juice and pepper. Pulse until all ingredients are finely ground. Then drizzle in olive oil while processor is still running. Continue adding oil until desired consistency is reached.

Add pesto to the pasta and spinach, tossing well to coat.

Sprinkle in feta cheese and toss lightly.

Serve immediately, before the cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings.

I’ve been busy with other projects, so this blog has been someone ignored — but I have been collecting information. I thought I’d share some of it with you today. These reduced-fat recipes sound yummy:

Pumpkin Gingerbread Bars

Pumpkin Pudding (Scroll down the page for the recipe.)

OK, this recipe from The Washington Post isn’t low fat, but it does sound good:
Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Jell-o has come out with a pumpkin spice pudding mix. By itself, I found it bit too heavy on the spice and too light on the pumpkin flavors. However, it can make an awesome, quick and easy pumpkin pie. Check this out.

Carma’s Quick and Easy Pumpkin Pudding Pie

1 envelope Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix
1 can (12 oz.) cold evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (4-serving size) Jell-o Pumpkin Spice Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, French Vanilla
1 graham cracker pie shell

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on high, beat whipped topping mix, 1/2 can of the evaporated milk and vanilla for 6 minutes or until topping thickens and forms soft peaks.

Adding the pudding mix and the rest of the evaporated milk. Beat on low until blended, then on high for two minutes. Scrape bowl occasionally to make sure everything mixes well together. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In another bowl, combine cream cheese and pumpkin. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and well blended.

Add half the Cool Whip. Beat on low until well blended. Spoon into pie shell.

Take the pudding mixture out of the refrigerator and spoon on top of the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

On a recent excursion to the grocery store, I found this little gem: Alta Dena Pumpkin Spice Eggnog. Alta Dena Dairy just released this new flavor, which combines the flavors of eggnog and pumpkin pie. I had to try it.

At first, I didn’t really taste the difference beyond a ginger-cinnamon taste replacing the common nutmeg taste of traditional eggnog.

But, after due diligence in tasting this product for you (it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it), I found that it was different and quite good.

The eggnog is a slight orange color, probably due, in part to the pumpkin puree listed in the ingredients. At first, it tastes like traditional eggnog, but then the ginger and cinnamon tones take over. The after-taste leaves a vaguely pumpkin-pie remembrance on the palate.

For those of you that love eggnog as much as you love pumpkin, this will be a nice treat. And, like traditional eggnog, I suspect it tastes good warmed with a little nip of brandy or spice rum mixed in.

To celebrate my blessing of this new product, I provide you with this recipe based on it.

Pumpkin Spice Eggnog Pound Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 pkg instant pumpkin pudding mix
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cup Alta Dena Pumpkin Spice Eggnog
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease two loaf pans with butter-flavored vegetable shortening. Dust sides with flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, place the ingredients in this order: cake mix, pudding mix, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin puree, eggnog, eggs, egg yolk, and melted butter. Using an electric mixer set on medium, blend the ingredients for 30 seconds. Put the electric mixer on high and beat for four more minutes. The batter should be smooth and creamy.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto another wire cooling rack and let cool thoroughly.