Pumpkins, Squashes Recipes

November 3, 2011
Rlynn and I decided to stay home this year for Halloween, Kari and Russ are always so nice to invite us.
We had one small pumpkin out of many we grew for Russ and his family, that I wanted to try Dinner in a Pumpkin with.  I looked on the internet and couldn't find a recipe I exactly liked so I made up my own.  I knew what I wanted in it.  Hamburger and Rice.
Rice:  Soak 1 cup brown rice overnight in water, besure and cover the rice with the water. Next morning, rinse the rice well, put in pressure cooker with enough water to cover the rice and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Pressure 8 minutes, natural release. Makes perfect rice, put in a container and store in refrigerator for use in many recipes.

Dinner in a Pumpkin:
Ingredients:
Small sugar pumpkin or any kind.
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 small can mushrooms, or fresh
1 small can waterchesnuts
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Chinese five spice (Penseys)
1 tlbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tsp. Soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups brown rice.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut off top of pumpkin, scrape out seeds and wash inside and outside of pumpkin.
Brown hamburger with onion, celery, and garlic. Add other ingredients, simmer for a couple of minutes. Put into pumpkin.  Place pumpkin in a pan filled with a little water.  Bake until done.  About 1 1/2 hours or longer.  You many have leftover rice and hamburger leftover, I just froze mine for another day.

Butternut Squash Soup:
I found this recipe on the Internet and adapted it to do in the Pressure Cooker.  This soup is so good!
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds) peeled, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic minced
1 apple chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 or more cups water if needed
Sour cream, for garnish
1 apple shredded mixed with lemon juice for garnish
Directions:
Melt butter in the Pressure Cooker on the brown setting, add onion and garlic, cook until soft, add squash and brown for a minute or two.  Add other ingredients, pressure for 8 minutes, natural release.
Puree in batches in the blender until smooth, and return to saucepan.  Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary.  Serve with the sour cream and shredded apples. 
We had grilled cheese sandwiches with the soup and made the perfect meal.

Pumpkin Parfait:
Serves 2
Mix together:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp milk
2 tsp. sugar
6 oz. vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup granola
Directions:
 In small bowls or ramekins, layer the pumpkin mixture and yogurt, sprinkle with granola.