OKINAWA

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What do you get when you take the circumference of a pumpkin and divide it by its diameter? Pumpkin pie

Are pumpkins fruits or vegetables? Although most people would categorize pumpkin as a vegetable, it’s actually a fruit. Pumpkins are members of the cucurbit (gourd) family and are a close relative to squash, cucumbers and melons.

What’s the worlds largest pumpkin? The largest pumpkin pie ever made weighed over 350 pounds and was 5 feet in diameter. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs, and took six hours to bake.

How many pumkin pies are consumed each year? A whole lot! One major name brand supplier of canned pumpkin estimates over 50 million pumpkin pies are baked and eaten each year.

- Commissaries

Spicy pumpkin seed brittle

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shelled pumpkin seeds

  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 cup light corn syrup

  • ½ cup water

  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut up

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Scatte r pumpkin seeds in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly toasted and fragrant.

  2. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil and set aside.

  3. In a small dish, stir together the baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cayenne; set aside.

  4. In a large saucepan, mix sugar, syrup and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add butter, and stir until melted.

  5. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan with the tip in the sugar mixture. Cook mixture over medium-high heat, without stirring, 20 minutes, or until thermometer registers 305 degrees.

  6. Stir in the seeds and vanilla.

  7. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the baking soda mixture over the surface of the sugar mixture (expect some foaming to occur); stir vigorously with a heat resistant spatula for 15 seconds.

  8. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; spread as thinly as possible with a metal offset spatula.

  9. Let cool, break into pieces, and enjoy. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

- Commissaries

Pumpkin-carrot bars with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup butter substitute (to keep the fat as low as possible)

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 large egg whites

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

  • 2/3 cup finely shredded carrot

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon skim milk

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15-x-10-inch jellyroll pan with cooking spray; set aside.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda.

  3. In a large bowl, use electric mixer to beat sugar, butter substitute and brown sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin pie filling and carrots. Beat until well blended.

  4. Add flour mixture and mix until well blended. Spread into prepared jelly roll pan.

  5. To prepare cream cheese topping: Mix together cream cheese, sugar and milk until thoroughly blended.

  6. Drop by teaspoonfuls over pumpkin batter; swirl and lightly cut cream cheese topping into pumpkin batter with a butter knife.

  7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  8. Cool completely in pan on wire rack before cutting squares.

- Commissaries

Sweet Thai chili bacon rosettes

Ingredients:

  • 5 bacon strips

  • 1/2 cup sweet thai chilli sauce

  • 1 whole kabocha

  • 2 stalks of fresh coriander, chopped

  • 1 handful roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

  1. Roast the kabocha whole for 45 minutes  in a preheated oven (180°C/350°F) or cube and boil/steam until al dente. Set aside to cool.

  2. Dunk each bacon strip into the sweet thai chilli sauce, place on a baking pan lined with a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes on (180°C/350°F). Alternatively pan fry them on a low heat over the stove. Set aside to cool down. **Keep the liquid gold that excreted from the bacon that is now left in your baking/fry pan. DO NOT THROW AWAY** otherwise you’re going to kick yourself stupid.

  3. Slice the kabocha in half, clean out the seeds and scoop out the flesh in a bowl. Save the skin to serve (if baked).

  4. Add the walnuts and coriander to the kabocha, mash and mix well.

  5. Now, drizzle half of that delicious, fragrant, intoxicating oily heavenly bacon goodness all over your mash.

  6. Scoop the mash back into the kabocha or leave in the bowl to serve.

  7. Twirl the bacon over the top of the mash and lightly press down. Drizzle the rest of the liquid gold over the top. You’ll thank me for that. I’ll be waiting for my fruit baskets!

-Groove Korea Magazine

Harvest chili ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups vegetable stock, low sodium

  • 2 cups pumpkin, canned

  • 2 cups navy beans, canned

  • 1 cup black beans, canned

  • 1 cup Great Northern Beans, canned

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion, minced, dried

  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 12 ounces ground turkey or pork

Directions:

  1. Add vegetable stock and pumpkin to large pot. Cook over medium heat on stovetop, stirring occasionally.

  2. Drain the Great Northern beans, add to food processor, and puree.

  3. Add the pureed beans to the pot.

  4. Drain Navy beans and black beans and add them to the pot, stirring everything together.

  5. Add all the spices to the pot and stir until ingredients are mixed well.

  6. Bring chili to a boil and let simmer (covered) for at least 30 minutes.

  7. Remove chili from heat.  Allow it to stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

  8. Add any additional ingredients such as ground turkey or pork.

  9. Serve immediately.

6 Servings

- usda.gov

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