Vickey from Ohio just chatted with us today with questions about how to make pumpkin pie using her three fresh baking pumpkins. Baking pumpkins, sometimes called sugar pumpkins, are smaller, smoother and less watery than pumpkins. Pumpkin pies made with fresh pumpkin taste, well, fresher and more interesting than those made with canned. The key to a great pie will be to use baked pumpkin that is well drained and to not overdo your pie spices. First, select some great pumpkins which will be heavy with no blemishes on the rind. Vickey’s three baking pumpkins will yield about 4 or 5 cups of baked mashed pumpkin – enough for more than two pies. Any leftover baked, drained, and mashed pumpkin can be stored in the freezer and used for more pie! soups, bread, etc.

Equipment you will need:
Baking tray
Serrated knife large
Metal Spoon
Colander
Food Processor
Pie dishes

Prepare the pumpkin:
1. Wash the pumpkin in warm water, do not use soap. Cut the pumpkin in half width-wise using the serrated knife. Scoop out the insides, seeds and stringy parts.

2. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet face down / pumpkin rind up. Bake pumpkin until the rind turns a nice golden brown.

3. To check to see if the pumpkin is done, the rind should slip right off the meat of the pumpkin and pumpkin meat can be easily removed with your fingers. Take all the meat and place in a colander to drain any excess liquid. For best results: line your colander with cheesecloth, thick paper towels, or even coffee filters and press down on pumpkin to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Do ahead tip: Bake your pumpkin a day ahead of pie-making and drain in the colander (wrapper and stored in the refrigerator) overnight.

4. Once cooled and drained, blend in a food process so it becomes a nice smooth consistency.

Prepare pie dough:
Chef Adam has a great recipe and method, use this link: Simple Pie Dough. Keep cover and chilled until use.

Bake your pie:
Recipe is below. Save this to your ChefsLine Recipe Box > >

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups of cooked pumpkins, mashed*
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or allspice
1/8 tsp. cloves
2 eggs, beaten slightly

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking pan with pastry dough. In mixing bowl, mix 2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin with remaining ingredients. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake pie for another 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Allow to cool. Serve with whipped cream or by itself.

Easy-to-make Italian classic that’ll please the palates of everyone at your table!

Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe

Ingredients
4 6-oz. chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
8 fresh sage leaves, 4 whole, 4 julienned for garnish
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 prosciutto slices
4 Provolone cheese slices
3 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Method
Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally, stopping just before edge.

Season flour with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. While heating large saute pan over medium high heat, dredge chicken breasts in seasoned flour. Saute on chicken is golden on both sides. Remove from pan.

Add the mushrooms to the same pan and saute until they release their liquid and the liquid evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute and remove from the pan. Pour in the vermouth off the heat and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add chicken broth and bring the liquid to a boil.

Stuff each chicken breast with a slice of Provolone, then prosciutto, then a whole sage leaf. Return the stuffed chicken to the pan, lower the heat and simmer. Add mushrooms and finish in a 350 oven until the cheese has melted.

Does marzipan go off? I found some marzipan sweets in the cupboard and wondered if they are still safe to eat.

A savory version of the classic French dessert.

Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipe

Ingredients
1 14 oz. puff pastry sheet, thawed
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 medium red onions halved and slice thin
1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp. sherry vinegar
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 1/2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme or 1/2 Tbsp. dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 425. Unfold puff pastry and cut into a 10-inch round. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of sugar and cook, stirring, until onions are golden and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze pan, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Transfer to a bowl and reserve.

In a clean oven-proof 9-inch skilled combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of water. Cook over medium heat, swirling gently (do not stir) until sugar melts and turns into an amber-colored caramel, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar carefully and swirl again. The caramel will seize, but will re-melt in the oven.

Sprinkle olives over caramel, then scatter tomatoes over olives. Sprinkle onions on top, then season with thyme, salt and pepper. Top with puff pastry circle, tucking edges into sides of pan. Cut several vents in top of pastry.

Bake until tart crust is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then run a knife around pastry to loosen it from pan and flip tart onto a pan lid and slide onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Jim’s favorite apple cake recipe, adapted from Patricia Wells.

Kitchen Guy’s Parisian Apple Cake Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup whole milk
4 baking apples, cored, peeled and cut into wedges
Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Method
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray and set it aside.

Peel and core the apples, then slice them thinly, place in a bowl and squeeze fresh lemon juice over them so they don’t turn brown.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir well. Add the vanilla, eggs, oil and milk and stir until completely incorporated. Add the apples and stir to coat them with the batter.

Pour the mixture carefully into the prepared cake pan. Bake until firm and golden, about 25 minutes.

Prepare the topping in a small bowl by combining the sugar, egg, and melted butter. Stir well and set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping mixture over it. Return the cake to the oven and bake until the top is a deep golden color and the cake springs back when pressed, about 10 minutes.

Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pan and remove the spring-form, leaving the cake on the pan base. Serve plain or with freshly whipped cream.