Pumpkins are many things, especially during this monstrous time of year. So many of them are experimented on like Frankenstein’s monster — heads cut open, ooey and gooey seed and string brains scooped out, a new face carved in, and a flickering light of life inserted.
According to the USDA, most pumpkin growers have their patches packed with future jack-o’-lanterns. These poor things are doomed to sit guard on front porches across the nation, patiently waiting to rot, become even more hideous, and finally be thrown away. It’s a vicious Halloween cycle for the poor gourds — which are also both a kind of squash and a fruit.
Sadly, when it comes to trying true pumpkin flavor, many of us don’t venture far past pie. That or the the million-plus pumpkin spice-flavored things set loose on the world this time of year. And no, there’s no actual pumpkin in the spice.
It’s time for Lost Recipes to reclaim a long tradition of cooking and eating fresh pumpkin, and the Montgomery Advertiser has combed its archives to find ways to make treats that are frightfully good any time of the year. So let's give 'em pumpkin to talk about.
Just a note that, yes, you can use canned pumpkin in your recipes. It’s an easy alternative. But we’re focusing on growing a new batch of pumpkin preparers. And you should also know that all pumpkins aren’t the same. If you’ve got a choice when picking one to cook, go for sweet pumpkins like Cinderella, sugar (pie), peanut, or the oblong Long Island Cheese variety.
Pumpkin Cakes with Bacon
Add the words “with bacon” to just about anything, and it’ll drastically improve the recipe. But I have to admit that I’d somehow never thought of putting pumpkin on that list. Here’s a unique dish the Advertiser shared in 1942.
More:Lost Recipes: Victory, like these 1940 treats, is so sweet
Preparing pumpkin for this dish from raw is not that difficult. It's a lot like making mashed potatoes:
Cut the pumpkin into halves. Remove the stem, all the seeds and the stringy bits. Then remove the rind. Cut your pumpkin into pieces and put them into boiling water that’s been salted. Cook covered for 20 to 30 minutes until the chunks soften. Drain the pumpkin, mash it, and season it with salt, pepper, and butter. This same pumpkin cooking process can be used for many recipes. So if you plan to make more than one kind of dish, you can prepare a good bit extra to use later.
Here’s what you’ll need for the pumpkin cakes:
- 2 cups of the mashed pumpkin
- Half teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ketchup (that one caught me by surprise)
- Quarter cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Combine all these and use the mixture to form patties.
Of course, this recipe is “with bacon,” so you need to fry around a dozen strips of this magic substance. Once they’re cooked, set the bacon aside and drain the pan of all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
Sauté the pumpkin patties in the pan with the drippings. When they’re done, and serve them with the bacon. Really, it sounds a lot like pumpkin pancakes to me, so this would probably be a great Halloween breakfast.
Pumpkin Soup
A bowl of creamy, rich pumpkin soup could be just the thing to warm up a cool Halloween night. This one was published in 1973.
In a large pot, put about two pounds of your cooked pumpkin (cook the same way as the pumpkin cakes) and mix it with 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup. Add two tablespoons of grated orange rind, 2 tablespoons of sugar, one and a half teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, and one teaspoon of salt. Gradually add 6 cups of milk, and slowly heat it together while stirring. When it’s ready to serve, garnish it with your favorite toppings, including toasted pumpkin seeds.
If you want to go the extra mile, serve the soup in a hollowed pumpkin bowl. Just remember it’s not a jack-o’-lantern, so don’t carve any extra holes.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
You know all those seeds you’re throwing away after emptying out a fresh pumpkin? You can turn them into a delicious treat. This recipe from 1964 is pretty simple also.
Get about 2 cups of seeds separated from the stringy gunk. Mix them with one and a half tablespoons of melted butter or oil, and one and a fourth teaspoons of salt.
Spread the seed mixture onto a shallow pan. Bake slowly at 250 degrees until they’re crisp and brown. You’ll need to stir them occasionally as they cook.
More:Lost Recipes: Grandma says eat your veggies like these 1940s champions
Pumpkin Preserves
Here’s one for some serious pumpkin lovers from 1969. You’ll need:
- 5 pounds of pumpkin
- 4 pounds of sugar
- 3 lemons that have been sliced thin
- 1 orange sliced thin
- A tiny bit of salt
Cut a raw pumpkin open, removing the stem and all the seeds and stringy bits. Remove the rind. Then cut the pumpkin into a quarter inch thick slices that are about 2 inches long. Put the pumpkin pieces into a stone jar or earthen utensil and add sugar. Let the mixture stand overnight. Drain the pumpkin from the liquid and boil the liquid until it spins a thread. Add the sliced pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Cook until thick and clear. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. This should make about 8 pints.
Holiday Pumpkin Pie
Ready for some dessert? I couldn’t talk about pumpkin recipes without an old fashioned pumpkin pie one. This recipe from 1949 even tells you how to make the crust:
- Cup of sifted flour
- Half teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons of margarine
- 2 tablespoons of grated orange rind
- 3 tablespoons of cold water.
Sift the flour and salt. Cut in margarine until coarse crums are formed. Add the orange rind. Gradually add water, stirring with a form until mixture is dampened. Turn out the mix onto a floured board ajd shape it into a ball. Roll dough lightly from the center into a circle at least one inch larger than a 9-inch pie plate. Fit it into the pie plate, then roll the edge under ahd flute.
Up next is the filling:
- One and a half cups of cooked pumpkin (Same method as Pumpkin Cakes)
- 2 well-beaten egg yolks
- Two-third cup of light brown sugar
- Half teaspoon ginger
- Half teaspoon cinnamon
- Cup of evaporated milk
- Teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- Tablespoon orange rind
- Two-third cup of chopped walnuts
- Half teaspoon salt
- 2 egg whites
- Whipped cream (they say this is optional, but no it isn’t)
Combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar and spices. Add the liquids and walnuts and blend well. Add salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff enough to stand in peaks. Fold this into the pumpkin mixture. Then pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
When it’s done, top it with the essential whipped cream.
IF YOU TRY IT
If you decide to try one of these lost recipes please send us a photo and a note on how it went. Send it in an email titled "Lost Recipes" to Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupelatsheupel@gannett.com.
