Pumpkin/Winter Squash Challenge - 2016

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PrincessFiona60

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Have you grown pumpkins? Bought lots of canned Pumpkin? Or just like Pumpkins in general?

'Tis the season for a Challenge and Pumpkins. Deadline for recipes and pictures will be 10/31/2016...that's right Halloween!

You can use canned pumpkin or start from a whole pumpkin, pumpkin must be the featured star of your recipe. Sweet or savory, let's do what we do best and have fun!

If you can incorporate a pumpkin themed centerpiece into your final picture, go for it.

On Edit: Other types of Winter Squash have been requested, we will add them to the challenge.
 
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I see if there is any pumpkins this year, since we dont celebrate Halloween with pumpkin, we do it with candles on the graves instead.
 
I am tentatively in. I am moving to a new place on 10/1. This could work two ways, I could be energized by the new kitchen, or just exhausted from the process.

Either way I plan to buy a pumpkin this year. I have some terrible but lovely thoughts as far as how ground up pumpkin seeds could be used in baking. Obvious for muffins, but I think they are starchy enough that one could, if one had such a wild idea, add them to pie dough. And pumpkin pie seems well within my wheelhouse, and in particular speaks to my Beloved Wife's penchant for anything cinnamon and cumin heavy.

Cheers,

TBS
 
We don't like pumpkin, can we use some type of squash, like butternut or acorn?:ermm:
 
We don't like pumpkin, can we use some type of squash, like butternut or acorn?:ermm:

I'll leave that up to Fiona, though it is a Pumpkin challenge, I mean I have an acorn squash in the fridge right now, I'll bake it with some butter and garlic. If we open it up to all squashes, I'll contribute my spaghetti squash muffin recipe, and totally CRUSH IT ;) (yeah I know it sounds completely counter intuitive, why would a reasonable person make a muffin out of that kind of squash, well we aren't reasonable people here...)
 
Butternut squash pasta, with chicken Marsala filling. Craig will post the recipe, as he came up with the filling and typed it all out. It was REALLY good.

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Here is the recipe for our first entry to the contest. In Karen's post above, making the actual ravioli is demonstrated. You can form them as you wish. We grated some fresh PR on top. Enjoy! A 1" scoop was used to measure out the filling.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chicken Marsala Filling

Ingredients
3 Tbsp butternut squash puree (gave the directions for cooking the whole squash)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, excess fat removed, rinsed and dried
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped, this will be divided between the filling and sauce
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves, minced, about 2 Tbsp, these will be divided between the filling and sauce
6 oz whole criminis, lightly rinsed off and dried, these will be divided between the filling and sauce
4 Tbsp butter, divided
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 Tbsp and bench flour as needed
3 large eggs
3 cup chicken stock in total
1 cup marsala in total
S&P - Kosher salt please!
Water for sealing the ravioli

Suggested equipment
Pasta Machine

Dough
Heat oven to 400 F. Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place each 1/2 of the butternut squash on a foil lined sheet pan, skin side up. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan, making sure to get some under the squash. Bake at 400 F until the flesh is tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and place it in a strainer/colander set over a bowl and refrigerate over night to drain excess liquid. Puree squash in a food processor. In a bowl, mix 3 Tbsp squash puree with the eggs (freeze the rest for later use). Put 2 cups flour on your bench/board and form a well in the center. Add egg mixture to the well. Using a fork, mix flour into the egg mixture, a little bit at a time, until the dough starts to form, then mix in the remaining flour. Knead until a soft dough is formed, adding flour if needed until the dough is not sticky. Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and let rest at least 30 minutes or until needed. Divide the rested dough into thirds, cover until needed. Flatten one of the dough pieces into a 1/2" round. Coat each side in flour, shake off excess and run through first setting on pasta machine. Lightly flour, fold into thirds to square off the dough and run through the same setting again. Move machine to next setting, run dough thru machine, adding flour as needed. We take the dough thru the setting until we reach # 5, cutting the dough in half crosswise after #4. Each half is run thru #5, lightly floured and set aside. Repeat until all dough is used.

Filling
Coarsely chop 1/2 the criminis. Pound out chicken thighs to1/4". Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan. When butter has melted and starts to bubble, salt and pepper both sides of chicken then add to pan. Cook until lightly brown on both sides, remove and set aside. Add 1/2 the chopped onion and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms cook, stirring often until they release their liquid and mixture is almost dry. Add 1-1/2 cups chicken stock and 1/2 cup marsala and heat to a simmer, scraping the bottom to loosen any fond. Add the chicken back to the pan, simmer until almost all liquid is gone, stirring often and turning chicken. Set aside to cool. Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Shred or chop chicken coarsely. Add chicken and vege mixture to food processor, with metal blade and pulse until finely chopped. Don't over process! Let mixture come to room temperature before stuffing ravioli. You can use the mixture right from the fridge if you made it the day before.

Sauce
Thinly slice the remaining criminis. Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan. When butter has melted and starts to bubble, add the remaining chopped onion and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms until they release their liquid. Add 2 Tbsp flour spreading evenly over the mixture. Stir continuously to cook the rawness out of the flour. Add remaining stock and marsala, stirring until the sauce slightly thickens. If sauce is too thick you can add more stock or marsala. Personally, I’d add more marsala. S&P to taste. Serve immediately over cooked ravioli.
 
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Pumpkin Cheesecake coming up.

Let's see, cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, etc.

Are you ready for some PuMPKIN!!! :angel:
 
Pumpkin Cheesecake coming up.

Let's see, cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, etc.

Are you ready for some PuMPKIN!!! :angel:

Don't forget the gnocchi! oops, I might have let the cat out of the bag!:ohmy:
Seeds (pepitas) can be counted? So, I'm good with a scratch made mole?
 
Mine is delayed a bit my the MOVE. But I will have a larger kitchen to work with, more counter space, and I will be in SE PA. Squash and Pumpkin central.

Working on the idea in my head when at work. I think in this contest, it is the mental game, right?

I just am feeling a need for beets, might be losing iron? And we are gonna be so close to a dairy I like, I could do a borscht with a creme freche and chive finish?

Them ravs look great CraigC, you know I am always a sucker for Marsala Chx.

TBS
 
Don't forget the gnocchi! oops, I might have let the cat out of the bag!:ohmy:
Seeds (pepitas) can be counted? So, I'm good with a scratch made mole?

Absolutely!
You don't have to create an entire dinner, but you can if you want.
 
OK I think next week when I am in new kitchen I will post a pumpkin squash borscht with American/PA dutch style pirogies. Recipe is obscured, not through secrecy or malice, but as it may change significantly due to availability of fresh ingredients on the ground. I think my theory is sound, though. If I throw some cumin, onions and garlic at them, I can make the squash a pirogi filling. And pumpkin and beets could work together... I see a path to that.

Would like to make it with freshies, and who knows what I might find. Give me an excuse to explore the food shops around the new place. ;)

TBS

Good idea, and cheers.
 
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