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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2017)
8 in other words november2 2017 An Unusual Culinary Column: Addicted to Pumpkin By Karen Kain I had such a successful time growing pumpkins in my garden I de- cided to cook up some fabulous recipes to share with you. If I have done my job right, after you read this column, you will be thinking about growing a pump- kin patch of your own next year. Roast- ing fresh pumpkins is really easy, but if you cannot be bothered, canned pump- kin will work fine for these recipes. I love this Pumpkin Lasagna recipe for many reasons; it is creamy and delicious, you can add lots of different ingredients to the mix, and there is much less cheese called for than in most lasagna recipes. The pumpkin makes this dish rich. I used regular milk instead of the cream and loved the result. The original recipe calls for chard but I used frozen spinach I had on hand. This is a super easy recipe to make and it freezes nicely. A few years ago, I made a pumpkin smoothie and really enjoyed it. I decided to try a new version this year. Pumpkins are rich in vital antioxidants and vitamins, low in calories and packed with vitamin A. This great smoothie is really filling and a perfect meal to start the day. I added a handful of pecans to the mix. Pecans are a great source of energy. They are high in calories, but loaded with minerals, antioxidants and other essential vitamins for wellness. Pecans are high in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and a great source of phenolic antioxidants. Eating pecans regularly helps to decrease the total LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increases the HDL “good cholesterol” levels. Pecans actually contribute to overall antioxidant activity. I encourage you to go ahead and throw a large handful into your smoothie and enjoy it. If you try nothing else from all the columns that I have written, you must give this Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce recipe a try. This is one of the best recipes that I have ever made. I cannot say enough about the combination of flavors in this dish. Serving it with meatballs is a nice way to cut through the richness of the sauce. I have already made this recipe twice. This is my new favorite meal to serve when hosting dinner parties. Thanks to all of you for sharing your favorite dishes with me. I appreciate your tips and recipes. Pumpkin Lasagna Ingredients: • 2 Tablespoons olive oil • 2 Onions, chopped • 16-ounce package frozen chopped spinach (or chard) • 1 Teaspoon salt • 1 Teaspoon ground pepper • 1 Teaspoon dried sage • ½ Teaspoon grated nutmeg • 3 Cups canned pumpkin puree, 1) 28-ounce can • 1½ Cups heavy cream • 1½ Cups grated parmesan • ½ Cup milk • 9 No-boil lasagna noodles • 1 Tablespoon butter Directions: In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the on- ions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. In- crease the heat to medium-high and add the spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon sage, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Cook, stirring until the spinach is wilted and no liquid remains in the pan, 5-10 minutes. Heat the oven to 400˚ F. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups of the pumpkin, ¾ cup cream, ½ cup parmesan, and the remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon sage, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Pour the milk into an 8 by 12-inch bak- ing dish. Top the milk with 1 / 3 noodles, then spread ½ the pumpkin mixture over the noodles. Layer half the spinach over the pumpkin and top with a second layer of noodles. Repeat with another layer of pumpkin, spinach and noodles. Combine the remaining 1 cup of pumpkin and 3 / 4 cup of cream. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the lasagna, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of parmesan, and dot with butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more. Pumpkin Smoothie Ingredients: • 1) 15-ounce can pumpkin • 3 Cups almond milk • ½ Cup vanilla yogurt • ¼ Cup chopped pecans • Dash of cinnamon • A few graham crackers, crushed Preschool Storytime Fridays, 10:30 am - 11:15 am Stories and crafts for children up to age 5. Baby and Toddler Time Mondays, 10:30 am - 11:15 am Songs, stories, toys, and bubbles. For ages 0-3. Older siblings welcome. Vernonia Public Library 701 Weed Avenue 503-429-1818 Marie Krahn Mon, Wed, Fri 10 am - 5 pm Tues & Thur 1 pm - 7 pm Sat 10 am - 4 pm Directions: Freeze the pumpkin in ice cube trays a few hours ahead of time. Throw the frozen pumpkin cubes, almond milk, yogurt, and pecans into the blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a glass and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and a tablespoon of crushed graham crackers over top and enjoy. Cinnamon graham crackers work nicely with the recipe. Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce Ingredients: • 6 Tablespoons butter • 3 Cloves garlic, minced • 1 Cup pumpkin puree • ¼ Teaspoon nutmeg • 2 / 3 Cup heavy whipping cream • ½ Cup fresh grated parmesan • A dash of cayenne pepper, optional • 1 Handful of toasted pumpkin seeds • Meatballs (optional) • Linguini, cooked per the directions Directions: Melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the cream, parmesan, pumpkin puree, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Stir until the sauce is heated through and cheese is melted. If needed, add water to get the consistency you desire. Serve over cooked linguini noodles and meatballs on top. One Way To Roast A Pumpkin Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Cut the top off the pumpkin then cut in half, and then cut into quarters. Remove the seeds and pulp. Put the pumpkin quarters onto a baking sheet skin down, drizzle with olive oil and roast until they start to shrivel and get soft. This will take about an hour depending on the size of your pumpkins. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Scoop out the pumpkin and put into a food processor. Puree the pumpkin until it is a smooth texture; add a few tablespoons of water if needed. Karen Kain can be karenkain8@icloud.com reached at Absolute MARBLE QUALITY FABRICATION & INSTALLATION Massage Therapy Auto injury recovery/medical billing • Accepting: Medical Benefits Cards • Medical Massage Cupping • Swedish Massage • Reiki • Deep Tissue • Reflexology • doTerra Aroma Touch • Trigger Point Therapy • Myofacial Release 503-429-5180 lic#5495 mariekrahn@frontier.com MARBLE GRANITE TRAVERTINE FREE ESTIMATES Kitchen Countertops Fireplace & Furniture Tubs & Vanities CCB#204480 Phone 503-429-2617 AbsoluteMarble@frontier.com Owned and Operated by Don & Kim Wallace DON WALLACE, PLS Professional Land Surveying 1224 E. Alder St. Vernonia, OR 97064 Phone: 503-429-6115 FAX: 1-866-297-1402 Email: DWallace_KLS@msn.com CORPORATE MEMBER
