Recipe Share

Our Iron Chef Challenge was a success. Butch felt like it was too much pumpkin. He suggested that the next time the secret recipe should be chicken or beef! 

I made this as an appetizer:

There is no pumpkin in this, just the shape. Make a cheese ball with your favorite recipe. Form it in to a ball and wrap in Saran Wrap. Put 3 or 4 rubber bands around it to form the ridges. Refrigerate until firm. I made mine the day before. Remove rubber bands and Saran Wrap. Roll cheese ball in crushed Doritos Nacho Cheese chips. Use the top of a bell pepper for the pumpkin stem. 

I found these at the grocery store. I never heard of them before, but had to try them. They are a little on the sweeter side. I didn't particularly like them with my cheeseball, but others did. 

We had several good dishes: Thai Pumpkin Soup with Rice Noodles, Pumpkin Enchiladas (very good--you couldn't even tell there was pumpkin in them), Cheese Ravioli with a Pumpkin Sauce and Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons. I do not have all the recipes, but here are mine.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

• 3 tbsp. butter
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 c. pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. honey
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 4 slices white bread
• 6–8 slices gruyere cheese
• In a large pot over medium heat melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil; sauté garlic and onions for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, broth, heavy cream, honey,1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; bring to a boil and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat and melt remaining butter for a silky consistency. Cover with lid and keep warm.
• Preheat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Spread each piece of bread with a thin layer of mayonnaise and place bread in skillet, mayonnaise side down. Top with layers of gruyere and cover with remaining bread. Cook until golden brown, flipping as needed. Cover skillet to melt cheese. Transfer to a cutting board and cut each grilled cheese into 8 pieces.
• Divide soup into bowls, top with grilled cheese croutons. I used a sprinkle of sunflowers seeds to garnish.
• Serve immediately.

I made pumpkin bars for dessert. I've had this recipe since the 1970's.I didn't have the right pan, so just made a cake.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1-16 oz. can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 3oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt an soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread batter in to ungreased 15x10x1" pan. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 min. Cool. Frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream butter and cream cheese. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.