Pumpkins are not just for jack-o-lanterns and pies. Pumpkins are a nutritious and delicious way to add color and variety to any dinner table. They are rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Here are the recipes we put together on the KCRG TV-9 News at Midday.


Hearty Pumpkin-Potato Soup in Pumpkin Bowls
5 small pumpkins, washed and dried
Fresh lemon juice, optional
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of potato soup
1 can (14.5 oz) clear chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Cut off the tops of the pumpkins; set aside. Remove seeds and stringy flesh from pumpkins; discard. If desired, brush cut surfaces of pumpkin with lemon juice to prevent browning. Combine canned pumpkin, cream of potato soup, chicken broth, half-and-half and spices in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Carefully puree soup in a blender. Transfer back to saucepan. Ladle soup into pumpkins.

Makes: 5 servings (1 cup each)

Nutrition information: Calories 160, Carbohydrate 16 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Fat 9 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 790 mg

Source: www.hy-vee.com

Dinner in a Pumpkin
1 1/2 c. celery, chopped
1 c. onion, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. cooked rice
1 medium pumpkin

In a skillet, sauté celery, onions, and mushrooms in butter or margarine. Set aside. Brown ground beef and drain. In bowl, combine vegetables, cooked ground beef, soy sauce, and brown sugar, soup, and cooked rice. Mix well. Cut top off pumpkin. Clean inside well. Spoon ground beef rice mixture into pumpkin. Replace top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Source: www.cooks.com

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
1 c. whipped topping
1 package (3.4 oz) dry instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 tsp (rounded) pumpkin pie spice
2/3 c. milk
1 amount additional Cool Whip, optional

Beat whipped topping, pudding mix, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and milk together until well blended. Place in 8 glasses. Chill 3 hours. Top with Cool Whip and serve.

Makes: 8 servings
Nutrition information: Calories 100, Carbohydrate 19 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Fat 2 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 105 mg
Source: www.hy-vee.com

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 whole pumpkin
1 amount vegetable oil
1 amount salt

Remove the seeds and pulp of the pumpkin. Dry seeds in sunny window for several days or in low oven (250 degrees) for several hours. After seeds are dry, place in bowl and sprinkle vegetable oil over them lightly. Use as little oil as possible. Add salt and stir with mixing spoon or fork. Spread oiled seeds on baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Do not let them get too brown.