Butternut Squash Chowder

This butternut squash chowder was SO GOOD! I loved it!! You can use butternut squash or pumpkin in this. The sweet squash flavor is delicious with the savory Italian sausage. Here, I can buy pre-cut chunks of butternut squash. They're kind of big, so I have to cut them in half or smaller. But it's SO much easier than peeling and cutting a huge butternut squash. 

Butternut Squash Chowder 

adapted from Closet Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound bulk italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (can use 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup flour 
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups butternut squashed or pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup sour cream)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
salt and pepper to taste

fresh sage for garnish, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart as it cooks. Push sausage to one side of the pan. Add the butter, let it melt. Add the onion to the butter and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes, flour, mix well and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the broth, and butternut squash, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Keep a lid of the pot, and stir the bottom occasionally so the flour mixture doesn't stick.

2. Turn off the heat, mix in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese and let it melt into the sauce. Mix in the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! If you have fresh sage, you can garnish the soup with it. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Butter Chicken

This curry was so delicious! This recipe is made with either butternut squash chunks or pumpkin puree. I made it both ways and both ways were delicious. The first pic, above, is with canned pumpkin puree. The second pic is with no pumpkin puree, and I used butternut squash chunks instead. (I used the same amount of chicken in both.) The squash/pumpkin added a delicious hint of sweetness to the curry. In the version with the puree, it also thickened the sauce very nicely. 

Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Butter Chicken

adapted from Closet Cooking

For the chicken marinade:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic, grated/minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated/minced (I used purchashed ginger/garlic paste here)
1 tablespoon garam masala 
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

For the butter chicken:
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, grated/minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated/minced  (I used purchashed ginger/garlic paste here)
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth 
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (or 1 cup heavy/whipping cream)
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed OR 1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste

1.  For the chicken marinade: Marinate the chicken in the mixture of the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and salt for 20 minutes to overnight.

2.  For the butter chicken: Melt the butter in a large pan (or saucepan) over medium heat, and cook the onion and chicken, about 10 minutes. (I included all the marinade and just cooked it with the chicken here.) Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and tomato paste, mix, and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

3.  Add the broth, coconut milk OR cream, and butter nut squash (OR pumpkin puree), bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the squash/chicken is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves and butter, mix, season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin and White Bean Chicken Chili

I really enjoyed this chili, and it was easy to make in the slow cooker. I love savory pumpkin dishes, beans, and soups, so this was perfect. I also love using my slow cooker. I put this together in the insert of the crockpot the night before and stuck it in the fridge. In the morning before work, I pulled out the insert with the ingredients inside, put it into the metal part of my crockpot, plugged it in and turned it on to "Low". It was perfect that evening. 

Pumpkin and White Bean Chicken Chili

adapted from Closet Cooking

1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped (or 1-2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder) (I used chipotle paste I bought on Amazon)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 15 ounce can)
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1 teaspoon oregano
4 ounces cream cheese, warmed
1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)
salt and black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving (I didn't have this so I used fresh sage- lol)

1. Place all ingredients into the crockpot except cream cheese, lime juice, salt, pepper, and optional cilantro. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken in crockpot using two forks. Add cream cheese and let it melt. (May need to use a whisk, and you may have a few lumps remaining- it's ok.) Add lime juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh cilantro, optional. 

                                                                      **This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com**

Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles

These waffles are great for fall! I love using buttermilk in pancakes/waffles; they turn out so light and fluffy. These call for just one cup of pumpkin puree; I gave the rest of the can to my dog over a couple days- he loves it and pumpkin is good for dogs. :) 

Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles 

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 ¼ cups (303 g) buttermilk (see note)
1 cup (245 g) canned pumpkin puree
4 large (200 g) eggs
6 tablespoons (86 g) butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (27 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, butter and vanilla until very well-combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon baking soda, nutmeg, salt, ginger and allspice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Don't over mix or the waffles may cook up tough instead of soft and fluffy.

2. Heat a waffle maker to medium. Scoop batter into hot waffle maker and cook until golden. Serve with butter, maple syrup, or whatever you want. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Creamy Sausage Pumpkin Pasta

I really loved this recipe and made it twice lately. The first time, I used radiatore pasta, shown in these pics. I just made it again tonight and used a rigatoni-like pasta. I liked both ways. The flavor of the pumpkin plus the sausage is really good in here, and cream cheese makes it creamy. I modified the recipe to use one full can of pumpkin puree so I don't have any leftover. 

We had this with roast broccoli both times. (An easy way to roast broccoli is to preheat your oven to around 400 F, and pour 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into a baking/roasting pan. Let the pan/oil heat up in the oven. Then dump a bag of frozen broccoli florets onto the hot pan, quickly season with spices and salt, and put back in the oven. Roast until it's done to your liking.) 

Creamy Sausage Pumpkin Pasta

adapted from The Tipsy Housewife

1 pound of ziti, rigatoni, or radiatore pasta (16 ounces)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small sweet onion

1 lb. Italian sausage

fresh sage leaves, 6-8, chopped

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

1 8-oz package of Neufchatel or cream cheese

2 1/2 cups water

1 heaping tablespoon of beef bouillon paste (ex: Better than Bouillon)

black papper, to taste 

dried parsley

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

salt, to taste

1.  Boil the pasta according to the package direction, drain, and reserve one cup of the pasta water in case it is needed.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep sided skillet. (I use a large non-stick stock pot.) Finely chop the onion. Add to the pot/pan and sauté the onion until tender. Add all of the sausage to the skillet. Cook fully, until golden brown, breaking up the meat into a fine crumble as you cook it. Season with black pepper to taste. Add the fresh sage to the skillet. If you do not have fresh sage, add about 2 teaspoons of dried. Taste and add as much as you like. Sauté the sage for a minute or two with the sausage/onion.

3.  Add the bouillon to the skillet and the 2.5 cups of water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and simmer on very low 20 minutes. Cut up the cream cheese into small cubes and let soften for a few minutes while the skillet simmers. After the 20 minutes, add the canned pumpkin and the cream cheese to the pot/pan. Whisk until the cream cheese and the pumpkin are incorporated into the broth. Bring to a simmer again, whisk here and there, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. The sauce should reduce down a bit but will still be more liquid than thick. Add a few pinches of the dried parsley.

4.  Add the pasta to the skillet, toss the pasta to coat, and simmer about 3-5 minutes. Let the pasta absorb some of the sauce. This will thicken as it cools. Add the Parmesan cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste now, and add salt if needed. I needed about 1/2 teaspoon. Also, at this point, you can add some reserved pasta water if the sauce is not creamy enough. Top with parsley flakes, if desired, and serve. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Rosemary Dinner Rolls

These pumpkin rolls are so good. They're wonderful with a savory soup, or for Thanksgiving dinner. The first time I made these, last November, our family ate half the batch, and I froze the rest for Thanksgiving. They thawed and warmed up beautifully and went very well with all of the Thanksgiving flavors. The leftovers are also very good toasted and made into a breakfast sandwich (with a fried egg and slice of sharp cheddar). 

Pumpkin Rosemary Dinner Rolls   

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Yield: 20 rolls

1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade, warmed for 20 seconds in the microwave
¾ cup warm water
⅓ cup melted butter or oil
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary 
1 tablespoon instant yeast 
2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2-6 cups all-purpose flour 

1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the pumpkin, water, melted butter or oil, sugar, eggs, rosemary, yeast, and salt. Mix to combine.

2.  Add 2 cups of the flour and mix to combine. With the mixer on low speed, continue to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. The exact amount of flour needed will depend on the texture and feel of the dough. It should be soft and slightly tacky to the touch but should form a ball and clear the sides of the bowl. Add additional flour as needed. (I live in a humid climate, so I had to keep adding more until the dough was not too sticky.) Knead the dough in the mixer for 5-6 minutes.

3.  Let the dough rise until doubled, 1-2 hours. (You can place the dough in a greased bowl and cover or leave the dough in the mixer to let rise there.) This dough needs a little more time to rise, as it is heavier because of the pumpkin. 

4.  Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Gently deflate the dough. Cut off pieces of dough and roll into balls. (I make 20 rolls- so I divide dough in half, then each half into 10 balls.) Place the rolls about 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours. (Again, these rolls are slow to rise.)

5.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the center position (or just slightly higher than center). Bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and butter the tops while still warm.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal

This is a good oatmeal for fall.  It's great for doing make-ahead breakfasts, too.  Just refrigerate portions in a microwabable (preferably glass) container, add a bit of milk when ready to re-heat, and warm up for a great breakfast throughout the week.  This recipe does make a lot, so it can feed quite a few people, or provide breakfast for a few days for one or two people.  

I already have a pumpkin oatmeal recipe on here, but this new one is nice because it includes a few more spices for flavor, makes a lot more, AND the most important thing- it uses the whole can of pumpkin!!  That's the best.  Oh, the original recipe is quite involved, with cooking some of the ingredients on the stove first, but I looked at that, thought that nobody has time for that, and just proceeded to dump all ingredients into the crockpot and turn it on, which worked just perfectly.  

Pumpkin Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Adapted from the Kitchn

Cooking spray, olive oil, or coconut oil
1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups water
2 cups whole milk (I use one can evaporated milk, make up the difference w/almond milk)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.  Coat the bottom and sides of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, olive oil, or coconut oil.  Add all ingredients to slow cooker; stir.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours (any longer than that in my slow cooker, and it would burn.)  Stir well and remove cinnamon stick.  Serve with extra milk,  maple syrup and/or cinnamon sugar, if desired.  Also makes great leftovers- just add a splash of liquid before reheating in the microwave.  I added some pepitas on top of servings for crunch, in the photos.  

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Muffins II

I have a favorite recipe for Pumpkin Muffins, but the recipe calls for a lot of oil.  Even when I cut the oil in half, it's still 3/4 cup of oil.  This recipe only calls for 1/2 cup, and still uses one whole can of pumpkin (I love pumpkin recipes that use the whole can!).  The two recipes taste very similar to me- I'll have to make the other ones again this fall to compare, but I think these are just as good as the old ones.  I took Smitten Kitchen's recipe for pumpkin bread, put it in muffin tins (she does state it can fill 18 muffin tins, and it does), added some chocolate chips, and skipped the cinnamon-sugar topping.  My house smells great and this is a great, quick fall recipe.  It only uses one bowl, too! 

Pumpkin Muffins

adapted from Smitten Kitchen, makes 18 muffins

1 15-ounce can (1 3/4 cups) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable, sunflower, or another neutral cooking oil or melted butter (115 grams)
3 large eggs
1 2/3 (330 grams) cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Two pinches of ground cloves
2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or a mixture)

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners.  

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar until smooth. Sprinkle baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinanmon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves over batter and whisk until well-combined. Add flour and chocolate chips and stir with a spoon, just until mixed. Scoop into prepared tins. (I used my biggest cookie scoop.)

3.  Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until a tester poked into a muffin come out batter-free.  Cool and serve.  

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/**

Pumpkin Risotto

We had Pumpkin Risotto at a local pumpkin festival recently and I really wanted to make it at home.  I found a NY Times recipe that was simple and good.  At the festival, the risotto was topped with sauteed Pioppini mushrooms, so I cooked some and served them on the side. 

Pumpkin Risotto 
adapted from NY Times

4 to 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup arborio or vialone nano rice
½ cup dry white wine (can omit or use more chicken broth, but it adds great flavor)
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin puree (can use homemade)
6 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
⅛ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pioppini mushrooms, optional, plus some olive oil and butter*

1.  Heat the stock to a simmer, and continue simmering it while preparing the recipe.

2.  Heat a nonstick soup pot until it is very hot. Reduce heat to medium high, and add oil.  Saute onion and garlic until onion begins to soften.  Stir in rice to coat well; add wine, and cook until wine has evaporated.

3.  Add 1 cup of the stock with the nutmeg to the rice; reduce heat so that mixture simmers. Stir often, cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat with another cup of stock, and continue stirring, adding stock until the rice is almost tender but still has some bite to it.  If you need more liquid, just use hot water.  You can add salt if needed later.  

4.  Stir in the pumpkin, cheese, salt and pepper, and stir until mixture is hot. Taste and add more salt if needed.  

*If using the mushrooms, prepare them while the risotto is cooking.  Cut off the bottom part of the mushrooms (where they are joined together; this is were most of the dirt is.)  Don't chop the stems off.  Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet.  Add the mushrooms and cook and stir until done to your liking.

**Made this 10/28/25 and sauteed some smoked pancetta first, then set it aside, leaving the grease. I cooked the onion in the grease and then proceeded with the recipe. I upped the dry rice to 1.5 cups, the white wine to 1 cup, and the pumpkin to 1.5 cups and had to increase the broth by a few cups. I stirred in 1 Tablespoon of salted butter at the end. We topped the risotto with the cooked pancetta. It was really good this way and made a bit more.**

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes II

I already have a recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes on here.  It's similar but not exactly the same.  I wanted to try this new one and was very happy with it.  The family enjoyed these too.  (Except my then 5-year old is now 14, and still didn't want to try them!!  Dork!! Lol).  I used my own pumpkin puree for this but feel free to use canned.  Whatever you prefer or have on hand.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Cooking Classy

2 cups (282g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups (350ml) buttermilk
3 Tbsp (1.5 oz) butter, melted, plus more cold butter for griddle
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Preheat a non-stick electric griddle to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Make a large well in center of mixture and set aside.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Pour into well in dry mixture and whisk just until combined (batter should be slightly lumpy, don't over-mix). Let batter rest 3 minutes.

3.  Spray griddle with non-stick spray.  Pour about 1/3 cup of batter at a time onto griddle. Spread out a little if needed.  Cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and cook opposite side until golden. Repeat process until all of the batter has been used. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate

I already have a recipe for this, here, but that recipe is kind of awkward where you have to cook and puree a tiny bit of pumpkin (what I had on hand at the time.)  I recently found this recipe, using canned pumpkin puree and it's so easy!  I actually had roasted and pureed a whole sugar pumpkin a few days before, so I used the puree from that, but I'd love to try this with canned puree.  It would make it even easier.

Note: I used Penzey's "Pie Spice" for this and it was perfect. I had an unopened McCormick pumpkin pie spice bottle, but when I opened it, it didn't smell like anything.  The Penzey's Pie Spice was perfect in this.

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate
adapted from Passion for Savings

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (can use homemade)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I used Penzey's "Pie Spice")

½ tsp. Salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 12 oz. bag real white chocolate chips (some bags are 10oz- this would probably be fine)
3 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half (or 1 cup half and half, one extra cup milk)
Whipped Cream for Garnish

1.  In a regular size saucepan, combine the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, salt, vanilla, milk and half and half.  Heat over medium heat, whisking well, until everything is mixed and quite warm.

2.  Add in white chocolate chips and stir well until melted.  Taste to make sure it is hot to your liking.  Serve warm and top with whipped cream.  Top with an extra sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or just cinnamon, if desired.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Mom's Pumpkin Muffins

My mom has been making these ever since the 90's, and they make me feel nostalgic.  We recently visited my parents for Christmas, and she made a batch while we were there.  My kids loved them, and couldn't get enough.  I made them soon after returning home.  I made them twice, experimenting with lessening the oil amount each time.  (It calls for 1.5 cups of oil.)  The first time, I subbed in 1/2 cup of applesauce and used 1 cup of oil.  The next time, I used half oil, half applesauce, and they were just as good, so I'll do that from now on.  (So, 3/4 cup of each.)

Mom's Pumpkin Muffins
adapted from Taste of Home

4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1-1/2 cups canola oil (can use up to half applesauce)
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 400 F.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.

2.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 2 dozen +

*This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Bread

Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Bread
adapted from Gather for Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread

1.  Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 3 (5 3/4 x 3 inch) mini loaf pans or one large pan (9 x 5 x 2 3/4 inch); set side.

2.  Combine all ingredients except Nutella in a bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

3.  Heat Nutella in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, being careful not to overheat.
Spoon half of pumpkin batter into prepared pans. Spoon half of Nutella over pumpkin mixture. Swirl gently with a knife. Spoon remaining pumpkin batter over top. Repeat with Nutella, swirling gently.

4.  Bake 25-35 minutes for mini loaves or 50-60 minutes for 1 large loaf. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Gnocchi di Zucca (Pumpkin Gnocchi)

Last month, my friend Stefania (of previous gnocchi fame) taught me how to make pumpkin gnocchi. This gnocchi uses no potatoes, just delicious sweet pumpkin, flour, egg, and olive oil.  The pumpkin of choice here is the green-skinned, orange-fleshed, local "Delica" pumpkin; very sweet and delicious. When I arrived at her house that day, she had already skinned the pumpkin, so no pics of the green skin.  But you can google "zucca delica" or see a picture here.  Or, you can see a pic of one on my post about my Pumpkin cooking class; it's the 10th picture down.  

After I arrived, we began cutting the skinned pumpkin into thick wedges.  Then we removed the seeds and set them aside in a bowl.  Stefania used her pressure cooker to cook the wedges fast.  (Next two pictures.)

After the pressure cooker, Stefania kind of broke the pumpkin up and put it on a baking sheet into a warm over to dry it out a little.  You don't want much excess water in there.  Then, we put the pumpkin through a ricer to make sure it was super smooth.  Then, we added the egg, flour, and other ingredients until the dough was the right consistency.  This dough will not be nearly as stiff as potato gnocchi dough, because we're not rolling it out.  We're dropping spoonfuls into salted, boiling water, so it can remain soft; it just has to be able to hold together in the boiling water. When they float to the top, remove them and set them in a baking or serving dish. (Next four pics).

While the gnocchi is cooking, melt some (unsalted) butter and add a bunch of fresh sage leaves.  This will be the sauce for the gnocchi.  As they come out of the boiling water, drain them well and add .them to a baking or serving dish, and pour the sage butter over them.  Serve with freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano on top.  (Next three pics.)

Gnocchi di Zucca
from my friend Stefania

Pumpkin Gnocchi:
1 delica squash/pumpkin or equivalent
2 egg yolks
bit of olive oil
flour- to form a somewhat loose dough
salt & pepper

For serving:
unsalted butter
fresh sage leaves
Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese,

1.  Peel the squash, cut into wedges, and remove seeds.  Cook the squash and let dry after.  (You can steam or pressure cook it.  After, break into smaller pieces and let dry in a low oven for a little bit to get rid of excess water.)

2.  Push the soft squash through a ricer and mix it up to get it really smooth.  Add the egg yolks, a glug of olive oil, and the salt and pepper.  Then, mix in flour, a little at a time, until the dough is smooth but not too stiff.  You will not be rolling it out; just dropping spoonfuls into boiling water.  It needs to be able to hold together in the water.

3.  Heat a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously.  When it is boiling, test a small piece of the dough by dropping it into the water.  If it holds together, the dough is ready.  If it falls apart, you need to add more flour to the dough before proceeding.  Keep doing a test piece until it no longer falls apart.

4.  Cook all the gnocchi by dropping spoonfuls into the boiling water using two spoons. (Push the dough off of one spoon using the other spoon).  When the gnocchi float to the top, remove from the water with a slotted spoon or something similar, letting all the water drain off.  Set gnocchi into a serving dish or big pan.

5.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the sage.  As the gnocchi come out of the water and are set in the dish, drizzle a little of the sage butter over them.

6.  Serve with freshly grated Grana or Parmigiano.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **