Upside-Down Pumpkin Filled Chocolate Cupcake

Upside-Down Pumpkin Filled Chocolate Cupcake
By: Paula Dean

Ingredients
1 (18.25-ounce) box dark chocolate cake mix
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup confectioners' sugar
8 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Candy corn, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Do not use paper liners.

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans, and arrange them, rounded side down, on wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the pumpkin and confectioners' sugar, and beat until smooth.

Cut each cupcake in half horizontally. Spread about 2 tablespoons the pumpkin mixture evenly over cut side of rounded cupcake halves. Top with the cut side of the flat cupcake halves.

Using a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate. Add the whipping cream and mix until well combined. Spoon the desired amount of chocolate over each cupcake and garnish with candy corn. Cover, and chill, or serve immediately.

Cook's Note:
Cupcakes can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Know Your Squash

This 2010 Pumpkin Season, here at T and A Farm, we have four types of squash. Lets take a look at them!

Ms. Abby says...

Squash could also be cook until tender in 350 oven. Just cut in half and place cut side down in baking dish with half inch to inch of water. Acorn squash is so sweet if cooked long enough and is creamy not stringy.

When you are done learning about our squash, try some of the Squash Recipes!

(All Courtesy of Whats Cooking America and Specialty Produce)

Acorn Squash

As its name suggests, this winter squash is small and round shaped like an acorn. It's easy to slice into halves and fill with butter. A small acorn squash weighs from 1 to 3 pounds, and has sweet, slightly fibrous flesh. Its distinct ribs run the length of its hard, blackish-green or golden-yellow skin. In addition to the dark green acorn, there are now golden and multi-colored varieties. This squash is not as rich in beta-carotene as other winter squashes, but is a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, as well as smaller amounts of vitamins C and B, magnesium, and manganese. Try toasting the seeds just as you would pumpkin seeds! Or Try Martha Stewart’s Acorn Squash and Honey Pie! (Pictured Below)

 

Butternut Squash

Butternut is the most widely grown winter squash. Beige colored and shaped like a vase or a bell. This is a more watery squash and tastes somewhat similar to sweet potatoes. It has a bulbous end and pale, creamy skin, with a choice, fine-textured, deep-orange flesh with a sweet, nutty flavor. Some people say it is like butterscotch. It weighs from 2 to 5 pounds. The more orange the color, the riper, drier, and sweeter the squash.  Butternut is a common squash used in making soup because it tends not to be stringy. Try the Martha Stewart's Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup! (Pictured Below)

Carnival Squash

Cream colored with orange spots or pale green with dark green spots in vertical stripes. Carnival Squash have hard, thick skins and only the flesh is eaten. It is sometimes labeled as a type of acorn squash. The delicious yellow meat is reminiscent of sweet potatoes and butternut squash and can be baked or steamed then combined with butter and fresh herbs. It is also great in soups. Fat-free and sodium-free, a three-fourths cup serving provides fiber, carbohydrates, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron and thirty calories making it a great healthy food! Try Creamy Carnival Squash Bisque. (Pictured Below)

Spaghetti Squash

A small, watermelon-shaped variety, ranges in size from 2 to 5 pounds or more. It has a golden-yellow, oval rind and a mild, nutlike flavor. The yellowiest Spaghetti squash will be the ripest and best to eat. Those that are nearly white are not very ripe. Although it may seem counterintuitive, larger spaghetti squash are more flavorful than smaller ones. When cooked, the flesh separates in strands that resemble spaghetti pasta and may used in place of regular noodles. Spaghetti Squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month. Spaghetti squash also freezes well. Try Martha Stewart’s Roasted Spaghetti Squash With Herbs! (Pictured Below)

 

Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash

Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash
By Martha Stewart

Ricotta and pureed squash give this familiar dish its creaminess.
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
Olive-oil cooking spray
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.

Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Creamy Carnival Squash Bisque

Creamy Carnival Squash Bisque by Leah Gabriel Nurik

This bisque recipe unites all of the flavors of fall – with a creamy taste reminiscent of a sweet potato and a dash of cinnamon - in a healthful soup, This recipe is simple and fast enough to use as a great first course for a weeknight meal, but is impressive and versatile enough to be served at the swankiest of dinner parties or on your Holiday table.

Ingredients:
3 pats of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 small onion minced
2 medium sized carnival squash - about 6 pounds
6 cups of Vegetable Culinary Stock or Chicken Culinary Stock
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1.2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup of Light Cream
For garnish:
1 tablespoon of sour cream per serving
1 ½ teaspoons of minced chives

Directions:
Prior to starting soup, preheat oven to 350 degrees and prick the carnival squashes with a fork, and bake carnival squash whole for 50 minutes. This can be done a day before in advance. Cool.

When cooled, cut carnival squash open, remove seeds and scoop out the flesh. In a food processor, puree flesh with as much stock as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.

In a Dutch oven, melt butter, and add onions, sautéing until translucent. Remove onions from Dutch oven, and add flour to melted butter, stirring constantly to make a basic rue.

Next, whisk in 6 cups of stock, vegetable or chicken, depending on individual taste, and bring to a boil.

Add pureed carnival squash, stirring. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Add salt, thyme and pepper. Cover.

Allow bisque to simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Serve with sour cream and sprinkle with chives.

Squash and White Bean Soup

Squash and White Bean Soup
By: Martha Stewart

Hearty soup with butternut and beans will warm kids up on a chilly fall day; leaf-shape toast makes cute "crackers" If you prefer, substitute chicken broth for the beef broth. For even more flavor, sprinkle each bowl with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 celery stalk, strings removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds (about 2 cups) butternut squash, peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups low-sodium canned beef broth
4 thin slices sandwich bread
1 cup canned great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained

Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add celery; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in squash and tomatoes; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until squash is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.\

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a leaf-shape cutter to cut leaves from bread; arrange on a baking sheet. Brush with remaining tablespoon oil; bake until just golden, about 10 minutes.

Add beans to pot, and cook until they are warmed through, about 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.