Pumpkin Pie anyone?

29^th October 2012

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. Albert Schweitzer

Well yesterday felt like the longest day ever, I know we had the extra hour but boy did it drag, it probably didn’t help that I had the lurgy and didn’t feel the best so ended up sitting round all day, and there really is only so much tv you can watch, especially when tv is rubbish!
I did use some of the time productively though, looking up recipes for the coming weeks, I found one for your pumpkins if you’re doing the Halloween thing!

Pumpkin Pie
Total 37pp values per recipe, 6pp per slice, Serves 6
25m prep, 30 minutes to cook

1 x Asda shortcrust pastry case
350 g (12 oz) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and diced
50 g (1 3/4 oz) brown sugar
I 1/2 tablespoons mixed spice
2 eggs, beaten
75 g (2 3/4oz) low fat soft cheese
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, for dusting

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200C/fan oven180C.
Place the pumpkin (or squash) in a lidded pan with 150 ml (5 fl oz) water, cover irtd
cook for 10 minutes until soft. Drain well and mash. Add the sugar and spice to the pumpkin. Leave to cool slightly before beating in the eggs and soft cheese. Sieve the mixture to remove any stringy bits of pumpkin and pour into the pastry case. Don't
worry if the mixture looks thin, it will thicken and in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until the filling has set and the pastry is a deep golden colour. Leave for 5 minutes before serving warm, dusted with the cinnamon.

And as it’s Monday, why not have a meat free day and try this;

Roast vegetable pilaff
Serves 6
Total ProPoints values per recipe: 42
Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 45 minutes

FOR THE ROAST VEGETABLES
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) parsnips, peeled and cut into wedges
300 g (10 1/2 oz) carrots, peeled and chopped roughly
300 g (10 1/2 oz) butternut or acorn squash, peeled and chopped roughly
6 shallots, peeled and halved
1 head of garlic, broken into whole cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
few sprigs of fresh rosemary, woody stems removed.
chopped roughly and reserving one for the garnish
low fat cooking spray
salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE RICE
300 g (IO 1/2oz) brown rice
pinch of saffron
850 ml (1 1/2pints) vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/fan oven 160°C and place all the roast vegetable
ingredients in a large roasting tin. Spray with low fat cooking spray, season, then toss together and spray again. Roast on the top shelf of the oven for 45 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, place the rice in a lidded ovenproof casserole. Stir the saffron into the stock, pour this over the rice and stir. Bring to the boil then stir well. Cover and cook in the oven on a lower shelf for 40 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven, stir in the roasted vegetables and then return the casserole to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender. The pilaff should be slightly moist, so if the rice dries out too quickly add a little more stock or
water. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, if you wish.

That’s me for today, I’m going to have me a nice hot shower to try and clear my head, then walk the dog and get to my meeting.  I also need to try and make muffins this morning as it’s my helpers birthday and she reminded me last night after all the shops had closed to do it!  I haven’t got raspberries, so hoping I can use extra banana in my wake up muffins!  We shall see!

Have a not too manic Monday.