Pumpkin Way More Than a Pie Filling By Faith.com

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Be sure to let your seeds cool down before you start devouring them!

Comforting Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin*
5 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)**
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic to the mix. Cook, stirring often, until softened (this should take about 4 minutes). Add spices and stir for a minute more.
Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.
With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and stir it into your mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate, and then add the cream. Add a teaspoon of salt, if necessary. Then serve with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds on the top.

Warm Roast Pumpkin Salad

Ingredients
3/4 cup French green lentils
1 2lb whole pumpkin, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions
Place lentils in a small bowl. Soak them in cold water for 10 minutes and then drain. Next, cook the lentils in boiling salted water until tender, but firm. This should take about 30 minutes. Drain the lentils and then rinse them under cold water, then drain again.

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

Heavenly Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus
1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Whipped cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make the crust first by combining your graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a medium bowl. Stir until all the crumbs are coated with the butter. Do not let your mix turn into a paste, but keep it crumbly instead.

Next, put foil partway up the outside part of an 8-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the crust for five minutes, then set it aside until you are ready to fill it.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, cup of sugar and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Then, add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy.

Pour the filling into the pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. The top will turn a bit darker as it gets closer to being done. Remove and let cool when this happens. After five minutes, put it in the refrigerator and let chill.

Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.