Jack O’lantern’s Afterlife

You will, of course, thriftily buy a pumpkin that’s as edible as decorative. Within a few days after Halloween, peel it, chunk it, steam it, or cook it in enough water to prevent burning, puree in food processor or blender, and then try one of both of these recipes.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted in mixing bowl
3/4 cup brown cane sugar or coconut sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Thoroughly mix dry ingredients with liquid ingredients

Stir in:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup rolled oats, optional

Drop by teaspoons, 1 inch apart, onto oiled, foil lined baking sheet. Roll each little pile of dough into a ball. Flatten with tines of a fork. Bake on center rack of oven, one sheet at a time, 15 to 18 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Store in tightly covered cookie jar or other covered container.

Gluten-free version: Use sorghum flour instead of all-purpose wheat flour.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
3 servings
Combine in saucepan. Heat to steaming:
1/2 cup pumpkin pulp, canned or home-cooked and pureed
2 bouillon cubes
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups milk or 1/2&1/2 cream
2 teaspoons curry powder or to taste

For thicker soup, mix and stir in: 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Stir-cook on medium heat for 3 minutes, or until thickened.