Dan's Papers - October 12, 2007

Hey kiddies, it's pumpkin time! Fall is here and the farm stands are full of different kinds of squash, apples and pumpkins. With Halloween just around the corner everyone has pumpkins on the brain!

We all get excited to pick our pumpkin from the patch and turn it into a Jack-O-lantern. But before we carve, we can also use pumpkins to make yummy treats.

Baking pumpkin seeds is always festive this time of year. Cut the top off of the pumpkin and pick out the seeds. Isn't it fun to feel the gook between your fingers? Grease a large baking sheet with butter and spread the seeds evenly. Sweet or salty, it is your choice. Sprinkle seasoned salt or cinnamon and sugar, then place them in the oven and enjoy the smell!

For the bakers out there, Anne's pumpkin muffins are out of this world.

Ingredients
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 can pumpkin or one small pumpkin
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)

Directions
First, cream together the stick of butter, two eggs and one cup of brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Then, add the can of pumpkin, or for those of you who are ambitious, cut a small pumpkin in half (remove the gook and seeds) and place the halves cut side down on a cookie sheet in the oven on 400 degrees F for one hour. When you remove the pumpkin the insides will fall out. Then, puree and use fresh pumpkin instead of the can. Next mix in the 1//2 cup orange juice. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, the pecans and the golden raisins. Lastly, mix it together and distribute evenly in greased muffin pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes. These gourmet muffins are truly delicious.

This second treat sounds a little complicated but I promise it's not. Making pumpkin lollipops is extremely quick, easy and fun!

Ingredients
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 box orange jello

Directions
First, butter two large baking sheets and arrange popsicle sticks on the sheets about four inches apart. Next, stir sugar, corn syrup and butter together over low heat until sugar dissolves. Slowly bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Cook until liquid registers 275 degrees F on a candy thermometer, which you can purchase at the grocery store. Then, stir in jello mix. Using a metal tablespoon, quickly distribute on top of each stick. Let cool for a few minutes or place in freezer to cool faster. You will then have delicious lollipops! To spruce them up tie a green ribbon around the bottom and wrap in cellophane. You can tell all of your friends that you are now a candy maker.