Recipe of the Week: Mini Pumpkin Treats



Show-offs.

Among the inhabitants of every pumpkin patch, it is generally agreed that there is no higher purpose than to become a jack o’lantern. Scary, funny, fanciful - it doesn't matter - they're all waiting for the day when they are stoop-ified and filled with that magical inner glow on Halloween night while their roasted seeds are snacked upon and their innards added to soup or pie.

That is if you're a big, or even medium-sized pumpkin. But what of the little guys? You know the adorable palm-sized ones overflowing from wicker baskets at farmers markets and perched on the edge of your co-workers desk. Too tiny to be carved (sure sometimes they get a little face drawn on them with a marker or maybe poster paint but that’s not the same) and too tiny to be made into pie. The miniature pumpkin, like the mass of men, lives a life of quiet desperation* - their stature too small to dream big.

Well, we’re looking to change that today. We’ve found a recipe that elevates the fate of the wee sugar pumpkin – making it the centerpiece/edible fruit it was born to be. A recipe that allows these tiny gourds to make a great big delicious impression. And best of all, it couldn’t be simpler! When they're finished in the oven, they can still masquerade as festive display items until it's time to eat - making them both a trick and a treat! Neat!

Baked Mini Pumpkins

You need:

• 1 small sugar pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds
3. Place the butter and brown sugar inside the pumpkin and sprinkle with ground cinnamon
4. Put the pumpkin lid back on and place the pumpkin in a baking pan with a little water in the bottom
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until tender

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*Apologies to Mr. Thoreau. Though we think he'd kinda like this recipe. He certainly liked pumpkins -"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

Recipe of the Week: Gingered Pears

Halloween is coming and to get into the spooky spirit, this week, we bring you a recipe that will appeal to your sweet tooth and get you that all important serving of fruit!

We are also pleased to have the opportunity to use this creepy pear picture. Something about it just gives us the willies. Weird, right? It's like "ooooh, bewaaare the peaaaaar!"  But we digress.

After Halloween night, you'll have plenty of super-bad-for-you, highly processed candy to satiate your sweet tooth (not that there's anything wrong with that - can't wait for peanut butter cups!). But until then, we invite you to keep it real with this easy to make palate-pleasing pear treat.

Gingered Pears

You need:

• 4 medium ripe pears, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, place pears in water
2. Cover skillet and cook pears over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender
3. Turn the pears over
4. Combine sugar and ginger then sprinkle mix over pears
5. Cover skilled and cook 5-10 minutes longer
6. Serve warm

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Recipe of the Week: Easy Apple Dumplings

It happens everytime we go apple picking. Intoxicated by the crisp fall air, blue skies and the smell of leaves, we run from orchard to orchard filling bag upon bag with every sweet looking fruit we see. Gala, Granny Smith, McIntosh - we'll take one of each... make that a dozen! How lucky we are to live in the Northeast at this time of year - we'll have pies, caramel apples, candy apples, apple cake, apple cider, apple sauce!

And then... we plum run out of things to do with our apples. And yet, we certainly haven't run out of apples to do things with. So this week we bring you a super simple recipe that will use no less than 15 of the little guys, meaning you can both fill your tummy and clear your counter tops! How do you like them... nah, too easy.


Easy Apple Dumplings

You need:

• 3 (12 ounce) cans of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 15 medium apples, peeled cored and halved
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease two 13x9 baking dishes
3. In a bowl combine sugar, water, butter and vanilla and set aside
4. Flatten biscuits with hand
5. Wrap each biscuit around an apple half and place seam-side down in baking dishes
6. Pour half the sugar mixture into each pan
7. Sprinkle cinnamon over dumplings
8. Bake, uncovered until dumplings are golden brown and apples are tender; about 35-40 minutes
9. Serve warm

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Recipe of the Week: Pear Scones

Hmmm, decisions, decisions. All the fruit in that box looks tempting, but we're gonna go with the pears. And it's not just because they're in season and so yummy and full of nutrients.

No, those are all great reasons but to be honest, we're picking pears because we have this great recipe for scones that calls for pears. And, as previously mentioned, we kinda have a thing for breakfast so when the opportunity to incorporate pears into our morning meal presented itself we jumped at it with arms (and mouths) wide open!

Pear Scones

You need:

• 1 cup chopped pear
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup butter, chilled
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
3. Cut in butter until the mixture has a crumbly texture
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and half-and-half
5. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined
6. Stir in the pear
7. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet
8. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes
9. Rest on cooling rack before serving

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

_____________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!