Pumpkin-Apple Butter with Honey, Ginger & Cardamom

Pumpkin-Apple Butter with Honey, Ginger & Cardamom 
(the link to the original creator of this recipe no longer works and I can't find a working link to the original recipe)

Other spices, such as cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, can be substituted for the ginger and cardamom.

1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
1 medium-large tart apple (e.g., Granny Smith), peeled, cored & grated
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger (I added about 1/2 T fresh ginger)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of salt

In a medium, heavy saucepan combine the pumpkin, apple, juice, honey, ginger, cardamom and salt. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 and 1/2 hours. Cool completely in pan, then transfer to an airtight container (It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months). Makes 3 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons).

Nutrition per Serving (2 tablespoons):Calories 35; Fat 0.1g (sat 0.1g, mono 0g, poly 0g); Protein 0.2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Carbohydrate 9.2g; Sodium 11.1mg.
(Note: nutrition analysis using Diet Analysis Plus 7.0.1)

I made 2 batches at the same time, with about 5 cups roasted butternut squash, 1.5 cups apple cider, 1.5 apples,  and 1/2 cup honey.  Then I split it in 2 pots and in 1 added fresh ginger and cardamon, and the other all ground spices of  cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and vanilla.  I added 1 T raw brown sugar to both.  Next time I would use sugar and not honey, as the honey has a distinctive taste I'd rather not have in this.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I loved Adirondack Creamery's Pumpkin Pie ice cream and want to make a homemade version. AC's ingredient list is: Cream, Milk, cane sugar, non-fat dry milk, egg yolks, pumpkin, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.  I found two recipes online that are close, but not quite, so I will try my own method. Since I have only made real ice cream twice before, I hope I don't  mess it up.

The recipe David Lebovitz posted has too many steps that don't seem necessary and a cinnamon stick seems to get lost in his recipe.  I do like his proportions of milk and cream and white and brown sugars. The Williams Sonoma recipe seems like it will come out two thick and too sweet with 2 cups of heavy cream and 3/4 cup brown sugar, but the recipe order is simpler, although there is no need to add cold cream to the eggs, so I will heat all the milk and cream.

1. Mix squash with vanilla and chill.

• 1 cup roasted butternut squash puree (or canned pumpkin)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2. Heat and stir in saucepan:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 and 1/4 cup gingered sugar (otherwise combo of white and brown cane sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
• If not using ginger sugar, use 1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp freshly grated
• scant 1/16 teaspoon cloves
• 4 allspice berries, crushed and a pinch of ground (or 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice)
• scant 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3. Whisk 5 large egg yolks into a bowl

4. Whisk 1/3 to 1/2 the cream into the bowl of egg yolks and pour back into cream pot.
5. Heat and stir until 170 degrees- slightly thick-can run finger through it on back of spoon and it doesn't run back:
6. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl nestled in a larger bowl of ice water.  Whisk or stir a few times.  
7. Whisk in the pumpkin.  
8. Pour through fine mesh strainer again.  
9. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.  
10. Churn in ice cream maker according to maker's directions.

Original sources or inspiration:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/11/pumpkin-ice-cream-recipe/
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/pumpkin-ice-cream.html

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Casserole

Several times I have made variations of a vegan recipe I had found when I was searching for an easy oven-baked recipe for butternut squash and black beans a few  years ago.  It is so easy-no sauteeing of the onions first-everything cooks together in the oven. http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/10/pumpkin-and-black-bean-casserole.html

I liked tonight's version best, but with raw milk and cheddar cheese, it was not vegan, but it sure was tasty!
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray olive oil in casserole dish (approx 8 x 11 or so size)
2. In a large bowl, combine and set aside:

• 1 1/2 cups black beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 medium onion, diced (any kind, I used red)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder or other mild chili powder
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
•  a shake of cayenne pepper, maybe l/8 tsp
•  1 quart canned tomatoes, chopped, liquid reserved

3. Peel and slice a medium butternut squash into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Need enough to make 2 layers in the casserole dish.

4. Combine reserved tomato juice (I had more than 1 cup) with 1/2 cup milk (used raw milk tonight) and spices:

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
• Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• Sprinkle of black pepper
• 3 T cornstarch

5. Grate about 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (to lightly (not quite) cover top layer of casserole)

6. ASSEMBLE

• Layer half the squash in casserole dish. Follow with half the bean mixture, then 1/2 quash, 1/2 beans.
• Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
• Pour tomato juice mixture to cover layers.
• Cover with aluminum foil tightly.
• Bake 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes.

This could easily be made 50% larger by adding a third layer of squash and beans.  Would need to add more liquid too.