Christmas decorations have replaced seven large pumpkins I used for fall. I only bought one, but a friend gave me six and they are huge. I hate to waste anything, but really don’t know what I’ll do with all of them. So, I began the way I do most challenges, I tackled a manageable chunk.
Starting with the pumpkin I purchased, I lobbed off the top, scooped out the seeds and cut it into four large pieces. I massaged a small amount of olive oil over all and roasted them in a 300-degree oven for an hour. Then I removed it from the oven. Once cool enough to handle, I easily sliced away the outer rind and cubed the pumpkin flesh. Freezing most of it, I reserved three cups for the follow recipe.
Chicken, Pumpkin and Rice Casserole
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 c. roasted pumpkin, cubed
2 c. beef broth
3 chicken breast halves, cubed
Salt, pepper and chili powder for seasoning
4 c. cooked rice
1/2 stick butter
1/4 c. flour
1-1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. Panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
Sauté onions in 1 Tbsp. olive oil with seasonings until translucent. Add pumpkin and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
Meanwhile, season cubed breast pieces with a pinch of salt, pepper and chili powder. Sauté in the remaining olive oil in another skillet until done.
Place in a large mixing bowl along with the cooked rice. Make a gravy by melting butter in the same skillet over medium heat and stir in flour. Cook for about a minute and slowly add milk, whisking until smooth. As it begins to thicken, add mozzarella cheese.
Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Temper the eggs with a couple of spoonfuls of the gravy. Then add to the skillet and stir. Tempering the eggs with a small amount of warm gravy will keep them from scrambling when they are added to the hot mixture. Stir gravy into the cooling pumpkin and onion mixture. Then add to the mixing bowl of chicken and rice.
Stir together all the ingredients and pour into a greased casserole dish – or two. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes until the sides are bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
I used cooked wild rice in that recipe, but white or brown would work as well. Italian sausage is a good substitute for the chicken and would help kick-up the flavors. Canned cream of mushroom soup may be used instead of making gravy.
Pumpkin Soup
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. flour
1-1/4 tsp. curry powder
2 c. cooked puréed pumpkin
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3-1/2 c. chicken stock
2 c. fat-free half-and-half cream
Minced fresh parsley for garnish
In a soup pot, melt butter and sauté onions until soft. Add flour and curry powder, and cook for about a minute. Add pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Slowly add stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Slowly add half-and-half and continue to stir while bringing the heat back up to a simmer. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.