Trick or treat
Smell my feet
Give me some good…
squash to eat?
Yes you heard right. Lou Seibert Pappas takes pumpkins and squash and transforms them into dishes you will ask for time and time again. Her A Harvest of Pumpkin and Squash cookbook is a full force grasp on the seasonal delights of hearty fall and early winter produce.
“Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce” – “Roasted Autumn Root Vegetables” – “Delicate Squash Rings with arugula, fuyu permission, dried cranberries, and feta” – “Five-Spice Pumpkin-Ginger Cake” – Do I even need to go on? Warm, comforting, and sweet, Pappas’ flavors will fill your house with welcoming smells, while satisfying your hunger all at once.
Five-Spice Pumpkin-Ginger Cake
Serves 12
6 TBS (3/4 stick) butter, melted
3 TBS grated peeled fresh ginger
½ cup honey
½ cup molasses
2/3 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 large eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
½ cup thinly slivered crystallized ginger
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch round baking pan 2 inches deep or a 9 inch spring form pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, fresh ginger, honey, and molasses. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat until well mixed. Add the pumpkin, yogurt, and eggs and beat until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda five-spice powder mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with the crystallized ginger and chocolate chips. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature cut into wedges and topped with whipped cream, if desired.
