Panettone - Vegan

Panettone
modified from Parsnip Parsimony
makes one 6-inch round

1 t active dry yeast
5 oz warm water (110ºF), divided

5oz sugar, divided
1 t kosher salt
8 oz firm silken tofu
3/8 t soy lecithin granules
1.5 oz vegetable oil
1/8 t turmeric
1/8 t ground white pepper
1/8 t poulty seasoning blend
zest 1/2 lemon
zest 1/2 lime
zest 1/2 orange

17.8 oz AP flour, divided
.2 oz vital wheat gluten

4 oz dried fruit (cranberries, currants, raisins, golden raisins, figs)
enough warm water and/or orange juice to just cover the fruit

pinch xanthan gum
pinch kosher salt
2 t sugar
1 oz soy milk

See pan prep procedure here.

In a large bowl, combine yeast with 4 ounces warm water and set aside in a warm place until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add .5 t sugar and 2 oz flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine; cover loosely with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap. Set aside to ferment at room temperature 30 minutes to one hour, or refrigerated overnight.

Whisk together remaining flour with the vital wheat gluten; set aside.

Process remaining sugar, salt, tofu, lecithin, oil, pepper, turmeric and citrus zests in a food processor until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl at least once. Stir the tofu mixture into the yeast mixture until smooth. Stir in three quarters of the flour mixture, adding the remaining 1 ounce water if needed to maintain proper moisture; the full volume will likely be unecessary. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead to incorporate remaining flour mixture. Continue kneading until a smooth dough forms, about 10 minutes. Dough should spring back when gently pressed.

Round and place in a lightly oiled pan or bowl and cover with a moistened tea towel. Place pan in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes.

Punch down and re-round dough; return to pan, cover and raise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, an additional 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, place dried fruit in a medium bowl, cover with warm water and/or orange juice and set aside to plump, at least 30 minutes. Drain fruit well before incorporating.

Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface. Punch down and press gently out into a rough rectangle. Sprinkle dough with half of the drained fruit, pressing lightly to embed them. Fold dough as if a tri-fold letter: top third down over the center third, lower third folded over both. Again, pat out dough into a small rough rectangle and repeat process with remaining fruit. Knead lightly to evenly distribute fruit. Round the dough and drop, seam side down, into prepared pan. Cover with oiled plastic wrap or damp tea towel and proof in a warm place 30-40 minutes, until doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF.

Whisk together xanthan gum, soy milk and sugar. Brush top of loaf with xanthan mixture. Using a very sharp blade in as few strokes as possible, cut a .25-inch deep X into the top of the loaf. Bake 40 minutes to an hour, until browned and internal temperature reaches 190ºF. Cover top with parchment or foil if it begins to brown too quickly.

Remove from oven and cool in pan 15 minutes. Unmold and cool completely on wire rack before slicing or storing.

Challah - Vegan - in process

Challah
makes two braided loaves
modified from Parsnip Parsimony

1.25 t active dry yeast
5 oz warm water (110ºF), divided

1 oz sugar, divided
1 t kosher salt
8 oz firm silken tofu
3/8 t soy lecithin granules
1.5 oz vegetable oil
pinch turmeric
pinch ground white pepper

17.8 oz AP flour, divided
.2 oz vital wheat gluten

pinch xanthan gum
pinch kosher salt
2 oz soy milk
poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cracked black pepper or other topping


Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine yeast with 4 ounces warm water and set aside in a warm place until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add .5 t sugar and 2 oz flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine; cover loosely with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap. Set aside to ferment 30 minutes or place in refrigerator/retarder overnight (bring to room temp before using).

Whisk together remaining flour with the vital wheat gluten; set aside.

Process remaining sugar, salt, tofu, lecithin, oil, pepper and turmeric in a food processor until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl at least once. Stir the tofu mixture into the yeast mixture until smooth. Stir in three quarters of the flour mixture, adding the remaining 1 ounce water as needed to maintain proper moisture. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead to incorporate remaining flour mixture. Continue kneading until a smooth dough forms, about 10 minutes. Dough should spring back when gently pressed.

Round dough and place in a lightly oiled pan or bowl and cover with a moistened tea towel. Place pan in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes.

Punch down, knead briefly and re-round dough; return to pan, cover and raise until doubled in bulk, an additional 50 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and punch down. Divide dough into either ten or six even pieces; make two braids, or either five or three pieces each. Place each on individual prepared sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or damp tea towel and let rise 40-50 minutes, until double in bulk.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF.

Whisk together xanthan gum, salt and soy milk. Brush over top of braids and sprinkle with topping of choice. Bake 40 minutes to an hour, until browned and internal temperature reaches 190ºF.

Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack before slicing or storing.

Camp Food - Vegan

Thanksgiving week, I backpacked in western PA from Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Caledonia State Park via the Appalachian Trail. We accomplished 20 miles in two days, spending one night out in a PATC shelter. Our food consisted of complete protein cookies, oatmeal with raisins, cous cous with veggies, apples, and tea. Here follows the recipes for the first three items.



Couscous with Veggies
per person, per day
.5 C whole wheat couscous
.5 C dried vegetables (Just Veggies brand sold at many Whole Foods and REI stores)
pinch kosher salt
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
pinch garlic powder
1 vegetable boullion cube, crushed

Combine ingredients in a resealable plastic bag, leaving airspace. Shake to combine. Open bag slightly to release excess air. Store up to a month at room temperature.

Constitute: Pour individual portion into sierra cup. Cover with .25-inch of boiling water and stir. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir and eat.



Chocolate-Cranberry-Pumpkin Seed-Peanut Butter-Barley Cookies
(Complete Protein Camp Cookies)
makes 18 large cookies

.5 C non-hydrogenated, creamy peanut butter (not natural-style)
.5 C brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
1 t kosher salt

2 T flaxseed meal
3 T water

.75 C whole wheat white flour
.75C AP flour
1 t baking soda

1 C barley flakes
.5 C instant oatmeal flakes
1 C raw pumpkin seeds, hulled (pepitas)
1 C dried cranberries
1 C chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flaxseed meal and water. Use as an egg.

Creaming method with additions.

Scoop by .25-C measure onto a lined baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown and set, about 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool completely before storing.


Oatmeal Mix
per person, per day

.5 C instant oatmeal
.25 C raisins or dried cranberries
1 T toasted wheat germ
pinch salt
pinch ground cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a resealable plastic bag, leaving airspace. Shake to combine. Open bag slightly to release excess air. Store up to a month at room temperature.

Constitute: Pour individual portion into sierra cup. Cover with boiling water and stir; depending on preference, you may just cover or add up to .25-inch of water on top of mixture. Cover and let stand 2 minutes before consuming.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake - Conventional

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
makes one 9-inch cheesecake
modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

for the crust:
2 C graham cracker crumbs, fine
.5 C pecans, chopped fine
1/8 t ground allspice
1/8 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cloves
.25 t ground cinnamon
3 oz unsalted butter

for the filling:

1 C + 2 T granulated sugar
.25 C AP flour
.25 t ground allspice
.25 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon

.75 C roasted pumpkin/winter squash puree

1.75 lb cream cheese
.5 C sour cream
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk

equipment:
9-inch springform pan
roasting pan


Bring all filling ingredients to room temperature. Dairy and eggs may be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours to bring to temperature.

Preheat oven to 350ºF

make the crust:
In a medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, pecans and spices. Melt butter; pour over crumb mixture and stir to combing. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Once cooled, wrap sides and bottom of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.

make the filling:
Combine spices in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, flour and a quarter of the spice mixture; set aside. Into the first bowl, stir the pumpkin/winter squash puree until incorporated.

In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Incorporate sour cream and vanilla. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition just to combine; DO NOT OVERMIX. Scrape down bowl and stir mixture with spatula just to homogenize.

Add 1.5 C filling to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.

Pour about .5-inch of plain filling into the cooled crust. Place several large dollops of pumpkin filling around the pan; swirl with a butter knife. Pour remainder of plain filling over swirled filling, covering all visible pumpkin. Dollop remaining pumpkin filling evenly over plain; with a clean butterknife, swirl.

Place pan in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour or ladle enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

Bake in water bath 30 minutes at 350ºF. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF and continue baking until the center remains jiggly but the edge of the cake is set and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Turn off oven and prop door open with a folded tea towel. Let cool in oven 1 hour before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving, to allow cake to set, flavor to mature.

Fudge Brownies - Conventional

Fudge Brownies
modified from MSL February 2004
makes one 8 x 8-inch pan

3 oz unsalted butter
6 oz chocolate (semi-sweet and bittersweet blend)
.25 C non-dutched cocoa powder
.5 C flour
.25 t baking powder
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
.25 t salt


Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Butter a 8 x 8-inch square glass baking dish. Line dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides; butter lining, excluding overhang.

Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside.

Combine butter, chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1-2 minutes on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds. Once most of the chocolate is melted, remove from microwave and stir until all pieces are dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whip together sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt until the mixture is pale and light in texture. Add chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. Sift in flour mixture and beat just to combine. Scrape down bowl and stir with a spatula to homogenize the mixture.

Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted halfway between side and center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Slice after fully cooled.

For optimal flavor, store brownies in an airtight container overnight before serving.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls - Vegan

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
modified from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
makes three 8-inch round or 8 x 8 square pans

dough:
2 C non-dairy milk
.5 C canola oil
.5 C granulated sugar
2.25 t active dry yeast
4.5 C AP flour, Divided
.5 heaping t baking powder
.5 scant t baking soda
1.5 t salt (K)

filling:
.5 C non-hydrogenated vegan margaine, melted
..5 C granulated sugar
.5 C light brown sugar
3 T cinnamon
1 T ground ginger, allspice and/or cloves

topping:
.25 C apricot preserves

frosting:
1 lb (4 C) confectioner’s sugar
2 T non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, melted
2 t orange, lemon, vanilla or maple extract


Combine soymilk, oil, and 1 cup of sugar in a large pot. Scald the mixture and immediately remove from heat. Let cool for 50-60 minutes, until mixture is lukewarm and has fallen below 115ºF.

Stir in the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 4 C flour and stir to combine. Cover and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Stir in remaining .5 C flour, powder, soda and salt. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Punch down/fold the dough; knead gently until smooth and slightly elastic. Cover with oiled plastic wrap or damn tea towel and let rise 1 hour.*

Lightly oil three 8-inch round or 8 x 8-inch square pans; set aside.

On a well floured surface, roll the mass into a long, thin rectangle, about 20 inches long. The exact dimensions are not vital; the important thing is for the dough to be uniformly .25-inch thick. Brush rectangle with melted margarine, leaving a 1-inch border along one long edge. Sprinkle brushed area with sugar mixture and press lightly to adhere.

Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seam to seal. Use unwaxed, unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated blade to slice log into 1-inch pieces. Arrange in prepared pans. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and proof in refrigerator overnight (at least 8 hours, up to 16).

Let pans of rolls stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake pans until the rolls are golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire racks until warm. Heat the apricot jam in a small bowl in the microwave until viscous but not bubbling; brush over top of warm cinnamon buns and let set before frosting. Frost and let cool further before serving.


*At this point, instead of resting on the counter, the dough can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before proceeding with rolling process.

Caramel Nut Bars - Conventional

Caramel Pecan Bars
Modified from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook
Makes a 10 x 15-inch pan

crust:
8 oz unsalted butter
.75 C packed brown sugar
1/8 t salt (K)
1.75 C AP flour
.5 C raw oat bran

filling:
3 C sugar
.75 t cream of tartar
2 t salt (K)
.75 C water
.75 C heavy cream
1 lb pecan halves


Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Toast pecans in an ungreased sheet pan until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10-12 minutes; let cool completely before coarsely chopping. Set aside.

Butter 10 x 15-inch pan. Line with parchment, leaving 1-inch overhang on long sides.

Crust:
Creaming method.

Drop into pan and cover with another piece of parchment. Use hands, lightly, back of large spoon or measuring cup or empty bottle to press dough evenly into pan, creating a .25-inch lip all around. Remove parchment and bake until light golden all over, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Filling:
In a large saucepan, stir to combine sugar, cream of tartar, salt and water. Cook over high heat, without stirring or agitating, until sugar is completely dissolved. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 300ºF and is medium amber.

Reduce heat to low and immediately add cream; pour in a steady stream towards the edge of the pan, stirring constantly. The mixture will foam considerably. Raise heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, an additional 3-5 minutes, until foaming is reduced and the caramel begins to boil again. Remove from heat and let cool 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add prepared pecans to caramel and stir to coat. Pour into prepared crust, spread evenly to coat. Bake until caramel is set, 10-25 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Chill 10-15 minutes before removing from pan to cutting board for slicing.

Store refrigerated, serve at room temp.

Pressure Cooker Apple Sauce - Vegan

Pressure Cooker Apple Sauce
modified from Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass
yields approximately 3.5 cups

.75 C water
2 lbs mixed apples (winesap, cortland, empire, braeburn, smokehouse)
one of the following: 3 sticks cinnamon, 8 whole cardamom pods, 1 t ground coriander, 6 whole cloves

Peel, core and quarter the apples. If using apples of inequal size, cut larger units into eights.

Combine water and spices in a 6 quart or larger pressure cooker. Add the prepared apples.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring cooker to high pressure; immediately turn off heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the lid.

Remove whole spices from cooker and discard. Use a slotted spoon to remove apples from cooker to the bowl of a food processor. Pour about .25 cup juices from cooker over apples; pour remainder into a separate container and reserve. Let apples cool for 5-8 minutes before processing. Purée apples until fine, 2-3 minutes on high speed, adding reserved juices as necessary to smooth the sauce.

Pour into sterilised jars, leaving .5-inch headspace. Lid jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours before labelling and storing.

Sunflower Honey Brittle - Almost Vegan

Sunflower Honey Brittle
adapted from the urban vegan
makes one 12 x 17-inch sheet

1.5 C granulated sugar
.25 C corn cyrup
.25 C clover honey
1/8 t kosher salt
.25 C water

2.5 C raw, hulled sunflower seeds

1 t vanilla extract
1 t baking soda

Combine sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt and water in a medium saucepot. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once sugar is dissolved, cover pot and cook for 2 minutes over medium. Alternatively, use a pastry brush to wash down sides of pot with water.

Cook mixture to 240ºF, stirring infrequently and only after the mixture is above 215ºF. Stir in sunflower seeds. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the candy reaches 310ºF.
Remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda and stir to combine; a large amoung of foaming will occur. Pour hot candy onto prepared slab or sheet pan. Use prepared spatula to spread brittle to a .25-inch thickness.

Let brittle cool completely before breaking into large pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies - Vegan

Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies
makes about 20 cookies

1 C bread flour
.25 C AP flour
.75 C white whole wheat flour
.75 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
.25 c nutmeg

3/8 C margarine
1/8 C shortening
3/8 C sugar
3/8 C packed light-brown sugar
.25 C pumpkin purée

Creaming method.

Divide dough in two. Between two pieces of parchment paper, roll out half of dough to .25-inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill for 8 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with remaining half of dough.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Cut dough with a shaped cookie cutter. Transfer shapes to a lined baking sheet. Freeze cookies on sheet for 15 minutes prior to baking.

Bake for 12-16 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and puffing is reduced. Cool on pan 3 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Winter Squah: Jarrahdale

Jarrahdale
Average weight: 12-13 lbs
Excellent for baking.

A large New Zealand pumpkin with a tough blue-green-silver shell. A moderately long keeper - at least 3 months with proper treatment. Sometimes round, sometimes squat, always deeply ridged. The innards are dry and easily removed; the seeds are unusually large and plump.

Raw, the flesh is dry, thick and fine-grained. Roasted, the flesh remains fine and very hearty. Add several tablespoons water to the roasted flesh before processing. Pass through a sieve for optimal texture. Excess water will separate after a few hours of refrigeration.

Steamed, excellent. The dry nature of the flesh agrees with a wet cooking method, steaming by pressure cooker in particular. Some additional liquid may still be necessary to purée.

The sweet, tender flesh is excellent for sweet applications. The rich texture stands up well in soups, gratins and as a dish in and of itself.

Pumpkin Pancakes - Vegan

Pumpkin Pancakes
makes 12-16 4-inch pancakes

2 T flaxseed meal
3 T water

1.25 C flour (whole wheat white and white flour blend)
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
.25 t cinnamon
.25 t ground ginger

.25 t kosher salt
1 1/3 - 1.5 C non-dairy milk
.5 C winter squash purée
1 T vegetable oil

In a small bowl or glass, stir together flaxseed meal and water; set aside while preparing other ingredients.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl; set aside

Whisk together the salt, milk, purée, oil, and flaxseed mixture in a small bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine.

Preheat an oiled skillet or large fry pan for several minutes over medium heat. Dollop batter by the .25-cup onto the hot pan and spread slightly. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until cakes appear dry around the edges. The cakes are ready to flip when the bubbles that erupt in their centers are not immediately refilled with batter. Flip cakes and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes, until golden-brown.

Eat hot or cool on wire rack before storing in refrigerator or freezer.

Cooking Winter Squash

Cleaning

Prior to each preparation, wash winter squash and pumpkins with warm water and a very small amount of mild soap. Rinse well and dry with a kitchen towel.

Breaking Down

Cutting winter squash is treacherous whether the shell is thick or thin. Work on a solid cutting board with a non-skid footing*; position the board so that you will have a comfortable angle when addressing the squash with your knife. Your first goal is to remove the stem, your second is to halve the squash evenly.

Place the cleaned squash on your board, stem end up. Use a sharp, sturdy chef's knife to pierce the shell near the stem. With force and caution, work the blade into the flesh; remove blade. Rotate the squash about 30 degrees before repeating process. It should take about six repetitions to cut out stem. Set your blade aside before removing stem. It may be necessary to use a sturdy offset spatula or other non-sharp tool to leverage the stem out. The ease with which the stem is removed will be different in each variety, but this step is generally not problematic.

Again, piece the shell at or near the stem hole you've just created. With force and caution, work the blade into the flesh. Taking care to not tip the squash, cut an even line towards the blossom end. Remove blade before turning the squash 180 degrees. Repeat process to cut another line opposite the first. Remove blade before flipping squash so that the blossom end is facing up. Cut to continue lines to their nexus; they should come close to lining up. Set your blade aside before pulling apart the hemispheres of the squash.

Set one half aside while working on the other. Place the hemisphere cut side down on board. Using the same method of caution and force, halve. To break down into eighths, repeat process, this time with skin side on board.

Roasting:

Preheat oven to 400ºF

Halve sqash from stem to blossom. Divide each segment into halves. With a metal or sharp-edged plastic scoop/spoon, scoop stringy pulp and seeds from cavity, reserve in a large bowl. Cut each quarter into halves, keeping pieces as equal as possible.

Lightly oil exposed flesh with vegetable oil or vegetable oil-olive oil blend. Arrange pieces, skin side down, on a half-sheet pan.

Cook for 40-60 minutes, as determined by the variety of squash you are preparing.

Steaming:

Place a steamer insert into a 4 or 6 quart pressure cooker. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the cooker.

Wash and quarter pumpkin and chop into roughly 1.5-inch pieces. Peeling is optional; some squash are easier to peel before cooking, others after.

Arrange pieces as evenly as possible in cooker, not filling the cavity above 2/3 full. Lock lid closed. Over high heat, bring to cooker to high pressure. Maintain high pressure for 3-4 minutes, adjusting burner as necessary.

Quick-release pressure by running water over the closed cooker. Remove lid and test squash - if the flesh is not fork tender, replace lid and lock in place; allow squash to continue to cook in residual heat for another 4-6 minutes.

Remove pieces from cooker and let cool slightly before removing skin and consuming or puréeing.

Puréeing

Wash, break down and roast winter squash. Once squash segments are cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop flesh from skin. Place in the bowl of a food processor or carafe of blender. Process on medium-high speed for several minutes, until even and smooth; it may be necessary to add water to ease the textural transition.

If the flesh is exceptionally stringy, or to achieve a totally smooth texture, pass purée through a sieve before using or storing.

Pour into resealable bags or containers to freeze.

Toasting Seeds:

Place seeds and scooped strings/pulp in a large bowl. Fill partway with water. Press seeds from pulp and discard pulp. Occasionally, stir water briskly to ease this separation. Once the ratio of pulp to seeds is tipped in the favor of the latter, drain bowl through a pasta colander. Scoop seeds back into large bowl and refill partway with water. Repeat squeezing, stirring, drainging until there are very few strings remaining. Drain seeds and spread out on towel-lined sheet pan. Let air dry for 2 hours, sometimes manipulating towel to separate and redistribute seeds.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread dried seeds in an even layer in a rimmed half-sheet pan. Toast, stirring somewhat frequently, until shells are golden-brown and fragrant. Remove sheet from oven. If you so desire, toss hot seeds with kosher salt and a small amount of vegetable oil. Let cool before consuming.

Winter Squash: Long Island Cheese

Long Island Cheese
Average weight: 10-12 lbs
What pumpkin is when it's a vegetable.

A large heirloom pumpkin with a thick, dull pink-orange shell. When properly treated, a very long keeper. The even, squat shape makes the pumpkin easy to store but can complicate seed removal. Large seeds are easy to remove from pulp.

Raw, the sherbet-orange flesh is very moist and stringy. Roasted, the flesh maintains color and body, becomes more smooth with a few small strings. Add a few tablespoons of water to the cooked flesh before whizzing in a food processor.

The barely sweet flesh of this pumpkin is excellent for sweet and savory use.