Cheese Pumpkins Recipes

PUMPKIN CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• With a mixer, blend 16 ounces room-temperature cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, 3 tablespoons minced onion, 2 tablespoons salsa, 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno. Scoop onto plastic wrap and use the wrap to form the mixture into a 5-inch pumpkin-shaped ball; chill at least 2 hours. To serve, unwrap, roll in crushed nacho-flavored tortilla chips and press a bell pepper stem into the top.

CHEESE PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Line small serving plate with waxed paper. For each pumpkin, roll level tablespoon cold-pack cheese food into a ball; place on plate. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes for easier handling.
• With end of toothpick, draw ridges around balls to resemble pumpkins. Dip bottoms of cheese balls in chopped peanuts.
• Just before serving, insert pretzel halves into cheese balls for pumpkin stems. Decorate with parsley for leaves. Store pumpkins in refrigerator.

CHEESE PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Line plate or tray with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
• Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the cheese food, and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining cheese until you wind up with about 12 balls.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes on prepared plate.
• With a toothpick, draw ridges around the balls to resemble pumpkins. Dip the bottoms of the pumpkins in the peanuts (to resemble dirt).
• Just before serving, place a couple of parsley leaves on the top of each pumpkin and insert a broken pretzel piece for each stem.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, flour and butter; press into an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, flour, milk and spices. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust., Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in oats and pecans. Reserve 1 cup for topping. , Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake 15 minutes., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, spices and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over warm crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture., Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and filling is set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Serve within 2 hours or refrigerate, covered.

CHEESE PUMPKIN SOUP WITH SAGE AND APPLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove about 1 cup of seeds from the pumpkin halves. Clean off any pumpkin meat from the seeds before setting them aside.
• Rub the pumpkin halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place them seed side down on a sheet tray lined with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes or until a sharp knife easily pierces the skin and flesh.
• Meanwhile, cut the carrots and onion into a medium dice and sauté them in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over low heat until tender. Set aside.
• Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it begins to simmer, add 3 to 4 sage leaves at a time, frying them for about 6 to 8 seconds each. Remove the leaves with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Continue this process until all the sage is fried. Turn off the heat.
• Immediately place the reserved pumpkin seeds in the leftover, sage-infused oil, for about 20 seconds or until they begin to brown. Pour the contents of the pan into a metal strainer set over a metal bowl.
• Place the seeds on a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt. Set the oil aside to cool.
• When the pumpkin is cooked, remove it from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then remove and discard any seeds from the flesh.
• Scoop out the pumpkin meat from one pumpkin half and place it in a blender. Add half of the cooled carrots and onions, and one chopped apple to the blender. Add vegetable stock to the ¾ mark on the blender and close the lid. Blend on low, then gradually increase the speed as the ingredients combine. Pour the contents into a large pot or bowl. Repeat with the remaining sautéed carrots and onions, chopped apple and vegetable stock.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve: ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, 2 to 3 sage leaves and a drizzle of the reserved pumpkin-sage oil.