Welcome to My Kitchen

Cooking from scratch has allowed a great controversy to pass me by until questions started coming in. Usually, I get a lot of turkey questions this time of year. Pumpkin is currently at the top of the list. Can I use puree instead of solid pack? Is 100% pumpkin the same as puree? Google doesn’t know everything.

Grandmother’s favorite recipe from the Libby’s Solid Pack Pumpkin can won’t turn out the same with pumpkin puree. You will need to use 100% pumpkin. I don’t know when or how we lost solid pack from labeling, but puree is softer than 100% pumpkin. Pumpkins are full of water by nature, and the difference is in how much water has been cooked off in the canning process.

My observations so far are, if your recipe calls for solid pack you may have to bake your pie a little longer for it to set with 100% pumpkin or add additional thickening if you use puree. If your recipe calls for puree and you can’t find it locally, thin 100% pumpkin gradually by stirring in water 1 tablespoon at a time until it mounds, rather than clumps on the spoon, about 2 tablespoons per cup.

A word about pumpkin pie filling. This product is to be used as it comes from the can according to package directions. Do not confuse it as pure pumpkin or puree, it has sugar and spices added.

Speaking of squash, mid-summer I came across the instructions for drying zucchini, then turning it into a gluten free flour. Finally got around to attempting to grind. The short story, not wasting my time on this. My Kitchenaid will grind it but I have to break it into pieces small enough to drop into the throat of the grinder. I expect if you have a high-power food processer it would handle the large pieces.

Additionally, it would be easier to grind if dried grated rather than sliced like the recipe instructed. But since I am out of room for countertop appliances, I won’t be continuing this experiment. Do any of you readers have experience with making zucchini flour and offer advice?

Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese is a currently popular main or side dish. I recently tried a recipe from Crème De La Crumb. With a prep time of 15 minutes and 30 minutes baking time it is ideal for meals in a hurry.

Best Baked Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese

6-8 cups chopped cauliflower

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place 1 inch of water in a microwave safe bowl and add the chopped cauliflower. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Drain and set cauliflower aside.

Meanwhile in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, cooking for about 3 minutes.

Gradually whisk in milk, a little at a time, until completely incorporated and mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt, paper and garlic powder until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in the cauliflower.

Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes until cheese sauce is bubbly and begins to brown. Switch to broil for 2-4 minutes to brown the top a bit more. Cool slightly before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Note: the second time I made this I cooked the cauliflower 10 minutes and increased the butter and flour to 4 tablespoons. Next, I plan to make it with half cheddar and half pepper jack cheese.

The cost of groceries continues to rise, and the Thanksgiving turkey was no exception. You paid the same price per pound for the turkey bones as you did the meat. Traditionally the carcass is simmered for several hours to remove all the meat from the bones for soup. I like to use my slow cooker for this process, letting it simmer overnight.

Place the carcass pieces in a slow-cooker crock and add water to cover. Add several bay leaves, these will keep the broth from tasting boney. Also add 6 to 8 pepper corns. Cook on low 8 to 12 hours.

Allow mixture to cool, then remove meat from the bones. Now you can make soup or set the broth aside for another use and substitute the meat in any cooked chicken recipe.

One of our favorites is enchiladas. You can add bits of other leftover foods, dressing, sweet potatoes, onions, olives for example.

Thanksgiving Enchiladas

1 dozen, 8–10-inch tortillas

1/2 cup shortening, lard or butter

8 ounces grated cheese, any kind (about 2 cups)

2 cups diced turkey

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 tsp dried chopped parsley

1 Tbsp chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup milk

Combine tomato sauce, parsley, green pepper, onion, garlic, chilies, salt and pepper until heated over medium heat. Add milk and remove from heat and set aside.

Heat shortening in a small skillet. Draw tortillas through shortening, then dip in tomato mixture. Put about a tablespoon of cheese and 2 tablespoons of the turkey and other filling items in each tortilla and roll up. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and liquid is absorbed. Yield: 6 servings.

What are your favorite make-ahead holiday treats for gift giving or entertaining? Is there a lost recipe you are looking for that fellow readers may have? This column is a place for you to share and search for old and new favorites. Youth are welcome to share recipes.

Share your recipes with your fellow readers by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Record-Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record Office. 2024 seed catalogs are beginning to arrive in the mail and post to the internet. Select and order you garden seeds early to ensure you get the varieties you like. Many offer gift certificates, perfect for the gardeners on your gift list.