Ingredients

• 2 cups yams, cooked and mashed
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon, optional
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together well and pour into pie shell. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Cool and top with whipped cream or Cool Whip before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan cook potatoes, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 30 to 35 minutes or until very tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed.

2. Add maple syrup, margarine or butter, and salt. Gradually beat in enough half-and-half, light cream, or milk to make potato mixture light and fluffy. Pipe or spoon potato mixture onto serving plates.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped (about one teaspoon)
• 1 celery stalk, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 leek, white part only, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound pumpkin flesh, diced (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• Pumpernickel Croutons, if desired (recipe follows)
• PUMPERNICKEL CROUTONS:
• 3 slices pumpernickel bread
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery, onion and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the wine to a simmer in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from the heat, add the ginger, and cover. Steep 10 minutes, then strain the wine and discard the ginger.

Strain the solids from the soup, reserving the liquid. Using a food processor, puree the solids, adding enough of the reserved liquid to achieve a slightly thick consistency. Add the wine to the soup and season with salt and nutmeg, if using. Garnish with pumpernickel croutons, if desired, and serve in heated bowls or hollowed-out mini-pumpkins.

Pumpernickel Croutons

Remove the crust from the bread, if desired. Cut the bread into cubes no larger than a soup spoon, about 1/2 inch. (If the bread is very fresh, dry the cubes in a 200-degree oven for 5 minutes.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the bread, butter or oil, and salt in a bowl. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the croutons once or twice during baking to brown evenly.

When completely cooled, croutons will keep well for several days in an airtight container.

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

• 1 pre-baked (10-inch) pie shell
• FOR CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• PUMPKIN FILLING:
• 2 cups canned or homemade pumpkin puree, unseasoned
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Optional garnish:

Whipped cream

Pumpkin candy

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make cream cheese filling: In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon with paddle mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed; add 2 eggs and vanilla, beating at low speed until completely combined; scrape bowl and add 2 more eggs; combine, beating at low speed until mixture is free of lumps. Pour into pre-baked shell; refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm.

To make the pumpkin filling: In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, beating by hand with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and firm (about 5 minutes); pour on top of cream cheese filling very gently and spread evenly until it completely covers the cream cheese.

* Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees, until pie is puffing up slightly, and golden brown. Serve warm after letting pie stand about 15 minutes, or allow to cool for serving. Serve with whipped cream, or, if desired, garnish with rosettes of whipped cream and pumpkin candy.

Makes 1 (10-inch) pie.

Ingredients

• pinch cloves
• pinch of ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 pumpkin

Directions

Heat cream, milk and spices over medium heat until scalded.

Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.

Gradually pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture whisking constantly. Add pumpkin to the mixture.

Bake in ramekins in a hot water bath at 300 degrees for approximately 35 minutes.

Cool and then refrigerate until well chilled. Coat top of custard with raw sugar and broil until well browned and caramelized.