A wholesome mouthful of fall (pumpkin bread with chocolate chips using long island cheese pumpkin puree)

My Covey rise share just around Halloween had an interesting ingredient.  It was a Long Island cheese pumpkin!  I have never heard of such a thing. It was something the  Link Restaurant Group asked them to grow a few years back, and as pumpkins will, they stick around!  

I was so excited to get it and do something with it after I let it be a decoration for a few days.  Soup seemed to be the thing the people on the internet made with it, but I wanted to bake.  I decided to make pumpkin bread!  I found a gluten free recipe on Slow Food USA, but then as I made it, I decided to treat myself and make it with some flour.  That was a good choice!

This was so good.  My picky 10 year old taste tester loved it so much he begged for it to be made again.  Adding chocolate chips was such a good addition, and I am so glad I made it with flour.  The pumpkin made so much puree that I got to put some in my freezer for a pie to be made later!  You can totally use canned puree of course, but it was so rewarding to make my own, and roast the seeds!  Have you ever had a Long Island cheese pumpkin? Full recipe to follow the montage.

I wish I had some of this right now!

The cast.  This is an on the road post at my sister's house.

Don't be deceived, there are a ton of seeds in there!

See?  I seasoned and roasted these and had them in salads for lunch, such a good healthy crunch!

Before

And way after.

Scoop out all the flesh and then blend to puree.

Mix it all up and we are ready for the oven. 

It was meant to be, it froze flat.

Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips (adapted from Slow Food USA)

Using long island cheese pumpkin puree

Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup pumpkin puree* see note
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or use ¼ tsp ground cloves + ¼ tsp ground allspice + pinch ground ginger + pinch nutmeg)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 mins, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Note* How to roast a cheese pumpkin and make pumpkin puree: Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut pumpkin in half lengthwise (this will take some elbow grease). Using a spoon, scoop out seeds and strings; discard strings and save seeds for roasting. Place pumpkin halves cut site down on prepared baking sheet and roast until skin is golden brown and flesh gives easily when pressed, 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin. Let roasted pumpkin stand at room temperature. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh into a food processor and discard pumpkin skin. Puree pumpkin until smooth - this will probably have to be done in 2 batches. When puree is completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container. Puree will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for about 4 months.

Happy Cooking!

Missy

I had a great Thanksgiving and that LSU loss really took it out of me!  I hope you had a great one!