Pumpkin filled with custard

1 small pumpkin, preferably a 'sugar' pumpkin or a 'pie pumpkin' or anything other than a pumpkin whose destiny is a jack o'lantern

CUSTARD (makes about 2 cups liquid)
3 eggs, whisked well
1 cup cream (sorry, half & half doesn't thicken well)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional but nice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Preheat the oven to 350F or 400F. Wash the outside of the pumpkin very well. Carefully insert a knife into the flesh to cut off the 'top'. Remove and discard the seeds and the pumpkin 'gunk' inside.

Whisk together the custard ingredients, then pour into the pumpkin. Place the stem-top back onto the pumpkin and transfer to a baking dish. Bake for about 90 minutes or until the custard is firm.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

1 can	pumpkin (15 ounce)
1 cup	sugar
1⁄4 cup	vegetable oil
1 cup	yogurt, plain non-fat or low-fat
1 1⁄2 cup	flour (all purpose)
1 1⁄2 cup	whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons	baking powder
2 teaspoons	baking soda
2 teaspoons	cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon	salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together pumpkin, sugar, oil, and yogurt.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until just moistened.
3. Pour into 2 greased 9x5 inch loaf pans and bake for about 1 hour.
4. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely.

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

Believed to be native to North America, the oldest pumpkin seeds have been traced to Mexico and dated back to 7000 BC. While we didn't have to travel all the way to Mexico, our own pumpkin cravings led us to many a grocery store in search of Joe's most favored seasonal item. After countless trips to the canned food aisles of Safeway, our fall time favorite has returned. Without further delay I give you a breakfast concoction so sugary sweet you WILL develop diabetes. You can thank me later.



Look at all that caramel on the bottom. Mmmm.... breakfast caramel.

Ingredients:

1 loaf french bread

2 1/2 cups lowfat milk
1 Tbl flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbl sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)

Directions:

1. Cut the bread into thick slices.
2. Combine milk, flour, vanilla, sugar, pumpkin, spices, and eggs.
3. In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till bubbly (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour caramel into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Place bread in a single layer over the caramel (squishing if necessary). Pour egg mixture over bread.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar mixture over the top (2 Tbl sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon).
7. Bake for 50 minutes and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. It will be big a puffy at first and slowly settle down.