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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Crazy Ingredients Challenge October: Pumpkin Tortillas & Pumpkin Salad Dressing




I know that pumpkin signals fall and cool weather for Americans. For me, however, pumpkin reminds me of the pot of soup that was always cooking on a Saturday in my mother's kitchen in Jamaica. I think it's safe to say that a large percentage of Jamaicans drink (drank?) soup on Saturdays - all year round. Most of those soups also had pumpkin. If I was helping my mother in the kitchen, it would be my job to dice the pumpkin for the soup.



On Sundays, it was my job to make the coleslaw. Each time I go home, I slip seamlessly back into my role as coleslaw maker. Except for the last time. You see, for most persons, carrots, if used, are just an accent in coleslaw. I LOVE carrots so I made them more than just a background player. My mother and brother did not share my view. It's not like I served them a carrot slaw and they had to hunt for the cabbage. It's not like it didn't taste good either. They just preferred their coleslaw with a different cabbage to carrot ratio.


For this month's Crazy Ingredients Challenge, I resisted the urge to make dessert and decided to satisfy an odd vegetable craving with a simple salad topped with  spicy pumpkin dressing served on pumpkin tortillas. You will notice that in the ingredients, I list each item without measurements. This is because I believe that the proportions in a salad should really be a personal choice.  Maybe you are like my mother and brother and don't love carrots as much as I do. Maybe you want the red cabbage to shine. Or perhaps, you are partial to broccoli. Toss your favourites in your preferred proportions together. But do not, I repeat, do not skip the dressing. In fact, be prepared to eat it with a spoon.







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SPICY PUMPKIN DRESSING                                               
Recipe by:    Kelster
Yield: ~ 1 cup
Ingredients
½ cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling/mix)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
Directions
Blend all ingredients together. Refrigerate.
Notes
This tastes better if it’s allowed to sit for at least an hour before using.



PUMPKIN TORTILLAS                                                      
Recipe by:    Kelster
Yield:  8
Ingredients
2 cups flour (all purpose, whole wheat, or a mix)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ cup pureed pumpkin
¼ cup to ½ cup warm water
Directions
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in vegetable oil.  Blend pumpkin with  ¼ cup of warm water. Add to flour mixture. Knead for two minutes to form a soft dough drizzling additional water by the teaspoon as needed.
Cove dough and allow to rest for 20 minutes. After dough has rested, divide into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Let these balls rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a skillet on medium-high.
Roll each ball out into a thin 8 inch circle.  Cook each tortilla for about thirty seconds on each side.
Notes



JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE IT SALAD                                   
Recipe by:    Kelster
Yield:
Ingredients
Broccoli
Carrots
Red cabbage
Chopped chicken
Raisins
Directions
Shred broccoli, carrots and cabbage and toss together in a bowl. Top with chicken and raisins. Spoon dressing over salad just before serving.  
Notes
If you really want some guidelines on how much to use,  just let me know.















19 comments:

  1. Well done, Kelly. Pity I've already packed up the tortilla press. Maybe when I get to Kansas, I'll get it going again.

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    Replies
    1. Tortilla press? Pssh. You don't need a tortilla press!

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  2. What a great idea! I had never thought to make tortillas any way other that the plain old way with corn. I love the sound of this dressing too!
    I had to smile at your story about going home, funny how we slip into our old ways so quickly isn't it?

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  3. Very different but I like it. I would def eat these. Beautiful color and flavor combo as well.

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    1. I really love how bright all our dishes look this month. It was different but not so different that people would be afraid to try. The pumpkin in the tortillas is subtle.

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  4. Sounds delicious! Love the idea of making pumpkin tortillas.

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  5. This looks and sounds delicious! Very creative idea to make pumpkin tortillas. I love tortillas!

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  6. Oh, I think I would love the dressing! I never made tortillas from scratch, but I might try these!

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    Replies
    1. When I first thought of making a dressing, I never realised how delicious it would have been. Really good. You should try tortillas. You can make these without pumpkin. Just start with scant 3/4 cup of milk.

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  7. Oh wow, I have never seen pumpkin tortillas and never heard of them! I so have to try this! What a great way to use these ingredients!

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  8. Pumpkin tortillas sound delicious! What a fun and inventive dish :)

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  9. I love various tortillas but never thought to make them with pumpkin. Great recipe for the challenge

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  10. Pumpkin Tortillas????? Oh my goodness I am going to try this recipe for sure! Great ideas.

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