Pumpkin Time! Pumpkin Custard

What to do with your left over jack-o-lantern pieces - that's the question of the day. And it's the Great Pumpkin Carve Up Cook Off over at Simply Recipes which can help you with that query . In honor of the day I found a recipe for pumpkin custard and adjusted it a wee bit to my liking and baked it in miniature pumpkins and then sprinkled cinnamon spiced toasted pumpkin seeds on top. Delish! Happy Halloween and may you receive many treats tonight!

Pumpkin Cardamom Custard

12oz soft tofu
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
15 oz pureed pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cardamom

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Puree the tofu until completely smooth.
3. Add the sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom and combine throughly
4. Pour into hollowed out miniature pumpkins, or into lightly sprayed ramekins, and bake for 35-40 minutes.
5. Take out of oven and let cool. Pudding will firm up more as it cools.
6. Can be eaten right away or refrigerated for 2-3 days. (if you bake them in the mini pumpkins, it's best to eat them the same day or else the pumpkin starts to get soggy).

Cinnamon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1. Toss pumpkin seeds with just enough oil to cover them.
2. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss and they are completely covered.
3. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until toasty and crunchy.

this picture was taken 5 minutes after they came out of the oven.