How to Make Pumpkin Puree - It's Easy!

It is November 1st.

Featured are spaghetti squash, red hubbard, delicata, turban, acorn, butternut, and pumpkin.  All are waiting to be cooked up and pureed.  The turban squash tasted like a cross between butternut and zucchini - very tasty

Don't throw out that pumpkin!!!!!

Don't do it!

Okay, if it is moldy and sunken in, go ahead and throw it away, but if it is not carved and whole and firm, cook it up!

It's easy.

Really.

Trust me.

The smaller, rounder pumpkins are the sweetest, in my opinion, but all of them can be cooked.  You can cook ANY winter squash this way.  

Here is what you need to do.

Take your gourd and cut it in half.

One pumpkin and one turban squash.

Scoop out all of the seeds.  You can wash the seeds and roast them, too, if you want.  I give mine to the chickens.  Actually, they got a whole pumpkin because I have a lot of them.

Half the halves of pumpkin (or any winter squash) if it is really big.  Small ones, half is fine.

Place them on a foil lined large baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until a fork can easily pierce the pumpkin.

Remove from the oven and cool it until you can easily handle it.

Scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. 

 If you cooked a spaghetti squash, don't puree it, eat it for dinner with your favorite sauce. You can also leave it chunky if you want.

Put it in freezer bags.  I pre-measure 2 cups per bag, it makes it easier to cook with later.

Freeze it.

That's it.

Yep.

Easy.

Now you have pumpkin puree to use in so many recipes.  Here are some of my favorites.  Go ahead, try them.  http://ahawker.blogspot.com/2014/01/pumpkin-bread.html
http://ahawker.blogspot.com/2012/11/pumpkin-creme-brulee.html
http://ahawker.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-bread-pudding.html