Pumpkins

During our last trip to the farmer's market, we bought 2 small sugar pumpkins to roast and freeze. Not only it's very easy to make your own pumpkin puree, it's also healthier than the canned variety since these are locally grown pumpkins and there is no BPA to worry about. Do-it-yourself pumpkin puree would also make a great baby food if you have children. 

The cost of making your own vs. canned is essentially the same. We paid $5.00 for 2 small pumpkins which yielded 8 cups of roasted pumpkin. 1 can of pumpkin puree contains 1.5 cups. So, 2 small pumpkins equaled to approximately 5 cans - i.e. the cost is about the same. However, you can save a lot by making your own Pumpkin Butter - we saw a small jar of Pumpkin Butter going for $8.00 at the farmer's market when you can make your own only for a couple of bucks. 

How to make your own Pumpkin Puree:

• Use sugar pumpkin only (or any other cooking variety). DO NOT use the Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins as they are flavorless and watery - these should only be used for decorating.
• Wash the pumpkins
• Cut them in half and clean out the guts and fibers - save seeds for roasting
• Place face down in a baking pan with a little water
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes
• Cool, take the skin off and cut into chunks
• Scoop into cheesecloth-lined colander and let drain for few hours
• Puree in food processor in batches
• Place in Ziploc bags in 1-2 cup portions and freeze.
• Use it in any recipe that calls for pureed pumpkin - pies, breads, muffins, waffles, pancakes, etc.

How to make Pumpkin Butter: 
1½ cups of pumpkin puree
honey to taste
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ cup water or apple juice/cider
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Let mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes to an hour or until it thickens. Stir frequently. Chill and refrigerate in a glass jar.

How to roast Pumpkin Seeds:
Rinse the seeds and pat dry. Add a little bit of olive oil and sea salt and bake at 400° for 10-20 minutes. Let them cool and enjoy!

If you never made your own pumpkin puree before, try it. Also, check out these pumpkin posts from Money Saving Mom, or The Simple Mom, or Healthy Food For Living, or Mommy's Kitchen. Now that you have all that pumpkin, visit 100 pumpkin recipes.