Pumpkin Puree & Pumpkin Seeds

I've been eyeing my pumpkin for a couple of weeks now. I couldn't carve it for Halloween.  I let it sit. And it sat some more. I realized that if I let it sit too long whatever goodness inside will go bad.  It was time to do the deed and say farewell to the pumpkin ambience until next fall.

A few recipes that I've been contemplating call for pumpkin puree and I wanted to make the puree myself.  In this segment,  you will find the recipe for a simple puree and a pumpkin seed snack! Baked goods will follow soon!

Pumpkin Puree
Modified from allrecipes.com 


Ingredients:
1 pumpkin (mine was a little big so if yours is smaller cut the baking time in half)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut the pumpkin in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and pulp. (Save the seeds for the following recipe! )Cover each half with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven, foil side up, 2 hours, or until tender and soft when poked with fork.
Scrape pumpkin meat from shell halves and puree in a blender. 
Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces. 
Store in the freezer in freezer safe bags.


My yield was about 10 cups so it was a rather large pumpkin. You can use the puree for cooking and baking and it keeps well. You can also use it as baby food - it's pretty bland for our adult taste-buds until it's cooked in something!

• Baked Pumpkin Seeds
  Modified from allrecipes.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  Pumpkin seeds washed and dried from one pumpkin (approximately 1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • 1 pinch salt
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  • Directions:
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  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. 
  • Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
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  • Tastes much like buttery popcorn with an extra crunch! Great snack!
  
  
  
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