I decided that since we GREW pumpkins this year I should bake said pumpkins and make pumpkin puree. After much research online I decided on a course of action. Cut pumpkin in half (easier said that done - those things do NOT like my kitchen knives), scrape out seeds and stringy stuff, place pumpkin in baking dish upside down, cover in aluminum foil, bake at 350 until soft to the fork prod. Lesson #1: A duh moment here - don't cut the pumpkin with a kitchen knife. You know those little carving tools you get at Halloween - there is a reason they sell them, they work MUCH better than regular knives. Lesson #2: grapefruit or citrus spoons are the way to go with cleaning out the guts!
After the pumpkin is baked, remove flesh from skin. Place vegetable (or is it a fruit?) in blender to make puree. Lesson #3: blenders really aren't up to the task, you really should borrow a food processor. But I got it to work, and even made Pumpkin Muffins with the puree. They were GOOD (note the key word: were).
The muffins in fact were so good I baked another pumpkin a couple days later. Then I roasted the seeds after baking the pumpkin. There is very little that you can't eat from a pumpkin and they are so easy to grow too. I left 2 kickers (uncut pumpkins that will be kicked off the porch to rot) to start next year's "patch."
I just love cooking with food from our garden! Now if only that domestic goddess would decide she wanted to clean or cook dinner.
After the pumpkin is baked, remove flesh from skin. Place vegetable (or is it a fruit?) in blender to make puree. Lesson #3: blenders really aren't up to the task, you really should borrow a food processor. But I got it to work, and even made Pumpkin Muffins with the puree. They were GOOD (note the key word: were).
The muffins in fact were so good I baked another pumpkin a couple days later. Then I roasted the seeds after baking the pumpkin. There is very little that you can't eat from a pumpkin and they are so easy to grow too. I left 2 kickers (uncut pumpkins that will be kicked off the porch to rot) to start next year's "patch."
I just love cooking with food from our garden! Now if only that domestic goddess would decide she wanted to clean or cook dinner.
Well, I'll bring my kids to clean. They rocked at helping me today but don't count on supper. LOL. I didn't turn the oven on. ROFL.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it sounds like you have learned a lot of great things from your gig as a gardner. Looking forward to what other things you come up with. (Got a good salsa recipe?)