Thursday, October 28, 2010

Pumpkin puree

My husband has always told me how difficult it is to make pumpkin puree.  Based on his (not-so-great) experience, I had since avoided trying it.  However, my love for pumpkin finally inspired me to overcome my trepidation.  Lo and behold, this is a very simple thing to do!!  Here's is what I did.

Cut one pie pumpkin (3-4 lbs) in half horizontally.
Using a sturdy metal spoon, scoop out all of the seeds and strings.
Place the pumpkin in a deep pan, such as a roast pan or broiler pan.
Add about 1/2 inch of water to pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour, or until super soft.
Remove from oven and cool for several minutes.
Peel skin away from flesh.
Place flesh in food processor and puree until smooth.

I am completely addicted to this!  I can eat this as readily as my DD10 eats applesauce.  So far I've pureed two pumpkins and have found this: a 3-lb. pumpkin yields about 3 cups and a 4-lb. pumpkin yields about 4 cups.  That's easy to remember!  I would venture to guess that approximately 2 cups of fresh pureed pumpkin would be equivalent to a can of pumpkin.  So far I've only made my favorite healthy whole-wheat pumpkin pie pancakes, but I have great plans for muffins and soups and more.

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