Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Don't Throw Away That Pumpkin!


Alright, it's December! Thanksgiving is over, and its no longer socially acceptable to have a pumpkin hanging out on your front porch. Go run out and grab your pumpkin, I'll wait. It honestly feels like I'm the only person who hasn't decked their halls for Christmas yet, but I'm getting there very slowly.

My first step is doing something productive with our pumpkin. Roasting your pumpkin, pureeing it, and making tasty treats is easier than you think. The process is a bit time consuming, but if I can do it anyone can! The day we bought our pumpkin all my husband could talk about was pumpkin bread and all the other treats he was planning for me to make for him.


1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut your pumpkin in half


 

3.Take out the seeds and as many stringy pieces as you can, but don't obsess.


4. Put one of your pumpkin halves on a pan and bake it for an hour. 

  

5. Scoop out the soft fleshy middle.

 
 

6. Puree it on high in your blender.

 

7. Pour your puree into freezer bags.


8. Throw them in your freezer and then spend hours pinning delicious pumpkin recipes on Pinterest - Easy Peasy!

Most recipes call for a 15oz can of pumpkin which is a little under 2 cups. Make it easy on your future self and freeze your puree in 2 cup increments. Pureed pumpkin also makes easy and nutritious baby food. I add a bit of cinnamon, and our baby boy gobbles it right up!