Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Fresh Pumkin

I bought some pie pumpkins at the pumpkin patch last week.  I love fresh pumpkin and it is a pretty easy process.  I paid a $1.50 per pie pumpkin so it is also cheaper than buying can pumpkin.  I would not recommend doing this with a regular carving pumpkin.  I think the pumpkin turns out to stringy but not so with pie pumpkins. 

                                       These are the pumpkins I bought minus one. 

                                                            First you break the stem off.
                                                      Cut the pumpkin in 1/2.

Scoop out the pulp and seeds.


     Wrap the pumpkin in saran wrap and cut a little slit in it.  Place the pumpkin in the microwave for approxitmaly15 minutes.  Your time may vary I don't have a very good microwave.  Cook until the inside of the pumpkin is soft. 
It is so hot when you take it out so be careful.  Let cool a bit.  This is what it looked like when I took it out of the microwave.



                                         This is what it looked like when I started scooping it out. 
This is it when I was done.


This is what it looks like out of the pumpkin.  I did mash it a bit with a potato masher.  Or you can run it   through a blender or food processor.  I did not think it really needed it.
I measured out 2 cups and placed in a baggie to freeze.  I did 2 cup portions since that is what most canned pumpkin you buy at the store comes in.


                            The 4 pumpkins gave me 7 bags of pumpkins filled with 2 cups each. 
It is so worth it.  I think it taste so much better than the canned pumpkin.  Let me know if you have ever done this before. 

Blessings

Crystal

5 comments:

  1. I do this!! I agree it is so much better than canned pumpkin and way more fun.

    I always bake mine in the oven and haven't ever tried that in the microwave. Very interesting.

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  2. I have frozen pumpkin before too, but I think you may have an easier method. I use the long neck pumpkins and then I struggled with a knife to cut off the outside & cut the inside into chunks which I then cooked down until mushy. How much simpler to cut open the pumpkin, deseed it, microwave it and then scoop it out!!! Thanks for the tip!

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  3. THANKS for this!!! I never attempted it because I figured that I'd need lots of pumpkins to get enough for a pie? How silly of me... This would be great as my puppy loves pumpkin too! {I make him pumpkin stew for on top of his kibble}

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  4. I have always baked my pumpkin... I'll have to try microwaving it! Thanks!

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  5. Do you toast the seeds as well? I used to love to do that for my kids when "gutting" pumpkins. Yummy! Happy fall!

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