Pumpkin One on One

Ok, now you have a few pounds of pumpkin at home, you know they are very nutritious and healthy, but are not sure what to do! Here is a guide from Eating well and a few recipes from various sources to help you make the most of them!

What type of pumpkins can I use for cooking?
Jack-o-lantern pumpkins are great to carve, but too watery and stringy to enjoy eating. Go with sugar pie, baby bear and cheese pumpkins instead. To make easy work of cooking a pumpkin, start it in your microwave for 2 minutes. Then, cut the pumpkin in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Next, place the pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet pan and roast in a preheated 375F oven the pumpkin flesh is tender, which takes about an hour. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the tender pulp to use in your recipe.


What's the best way to roast a pumpkin?
Roasting a pumpkin may sound like a daunting task, but it's really not. First, microwave a pie pumpkin on HIGH for 2 minutes. Then, carefully cut the pumpkin in half (you'll need a sharp knife), and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Next, heat your oven to 375º. When it's nice and hot, place the pumpkin pieces (cut sides down) in a 13- x 9-inch pan. Cover and roast them for up to an hour, or until tender. Cool and scoop out the tasty pulp, and then use it as directed in your recipe.


What is the difference between canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie filling, and pumpkin puree?
Canned pumpkin is just that and nothing more: cooked, pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is flavored with spices like cinnamon, clove, allspice and ginger, and is also sweetened. It is a “convenience food” for making short work of pumpkin pie. Pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin may be used for many dishes besides pumpkin pie, including delicious soups and pastas.


Check out the recipes below:


Pumpkin Soup with Bell Pepper and Paprika
Pumpkin (or Butternut Squash) Cookies
Pumpkin Mousse Pie


Sources: Various, including MyRecipes.com and Yahoo