I have 2 pumpkins left from halloween, and I want to cook them somehow. I don't like pumpkin pie, but my son does. All the recipes I have found start with canned pumpkin. I will toast the seeds for sure. What else can i make, and do I really have to bake the pumpkin, then mix it and bake it again?
well everyone below is correct about the correct pumpkin to cook with. YOu can roast and eat the seeds.
About the recipe just sub out equal amounts of fresh steamed pumpkin for the canned
There are decorating pumpkins and there are cooking pumpkins.
The decorating pumpkins are pretty stringy (it's what makes them stronger and better for carving) and don't taste very good.
FRESH PUMPKIN:
(Smaller pumpkins are sweeter and better for pies. Not the larger ones for carving or the tiny ones for decorating. You want them to be firm, not soft.)
Cut pumpkin in half. Remove all seeds and stringy stuff (save seeds if you want to make roasted seeds). Leaving rind on the pumpkin meat, cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces. Steam pumpkin on the stove top in a covered pot for 30 minutes. Remove from pot to cool. Scrape pumpkin meat off the rind and into a bowl. Puree pumpkin with food processor or other method (I use a Good Grips Hand Mill to puree my pumpkin).
PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
3 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Add together all ingredients. Using the whisk tool, mix ingredients together in a blender OR hand mix ingredients together using a whisk until light and fluffy.
Using a measuring cup, pour pumpkin filling into a pie shell one cup at a time.
Bake in preheated oven at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and cook for an additional 45 to 60 minutes.
PIE CRUST: (if you like to make your own crust this is what I use)
1/3 cup plus 1 tblsp shortening
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 to 3 tblsp water
Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water 1 tblsp at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of the bowl (1 to 2 tsp water can be added if necessary).
Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate. Fold pastry into quarters; unfold and east into plate. Press firmly against bottom and sides of pie pan.
Yes, you really do! The good news is that it's easy to deal with. I won't go back to canned pumpkin anymore. Just clean the pumpkin out and cut it in chunks. Put them in a baking pan and bake at 350 until tender. Let them cool and peel (you can peel before cooking, but that isn't so easy), then whir them up in the food processor or blender until smooth. Substitute for canned in any recipe. You can steam instead, but the flavor is not as good. I sometimes serve it as a veggie, either pureed or as chunks. Think like sweet potato or squash. You can also hollow out the pumpkin, make a nice veggie soup, and then put it in the pumpkin and bake in the oven for an hour or so. Serve the soup with a good scoop of pumpkin. You can make pumpkin bread or muffins as well. Enjoy!
Your son will probably like pumpkin cooked other ways too... and yes, pumpkin pie requires that the pumpkin is past mush so double baking would be the best way if you are going that route (although canned pumpkin makes yummier pies)
In Australia, using pumpkin as a dessert has always seemed a little novel and silly even though it is a tried and true american tradition...
Here are a few of my favorite dishes that treat pumpkin like a veggie:
Sour Cream and Pumpkin Quiche
* 1 sheet Puff pastry
* 3 Eggs
* 1 1/4 cups Sour Cream
* ½ cooked pumpkin, cut into pieces
Method
1. Line a rubber pie dish with puff pastry.
2. Beat eggs and sour cream.
3. Pour over pumpkin. To taste, add sea salt and pepper in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or until set.
Baked Pumpkin Wedges
1 medium/small pumpkin: peeled, seeded and sliced into fry sized wedges or any easily baked shape (sometimes when I'm feeling creative cut the pumpkin longways into 1 inch slices and used shaped cookie cutters!)
1 to 2 boxes shake and bake (any flavor)
about 1 1/2 cups buttermilk OR1egg mixed with 1 cup milk (poured into a shallow dish)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 374* and spray non stick cooking spray onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil
Pat down the sliced/cut pumpkin with a dry paper towel and dip into the wet mixture and throw it into the shake and bake bag with the mix in it. *shake* and arrange in the pan so that none touch or barely touch
Bake for 20-35 minutes depending on how thick the slices are.
I like to make avspecial dipping sauce with warm honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice; but, the sweet and sauce that mc donalds has for their chicken mcnuggets tastes really good with these too.
I've never heard of double baking the pumpkin. What I've done the past few years is to roast the pumpkin, let it drain overnight in the fridge (if it still seems watery, do it one more night) and then use the fresh pumpkin like you would the canned. Just make sure you're following recipes for the plain canned pumpkin, not the "pumpkin pie filling" (or whatever it's called... you know, the pre-spiced stuff).
I love stuffing pumpkins. I use a 5-7 pound pumpkin and clean it out. I then do layers of bread cheese and herbs with cream poured over the top and bake it in the oven. It is a beautiful presentation and everyone always loves it. Here is a link to someone's online instructions of how to do this:
http://www.prudentbaby.com/2009/10/stuffed-pumpkin-of-tas...
Also, if you google "swiss pumpkin" you should come up with a recipe that I've used with great success in the past.
We always use fresh pumpkin and it is easier than you think!
Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, Crisco (not too thick/lightly) the inside of the 2 halves and turn them over onto a baking sheet skin side up.
Bake in an oven at 350-400 degrees (depending on your oven) for about one hour. Keep an eye on them so you don't over-do-it...you can tell they're ready when you can prick them easily with a fork (but know that the skin will still be hard and maybe a little charred).
Pull them out and carefully peel the skin off (don't burn yourself though!)
Them mash and use just as you would canned (oz. for oz.)
This was something my grandmother (a farmer's wife) taught me and pumpkin "everything" is a family tradition!!!
ie. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin custard, mashed pumpkin (kind of like mashed sweet potatoes), etc.
PS. You usually have to "cook" it again because of what you put in your pumpkin recipe (ie.eggs).
Happy Pumpkin cooking!!!
We use our pumpkins to make pumpkin pie every year. It looks like you've gotten good baking advice already, so I won't repeat. However, I thought I should mention that pumpkin pie made with real pumpkins tends to have a much lighter color than pumpkin pie made with canned pumpkin. So it looks almost like a buttermilk pie...
Baking pumpkins are just like big squash.. Have you ever roasted Acorn squash? It is the same.. I like to use it in Chili Rellenos, Yummy..
Make sure it is the correct pumpkin.. Jack o lanterns do not taste good to eat..
Cut baking pumpkin into 1/4 or 1/8, save the seeds to roast.. Take off the stringy parts, place in roasting pan.. salt and pepper, you can even add a little butter or olive oil for a savory squash type dish or, just roast it till soft with no seasoning add a little water to the bottom of the pan and it can be used in baking. It can be watery so kind of squeeze out the excess liquid..
I have a recipe that I will have to put in later........BUT you want cooking pumpkins......not a regular pumpkin.....they are much smaller.....and that is what they are called.......cooking pumpkins or pie pumpkins.......I've done this for years.......it's pretty easy.......got to go to work, but will try to remember to put in my recipe later.......
Good luck....
I just cut the pumpkin in half, cook on 400 for about an hour or so and then use on cup where the recipe calls for one can. I am not positive I am doing it right so I am going to read the rest of your post now. thanks!
Most pumpkins that are now sold in the Fall are not tasty - but pretty bland. They are hybrids that have been developed for their size, shape, resistance to disease, etc. They are grown for the way they look on your front stoop and how easily they ship. The pumpkins that have a good taste tend to be small - you can buy them at west indian /caribbean markets. I have a couple of recipes that call for pumpkin but I use butternut squash instead as it has a better taste. (Years ago my sisters and I used some big old halloween pumpkins to make pie, etc. They tasted bland and mealy. Yuck.)
Not all pumpkins work well when cooked to eat. Most pumpkins that you buy at the grocery store this time of the year are raised as Jack o lantern pumpkins and do not make good pies, cookies, etc. Ask the produce manager for the names of good eating pumpkins.
I read the responses and would love for you all to come cook for me. OMG this all sound sooooo good!!!!!
Don't know how to use fresh pumpkins but looks like you've got some great suggestions. My kids love pumpkin muffins, pancakes, bread and have heard raves about pumpkin cookies. Google away!
