Puree- It's Not Just For Babies

This year since I knew I would have to make some sort of pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving or it just wouldn't be right. Well, rather than go out and buy that stuff in a can I thought I'd try making my own pumpkin puree. Now why haven't I done this sooner? It's such an easy and economical thing to do.

Start by cutting your pumpkins in half and gutting them. You can save the seeds and roast them if you'd like.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with olive, vegetable, or canola oil. Then lay your pumpin halves on top of the oil. This prevents the pumpkins from drying out.

Stick them in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

That's it. Just one hour and walk away. When you return and pull those pumpkins out they'll look like this-roasted to perfection.

Let them sit and cool down a bit. Not too long though, or it will get difficult to scoop the insides out.

While the pumkins are still warm, but cool enough to handle start scooping out the insides. It should be as smooth as butter.

You pumpkin skins will look like deflated basketballs.

Put all of that pumpkin meat in a blender and puree to your heart's content. No need to add any sort of liquid. Did you know that pumpkin itself has quite a bit of liquid?

Since pumpkin really does carry around a lot of liquid that we don't want, line a strainer with a coffee filter.

Dump your pumpkin in there and just let it sit for about an hour.

Look at all of that juice! What to do what to do with it? Okay, I just dumped it out, but one could get creative. Maybe next time.

I used my double boiling pots. That way the liquid drained straight into the pot below. Use your pumkin puree however you'd like. I had fun making a pumpkin cheesecake and some cupcakes with plenty of puree leftover. It's now safely bagged up in my freezer waiting for Christmas. Now wasn't that easy? I think we'll have to grow some extra pumpkins next year. Stay tuned for some recipes with pumpkin in them. :)