Pumpkin Time - making homemade pumpkin puree

As many of you know fall is the perfect time for Halloween pumpkins but they are not just for the kids enjoyment. With a few simple steps you could have fresh pumpkin for all your yummy treats all winter long. So grab a few extra pumpkins and enjoy this season right along with your kids while filling your freezer at the same time.

Pumpkin Puree

You will need a pumpkin - you can use any kind, they all seem to work well.

First you will want to wash off your pumpkin to remove any dirt and debris from it.

Then I cut off the top of the pumpkin like you would if you were going to carve it.

Next you will want to remove all the guts and place them in a bowl to use later. There are several different methods to gut removal here they are:

• The traditional way by just digging in and cleaning it out

• My daughter Danielle's way - she cuts the pumpkin in half to make it easier to scrape it out.

• My way - I have found it to be easier to cut the pumpkin into many chunks and then scrape each piece individually. This makes them really easy to handle.

After removing all the guts cut your pumpkin up into smaller pieces. About palm size is a good size. This step may already be done depending on how you cleaned out your pumpkin.

Put your pumpkin skin side up in a pan which I lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Once all the pumpkin is in we add some water to the bottom of the pan. The water will prevent it from burning as well as steaming your pumpkin during the cooking process.

I bake mine here in Southern Michigan in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes but cooking times may vary depending on your location. What you are looking for is the pumpkin to be very soft so it will be easy to mash.

When the cooking is done let it cool. Since I do multiple pumpkins I transfer the pieces with tongs to another pan or bowl to let it cool. You just baked this for 45 minutes it will be HOT!!!

Once it cools you can remove the outer skin this can be done by peeling the skin off or taking it off with a knife.

Once all the skin is removed the pumpkin is ready to be mashed up. A blender or a food processor works well for this. You want the consistency of baby food.

When you have researched desire consistency you are ready to bag it.

I suggest bagging it in smaller portions because defrosting a large bag of pumpkin for only a few cups is a waste of your time and of good pumpkin. We put ours in 3 cup increments (Great Grandma's pumpkin pie recipe).

Once your bags are filled make sure they are labeled and dated. While it is easy to tell what it is now it won't be in a few weeks. Always date it, this is really good when it gets lost in the bottom of the freezer. You will be able to tell if it is still good or not.

Place all the bags in the freezer for later use. Now you have fresh pumpkin puree ready for any recipe.

The longest part of making homemade puree is the baking but most people won't mind the warm heat from the oven in the fall, and the wonderful smells that come from it.

We are lucky enough this year to find organic pumpkins from an Amish farm for a dollar a pumpkin (since our pumpkins didn't grow this year).

According to a site on the internet - it says it will keep for up to 2 years if frozen with all the air removed. But no matter how long it has been if it does not look, smell, or taste right it is best to throw it away.

You are probably wondering what to do with all your pumpkin guts: the seeds can be removed, washed off and baked for a tasty and healthy treat.

Please note: to take all safety precautions necessary when cooking.