HAPPY THANKSGIVING! and.....Pumpkin overload

Hubby had to work today so we are had Thanksgiving Dinner with family yesterday.  My brother and sister-in-law flew in from out west a few days ago to see family and we had a wonderful thanksgiving feast.  Of course, 3 special people were not able to join us - My sister in law spend dinner with her family and My step father and my brother-in-law are currently out of the country for work.  

Darren and Kev went to help out a friend close up his parent's cottage and do some work around the property that needed to be done.  This friend lost his baby girl a few weeks ago so Darren and a bunch of work buddies are heading up to get everything done for them.  I wanted to go but given I'm still forbidden to do manual labour of any sort because of my back injury, I stayed home with Miss Em. 

After  a restless night, Em was up bright and early at 6:30am despite trying to get her to nap for just a little bit longer -- it wasn't going to happen.

By 7:30 we were starting the prep for making pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving Dinner.  

We made the crust from scratch, put it in the fridge to cool and set a bit and we started on the pumpkin pie filling.  Since I didn't have any left over from last year in the freezer (we lost everything in our freezer in July when we went away and the freezer door was left open 1/2 an inch.  Yep - quite the mess). I had to use <gasp> canned.

Just kidding - in all fairness, canned pure pumpkin is just fine.  However - since I'm trying to watch what my family eats and am attempting to feed them more locally grown, fresh, organic food and produce, I question what nutrition is lost in the commercial canning process.  I already know the taste isn't as good as fresh but since canning pumpkin puree at home is not safe, sometimes canned is the only option.

Yes.  You did read that correctly.  Home canning, using any method (boiling water or pressure canner) of pumpkin puree is not safe.  I have done a lot of research on this topic and other than canning pumpkin cubes (which still can be questionable) it cannot safely be done....so I won't do it.

Freezing pumpkin puree is perfectly fine.  So I do that.  

After we got the pumpkin pies made (Em 'decorated' the crust edges - she's awesome!) and into the oven, I cut the 6 pie pumpkins I picked up saturday in half and scooped out the seeds.  

Pumpkins ready to go into the oven.

Pumpkin pies out of the oven and starting to cool - she did a great job on the crusts eh??

Back to the pie pumpkins....

I baked them at 350 for 1 hour and took them out to cool for about another hour (just until they were cool enough to handle).  

When they were cool, I scooped out the meat and put it in the food processor.  Once pureed, I took the pumpkin out and put it in a food strainer to strain out the water.

Once that was done, I filled ziploc bags (already labeled with name/date/amount).  Then into the freezer they went.

Next time I want to make pumpkin anything...pancakes, bread, pie, cookies, cheesecake, scones, cake...I just need to take out a bag and let it thaw in the fridge.

Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients

·      6 pie pumpkins, halved with the seeds removed

Directions

1.     Bake halved pumpkins in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
      Remove pumpkins and let cool
      Scoop out pumpkin meat and blend in food processor
      Drain water out of puree
      Place in ziplock bags, labeled with amount and date.
      Freeze.

Yield

·     12 cups

Cost

·      Pie Pumpkins - 6 for $10

·      Total - $0.83 per 250ml.