Pumpkin Time!

I love fall, it means starting to relax a little, wearing chunky socks with boots,

wrapping scarves over my entire head and pumpkin things!

I made my own pumpkin puree for the first time and the process left our apartment smelling delicious. I did discover that the puree was more of a golden yellow than deep orange that the canned pumpkin was and the flavor wasn't as concentrated. So I used it for pumpkin muffins & a pumpkin tart but I would use canned pumpkin if I was making a dessert for the strength of flavor.

homemade pumpkin puree

2 sugar pumpkins
oil for brushing

preheat oven to 350 degrees F
1   cut the top off of the pumpkins and then cut it in half
2   scoop out the insides and save the seeds!
3   once the pumpkin is cleared of its guts brush the inside of the pumpkins with olive oil
4   place cut side down on a baking sheet
5   bake for 40-45 minutes
6   using a fork peel the skin off of the roasted pumpkins
7   cut the pumpkin into chunks and puree in a food processor
8   you can make this ahead of time and keep in a sealed container in a fridge for up to a week

I don't normally like pumpkin seeds but this method of making them finally made me a believer

pumpkin seeds
recipe from  here

1   wash pumpkin seeds to clear off any guts
2   boil seeds in salted water for 10 minutes
(makes them crispier when baked and the shells easier to digest)
3   spread seeds out on baking sheet to dry
4   preheat oven to 325 degrees F
5   drizzle seeds with olive oil and mix them on the tray so all seeds are covered
6   sprinkle sea salt over seeds
(I used sea salt flowers and they rocked- so much flavor)
7   bake for 10 minutes
8   rotate baking sheet and bake for 8-12 more minutes, the shells should be crispy
9   pull them out and crunch away, they are best hot out of the oven!

 

 

 

Ah I may have to make something with pumpkin every day this October :)