Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Easy Ways to Cook Pumpkin




Pumpkins serve more than a decorative purpose---they are also very easy to prepare and very nutritious. So if you have any extra pumpkins lying around outside the house, don't leave it for the squirrels---bring it into the kitchen and fire up the stove!

There are many ways to make a pumpkin. My mother-in-law, Sara, taught us first to prepare it by cleaning out the insides and cutting it up into blocks or wedges and boiling it on the stove until it was soft. She would then add butter and brown sugar to it when she served it in bowls.

You could also cook in an oven and bake it with butter and sugar on top. I also like to add maple syrup, cinnamon and nuts (walnuts or peanuts) I think it's probably at 350 degrees for about 45 mins to an hour if I remember correctly. The children all enjoy eating a sweet bowl of steaming, buttery pumpkin that is perfect for the cold, fall evenings.



Sometimes I would take a little sugar pumpkin (the smaller kind for pies) and throw it in the crockpot to make healthy homemade baby food. It was so easy to do and soft for little babies to eat. You can throw the leftovers into the freezer and divide them into sections using ice cube trays for later use.

I prepare all varieties of squashes the same way. There are many times I have been surprisingly stopped in the squash section of the supermarket with someone asking me how to prepare a squash. I think I just assumed more people ate squash in America and knew how to prepare it. But I like to prepare squash the same way. Especially if I can fit it into a crockpot I am happy as a clam! I also like to add craisins to the finished product sometimes if I have them handy. My favorite squash for rich texture is the butternut squash. This is not for everyone, but did you know that you CAN eat the outside skin of a squash? It is very nutritious as well, so don't be afraid to try it!


Don't forget to use the pumpkin seeds for baking. Rinse them off, coat with oil or butter and bake at 400 degrees for until brown and then add salt when you take them out. Be sure to keep an eye of these so they don't burn! A great, healthy fall snack for the whole entire family as they enjoy the cool autumn weather.


If you want to learn more about how to cook pumpkins, check out the lovely Pumpkins & Squashes Cookbook:




There is no better season to curl up with a warm and hearty dish than the fall, and no more adaptable vegetable than the pumpkins or squash. Included are a variety of dishes, from appetizers and snacks, to main meals and gourmet delights that promise to transform a humble ingredient into a mouthwatering meal!


You can find this book HERE. 















Are you encouraged here? I personally invite you to subscribe and get the latest posts sent to your inbox. Also, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter and get updates that are not posted here on the blog.

10 comments:

Michelle said...

I just made a butternut squash the other day - used half for our dinner and half for baby food for my 7 mo. old. I just halved it, put it face down in a glass 9X13, added an inch of water and baked for 45 minutes. It came out SO good - just added a little brown sugar and butter to our portion. It was a real hit with my husband.
I'll have to try pumpkin - haven't had it in a long time because I wasn't a huge fan...but may be my tastes have changed : D Happy fall!

Mrs. Anna T said...

We love pumpkin around here too. Our favorites are pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie. I think I shared the pie recipe on my blog some time ago, but if I didn't, I certainly must - it's delicious!

Katy-Anne Binstead said...

Lol why do Americans think Pumpkin is a sweet dish? What happened to boiling it for supper alongside your potato? We do that in Australia all day. I miss doing that here as I can't get pumpkin all year around here.

Mrs. Taft said...

I truly agree with you on the pumpkin! It's good in soups or in savory dishes as well as sweet ones. I really need to finish posting all my pumpkin recipes...

Anonymous said...

Pumpkin pancakes are wonderful as well. I have the recipe up on my site, my daughter just loves them!

Anonymous said...

I forgot to put the link for my pumpkin pancake recipe:

www.theplaceofh.wordpress.com

mrs. h.

~~Deby said...

ohhhhh..please go to my blog I just did a delightful post on a dinner my daughter made us in a pumpkin
Browsing your blog...early this morning..in the rainy Pacific NorthWET
Deby

Rebecca said...

Do you know if you could bake squash seeds like you do pumpkin seeds? I have always wondered that...
I've never eaten pumpkin NOT out of a can...

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Try2baSunbeam,

No, I don't really know if you could, but I assume you could google it and find out.

Many blessings...

Cassia said...

Yes you can try2beAsunbeam. They are exactly the same with oil and a touch of salt :)

AddToAny

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

We'd Love for You to Stay in Touch!

Join our Wise Woman Builds Titus 2 FB Group! Just click the banner below: