Get Ready for a Pumpkinpalooza!

Everyone loves pumpkins this time of year. After all, nothing says “Happy Halloween” better than a grinning Jack-o-lantern on your doorstep. But beyond your usual Thanksgiving dessert, when’s the last time you ate pumpkin? You could be missing a lot, and adding pumpkin to a meal is really pretty simple. So pick a pumpkin that’s perfect for eating, follow these simple steps, and you’ll have plenty of recipe-ready pumpkin.

First, wash all of the dirt off the pumpkin. Then place it on a sturdy cutting board, and using a large, sharp knife, cut the pumpkin in half. Finally, scoop out the seeds and set them aside. (See below for a smashing pumpkin seed roasting recipe—it’s yummy!)

To skin and cook it: Cut your pumpkin into chunks and put the chunks on a well-greased baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for about an hour, or until the pulp is soft. Scrape the pulp from the shell, and then toss it into your food processor to puree.

Enjoy your pumpkin immediately in recipes, or pack it into containers and freeze it for later use. Here’s a few tasty ways to enjoy it:

·        Mash pumpkin with a little margarine, ground cinnamon, and skim milk, and eat it instead of boring mashed potatoes

·        Reheat pumpkin puree in the microwave, then sprinkle it with pumpkin pie spice and chopped toasted pecans to serve with pork tenderloin.

·        Add a little salt and pepper to pureed pumpkin, then use it as “gravy” for lean pot roast.

·        Season the pumpkin with ground ginger, stir in some raisins or dried cranberries, and microwave until warm. It’s great with baked chicken!

And here, as promised, is my favorite recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds:

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic salt, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 cups of raw pumpkin seeds. Spread the seed mixture across the bottom of a shallow baking dish and bake for 1 hour, stirring the seeds occasionally. Let the seeds cool, and then dig in!