Homemade Pumpkin Puree

By Kathy C.

Ingredients

• 2 whole small (2-3 pounds) pumpkins

Details

Adapted from frugallivingnw.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off each pumpkin, then cut the pumpkins into quarters. With a sturdy spoon, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center of each piece. Place the seeds in a bowl and set aside for later to make roasted pumpkin seeds.
2. Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet and roast in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour (some varieties may take longer), or until the pumpkin is fork-tender. The flesh should be soft and dark and the skins should peel off easily when done.
3. Let the pumpkin cool for 10 minutes. Using a spoon or your fingers, peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces and discard. Put a few pumpkin pieces at a time into a food processor or blender. If you use a blender, you may need to add some additional water.
4. Blend the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water to give it the right consistency. If the puree is overly watery, you could strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.
4. Blend the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water to give it the right consistency. If the puree is overly watery, you could strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.
5. Scrape the pureed pumpkin into a separate bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done. You can either use this immediately in any pumpkin recipe or store it in the freezer for later use.
6. To store in the freezer, place a plastic storage bag in a wide mug and spoon 1 cup of pumpkin into each bag. Seal the bag with a small opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store the flat bags in the freezer for up to a year.

by EMILY FROM FRUGAL LIVING NW on SEPTEMBER 30, 2015