Well, I just finished roasting 14 cups of pumpkin puree, which ended

D

dawnnys

Well-known member
up being more like 10 cups now that a lot of the water's been removed. To those who have made your own pumpkin instead of using canned pumpkin, can I substitute 1 cup for 1 cup? I may use half puree and half canned as one website recommended, but want to know, just in case.

In case anyone is thinking about doing this themselves, I steamed 4 smallish pumpkins and had to remove the excess water by roasting it anyway, so next bunch I'll just roast the pieces to start out with!

And do you really have to roast it again if you freeze and thaw it? Geesh. Mom was right, maybe I should'a just stuck to the canned (if it's available now). Is the "fresh, delicate taste" worth it? I'm guessing it only keeps about 5 days in the refrigerator?

Pumpkin whoopie pies, chai bread, and soup are some of the first things I'll try.

 
We really like the taste of the fresh pumpkin but a lot of people

still like the canned because that is what they have always had for Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. I like them both. I just follow this recipe and let it cook longer until it is done. No big deal. It freezes really well and if I am going to keep it in the fridge, I place a layer of plastic wrap right up against the surface of the pumpkin to keep as much oxygen away from the pulp. It works pretty well. If you see mold, it's time to throw it. smileys/smile.gif

 
REC: Penny's Homemade Pumpkin Pie

This is the recipe I use, but I usually sub half-and-half for the whole milk (I am more likely to have that in the house during the holidays than I am whole milk).


* Exported from MasterCook *

PENNY'S HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 small sugar pumpkin
1 9 inch pie crust -- unbaked
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 cups mashed pumpkin
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Take a small sugar pumpkin and cut off rind, remove seeds, and strands. Cut into chunks and cook until it is like mashed potatoes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the salt and sugar. Beat in 2 eggs and add pumpkin pie spice. Add the milk and mashed pumpkin; mix well. Pour into prepared pie crust. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust, and place in oven. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 40 minutes more; or unti knife come out clean. Cool and store refrigerated. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
Sounds good, Dawn. I think the key is using sugar pumpkins. Regular jack-o-lantern

type pumpkins lack flavor big-time and are too watery, in my opinion, to use for most recipes.

 
Pumpkin protein shakes are wonderful, with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. 1/2 cup per shake.

 
There are very few things which I prefer pre- done for me and pumpkin

puree is right at the top of my list. Most recipes are geared to the canned product with its controlled amount of moisture and I feel it is just too hard to estimate with home cooked.

 
Next time use butternut squash. . . drier and cooks up quite nicely. . .

I try to get butternut squashes in the fall from the farmer's markets around her. These make the BEST pie, wonderful flavor and very sweet. I have grown these at home and when I use the butternuts for pies, I lessen the amount of sugar I put in the recipe.

 
Pat and mistral, is the roasting why the butternut squash is drier, or is it the fact that

pumpkins have more moisture than butternut squash to begin with? I will definately be making some b'nut puree too, with it all around this time of year.

 
And do you substitute it for canned pumpkin, cup-for-cup, in recipes?

That's what I was wondering...

 
I will try that! Also, Rec: Butternut Squash, Curry, and Coconut Shrimp

Canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
14 ounces coconut milk
1 pound shrimp*, peeled and deveined

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in curry powder, brown sugar, and salt. Mix to combine with onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the squash and combine well with onion mixture. Stir in chicken broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, 20 - 25 minutes.

At this point, to give a creamier consistency, remove some cubes of the squash and mash in a separate bowl. Add back to pan and proceed as follows.

Stir in shrimp and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or just until shrimp are done, stirring occasionally. Add a little lemon juice if desired and serve over rice topped w/ a little sour cream and parsley if desired.

*chicken would be a good alternative too; just add cubed chicken to the pan when you add the broth

 
Roasting concentrates flavors and sugars, but some squashes are bred to be drier. . .

Roasting is pretty easy, just cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and such then place cut side down on a cookie sheet and cook till you can pierce the skin easily with a knife. Scoop it out, mash and you are done.

I have done the above with pumpkins and they do cook up a LOT less wet!

 
You don't need to re-roast it after thawing. I have never done that

and my pies come out great.

 
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