Pumpkin Puree - a new adventure!

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 I spent the  entire day cooking ONE pumpkin!

It was a big one!


I cut it up into a large chunks!


The chunks went into the Insta-pot to cook until mushy. One “load” took approximately 45 minutes.  I did it 4 times!


The pumpkin was very well cooked and so mushy that the skin came off easily. I used the immersion blender to purée it all!


I harvested a total of 6 one pound bags of purée that I will use for pumpkin bisque, pumpkin bread and bars!


The “influencer” that I occasionally listen to said that making your own purée was simple and quick! Simple and quick? It was simple but it certainly was not quick! She did say that that the smaller ‘pie’ pumpkins might be ‘sweeter’ and by virtue of their small size I’m sure they would be quicker to cook!

One thing I learned was that cooking a large $6 pumpkin instead of buying a $1.99 can of pumpkin is not very cost effective. 

I did get 6 packages of homemade pumpkin purée that supposedly will taste much, much better than the canned stuff!

I did make an awesome pot of pumpkin bisque that we will enjoy another.  It’s in the freezer!

I had a conversation this afternoon with someone who believes that a whole, unblemished pumpkin that has sat out in the nice cold weather is not “fresh” and therefore should not be eaten. I disagree!!!

I guess pumpkins that have been in the stores for months before Halloween and Thanksgiving are still”fresh” by virtue of location or ignorance as to their purview!  Crazy!!!!  I’ll take mine fresh from the outdoor cooler, thank you!

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