How To Make Pumpkin Purée!

This is so simple and has so many different uses! I love having some puree in the freeze to add some fall flavour! Most store bought purées unless labelled otherwise contain different squashes along with pumpkin. The flavour difference between homemade and store bought is unbelievable! You only thought you liked pumpkin pie......

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Pumpkins are so fun to decorate with for the fall season. This is a great way have no waste decorations! As long as they aren’t starting to mold or turning black you'r good to go. You can also pick them up at the grocery store or farmers market like I did.

Let's get started!

Start by washing your pumpkin to remove any dirt and dry well. using a very sharp knife to cut open your pumpkin and remove the seeds. You can save the seeds by washing them in cool water & laying in a single layer to dry. Once dry store in a paper bag and you'll have lots of pumpkins to plant!

Preheat your oven to 375. Place on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil brush oil evenly so all the flesh is covered. Roast in the oven for roughly an hour. Depending on the size of your pumpkin it may take more or less time. It should be tender to the touch and mash easily with a fork.

Remove from oven and let cool completely. Using a spoon scrape out the flesh into a large bowl. Use an immerse blender to puree. Or add small batches to a standing blender and blend until smooth and creamy!

From here you can use fresh or freeze it for up to a year. I recommend freezing in 2 cup increments. Or store in the fridge for a week.

Happy Baking!

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There are a verity of different pumpkins just be sure the ones you'r getting are edible. heres a few that are best to cook with.

• Atlantic Giant: Some of the world's largest pumpkins. Size: Up to 500 pounds. Skin: Bright orange. Texture: Rough. Ribbing: Pronounced but not deep.

• Big Max: These can be pale to bright orange. Size: Can grow up to 300 pounds; slightly over 100 is more common.

• Big Moon: Skin: Bright orange color; shiny skin. Texture: Bumpy but not rough. Size: Up to 200 pounds.

• Dill's Atlantic Giant: Size: Can grow to a whopping 990 pounds.

• Musquee de Provence: Ribbing: Large and deep. Color: Orange-brown. Size: Commonly up to 20 pounds but can get much larger.

• Prizewinner: Size: Grows to an impressive 200 pounds or more. Shape: The most uniform in shape of the giants.
  

• Blue Lakota: An heirloom variety from the Midwest. A mix of blue and green. Ribbing: Slight. Shape: Round to oblate.

• Blue Max: See Jarrahdale, below. Color is pale blue.

• Kabocha: A squash masquerading as a green pumpkin and goes by the names Japanese Pumpkin, Ebisu, Delica, Hoka, Hokkaido Pumpkin. Popular in Japan; grown in other nations for export to Japan. Skin: Tough and green. Flesh: Yellow; stays firm and retains shape after cooking. Shape: Rounded, irregular. Edible: It has a firm texture and a sweet flavor, which makes it a great choice in the kitchen.

• Kakai: Produced in Japan. Skin: Gray with orange stripes or ribbing. Size: 5 to 8 pounds. Carvability: Good. Edible: Not a first choice for cooking, but Kakai is popular for its blue seeds, which can be roasted.

• Jarrahdale: An Australian heirloom pumpkin that was developed as a cross between the Cinderella and Blue Hubbard. Shape: Flattened but rounded like Cinderella. Skin: Light blue-gray. Ribbed: Deeply. Flesh: Golden yellow. Edible: Some pumpkin experts believe Jarrahdales are the finest pumpkins for making pumpkin pies. Its flavor is mildly sweet, with a texture that is creamy and dense. Display: Teamed with their red-orange sisters, the Cinderellas, they could potentially be the best-looking porch pumpkin display in town.
  

• Cinderella (Rouge, Rouge Vif d'Estampes): Cinderella pumpkins have become increasingly popular because of their shape, bright color, and enchanting name. Shape: Flattened, yet rounded. Ribbed: Deeply. Edible: Semi-sweet, moist, and good for pies. Display: Attention-getters because of their bright red-orange skin and whimsical shape. They look especially smart when stacked on top of one another, intermittently with faux or real fall leaves.

• Lakota: This is an heirloom variety that hails from the Midwest. Skin: Red with green and black markings that follow light ribbing (lines). Shape: Pear-shaped. Size: Weighs 5 to 7 pounds. Edible: Delicious butternut squash-like flavor.

• Porcelain Doll Pink Pumpkin: Shape: Squarish. Ribs: Deeply ribbed. Flesh: Deep orange. Edible: Contains a sweet flesh that is great for pies, soups, and gourmet pumpkin recipes.

• Long Island Cheese: A classic pumpkin of the 19th century. Skin: Pale cheese colored. Ribbing: Light. Flesh: Deep orange. Shape: Medium; averages 10 pounds. Keeps well. Edible: Sweet Varieties include 'Long Island Cheese' and 'Shakertown Field.'

• Musee de Provence: This beauty is often sold in slices in French markets. Skin: Pale orange-yellow. Ribbing: Deep and distinct. Flesh: Yellow-orange. Shape: Medium to large. Edible: Rich, sweet, creamy, and dense.

• Baby Boo: These palm-sized minis are best in numbers―the more the merrier. Skin: Bright white; tends to turn yellow if exposed to direct sunlight. Size: Miniature. Ribbing: Deep. Edible: No. Carvability: Too small.

• Lumina: Skin: Brilliant white. Texture: Smooth. Flesh: Bright yellow. Edible: Valued for its flavor; good for baking. Carvability: It can be carved or painted; however, it doesn't last long.

• Casper: Skin: Bright white. Shape: More round than squat with only slight ribbing. Edible: Good for pies and baking. Carvability: Better to leave alone or paint than carve.

• White Ghost (also known as Valencia): Skin: Pure white. ​Flesh: Bright yellow and thick. Shape: Squat. Edible: Tasty. Carvability: Challenging.

• White Pie: Skin: Ivory and somewhat smooth like its orange counterpart. Shape: Small and oval. Edible: Sweet, with a buttery texture. One pumpkin is enough for a whole pie. Carvability: Average.

• Fairytale: An old French heirloom variety. Skin: Dark green with orange/peach blush when young. As it ages, the dark green turns to buff orange. Flesh: Surprisingly, inside it is bright orange. Shape: With its flatness and deep ribbing, fairytale bears a striking resemblance to the Cinderella pumpkin. Size: About 15 inches diameter; 6 inches high and 20 to 30 pounds. Carvability: Not good. Edible: Fairytale's sweet, creamy flesh makes this variety a good choice for cooking or baking pumpkin pies.

• Green Striped Cushaw: Skin: Stripes of green and white; green is heavily flecked with white. Flesh: Pale orange, similar to cantaloupe flesh. Shape: Crook-necked. Size: 10 to 20 pounds. Carvability: Not good; but nice for decoration. Edible: Excellent, old-fashioned favorite for pie
  

• Baby Boo: See above, Ghostly Whites.

• Jack-Be-Little: Skin: Orange. Shape: Classic plump pumpkin shape with pronounced ribbing. Size: 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall.

• Munchkin: Similar to Jack-Be-Little (above) but slightly larger, as 4 inches wide.

• Sweetie Pie: Skin: Medium orange; scalloped. Size: 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall.

• Tiger: Skin: Yellow with orange mottling. Ribs: Deep at the top, then fading at the bottom. Shape: Flat with a recessed stem. Size: About 5 inches diameter; 3 inches tall.
  

• Autumn Gold: An award-winning hybrid prized for early color and harvest. Skin: Classic carving-pumpkin orange. Texture: Smooth, with shallow but even ribbing. Carvability: Excellent. Size: 12 inches tall and 9 inches wide; 7 to 10 pounds.

• Connecticut Field: An heirloom variety often touted as the original Halloween pumpkin. Similar in appearance to Autumn Gold but somewhat larger. Size: 12 to 20 inches tall and 8 to 12 inches wide. Carvability: Excellent. Edible: A traditional favorite for pies.

• Jack-o'-Lantern: Another classic carving pumpkin; also an heirloom. Texture: Very smooth, with shallow ribbing. Size: 12 inches tall and wide; 7 to 10 pounds. Shape: Round to slightly elongated.

• Sugar or Pie Pumpkins: Good for carving but better for eating. Somewhat smaller and rounder than its relative Connecticut Field.

• Winter Luxury: Skin: Netted, or veiled; pale orange. Size: 6 to 9 pounds. Edible: With rich, creamy flesh, this variety is a longtime favorite for baking.