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Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Cooking and Produce
More Uses and a Caution for PumpkinTammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, |
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There are many tasty ways to use your uncarved pumpkin. Keep in mind that there are food safety considerations especially when preserving pumpkin butter for later use.
Utah State University’s Extension web site lists some creative ways to eat your pumpkin. Remember pumpkin is in the squash family so can be cooked like other squash and eaten. Start preparation of your pumpkin by cutting around the top to make a lid. Use the stem as a handle for the lid. Scrape out the seeds and pulp and brush the sides with melted butter or margarine or olive oil. You can then sprinkle with sugar or salt if desired. Put the lid back on the pumpkin and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Give the inside another coat of butter, margarine or oil and the seasoning of your choice and place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the flesh is tender. Slice the pumpkin into wedges and serve.
A stuffed pumpkin makes for a creative and festive dinner table. Start by cutting the top off and scooping out the seeds and pulp. Stuff the pumpkin with your favorite casserole dish that contains cooked meat and vegetables. The meat and vegetable mixture should be placed in the pumpkin while it is still hot. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 1-3 hours depending on the size of the pumpkin. When the pumpkin is done, the inside flesh of the pumpkin will be fork tender.
You can have a festive fall breakfast by having pumpkin pancakes. Just add cooked pumpkin to your favorite pancake batter and cook your pancakes as usual. Instead of syrup, try serving applesauce and cinnamon as a topping.
Pumpkin butter tastes great on warm toast or biscuits on a cool fall morning. Be aware that home canning is not recommended for pumpkin butter. Pumpkin is a low acid food capable of growing the dangerous bacteria, Clostridium botulinum which causes botulism. We often think of jellies, jams and butters as being safe because sugar inhibits bacteria growth but according to research conducted at the University of Missouri, pumpkin butter does not always have enough to inhibit bacterial growth. There are instructions on home canning of cubed pumpkin or other winter squash but no instructions for pumpkin butter or mashed squash. The safest method for preserving pumpkin butter or mashed squash is to freeze it.
Last update: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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