What Happened to our Pumpkin Harvest?

2012 Harvest

We harvested 2 pumpkins mid-September and stored them in our basement, where it was dark and cool. To be honest, I was wondering if the pumpkins would rotten be been picked so early in the season. They conserved well and we enjoyed both of them: one as a Jack-O-Lantern and the other one as pureed for future recipes. If you want to check our growing pumpkin adventure and timeline, click on the following link: gardening journal page.

• PUMPKIN #1

Jack-O-Lantern

The pumpkin with the imperfect shape was used to carve our Jack-O-Lantern several days before  Halloween. Our little guy picked up the design from a book that we picked up at the library untitled Pumpkins by Jacqueline Farmer.

• PUMPKIN #2

21 cups of Pureed Pumpkin

With the second pumpkin, which was the first one to grow in our back yard, I made 21 cups of pureed pumpkin.

Here is what I did for the puree:
I turned on the oven at 400 degree Fahrenheit, cut the pumpkin into two and removed the seed. I sliced the pumpkin into 8 big slices. I placed them into different Pyrex glass bake dishes with some water on the bottom  and covered them with aluminium foil. I let them cooked for a good hour or until I could slide a knife very easily like in butter. Once cooked, I removed the foil and let the pumpkin cool down. When it was cold enough to hold, I scooped the pumpkin meat, placed it in the food processor, and pureed it. I poured the pureed pumpkin into different containers, let it cool down completely and put it in the freezer.

The pumpkin puree is very plain compare to the Libby's can from the store. I will have to try to do the same but with a pumpkin for pie from the store to see how much difference taste wise there are between a pumpkin for Jack-O-Lantern and the one for pie.