My theme for the month is squash. Last year I ended up getting a bunch of squash in my CSA and I wasn't very creative with it. I ate most of it just roasted in the oven. Now I want to get more creative with it. And pumpkin! There are so many pumpkin-flavored tasties and here I am with just the occasional pumpkin muffin.
So the first thing I did to prepare for this month of squash is get a huge pumpkin and make a ton of puree to use in pancakes, pie, cheesecake, etc. Why not just use a can? Because making things from scratch is so badass! And as a side bonus, fresh pumpkin tastes better than canned also. I got a huge fairytale pumpkin from Trader Joe's. I cut it up, scooped it out (saving the seeds to roast later) and roasted the big chunks in the oven until soft. Then I scooped the flesh away from the skin and put it in a mesh strainer. After about an hour or so, a bunch of water had drained out. I took the remaining pumpkin flesh and stuck it in the food processor until smooth. That one pumpkin got me about 6 cups of puree!
On the left: the puree I made. On the right: my next victim
Fact: One fairytale pumpkin yields one kitten-sized container of pumpkin puree
